The Good or The Best

It’s been said that often times our real enemy isn’t evil stuff -it’s the good stuff.  Because too often the good becomes the enemy of the best.

J.P. mentioned this in his sermon yesterday.  I ran into a friend at the gym this morning who told me she’d me mulling this over in her mind since he said it. Which made me wonder….how often do I allow the good to become the enemy of the best in my life?  For instance, should I…

Run errands or call my mom?

Clean the house or spend time with the Lord?

Eat the cookie or head to the gym?

Allow a child to watch TV or make the child do homework first?

Sit down at the computer and work or putter in the yard?

Buy the household item now or wait until it goes on sale?

Listen to the child or make dinner?

Say “yes” to that volunteer request or say “no”?

None of these choices is evil.  Every one of them is fine, in fact.  Which is what makes discerning the difference between the good and the best so tricky sometimes.  The difference between the good and the best is determined by what God has in store for you that day – or even that moment.

And here’s where living connected to Christ becomes practical.

Live with this principle in mind: When in doubt, ask God.

Ask God to help you become a wise woman who does the work He has for you to do each day. Because when you do what God wants you to do, you bring God glory, you bless others and you live with joy and purpose.

This is how Jesus lived. 

At the end of Jesus’ life he was able to pray “Father, I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do”.  Interestingly though, when you examine Jesus’ life you find that his days were not always the same.  Sometimes he preached, sometimes he healed, sometimes he napped, sometimes he prayed, sometimes he traveled, sometimes he attended weddings, sometimes he was with people and sometimes he was alone.

But it was all done with his purpose in mind. 

Every week I meet women who feel pressured to have it all, do it all and be it all.  Inevitably these gals are allowing the good to become the enemy of the best and they are stressed out to the max!

But you don’t have to live that way.  Allow God to direct your path.  Realize that life has it’s seasons.  You have a purpose which will only be accomplished when you live connected to Christ day by day, moment by moment.  Remember, when in doubt, ask God.  And don’t let the good become the enemy of the best.

“I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.”   John 17:4