God Desires Willing Hearts

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Philippians 2:3-4 

How often do we find ourselves being examples of Christ’s humility? This question has lingered in my mind since Josh’s sermon on Sunday. This idea of selflessness can be hard for our sinful nature to grasp - let alone live out. Yet, God calls us to live out HIS example of humility rather than the world’s version of it. By submitting to Jesus and His will for our lives, we begin to experience freedom from the burden of self-exaltation.

As many of you know, I have been covering for Tina during her sabbatical, which has given me newfound respect for her. I never understood how much she contributes to our church until I stepped into her shoes. Those of you who have had the privilege of knowing Tina understand that she embodies grace in all her ways, and everything she does is clearly and sincerely for the glory of God. She is so great at what she does and does it so joyfully that many of us may not even see the load she carries.

I never saw myself stepping into this role, but I believe God has placed me here for my good and His glory. This role has brought me an immense amount of joy, but it has also come with challenges. As I listened to Josh’s sermon, I gained a new perspective on how I should obey where God has placed me in this season. Scripture tells us that God desires willing hearts, not just forced actions, and the goal is to reflect His character and love. We must reframe our work, whether it is in ministry or not, as kingdom participation. What we see as mundane, God sees as a labor of joy for the betterment of others. How can we start to see it that way, too?

I pray as you go about your week that you would remember that God created us for the purpose of building His Kingdom through all things - even the mundane. (Ephesians 2:10) Church, thank you for allowing me to love on your kids and for trusting me to take on this role until Tina’s return.