Before I knew it, this week flew by and it is now Saturday morning. There were added responsibilities, as well as already scheduled activities to my week and these have kept me from writing. I have missed this time with you.

I can’t promise that this won’t happen again, but I will pray that it doesn’t happen frequently.

One of the favorite things I did this week was to gather the Women’s Bible Connection (WBC) leaders together and led them in some training. The words I spoke to them are relevant to each of us (because we all lead in some form or fashion), so I’d like to share a portion of it with you.

At the end of last year’s WBC program, I went to an Executive Assistant’s Conference. I missed the last leader’s brunch with this group of ladies to attend this conference. But what I brought back from that time were words of wisdom. The following is adapted from that conference.

Take a look at Galatians 6:4-5 from The Message and then we’ll break it down into phrases.

“Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.”

Make a careful exploration of who you are:

This passage says we are to make a careful exploration of who we are. This isn’t what we do, but it is our identity in Christ. Who we are in Christ is the foundation of our significance. Who are you in Christ? Name them. List them. Remember them. Believe them.

The work you have been given:

What work has God given you? Is it a calling? A job? Your work? Ephesians 2:10 reminds us of these words. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

When we partner with God, we find our spiritual significance through Him. We find that we are doing the very ordinary for His extraordinary purpose.

What gifts, talents, experiences or opportunities have you received from God to use? God has prepared you to do the work He specifically planned for you to do. How are you handling it?

Sink yourself into that:

When we have found who we are in Christ and the work that God has given us, then we are to sink ourselves into it. Wholeheartedly, we are to give it all we have. And to go one step further, I believe we are to sink ourselves into who we are in Christ as well.

Do you hold back a little? Are you too tired? Are you ready to give up? Whatever you’re feeling that keeps you from immersing yourself completely into God’s work, that’s where your work needs to begin.

We can find a great example of this idea in the apostle Paul. He was a go getter and I wouldn’t call him ordinary at all. But what he did was sink himself into everything he did. From being a Pharisee, to being a Christian persecutor, to being a follower of Christ, he went deep.

Even when his circumstances were far from ideal. From a prison cell, Paul’s desire to advance the Gospel helped others to see that they could do it as well. And from those chains, others were encouraged to “speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.” (Philippians 1:14 – NIV)

While you may never feel the persecution Paul felt, what I believe we should understand is that we need to sink ourselves into what God is asking us to do. How are you doing with that?

Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others:

How easy it is for us to fall into these traps. We need to understand that the devil has his schemes in place and that he is out to trip us up.

Pride. Arrogance. Haughtiness.

Inadequacy. Inability. Failure.

These are the things Satan uses to hinder us. Once that’s done, we forget who we are in Christ and are unable to do the work God has prepared us to do.

How can we battle this? I believe if we come to an understanding of where our power, strength and ability comes from (from God), then we are able to do the work without impression and comparison.

Take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life:

Each of us must do this. This is our responsibility.

“Do the creative best you can.” What does that mean? It simply means to do the best you can do. Be yourself…don’t mimic what others are doing. You are unique. Take responsibility for your own life in your way.

I loved sharing these ideas with my friends on Thursday morning. I love sharing these ideas with you as well. And I pray that God will use these thoughts to lead you to a deeper understanding of what God has in store for your life.

Have a blessed Saturday!

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna