What can you do for you?

A few days ago I heard an interesting conversation, more like the beginning of a conversation, that got me thinking. One person was saying to the other: "What can I do for you?" and before the response came, the person continued, "Or should I say, what can you do for you?" Now that puts an interesting spin on things.

In reflecting on the second question, I've been asking myself: "What can I do for myself?" Or to put it in context, "What can I do for myself that I've been expecting others to do for me?" As I type, some examples run through my mind - I'll share one.

For quite a long time - in fact, for too long - I had felt that the more books I read and messages I heard about how to study the bible and pray, the better I'd get at it. It finally hit me that all I was doing was hearing how God taught others without asking God how I should do it. Before we head down the wrong path, maybe I should step back...

God definitely places people in our path as resources...not as life support. He alone must be our life support. Beyond God as our life support, He expects us to use the resources He places at our disposal but we have a part to play.

The wisest man who ever lived said: But, my child, let me give you some further advice: Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out.* (Ecc 12:12) Do you ever feel weighed down when you get more "knowledge" about something or an area of life where you're struggling? Well, I can appreciate how you may feel, I used to feel immobilised. It was almost as if the more I knew, the more I knew that I didn't know a lot or do what I knew to do. A very paralysing way of life indeed. 

The other extreme of course is: "Yet mere knowledge causes people to be puffed up (to bear themselves loftily and be proud), but love (affection and goodwill and benevolence) edifies and builds up and encourages one to grow [to his full stature]**. (1 Cor 8:1b) Knowing and knowing and knowing has no lasting benefit. It unfortunately has the tendency of making you proud; God hates and even resists the proud. (Prov 16:5 and James 4:6)

I'm sure you know that I'm not saying stop reading or listening to others..far from it. If that's what I was saying, you won't be reading this blog and learning from it would you? All I'm saying is we should not live our lives in circles - just reading/listening to others, we must do something with what we read or hear. Yes, the author or preacher can only do so much and has done as much as they really can for you...the baton (book and/or message) is now within your reach. It's up to you to run with what you've got to the finish line.

In closing, what can you do for you? The best way to answer that question is to just do it! God bless.

Sources:
*New Living Translation
** Amplified Bible