Making Room to Serve Others This Christmas Season

November 29, 2023

Many people have told me that, though they want to be used by God, they’re too busy. They’ve got their own agendas.

If you’re serious about being used by God, I encourage you to pray,

“Lord, what do I need to let go of? What do I need to cut out? What

barriers are holding me back, keeping me from running the race you have

planned for me?”

One of the biggest barriers is distractions. Jesus said in Luke 9:62, “Anyone who lets himself be distracted from the work I plan for him is not fit for the Kingdom of God” (TLB).

Here are a few of the many things that might be distracting you from your life mission:

The expectations of other people. You’ve got to decide who you’re going to please first in life. You can only have one “number one.”

Hobbies. There’s nothing wrong with having hobbies. They can bring us balance. But if they distract you from the most important things, then you need to reevaluate. 

Your past. Maybe you haven’t let go of your past,

and you’re holding on to guilt, resentment, or grief. Here’s the problem

with that: When you’re stuck in the past, you can’t get on with the

present—and you certainly can’t get on with God’s future for you. Your

past is past. It’s over! So, I encourage you to let it go and move

forward into the plan that God has for your life.

What do you need to let go of?

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:23, “‘Everything is permissible,’ but not everything is helpful” (HCSB). What does that mean? In other words, many things aren’t necessarily wrong; they’re just not necessary.

Life is often a choice between “Am I going to do something good?” or “Am I going to do what’s best?”

Here’s one final thought… If the devil can’t corrupt you, he’ll make

you busy. He’ll get you so busy that you don’t have time for the

important things—ministry, mission, and time alone with God.

You can’t do it all. So, do what matters most! Simplify your life and eliminate distractions so God can use you.

How can you simplify your life this Christmas season so that you can

be used by God to love and serve people? What needs to be removed so

that you have some margin to love your family well and do what God has

called you to do in this season?