A Growing Soul

Our soul shrinks or expands to the size of our greatest concern. Unfortunately, many of us take the easy route by devoting a large portion of our energy and focus towards taking care of ourselves. With an individualistic mindset, our greatest concern will always remains inward.

We desperately need a growing soul so we are energized to pray for a growing concern taking place in a growing world. Over time we must begin to develop a fundamental understanding that we are all connected to one another and we cannot afford, or survive, being obsessively concerned about ourselves.

When you welcomed Christ inside your heart you said goodbye to authoring your own story. Life is now about joining a larger community (the church) whose ultimate goal is to make Christ known. This makes your pursuit of living out your One Word all the more important. Everybody’s contribution, including your own, ultimately determines the overall effectiveness of the ENTIRE body.

The call is not for us to feel bad or wish we could do more. The charge is merely to do something and realize that God has equipped you with gifts and passions that He wants you to use to make His name known. Go and put your heart and soul on the line before God by asking: Lord, what would you have me do in light of my growing concern and expanding heart? How can living out my One Word make a difference in the lives of others?

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 speaks to the fact that God has given each of us unique gifts, talents and passions. If we are honest, some of us are guilty of comparing our gifts, or perceived lack thereof, to others and pondering why we received the short end of the straw. This questioning paralyzes us, keeps us on the sidelines and enables one to rationalize their lack of action by saying their part will not be missed anyway. The Message version of this scripture goes as far as saying that until ‘you accept your part of the body does your part mean anything.’

The Church that is built on Christ is the only organization on the face of the earth that has been entrusted with what every human heart longs for and in fact needs.  We must not shirk our responsibility and make excuses for why we are not more effective. The power lies in our ability to follow Christ and demonstrate this by our love for one another. It requires trusting God will be faithful to lead us and put us in places where we will be useful to fulfilling those purposes.

You might not believe it right now, but your dedication to your One Word will determine the churches overall effectiveness of shining God’s love to the world abroad. Imagine the impact we could have if each person understood how critical his or her part of the puzzle was to the common vision. Let it start with you and let it begin by being known inside of community.

• It has been said that our soul shrinks or expands to the size of our greatest concern. How have you seen this statement to be true in your own life? In what areas do you see your soul expanding recently? What has caused your heart to gravitate towards this concern?

• Have someone read Psalm 37:4-5. How does God show us what the desires of our heart are? Do you feel the desire to be used for God or are you satisfied with where you are at the moment? How is this currently influencing your drive to live out your One Word?

Are you looking for a way to keep your word in front of you all year long? Register for a My One Word account! One of the key features of a MOW account is an online Word Journal that allows you to capture your thoughts to reflective questions like you see above. You can go back at any time to read your completed journals to see how God has been moving in your life through your word in 2010.  If you already have an account, the questions from this blog have been posted to your Word Journal — log in to your account to start your Word Journal today!