What Task Have You Laid Down? TAKE IT UP - Jewell Utt
What task have you laid down? Take it up.
God is encouraging you to move forward with boldness and confidence. When you experience hardship and confusion–doubt and despair are not far behind. If you are like me, you squash those “feelings” and focus on an area of immediate need. Not dwelling on the overwhelming aspects of your task, but laying it aside for when you have more time and energy to deal with it. Now, is the time to take it up.
The fact is, we can make excuses and find ways to remain productive while avoiding a more complicated task. But is that what God desires? Remember He doesn’t need us to carry out His plans. But He chooses to use us in His work, for our growth and His glory. He is the power behind our step. But we must step.
Consider Abraham. He didn’t have a papyrus goal sheet to scrutinize and adjust. He remained close enough to God to know the next step, and then He took it. If we were to collect our worrying time, complaining time, doubting time, and TV/media time we’d have a lot of usable time. If we applied it to getting to know Christ intimately, we’d model after Abraham. A man of FAITH who knew God.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. Hebrews 11:8 ESV
Faith is the key to action when a task is overwhelming. It requires trust in a Christ we know, because we have spent time in His presence. It is there we come to understand our weaknesses and His power. He works through us, supplying both the inspiration and outcome. We display our trust for Him by taking each new step along the way. When we experience how He conquers challenge after challenge, tasks insurmountable for us, we understand a truth. He Is Able. He gifts us with unique qualities and tasks us for His objectives. When we align with His plan, the insurmountable becomes possible.
The year 2017 is upon us. Let’s spend the final weeks of December with Christ.
O Come Let Us Adore Him
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:11-14 (ESV)
