His Encouragement #36

Happy Thursday! I am blessed to be a part of a group of bloggers who feel led to share a bit of encouragement each week from the Bible. We recognize that the source of our peace, strength, and security in this life comes from Jesus, and we aim to share that with our readers. Plus, when Thursday comes around, we can all use a little encouragement right? I hope that this posting blesses you and that you find strength and peace in the Lord today ❤

This week it’s on my heart to share:

⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

~Rom 12:4-5 (NIV)

I have a confession: I cannot do everything. The truth? I’m not supposed to!

Are you someone who feels the weight of feeling like you have to do it all on your own? Or are you the person who sees the accomplishments of others and it causes you to feel insufficient? Or can you see yourself on both sides at times? Today’s age of social media certainly doesn’t help with these feelings.

I can tell when my car is making a funny noise that something is wrong, but most likely I can’t fix it on my own. When I’m sick I need a doctor who can diagnose and order the right prescription for me to get better. When the internet is acting up in our house, my husband looks to me to fix it (even though I can’t always do so), and when I can’t reach something I ask my husband (or whoever else is near me and taller). I can bake some pretty yummy cookies, but I can’t prettily wrap a gift to save my life.

We aren’t meant to be able to accomplish everything in life alone. Often the high expectations we have are self-imposed. We think we are supposed to be able to do things on our own, so therefore we try, and then feel crushed under the pressure. When we look at the body, it’s not hard for us to understand that while the eyes can’t smell, the feet can’t see, and your fingers can’t hear. We know that each body part has a different function, but when it’s put all together we have one functioning body.  Understanding this can help save yourself a whole lot of unnecessary pressure. It’s not to say you will like everything you have to do, but 1) you’re not meant to do it all 2) you have help and 3) you have a purpose.

Just think of a Sunday morning at church. How many people are needed to make a service work? There’s the pastor who does the teaching, the worship team that leads music, the ushers take the offering and pass out the elements for communion, the Sunday school teachers and nursery workers help teach and keep the little ones occupied, the greeters welcome you and guide newcomers where to go, the secretary has printed out the bulletins, people in the sound-booth make sure you can hear the service, and much more. It takes many hands to make the service run smoothly. Can you imagine if everyone walked into church on a Sunday and tried to be the pastor? Or if everyone wanted to be the drummer? It’s not to say that we can’t have multiple talents (and in many churches people play multiple roles), but we aren’t meant to do it all on our own. Each person has value in the job they are performing.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the pressure to “do it all,” look around you and ask the necessary question for help. If you feel insufficient or like you have no purpose… seek ways to get plugged in. Sometimes you never know what you’re good at until you try, and sometimes you find ways you can be useful that you didn’t even know were needed. Don’t be afraid to get plugged in, but also don’t be afraid to ask for help. Just as the physical body has many parts to function, so does the body of Christ.

This week I’m ending two songs. The first is a fun song intended for kids, but it helps make the point. The second is one you can think and meditate on more. What a beautiful thing it is to be the body of Christ! I hope my post blesses you this week and gives you a breath of fresh encouragement as you continue through the rest of it. <3

Now, it’s your turn!

What Biblical verse is encouraging you today?

And, check out more Thursday Encouragement from my fellow blogger friends:

Nicole @ Christian Fiction Girl

Trisha @ Joy of Reading

Jacquelyn @ A Heavenly Home

Jessica @ A Baker’s Perspective

Jenny @ Author Jenny Lynn

Gina @ Stories By Gina

Rebecca @Rev. Rebecca Writes

If you would like to join us: please contact Trisha or Nicole