BIG FAT NO!
DAY 158: After I started writing as a profession I joined an organization made up of published women authors and speakers. I was incredibly intimidated by these amazing women who had been mentoring me for years as one of the readers of their books and articles. They were wise. They were accomplished. They were Godly women. They were scary! To a newbie in the world of publishing, they were role models of how to marry the art of writing with the heart of ministry.
The first professional development conference I attended I not only had to meet these super-women, I had to stand up front and tell about myself and my passions. You can imagine the intense preparation that preceded my moment in the spotlight before such an illustrious group of professionals. Shopping for the perfect outfit took a whole day! I didn't want to just say the right things, I wanted to look good saying it. If only I hadn't picked THAT night as the first time I ever wore a strapless dress.
Just as I was about to begin my well-rehearsed introduction I hoped would be unforgettable, my dress took care of that for me. Standing in front of this austere group, I looked down to see and realized I was about to reveal way more about myself than I ever intended. I spun my back to this distinguished female gathering and wriggled back into my dress before turning back to deliver my opening greeting: "Good evening ladies, I feel sure we are going to be bosom friends." I think I made an impression.
If only I had known that while this was a group full of talented women, they were still just women with the same aspiration as I had to achieve something lasting for the kingdom of God. They did not see themselves as "accomplished masters" but "accomplishing servants." As I got to know them, the one thing many had in common was wrestling with feelings of inadequacy when each compared her own work with that of all the other women in our organization.
At first I thought it was a struggle with jealousy, but it wasn't that it all. They just had such big hearts to serve God and make a difference they wanted to be the one to do it all! It was difficult watching God choose someone else when they were willing. For all of us, it can be a temptation to begrudge how God uses someone else in big ways instead of us, rather than choosing to simply delight that He uses us at all.
David mastered that temptation in a way I want to emulate as He submitted to the restrictions God placed on his ministry. David had asked God for the honor of building a permanent place of worship to replace the tented tabernacle that had been carried through the dessert with Moses. He wanted God's house to be a magnificent place to reflect His glory. As right-hearted as his desire was, God told David that the honor of building that temple would go to someone else - his son, Solomon.
1 Chronicles 22-28 details David's reaction to God's plan of passing over him for this privilege. First, David yields to God's will rather than trying to change God's mind. Second, He goes about the business of what ministry God did give him- serving the people as a king after God's own heart. He ruled wisely, he confronted the enemy, he went to war, and he oversaw the well-being of the nation of Israel. Finally, he didn't just begrudgingly accept that the honor went to someone else, he did everything in his power to encourage the other person in their calling.
1 Chronicles 22: 3 David provided large amounts of iron for the nails that would be needed for the doors in the gates and for the clamps, and he gave more bronze than could be weighed. 4 He also provided innumerable cedar logs, for the men of Tyre and Sidon had brought vast amounts of cedar to David.
5 David said, “My son Solomon is still young and inexperienced. And since the Temple to be built for the Lord must be a magnificent structure, famous and glorious throughout the world, I will begin making preparations for it now.” So David collected vast amounts of building materials before his death.
David could have sulked. He could have been jealous. He could have tried to change God's mind or do it anyway. David, however, knew that God's work is God's to assign. God had made him king. He wasn't a perfect king, but he strove to be a great king before the Lord. And he used all of his resources in the place God gave him to advance, not just his life's calling, but the calling given to someone else. Rather than lament what he couldn't do, he cheered others to do what they could.
6 Then David sent for his son Solomon and instructed him to build a Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel.11 “Now, my son, may the Lord be with you and give you success as you follow his directions in building the Temple of the Lord your God. 12 And may the Lord give you wisdom and understanding, that you may obey the Law of the Lord your God as you rule over Israel. 13 For you will be successful if you carefully obey the decrees and regulations that the Lord gave to Israel through Moses. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart!
For all the things that David would not do, like building the Temple of God, there were also things only David could do. He embraced the restrictions God set around him, but made sure that what was put in his hands wasn't squandered.
I am so thankful for the places God has said "Yes, you may do that to serve Me." But when I don't handle gracefully the times when He says, "No, that is not for you to do" then I may be squandering those things already placed in my care. One clue is whether I cheer on others to "be strong and courageous and not lose heart" as David did for Solomon, or whether I am preoccupied wishing it could be me.
The best way to guard against that, is to ask God himself to lead the way:
"God, give me the grace to push ahead when you say go, to let go when you say no, and seek only your glory to overflow."
1 Chronicles 22-26
Romans 3-4
Psalm 12-13
Proverbs 19:13-16
The first professional development conference I attended I not only had to meet these super-women, I had to stand up front and tell about myself and my passions. You can imagine the intense preparation that preceded my moment in the spotlight before such an illustrious group of professionals. Shopping for the perfect outfit took a whole day! I didn't want to just say the right things, I wanted to look good saying it. If only I hadn't picked THAT night as the first time I ever wore a strapless dress.
Just as I was about to begin my well-rehearsed introduction I hoped would be unforgettable, my dress took care of that for me. Standing in front of this austere group, I looked down to see and realized I was about to reveal way more about myself than I ever intended. I spun my back to this distinguished female gathering and wriggled back into my dress before turning back to deliver my opening greeting: "Good evening ladies, I feel sure we are going to be bosom friends." I think I made an impression.
At first I thought it was a struggle with jealousy, but it wasn't that it all. They just had such big hearts to serve God and make a difference they wanted to be the one to do it all! It was difficult watching God choose someone else when they were willing. For all of us, it can be a temptation to begrudge how God uses someone else in big ways instead of us, rather than choosing to simply delight that He uses us at all.
David mastered that temptation in a way I want to emulate as He submitted to the restrictions God placed on his ministry. David had asked God for the honor of building a permanent place of worship to replace the tented tabernacle that had been carried through the dessert with Moses. He wanted God's house to be a magnificent place to reflect His glory. As right-hearted as his desire was, God told David that the honor of building that temple would go to someone else - his son, Solomon.
1 Chronicles 22-28 details David's reaction to God's plan of passing over him for this privilege. First, David yields to God's will rather than trying to change God's mind. Second, He goes about the business of what ministry God did give him- serving the people as a king after God's own heart. He ruled wisely, he confronted the enemy, he went to war, and he oversaw the well-being of the nation of Israel. Finally, he didn't just begrudgingly accept that the honor went to someone else, he did everything in his power to encourage the other person in their calling.
1 Chronicles 22: 3 David provided large amounts of iron for the nails that would be needed for the doors in the gates and for the clamps, and he gave more bronze than could be weighed. 4 He also provided innumerable cedar logs, for the men of Tyre and Sidon had brought vast amounts of cedar to David.
5 David said, “My son Solomon is still young and inexperienced. And since the Temple to be built for the Lord must be a magnificent structure, famous and glorious throughout the world, I will begin making preparations for it now.” So David collected vast amounts of building materials before his death.
David could have sulked. He could have been jealous. He could have tried to change God's mind or do it anyway. David, however, knew that God's work is God's to assign. God had made him king. He wasn't a perfect king, but he strove to be a great king before the Lord. And he used all of his resources in the place God gave him to advance, not just his life's calling, but the calling given to someone else. Rather than lament what he couldn't do, he cheered others to do what they could.
6 Then David sent for his son Solomon and instructed him to build a Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel.11 “Now, my son, may the Lord be with you and give you success as you follow his directions in building the Temple of the Lord your God. 12 And may the Lord give you wisdom and understanding, that you may obey the Law of the Lord your God as you rule over Israel. 13 For you will be successful if you carefully obey the decrees and regulations that the Lord gave to Israel through Moses. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart!
For all the things that David would not do, like building the Temple of God, there were also things only David could do. He embraced the restrictions God set around him, but made sure that what was put in his hands wasn't squandered.
I am so thankful for the places God has said "Yes, you may do that to serve Me." But when I don't handle gracefully the times when He says, "No, that is not for you to do" then I may be squandering those things already placed in my care. One clue is whether I cheer on others to "be strong and courageous and not lose heart" as David did for Solomon, or whether I am preoccupied wishing it could be me.
The best way to guard against that, is to ask God himself to lead the way:
"God, give me the grace to push ahead when you say go, to let go when you say no, and seek only your glory to overflow."
1 Chronicles 22-26
Romans 3-4
Psalm 12-13
Proverbs 19:13-16
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