This will probably be short because I’m short on time but I’ve spent the past few days really thinking about this subject and it’s been an off-and-on thought process for the past several months.

I hear so often in church and Christian circles that we have to take care of ourselves or we won’t be able to care adequately for others. We first take care of our own self and then we can take care of others.

I think this is a bunch of hooey bunk. I firmly believe when we ensure we are getting adequate rest, exercise and nutrition; if we are doing what God calls us to do, in His timing, in His strength, with His power (that raised Christ Jesus from the dead!); if we are asking Him for wisdom when we are asked to serve, He will make sure we are taken care of.

He won’t overload our plate. He won’t ask us to serve to exhaustion. He won’t force us to move for everyone until we are burned out.

I firmly believe if we are doing the above; if we are serving to exhaustion, if we are only ever saying “yes” to everyone; if we are burned out on serving Him, that is OUR fault. God never asks us or requires us to say “yes” to everyone and every opportunity of service.  He also takes care of us.

It is when we think for some deranged reason that we have to say “yes” because they asked, or because it’s the “Christian thing to do” that problems arise. It is when we do His work, His will in our strength and power that we burn out. We fail. We fall flat.

And that is also when we’re convinced we can’t ever be used by Him. We’ve let Him down. Hogwash. That is precisely when we need to confess our sin of idolatry and move on in His strength. Yes, idolatry. Because we are putting our self in the place of God.

I’m not sure how or when it became popular to say “yes” to everything and everyone. Mark Lowry  has stated, “If God calls you to be a janitor, you’d have to step down to be president.” And if God calls you to be a janitor you shouldn’t be president if someone begged you. Just because someone asks you to serve does not mean it is what God desires for you.

If He has called you “proclaim freedom for the captives”, working in the nursery might not be for you. But ASK Him. And if He says “No”, then you have to say “No” as well. But if He says “Yes!” then you must as well.

But please, if He says “No”, don’t say “yes” because “no one else will do it.” Bad idea! Very bad idea. I would shout “DANGER, WILL ROBINSON! DANGER, WILL ROBINSON!!!” If no one else will do it, maybe it shouldn’t be done.

So as you go about your days, pray for His heart, His mind, His strength and His guidance and do, whatever He calls you to do with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.