Then I saw in the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne a scroll written on the front and back and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a powerful angel proclaiming in a loud voice: “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or look into it. So I began weeping bitterly because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. Then one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered; thus he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” Revelation 5:1-5
New English Translation
How many times have you been in a situation where it felt like you could see before you everything God wanted you to do, yet you couldn’t do any of it? How many times have you found yourself weeping over all the things you’re overwhelmed by and the unknowns that surround you? Sounds like you and John, the writer of Revelation, can relate.
Here, we see John standing before the throne room, seeing the scroll, but unable to do anything with it or about it. He sees that it is something that should be done, he sees that there needs to be action taken, and he is unable to do it. It brings him to tears because there is nothing he can do to help along the will of God. There is no one worthy to make it happen, not him, not the elders, and not the angels. Then, finally, one of the elders turns to John and reveals that it was never about John or any of the others being worthy enough to make God’s will happen; it was about Jesus being worthy.
I think that’s where we get tripped up a lot of times. When we have these great things placed before us by God, somehow we get this strange idea that we have to be the amazing ones who can pull everything off and make it look super easy, like the Kingdom of God is solely kept alive by us. But, that’s never what God expected or wanted from us. Yes, He wants us active, moving, and ready to do His will, but He wants us to have the right perspective on it.
If we’re always believing that we have to be the ones to make God’s will happen, we’re quickly going to get ourselves in a world of pain. Firstly, news flash: we aren’t worthy of everything God has planned. We’re not equipped to do all these things on our own. Second, there are things that God never wanted you to do or be a part of.
See, we have to realize that being a Christian doesn’t mean that we have to stretch ourselves thin to make sure that all the “good things” happen. There are going to be times where God has given us the strength and skills to take on things and make them happen. And there will be other times where God simply wants us to trust that He’ll make things happen in His timing and without our meddling.
That last one is the hard one. As humans, we like to have control and be in the middle of everything. However, there are going to be times like with John and the scroll where you see something needs done and it’s the will of God, but you have to step back because it’s above your pay grade and God never asked you to do it. We’re not made to run headfirst into anything and everything that comes our way. We’re meant to take a minute and check-in with God and let Him direct us to what He wants us to do and direct us away from what He doesn’t want us to do.
So, again I ask, have you been overwhelmed to the point of tears because you see all the things that could be done for God but you can’t do or you can’t figure out how to do? Take a breath and just stop for a minute. Have you asked God what He wants you to do? Are you trying to do things that He never asked you to do so it’s making even the things that He did intend for you to do harder?
My challenge to you this week is to take time to ask God what He wants you to do. If He asks you to step into something new, do it. If He asks you to let something go, do it. He’s God, not you, so be ready for changes. Are you willing to let Him be enough to make His will happen and admit that you’re not supposed to be enough to make everything fall into place?