The Life Of A Worship Leaderနမူနာ

All That You Can Leave Behind

Ever feel defeated? Ever feel defeated while doing the Lord’s work? Many times you can give so much out to serving others that sometimes all you get in return is grief. This can leave you feeling tired, spent, and even depressed, while others demand more and more without end.

In Isaiah 61, the writer speaks of how the enemy had plundered Israel. The people were devastated as their cities were burned, ruined, and shattered. Farms were destroyed and livelihoods were damaged. How did the people of God respond? They persevered in the Lord by taking God at His word, even when times were darkest.

God says in verse 8: “For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them.” The people of God knew that, though they suffered much, the journey was not over.

God provided a hope through His faithfulness. He is a God of justice, and He is a God of mercy.

We see Jesus doing the same in Luke 4:18-21. What did he do? Jesus came as the living word to restore, to bind, and to heal broken hearts and the wounded. This comfort is what brings us a new joy.

This restoration of loss fills us with a new purpose. Now we worship and wait once more through faith for Christ to come again in power and glory. Isaiah 61 states it this way in verse 10: “I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God.”

As you serve God, persevere through His faithfulness. You are not alone and you are not without. God uses the broken to demonstrate His power. Let the word of God provide you with the needed hope and comfort. Take Him at His word, as He takes you from desolate to delight.

We search for things all our lives. Apart from God, we fill ourselves with excess. Things to help bring comfort, newness, and identity. When these items no longer work, we either repair them, lose them, or save them for a rainy day.

Our tendency is to stockpile and to compartmentalize. Whether we realize it or not, our emotions stay attached. Even if we throw overboard our unusables, they remain with us like barnacles on the underside of boats.

God, who is rich in mercy, does not ask, but leads us by a loving command: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” - Jeremiah 33:3. He is ready to give us the unsearchable provisions of His love, grace, and forgiveness.

He will bring us back. He will be our God and we will be His people (Jeremiah 32:37-38). When we continue to pack and haul our heavy burdens, we scarcely experience the true mercy and rescue of God. We default to our baggage because it appears normal to us. But it is not healthy for us.

God has called us to unpack and unload by the way of Jesus. As said in Matthew 11:28, only those who are in need of rest can find refuge in the Savior. He unpacks our grief and binds our wounds as we take upon His yoke that is easy and light.

This is all we need. Not excess. Not material. Not high places. May our only burden be the humility and gentleness of Christ.

Reflection: Do you believe exactly what God says He will do? How do you find this significant in your life experiences? What will help you stay close and abide in His word? What baggage are you carrying that needs to be left behind? How will the lightness of your load benefit you and your ministry?