Dishes and Jesus

"Do all things without complaining and disputing,"
Philippians 2:14

As I was standing at the kitchen sink the other day washing dishes, the Lord spoke to me. My mom had asked me to put my dishes away and I didn't mind of course because it was a mess I had made. So I put all my dishes away and there were a few left. These few dishes were a little dirtier and would take some scrubbing and a little more work. Normally I would go ahead and do whatever dishes were left and put them in the dishwasher. I guess it is just something I don't even think about but do.

Well on an occasion like that one, I have to think of others instead of thinking how much I do not want to take the extra time to do it, but I didn't want to. Starting to turn the water off, I thought to myself, "What if Jesus only decided to die for the people it would be 'easy' to die for?" For some people this may not connect at all, but it made me think. I wanted to do the dishes that would be easy and not take away from what I was doing. How selfish. I find myself in that position a lot. I am ready to have a bad attitude because I have to do something not in the order I wanted to do it. So after contemplating that thought, I finished the dishes thanking God that He sent His Son to die for everyone, and that includes me who doesn't always feel like being selfless, or loving others the way He obviously loves us.

This one experience brought repentance, but also ties to something else I have been learning.

I tend to start making myself feel less or not good enough when I do something wrong or something I immediately regret. Although I could make this about everyone feeling bad about me, it is really me doubting God's greatness and unfailing love. Even when I mess up so many times God still is with me(Deuteronomy 31:8). He still loves me. He still thinks of me as His child. He says it so many times and I can't think of God of less than who He is. Instead of feeling down, I turn to His Word and all He says of His children.

Challenges:
I am going to work on...
1.) Obeying and helping others without complaining, even if it doesn't fit in my schedule. I am going to pray His will for not only my life, but for each step I take daily.
2.)Reminding myself of God's amazing love and all He is capable of even when I fall.

"neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:39