Have you ever experienced something at just the right time? You’ve seen or heard it when you need to, whether it’s a:
- Billboard
- Song
- Scripture Verse
- Saying
- Conversation
- Line in a Book
- Title of an Article
Or anything else you can imagine. That just happened to me and believe it or not, it was with one of our posts. We post a blog every Wednesday and while previously sending videos on Fridays, we now post the “Inspiration of the Week”. Mary Kate (our creative genius) and I are typically working 3-4 weeks in advance, so often the specific post is as much a surprise to me as you.
On Friday, August 6th, the post read, “He is in control…God will work it out”. Wow!!! I needed to hear that. Working at Franciscan University of Steubenville, part of my responsibilities, with an incredibly talented and mission driven team, are the Steubenville Conferences….which are absolutely life changing. You can check them out at https://steubenvilleconferences.com. With COVID wiping out our conferences in 2020, we operated at approximately 50% in 2021.
While our “business” (ministry) is 100% about sharing the love of Christ and saving souls, there is a financial reality to it. To continue doing the ministry we’re accustomed to, we need to get back to our 2019 revenue numbers. Add to the above the additional initiatives that have been discerned and developed (some that are being piloted), that require funding and resources. Lastly there’s the enormity of the tasks and the team being exhausted.
A reformed workaholic, the above is impacting me too. The load is great and the pace greater. Revenue is a big deal and now requires my attention tactically, not just strategically. I’m not able to do other things that I arguably need to be doing, things that are life giving for me professionally, that which would serve the University (and the Church) in a better way, assuming recovering lost revenue weren’t such a priority. The pressure is on. Can you relate?
He is in Control
“We need to eat our own dogfood”. This popular expression certainly applies here…to me. Surrender is something I talk about on a regular basis. It’s the first step in my Path to Peace, followed by Gratitude, Humility, and Love. “Surrender” is what is meant when we say, “He is in control…God will work it out”.
In thinking and praying about it since seeing our post on that Friday, I’m reminded (once again) I can only do what I can do, using the gifts that God has given me. There are only so many hours in a day. To work to exhaustion isn’t healthy for me, nor does it do the organization any good. The same is obviously true for our team.
Truth be told, I was allowing my pride to impact things, being concerned about what was outside my control…and really my concern. Being a real “pro” at pride from my past, it’s still something I struggle with. Exercising humility, opposite of pride, is an important aspect of surrender. You may have heard, “Pray as though all relies on God. Work as though all relies on you”. Related to the latter, we have limits….what we can do emotionally, intellectually, and physically.
I’m not suggesting it’s easy, but it is worth it. God makes all of us with special gifts. He loves us unconditionally and knows what will make us happy. Given this combination, surrendering to His will makes great sense. In humility, understand that it’s not you, but Him working through you. As such, leave the results to God. That’s where you’ll find peace, born of surrender. Committed to prayer, blessed by God’s Grace, I endeavor to stay in that place. I invite you to join me.
As always, please feel free to contact me at [email protected] with questions, comments, concerns, challenges, or prayer requests.
God Bless you on your Path to Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment!!!
God made you for GREATNESS!!!
Mark Joseph