In this pursuit in becoming more like Christ, I have to stop and ask “am I allowing God to use every area of my life for Him?”
Even though I have been raised in the church, a Christian most of my life, and I love working and serving in ministry, I have been confronted with the areas of my life that I don’t allow God to use as “ministry” . I have been guilty of a mindset that qualifies “church work” as ministry and other parts of my life as just….life. Sure, I’m a Christian in everything I do, but do I allow God access to my job, parenting, etc as ministry?
In his book “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality”, Peter Scazzero says “It is so easy to compartmentalize God to ‘Christian activities’ around church and our spiritual disciplines without thinking of him in our marriages, the disciplining of our children, the spending of our money, our recreation, or even our studying for exams.” He goes on to say that this is one of the reasons why many Christians don’t mature to live the full life that Jesus calls us to live.
A while back during the WoW 2013 Bible study, I presented a teaching on Titus ch 2 and the phrase “right living that reflects the Lord” really jumped out to me. In this passage Paul was describing to Titus the kinds of character traits that were important to different groups of people- older men, older women, younger men and slaves. Paul attributed this particular phrase to to the older women of the church. In my research, I found the Greek language used here conveys the image of a good priestess carrying out the duties of her office.
In other words every aspect of our lives should be carried out as priestly ministry. The ordinary can become the sacred. Dishes, laundry, and paperwork can be…ministry.
This was a big “ah-ha” idea for me. It’s like I knew it, but I didn’t really know it. I wasn’t really living it out. You mean when I change my perspective and see these areas of my life the way God sees them, then the mundane becomes the mission field? Yes!
Now, the tedious becomes a little more precious. And, the 9 to 5 (actually the 7:30- 3:30 for me) becomes opportunities.
How about you? What areas of your life are you unknowingly not allowing God to use to its fullest? Maybe you do allow God in all these areas. How has God used the ordinary, mundane, and tedious to work through you?
~Amy
I was there for the Titus study! This chapter really struck a chord with me. I realized that it was easy for me to read the Word and to understand most of it, but to apply it to my daily life was another different thing altogether. It’s going to be a life’s mission for me, but if I see everyday things, such as preparing the evening meal for my Husband and I, or by my daily exercise as ministry then I can start allowing God to work through me. A real lightbulb moment.
Yes, that’s the biggest hurdle from knowing it and doing it. I love light bulb moments!!
Reblogged this on Women of the Way and commented:
The sacred ordinary is getting easier…what about you?