Finiteness & Faithfulness
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.––Colossians 3:23
As I thought about what to write in this first letter back, I thought I’d share a little about some of the things I’ve been praying through, thinking about, and trying to help others with over these past months. I’ve been thinking a lot about finiteness and faithfulness. So, let’s talk about what faithfulness means first.
I’d define faithfulness as doing the best we know how to, with the current wisdom and knowledge we have––to do what God is calling us to do. Some of these things are obvious: don’t steal, don’t murder, don’t gossip, and things like that. Other things are not as obvious. Where do we spend our time? How do we invest in ministry? How do we love our family and friends best?
A regular prayer of mine is that the Lord would help me be faithful to what he is calling me to do. However, figuring out what that means can be hard. Other people have opinions about how we should use our time. Seasons in our family, at our church, or with our friends can change. Obligations and opportunities are always shifting. As soon as you think you have a rhythm figured out, a new stage is upon you.
On top of all of that, looming in the background, is our finiteness. We are not omniscient. Nor are we omnipotent. Nor are we omnipresent. We need sleep. We need rest. So, I want to encourage you in two ways in this letter: 1) take time to consider what faithfulness looks like in your life right now, and 2) do what this season calls for with all of your might.
Take time to consider what faithfulness looks like in your own life––right now.
Too often our lives get so crowded, busy, and full that we simply hit autopilot and just survive obligation to obligation. We simply don’t consider if we are still called to the same obligations to honor Jesus. We could be called to more OR less but we would never know because we don’t pause long enough to ponder.
Sometimes we spend all of our time worrying or being frustrated with things that simply are not in our control. We spend more time in imaginary worlds of fear and frustration and uncertainty than we do focusing on being locked in to the very next thing we can do to honor Jesus and do what we’re called to do.
Or, we simply do what other people think we should do. We let other people’s obligations of us, thoughts about us, or expectation on us define our reality. Now, let me be clear, we should seek wisdom from others––but we can’t let others define our identity. Making decisions out of what others think is not a good way to make decisions. Jesus is our identity and we need wisdom, fellowship, and help from him to follow him faithfully in our finiteness.
So, let me just encourage some prayerful, scripture-filled time of you thinking, praying, and fasting about what God might have for you to be faithful in this season of life right now.
Do what this season calls for with all of your might.
Once you feel you have enough clarity to move forward (it won’t ever be perfect or finished!), do what you’re called to with all of your might. Serve your family, friends, church, neighbors, coworkers, teams, etc. with all you have––in a way that honors Jesus, shows a “hearty” attitude in it, and blesses those around you. If you’re going to do something, be “all in!” As I coached this season I often used the term “locked in” to talk about being completely invested in what we could control in the task at hand in a way that honored Jesus and each other.
Once you have clarity on a direction, be “locked in” to that until it’s time to pause and ponder again about what God is calling you to next.
God calls us to faithfulness and he knows we are finite. Let’s pause and ask for his help and then give ourselves completely to all that he calls us to do as we follow him.
