This may be a surprise to some of you, but I suffer...no, struggle...no, um...well, I have a diagnosis of depression. I do suffer and I do struggle, but I don't want that to be my identity.I was diagnosed in my early 20's and had a huge struggle over the years, until I got saved in 2006. The Lord then made me see how some things I was doing were not pleasing to him, and he started changing my heart.
Lately the darkness has been overwhelming...suffocating...dibilitating almost..and I have had to take a step back and evaluate my life. And I am missing the light. The main thing that I have had to do is make two lists:
- One list consists of the things the Lord wants me to do;
- The other list consists of the things that other people think the Lord wants me to do.
Yes, my friends, there is a difference.
And yes, my friends, it is okay to say NO :)
You see, as Christians we often find ourselves trying to be the Holy Spirit to other people, and we can often guilt them into doing ministries or tasks that the Lord has not released them to do. Then some things start to happen: the ministries that the Lord has called them to do suffer because there is not enough time to devote to everything; their time with the Lord suffers because there are too many tasks to do in a day; being away from time with Jesus takes away the Light; and soon they find themselves in darkness.
That's where I have found myself lately. I am overwhelmed; and some things need to go. That's why I am working on my two lists and praying about what I am supposed to continue to do and what I need to lay down.
Keith Green once said, "Don't get so caught up in the work of the Lord that you forget the Lord of the work".
Is it time for you to lay some things down?
It's just what's on my mind.
