I Corinthians 12:12-31 - December Stress

Midnight…1AM...2AM…urgh…why couldn't I go to sleep last night.  I kept asking the Lord if I were to pray for someone.  I had a message at 12:36 to pray for one who was taken to the hospital and then at 3:26 that she was admitted to ICU.  Of course, I prayed for her and her family but I still couldn't go sleep.  All I could do was to think about everything that has to be done this week.  The lessons I have to teach, the skit I have to write, the order of worship for Sunday, the hospital visits on my schedule, set-up at the church that needs completed for Sunday…oh my, oh my.  I was starting to fall into "December Stress" that I didn't want to fall into.  I needed to "practice what I preach" and not allow the calendar/activities make me miss something the Lord has for me.  I thought of a picture I saw on the internet yesterday…

Well let me just say that this is easier said than done.  How in the world can I be calm when life is so hectic?  How can I get everything accomplished without causing MS issues?  How can I enjoy December and not miss anything the Lord has for me?  Plain and simple.  After I first do my normal of stopping and breathe in, breathe out then I need to pray for His calmness.  I need to pray for His direction on delegating anything I can delegate.  I need to ask Him to point me to the right people to ask to do things.  I need to remember the words of I Corinthians 12 where it talks about the body being one part yet working together.

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be?20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.

I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, my church family are here for me.  I know they will do anything they can to help me.  I just have to ask.  Unfortunately, there are too many things on my list this week that I have to do myself.  I'm thankful I've been working on those things for the last few weeks.  I also need to keep reminding myself that I only need to get accomplished this week what is for this week.  I do not need to worry about the other two weeks before Christmas until I am through this week.  But most importantly I need to remind myself to keep focused on the Lord because He is going to be my strength to not only get through this time but to enjoy this time.  As I focus on Him, the focus of what is important will become clearer.  Woo hoo!  

The last verse of this section of scripture tells us to "Now eagerly desire the greater gifts."  The next chapter in I Corinthians tells us all about what love is and that love is the greatest of all.  In order to love others we first must love ourselves but most importantly we must love the Lord.  When we love the Lord, we will have a servant heart.  We also will work in unity with one another.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for these reminders of what You want for me during this stressful time.  Father, I pray for more of You and less of me so I can be empowered through it.  I pray for those You tell me to ask to do things to do them with a servant heart.  I pray, Father, people will see my servant heart in all I do.  Lord, empower me to be a better servant.  Empower me to be more loving.  Empower me to have more focus on You.  Thank You Jesus for being The One To Remind Me.  Amen.