Slave to the Blessing

If God blessed you with something, He’s not going to make you a slave to it.

Pastor Mike shared this little nugget during Wednesday night Bible Study and it really stuck with me. How often do we feel like we become a slave to our calling?

What once started as a joyful, life-giving act of service for the Kingdom – something we’re willing to get up early for, sacrifice for, and can’t spend enough time on – has turned into something we dread doing, can’t find motivation for, and feels burdensome at every turn.

How did we get here? Why does this happen?

These were my questions to the Lord as I sat with Him this week. Here’s what He told me:

If your blessing has become your slave master, it could mean one of (at least) three things:

1. It was never from God to begin with
2. It’s become an idol
3. You’re not working it

So let’s look at the first one. Maybe the blessing or the calling you’re holding on to so tightly wasn’t given to you from God to begin with. There are many good and worthy things we can spend our time and resources on.

But know this: just because it’s good, doesn’t mean you’re called to it.

“My heart has heard you say, ‘Come and talk with me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’” - Psalm 27:8

Talk with God and listen to what He says. Receive the blessings He has for you. Go where He’s calling you. Do what He calls you to. But don’t move until you hear His voice or you’ll just end up in bondage to someone else’s blessing.

Perhaps God did give you a blessing. You did hear His voice calling you to a certain ministry or vocation, and you faithfully obeyed. But still it became burdensome and heavy. Why?

Maybe you’ve elevated the gift above the giver and made His blessing your idol.

“For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. Fear God and respect the king.” - 1 Peter 2:16

We are called to be slaves to God alone. In Exodus, God commands Israel to have no other gods and worship no idols. Romans goes even more in depth with the slavery analogy, and exhorts us to be slaves to righteousness so we may be sanctified and made more like Christ.

Even in ministry and Kingdom work, it’s easy to begin to value the gift above the Giver. We tend to find our identity in where we serve or what we do rather than in Christ as we should.

I’m a writer
I’m a kid’s ministry volunteer
I’m a worship leader
I’m a teacher

This is a red flag that you’ve misplaced your priorities and placed something else above Christ in your life. Our identity is first found in Christ as a child of God, and everything we do must operate out of that truth.

As long as those priorities are straight, the blessing will never become a burden because it will be fueled by the overflow of His love and power in your life.

Let’s say you haven’t idolized your calling. God is still first in your life, but maybe your calling scares you. Maybe it feels like a daunting task or the cost seems too high so you’re afraid to step into it fully.

You may dabble in it, but you’re afraid what might happen and what sacrifices might be required to fully commit to it.

Like a garden, we have to work the gifts God has given us. The longer you neglect and ignore it, the more weeds and brambles will grow in it and it becomes more difficult. It turns into a toilsome task rather than a spring of life that nourishes the garden and bears fruit.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation – so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident.” - Psalm 27:1-3

It may not be easy to walk in your calling or to work the blessing God gave you. You may have people come against you for it, but when you know it’s from the Lord, you know two things. One is that you already have the victory and you can be confident it will prosper under His hand. Two is that the reward will far outweigh the attacks and hardship that come against you. When you see the fruit He bears through you, all of the sacrifice it took will be well worth it.

Wherever you’re at today, take a quick inventory. If the things or the ministry God has blessed you with has become your slave master, take it as a red flag. Seek the Lord to understand how you got there and how to receive the blessing rather than be enslaved to it.