Are you part of something bigger than yourself?
That is the question that was posed to nearly 600 women at the women's retreat I was privileged to attend last weekend.
The message the first night was built around one of the miracles of Jesus. The one where he took five loaves of bread and two fish and turned them into a feast for five thousand. As many times as I've heard that story, I have never paid much attention to the disciples. They were a part of that miracle too.
At first, they were disillusioned. There was a huge crowd of hungry people and they had no food. Jesus encouraged them to "see what was available" for lunch. What they found were the materials for a miracle, and they didn't even realize it.
As I sat and listened to the message that first night, I was challenged in many ways.
Lately, I have felt disillusioned. With my role in life. With this blog. In fact, there have been days when I have thought about quitting my job, and even this space. Those are the days when I focus too much on the numbers. I lost two followers today. What did I do wrong?
Sitting there, in that chapel Friday night, I realized that I have the materials for a miracle too. God has established gifts in me and He wants to nurture and develop them.
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The speaker described this opportunity as God Space. It is in God Space that the "need is greater than my resources" and the "opportunity is greater than my ability." It is where God has designed for me to live and has called me to be obedient to Him. He desires for me to be a woman of influence. Not for my own benefit, but for His. To call people to His kingdom. To reveal His divine nature.
At the end of that first meeting, we were asked to kneel before God with open hands, open minds and open lives. To let Him call out to us. These are the three things He said to me:
KEEP GOING
DON'T GIVE UP
SPEAK
This blog is bigger than me. It's bigger than the numbers and statistics. It's not about those that un-follow, but those that continue to show up. It's about the emails and comments asking for prayer and those that are encouraged and inspired. Even if this post only reaches one person, it still matters.
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This space, my life, they belong to God, just as they always have. And, I am looking forward to letting Him continue to speak through me.
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us,
to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
6 comments:
Sybil, thanks for sharing this morning. The song was just the boast I needed on this Monday morning. I plan to pass it along to my fellow Children's teachers.
This is so convicting. Sometimes I get so tied up with the numbers in blogging that I forget that the intent is to bring glory to God. Thank you for this!
Great insight as usual Sybil! I so enjoy reading about the lessons God is teaching you! It so hard to not get caught up in numbers and followers and remember why we are really doing this. :)
Beautiful insight. I have felt like giving up so many times too, but in the end knowing that it is something that is bigger than me is what keeps me going. Thank you for sharing.
when we were going through infertility I knew that God was using me and my blog as an encouragement and testament to others. now that I am not dealing with that i've been wondering what real purpose my blog is and have the same feelings sometimes as wanting to stop or getting disappointed when I lose a follower. I need to pray more that God shows me other ways to reach out to others and use my blog. thanks for the thoughts! :)
Wow, love the topic of your conference and Jenny is one of my friends - isn't her music great?! Small world!
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