Doing My Job

I must admit that I have a bit of an issue relenting control sometimes. There are times when I feel that if it is going to get done then I just have to do it. Last year about this time we were planning our family reunion. At the time I was working 7 days a week and ususally 12 hours a day, with almost an hour commute each way. I had no time but I was local so they asked if I could plan it and I said yes. Because of cost and the fact that 80% or more of the family did not live locally it was decided that we would self-cater. I had a plan and it was a good plan (if I do say so myself) but I didn't have time or energy to really implement the plan so I had to do something that was very uncomfortable to me... I had to delegate. I had to ask my daughter to make about 50 pounds of pulled pork. I had to ask people to make side dishes and desserts. Then I had to ask one of my sisters to decorate the social hall. I was very much out of my comfort-zone. But you know what... everything got done and it was beautiful and lots of fun. It didn't take me having control of every single facet of the reunion for everything to be perfect.

About 20 years ago I worked in a warehouse. Regularly we would get container trucks in and it was the warehouse staff's job to unload it. The boxes weren't heavy as they were just boxes of gloves so we would create an assembly line and toss them out. My job always seemed to be inside the truck and tossing them to one of the guys. So I would pick up a box and toss it to him and he would catch it and stack it on a pallet. My job was not to toss the box, run down to the end and catch it and then stack it on the pallet. My job simply was to toss the box to my co-worker and he took it from there. Amazingly it worked out perfectly, even without me being in completely control of the process.

Several months ago I was praying about what I should do. My job, though making very good money, was slowing killing me spiritually, emotionally and physically. I was working too much with no choice about it. Every day it seemed that the first things out of my mouth were, "God, what am I to do?" Every day there didn't seem to be an answer. Day after day my heart and soul cried out to God wanting to know what I was to do. For what seemed too long there didn't appear to be an answer. Then there was THE MOMENT when God spoke to me. He told me to do what I am supposed to do and he would take care of the rest. A deep sense of peace came over me and I knew that regardless of whether I was to stay at that job or go somewhere else I would be content knowing that it wasn't my responsibility but God. So I stepped out in faith and applied for jobs, praying that God would close any door that I was not supposed to go through. But I knew that having a different job was only one aspect that needed to be changed in my life. I needed a deeper understanding of God's word and people in my life that would challenge me, teach me and encourage me to stretch out of my comfort-zone and pursue that which God called me to do (whatever that may be). God directed my path and put the people in my life that I needed. And it wasn't but a few days after that the interview call came and then the job offer and then the job. The job and the people are exactly right for this stage of my life but it still isn't easy. I now make about 1/3 of what I used to make so money can be a bit tight at times. My drive to church is farther than before (see the previous sentence about making less money). BUT it is still the right thing for me to do.

When I think about how I can only control what I can control and only God can do the rest, I realize that my job is only to do the right thing. My job isn't to provide for all my needs. My job isn't to make sure that I stay safe and secure. My job isn't to make sure everything happens exactly as logic says it should. My job isn't to fix everything. Rather, my job is obeying Christ today. My job is to pray for those in my harvest field today. My job is be in God's will today. My only job is to do MY job. My job is simply to do that which is right. Once I do my job it is then up to God to do the rest. It is God's job to provide for my needs. It is God's job to put people in my harvest field. It is God's job to protect me. It is God's job to heal those that He leads me to pray for. It is God's job to do everything that is not my job. The stressful part of life is when we start taking ownership of a job which is not ours. When we start trying to take responsibility for a job that only God can do, then we start feeling overwhelmed and stressed. So instead of trying to do the job of God, focus on doing YOUR job. Focus on doing the right things and relinquish the job of God to the Creator of the Universe. I believe He is big enough to handle it.