STRESS

It's amazing how busy we can get that we completely toss God out of our lives. Like it's okay with God that he comes so low on our list. I know he has for me lately. Not by desire, but by being too tired. What an excuse. I often put my excuses in the mouth of Jesus before the cross. Can you imagine what life would be like if Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane had said, "You know my disciples have it right. I'm too tired to pray for my disciples [present and future]. I think I'll just sleep and not go to the cross today."

What a loving God that would be. I don't mean to make myself seem so lazy, but I'm having a hard time not disengaging from the things that I know teach me about Jesus. Sometimes it's just easier to walk away from those things that are tough...especially when we've turned God into a job. I did that recently. I felt like I had some kind of job to do when it came to Quiet Times and fasting and ministry. But the question that I've come back to lately is: Where was Jesus? It's not that he wasn't walking beside me. It's that I didn't care. I had a purpose. But my only true purpose is to let Jesus do his thing and pay attention. It's pretty simple. So I'm not sure why I make it so hard.

Jesus is the reason we do everything. If we're not in ministry because of Jesus, we are going to burn out and find everything wrong with the world. But if we abide in Christ...He will abide with us. John 15:4 says, "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in me."