It usually starts well. Full of eagerness I plunge into some new worthwhile commitment and see it confirmed in my heart with a sense of fulfilment and gush of purposefulness. As time marches on what began as a childlike response to God’s prompting becomes an uncomfortable burden. I have been wondering why.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:30)
Should I avoid the commitment in the first instance? I don’t think so; we are called to engage with the world. Am I misreading God’s prompting? The fruit produced in my life and in the lives of others suggests not. Have I missed a junction in the path at some crucial point and lost my way? I honestly don’t think so; everything I’m doing on reflection is still sound and seems important. Then what? I think I am running ahead of God instead of following his lead. I am going beyond where God would have me be.
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. (Romans 12:6)
I have three wonderful children. When we go walking together as a family the older ones will run ahead full of confidence and curiosity predicting the direction the family will take by the direction already taken. When they get it wrong they have to circle back. This is like exercising spiritual gifts out of proportion to our faith. In our eagerness it is easy for us to do more than God had asked and in so doing do less than he would want. On the surface it looks like God is at work but it only us.
The LORD said to Moses, "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink." (Number 20:7-8)
When the thirsty Israelites in Moses charge found themselves in the middle of the Desert of Zin they complained that it were better they had remained in Egypt. The water might look and taste like blood but at least you could drink it! So God gave Moses the privilege of supplying their needs in the most remarkable way. All he had to do was speak to the rock and water would pour forth.
So Moses took the staff from the LORD's presence, just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?" Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. (Numbers 20:9-11)
So Moses gathered together the Israelites, pointed out how ungrateful they were and struck the rock twice with the staff. To everyone’s amazement, out gushed the water. God did a miracle and once again saved his people. Moses, however, did not come off so well.
But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honour me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.” (Numbers 20: 12)
Moses had stepped beyond what God had asked him to do. He expressed his anger at ungratefulness of the Israelites then he struck the rock; twice for good measure. This is not what God wanted, nor what he asked so Moses and Aaron miss out on seeing the promised Promise Land.
I often strike the rock full of good intentions and self-righteousness when I’ve simply been asked to speak. I often intervene helpfully in another’s life when all I’ve been asked to do is love. My well-meant advice often falls on ears not able to hear it because I’ve run ahead in my foolish eagerness to be useful. I think I understand but I don’t and by my actions become what I detest the most; disobedient.
Let us act only according to the faith we have and not imagine that by our own righteousness we are able to accomplish more that has been set out for us. Let us measure our pace and rest entirely within God’s will so that we might understand that his burden is indeed light.
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