Personal Obstacles
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. ~Colossians 3:2 (ESV)
I have a terrible confession to make. It isn’t as bad as some things I could do wrong but it is definitely an obstacle in my life. I know others suffer this same fear.
I don’t like to learn things that do not come easily to me. I fear looking dumb or old or just plain incapable of learning (which I know are lies).
This has become obvious as I make progress in my writing. Moving to the next stage brings on new work that I need to learn to do. Some of it is completely new to me, a realm of editing, publishing, and marketing that is foreign.
In me is my own worst enemy. That enemy is fear.
Writing is not a profession I ever dreamed I would be doing. God has shown me His plan and I have written.
Writing that no one reads is useless.
Books and articles have to be marketed. In today’s world they have to be on a user friendly website, on every form of social media and on Amazon Kindle.
I have a lot to learn.
In Matthew 16:23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
It is apparent to me that if God calls us to do a work and we are fearful about doing it, then our minds are not on the things above. They are on ourselves. I teach others that delayed obedience is disobedience. Why, oh why, do I allow myself to fall short in this area?
So many of us have gifts and talents that we could be using to advance the kingdom of God. Sadly, many Christians have become more of a hindrance than a help. Our minds are on the things on earth. We like our comfort and our ease.
Christians have lost (me included) the full understanding of “obedience brings blessing” and “disobedience brings curses.” God is patient. He may even be the obstacle if there is still work He has to do to prepare us for service.
This work may be the work we do to make a living or a ministry that we do because we have the gifts to do it. I appreciate a quote from Martin Luther that says, “The Christian shoemaker does his duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes but by making good shoes because God is interested in good craftsmanship.”
SO the shoemaker should spend more time learning to make good shoes than he does trying to impress people with symbols that mean nothing on a poorly made pair of shoes. Likewise, we must spend time learning to do our “trade” for the glory of God rather than our own ease and comfort.
When it’s time, will we have the faith to trust Him to go through the learning process with us? He will provide the tools, the finances, and the courage if we keep our eyes on Him and not on our own fears.
What gifts do you have that you are not using for the Lord? Are you and I seeking His Kingdom and His plans for our lives? Will we be the hindrance or we will set our minds on the things above and glorify God in whatever He calls us to do?
I love serving Jesus Christ as one who “feeds His sheep”. It is my desire to teach God’s Word diligently, with reverence and awe for the Source of the truths I teach, and with an engaging, and sometimes witty, delivery so that the hearers will not just listen but do what it says.
- For Our Good - February 12, 2020
- Future Benefits - January 8, 2020
- Attention Getting Behavior - October 16, 2019
Thanks for this reminder, Beth. I struggle with fear in my writing: fear that I’m not good enough (or worse, just not as good as others), fear that I have nothing good to write, that no one will read. So much fear that keeps me from putting my words on a page.
I appreciate your honesty and encouragement.