The Happy Balance
Proverbs 16:20 Those who are attentive to a matter will prosper, and happy are those who trust in the Lord.
One of the ways in which many people find themselves torn, pulled this way and that way, is this: how much should I do, and how much of it should I leave to God. When you’re in the midst of it, it seems unclear. But actually, from God’s perspective, it’s crystal clear.
I think we can make two equal and opposite mistakes in trusting God.
The first is to over-spiritualise. You run into a problem so you stop dead in your tracks, sit down, and wait for God to do it all. After all, you’re a man or a woman of faith. I won’t think, I won’t plan, I won’t act … I’ll just leave it all up to God because I trust Him.
The second is to under-spiritualise. I know God’s out there, but it all depends on me. If I don’t do everything, it’s all going to fall into a heap.
And in fact, so many people struggle to find a happy balance between those two equal and opposite extremes.
So let’s get God’s take on it:
Proverbs 16:20 Those who are attentive to a matter will prosper, and happy are those who trust in the Lord.
In other words, it’s not one or the other – it’s both at the same time. On the one hand, we should be attentive to the matter at hand. In leading the ministry that I’m involved in, I do have to plan, budget, manage a team, report to a board, have our accounts audited. That’s being attentive to the matter.
But at the same time, we’re called to trust the Lord. God often calls us into places where, unless He shows up, unless He provides, unless He removes the obstacles, we’re going to fail.
So be diligent – do all that you can do and trust in the Lord at the same time. Now … was that so hard?
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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