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Thursday, February 5, 2009

Auto-Focus

You may have noticed from the tone & frequency of my posts that I'm feeling much better. I still have days when the nausea returns, or the exhaustion reaches a level I just can't work through, but in general, I feel roughly 500% better than I did even two short months ago. And I've come to realize that illness (and hormones) make me a very self-centered, self-absorbed, self-focused person.

While I think that's understandable given the situation and the extent of physical discomfort & despair I was in, that time has passed. It's time to move on.

There are times in life when it seems like God is trying to tell me something. Not like actual verbal instructions (although I think that would be terrifying & also quite nice), but more of an urging in a certain direction. It often manifests in a repeating idea that comes through conversations with others, Bible class topics, sermons, even music & whatever books I happen to be reading.

Right now, I think God is reminding me that I am to be a servant. My job, in His kingdom and in real life, is to serve others. That means I need to be serving James and serving my family, instead of constantly sitting back & letting others serve me. As I said, there is a time for that, and that time has passed.

It's going to take effort. It's going to take constant reminders to not slip back into auto-focus - that typical self-centered way of thinking.


Philippians 2:5-7 (NIV)
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ouch. That post hit home. I also have been reminded I need to be a servant.

I haven't had a servant's heart for my family for quite some time. Thanks for the reminder.

Susan said...

God DEFINITELY sends us repeating messages through various sources...yesterday morning Sue @ Praise & Coffee had a twitter about keeping her eye on the Mountain MOVER and not the mountain. Thirty minutes later my devotional also said the same thing, using "mountain".

I totally grasp the self-absorption thing when sick, worried, fearful, anxious...well, I'm describing ME, not you, but I get it. lol.

Glad you are feeling better. Love the photo of the little miss in your header.

Hugs...

Susan

Sheila said...

Glad to hear you are feeling better!

I too have to be mindful of where my focus should be and where it really is. I have to remind myself that God is not silent, that usually I am just not listening. :)

Hallie @ Moxie Wife said...

I'm so glad you're feeling better. This is such a beautiful reflection and something many of us need to be reminded of regularly. :)