We are bombarded with crises, information, and questions. Because of this, we feel compelled to take a side or have an opinion. Yet we rarely stop to consider whether the issue is something that God’s calling us to engage—or if He is, how. How do we focus on what really matters?

By Guest Writer David Delk
Executive Pastor of Grace Church and MIM Board Member

I think masks are useless.
Why doesn’t everyone just wear a mask?
Is there going to be college football this fall?
Who’s right—Fortnite or Apple?
We need to get structural racism out of our institutions and systems.
Structural racism is a myth; every individual is completely responsible for how their life turns out.
Of course Uber drivers should be employees.
If Uber drivers have to be employees, thousands of people won’t be able to do it as a second job to help provide for their families.

Bombarded

Our culture bombards us with crises, information, and questions. Because of this, we feel compelled to take a side or have an opinion on multiple things a day.

Yet we rarely stop to consider whether the issue is something that God is calling us to engage. Or, if it is, how He wants us to do it. How do we focus on what really matters?

One of the ways we can talk about the core calling of a man is to say that God has made him responsible. In the garden, Adam was responsible for his relationship with God, tending and protecting the garden, and obeying the rules that God had given.

And then of course he sinned—he let the snake deceive Eve, ate of the fruit that God had forbidden, then made “clothes” and hid from God. He did not fulfill the responsibility that God had given him.

Responsible or Concerned?

Like Adam, every man has responsibilities from God. He is responsible for maintaining a life of faith, for doing a job well, to care for friends, to love his wife (if married), and to lead and disciple his children (if he has any).

If we are not careful, it’s easy for us to take the energy that God has given us to engage our responsibilities and instead use it on things that are just concerns.

We are outraged about what a politician has done in another state. We spend too much time researching recruiting rankings or reading about our sports team. We work too much. We play video games or do woodworking or restore cars in ways that, instead of refreshing us for our responsibilities, distract us from them.

[click_to_tweet tweet=”THE BIG IDEA: Spiritually powerful men ask God to help them focus their energy on the things they are truly responsible for. They trust God to handle the things that are just concerns.” quote=”THE BIG IDEA: Spiritually powerful men ask God to help them focus their energy on the things they are truly responsible for. They trust God to handle the things that are just concerns.”]

By faith, they are willing to sacrifice and put themselves on the hook for the people and things that God has called them to. Instead of weighing in and judging all these national or worldwide problems, they get to work helping to solve the ones where they can really make a difference.

What are your responsibilities?

Make a list of the responsibilities that God has given you. Some will be obvious, such as work and family. But who else has He brought into your life in a strange or unique way? A neighbor? A co-worker? The single parent of one of your child’s friends?

What issues has He called you to work on? Do you work in an industry that treats people unfairly? Is there a need in your community that you are uniquely qualified to attack?

Don’t waste your time on this earth being overly connected to your interests and concerns. Instead, ask God to help you steward your energy well to spend yourself for His kingdom and glory.

*This concept of responsibilities versus concerns did not originate with David. The first time he encountered it was in Paul Tripp’s Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands. We recommend this resource for further reading!

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