It’s Not All Yours To Do! (don’t miss your assignment)

A truth to imprint on our hearts: God has something He wants each of us to do, but He hasn’t assigned everything to any one of us.

God has something He wants each of us to do, but He hasn't assigned everything to any one of us. Click To Tweet

My list keeps getting longer. The weight on my shoulders keeps getting heavier. I often struggle under the load I place on myself. 

It is all good stuff. Important stuff. Meaningful stuff. Godly stuff.  

Online friends ask for prayer warriors. A few others request reviewers for their books.

I have a backlog of people on a “should visit” list. There are more on the “should write to” list.

My boys have Mom-requests, and Rach has ongoing Mom-needs.

Several writing projects nag at my conscience. Online Bible studies beg to be joined. 

And of course there are daily household tasks and appointments to manage. 

You all have your own endless lists. 

assignment not everything

My Assignment or Someone Else’s

When I first saw this week’s #livefreeThursday linkup topic from my friend Suzie, “You don’t mean me, do you?,” I nodded in agreement.

How often have I looked around for someone else, believing God couldn’t have meant me when making such a grand (or scary) assignment? 

But then a new thought began to surface: How often do I take on every assignment I come across thinking they’re all for me? 

I reason it out like this: Surely if it’s a good and godly task that comes into my view, it’s one I should act on. 

So I say yes to the book reviews and launches. I say yes to the wonderful groups and task forces.

I say yes so I don’t have to feel like I’m missing out. I say yes because it’s a good thing to do. 

But as Ann Voskamp’s husband wisely counseled her, “Every yes automatically says no somewhere else.”

It’s easy to get caught in the cycle of saying yes without first evaluating and praying about an opportunity.

It's easy to get caught in the cycle of saying yes without first evaluating and praying about an opportunity. Click To Tweet

In her bestselling book, The Best Yes, Lysa Terkeurst, warns us about the consequences of jumping on every request that comes to us: “Don’t miss your assignment because you’re caught in the rush of endless demands.”

Are You Missing God’s Assignment?

Are you missing God’s assignment because you’re caught on the endless-demands merry-go-round? 

I’m not going to tell you I have the secret for getting off. But I do want to give you something to think about.

Sometimes God does mean you. Sometimes the Lord of the Universe chooses you for a certain task.

Don’t be surprised by that. In Christ, you are more than equipped for any assignment God asks you to take on.

Equally, don’t think every request or need that pops up on your Facebook feed or enters your inbox is one you should say yes to. 

Pray about those opportunities you’re presented with. 

Then ask yourself, Do I feel the nudge to say yes? or Do I feel a sense of holy hesitancy? 

When we take on those things we shouldn’t, it binds our hearts and hands from investing in those we should.

When we take on those things we shouldn't, it binds our hearts and hands from investing in those we should. Click To Tweet

When a friend asks me to review her Christian growth book or another invites me to an online gathering of sisters in Christ, everything in me screams, Yes!, even though the best answer may be No. 

We are all called to do good and godly things, but every good and godly thing is not for me to do. Every good and godly thing is not for you to do.  

We are all called to do good and godly things, but not every good and godly thing is for you to do. Click To Tweet

God has a plan and it includes specific assignments for each of us. That doesn’t mean everything that enters your inbox or gets posted to your Facebook feed is yours to take on. 

Not every assignment that enters your inbox or gets posted to your FB feed is yours to take on. Click To Tweet

Be wise, be in the Word. and be in prayer. Then you’ll be less likely to ask, “You don’t mean me, do you?” and more likely to verify, “You mean me, Lord, don’t you?”

Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different ministries, but the same Lord. And there are different activities, but the same God activates each gift in each person.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

Reflections: Which do you struggle with more: taking on assignments that are not yours or passing on assignments that are? 

 I am always thrilled to link up with Suzie Eller for #livefreeThursday and this week’s prompt, “You don’t mean me, do you?” Click on the image to check out the wonderful encouragement.

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By His grace ≈

Julie

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Find hope in your real-life struggles. We'll chase it together! I am a wife; mom of 4 (including a young adult daughter with special needs); miscarriage mom of 5; author & follower of Jesus Christ. I write, edit, speak and enjoy everything outdoors.

6 comments on “It’s Not All Yours To Do! (don’t miss your assignment)
  1. Liz says:

    Amen!! So much truth here! I’m coming out of a season of yes’es and looking forward to a whole lot more no’s to external requests in the months ahead. Not because I’m lazy, but because I want to be able to say yes to my husband. You see when he is deployed, I can say yes without compromising our time together. But he is coming home next month and I want to be as available to him as possible. It is a lot easier to say yes and no definitively when you know God’s priorities for you intimately! Thanks for this great post!

    • Julie Sunne says:

      Wow, thanks Liz, you’ve defined the key to confidently saying yes and no with your next to last line: knowing God’s priorities for “you”! Not His priorities for Suzie or His priorities for Crystal, but for Julie. You’re choosing the best yes (as Lysa Terkeurst would say); good for you!

  2. Oh how this post is resonating with me right now! We had a women’s ministry team meeting earlier this week and I left feeling really concerned that we did not take the time to pray about or evaluate an opportunity that came up before jumping in head first…there’s a real difference between feelings and the Holy Spirit. I appreciate your tips in how to tell the difference. I’ll be sharing this!

    • Julie Sunne says:

      That is concerning, Cyndee, but how easy it is to let our enthusiasm propel us forward when we should be holding back. I’m grateful God allowed me to encourage you with these words. God bless you.

  3. Amen, Julie! Thank you for this! I really like how you pointed out that saying yes to one thing means saying no to another. In a biography about D.L. Moody I read, the author wrote something about how Moody already had a successful ministry but once he realized that not every need was a call, the ministry took off and more and more people came to Christ. The key is obedience to the Father!

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