“Look at my servant, whom I
strengthen.” – Isaiah 42:1
Ain’t gonna lie. Sometimes living with a servant’s heart can be
tough. You feel overworked, underappreciated,
and on the verge of burn-out. Been there,
done that. Have the T-shirt.
Why, oh why, can something we have
good intentions for, at times, make us feel like we want to just give it all up? Personally, I believe it is the devil and the
darkness poking their tempting ways into our lives and making us feel tired,
aggravated, and ready to throw in the towel.
The author of Ephesians was so correct when he said, “For our struggle is not
against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil
in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). Simply put, the devil doesn’t want to see us
win. He doesn’t want our serving the
Kingdom to come to fulfillment. If he
can tempt us to get mad or frustrated while we are serving, then maybe, just
maybe, we’ll say “enough’s enough.”
Fellow servants, don’t throw in that towel! Remember
that God has gifted you with a specific skill and has given you a place to
serve Him so that you can use it! He
created your precious servant heart to serve in the ministry or area that you
are currently in so that you can make a difference for His kingdom! “I, the
Lord, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness. I will take you by the hand and guard you,
and I will give you to my people…and you will be a light to guide the
nations. You will open the eyes of the
blind. You will free the captives from prison,
releasing those who sit in dark dungeons” (Isaiah 42:6-7). God’s got GREAT plans for your servant
heart. He wants to use you to impact others
for His Kingdom!
Hard times will come in your servanthood, but take these words, from
the Lord, to heart, “Look at my servant,
whom I strengthen” (Isaiah 42:1). See
that?! He will strengthen you! Sounds great, right?! But how do you get rid of those temptations
to quit and give up? James 4:7 hits the
nail right on the head, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he
will flee from you.” That’s it!
Submit your heart and feelings to the Lord, tell the devil to take a
hike, and watch God move in your life. With
God on your side, you can be rejuvenated and energized to keep serving Him with
all your heart.
Living with a servant’s heart may be tough at times, but God will always
be there to strengthen you so that you can truly and wholeheartedly serve Him
and His kingdom. Continue to live with
that servant’s heart and watch God use you in extraordinary ways!
“Oh, my God, He will not
delay! My refuge and strength,
always! I will not fear, His promise is
true, my God will come through, always.
Always!”
Wow!! Thank you for sharing. I just recently wrote about God's opening my heart to empathy again after I had closed it because I grew tired of feeling other's pain rather than taking that pain back to Him. I think He's reiterating His message to my heart. :)
ReplyDeleteSo humbled to hear this. Praying God's blessings on you as you continue to live for Him!
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