Council Bluffs SDA Church

A devotion for January 22nd through the 28th

This past week ended with a presentation then graduation ceremony from a special program I participated in for the last year at work.  It was a great opportunity to grow and learn.  I feel like I learned a lot and grew, however, I also feel like I failed.  I graduated and one of the leaders of my company had really nice things to say about me.  It was humbling.

I tried very hard to do as good a job as I could for what they were asking.  I didn’t have any great expectations but wanted to do a decent job and show my skills as well as lift up my team.  I wanted each of us on my team to shine.  I do feel that we did but still wonder and feel like more could, and should, have been done.

I was nervous going into the final presentation, felt we did a good job, and then also felt defeated.  I had been so overwhelmed with everything I was trying to learn and incorporate; I left a lot of important things out.  I feel like I did not do a good enough job on encouraging my team that we could do more even though I did my best to lift them up all year.  This left me feeling bad about myself, kicking myself, and tossing and turning through the night.

I finally spent time just talking to God.  I turned it over to Him.  I asked Him to free my mind of the negativity that had crept in.  Free my mind and bring my thoughts back to Him. 

When we have times where we are overwhelmed, when things seem out of control or beyond our reach, we need to remember to go to the Rock.  Our Rock is Jesus.  When we turn it all over to Him, He will take care of us.  He will give us rest.  We just have to make sure we are truly giving it all over to Him.  Giving Him our full heart.  This is something I now realize I was not doing.  But now, I am.

Go to the Rock.  Pray and invite Jesus to take the heavy yoke from your shoulders.  It may take some time and much prayer, but He will.  Give it all to Him. He is higher, and greater, than us or any situation we are dealing with.