Sharpening and Abiding

I had some interesting thoughts while lying in bed early this morning about the process of sharpening something, whether a stick, a pencil, a knife. What happens in the process of sharpening? You're taking away everything that's in the way of sharpness; everything getting in the way of the sharp point or the cutting blade. Getting rid of everything that causes dullness; everything that hinders.

            “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” (Hebrews 12:1,2)

            Yesterday I was anything but sharp. My plan is to spend 4 hours every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday on writing and art because I truly believe God is gently guiding me in that direction. But instead, I decided it was a good time to go grocery shopping, and go to Hobby Lobby, and go pick up a movie for my grand-daughters for Friday's first-ever grand-daughter sleepover, and go to a Christian Publishing warehouse to pick up material I had ordered earlier for my Junior High girls class at church and go to Starbucks, and, of course, get a bite to eat while I read my novel. And of course in the middle of all that I had to keep checking e-mails, texts, Facebook, and Instagram. Do you see where this leads? All of it needed to be done, sort of, but by the time I got home and took care of groceries, I was exhausted. So I took a short nap. Then I delivered mail to my son and daughter-in-law and lingered to visit and enjoy my little grand-daughter. Then I came home, fixed supper, ate supper and cleaned up from supper. There's absolutely nothing wrong with any of that...but...I lost my focus, my sharp edge.

            All of that would have gotten done in its own time, but the mistake I made was allowing it to push aside the time, the specific time, that I believe God directed me to carve out of my week for the sharp focus He called me to. I have to ask myself the question, do I truly believe God called me to set this time aside? I'm moved to tears as I write this because I have to answer, YES! More than ever, I sense that He is directing me and sharpening me. For what, specifically, I don't know. I don't need to know. I just need to be obedient.

            Several years ago, I sensed that God wanted me to back away from a ministry at church that I had done for years; a ministry I loved. I obeyed, not having a clue what God might be up to. A few months later I got a call from a woman who was the director of a national ministry for girls (similar to Girl Scouts but with a strong Christian element) asking me to be on the committee to help direct the revision of their entire program. I said yes, did it, loved it and that led to numerous writing opportunities.

            I had no idea what He had in store for me. God knew! What an understatement.  And He knows now what He plans to do in me and through me. I don't know. I don't have to know. I just have to obey and trust. But... in order to be obedient and  in order to trust, I must live in His Presence. I must abide.

            “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine,  neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit: for apart from me you can do nothing.”  John 15;4,5 (ESV)

            “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1 (ESV)

            What He's calling me to do will most likely look very different than what He's calling you to do. I know He's calling me to carve out time every week for writing and art. But before I spend one second in either of those areas, I need to remind myself over and over again; He is calling me to Himself.

            The same goes for you. No matter what your talents, gifts and desires are, first and foremost, He is calling you to Himself.

            Marching orders: abide in Him, delight in Him, trust, obey, throw off everything that hinders, allow Him to direct your path, allow Him to sharpen you. 

            And through it all, relax and TRUST HIM! Delightfully and joyfully trust Him to do His work in His time.