When Serving Costs You Time
Devotional week 35
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Mark 1:35 (NIV)
Serving God has a cost. We often think about that cost in terms of money, comfort or security. But there is another cost that can be particularly difficult for those of us who are used to working, producing and carrying responsibility: time.
There is always something that still needs attention. A message waiting for a reply, work left unfinished or an opportunity that seems too important to miss. When we see our work as part of our mission, stepping away can even feel irresponsible. If there are people to serve and important work to do, why stop?
Yet Jesus did.
Mark describes a time when Jesus' ministry was becoming increasingly demanding. He had been teaching, healing people and attracting growing crowds. There were real needs around Him, and people were still looking for Him. Yet, before the day began, Jesus got up and went to a solitary place to pray.
He did not stop because there was nothing left to do. He stopped while there was still more to be done.
That is worth thinking about.
Do we sometimes confuse being busy with being faithful?
We can be doing meaningful work and still neglect what sustains us. We can serve others, work hard and use our abilities for God's Kingdom while slowly allowing the demands of life to take the place of time with God.
Stopping requires trust. It means recognising that God is still at work when we are not. Not everything rests on our shoulders. The mission does not depend on us being constantly available, productive or busy.
Sometimes serving God means working hard and giving our best. At other times, it means stepping away for a while, becoming still and remembering who is truly in control.
Jesus shows us that serving others should never take us so far from God that we forget where our service begins.
Perhaps your challenge today is not to do more for God. Perhaps it is simply to trust Him enough to stop and spend time with Him.
Challenge
This week, set aside a specific time to be with God without turning it into another item on your schedule. Put your work and distractions aside and simply be present. Ask yourself: Does my routine reflect trust in God, or the feeling that everything depends on me?
Prayer
Lord, teach me to serve without allowing my responsibilities to replace my relationship with You. Help me to work diligently, but also to stop with trust. Forgive me for the times when I confuse being busy with being faithful. Remind me that Your work does not depend on me alone, and help me to follow the example of Jesus by making time to be with You. May everything I do flow from Your presence. Amen.
A Tent International Devotional