Pushed or Led?
I must confess. I have neglected this blog for the past two weeks. I feel terrible because every time I think of a new topic to write about for ‘A Gal Inspired,’ I come up with another task that needs to be completed for the day or get distracted by a new project that I’m working on.
One of the projects I’m working on is a new blog site called ‘Parent-Kid Fun,’ which explores kid-friendly activities everywhere and provides all the helpful information for parents to know about the events, activities and locations. It also gives coupons available for the activities and I’ve also started sharing about home activities to do with kids at home during bad weather.
I am really excited for this new hobby and adventure with my family, but at the same time I have been convicted wondering whether this new, wonderful venture is taking up too much of my time, energy and attention. So, what’s the difference between being pushed by ambition and being led by the Holy Spirit to start something that could benefit my family and many other families?
I wanted to understand more of this difficult balance, so I decided to go to the Bible for some clarity and this is what I learned.
1. Don’t be anxious. If I am constantly stressed, worried or emotionally consumed by something (job, project, hobby, person or thing), then how is that adding to my life? Anxiety is scientifically shown to be one of the leading causes of higher cortisol levels causing weight gain and higher acidity in the body, a perfect breeding ground for cancer.
This is one of the reasons I believe Jesus said, “Are my thoughts consumed with the worries of today, tomorrow and things that I cannot control? Am I seeking a relationship with God more than anything else and to know His perfect will for my life?
2. What consumes my thoughts? I have discovered that whatever consumes my thoughts and my wallet is usually my highest priority. Working hard to provide for my family and to pay my bills is not bad, but I must make sure that my first thoughts in the morning are about spending time with God and with my loved ones, not how many sales we need to get today or the number of Twitter followers I need to have by next week.
It’s so easy to be consumed with other things in life besides God and people. That’s why I think Jesus also said, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be” (Matthew 6:19-21 NLT).
Are the treasures of my life eternal or are they temporary? I need to ask myself this question every day to make sure that I’m asking God to help me keep my priorities straight and find a healthy balance.
3. Outbursts. Emotional outbursts can happen in the midst of various types of circumstances, but I have noticed in my own life that my 18-month-old son, my husband and even my own heart tend to be unsettled and emotional when my priorities are out of balance. My son loves to be play and color with me, and when I don't take the time to join him even in the simplest activities I am convicted that my priorities are a little disheveled.
So, how do I find a healthy balance between enjoying time with those I love and prioritizing my work or projects that need to get done in order for us to pay our bills? Monitor the behavior of those around you--are the emotional outbursts, tantrums or anrguments being caused by something I have control over? This will give us a better understanding of how we should find a healthy balance between work, extracurricular and down time with loved ones and life.
Living in a modern, digital age is amazing, but if we’re not careful it can also consumer us. It’s wonderful to start your own business, blogs and projects, but we must always remember that God wants us to have a healthy balance in everything or else we will lose the initial joy of why God wanted us to start that project in the first place. When we ask Him for daily guidance and spend time in the Bible gaining eternal wisdom and knowledge, then it is much easier to be led by God’s Spirit and not pushed by our own human ambition.
Take time with me today to quiet your heart, turn off your phone, turn off your computer and look around at the blessings of God in your life—family, friends, sunshine, clean water, food, and much more.
