In Pursuit of an Only What I See Him Doing Life
“Jesus can do anything,” we say. Except for when He can’t. “What? Are there things Jesus can’t do? Isn’t He the God of the impossible,” you might be thinking. Yes, there are some things He cannot do. And there are many things we cannot do. The Lord of the Universe said He could not do anything by Himself. He only does what He sees the Father doing. If the Father isn’t doing it, Jesus can’t or won’t either. As His followers, we can pursue an only what I see Him doing kind of life.
What does it mean for us to follow His example in this area?
I have been in pursuit of an only what I see Him doing life for many years. It isn’t easy. Challenges to this philosophy assail me daily. Sometimes I feel like a little girl, chasing pigeons and never catching one. Yet I can’t give up. I know this is the life I am supposed to live.
There are so many things I want to do. Mindlessly, I often forget to consult with the Father. Are those things I want to do, or what my Papa God is doing?
Driven by Our Interests Not What We See Him Doing
Passions and interests drive me to engage in activities that aren’t necessarily where He is working. Sometimes I simply hope God will join me in what I do. This is a crazy way to think, but that is often my reality! At other times, my sense of duty causes me to put my hand to things that aren’t what God has called me to.
A final challenge to living this kind of life is when I’m heavily invested in something. I’ve put a lot of time and energy into a project, system, or relationship that was God’s leading originally. I fail to check in with Him about it. Is this still where you are working, Father?
How incredibly foolish it is for me to think that if Jesus couldn’t do anything apart from the Father… I can! I’m pretty sure I am not alone in this struggle, however. Oh…you too?
A Call to Recommit
We often need realignment. Tragedy, crisis, pandemics, and many other events knock us off course. Mission drift is also common for agencies, not only individuals. Let’s recommit ourselves to only do what we know the Father is doing. It is there we will find joy, fruitfulness, and walk in a beautiful partnership with Him.
Facing the Pressure to Participate
The pressure to do things you aren’t sure the Father is doing can come from your community. This can be a strong pull on us. Especially if you are a people pleaser or from a highly community-oriented culture. Let me be clear. Community is important in our lives. We need people. But, we must choose each day to please the One, not the many.
An example in my organization is the multitude of meetings and conferences. There are so many meetings that “good members” are expected to attend. They are not required but attendance is a strong expectation. If you want to rise in influence within the mission, you must be there and actively take part. The more you participate in these organizational meetings, the more status you gain.
Is This God’s Assignment?
One day, I stared at my computer screen. I read the email announcement for the conference. Pastors and leaders would be gathering in a city near me. The speaker looked interesting and it had been a while since I’d been to one of these meetings. I knew people were wondering why I hadn’t been showing up. “Should I go?” I wondered.
“Hmm. Maybe I can squeeze it in. It would be good to see those people again.”
Then, a gentle voice spoke to me through a thought that floated across my mind. “Is this God’s assignment for you next week?”
Immediately, I knew the answer. No. It was not. God’s assignment was clear. I needed to focus on what I knew He called me to do…reach the lost. If I got busy running here and there to organizational or church meetings, I’d not have time to do what God wanted me to do.
“Lord, I’m sure it will be a good meeting. And I’m sure there are those you are calling to be there. But I want to partner with You in what You are doing here, in my neighborhood. If I go there, I won’t have time to keep connecting with people at the local tea shop, or on my evening neighborhood walks.”
I made my decision. My index finger stretched forward and hit the delete button to remove the conference invitation email. I would not go. Staying focused on my God assignment was what I needed to do. My decision would disappoint some, maybe even make them think I was a rebel or didn’t care about my organization much. That was okay. I needed to please God, not men.
I would choose to focus on His assignment for me.
So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.
John 5:19 NLT
What Pulls Us Away From Doing What God Is Doing?
1. Our Desires and Interests
Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, “Not My will but Yours be done.” This is a prayer of surrender we need to repeat often. Our interests, passions, and desires don’t always match God’s will for us. Laying down our rights and personal desires should be a daily practice for a disciple of Jesus.
2. Our Need to Please Others
“I must obey God, not man,” declared Peter facing possible imprisonment (Acts 5:29). We live to please only Him. Yet our need to keep everyone happy around us, our conflict avoidance can keep us from following His will for us. We want to be liked. That means doing what people want us to do. In our search for acceptance and love from others, we may let go of our destiny.
3. A Failure to Notice Where He Is Working
In our busyness, we can stop noticing what God is up to. We go about our work and ministries without pausing to listen, to notice that God might be doing something new. One of the greatest keys to effective ministry is finding out where He is working. By joining Him in that, we see fruit. This is so much better than doing our own thing, stuck in a rut or old mindset when God has moved on to new things!
What will it take to realign and pursue an only what He is doing lifestyle? I invite you to join me in this grand pursuit. If it was how Jesus lived, it’s how I want to live too.
Will you run after this?
I’d love to know what you struggle with or the keys you’ve discovered to living this way. Please comment below or on the Missionary Life Facebook page.