Have you ever felt defeated because you were not able to get the things done in your day or week that you hoped to? What about your entire life? Have you set yourself up for failure because you put more on yourself than you can accomplish? Do you think that what you do defines who you are?
I wanted to get you thinking before you continue reading this blog. Recently, my friend made a profound statement via text. She said, “it’s hard to separate worth from accomplishment when approval has been tied to it for most of our lives.” This statement hit me like a ton of bricks, and I quickly realized that I tend to attach my worth to my accomplishments. I also realized I have some “soul work” to do in this area. Perhaps that statement hit you the same as it did me. If so, it may be the Holy Spirit directing you to seek Him for your worth and lay aside your task list.
My husband and I have a big job with a lot of responsibilities as Pastors. It was not my choice, but it was something from God, something He called us to do. Pastoring requires submission, humility, consistency, honesty, integrity, and many other things to fulfill such a huge responsibility. It does not matter if a pastor has twenty or two thousand people in the congregation; it is a big sacrifice and full-time commitment. With that said, I find myself wearing many hats and feeling disappointed when I do not fulfill an obligation or complete a task as I had scheduled.
You do not need to be a pastor to have a lot of responsibility in your life. All of us can get overwhelmed and bogged down with the duties of life. But when our work becomes our worth, we know that we have allowed ourselves to get out of sync with our Creator. We must take time to allow the Holy Spirit to minister to us daily.
There are some healthy things a person motivated by tasks can do to overcome the tendency to lose their worth in work. First, pray and seek the Lord every day for His plan for your day. Write those things down, taking the time to put them in a specific order so that you are more likely to follow through.
Second, when you find you have put too much on your list and cannot complete them, push those things to the next day. Breathe, let yourself rest and let yourself off the hook. Stop being your own taskmaster and give that day to the Lord and ask for His help to complete those undone things tomorrow.
Third, do not procrastinate. Often, a person puts things off because of fear of facing the challenge or because they hate doing that thing. Procrastinate means to move or act slowly to fall behind. It typically implies blameworthy delay, especially through laziness or apathy. If you do not want to do something, perhaps asking for help or accountability can be a solution for you to get it done.
After you accomplish the hard thing, reward yourself for getting it done. Maybe give yourself some quiet time with a good book and a cup of your favorite drink. Rest can be a rewarding thing. Do something you like doing but put it off because of time constraints.
God’s Word versus Your Ability
The one thing that I find helps me get back on track with God’s opinion of me, and His value is His word. For many years I have used and taught people specific scriptures to help with identity issues. If you are a person who attaches your accomplishments to your worth, you will benefit greatly from this advice.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And [that] my soul knows very well. - Psa 139:14 NKJV
You are perfectly designed, flawless in the cross of Calvary. Before you were formed in your mother’s womb, God knew you, predestined you, called you blessed, loved you, and chose you, and nothing you do or do not do will change that. Humanity fails. Cells and genes can be flawed, creating disease and defects in a person, but God never makes a mistake. God is after our souls and desires that we worship Him with all our hearts and souls and strength.
3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. - Eph 1:3-6 NKJV
These are only some of the ways God describes us as His children. Ephesians goes on to say that we are redeemed and forgiven through the blood of Jesus. His grace abounds towards us. The mystery of His will is made known to us. We have obtained an inheritance through our faith in Christ Jesus. Our eternal lives are destined to be lived out with God. This is how special you are; God would send His Son Jesus to die for you, for me, and for all who would say yes to Him. Jesus would take the penalty for us because He finds us of value and worthy of His death sentence. He rose and lives again, and so will we.
Let's pray, Heavenly Father thank You for created me uniquely and wonderfully. I ask Your help in believing Your word over my works for my identity. Help me to overcome the taskmaster spirit I so often engage with and help me attain the peace and joy You have set aside for me. I pray for the strength to continue in the things You call me to and bring You glory. I pray for the strength to lay down my ways and wants to allow for Your kingdom to be manifested in and through me. In Jesus name, Amen