Why I could just puke on myself

I had a revelation today.  A huge one, actually.  It was one of those life-changing moments that made me pause in my mental tracks and say, "whoa".  It all started with the book I am reading right now...

It is so good.  Amazing...so amazing that I began having my revelation while I was still reading the introduction.  When that happens, I know it's going to be good!  The book is about a Christian mom (a very funny one, which is always a plus in my eyes) who took herself and her family and a group of friends on a journey to let God teach them about the excess in their lives.  The purpose of the journey was to empty some space that is typically occupied with "stuff", and make room for the Holy Spirit to move in their hearts.

So as I began reading last night, I started to realize something that I have kind of known, but somehow this time it just slapped me in the face:  I am so pampered!  I am a spoiled brat. And so are you, by the way.  We all are, those of us who live in this country of plenty.  Plenty of food, everywhere.  Comfort, luxury in fact, abounds all around us.  We are so used to it that we don't even see it.  We crave comfort, and it is smothering us.  We want to be just the right temperature...not too hot, not too cold.  We want comfy chairs and comfy beds and comfy clothes and comfy cars and comfy jobs and comfy faith and comfy lives.  We have all this, and we have the audacity to want more. 

So...with that realization smacking me around this morning, I began praying for God to show me what to do about it.  I mean, it's not my fault that I live here, right?  This is the society we live in, this is our reality.  It's not like I can just sell everything and move to Africa and be poor, as if that would somehow accomplish something spiritual.  That's not what God is calling me to do right now. 

So, what is He asking of me?  What am I supposed to do with this new revelation? 

Bless others.  It's that simple.  Use the gifts and talents and the abundance of blessings He has given me to bless others.  BING!  That's it.

So right there in my bedroom this morning I asked Him, begged Him to show me how, rather than heaping my blessings up on myself and those whom I know and love who are already blessed.  We spend so much time "blessing the blessed", and ignoring the poor.  The orphans.  The widows.  The lonely.  The desperate.   The lost.  They are everywhere.  And they are waiting.

But I don't have time for all that.  I have a family to raise and a full time job and a life and everything...I am so overwhelmed, how can I possibly do more, God?

That is exactly what satan wants me to think.  Every time I start to have a desire to reach out to others, he says "it's time to get her busy". 

I am so sick of hearing me say "I'm too busy" that I could just puke on myself!

So as I got ready for work this morning, I asked God to help me stop being "too busy".  To stop filling my mind with my own thoughts and listen to His voice, the voice that whispers as it leads.  And much to my surprise, my day was sprinkled with opportunities.  Opportunities to be a blessing to others.  So many opportunities, and instead of ignoring them or letting them overwhelm me or grieve my heart, I listened. 
  
"Go sit with him, have your breakfast with him and talk."

"Don't rush...listen to her.  Your other work can wait."

"Put lotion on his hands."

"Ask her if she knows Jesus."

"Go talk to him...yea, it's an hour past his bedtime and he's still messing around.  But he wants to talk to you.  Don't worry about the time, just go."

And in each of these opportunities, I listened. And something happened.  Something miraculous. 

I made a difference.

I can't wait for tomorrow.  For more opportunities to listen to God's voice and respond.  It's so easy, it's so worth it.  And I will not be too busy.