So, if you're in a season where you feel super sluggish, kinda lazy and you feel like doing nothing, I can relate. Being now 18 weeks pregnant, I have had my days where I only want to lay in the bed for the entire day. But even before I was pregnant, I had my seasons where I struggled in this area. It's almost like, it's on my checklist to take care of this but I just got too busy throughout the day to get to it or by the time I got home, I had zero energy to accomplish that task.
Let's just be honest. We don't see the other side of accomplishing what God told us to do so because we see what we can see, like our jobs, class, school, tending to our families (which are all good things)-- we tend to let being busy overshadow what the Lord told us to do. If I can be totally honest, some of need to be cured from the "Martha Syndrome" in Luke 10:38.
As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Some of us are doing "good" things but those things aren't divinely directed by the Holy Spirit to do at that time. So now, you're too busy and too distracted to sit at the feet of Jesus. Although in the back of your mind, you know God told you to write that book, start that organization, break up with that loser boyfriend, distance yourself from that friend that is influencing you, putting the donut down and picking up some veggies or whatever else, you still are TOO busy and TOO distracted to do what He told you to do because EVERYTHING else is keeping you.. busy. EVEN scrolling around online when you DO get free time is dangerous. Because 10 minutes turns into 2 hours. You want to do something that doesn't require thought because you're so overwhelmed by your schedule.
This is why it's important that we go before the Lord and we ask Him, "Lord, is my schedule pleasing to you? Do I need to remove anything from my schedule that is distracting me?"
And if I can be totally honest with you, you being lazy or procrastinating about what God told you to do could come from a number of factors.
1. "Lord, that thing is too big and I don't know how I'm going to do it."
My thoughts: Hebrews 11:1 - Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Great! It's supposed to be bigger than you! If it wasn't then you would probably think that you can handle it alone!
2."I'm afraid to step out on faith because I'm scared of failing."
My thoughts: Well, in our own ability, you should be afraid but when you step out on faith, it's not about you-- it's about bringing glory to God so if HE started the work in you, HE will complete it. And where did you get that fear from? 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." And who told you that you're going to fail? Mama & them?
3." I don't know where to start."
My thoughts: Whose voice are you listening too? If we are listening to the Lord, then He will instruct us, open the right doors and send the right people to help. My "ministry" started long before I started blogging. It started when I bagged groceries at the grocery store when I was 16. It started when I worked for difficult bosses. It started when I stopped stealing the staples and the ink from my company for my bible studies. THEN after I started to grow, walk in love, forgive people that were mean to me, get stripped of just about everything.. the Lord told me to start blogging. THEN, all of ya'll came out of nowhere. (group hug! :) ) So, your full time ministry is wherever you are right.. now.
4. "I don't have time to do those things that I know I need to do."
My thoughts: You don't lack time, you lack desire. You desire a paycheck so you go to work. You desire to build your friendships, so you have girl time. When you're hungry you pursue food. When your spirit man is starved you get on Facebook. You procrastinate. You call friends and pour your heart out. You go online shopping. You run internally. You desire and pursue the things that you give your attention to on a regular basis. And lets be honest, at times, you just don't desire God and the proof in that pudding is your lack of time with Him. If you knew that you had a scheduled breakfast every morning with Jesus and He would physically come down from heaven, you would be right there to sit and eat with him. You would cook breakfast, make sure the house was together.. (Martha..) and you would NEVER miss a day with Him. Well, He sent the Holy Spirit and He's as real as the person sitting next to you.
5. "I don't know when it's Gods time to open that door."
My thoughts: I can relate to this. I wanted to sell bedazzled journals and shirts with purpose before I opened up my Pinky Promise Boutique but my husband cautioned that it wasn't the right time. This was about 2 months before I started Pinky Promise. I also attempted to go to grad school for what I'm doing now.. and I didn't need it (before I got married.) I at times ran ahead of God and I had to quickly understand that I needed to slow down and be led by His spirit, not what I think I needed to do to accomplish the will of God. Proverbs 3:6 "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." So procrastinating may not be your issue. Your issue may be not trusting Gods timing and SPRINTING past Him. Either way, it's just as dangerous because you create "Towers of Babel" that HE never told you to build. So, acknowledge Him and I can ASSURE you that He will show you when it's the right time. You will just KNOW because you talk to Him at breakfast every morning alone.. & then though out the day.
Now that we understand that we are giving excuses to why we can't do things, I want to encourage you that nations are waiting for your obedience. Other people are directly IMPACTED by your disobedience. For example, what if I never started Pinky Promise? We currently have over 31,000 ladies in the organization that made a decision to honor God with their bodies and life. What if I was afraid to share my pitfalls? What if I was afraid to share my past because of what others think of me? Then I would be skipping around here like my life is so perfect and that I've never had an issue which would help NOBODY. This crazy world needs YOU. They need your story. They need your transparency. They need you to be obedient to what God told YOU to do. They need YOU because you were created to solve a problem and due to the reasons above, you've been pushing off whatever. Now, don't rush ahead, create a go fund me account or copy somebody else's ministry or business. Go and sit before the Lord. Paul and Peter didn't have a go fund me, they had Jesus and we have Him too who is our ultimate Provider. Now, God can USE a go fund me account if He tells you to start one, but most of us, lets be honest.. He told you to trust Him & stop asking humans to fund your tower of babel. (genesis 11)
There is a SPIRIT behind this area that is trying to keep you from obeying God! We bind that spirit in the name of Jesus! Satan doesn't care if you spend all day looking at pornography or all day on Facebook, as long as you aren't spending all day in Gods Book.
So, cheers to stepping out on faith. Let's just start. Right now. No holding back. No questioning God. No rationalizing. No more intentional sin. No more chasing down little Johnny cuz' we lonely. It's time to grow up and mature and do what the Lord is telling US to do!
Just a few things:
1. Find my (3) books, purity rings, shirts & all that good stuff via www.pinkypromiseboutiques.com!
2. We have developed an APP! Think: daily post notifications + weekly devotionals, recipes and so much more! It's out NOW for iphones + Androids. Under Heather & Cornelius Lindsey: Today With the Lindsey's
3. If you live in Atlanta, I want to invite you to our church. Join us on Sundays at 11:00am at Landmark Art Cinemas. Our churches name is: "The Gathering Oasis" 931 Monroe Drive NE Atlanta, GA. We also have our New Years Service at the same place at 10pm EST! Join us!
4. Register for the 2015 Pinky Promise in Atlanta, GA! It sold out last year, so you don't want to miss out! www.pinkypromiseconference.com
6. As always, you can join a Pinky Promise group locally! There's about 31,000 ladies that have joined! Find a group near you by joining & checking out the intro page! Join here: www.PinkyPromiseMovement.com
7. Pinky Promise is hosting a statewide baby shower for low income & single mamas in Atlanta, GA on September 12. If you want to donate or be a part of it, please email pinkypromisequestions@gmail.com For donations only, you can send the payment via PayPal to pinkypmovement@gmail.com & be sure to note that its for the Statewide Baby Shower. All donations are tax deductible.
God loves you like crazy!
Love you all!
Heather Lindsey
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| My crew after church this past sunday! We are 18 weeks pregnant with our baby girl! :) |
