God Doesn't Need my Activity

Hilary of Tours ~ 

"Busyness is a blasphemous anxiety to do God's work for Him."

I've shared this quote here before and it is a good reminder for me as I continually seek to create space in my life. At times my busyness in ministry is an internal sense that if I don't do a particular activity then it will seem as if I am ineffective. 

But here is the lesson I'm learning. God does not need my activity to work and accomplish His will. He is at work despite my busyness. 

Jesus says the following in John 5:19-20,

"I assure you: The Son is not able to do anything on His own, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does these things in the same way. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He is doing, and He will show Him greater works than these so that you will be amazed."

Jesus Himself stated that He could not do anything independently from the Father. He came alongside the Father to work in tandem with what He was already doing. Jesus was so closely connected to the Father that He was able to know His will. When I reflect on my own relationship with the Lord, I often wonder if my activity is really in alignment with His will or am I just willy-nilly doing whatever I think needs to happen? Am I so in tune to the Father's voice that I can hear what He is saying?

The only way to know the Lord's will is to actually spend time listening before plunging in and doing. I need to slow down and spend some solid time in contemplation so that I can hear the Father's voice. 

• That may mean I don't say "yes" to every opportunity that comes my way without spending quality time in prayer about it. 
• It means that I may have to prioritize activity in my life and drop the activities or ministries that don't line up with where I sense God leading. 
• It could mean that I let go of some of my activity that  drives frantic busyness. 
• It may mean I have to say "not yet" to requests until I clearly discern if I should say "yes" or "no."
• It may also mean that some people will be disappointed and I have to be okay with their disappointment.
• It means that I need to create space in my daily rhythms so I can hear from the Father.

My focus this year has been on what thriving means in my life and some of this goes hand in hand with subject. You cannot thrive if your schedule is so out of control that you can't even reflect on what thriving means. You cannot thrive if your activity doesn't line up with what God has for your life. You cannot thrive without creating some spaciousness in your life to contemplate.

God doesn't need my activity to accomplish His will. God wants my devotion and my ear. I want to be so in tune to His voice that I will be able to know where my activity aligns with His will. May that be so for all of us.