This blog post is based on the lesson that I recently did during our last women's midweek service at church. Enjoy!
Do you feel overwhelmed with everything going on in your life? Each person has a dizzying array of variables that guide each and every day.
- Ministry - Sunday service, midweek service, quiet time with God, devotional time with others, discipleship time, special meetings, service areas, kids clubs, etc.
- Career - full time job, part time job, multiple jobs, stay at home Mom.
- Family time - immediate and extended
- School - full time, part time, classes while working, night classes, masters programs, lots of travel time to class, etc.
- Kid's extracurricular activities - soccer practice, ballet recitals, play dates, sleep overs, birthday parties... list this is endless
- Housework, grocery shopping, exercise, hobbies, personal time, etc.
- Don't forget to eat and sleep!
We all need to be aware of the variables in our lives. Any one or more of these variables can make us unbalanced, stress us out, push us past our breaking point. Having too much on our plates can lead to sinful roles developing.
Do you have trouble switching gears?
- Do you do things out of selfish ambition, hoping for respect or recognition?
- Are you insecure and do you have trouble saying "No" for fear that you will lose respect?
Are you a people pleaser?
- Do you focus too much on what others will think of you?
- Do you overcommit to others in order to keep people happy?
Are you a control freak?
- Do you worry about everything?
- Do you feel uncomfortable and unstable when you aren't in control of your variables?
We need to yolk ourselves with Jesus, not with these sinful roles. Jesus was the perfect example for us of someone with a balanced life. He did nothing out of selfish ambition (see Luke 9:48), he couldn't have cared less about what others thought of him (see Luke 8:22-24), and he never worried about a thing (see Matthew 6:34). And why should he? His father was GOD!
Here are some practical applications for you:
1. Put God first.
- "Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment." Matthew 22:37-38 NIV
2. Set righteous boundaries.
- Evaluate the importance of everything
- Don't let your schedule require the approval of others
- Learn to say "No"
- "I have the right to do anything, you say - but not everything is beneficial. I have the right to do anything, - but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others." 1 Corinthians 10:23-24
3. Be a Proverbs 31 Woman.
- Your husband is 2nd after God
- The comes your children, followed by other family members
- Give freely to others
- Be a perfect example for your children to follow
I hope this information is helpful to you. Enjoy the video below! Some of our campus ladies put this together for my lesson and I'm so grateful to them for expressing exactly the point I wanted to make.
