Follow Your Heart
“Fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).
Everything outside of fearing God and keeping His commandments is vanity according to the wisdom of 'The Preacher' in Ecclesiastes. My Bible Commentary notes about 'The Preacher' that he looked back in his life and saw the futility of chasing after even good things in this life, including wisdom, work, pleasure, and wealth (1). While we are to enjoy the good gifts of life, chasing after them as a source of satisfaction or gain is toiling after the wind.
“As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand.” (Ecclesiastes 5:15)
My Commentary notes about Ecclesiastes, “God's judgment on Adam for his sin (Gen. 3:17-19) echoes throughout the book (especially 12:7)” (2)
Gen. 3:17-19
“And to Adam he said, 'Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
Toiling After The Wind
As the descendants of Adam, we toil and strive to make our own way outside of God's perfect will for us. We 'work' to gain the good life by our striving and toiling, only to find that our energy has been spent on that which does not satisfy. Our ladder was leaning against the wrong wall. The things we thought would satisfy us blow through our hands like the wind as we grasp for them. Satisfaction is always up ahead a little further and we can never quite 'make it there.' We grasp and we strive only to end up with thistles and thorns.
Dallas Willard notes, we overwork and misuse our body in order to succeed. He notes that this is often associated with excessive competition and trying to beat others in some area of life. (3)
'The Preacher' says, walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. (Ecclesiastes 11:9). In this verse, the preacher is warning the young that to pursue the lust of their hearts is a choice, there will be an eventual price to pay for it. Instead, he says, “remove vexation from your heart, and put away evil from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 11:10)
Haman is a perfect example of toiling after the wind eventually resulting in God's judgment. He diligently pursued success and recognition, obtaining the highest position under the king:
Mordecai, a man who feared the Lord and kept his commands, replaced Haman and reversed the decree for the death of the Jews. Instead, an edict was issued that allowed the Jews to defend themselves against their enemies, annihilating any force that would attack them. (Esther 8)
Pursuing Faithfulness to God
Mordecai did not pursue leadership and success but rather faithfulness to God. And in doing so, he rose to a position of leadership which truly had a significant impact on the people. Esther 9:4 says, “For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces, for the man Mordecai grew more and more powerful.”
Mordecai was great not because he pursued success, riches, indulgences or fame/popularity, but because he feared the Lord and courageously stepped into all that God had for him. He found true satisfaction in fulfilling the commandments of God. He acted according to what God placed on his heart. He sought the welfare of his people and not vain success for himself.
“For Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Ahasurerus, and he was great among the Jews and popular with the multitude of his brothers, for he sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his people.” (Esther 10:3)
“Man is but a vapor, but you are God, better than a thousand blooms...All flesh is grass fading away, only You last, only You remain. The same, You never change... ” sings
Putting One's Hand to What Your Heart Prompts
It was Mordecai's heart the led him into all God had for him. Ecclesiastes 10:2 says that a wise man's heart inclines him to the right, but a fools to the left. When our hearts are inclined towards evil, striving and competing to succeed, focusing on our own gain and grasping for the wind, we are led in the direction of Haman. On the other hand, when our hearts are inclined to fear God and obey His commandments, we are led in the direction of Esther and Mordecai, who bravely and courageously gave their lives away for the benefit of other people.
One strives to be like God while the other strives to follow Him. Dallas Willard asks, “What does a will or heart look like that has been transformed into Christlikeness?” And he answers, “It is characterized by a single-minded and joyous devotion to God and his will, to what God wants for us, and to service to him and to others because of him. This outcome of Christian spiritual formation becomes our character when it governs the responses of every dimension of our being. Then we have 'put on Christ' (Galatians 3:27, KJV).” (4)
“Purify my heart, let me as gold and precious silver... my heart's one desire is to be holy, set apart for you Lord...” sings.
Too often I have believed deep down that if I pursued the gain and best interest of others over myself, it will eventually be at the expense of my own welfare. As I have invested a great deal of my time and energies in others, I have found that I became less visible as a result. I have had much less time to produce myself and providing others the opportunity for the recognition has been at the expense of my own visibility. It has been difficult to find some sort of balance. As a result, I have sometimes have became discouraged.
However, I have to ask myself, if my heart was truly set on the benefit of others, would it matter? Is the reason I become discouraged that I am still chasing after the wind? Is the success I am pursuing still my own gain and promotion or am I defining success by others' welfare and peace.
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and these things shall be added on to you, Hallelujah!” sings.
A teacher on servant leadership, Robert K. Greenleaf asks, “Do those being served grow as a person? Do they, while being served, become stronger, wiser, freer, more at peace with themselves, more likely to become servants?” He states, “The servant leader is deeply committed to the growth of each person in his/her organization.”
Seeing someone grow as a person in confidence and ability is so much more a greater true satisfaction to me than any recognition or visibility can provide. There is no greater joy than seeing those who you invest in be free enough, equipped enough and confident enough to invest in others.
Following after what God places in one's heart is a source of joy and contentment. Dallas Willard writes, “Beyond abandonment is contentment with the will of God, not only with his being who he is and ordaining what he has ordained in general but also with the lot that has fallen to us. At this point, gratitude and joy are the steady tone of our lives. We are now assured that God has done, and will always do, well by us -no matter what!” (5)
“All my fountains are found in You, And all my desires are found in You...All my satisfaction, everything I could want” sings
Nehemiah found his contentment in God. My Bible Commentary notes about him that “Nehemiah did what God had put into his heart (2:12; 7:5) and found that the joy of the Lord was his strength (8:10).” (6) Nehemiah was heartbroken when he heard that the wall in Jerusalem was broken down and its gates destroyed. He cried out to God, fasting, praying and weeping (1:3-4) and God made the way for him to return, leading the repair of the walls.
Nehemiah followed what was in his heart and, while he found incredible challenges and difficulties, he also found great joy and contentment in doing the will of the Lord. He lived a life that was fully alive and accomplished much for God, generously giving himself away to others. His life had significance and contentment because he followed what God placed in his heart.
“Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” - Howard Thurman
The Joy of One's Labors
Work is to be enjoyed. 'The Preacher' says in Ecclesiastes 3:22, “So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot.” When one is putting their hands to what their heart prompts and laboring with God for His kingdom purposes, there is joy in the labor – even in the pain, trials and difficulties.
Working from the passion in one's heart gives one great joy. Rather than being occupied with gain they can never quite reach, they are abandoned to God. 'The Preacher' says in Ecclesiastes 5:20, “These people won't give much thought to their brief lives because God keeps them occupied with the joy in their hearts.” Even in tribulation and suffering, there is joy when one is following the purposes of God.
One Internet posting asks, “How can it be that many Christians around the world suffer so greatly and have so little, yet live with such joy and demonstrate such great generosity? Meanwhile, many others have so much and yet struggle to know joy or abundant giving. In our attempt to find and define joy, we often miss the fundamental truth that it is precisely the One who carries our sorrows who also gives us joy.” (7) Dallas Willard writes, “Abiding in God's love provides the unshakable source of joy, which is in turn the source of peace.” (8)
Our spiritual vitality depends on loving adherence of our spirits to God as noted by one author. (9) She says that the evidence of spiritual vitality is, “A deep, humble contrition, a sense of our creaturely imperfections and unworthiness, gratitude for all that is given us, [and] a burning and increasing [love] that longs to spend itself on other souls.” (10)
The churches in Macedonia demonstrated this kind of overflowing joy and generosity. Paul says about them in 2 Corinthians 8:1-2, "We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part."
Worldly Leadership vs. Godly Leadership
Too often, in toiling after the wind, people are not even grasping for their own gain but following orders and protecting themselves in their job. This also leads to dissatisfaction and discontentment in one's labors.
Jesus says in Matthew 16:25-26, “Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”
Leadership too often follows the worldly leader that is above them rather than asking what God may be placing in their heart. The Preacher says in Ecclesiastes 5:8-9, “If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. But this is gain for a land in every way: a committed to cultivated fields.”
Often worldly leadership, as noted by 'The Preacher,' oppress those under them, exert their power over those who have less. They demand people under them produce because they have the power to do so. They are not interested in the people they have charge over, but only the gain they can get from their production. But a godly leader who follows their heart is committed to 'cultivating the fields.' They invest themselves and serve those who are under them for the benefit of the ones they are leading. In doing so, they also benefit themselves in the fruit that is produced.
Nehemiah gave himself away without looking at what gain was in it for him. He had a treasure that could not be purchased with money or anything else the world had to offer. Nehemiah says in Ecclesiastes 5:14-19,
'The Preacher' notes that from his observations of people and life that he perceived “there is nothing better for them to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil -this is God's gift to man.
Receiving what the world provides as a gift brings gratitude to one's heart rather than greed and grasping for more. It also protects one from seeing any pleasures the world has as sin to be avoided. 'The Preacher' says in Ecclesiastes 5:19-20, all is a gift from God -wealth, possessions and the power to enjoy them. When we see them as a gift from God, we can use them as he directs and truly enjoy them.
Sabbath Rest
Often, what steals my joy in 'my toil' is constantly feeling pressured and hurried to accomplish more. At work, I am under continual stress. When someone stops by to chat, I am feeling constrained due to time so it is difficult to listen to what God might be speaking in that situation. I have more on my plate than I can do.
However, Dallas Willard writes, “God never gives us too much to do.” (11) When we are rushing, pushing and striving to accomplish more, we need to stop and ask ourselves, What are the true priorities? Am I accomplishing them? What things need to be moved off my plate and delegated or don't really need to be done? What are my motives in wanting to accomplish more? Psalm 127:2 says, “It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.”
Dallas Willard writes that regularly taking a 'Sabbath rest' where we joyously do no work is necessary for us to teach ourselves to be able to slow down. He notes that when we practice regular Sabbath keeping that we can enter into an unhurried peace at the drop of a hat.
He writes that “it will be because God has become so exalted in our mind and body that we can trust him with our lives and our world and can take our own hands off them.” (12)
By taking a Sabbath rest, we wean our body away from tendencies to control, run the world, and achieve and produce to attain gratification according to Dallas Willard. He writes that we have to give our body space to unlearn tricks of hurry, competition, achievement and manipulation. (13)
One of the first steps toward this, according to Dallas, might well be getting enough sleep. He notes that sleeping is a good indicator of how thoroughly we trust in God. According to a leading expert, we need at least seven hours of sleep a night for proper brain function. (14) Dallas Willard has also recommended on occasion the taking of naps.
Too often, I have associated sleeping at length or napping as laziness. However, I also notice that a lack of sleep limits my capacity to fully engage in the moment. I cannot produce at full capacity when I am overtired and frequently find that this is when I make mistakes.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, "Whatever your hands finds to do, do it with all your might..." This suggests sufficient sleep so one can fully engage in their responsibilities.
However, the key is also engaging in the 'right' actions. John Maxwell notes on "How To Get More Done In Less Time" that you need to know what you want to accomplish with your time. He writes that "clarity is the most important concept in personal productivity."
As Steven Covey says, "Begin with the end in mind." One needs to have a vision for the future and to know those things that are important for them to accomplish. This is what one's hands need to find to do. When one has clarity of purpose, they can then 'do it with all thier might.'
Lord, I know I struggle greatly with hurry. I have so much to do and I don't know how to get it all done. Sleeping more, taking naps, and slowing down seem so counterproductive to the times. I keep thinking, if only I could stretch my time a little more and get a little more done. I think what I really need to do is reprioritize my life around your purposes. Would you teach me to use my time wisely that I may present to you a heart of wisdom? Would you help me to follow what my heart prompts rather than the world's ways or other's expectations? Would you give me the courage and faith to live in all you have for me? I long to live fully for You, finding my joy and delight in You every moment that I'm alive.
1. The Holy Bible, ESV. Large Print Bible. Crossway Bibles, Wheaton, Illinois. 2004
2. The Holy Bible, ESV. Large Print Bible. Crossway Bibles, Wheaton, Illinois. 2004
3. Willard, Dallas and Johnson, Jan. Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice. NavPress, Colorado Springs, Co. 2006
4. Willard, Dallas and Johnson, Jan. Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice. NavPress, Colorado Springs, Co. 2006
5. Willard, Dallas and Johnson, Jan. Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice. NavPress, Colorado Springs, Co. 2006
6. The Holy Bible, ESV. Large Print Bible. Crossway Bibles, Wheaton, Illinois. 2004
7. First Presbyterian Church of Berkely. Overflowing Joy and Generosity in a world of pain and scarcity. Available At: http://www.fpcberkeley.org/gcc2009.asp Accessed: 3/8/10
8.Willard, Dallas. Opening to the Fullness of Joy. Taken from The Great Omission. HarperCollins Publishers, New York, NY. 2006.
9.Underhill, Evelyn. Adoring Prayer and Outward Ministry. Taken from The House of the Soul and Concerning the Inner Life. Seabury Press, Minneapolis, MN.
10.Underhill, Evelyn. Adoring Prayer and Outward Ministry. Taken from The House of the Soul and Concerning the Inner Life. Seabury Press, Minneapolis, MN.
11 Willard, Dallas and Johnson, Jan. Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice. NavPress, Colorado Springs, Co. 2006
12.Willard, Dallas and Johnson, Jan. Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice. NavPress, Colorado Springs, Co. 2006
13 Willard, Dallas and Johnson, Jan. Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice. NavPress, Colorado Springs, Co. 2006
14. Amen, Daniel MD. Change Your Brain, Change Your Body. PBS Special.
Everything outside of fearing God and keeping His commandments is vanity according to the wisdom of 'The Preacher' in Ecclesiastes. My Bible Commentary notes about 'The Preacher' that he looked back in his life and saw the futility of chasing after even good things in this life, including wisdom, work, pleasure, and wealth (1). While we are to enjoy the good gifts of life, chasing after them as a source of satisfaction or gain is toiling after the wind.
“As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand.” (Ecclesiastes 5:15)
My Commentary notes about Ecclesiastes, “God's judgment on Adam for his sin (Gen. 3:17-19) echoes throughout the book (especially 12:7)” (2)
Gen. 3:17-19
“And to Adam he said, 'Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
Toiling After The Wind
As the descendants of Adam, we toil and strive to make our own way outside of God's perfect will for us. We 'work' to gain the good life by our striving and toiling, only to find that our energy has been spent on that which does not satisfy. Our ladder was leaning against the wrong wall. The things we thought would satisfy us blow through our hands like the wind as we grasp for them. Satisfaction is always up ahead a little further and we can never quite 'make it there.' We grasp and we strive only to end up with thistles and thorns.
Dallas Willard notes, we overwork and misuse our body in order to succeed. He notes that this is often associated with excessive competition and trying to beat others in some area of life. (3)
'The Preacher' says, walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. (Ecclesiastes 11:9). In this verse, the preacher is warning the young that to pursue the lust of their hearts is a choice, there will be an eventual price to pay for it. Instead, he says, “remove vexation from your heart, and put away evil from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 11:10)
Haman is a perfect example of toiling after the wind eventually resulting in God's judgment. He diligently pursued success and recognition, obtaining the highest position under the king:
“After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, and advanced him and set his throne above all the officials who were with him. And all the king's servants who were at the king's gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him.” (Esther 3:1-2)Yet, Haman was not satisfied with his success because Mordecai would not bow down to him. Filled with fury, he sought to use his power to destroy all the Jewish people (Esther 3:5-6). Yet, even in obtaining a decree from the king to destroy all the Jews, Haman was not satisfied with his power and success because Mordecai refused to bow down to him:
“But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and brought his friends and his wife Zeresh. And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the servants of the king. Then he said, 'Even Wueen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the feast she prepared. And tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king. Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate.”Haman's wife and friends suggested that Haman build gallows on which he would ask the king to have Mordecai hanged upon. This greatly pleased Haman so he built the gallows. The end result was that God's judgment came upon Haman and he was hung on the very gallows he made for Mordecai.
Mordecai, a man who feared the Lord and kept his commands, replaced Haman and reversed the decree for the death of the Jews. Instead, an edict was issued that allowed the Jews to defend themselves against their enemies, annihilating any force that would attack them. (Esther 8)
Pursuing Faithfulness to God
Mordecai did not pursue leadership and success but rather faithfulness to God. And in doing so, he rose to a position of leadership which truly had a significant impact on the people. Esther 9:4 says, “For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces, for the man Mordecai grew more and more powerful.”
Mordecai was great not because he pursued success, riches, indulgences or fame/popularity, but because he feared the Lord and courageously stepped into all that God had for him. He found true satisfaction in fulfilling the commandments of God. He acted according to what God placed on his heart. He sought the welfare of his people and not vain success for himself.
“For Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Ahasurerus, and he was great among the Jews and popular with the multitude of his brothers, for he sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his people.” (Esther 10:3)
“Man is but a vapor, but you are God, better than a thousand blooms...All flesh is grass fading away, only You last, only You remain. The same, You never change... ” sings
Putting One's Hand to What Your Heart Prompts
It was Mordecai's heart the led him into all God had for him. Ecclesiastes 10:2 says that a wise man's heart inclines him to the right, but a fools to the left. When our hearts are inclined towards evil, striving and competing to succeed, focusing on our own gain and grasping for the wind, we are led in the direction of Haman. On the other hand, when our hearts are inclined to fear God and obey His commandments, we are led in the direction of Esther and Mordecai, who bravely and courageously gave their lives away for the benefit of other people.
One strives to be like God while the other strives to follow Him. Dallas Willard asks, “What does a will or heart look like that has been transformed into Christlikeness?” And he answers, “It is characterized by a single-minded and joyous devotion to God and his will, to what God wants for us, and to service to him and to others because of him. This outcome of Christian spiritual formation becomes our character when it governs the responses of every dimension of our being. Then we have 'put on Christ' (Galatians 3:27, KJV).” (4)
“Purify my heart, let me as gold and precious silver... my heart's one desire is to be holy, set apart for you Lord...” sings.
Too often I have believed deep down that if I pursued the gain and best interest of others over myself, it will eventually be at the expense of my own welfare. As I have invested a great deal of my time and energies in others, I have found that I became less visible as a result. I have had much less time to produce myself and providing others the opportunity for the recognition has been at the expense of my own visibility. It has been difficult to find some sort of balance. As a result, I have sometimes have became discouraged.
However, I have to ask myself, if my heart was truly set on the benefit of others, would it matter? Is the reason I become discouraged that I am still chasing after the wind? Is the success I am pursuing still my own gain and promotion or am I defining success by others' welfare and peace.
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and these things shall be added on to you, Hallelujah!” sings.
A teacher on servant leadership, Robert K. Greenleaf asks, “Do those being served grow as a person? Do they, while being served, become stronger, wiser, freer, more at peace with themselves, more likely to become servants?” He states, “The servant leader is deeply committed to the growth of each person in his/her organization.”
Seeing someone grow as a person in confidence and ability is so much more a greater true satisfaction to me than any recognition or visibility can provide. There is no greater joy than seeing those who you invest in be free enough, equipped enough and confident enough to invest in others.
Following after what God places in one's heart is a source of joy and contentment. Dallas Willard writes, “Beyond abandonment is contentment with the will of God, not only with his being who he is and ordaining what he has ordained in general but also with the lot that has fallen to us. At this point, gratitude and joy are the steady tone of our lives. We are now assured that God has done, and will always do, well by us -no matter what!” (5)
“All my fountains are found in You, And all my desires are found in You...All my satisfaction, everything I could want” sings
Nehemiah found his contentment in God. My Bible Commentary notes about him that “Nehemiah did what God had put into his heart (2:12; 7:5) and found that the joy of the Lord was his strength (8:10).” (6) Nehemiah was heartbroken when he heard that the wall in Jerusalem was broken down and its gates destroyed. He cried out to God, fasting, praying and weeping (1:3-4) and God made the way for him to return, leading the repair of the walls.
Nehemiah followed what was in his heart and, while he found incredible challenges and difficulties, he also found great joy and contentment in doing the will of the Lord. He lived a life that was fully alive and accomplished much for God, generously giving himself away to others. His life had significance and contentment because he followed what God placed in his heart.
“Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” - Howard Thurman
The Joy of One's Labors
Work is to be enjoyed. 'The Preacher' says in Ecclesiastes 3:22, “So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot.” When one is putting their hands to what their heart prompts and laboring with God for His kingdom purposes, there is joy in the labor – even in the pain, trials and difficulties.
Working from the passion in one's heart gives one great joy. Rather than being occupied with gain they can never quite reach, they are abandoned to God. 'The Preacher' says in Ecclesiastes 5:20, “These people won't give much thought to their brief lives because God keeps them occupied with the joy in their hearts.” Even in tribulation and suffering, there is joy when one is following the purposes of God.
One Internet posting asks, “How can it be that many Christians around the world suffer so greatly and have so little, yet live with such joy and demonstrate such great generosity? Meanwhile, many others have so much and yet struggle to know joy or abundant giving. In our attempt to find and define joy, we often miss the fundamental truth that it is precisely the One who carries our sorrows who also gives us joy.” (7) Dallas Willard writes, “Abiding in God's love provides the unshakable source of joy, which is in turn the source of peace.” (8)
Our spiritual vitality depends on loving adherence of our spirits to God as noted by one author. (9) She says that the evidence of spiritual vitality is, “A deep, humble contrition, a sense of our creaturely imperfections and unworthiness, gratitude for all that is given us, [and] a burning and increasing [love] that longs to spend itself on other souls.” (10)
The churches in Macedonia demonstrated this kind of overflowing joy and generosity. Paul says about them in 2 Corinthians 8:1-2, "We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part."
Worldly Leadership vs. Godly Leadership
Too often, in toiling after the wind, people are not even grasping for their own gain but following orders and protecting themselves in their job. This also leads to dissatisfaction and discontentment in one's labors.
Jesus says in Matthew 16:25-26, “Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”
Leadership too often follows the worldly leader that is above them rather than asking what God may be placing in their heart. The Preacher says in Ecclesiastes 5:8-9, “If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. But this is gain for a land in every way: a committed to cultivated fields.”
Often worldly leadership, as noted by 'The Preacher,' oppress those under them, exert their power over those who have less. They demand people under them produce because they have the power to do so. They are not interested in the people they have charge over, but only the gain they can get from their production. But a godly leader who follows their heart is committed to 'cultivating the fields.' They invest themselves and serve those who are under them for the benefit of the ones they are leading. In doing so, they also benefit themselves in the fruit that is produced.
Nehemiah gave himself away without looking at what gain was in it for him. He had a treasure that could not be purchased with money or anything else the world had to offer. Nehemiah says in Ecclesiastes 5:14-19,
“Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work.Finding his satisfaction in God, Nehemiah could hold the things of this world he gained from his labors as a gift that he could freely both enjoy and give away freely.
Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. Now what was prepared at my expense for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people. Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.”
'The Preacher' notes that from his observations of people and life that he perceived “there is nothing better for them to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil -this is God's gift to man.
Receiving what the world provides as a gift brings gratitude to one's heart rather than greed and grasping for more. It also protects one from seeing any pleasures the world has as sin to be avoided. 'The Preacher' says in Ecclesiastes 5:19-20, all is a gift from God -wealth, possessions and the power to enjoy them. When we see them as a gift from God, we can use them as he directs and truly enjoy them.
Sabbath Rest
Often, what steals my joy in 'my toil' is constantly feeling pressured and hurried to accomplish more. At work, I am under continual stress. When someone stops by to chat, I am feeling constrained due to time so it is difficult to listen to what God might be speaking in that situation. I have more on my plate than I can do.
However, Dallas Willard writes, “God never gives us too much to do.” (11) When we are rushing, pushing and striving to accomplish more, we need to stop and ask ourselves, What are the true priorities? Am I accomplishing them? What things need to be moved off my plate and delegated or don't really need to be done? What are my motives in wanting to accomplish more? Psalm 127:2 says, “It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.”
Dallas Willard writes that regularly taking a 'Sabbath rest' where we joyously do no work is necessary for us to teach ourselves to be able to slow down. He notes that when we practice regular Sabbath keeping that we can enter into an unhurried peace at the drop of a hat.
He writes that “it will be because God has become so exalted in our mind and body that we can trust him with our lives and our world and can take our own hands off them.” (12)
By taking a Sabbath rest, we wean our body away from tendencies to control, run the world, and achieve and produce to attain gratification according to Dallas Willard. He writes that we have to give our body space to unlearn tricks of hurry, competition, achievement and manipulation. (13)
One of the first steps toward this, according to Dallas, might well be getting enough sleep. He notes that sleeping is a good indicator of how thoroughly we trust in God. According to a leading expert, we need at least seven hours of sleep a night for proper brain function. (14) Dallas Willard has also recommended on occasion the taking of naps.
Too often, I have associated sleeping at length or napping as laziness. However, I also notice that a lack of sleep limits my capacity to fully engage in the moment. I cannot produce at full capacity when I am overtired and frequently find that this is when I make mistakes.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, "Whatever your hands finds to do, do it with all your might..." This suggests sufficient sleep so one can fully engage in their responsibilities.
However, the key is also engaging in the 'right' actions. John Maxwell notes on "How To Get More Done In Less Time" that you need to know what you want to accomplish with your time. He writes that "clarity is the most important concept in personal productivity."
As Steven Covey says, "Begin with the end in mind." One needs to have a vision for the future and to know those things that are important for them to accomplish. This is what one's hands need to find to do. When one has clarity of purpose, they can then 'do it with all thier might.'
Lord, I know I struggle greatly with hurry. I have so much to do and I don't know how to get it all done. Sleeping more, taking naps, and slowing down seem so counterproductive to the times. I keep thinking, if only I could stretch my time a little more and get a little more done. I think what I really need to do is reprioritize my life around your purposes. Would you teach me to use my time wisely that I may present to you a heart of wisdom? Would you help me to follow what my heart prompts rather than the world's ways or other's expectations? Would you give me the courage and faith to live in all you have for me? I long to live fully for You, finding my joy and delight in You every moment that I'm alive.
1. The Holy Bible, ESV. Large Print Bible. Crossway Bibles, Wheaton, Illinois. 2004
2. The Holy Bible, ESV. Large Print Bible. Crossway Bibles, Wheaton, Illinois. 2004
3. Willard, Dallas and Johnson, Jan. Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice. NavPress, Colorado Springs, Co. 2006
4. Willard, Dallas and Johnson, Jan. Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice. NavPress, Colorado Springs, Co. 2006
5. Willard, Dallas and Johnson, Jan. Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice. NavPress, Colorado Springs, Co. 2006
6. The Holy Bible, ESV. Large Print Bible. Crossway Bibles, Wheaton, Illinois. 2004
7. First Presbyterian Church of Berkely. Overflowing Joy and Generosity in a world of pain and scarcity. Available At: http://www.fpcberkeley.org/gcc2009.asp Accessed: 3/8/10
8.Willard, Dallas. Opening to the Fullness of Joy. Taken from The Great Omission. HarperCollins Publishers, New York, NY. 2006.
9.Underhill, Evelyn. Adoring Prayer and Outward Ministry. Taken from The House of the Soul and Concerning the Inner Life. Seabury Press, Minneapolis, MN.
10.Underhill, Evelyn. Adoring Prayer and Outward Ministry. Taken from The House of the Soul and Concerning the Inner Life. Seabury Press, Minneapolis, MN.
11 Willard, Dallas and Johnson, Jan. Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice. NavPress, Colorado Springs, Co. 2006
12.Willard, Dallas and Johnson, Jan. Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice. NavPress, Colorado Springs, Co. 2006
13 Willard, Dallas and Johnson, Jan. Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice. NavPress, Colorado Springs, Co. 2006
14. Amen, Daniel MD. Change Your Brain, Change Your Body. PBS Special.
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