Week in and week out, I get caught up in ministry. I get caught up in the tedious, minute details that ministry consists of. I get caught up in the songs we sing, the way we play them, the lessons we will use for upcoming Young Adult Ministry. I get caught up in what else I can do to serve, all amongst a plethora of other things. In the time crunch to get everything done, and done well, I can find myself too busy sometimes for the One I’m doing it all for, God Himself. Does this sound like something you can relate to? I believe that this is the danger of having a determined, driven personality in ministry. The danger is that so often we get caught up in the attitude of “what else can I do?” instead of “how can I spend more time with Him?” Why do we spend most of our day figuring out how to please God, when in all reality what God really wants is for us to spend the day with Him? How is it that while we can find and make the time to serve Him, we cannot find the time to visit Him because we are too busy serving Him?
The heart of a courageous worshiper, and follower of God, is not measured by the number of times he or she has served, but rather by the desire and dedication to daily visiting with God, the daily drive to know Him better. I believe that the verse “Be still and know that I am God” was written for me. Whether this verse is saying to stop what I am doing and spend time with Him or not, it’s what I need to do. I have a rough time being still for anything! As a driven person, I do not like sitting still and not working on what I think needs to be done. I have gotten swept up in desire to please God through my serving and have neglected the daily need to “be still.”
We need to remember why God created us. He longs for us to sit with Him and visit. He longs for us to hear what He would have for us. He longs for us not only to serve Him, but also to know Him. We were made to be in relationship with Him. The older I get, one of my fears has become that when I stand before Him someday, He will point out all the things I overlooked in life because I was too busy to hear His voice. Will you commit with me today to start a fresh relationship with the Lord by spending more time with Him? I truly believe it’s what He desires. For the lost person on the Day of Judgment, God will not say, “Depart from me for you never served me,” but will say, “Depart from me for I never knew you.” I think that says it all.
Be still, and know that I am God. — Psalm 46:10
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