Sometimes I go through seasons where I believe the Lord is teaching me, something very important. Then I’m truly encouraged, refreshed, and thankful. Then suddenly, it’s as though I’ve been taken to that wilderness with Jesus, to be tempted by the devil. I’m thankful for His Words that He taught me comes to mind, but the battle is real, the lies seem so “true”, but they’re trying to get me away from the “one thing needful” that He has been trying to teach me. Then a godly man reminded me, the most important things often seem so small, and underestimated. It’s true. And thankfully His word was confirmed, and while it is still not easy, I see how much more important that “one needful thing is” than trying to do all the “good” one hundred and one things the devil is trying to get me to do is useless, without doing that one most important thing.
I was encouraged by the same story in the Bible that had made me confused, longing to know if I was doing what God wanted me to do. The story of the man who was given one talent, and who then hid it, because he knew his master was a hard man. I was focusing on the “talent”. What did He want me to do? What if I am not doing what He wants with my gifts, and I’m burying them in the dirt? I longed to do what He wants me to do, but it seems so foggy, what is it? Then, the Lord encouraged me. I was focusing on his talent and not his attitude. It’s the heart attitude, I needed to focus on instead. He wasn’t seeking to please his master, he didn’t care about his master, instead he enjoyed his life, while burying what was his masters. He wasn’t longing to do something, anything, for his master, for he saw him as a hard man. He didn’t seek to please him. Then, I was encouraged. What a difference it is to look at the heart! Am I seeking to please Him in my day to day life? Maybe I cannot do what the man with ten talents can do, for I have just one talent, but is my heart right, seeking to please the Lord in my home life, in secret, where no one else can see? Am I longing to be close to Him, and please Him with even the small things?
I had been reminded a few weeks ago, about how the devil is also seeking to distract us from our simple, pure devotion to Jesus. How he whispers in our ears that we should be helping in this ministry, or with that like the other sisters around us are, thus causing us to be discouraged when we don’t get to do the things they get to for the church. I kept seeking to renew my mind in this area, and continued to find it a constant battle. The devil then kept trying to convince me that there was “no place for me” in this body, that I couldn’t do anything. These lies seemed to be so real, they seemed so convincing, for, all the other sisters around me had something to do, and I had nothing. I felt often as though they were even helping me, when I was sick or weak, and I wasn’t able to do anything for them in return. This made me so sad to think of. Yet I’m thankful for the Lords constant reminder to keep renewing my mind. Again, a battle, not easy, but by His grace He helped me and encouraged me and strengthened me! He encouraged me again about the one thing needful; to sit at Jesus feet, and listen. To pray. To maintain that pure, reverent devotion to Jesus. To grow in my deep love for Him, and obeying Him in the mundane everyday life areas, where no one else sees. To be faithful in secret. To keep praying in secret. These little things are so important, but are very underestimated. When I was reminded afresh this week after the wilderness season, I was so thankful for this much needed reminder. We need to be reminded of these things, not just once, twice, three times, but daily even! That not one of us would cool off in our devotion to Jesus. I know I need to be reminded much, and I’m so thankful for a body who can spur each other on to loving Jesus more, and being faithful in the hidden life. Longing to know Jesus more, to obey Him, to be close to Him, to never cool off in our fervent devotion to Him.
By His grace, He will help us. Praise God.
