Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT
From the first lie that Satan told Adam and Eve in the Garden, humans have had the propensity to believe that God might cheat them on something – His invitations always have a downside. Many think the Kingdom of God is full of restrictive rules to prevent us from having fun and enjoying our lives. But the opportunity to be close to God truly is an opportunity to enjoy an incredible feast with Him. We cheat ourselves when we ignore or devalue His invitations.
We would not easily own that we are undervaluing the invitation or avoiding what He has offered, but excuses come easily even when we don’t think we’re making them. I can identify with excuse-makers when it comes to accepting invitations from God. I accepted the invitation to the Great Banquet with great joy. But “lesser invitations,” opportunities to serve and obey, can find me making excuses without truly considering the privilege God may be extending to me. I may not be self-aware enough to immediately own that truly I just don’t want to do what God may be offering me, so I say …
- “I can’t do it. That’s not my gift, not in my wheelhouse.”
- “I don’t know how to do what you’re asking me. I don’t even know where to start.”
- “I don’t have time to do that. Surely someone else is not as busy as I am.”
- “This is too big for me, and I have no one to help me.”
- “I’m afraid to step into it.”
And the thing I rarely say but underlies it all is, “I just don’t want to do it. Let someone else.”
Sometimes ignoring or rejecting the invitation (which gets the same result) is because I am afraid, sometimes because I am entitled. God and life itself give me many opportunities to choose to trust God and His wisdom or to trust my own. He knows my capacity and capability and has a deep interest in my satisfaction and joy.
Check your invitations, for sure. Not all of them are good. Not all of them are even directly for you. But check closely and responsibly. If the signature on the invitation is God’s, accept in faith. It will always lead to a feast.
- Refusing or neglecting the invitation is commonly prompted by fear or entitlement. God help me to trust You and to see Your invitations with eyes of faith.