Idle or idol?

Idle: adjective: avoiding work; lazy, without purpose, pointless verb: spending time doing nothing

Idol: noun: a representation of a god used as an object of worship or ANYTHING that takes the place of the one true God

We can spend our time doing a lot of different activities. There are so many things that scream for our attention on a daily basis. For me, some days I am busy spending time with friends, catching up on some shows, planning my next vacation, searching for a new restaurant to try, scrolling social media, or just working my regular day job. Nothing is wrong with doing any of these things, and in fact, some of these things have to get done! 

The problem comes when we turn these activities into an idol. God calls us to work and enjoy the gifts that He has created for us here on earth, but he also sent us here with a purpose. 

Matthew 28:19-20: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

We can be busy with day-to-day tasks for this side of Heaven, or we can stay busy with Kingdom work for eternity. Our main purpose here on earth is to show the love of God to others. God calls us to do different things in different seasons, but the goal is ALWAYS the same: to bring Him Glory! So, no matter what job you have, God should always be getting the glory! It is easy to get caught up in the things of this world and think that this is our final destination. The worries, excitement, and activities can easily creep into the number one spot in our lives. Sometimes we find ourselves seeking happiness and trying to find our place in this world.  But God calls us to set our hearts and minds on the things of above. Sometimes we have to reset and refocus on the mission which we have been called. We have to continuously ask the Holy Spirit to bother us with the things that bother the Father.

On the other hand, we must also not become idle. As a Christ follower, we must always be ready. Ready to share the gospel with others, ready to love, ready to encourage, ready to serve, ready to tell our testimony!

2 Timothy 4:2- 5 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

We are to be ready in and out of season! The gospel is time sensitive. It is urgent. It is needed all over the world. God cannot use you when you are being idle, but the devil can see it as a way to pull you further and further away from the Father by keeping you distracted and thinking about things that don’t matter.

2 Thessalonians 3:11 We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies.

What things are keeping you busy? Are you busy producing fruit? Or simply underemployed? Get busy for the Kingdom! There is plenty of work to be done!

God’s word urges us not to grow weary of doing what is good, because at the proper time we will reap a harvest! Galatians 6:9

❤️