This morning I sat in my Quiet Time chair weeping before God. I had just finished reading a chapter from each of the books “Spiritual Warfare in a Believer’s Life”¹ from the writings of Charles Spurgeon and “Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire”² by Jim Cymbala. There was a wind beginning to blow within me, and I could feel the stirring of the embers from a dying fire in my soul.
I sensed His Spirit calling me to go higher and deeper in my relationship with Him. My heart and my spirit were moved with longing to be immersed in Him and in His Spirit. However, I know my own weaknesses only too well. The fire of desire is quickly doused by the pressing tasks of the day and the temptation to spend my “spare” time during the day on whims of the moment instead of investing them in prayer and in the study of His Word.
Charles Spurgeon said, “…the best style of prayer is that which cannot be called anything else but a cry.”² I began to cry out to Him from the depths of my spirit, “Oh God, I don’t want to be immersed in the mundane; I want to be immersed in the Divine!”
As I continued to plead with God to release me from the mundane, I heard Him speak to my spirit, “Nothing is mundane when it’s done for my glory!” I knew what He was trying to tell me. Our conversations of late have centered around the meaning of “ministry opportunities.” I have been longing to sing, to play, to speak. He has been teaching me the simple truth found in the old Ira Stanphill song “Follow Me”:
“If just a cup of water I place within your hand
Then just a cup of water is all that I demand.”
Ministry opportunities abound if I am keeping my eyes upon Him and my ears tuned to the sound of His voice. An encouraging email, a brief phone call, a note sent through the mail, a quick word of prayer with someone who is hurting…ministry opportunities! His message to me this morning was very clear: “Go about your day doing what needs to be done, knowing that every task can bring glory to Me, and that I will direct you to who, what, when and where.”
In God’s economy there is no mundane!
¹Charles Spurgeon. Spiritual Warfare in a Believer’s Life. Compiled and Edited by Robert Hall. ©1993 by Lance C Wubbels. Published by Emerald Books.
²Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire. By Jim Cymbala. ©1997 by Jim Cymbala. Published by Zondervan.
Janie, so great to see your writing gift flowing on your website. Thanks for posting on FB. You encourage me to want to go deeper in Him!
Thank you so much, Wendy, for your encouragement! Knowing He used it is the ultimate!
Ouch! You have just ruined a good pity party. Here I was feeling all worthless and useless and now I know I am not. What you have stated is something that I too have needed to hear. Thanks for sharing. Love you.
I have wonderful pity parties! In fact, this last one has lasted for about a year and a half! Not anymore! For the last two days I have been experiencing revival in my living room, and I don’t want to go back to my party!!! God gives parties that are extreme makeovers! =) Thanks for reading, Jim, and for sharing that He touched you through it. \o/
Oh! It must be a surprise that who left a comment here. This is the first article I read here. In some degree, it is difficult for me to understand it thoroughly. But whatever I get, I must leave something here to express my excitement for that I heard from you again, that you have your own website. The words are a little strange? That is the only Gaole.
My Gaole!!! I only just received your Christmas e-card. Thank you for sending it, and thank you for writing a comment on my website. I know my post was hard for you to understand. It’s formal writing and full of words and ideas that may be hard to comprehend for a second language learning, but I’m so glad you left a comment! I will put my post in a “nutshell” – which means to condense it. I wish I could give my whole life to things about God (the Divine), but I am often bound to do the necessary (the mundane) things of life ~ job, house, family, etc. leaving little time to pursue my heart desire! My post says that God showed me that even when I do the necessary things I am still doing something that pleases Him! That’s the explanation. Does that make better sense now? I miss you, and I love you! ~ Janie \o/
Dear Janie, I have just learned some work of Emerson, and I began to know something transcendental. I found a touch of the transcendental spirit in your writing,haha~
Thank you, Danielle! Happy New Year! I hope this year finds your dreams and desires fulfilled! I love you! ~ Janie \o/
Hi Janie! I am so glad I found you again. Your absence was greatly felt. We are in Mozambique now. And struggling. Thank you for your wonderful insight. You always built me up in the times we shared in Beijing. I am grateful that you have this blog and I can still visit and glean some of your wisdom. I look foward to more and hope you are having a wonderful and blessed holiday season. Lots of love, Wendy
Oh, Wendy!!! I’m so blessed to hear from you! I’m afraid I haven’t been very good yet at writing as much as I should. The past year and half have been a struggle! Sounds like you’re facing some of that too! I’ve been reading the book “As Silver Refined” by Kay Arthur. I have received so much help from it in dealing with my situation here. I think I’m on the upward climb again!!! It’s good to be connected again! What can I pray for for you and your family? Let me know. I love you! ~ Janie \o/