For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13

Has God called you to do something for Him?  If you’re a parent, an employee or spouse, the answer is, yes.

While we’d like to do something spectacular in life, it can be God’s everyday call that seems the hardest–Parenting in today’s world.  Working under that boss.  Continuing in a difficult marriage. No doubt, you’ve had days when you thought, “This is too hard. I can’t do this.”

That’s what life seemed like to the Jewish people around 500 years before Jesus.  Carried into captivity by their enemies, they had begun to return to Jerusalem, were working to rebuild their temple and their lives, but things weren’t going well. It sure didn’t seem like they had what it was going to take to make recovery happen.

God encouraged them saying, “It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit” that the work I have for you will be accomplished! (Zechariah 4:6).  In the same way, the Apostle Paul explained, “For it is God who works in you, both to will and work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).

If you’re overwhelmed, here’s a reminder: “We’re not fueled by strength, skill or striving, but by the Spirit of God, writes Ruth Chou Simmons.  “When what you are called to feels too hard, too big, too impossible…do the work with diligence and trust God with the results.”[1]

“Not all of us can do great things.” Mother Teresa would say, “But we can do small things with great love.”[2] Follower of Jesus, God’s spirit enables His call. Start small but start again.

 

Resource reading: Zechariah 4:6-10

[1] Chou-Simmons, Ruth [ruthchousimmons]. “You Have What It Takes,” Instagram, April 21, 2022, https://www.instagram.com/p/CcmOcbuDtpN/.