In John 17:4 Jesus prays to the Father, ‘I have glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do’.   Jesus was always clear that he had a specific mission on earth to accomplish.  He came to do the will of the Father.

                        It is really important to note that on a number of occasions, Jesus is recorded as leaving behind a frantic ministry (people were bringing their sick to be healed), to move on to other ministries in other towns.  Jesus did not need to do everything, nor did he need to heal everybody in order to be doing the will of the Father.

                        In the church and in our Christian lives we can see so many needs which we could meet, needs that we should be seeking to do something about yet we cannot do everything.  Often the peace which Christ gives can be replaced instead by personal frenzy as we try our hardest to be all things to all people.  We see so many people in need and we feel that we have do something about each situation.

                       However, there is a specific work God has called you to do, and this will involve saying no to some very needy and important tasks because they take you away from the more important task that God has called you to.   This works for every church as well.   We cannot do everything and meet every need.  Rather we need to focus on the key things that God is leading us to do.  Will Mancini writes, ‘Ministry without clarity is Insanity’.

                        True freedom and peace come when we do the work that God has called us to do, not when we do the work that others expect us to do.  To be in the place where you know what God has called you to do requires thoughtful and listening prayer to hear the voice of God leading you.

May you coming week find you moving from frenzy to peace as you focus on the work God has called you to.