I do not know about you, but I tend to get caught up in the entanglements of life sometimes. Well, maybe more than sometimes, if I am being honest. I forget what is important and let myself fret over the inconsequential.
As people who follow Jesus, we need to remember and try to keep this at the forefront of our minds. This life is but a sliver in time, but this is our sliver, and what we do for the Kingdom of God is what matters. This world is temporary and so are we.
We live on this earth, but if we are a child of God, this is not our home. “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV). In truth, this life and the things we do in the natural are not our first concern. It is secondary.
I was driving with a young friend not long ago. It was the Monday after her birthday weekend. I knew she had big plans so I asked her how it went and about the events she went to. I raised teens, so her short, one-word answers told me all I needed to know. “Good,” “Fine,” “Yeah” translated to “just got out of school, want to check my phone.” I dropped her off and told her I loved her, and she replied with the same. I was thinking about the interaction, and God told me that she needed to know someone cared about how her birthday weekend went. I said, “Okay God,” but it did not seem like it mattered to her at the time. But, I am not God. I do not know when that will be beneficial to her, but God does, and that is what matters. Our conversation continued, and He brought the word secondary to me. He told me the things that we do on this earth are secondary to what He is doing in the spiritual world. He told me it is like when He places someone on my heart to check on. This is where I had my toes stepped on. Several times leading up to this conversation, a certain person was on my heart. I knew I was to check on her, but, for whatever reasons, I did not. I immediately texted her then asked, “Anyone else Lord?” Three or four other people were brought to my heart, and each one got a text from me. I love this because when I thought about it, those texts were sent by me, but those people were on His mind. What I was doing was secondary.
Since that conversation with my Father, many times when I am doing something or even dreading doing something, the word resounds in my mind: “Secondary.” We are co-workers with Father God. (See 1 Corinthians 3:9 CSB) We may never know what we are doing here on earth that is changing Heaven.
I enjoy writing. But my writing is secondary. It is what He says through me and how it affects the one reading that is most important. Giving food to those in need is secondary to showing them Jesus in action. It’s God telling them, through us, they are not forgotten and He cares for them.
Take time to think about your actions. We may not know exactly what God is doing with what we say or do, but remember nothing is wasted with God. He does not want anyone to perish and go to Hell, and He uses us to reach the lost. What we do throughout our every day is secondary to what Father God is doing behind the scenes.
This is so good, true, and relevant. Yesterday, during my break, a student asked if he could join me. I was slightly bothered because I enjoy my break time as an escape from people, but I said sure and we chatted some in between bites. Today, as I finish eating, the same student comes over again with one of his friends, then two more of their friends also joined us in conversation. Even though I was through eating and ready to go back to work, I saw that taking a few more minutes on break to engage with them in conversation mattered. I believe this post confirms that belief even more. My interactions with the students, no matter how insignificant they may seem, matter more than the physical aspects of my job.
❤️
I love this! How wonderful is Father God in His timing of this post?
So needed this today to set me right! Came at the perfect time! So grateful for you, Anne!😘❤️
I am glad to hear that! The funny thing is I have been wanting to write this, but have not had time. Just goes to show God’s timing is the best timing. Thank you for reading and your encouraging comment.
Your secondary gift through this writing reaches us to be aware and open to what God would lead us to do in our sliver of time. A former coworker called me to tell me she found a note I had written years ago and how it encouraged her then and again when she read it. I didn’t even remember writing it. Our words, texts, or notes do make a difference!
Love it! Also, a reminder that we may never know how or when God uses what we say and do; or how many times 🙂 Thank you for reading and sharing your story!
Thanks for the words. I’m glad that God takes our words and acts and uses them as He sees fit. My prayer is that I will do and say at His direction,
Exactly! I pray He always speaks when I open my mouth. Thank you for sharing and always supporting me.