My Utmost for His Highest

I think I've mentioned twice now that I've been using this devotional daily over the last couple of weeks. God's been using this book and other sources to show me a very important concept that I need to stay aware of. It's all about serving Him and walking with Him WHERE I AM. Not where I will be. Not lounging around waiting for the REAL action to start. Not even trying to prepare for the 'ministry' that God has 'called' me to. Simply following Him each day and learning carefully what he has to teach me. And... trusting that within the daily process, he will help me do the work he has for me today, and prepare my heart for tomorrow's work. This is a tough concept for me to cope with... I like having the big picture.

Here's some of the 'prods' he's given me lately:

We do not need the grace of God to withstand crises—human nature and pride are sufficient for us to face the stress and strain magnificently. But it does require the supernatural grace of God to live twenty-four hours of every day as a saint, going through drudgery, and living an ordinary, unnoticed, and ignored existence as a disciple of Jesus. It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God—but we do not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary streets, among ordinary people—and this is not learned in five minutes.
http://www.rbc.org/utmost/index.php?month=10&day=21

Prayer is the battle, and it makes no difference where you are. However God may engineer your circumstances, your duty is to pray. Never allow yourself this thought, "I am of no use where I am," because you certainly cannot be used where you have not yet been placed. Wherever God has placed you and whatever your circumstances, you should pray, continually offering up prayers to Him. And He promises, "Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do . . ." ( John 14:13 ). Yet we refuse to pray unless it thrills or excites us, which is the most intense form of spiritual selfishness. We must learn to work according to God’s direction, and He says to pray. "Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest" ( Matthew 9:38 ).
http://www.rbc.org/utmost/index.php?month=10&day=17

No Christian has a special work to do. A Christian is called to be Jesus Christ’s own, "a servant [who] is not greater than his master" ( John 13:16 ), and someone who does not dictate to Jesus Christ what he intends to do. Our Lord calls us to no special work— He calls us to Himself. "Pray the Lord of the harvest," and He will engineer your circumstances to send you out as His laborer.
http://www.rbc.org/utmost/index.php?month=10&day=16

So what am I doing about it? Well, let me think...

• trying to reach out to others at church, and help build community there (I think this is important, and God seems to think so too).
• getting involved in efforts to build community in our dodgy suburb.
• getting involved in two prayer groups... one for our dodgy suburb, one for the suburb we live in and attend church.

So... that's not a bad list, but I think I'm sketchy on a couple of other important points:

• praying to God by myself (my prayer journal is looking rather lonely at the moment).
• studying God's word and praying with hubby (this is getting better, but I think it's far from what we need to be doing).
  

Does anything else jump out at anyone as being bleeding obviously missing?