The Joy of the Lord is your Strength (Part 2) - Anna Evans
In John 14 verse 12 Jesus says “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.”
In part 1 of this blog, we looked at how responsibilities can become a burden and wear us down if we hold on to them too tightly. It is important for our own health and well being to hold things lightly. In stewarding things well, we keep room for joy in our lives and stay strong and engaged.
Equally, it is important for those around us that we are able to let go of things at the right time. Jesus understood this. Jesus knew that the responsibilities he had stewarded during his lifetime, needed to be passed on to his disciples. He understood that if he did not create space for them to function without him physically there, they would not grow into full maturity.
He even goes a step further than this and says “you will do even greater works”.
There is a kingdom principle here that is really important. Tolkien illustrates it well with the story of “the ring”. Bilbo stewarded “the ring” for a time and prevented it getting into the wrong hands. But Frodo his nephew did something even greater. He destroyed the ring, ending the potential for darkness to rule and reign in the mythical ‘Middle Earth’. It’s the same for us and those we are leading, whether our children, friends or co-workers. Sometimes we need to let go of something in order to create space for other people to play their part in God’s story. We have the potential to release others into the even greater things than we could do, just like Jesus did.
Are you going to be able to let go at the right time? Passing on “the baton” is a key part of living the Christian life well. Without this aspect, we become overburdened, worn out and worn down, all of which are joy killers.
So my question to you are: is God asking you to let go of something, pass it on to another? What season are you in? A season of saying yes to taking on something new or of saying yes to creating space for someone else?
Perhaps it’s even a season for both. As we prayerfully trust our decisions to the Lord, we can be confident that he will work all things together for the good of those who love him and that we will get to do even greater things that even Jesus did!
In part 1 of this blog, we looked at how responsibilities can become a burden and wear us down if we hold on to them too tightly. It is important for our own health and well being to hold things lightly. In stewarding things well, we keep room for joy in our lives and stay strong and engaged.
Equally, it is important for those around us that we are able to let go of things at the right time. Jesus understood this. Jesus knew that the responsibilities he had stewarded during his lifetime, needed to be passed on to his disciples. He understood that if he did not create space for them to function without him physically there, they would not grow into full maturity.
He even goes a step further than this and says “you will do even greater works”.
There is a kingdom principle here that is really important. Tolkien illustrates it well with the story of “the ring”. Bilbo stewarded “the ring” for a time and prevented it getting into the wrong hands. But Frodo his nephew did something even greater. He destroyed the ring, ending the potential for darkness to rule and reign in the mythical ‘Middle Earth’. It’s the same for us and those we are leading, whether our children, friends or co-workers. Sometimes we need to let go of something in order to create space for other people to play their part in God’s story. We have the potential to release others into the even greater things than we could do, just like Jesus did.
Are you going to be able to let go at the right time? Passing on “the baton” is a key part of living the Christian life well. Without this aspect, we become overburdened, worn out and worn down, all of which are joy killers.
So my question to you are: is God asking you to let go of something, pass it on to another? What season are you in? A season of saying yes to taking on something new or of saying yes to creating space for someone else?
Perhaps it’s even a season for both. As we prayerfully trust our decisions to the Lord, we can be confident that he will work all things together for the good of those who love him and that we will get to do even greater things that even Jesus did!
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