Yes, I am grounded. I’ve had it! I am grounded until I clean off my desk and get myself organized! As you can see, I have been on the run for many weeks! You can always tell how busy I am by how my desk looks. However, if I am doing an office job, I make it a point to make sure every day before I leave, my piles are tucked away neatly and organized for the next day. On the contrary, at home in my office…I’m a slob! You know what they say…the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem!
I was thinking about why I’m a messy at home and not in the office? Other than the fact that I have been working non-stop and organizing paperwork hasn’t been my priority, I really don’t have an excuse. Even though I have no good explanation, I know God was speaking to me through the mess this week. You see, as Christians, we often go out into the world and appear to have it all together…you know, clean desks so to speak. In fact, at work, I am a tidy desk Nazi at the end of the day. You wouldn’t dream that my desk at home would look anything like this if you knew me at work.
As God worked on my heart this week, I was reminded of the times that I have gone to church or work and put on a good front that all was well. No one would know looking at me that I was going through a traumatic time in my life. In fact, I have learned to emit confidence no matter what lurks in my life at any given time. I try to have a smile on my face as to not spread doom and gloom to those who aren’t having a bad day. I’m an encourager, not a discourager at heart. Isn’t that what I should do? Isn’t it a good thing to be positive? I think that it is noble not to be a whiner; but rather, try to live victoriously through my struggles. However, as I have mentioned before in my writings, if the world is looking at Christians as someone that has to be perfect; I don’t think anyone would ever want to be one. Being perfect is hard. As a matter of fact, it is a recipe for failure as none of us have the capability in this life of perfection. We all fail from time to time even when we are living a good Christian life. I have learned recently that we don’t want to become complainers; but I think it is a good thing for Christians to let the world see their struggles.
For example, we are in a class at church and last week’s lesson was on healing. I get a little angry sometimes when I think about God healing one person and not the other. I know that’s not a real reasonable emotion but I’m sure most of us have questioned why at one point or another in our lives. The whole idea about the lesson was that God makes decisions on to heal or not to heal related to the greatest glory to Him. Obviously, in miraculous healing situations, He is given much praise and glory. However, there are times in ones’s life that God can get greater glory by not healing an individual. Did you ever think about that? Have you ever watched someone suffer and not get healed but in the process they brought glory to God? Perhaps they already knew Jesus as their Savior and they were able to minister to others who were also suffering with the same problem or to caregivers who watched them trust Jesus with their daily issues. Others that didn’t know Jesus before they got sick, may have gotten to a point in their illness that for the first time in their life, they sought Jesus as their Savior. If God would’ve healed them, they may have never recognized their need for Jesus.
Did you ever look at suffering and illness like that? Did you ever go through a messy desk time in your life and wonder how God will be glorified through your actions? I think it is a great way to think about it the next time you are going through a trial. Maybe appearing to have a clean desk at church or work is not really giving God glory in your situation. Perhaps as Christians, we should invite some company over and allow them to look inside our lives—and see our cluttered and somewhat out of control desks so to speak—to see that perhaps things are not as they appear. As followers of Christ, we are called to trust God and be joyful through tribulations. However, I think it is also glorifying to God to allow others to watch us as we put our trust in God along the way and show some of the messiness that comes with the situation. For when we are real, we can reach many for Christ.
How’s your desk look at work or church vs. how it looks at home? Are you being real? What about that person sitting next to you in church that you know is going through a hard time but you don’t get involved as everything on the outside appears to be fine. It’s less messy that way, for sure. Is there someone that God has laid on your heart to help clean up their mess or just show them you have one, too? I pray that you take the time this week to reflect on the trials God has allowed to come into your life and ask Him, “How can I glorify You the most through this situation, Lord?” For when we take the focus off of ourselves and put our focus on God, life seems to be so much less cluttered. For in our trials we find purpose…actually the ONE purpose we have been given in this life…TO GLORIFY GOD. Be blessed…and don’t forget to be a blessing!
Acts 1:8 (NIV) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
1 Peter 4:12-13 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.