A Little Challenge…

Morning!

Raises his cup of coffee

Do you ever have those moments where you aren’t one hundred percent certain what you’re supposed to do next?

Proverbs 16:3

“Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established.”

James teaches us that if we need wisdom, we are to pray and ask God.

John tells us that the Holy Spirit will lead and guide us into all truth.

When we put these teachings together with the knowledge that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are peaceable, gentle, and perfect, we start to see a clear picture forming.

There is a specific list of the fruits of the Holy Spirit:

Galatians 5:22-23

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

This is not a list of attributes we are supposed to have.

These are fruits—things the Holy Spirit grants. But let’s not get caught in the trap of only looking inward. These fruits are not only for our personal growth, but are also manifest in the world around us.

When we commit our works to the Lord, we aren’t just involving Him in what we do—we are actively doing those works with Him.

Paul understood that God is powerful enough to keep what is committed to Him until eternity.

I propose that we should trust Him to do the same.

The entire discussion hinges on this one question.

What does it mean to commit our works to the Lord?

Let’s look at the word commit:

Commit (Verb)

• To carry into action deliberately: Perpetrate

• To obligate, bind: To pledge or assign to some course or use

• To put into charge or trust: Entrust

So, putting God in charge of the works we are doing is how Scripture teaches that our thoughts will be established.

How many things in our lives are we actively doing with God—and how many things are we doing without Him?

2 Timothy 2:11-13

“This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him.  If we endure, we shall also reign with Him.  If we deny Him, He also will deny us.  If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.”

Have we put God in charge?

Have we made ourselves answerable to Him in everything we do?

Scripture teaches us to do all things as if we are doing them for the Lord.

When we combine that with unceasing prayer, what needs to be done in our lives becomes much clearer.

And there is an added bonus—this mindset shifts us from waiting for the Lord to waiting upon the Lord.

Have We Considered the Difference?

Waiting for the Lord implies passivity, like we are standing still, waiting for Him to act.  Waiting upon the Lord means serving, being actively engaged in His will, preparing for what is to come.

Which are we doing?

Which are we going to do today?