You are not Jesus
There are times when life seems too much. Maybe you’re there right now. You have issues to deal with at work, at home, and even in your own mind with temptations. This is amplified if you have a responsible job like a pastor or ministry worker or elder. How do I help all these people? How do I make a difference to so much sin and brokenness?
Of course, there are reasonable things you can do in such a situation. You can be organised so you know what issues you are dealing with and you don’t miss anything. You can be wise in knowing which issues are your issues to deal with and which ones might be delegated to others. You can actually make decisions and not just sit back worrying about them.
Yet there is one bit of advice that is more important than all of the others: you are not Jesus.
I try to remind myself of this when things get really busy or I face a difficult pastoral situation. When I speak to those struggling with marriage issues, I can point them to the gospel, I can listen and guide them with Biblical truth and life experience, but I cannot fix their problem for them. Only God does that. Likewise, when I am trying to explain the gospel to someone, I can explain it clearly and deal with objections and questions, but I cannot make them believe. Only God does that.
Jesus can heal the sick with a word and raise the dead. All I can do is tell people how great Jesus is. I cannot, and should not, pretend I can do what Jesus does.
Why does this matter? Because it gives us a more Biblically balanced view of the world. If I am not Jesus, I can rest properly and not overwork, for I will know that it is not up to me to fix everything. If I am not Jesus, I will be keen to pray to the One who can actually fix problems rather than just trying to do everything myself. And if I am not Jesus, I will have a more realistic view of myself as a limited person who needs help rather than the one who can fix everyone else’s problems as well as my own.
It is such good news that everything doesn’t depend on us!