Vague thoughts on faithfulness have been mulling at the back of my brain for a good week or so now. I think there will be more to it, but here are my thoughts thus far.
I can't help wondering if we've overemphasized the importance of blessings in life; if we've started thinking the goal of the Christian life is to be happy rather than to be faithful and live lives of worship; if we've gotten our faith mixed up with the American dream. I'm not saying God doesn't let us be happy from time to time or doesn't ultimately desire our happiness and fulfillment. I'm not sure enough about theology to say that decisively either way. But I think the orientation in general is the problem--it's looking at what I have or don't have or need rather than who GOD is, what He's asking of me, and what HIS perspective is on life, ourselves, and those around us. Maybe.
I wonder if we've heard so many stories of Christians doing big things for the kingdom--of missionaries, of martyrs...if we've been told to "dream big" so many times, been told that we are destined for great things...that we become discouraged when we are caught up in the mundaneness of daily work, homework, paper-writing. It doesn't feel "big" or glamorous. But I wonder if our expectations have been falsely constructed; if we've trusted a false ideal.
Sure, I believe God will lead us down paths that are more or less suited to our talents and passions. But maybe we won't like it every day. Maybe in the midst of that "dream job" or lifestyle, there will be days when it feels like dreary work. Maybe the missionaries and martyrs of old didn't want to get out of bed every morning, and maybe their life didn't feel great while they were in it. Maybe it's SUPREMELY IMPORTANT right now to be faithful in the very small things, like whether I write that girl on my floor a note or ask her to dinner or work on my paper or get my monthly report in on time. The tasks probably aren't life-or-death in and of themselves, but maybe it's about my faithfulness rather than the task at hand. And maybe it's training me so that I can be faithful later in life, when I'm in ministry and work is seeming to lag but the consequences are higher. Or maybe not--maybe it's just about right now and whether I will be obedient or not. And maybe God is pleased with me for finishing my paper, seeking that elusive resident, finishing paperwork on time, even if it doesn't feel like major kingdom-work.
Sure, I believe God will lead us down paths that are more or less suited to our talents and passions. But maybe we won't like it every day. Maybe in the midst of that "dream job" or lifestyle, there will be days when it feels like dreary work. Maybe the missionaries and martyrs of old didn't want to get out of bed every morning, and maybe their life didn't feel great while they were in it. Maybe it's SUPREMELY IMPORTANT right now to be faithful in the very small things, like whether I write that girl on my floor a note or ask her to dinner or work on my paper or get my monthly report in on time. The tasks probably aren't life-or-death in and of themselves, but maybe it's about my faithfulness rather than the task at hand. And maybe it's training me so that I can be faithful later in life, when I'm in ministry and work is seeming to lag but the consequences are higher. Or maybe not--maybe it's just about right now and whether I will be obedient or not. And maybe God is pleased with me for finishing my paper, seeking that elusive resident, finishing paperwork on time, even if it doesn't feel like major kingdom-work.
I guess I need to take my eyes off ME and fix them on Christ--the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners so that you do not become weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 11:3-4) After all, we can only trust Him if we believe His knowledge, wisdom and character to far surpass our own.
Stay strong; keep the faith, for He who promised is faithful. In our weakness He is ever stronger, though the days seem to lag and our steps falter. "If we are faithless, he is faithful, for he cannot deny himself." (2 Timothy 2:13).
Go in peace and hope, my friends.
like. :) i agree though, thinking about how maybe we are supposed to be faithful now, that maybe he is training us to be obedient and faithful when, as you said, more is at stake. Obedience now is what matters--this is our training, as Oswald Chambers says, for the mission field: our obedience in the smallest things.
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