Not Easy part 4
Helping or hurting? That's the question I ask myself before I do something. Especially before I do something that is not easy. Because if its helping, then it doesn't matter if its easy or not. Most of the time, the harder a thing is, the more worthwhile it is. But if its hurting... then you should stop. Don't quit because its not easy. But don't keep going if there no chance what you are doing will end in a positive result. Don't keep banging your head against the wall. Unless you WANT a headache. Because that's what you're going to get. A headache. And don't go past your personal point of no return, either. That won't help anybody, and that will hurt everybody. Just do what you can do. And understand that you can't do it all. Understand that you are not expected to do it all. Stay in your lane, if I can say it that way. "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called" (Ephesians 4:1). If the Apostle Paul can say it that way. My point is: Stop trying to be someone you're not, and stop trying to do something you can't do. I said earlier that most worthwhile things are hard. But I didn't say you should struggle with works and labor in order to do those things. The underlying principle behind everything I Rant is Jesus, right? Which means its love. And love isn't a struggle. Despite what the songs would have you believe, love is not a battlefield. Despite what it feels like most of the time, love is not a fight. And even if it was, its not a fight WE have to fight. The ONLY fight we need to have anything to do with here on this side of the cross is found in 1 Timothy 6:12, "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses." Its the good fight of faith. Knowing and BELIEVING the truth. Laying hold of the gift that we've already been given. Not getting the gift. Not earning the gift. If you have to earn it, its not a gift at all. Laying hold of the gift. Laying hold of what we have been called to. Again: Walking worthy of our vocation, or calling. Letting God stretch us, so that we can test the height, and length, and depth, and breadth of His love by loving each other bigger than we ever thought possible... but not overextending ourselves. And, listen, I know that can be a delicate balance. I know it can be hard to decide how much is enough. But one of my favorite catchphrases goes like this, "Know when to say when." And my way of making that phrase work for me--because I would tend to just keep going and going like the Energizer Bunny--is to simply do my best and forget the rest. I know who I am, because I know who my heavenly Father says I am. So I don't need to be anybody else. I don't need to go over and above what I'm capable of. All I need to do is go upward and God-ward. All I need to do is give it all I've got. Because then it'll either be enough, or it won't. If it is... great. If its not... I'll shrug my shoulders and move on. Let go and let God, as they say. So when something is not easy we should NOT automatically give up. Flight is not the best option. But at the same time, if you aren't helping... don't keep fighting just to fight. Sometimes its not about fight OR flight. Sometimes (every time) its about love. Giving everything you have and everything you are and trusting that, at the very least, you've done YOUR part.