Doing, doing, doing…
Being 2021, I’d venture to guess that I’m not the only one whose head sometimes spins with all there is to do and learn and understand. So many expectations and obligations. So many good things we want to do. A never-ending list of things to research, discuss, and understand.
Sometimes it’s enough to tempt me to pack up my family and move to an isolated, technology-free mountaintop (although I hear that comes with its own challenges 😉).
Although my mountaintop backup plan frequently sounds appealing, I won’t be packing up anytime soon. Why?
Because then I’d be missing the point.
And what is the point, you may ask?
As a Christian, the point of this crazy life is to love and be loved by God, and then let that love spill out onto others as we attempt to lead them toward Him.
Hard (though maybe not impossible) to do from a mountaintop.
When I get too busy, I have to slow down and remind myself of these truths. If the things I’m busying my life and mind with aren’t furthering these main points, I need to reevaluate and prune some things off my to-do list to make space for the best things.
It’s easy to get bogged down. It’s easy to feel like God is silent. Like God is small.
In those difficult times, we have to remember. Remember his promises. Remember how he’s shown up in the past. Talk to others and hear their God-stories for inspiration. Remember that he is still active, present, and guiding our steps. Remember how much he loves you. Why is it so easy to forget?
Even if you’re not busy physically, you may be mentally exhausted—this is often harder to bear. Believe it or not, our brains aren’t designed to carry the burdens of the world or make sense of it all. Thankfully, that’s God’s job. But sometimes the madness of the world on top of our busy lives and minds is overwhelming. Life is hard. Why doesn’t he just make it all stop?
Because his ultimate goal is to bring all into relationship with him so that none shall perish. Because our comfort here and now is not the main goal. Because earth is not our home. Too often, people don’t pay attention until hard things happen. Hard things mean the harvest is ripening.
2 Peter 3:9 says it like this, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
Like it or not, my pastor pointed out in a recent sermon that since COVID hit, more people have heard the gospel than in multiple previous years combined. God is working all things for our eternal good, even when the process here and now feels like a mess.
God knows best.
When I stop trying to steer the boat and get in step with his purposes instead of charging ahead with my own, the main goal comes into focus. Not that my personal goals or intentions are not good, they’re just not always the best. And he knows best, even when it doesn’t feel like it. And heads up—sometimes our feelings are liars. That’s why we need to be grounded in truth beyond ourselves.
That’s why we need to keep the main goal in mind.
Earth, pain, suffering, and busy lives and minds are temporary.
God is eternal.
Let’s put our focus on loving God, loving others, and reflecting him to those around us. We can trust him to guide our steps and provide as we faithfully keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Do you ever struggle to keep the main goals in sight? What have you found that helps you keep this eternal perspective? I’d love to hear your experiences and thoughts in the comments below! And if you could use a reminder of the Holy Spirit’s power and goodness in the form of fiction, I invite you to check out my novel, Power Up. It is designed for tweens and teens, but adults have seemed to really resonate with it too.
