Today is a tough day. I’m tired. I found it hard to get out of bed this morning. You see, life happens. Work needs stuff. Family needs stuff. People need stuff. Every day people need stuff, and eventually I run out of stuff. Even when you are in ministry, your stuff runs out, possibly even quicker. I love what I do, but the stuff can be overwhelming, especially when it is being taken from all sides. Some days, I really just want to stay in bed. It is nice in the bed.
When I finally pulled myself out of bed this morning, I read a passage of scripture. As the Word typically does, I felt encouraged. In 2 Thessalonians 3:5, Paul writes “May the Lord direct your hearts to God’s love and Christ’s endurance.” I began to think about this passage and I began to understand some things about stuff. When I hear about God’s love, I understand that sometimes the stuff can be important for others. I remembered that God has put me in a place where I can use my stuff to help others. I also began to see that when getting rid of my stuff becomes too much, I can draw my strength from the endurance that Christ has modeled for us. I actually was thinking that people were taking too much from me, and yet Christ willingly gave all. God wouldn’t have called me to what I do if He didn’t think I could do it. The part I was missing is that I felt that I was alone doing it. This subtle reminder was exactly what I needed. Remembering that I can rely on God’s love and Christ’s endurance should give me the strength to continue to do what He has called me to do.