Working abundantly

Last week at a team planning day we spent the first part of the morning reflecting on Psalm 23 together. We were asked to pick out a phrase from the Psalm that stood out to us, and as it was read I was drawn to a short phrase from verse 5, "...my cup overflows", and God began to speak to me.

Recently I've been getting frustrated by the amount of time I have to do everything I want to in. I'm a mum mostly at home with the kids all week but I also work 1 day a week (plus extra volunteer time) for the church. I love the work I do and there are many exciting things I could get involved with and would dearly love to make happen but I feel like my constant limitation is TIME (sound familiar?) I get frustrated that I can't put more time into the work I do with young adults and missional communities. I'm a pioneer and can see possibilities and potential laid out in front of me which I get excited about, then find I just can't commit to being part of making them come into being because I don't have the time! And at home too, I'm always imagining what I could enjoy doing with more time - I would bake more, sew more, clean more(!), play the piano more. So it goes on.

Now I don't think I'm just being hard on myself, or feel inadequate compared to those around me - I know I work hard and that I'm not superwoman! I just see the amount I am able to do in these different spheres as less than I would like to be able to do. I would love to have the capacity to mentor more people, to see community leaders more often, to have more time thinking, reading and praying - to be able to 'achieve' more in any given week. I feel like I make very slow progress sometimes!

When I was reflecting on this phrase from Psalm 23 God started to change my perspective. He says "my cup overflows". This also reminded me of 2 Corinthians 9:8 which says "God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." I will abound in every good work.

He doesn't see what I do the way I see it! He doesn't feel frustrated and wish I would achieve more. He says I abound in every good work. Which means that whilst I look at what I do and see the lack, he looks at me and sees the abundance. Where I see frustration and limits, He sees an overflowing cup. That is an altogether different perspective!

So I am going to try and think differently about the things I put my hands to in the time I have to do them. God sees what I do and sees an abundance and I need to learn to be more content with achieving what I do instead of wishing I could get involved more, do more, see more, get more done.

What about you? Do you feel frustrated, or guilty, or pressured by self or others to achieve more? Do you feel inadequate? Maybe it's time to stop being hard on yourself and get God's perspective on the things you do - He sees what you do, He is well pleased and His word is that He makes you abound in every good work.