I Can Do It!

I like to view myself as an independent person – a woman who can get tasks done without any help and without shedding much sweat over the situation. But, in the stillness of my quiet times with the Lord, He reminds me that I need Him. He is the breath-giver, heart-pumper, and all around holding-things-together-er.

Still I find myself voicing some of these declarations of independence:

“Nae, do!” AKA Stubbornness

According to my parents, this was my first motto. Whether it was feeding myself or wearing big girl panties, I wanted to fast forward out of babydom and into childhood. In my spiritual walk, though I no longer vocalize “Nae, do!” I internalize the phrase. Rather than focus on how God is at work in my life, I rattle off how I am at work for God.

1 Corinthians 1:6-7 reminds us, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.”

“Yeah, yeah…” AKA Arrogance

Despite the warnings I may get from friends and coworkers with more experience than me, I like to plow ahead with the plan that I have devised. When my plan goes awry, I start using delay tactics, confident that if I only had a few more days to wrestle with the problem, I would be able to figure it out without help.

Psalm 20:7 states that “Some take pride in chariots, and others in horses, but we take pride in the name of Yahweh our God.”

“Consider it done!” AKA Lack of Planning

At work, I really enjoy creating a sense of accomplishment, especially when my boss is watching. When he gives me an assignment to complete that very moment, I enjoy telling him to “consider it done” even if I haven’t so much as glanced at the paper he put on my desk.

Luke 14:31 uses this story to remind us to count the cost of following Christ before diving in: “Or what king, going to war against another king, will not first sit down and decide if he is able with 10,000 to oppose the one who comes against him with 20,000?”

“I got it!” AKA The Ball Hog

When I play softball, there are appropriate times to wave my arms in the air and scream, “I got it!” so that my team mates will not interfere when a ball is hit directly at me. But in our walks with Christ, we need the reminder that we are working as a team. No matter how good we may be at every position of the game, we cannot win by ourselves. If the third baseman makes a great ground ball catch, it doesn’t matter if there is no one on the base to throw the ball to. In ministry, it’s easy for me to think that only I have a relationship close enough with certain students to make an effective impact on their walk with God.

1 Corinthians 12:4-11 reminds us that “There are different gifts, but the same Spirit … distributing to each person as He wills.”

The Lord has planted the song Lord I Need You by Matt Maher so deeply in my head today that I have caught myself humming it while standing at the copy machine.

We don’t just need God on Sunday mornings, when we haven’t slept well, or from 3:00 pm to the end of the work day. We need God every hour. I pray that God will break through our hard-hearted stubbornness and bring us to a place of surrender before His throne. Without God at work, our ministries flounder. Even spiritual leaders – correction – especially spiritual leaders – in the church, community, and household cannot accomplish anything for the Kingdom of God without God as King. This starts with humility and confession. Confession that 1. we are not in control, 2. that God is in control, and 3. that we submit to his leadership for the glory of His name.

Lord I come, I confess
Bowing here I find my rest
Without You I fall apart
You’re the one that guides my heart

Lord, I need You, oh I need You
Every hour I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more
Where grace is found is where You are
And where You are Lord I am free
Holiness is Christ in me
Yes where You are Lord I am free
Holiness is Christ in me

So teach my song to rise to You
When temptation comes my way
And when I cannot stand I’ll fall on You
Jesus You’re my hope and stay