Joy: Week 4 - Day 1
OPENING PRAYER:
Lord, help me realize that if I want to have joy I must keep my focus on Christ. Amen
“Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.”
REFLECT:
Paul indicates that rather than put confidence in his own abilities, he puts his confidence in Christ first. This is different than what I do. Several years ago, after five years as a superintendent in a small school district, I felt I was ready to move to a bigger district. A superintendency opened in a district where I had started my administrative career as an elementary principal. I was confident with my abilities, reputation, success and knowledge of the district, so I expected the job was mine. It turns out I was overconfident and someone else got it. Throughout the process I had relied on myself and had not consulted God about it. My only prayer was to outline what he needed to do for me.
The following year the Garden City superintendency (an even larger district) became open. Getting it would truly be a long shot because it was 6 times larger than my present district and I was up against an extraordinarily successful superintendent who had been my mentor. This time, rather than entering it confident of getting the position, I turned to God in prayer stating “God, this position is bigger than I am capable of handling on my own. If you allow me to get it, I will need your guidance and assistance.”
God saw fit to allow me to get the position and it was the capstone of my administrative career. Every day I was there I prayed the prayer mentioned above. Two things I learned later were that I would have been very frustrated in the first district I applied for and also that there was a group of mothers in Garden City who were praying during the interview process that the district would hire a Christian to serve as superintendent. I felt that undergirding of prayer all the time I was in Garden City Schools. I found my joy in Christ and not in my own abilities and success.
APPLY:
When facing new problems, opportunities, etc., the tendency is often to rely on our own skills for success and joy. Remember, this is doomed to fail. Do as Paul did, “We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort…” (Philippians 3:3b NLT)
CLOSING PRAYER:
God, you alone are my refuge, my place of safety and I trust you to get me through anything that is thrown at me when you give me an assignment (Psalm 46:1 personalized). Amen