Not My Job

Each of my children likes to tell the others what to do. Some are worse than others about trying to boss their siblings, but they all try it to some degree. Then I have to instruct them in their proper place in our family. So I often find myself saying, "That's NOT your job!"

I had a light bulb moment recently. I HATE to see someone I love in pain. When my kids are sick, I often wish that I could take the pain for them. When Shorty has had a sleepless night, I wish I could give him my portion of rest. When I see a sister struggling with something in her life, I wish that I could carry her struggle for her. And as I was pondering this, it hit me: THAT'S NOT MY JOB! Not only is it not my responsibility to take away someone else's pain, I am UNABLE. It frustrates me to be unable to fix things. And today as I am faced with yet another facet of the idol of pride in my life, I am also seeing the wonderful freedom of my inadequacy. I will still try to speak words of comfort and encouragement to ones I love when they are in pain, but hopefully with my eyes firmly fixed on the ONE who was and is ABLE to carry their sorrows-- and mine! =)

Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned--every one--to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.
Isaiah 53:1-11

He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
1 Peter 2:22-25

Behold Our God

CHORUS
Behold our God seated on His throne
Come let us adore Him
Behold our King nothing can compare
Come let us adore Him!

~Listen to Behold Our God on YouTube.

© 2011 Sovereigns Grace Worship (ASCAP)/Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI).