How to serve Christ in 'everyday' life.

I head back to my ‘day’ job this week after the holiday. I took a five-week hiatus to pursue my passion: writing. And while I’m down to the last two days of my time off, I can’t help but to reflect on all that I accomplished (and all that I didn’t). I also can’t help but panic a bit at the overwhelming fear of failure.

I fear that it will all come to a grinding halt. Everything I’ve worked so hard on the past few weeks (more like years—it is just finally moving forward) is going to take a back burner to life, again. I don’t know how to do that. How do I redirect my focus from my passion, to someone else’s? How do I set aside everything I’ve worked so hard for? How do I put what I feel is my calling on hold?

The answer is: I don’t. I just move forward. Think about it: Jesus’ sole (soul) mission was to Save the world (John 3:17). Yet—He didn’t stop going about His everyday life. Jesus had no home or ‘job’. [On the surface, one may think how He didn’t have a daily obligation or household responsibilities. But, in truth, that meant, He had nowhere to rest, no food to eat—things we often take for granted. He was a nomad, traveling to new towns, meeting new people (that didn’t know or trust Him). He had to constantly prove Himself to be a “good guy” for people to offer assistance. (This, being the introvert that I am, sounds exhausting!)] He had no ‘significant other’ to help Him—physically, mentally and emotionally. Granted, He had friends He continued to spend time with, but on His final day they proved to be superficial friends—not there in His true time of need. He attended obligatory events, and self-sacrificed His time, His sleep, and ultimately Himself, for others.

What I’m getting at is that in everything I (we) do, I (we) need to be doing it as if doing it for (and as) Jesus. That means my day job that is not my passion? I will work as if I’m working for the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24). That means I will make time for the friends (and my spouse) that need/want from me. That means my rest (both literal sleep and relaxing hobbies) will get set aside. Why? Because as a true believer in Christ, I don’t have a choice1 (John 14:12-14; Ephesians 5:1-2).

If my writing is my calling—my ministry—nothing will get in God’s way of ‘me’ accomplishing it. (Isaiah 14:27; 1 Peter 4:10) If I hear His voice, He will guide me. (John 4:34, 5:19, 10:27) Whatever I’m doing, and wherever I’m working on it.

You were not saved to sit; you were saved to serve. Galatians 5:13

Galatians 5:13: You were not saved to sit; you were saved to serve. If Jesus gave up everything to come to this Earth to serve us, and we claim to be Christians, who are we to think we don’t have to follow His lead and reciprocate? (Matthew 20:27-28; Mark 10:45; Hebrews 9:14)

How are you showing Christ to others in your ‘everyday life’?

1: Clarification: my choice is whether to believe Jesus was/is Who He claimed/s to be. Once I choose to follow Him, I accept not only my Salvation from Him, but also my duties. (Matthew 16:24-26, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23; John 12:26; James 2:17).