So Many Demands
The world we live in is so full of demands, isn’t it?
Whether it’s a job, errands, chores, mom-life, relationships, volunteer work, bills, etc., there’s a lot in life that demands our time, energy, & resources.
And when it comes to our relationship with God, sometimes it can seem like spending time with Him is just one more thing we are supposed to give our time, energy, &/or money to.
And sometimes, if we’re honest with ourselves, it feels like we only have our leftovers to offer Him, when all is said & done.
Sometimes, this reality gives us a sting of guilt & other times, the pressure of another demand seems crippling–especially one so important!
Another Way
But what if it’s meant to be different?
What if giving our time, energy, & resources to God actually gives us MORE time, energy, & resources to give to other things on the agenda?
Lucky for us, that’s exactly how it’s meant to work! God multiplies what we offer to Him of our time, energy, & resources!
I know, that may seem like religious mumbo jumbo to some of you. And some of you may have heard it in church, but still feel like the concept is so vague that you don’t really know how it actually is supposed to work out that way in reality.
That has been my sentiment for most of my life, if I’m being real with you.
Can It Be?
Growing up in church, I heard all of God’s promises at church, Sunday school, Bible studies, devotionals, Bible reading, etc. But they never really seemed anything more than a pleasant idea versus a solid reality I could count on.
Has anyone else ever felt that way?
Like it all sounds nice & we even memorize some of the verses with these nice ideas, but it never feels more than a nice idea.
But God wasn’t just giving us a Bible full of “look how nice all of these things sound!” No. He was writing to us, as GOD & Creator of this world, the truths about how He designed this world & how He promises to interact within it.
Have you ever thought about it that way?
He doesn’t just ask for our time, energy, & resources. He promises to help us make that happen AND give us a bigger return on our investment into growing His kingdom.
God Gives Us More Than We Can Give Him
Striving to have a fuller relationship with God can seem to put even more pressure on us, can’t it? Like we can barely hold together what we already are doing & then to feel like we have to give God even more than what’s left can seem like nothing more than a stress mess.
But here’s the cool part about it all, giving God our best really, actually helps us in every other way.
What we give to the world can seem to have little return on our investment, but what God gives in return far exceeds what we could ever dare to offer Him.
That’s the amazing thing about God.
He is limitless. He is infinite. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise.
Not Perfection, Just Trust
He doesn’t expect us to be perfect. He doesn’t expect us to earn His approval or love, but He does expect us to right our perspective when it’s gotten out of whack.
And this is one area that I feel is SO EASY to get out of whack—for all of us!!
It’s so easy to think of our relationship with Him as just another item on our to-do list.
But the true story is this, because God is limitless, infinite, all-powerful, all-knowing, & all-wise, His return on our investment is limitless!
Not in Our Strength, But His
The more time I personally spend reading the Bible, the more this truth becomes glaringly obvious—the confident, daring victories I read about in the Bible are not because these people were a cut above the rest of us.
No, they had doubts, weaknesses, insecurities, flaws, & failures just like anyone else!
So, what’s the difference then? Why does their life look so victorious, while mine is just fighting to get through another day?
The answer? They drew their strength & wisdom & power & confidence & peace from spending time with God versus trying to get through each day on their own!!
They were victors & conquerors in life BECAUSE they gave their BEST time, energy, focus, & resources to GOD! And in return, for their investment in God’s presence for His glory, God gave them strength, confidence, wisdom, power, peace, & etc. in return!
WOW!
Not a Sacrifice, But a Worthy Investment into God’s Kingdom
In those retellings of events in the Bible, giving God their best was not a sacrifice, it was an investment with God offering major returns!
Those victors knew they could trust God. And they acted on that trust!
They knew He was worthy of their all. So they gave their all!
They knew God’s love was genuine & unconditional & because of that, they went all in!
They weren’t always faithful, but God always was.
What they were willing to give, God gave much more in return.
And that same truth is true for us, too. It may seem like just one more drain on resources, time, or energy, when you already feel like you’re running on empty… But God always returns on what we invest.
Go All In!
So trust Him with your all!
Let HIM be your strength when all is failing.
Let HIM be your power when the odds seem unsurmountable.
Let HIM be your peace when despair beckons.
Let HIM be your confidence in the midst of your insecurities.
Let God in! Let God work! Go ALL in!
The Vine Of Life
Do not be content to be the lifeless, brittle, dry branch trying to live life your own way & in your own strength & wisdom— invest in your relationship with God & thus connect to the vine of life, Christ, who gives life & fulfillment & strength & joy & love & power to overcome!
He. Gives. LIFE.
Because He Loves Us So!
Remember that giving of our lives to Him is not guided by trying to earn His approval or to “be a good person”, but because we trust Him & His infinite love for us!
The more our life is centered on His love, the more of an outflow we will see of peace, patience, strength, wisdom, love, & confidence as we face the demands of this world.
It is so, so worth it!
But How?
How can you trust Him with more of your life? Here’s some quick tips:
- Resources: God asks for a mere 10% of everything He provides, called “tithe”, but He challenges us to trust Him with even more. Our ability to work—our intelligence, strength, & natural abilities all come from Him, so offer back a portion to support your church in return. God never leaves you high & dry when you’re being generous for His purposes!
- Time: Spend time reading the Bible to learn more about who God is & learn to pray throughout your day. Spending consistent time with him along the way will help right your focus/perspective & allow you insight on where you can be a blessing to others. This also allows you a direct lifeline to God’s strength, peace, & wisdom when you need it. He is infinite, so before you stress, ask God for His help! He’s ready & waiting!
- Energy: Be involved in your church & encouraging others toward hope in Christ. Start a prayer circle for other moms or wives or singles. Volunteer at a nursing home, homeless shelter, or other cause to support & encourage those who are struggling. But remember, don’t just give to earn God’s favor—you already have that! Instead, be bowing your heart before God & asking Him to direct your efforts to the plans He has for you. He made you specifically you, so He knows where His design for you will best fit into His plan to offer hope, love, & light to a hurting world. Listen to His guidance.
Trust God with the Struggle
If you struggle with any of these, don’t forget to pray about it!
I often pray, when I hear a truth that I don’t know how to implement or put my full trust in, “Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief!” Be willing to start there & to ask God to change you in ways that might be needed & ask His insight on how to make it happen.
Not in your wisdom, but His. Not in your strength/power, but HIS.
Bow your heart & any area that needs growth & then ask Him to show you how to grow & make sure to ask for His strength to make it happen! Trust Him—He is worth our all.
Shine Hope, Beautiful!!!!
Coming Next Week
I can’t wait to be with you next Monday morning EST for our next topic of encouragement.
PS. I am by no means perfect, so please pray alongside me that God will continue to grow me for the purposes of being a light to the world. I definitely don’t want to draw people to myself as the source of their hope, but to point them to the only source of true hope–Jesus!! That is my prayer for this blog & for my life. <3
A Note from Michelle:
If you would like to hear more of my story, check out the “About Me” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3
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Weekly Special Spotlight:
Each week, I will feature an item that is changing lives. These pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Check out this week’s featured beauty
Bombolulu Earrings
These hammered earrings are made from heavy-gauged metal.
Artisan Information:
In Kenya, where many people struggle with starvation & poverty, the women we partner with are defying the odds! Your purchase empowers these women to earn an income, overcome physical disabilities, & become important parts of their communities!
Purchase this piece & empower a woman in Kenya!
Shop Here, OR, Email me at michelle@michellehydeonline.com with any questions, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE around the world, Lovely!
GOOD WORD! Thank you for sharing; this was such perfect timing for me! 💕
This is something I am constantly working on! I am so tempted to exhaust myself & forget completely that I can come to Him FIRST for help in all of it & THEN do the rest. He renews our strength when we lean into Him, no matter how unreal that sounds to our human understanding. He is so awesome, isn’t He!