Stop what you're doing. Pull up your Spotify account, or get on YouTube, and listen the the song Just Like Heaven by Brandon Lake. You can listen to that today as you read this blog. I pray it serves as a symphony backdrop to what God is doing in your heart and life this week.
There are many things I'm learning in this season of life, one of which is to treasure the margin in my life.
I heard a well-known pastor recently say that he used to measure his success by the multitudes, but he now measures his success by the margin in his life. The margin is where God is given the opportunity to move.
Don't get me wrong, I want to join with others to reach the multitudes—to tell as many people about Jesus in my lifetime as I can. I want my life to reflect Jesus to all those who come in contact with me. I want them to sense His love, His power, His truth. To live a significant life, giving every ounce of who I am for God's purposes throughout the world.
In the past, this led me to do more, take on more and fill my days with tasks that I thought would lead me to a life of significance. But if you keep adding things to your life but never take the time to prune away what you shouldn't be doing, you won't develop into the beautiful creation that God has destined you to be. You have no margin to say yes when God calls!
Even the most beautiful tree needs pruning. The pruning process allows for fresh growth.
What I am learning is often times obedience to God leads me down a path of margin, not more. He still wants me to work hard and be faithful, but it's as if God is requiring me to faithfully steward the life He has given me. He asks me to say no to some things in order to passionately pursue obedience to Him. It's almost as if a mindset shift had to take place in my brain.
I can't believe, it's in the margin where I find my soul restored.
I can't believe, it's in the margin where I hear God speaking in His still small voice to my soul.
I can't believe, it's in the margin where He confirms His lavish love for me.
I can't believe, it's in the margin where He gives me wisdom and floods my life with peace.
I can't believe, it's in the margin is where the unexpected happens.
I can't believe, it's in the margin where miracles happen.
But now, I can believe it.
As the Holiday Season quickly approaches can I challenge you create margin in your life?
Don't pack your schedule so full that you don't have time to cherish your giggle-licious children. To relish in a home cooked meal together with friends and family, with no agenda, just there enjoying each others company. To spend nights around the dimly lit Christmas tree simply talking to Jesus. To make a hot cup of tea and sit in front of the crackling fireplace.
Allow God margin to move, and watch as He does the miraculous. He can do more than you could ever accomplish, so why not let Him? I pray you look back at your life a month from now and say to yourself, "I can't believe I did less than I normally do during the holidays, but God moved more than He ever has in my life."
"You reveal the path of life to me; in Your presence is abundant joy; at Your right hand are eternal pleasures" (Psalm 16:11, CSV).
Photo Credit: Olenka Sergienko
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