Created to Rest

This month on the Do Not Depart blog we are looking at how we, mankind, are created in the image of God. We are created to reflect His image in many ways, including (but not limited to) how we speak, love, are creative, and seek justice. We are also created to complete good works— just like He does. But along with this work, we are created to rest.

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. ~ Genesis 2:1-3

Jesus Shows Us How to Rest

God worked, created, and gave life to the whole world in six days. On the seventh He rested. Genesis is not the only place we can see that God rests and has created us to rest as well. We can also look at Jesus, because if we see Jesus we also see the Father.

“I and the Father are one” ~ John 10:30

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ~ John 14:9

Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness fasting and praying. In other words, for 40 days He rested in the company and provision of His Father. This rest gave Jesus the strength to resist the devil’s temptation (Matthew 4:1-11). It also prepared Him to begin His earthly ministry (vv 12-17).

There are other accounts throughout the Gospels in which Jesus frequently sought time for both physical and spiritual rest. He made rest a priority. For example, He slept when the storms raged around Him at sea (Matthew 8:23-27). He sought solitude to pray and rest even when multitudes wanted to hear Him preach (Matthew 14:23). He rested in fellowship and communion with His friends and disciples (Matthew 26:19-30). When faced with great suffering, He prioritized prayer and resting in the will of His Father (Matthew 26: 36-46).

Jesus had a mission to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). This good work took great effort, but He did not neglect rest in the process.  We should not either.

We Need Rest

The Hebrew word for rest, which appears in Genesis 2:2, is shabath and it means to cease, desist, or rest from labor. Shabath appears again in the passage describing the Sabbath Law.

It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed. ~ Exodus 31:17

Here the word rested is used with the word refreshed. Rest and refreshment go together. We need rest, but not for the sake of simply obeying the law. We need rest to be refreshed — to be given new strength and energy, to be reinvigorated.

How does rest refresh us? Rest only truly refreshes us, body and soul, when we spend time with Jesus — just being with and enjoying Him, worshipping Him, and getting to know Him.

This sounds wonderful, right? But how do we rest?

How to Rest

The struggle to rest is real. It takes a conscious effort to break the habit of busyness. As we begin to break this habit and form new habits of rest, we need to remember we are no longer under the law. We do not rest in order to fulfill religious obligations or to make God happy. We rest because we are created to do so. So as you struggle to rest, give yourself grace just as Jesus does.

Here are some practical ways to literally rest:

• Enjoy an actual lunch break (not a working lunch)
• Go for a walk
• Read your bible
• Sing worship songs
• Memorize scripture
• Spend time in prayer and meditation
• Keep a journal

We have many ways to rest. Let the purpose of our rest be this: to be refreshed in Christ.

Rest is Not a Waste

Many of us, myself included, often look at rest as a waste of time. When our to-do lists seem to be ever growing, we often rationalize skipping rest. We tell ourselves, “when items X, Y, and Z are done, then I can take a break.”

But let me ask you this: what happens when our work leaves us beyond exhausted? What, or rather who, suffers? The people around us suffer. Our relationships get neglected and those we claim to love may not actually be receiving our love.

I mentioned at the beginning of this post that my co-workers and I started to become friends when we intentionally made time for one another — when we rested together. The same is true for our relationship with God. As we spend time resting with and in Him we will become more familiar with who He is and His love for us. 

Rest is something we are created for. Let’s not neglect it.

Lord in heaven, thank you for creating us to rest. Thank you for the example of rest that you have provided for us in your son Jesus. Just as He prioritized rest, please teach us to do the same. Give us the desire to spend time resting with you and with others. Help us to trust that the time will be well spent and that it will provide the refreshment we need to accomplish the good work you have tasked us to do. In the name of your Son I pray. Amen.

Let the purpose of our rest be this: to be refreshed in Christ. #InHisImage
Click To Tweet

The post In His Image: Created to Rest appeared first on Do Not Depart.

In place of the traditional New Year’s resolutions, I often prayerfully choose a word of focus for the year ahead. Of the words I have used in years past, my favorite was “nurture.” Full of warmth and possibility, it conveyed how I wanted to approach both motherhood and my own personal growth. I loved contemplating over the course of the year what it meant to nurture learning, to nurture faith, and to nurture the little ones in my care.

Sometimes, however, the focus of a season has not been one I selected but rather a theme that became apparent over time. “Surrender” is one of those. Over the past two years, the Lord has increasingly, repeatedly shown me that this walk with Him is largely about Surrender. Without ever using the word, the hymn Take My Life and Let It Be perfectly embodies a life surrendered to the Lord.

Take My Life

     Take my life and let it be
     consecrated, Lord, to thee.

The hymn’s author, Francis Ridley Haverga, was the daughter of a minister in Worcester, born in December 1836. Describing her faith during her school years, she wrote, “I committed my soul to the Saviour, and earth and heaven seemed brighter from that moment.”

The hymn Take My Heart and Let It Be was written in December of 1873. On a visit, she was staying in a home with ten others, “some unconverted and long prayed for, some converted but not rejoicing Christians.” Miss Havergal began to pray, “Lord, give me all this house,” and He did. In a sleepless but joyful night that followed, she penned a series of eleven couplets, later adding a twelfth.

I love how her heart’s response to the Lord’s victory in the lives of these friends was a contemplation of devotion, offering all of herself to the Lord.

All for Thee

     Take myself, and I will be
     ever, only, all for thee

In the course of six stanzas, Miss Havergal lists what she has to offer the Lord: moments and days, hands and feet, voice, intellect, will, heart, and love. The lyrics expound upon Jesus’ words regarding the greatest commandment, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37).

No Longer Mine

In the past two years, I’ve been particularly challenged by this part:

     Take my will and make it thine;
     it shall be no longer mine.

I tend to feel anxious when things are outside of my control (like pandemics). In my anxiety, I grasp to take control of as much as I can. Ask my children how pleasant this makes me. But the Lord has a different way to quiet our hearts. He tells us in Philippians 4:6-7 to turn the circumstances over to Him with both prayer and thanksgiving, letting His peace replace our worry.

“No longer mine” applies to more than my worries. The Lord receives our fears, our pain, and our anger as well.  These are better handed over to Jesus than guarded in our hearts. Surrendered fully to Him, they are transformed for our freedom, healing, and glory (Romans 5:4, 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, 2 Corinthians 12:10).

As I surrender to Him all that is not mine to hold tightly — my wealth, my hours, my talents, my goals, and even my pain, I find my heart becomes more spacious, an appropriate throne for the King of Glory.

     Take my heart it is thine own;
     it shall be thy royal throne,
     it shall be thy royal throne.

*********************

Pause, Reflect

* Listen to Take My Life and Let It Be, sung by Norton Hall Band.

Struggling with the idea of Surrender? These verses are wonderful for some moments of meditation. Try asking the Lord what He would have you surrender to Him today.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. (Matthew 16:24-17)

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

The post Take My Life and Let It Be appeared first on Do Not Depart.

I have come to love watching them interact with our small patch of the world. Rain or shine, every season of the year, the little birds in our yard are well cared for.  

In this second installment of our Greatly Blessed: Dwelling with God Bible study series, we’re looking at verses 3 and 4 of Psalm 84. 

“Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself,

where she may lay her young, at your altars,

O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.

Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! – Selah”

Psalm 84:3-4

Picture of Birds

Birds are cheeky little creatures. Spirited. Remarkably resilient given their vulnerability to the elements. Jesus used birds as an illustration, showing God as a caring Father and provider. 

•  “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” – Matthew 6:26
• “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” – Luke 12:6-7

The birds sing praises to the Lord, their creator and provider. It is as natural to them as breathing. 

• “Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches.”  – Psalm 104:12

An Approachable Altar

The altar was a flat surface in the courtyard of the temple, used to hold the sacrifices people offered to atone for their sin. It represents a place of consecration. The bridge  between God and man. Altars memorialized God’s great deeds and represented times He came near. 

Something about the sparrows nesting near the altar makes this holy space approachable. It is a place of safety and comfort, where even birds can hatch their young without fear. 

As Natural As Nature 

A number of sources I came across in my research indicated that it might be better to read the phrase, “Even the sparrow finds a home,” as, “Even as…”  The poet is making a comparison by saying, “As a little bird seeks after a home, so do I seek/long/desire to be near your altar” 

This idea reminds me of Psalm 42:1, 

“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.” 

There is an instinctual need in our soul to worship and be near the Lord. Doing so is like coming home, finding a place of rest and sanctuary. When we are at rest, content in His presence, we are blessed and free to sing like the birds. 

Verse 4 ends with “Selah”, a word of uncertain meaning that denotes a time of quiet meditation. Or as Charles Spurgeon puts it, 

“In such an occupation as this we might be content to remain for ever. It is worth while to pause and meditate upon the prospect of dwelling with God and praising him throughout eternity.”

The post Blessed Like the Birds (Psalm 84) appeared first on Do Not Depart.

When Words Don’t Come

I didn’t know what to say.

I have friends who live in a special apartment complex in my city. They are there for different reasons: some are physically disabled, some are mentally disabled, some are financially unstable.

Their needs are varied. And their needs are usually great. They face things daily that I haven’t faced at all.

So when we deliver meals to them on Wednesday nights, they’ll occasionally want prayer.

And when they do? I often don’t know what to pray for them.

Try a Benediction

One of my friends there was slow coming to her door last week. She heard us knock and asked us to wait. When she finally opened the door, we could tell she was distressed.

She shared briefly what was going on, but she was too exhausted to explain it all. I asked if we could pray for her, and she said of course.

But what could I say? There she sat in pain in her wheelchair with more needs than resources. And I was supposed to offer what?

I wasn’t sure of her circumstances. I didn’t have time to think it through. I didn’t want to sound trite or promise something I couldn’t guarantee.

When we don’t have words to pray—for whatever the reason—we can always pray a benediction. 

Benedictions are short blessings often recited over a congregation at the end of a worship service. They remind us to stay expectant for God’s grace. (Read an encouraging article here about 5 Reasons to Recover Benedictions at Church.)

Offer Hope through Philippians 1:9-11

Every Sunday morning with my church, Pastor Pat closes out our service with these words written by the apostle Paul 2,000 years ago to the church at Philippi.

We open our hands and hearts to receive this:

“And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”
Philippians 1:9-11

These words are embedded now in my soul. Our memory group at Do Not Depart (Hide His Word) recently memorized all of Philippians 1. These words keep chasing me.

So when I don’t know what to pray, I know I can safely pray these things over anybody, in any circumstance:

I pray that they will:

1. Know love, more and more
2. Gain knowledge and use wisdom to make the next right decisions
3. Be a positive influence among their friends and family
4. Stay expectant for a brighter future
5. Experience the love of Jesus for the glory of God

When I prayed for my friend, I didn’t use those exact words. I didn’t go through a checklist in my mind.

But because I’ve heard these truths spoken over me so often and because I’ve used them so much over myself in memorization and meditation, the Spirit breathes them out when I need to share them with others.

I didn’t solve my friend’s problems that day. I didn’t change her circumstances. I had so little to contribute.

But at least in offering a blessing of hope, I hope she felt more loved and less alone.

Find Your Blessing to Give

Is there a passage of God’s love that you can give to others? Find a prayer to say, if you haven’t yet. Our series this month here at Do Not Depart is a great starting point to find a blessing you can pray over others.

• It will free you to pray confidently with others regardless of circumstances.
• It will bless others with words of truth and hope and love spoken to God on their behalf.
• And it will please God that you are blessing others for Him.

It’s what He wants His kids to do for each other.

When you don’t know what to say, say this. See these words of love, wisdom, and hope from Philippians 1. #Benedictions
Click To Tweet

Do you have a favorite scripture you pray for others, with others? Please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments.

Read more here about saying “God Bless You”—and meaning it

The post When You Don’t Know What to Say, Say This appeared first on Do Not Depart.

In our series intro post, I explained that growth happens best when it’s fostered. And, “once we identify areas where we’d like to see growth, we can set big-picture goals and create specific objectives to reach them. Intentionality is key. When we give ourselves direction (centered on God’s Word), set mile markers, and work with concrete goals, it will only help us hit our mark. Creating actionable steps to follow will move us forward.”

I’m a true believer in setting goals and taking realistic baby steps (and sure— giants leaps if it’s possible) to reach them. Those baby steps are “actionable plans.” When we set out to grow and create an achievable roadmap to get us where we want to go, it’s likely we’ll see a productive result.

Growth will happen.

It’s probably evident from those last few paragraphs that I like goal setting and planning. Though I love to plan and dream and create systems and set the bar high (and I know God created me that way for His purpose), the Lord also reminds me of the importance of keeping things simple.

So here’s a simple (ha!) mini-post on that:

Keep It Simple

Yes, I have a tendency to be thorough and systematic. I love plans and following checklists (which means checklists need to be created, right?). While there is nothing wrong with this, I can sometimes overcomplicate things. Then? God brings people and situations into my life to remind me that the answer isn’t always a complicated one.

Keeping things simple reminds me that God is in control. When I weed through the fluff I tend to create, I get down to the things that matter most. When I dig down into the core of things, God brings to mind words like trust and rest and seek.

In regards to keeping things simple, one of my favorite reminders from God’s Word is this:

“O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.”– Psalm 131:1-2

Here are some questions I’ve used to help me evaluate things: Am I keeping things simple so that I can see, hear, and experience God’s work in my life? Or am I overcomplicating things and crowding out His voice? Am I occupying myself with… well, myself? Am I trusting Him and His abilities? Am I seeking His will above my own?

When I live a simple life of trust, I can grow better. God is so faithful to remind me often that He is abundantly worthy of all my trust! I am so in awe of Him.

Other Posts in Our Series

Jaime told us to Practice the Pause.  She says, “When I think of growth – habits I want to build, changes I want to make – I think about action. What can I do? …Yet, it is during quiet moments of intentional rest that those changes take root. Meditation, silence, and rest.” Visit her post to learn more about these three aspects of Biblical “pause.”

Lisa motivated us to Give Outside the Church. Lisa asked, “What if you gave away more outside your church walls? Would you become poorer? Or richer than ever?”  She then had us look at four things we can intentionally give away, with forethought, purposed in prayer, to those outside our church buildings or our homes.

Cheli reminded us to set goals for growth in Serving the Body of Christ.   Cheli writes, “Serving the Body of Christ (no matter how big or small the task) is an outward expression of faith that can foster spiritual growth. As you serve the Body of Christ, you will grow in spiritual maturity, helping the entire body become more like Jesus.” She challenged us to find a need in the Body and fill it.

Our newest team writer, Jennifer, encouraged us to Praise God. She tells us, “Praise is as vital to our daily walk with God as prayer. As we follow Jesus with intention this year, how can we add more praise to our lives? …I’ve let myself become a bit more vocal and a bit more active in my praise.” She continues with the question, “What can you do to make worship a bigger part of your life?” and then goes on to give a few suggestions.

Patti inspired us to Grow in God’s Word. After all, what does intentional time in God’s Word look like? And how can understanding ourselves help us create a plan that we can actually follow? Patti says, “When you are intentional about spending time reading Scripture, you will come to know who God is better. You will also see yourself more clearly. You will find guidance for real life situations that face you today.”

We hope our series has both blessed and inspired you as you set plans and make goals for intentional spiritual growth. Let us know if the comments or over in our Facebook community what goals you’ve set for spiritual growth this year.

In Christ,
Ali

The post Intentional Spiritual Growth: Series Wrap Up appeared first on Do Not Depart.

That’s what I tell my children at dinner, anyway. But the act of putting vegetables in your mouth does not make your body strong. The vegetables must be chewed, swallowed, and digested before they can do any good. So too, reading the Bible or listening to a sermon/podcast/teaching is only the first step in the process of spiritual growth. Like our physical bodies, our hearts and minds need time to chew, swallow, and digest the truth we find in Scripture.

Growth takes shape under our intentional actions. Yet, it is during quiet moments of intentional rest that those changes take root. Meditation, silence, and rest. These are the tools of spiritual digestion, changing the Word of Life into energy to fuel our day, protein to build our spiritual muscles, and storage for later use.

Meditation

Meditation sometimes gets a bad wrap for its use in New Age practices. But the simplest definition is to think, contemplate or ponder something. Previous Do Not Depart writers have said, “Scripture gives a clear pattern of meditation filled with the One True God”.  Like tea steeping in hot water or yeast working through dough, “Meditation takes time to listen, reflect, rehearse, and rework God’s truth in our lives, kneading it into our souls and allowing it to grow and live in our minds and hearts.” (Read more about meditation here.)

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. – Joshua 1:8

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. – Psalm 1:1-2  

Rest

In my work as a writer and director, I sometimes find the most helpful thing I can do for a project is to step away. I take a pause from trying and doing and let the work steep in my heart. When I return, growth has happened. I see the story with new eyes and can move forward with the work.

Rest might feel inactive, but it is the outward expression of trust. Trust that the Lord is working on our behalf.

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. – Isaiah 26:3 

In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. – Psalm 4:8

Silence

Silence is another tool that can be misunderstood and misused. Culturally we tend to be uncomfortable with quiet, the same way we are with rest. It doesn’t seem productive. Yet, it is when we stop eating that our digestive systems go to work, giving life to the body. We have to stop talking so we can hear clearly.

Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. – Ecclesiastes 5:2

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. – Psalm 62:5

In the same way we plan for rest in our workouts, space between meals, and getting the right amount of sleep at night, we must learn to be thoughtful with our study, giving ourselves time to soak in the Word and draw life from it.

Spiritual growth is a marathon. An all you can eat feast. A life-long pursuit we take one bite at a time.

The post Practice the Pause: Intentional Spiritual Growth through Stillness appeared first on Do Not Depart.

Meditate on Psalm 1:3 with us this week.

A Bigger Pot

Leaves were dropping off my fiddle leaf fig tree. We’d had it in our kitchen in the same pot for 20 years.

But I was afraid to transplant it, for fear it would die altogether. It was once Jeff’s grandparents’ plant. They had given it to us years ago, and we wanted it to stay alive, especially since the grandparents are now gone.

I finally agreed to the transplant. We bought a bigger pot. We bought the dirt. And we dug in.

Now we had to see if it would survive the repotting.

Get Your Transplant

This week’s memory verse, Psalm 1:3, is also about transplants. As believers in Christ, each one of us has received a transplant already. We were growing in one place, then Christ entered our lives and transplanted us.

The Hebrew verb shatal in Psalm 1:3 is translated as “planted.” But scholars suggest the word has a more specific meaning: “transplanted,” to remove something from an undesirable location and place it in a desirable location.

Maybe a plant. And maybe a person.

To walk straight and strong in our journey with Christ, we need nourishment, water, Sonshine. While Christ provides much of that simply through His grace, we also can proactively seek these things alongside Him by positioning ourselves to better receive them.

Through time spent in the written words, with the Living Word, with fellow believers, in service to the needy, etc., we, too, can develop deeper roots. And as we grow downward, we also grow upward.

And as Psalm 1:3 suggests, we, too, as a healthy tree, will also bear fruit.

. . . In due season. Immediate growth isn’t promised. Nor is immediate prosperity in ways we typically measure prosperity.

But we will bloom. Through our separation from the wrong things (Psalm 1:1) and through our meditation on godly things (Psalm 1:2), we will mature into blessed things (Psalm 1:3).

My fiddle leaf fig is doing well. No more leaves have dropped since the transplant. The stems seem strong and the green seems greener.

Transplanting was the best move after all.

Memorize This Week

He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
Psalm 1:3 (ESV)

[download the verse image]

Don’t just be planted. Go for the transplant. #Psalm1 #HideHisWord
Click To Tweet

See all the Psalm 1 posts here.

The post Do You Need a Transplant? {Psalm 1:3} appeared first on Do Not Depart.

We are often drawn to the Psalms because we relate to them. These Hebrew poems say a lot in a few words.

• They console us when we’re sad;
• they speak for us when we’re speechless;
• they help us praise when we’re joyful.

The psalm we will begin learning September 23 is known as a wisdom poem. It is an apt introduction to the whole book of Psalms by giving us a clear picture of two ways of life: a blessed way and a wicked way.

We want the blessed path. But there are things to watch for, things to do, and things not to do to help us identify that path and stay on it. Psalm 1 will increase our awareness of those things.

If you’d like to join us in our memorization and meditation on Psalm 1, verse by verse, please sign up today. [UPDATE: Registration now closed.] We’ll send you one email per week for six weeks. Also join us here each Monday morning at the blog for a short devotional on the verse of the week.

We’re excited to delight in the Lord together through these words.

Want to walk the blessed path? See what to watch for. Memorize and meditate on Psalm 1 with us, beginning Sept 23. #HideHisWord
Click To Tweet

The post Want to Walk the Blessed Path? appeared first on Do Not Depart.

When my daughters were very little girls and I was a busy young momma, I remember noticing for the first time that in order to feed my children well, I also needed to be fed. Some days went by in such a blur I only realized by dinner time that I hadn’t had a  chance to sit down and eat a nutritious meal. I had little energy left to to make my family their dinner! I learned an important life lesson:  to feed others well, I needed to invest in feeding myself first.

 Leading other women is somewhat similar. Before we can spiritually “feed”, or pour into the souls of other women, we need to make sure that our souls are being fed. Then, we can give from our overflow and not be drained.

Abide

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”  (John 15:4-8)

“…you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” (Psalm 23:5b)

Jesus tells us to abide in Him. Through that abiding, we can bear fruit and glorify God. Through relationship with Him, being shepherded by Him, our cup can overflow and we can fulfill what He’s called us to do.

To Feed, You Must Be Fed

Without being renewed and filled by the Lord each day, we will run out of steam when we try to serve or lead others. 

Jesus was often alone with God, seeking His presence and will. Through His time in prayer and solitude, Jesus was able to live His life and ministry with passion!  

Jesus taught His disciples this same principle. He often drew them away for time alone with Him. This is when He taught them important lessons and prepared them for the things that were to come. Time with Jesus prepared them in their walks.

Time spent listening to the sweet voice of our Lord will develop good listening skills in us and help us to really hear other women.

If Jesus and His disciples needed time alone with God to serve and walk in passion with preparation, so do we.

Expand Your Biblical “Horizons”

Sometimes, when we’re in leadership mode, we need the reminder to read and study things outside of what we’re teaching. Expanding our Biblical horizons now, so to speak, can prepare us later. Being filled with the word results in a powerful overflow!

I’m sometimes surprised when God uses something that I thought I was studying for myself to benefit others. God often does that, though. He glorifies Himself, using what He’s taught us, before others. Studying the Word broadly, outside of the lesson we need to present, can bear beautiful fruit for His Kingdom.

The Bible is so connected. No part is completely separate from another. Personal study broadens both our head and heart knowledge and can be used by God as we lead. Though we can never know it all, nor teach it all, knowing some of its connection from one part to another will serve us well in leadership.

Share From Your Experiences

Time spent drawing near God and being “fed” by Him deepens our relationship with the Lord. While this serves us well personally, it also serves us in leading. It allows us to have a testimony and experience to share. 

God calls us to glorify Him. We can do this by letting others know what He’s doing in our lives. Let’s pray that God will open our eyes to seeing His work in our daily life, hobbies, and work. Our experiences are what help us connect with other women. While following a good curriculum is important, leading a great small group isn’t only about books. Women want and need to connect.

Prevent Burnout

Remember how I said “to feed, you must be fed?” And, “Without being renewed and filled by the Lord each day, we will run out of steam when we try to serve or lead others?”

Whether it’s leading women in ministry or giving your all at work and/or home, a life of service can be draining. Giving can feel endless. Serving without renewal is a little like pouring and not refilling a pitcher of water. Without being replenished, the once cold water loses its coolness, then becomes warm, and finally empties. And whether you’re the one pouring or the thirsty one, an empty pitcher is a major problem.

Coming to God through prayer and worship to be refilled prevents burnout. He combats our fears. He speaks truths and promises into our hearts for us to hear above the noise around us. Our souls are revived in His presence!

I’ve watched people try to give and serve with the right motive but from a dry place. The daily grind usually grinds to a stop and what’s left is a hurt person. Drawing deeply, daily, from our well (His name is Jesus), goes a long, long way to preventing this type of burnout.

Our souls need to rest in Him and take His easy yoke. (See Matthew 11:28-30)

Enjoy God

When we seek God and enjoy our time spent with Him we are refilled enough to share from our overflow. Without being filled in the first place, there is no overflow! And that filling? That’s for us. That’s our opportunity to be in God’s presence, to let Him work on us, and to ask Him, “what are you saying to me, Father? How can I best glorify you?”

And He will answer and fill us! 

“He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:3)

“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16)

I’ve made two worksheets for you. One is a Bible study worksheet to help you “give from your overflow.”

The other is a list of verses for you to meditate on when you need some fresh encouragement from the Word. Enjoy!

How has God reminded you that you need to be refilled? What do you do when you need more of Him before you serve others?

Blessings,
Ali

Before we can spiritually feed others, we need to make sure that our souls are being fed. Read more on the blog. #LeadingEffectively
Click To Tweet

The post Giving from the Overflow appeared first on Do Not Depart.

1. I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. (Psalm 101:3a) ~ Help me choose things of value for my learning and entertainment.
2. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14) ~ May my words & thoughts please You.
3. Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23, 24) ~ Please show the true condition of my heart and lead me to being pure of heart.
4. How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:9,11) ~ Help me to know, remember, and obey the truth of Your word.
5. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. (Ephesians 4:19) ~ Keep me from becoming callous to sensuality and impurity.
6. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
   (Romans 12:2) ~ Renew my mind daily so I will know what is acceptable to You.
7. Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.
   (Psalm 119:37) ~ When I am tempted to look at worthless things, help me turn away and find life in Your ways.
8. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit.
   (Proverbs 16:2) ~ Please weigh my spirit and show me how to be pure in Your eyes.
9. So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
   (2 Timothy 2:22) ~ Help me flee temptation & pursue righteousness, faith, love & peace.
10. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10) ~ Create a clean heart in me.
11. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) ~ Give me a desire to glorify You with my body.
12. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.
    (Romans 6:12) ~ Help me to be obedient with my passions.
13. A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls. (Proverbs 25:28) ~ Teach me to have self-control that comes from your Spirit.
14. Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 16:41) ~ Give me a desire to be a person of prayer so I will refuse temptation.
15. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13) ~ When I am tempted, show me clear ways of escape and show me Your faithfulness.

Download your printable copy of 15 Verses to Pray for Personal Purity

The post 15 Verses to Pray for Personal Purity appeared first on Do Not Depart.