Being stretched

To be completely honest, I have been in a bit of a challenging place recently. I've been feeling more worn down and tired for a little while and have been trying to figure out why. Well, last weekend I had a wonderful morning with the Lord where I was able to just get away and spend some time with Him. During that time, He showed me that I have begun to lose sight of my first love and have been trying to do things in my own strength, just kind of going through the motions. We can only do that for so long before we run out of strength and energy. Ministry and relationships with people are very important, but my relationship with Him must come first. It must be the absolutely most important part of my every day. In Him I find my strength and my joy, my peace and my direction. Without that, I begin to feel like I am just kind of aimlessly wandering.

With so much going on, it can be more of a challenge to find time to just get away and spend time with Jesus. I find that I'll put that time to the side so that I can get everything else done. But then of course what happens is that I begin to run out of steam and lose my joy in serving. When I examine why this is, I see that my priorities have gotten off balance and I've spent too much time "doing" rather than just "being".

The verse I've been praying for myself recently is John 3:30, which says "He must increase, but I must decrease." I pray to have a life where you see less and less of Andrea, and more and more of Jesus. I pray to have a heart overflowing with love, peace, and joy. I want to put others above myself and love sharing Christ's love with them more than anything else. I pray to be moldable, like clay in the potter's hand, having the heart's cry of Isaiah 64:8, "But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand."

Could you please say a prayer for me that I would live out those heart's desires? That I would return to my first love and not be so busy serving that I lose sight of the most important relationship in my life? And that as I seek Him first, all other things will fall into place, conflicts will work out, and energy will be restored? I praise the Lord for His invitation to come to Him, to seek Him first, and He will take care of everything else. "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30