“On Doing Your Best.”

  

The first part of this verse was running through my mind all night long.  What makes this particularly interesting to me is that it was in my sleep!  All. Night. Long.

Whatever your hand finds to do ~~ 

So I had to pray on this upon waking up this morning; what is God speaking to me through this verse?

The Task at hand.  The current Assignment.  The Project staring me in the face.  The Person on my mind.  

Sometimes my mind wanders into the vast ‘trunk load of thoughts’ and good intentions.  I have a stash of personal proposals and desired goals piled up in that trunk.  Can any of my Girlfriends relate?  And so many times I set myself up for disappointment because of a lack of follow through.  I’ve read somewhere that “a dream is just a wish unless you put action to it.”  How true that is!

And then there are those times where I’ve got so many things going on simultaneously that I neglect putting enough energy into each one of them to make them stellar.  I really like to put my BEST foot forward on projects, and I’m sure you feel the same way.

So when I ask God about this ~~ you know what I get?  

Look at what I’ve put in your hand ~~ see the talents and gifts that I’ve  placed there ~~ think on the passions of your heart and mind ~~ and get to work, girl!

God doesn’t waste talent ~~ and He doesn’t distribute gifts where He doesn’t believe they will fall by the roadside.  God is The Master Planner ~~ He KNOWS where things will grow; where the ground is fertile.  He KNOWS who will double His Investment and give it back to Him multiplied.

Do it with all your might ~~

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things which He has called me to do through Him who strengthens and empowers me to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace. 

Well, that Scripture verse certainly settles it, doesn’t it?

And this is so simple, Girlfriend ~~ that which He has called me to do ~~ He will strengthen me and equip me to do it!

So what’s  the hold up?  Me.  Can I get a head nod here?

Do you ever second guess not only what you’re supposed to do, but also how well you do it?

I’ve wrestled with this forever ~~ back and forth, I doubt my work and its final outcome.  I’ll compare my end results with someone else’s work.  There’s a fear that’s paralyzing here ~~ fear that it could’ve been or should’ve been done better.  

But when I read the passage in Philippians, the last few words ~~ well, they’ve got the last word on the matter: inner strength and confident peace.

If I’m truly trusting and fully relying upon God for His Strength to fulfill His Will (that thing in my hands), then He will provide and supply not only the tools but the inner strength and confident peace.   Inner peace is resolute.  It’s when you can breathe and sigh relief that all is well with my soul.  Confident peace anchors my worrisome thoughts and secures my mind that He Who began this good work in me will indeed complete it to His level of perfection.  Done!

So just maybe ~~ it’s not about “my best” ~~ but rather about His Work and Purpose being done in and through me.  

Isaiah 64:8 Yet, O Lord, You are our Father;  We are the clay, and You our Potter,  And we all are the work of Your hand. 

His Hands ~~ must move my hands.  I must place my hands in His Hands.  So that the work in my hands are done according to His Purpose.

For my tiny brain, this now settles the matter.  And I hope that if you often struggle with this crazy personal debate, you’ll let God settle it for you, too, Girlfriend.

I love you to Heaven and Back ~~

LindaRJohnson

T2T Visionary