Too Many Tabs

Thursday, April 20,

Too Many Tabs
By: Lori Ennis

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have.” Revelation 4:11

I have a confession to make, though if you know me, you know this is no secret.

I currently have anywhere between 75-100 tabs open on my computer.
Not even lying.

My inbox? Which one? I have 19 different Gmail accounts and a couple of dedicated Outlook accounts and they’re all competing to see who is the most full.

My voicemail? Full.

My text messages? Current count? 431.

I know, for some of you, just reading that makes your skin crawl. It would have made mine too, years ago, when I was going through therapy for OCD.

Now, I just consider it the cost of doing the great things I get to do. I always make it work.

Yes, my plate is FULL. And it’s full of really, really great things. Ministry, family, friendships, service. Kingdom work, all of it. It’s what we’re called to do, right?

So, I ask…do you ever feel the cost of doing Kingdom work is too great? 
Sounds like a trick question, doesn’t it?

Of course the cost is worth it! Look at what Jesus did for us on the cross!

But the thing is… my computer may be able to run all 100+ tabs, and my inbox may be able to hold thousands of messages in the name of this Kingdom work, but it doesn’t necessarily do it well.

And when asking us to do His work, He doesn’t ask us to do the most. Few (if any?) churches or workplaces have awards for, “The one who spreads themselves most thin.”

No, Jesus just asks us to do what He created us to do. To the best of our ability, not just good enough. So we can do so for His FULL honor and glory.

Do you know what your purpose is? Are you like I am, and in a period where you realize that no matter how good all the things you do are, your computer is just running out of juice to run all the tabs?

I challenge you to be still. Realize that even indulgence in doing all the good things can be twisted by Satan and used to cloud your judgment of what God is really asking of you to do.

Be still. Sit before Him and present your heartfelt desire to know His will for you and to be open to following it, even if it’s difficult. Ask Him for specific directions and be willing to follow them, even if they’re difficult.

Know that closing some of the tabs may feel like you’re losing something valuable, and maybe you will be…

But what you’re also really doing is allowing yourself to run at the maximum for what you were created to do--and when you’re in that alignment and will, there will be Peace.