Am I doing enough?

Esther 4:14

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Play a part in God’s plan, but don’t play God. We have an incredible opportunity as Christians to be Jesus’s hands and feet in this world. God has given us opportunities to be part of the work he is doing, and as we try to take hold of that, sometimes we can end up putting a lot of weight on ourselves. Recently, I was hanging out with our teens like I do on Sunday nights at our youth ministry, and we had some of our college students actually were back and visiting and were talking about people in their lives who don’t yet know Jesus. And it was so great to hear them talk about how they’re just showing love to these people and trying to encourage these people to have conversations, answer their questions. They asked, I just wonder sometimes, am I doing enough? Do I need to do more?

And it’s all right to ask that question some, because sometimes maybe there is more we could do. But I know from firsthand experience that sometimes we can really weigh ourselves down and put guilt in ourselves. It’s like, well, I’m just supposed to be doing more. I need to be doing more. But you know you’re not God, and you’re not the only person that God can use to work in those people’s lives. I love the story of Esther. Esther, who was in this just unique situation where she had access to the King and she had this opportunity to be instrumental in helping save God’s people. And there’s this great thing that is said in the book about how, what if you were brought to this position for such a time as this? You have this opportunity. What if this is your opportunity to make this big difference? Like what a great, powerful thing. But there’s also this statement that says, if you choose not to act, deliverance will come from somewhere else. You and your family will perish, but deliverance will come from somewhere else. So if you decide not to do this, there will be consequences, but ultimately God will carry out his plan to save his people. (Esther 4:14)

See, Esther had a part, had an opportunity to be a part of God’s plan. But God’s plan did not depend on her. God would carry out his plan. And it’s the same thing for you and for me. We have these opportunities in front of us, but God’s plan does not depend on us. We get that idea, and it actually all goes back to what goes on whenever we sin. Sin at its core is trying to do things our own way instead of God’s way. It’s depending on ourselves instead of God. We have this natural tendency to think that it is all about us and we depend on ourselves.

So today, when we realize that we have been doing that, let’s lay our sins before the cross and be reassured that Jesus laid down his life. He died for us. He rose again. He has rescued us. The Holy Spirit is the one who gave us faith. None of this depends on us. We’re now just invited to be part of what God is doing. So today, look around and see the opportunities God has in front of you. What if you’ve been brought to this point for such a time as this? What if there is something beautiful and impactful you can do? That’s great. Do it. Seize it, and seize it free of the feeling that it all depends on me. Seize that opportunity knowing that you’re not God. God is not depending on you, but he is inviting you to be part of what he’s doing. Embrace that in freedom today.