Do you expect the Pastor and leadership in your church to do everything? As an aside… those ‘things’ that you feel/think they aren’t doing – do you criticize them? gossip? complain about??? And what about YOUR responsibility? What are YOU doing to fill in the gaps or add your hand to? Do you honestly think that your presence at a service is the end of your responsibility? Were you called to this church? If so… then are you shirking your responsibility? Remember… you aren’t expected to do or be all either. You are expected to act on and in the Gift that’s been given you for the building up of the body.(read again 1 Corinthians 12 and especially Ephesians 4:10-16 AMP).
You really aren’t 2 people. Your spiritual life doesn’t stop as you leave your church on Sunday morning or at your secular life’s door (or vice versa). However, I think we sometimes try and act that way. The problem in this is first – you aren’t 2 people, next – each area does affect the other, the preference would be that the spiritual leads, and, for far too many, the spiritual only lasts for an hour on a Sunday morning. You do need to realize that you are a spiritual being. You know this – yes?
When you accepted the free gift of salvation and made Jesus your Lord, this also gave entry by the Lord to help us become all that we can be. But this isn’t only for us or who we might choose to share. Our salvation begins our journey of fruitfulness, of becoming who the Lord would have for us. As I have said numerous times – You were accepted ‘just as you are’ but the Lord had no intention of leaving you there. You don’t think you are in this place, at this time, by chance do you? Surely not. You aren’t a mistake nor is where you are. Granted part of your current ‘status’ is based on what you’ve done, the decisions you made but the essential you, the spirit within you has you here, now, and with the wonderful promise of being of use, value for the Lord.
Bottom line is that YOUR responsibility is YOUR opportunity1
You don’t see where you ‘fit’? You don’t see the need at your hand? You don’t want to do what’s at your hand? There are other questions I could ask, but they typically are included in those 3. I’ve finally learned that when any one of those questions rise, I try and stop and discover what the Lord wants me to do. It may not be something that you should do but you may know of someone who can or information that might be helpful. Just like the seed planter, water-er, harvester; we can be of use in a variety of ways.
So the answer to the Title is… Yes, you do have responsibility. It isn’t being hidden from you but it is always your choice to accept it – knowing the Lord would never call you to something you can’t do or would lead to failure and He always fully equips, enables, and empowers us to do what He asks. He doesn’t use guilt or shame or lies or threats… He asks. We choose. If we say ‘yes’ then we are on the path to fruitfulness and fulfillment.
