A Convicting Verse for Someone Who Stinks at Delegating

“You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone” (Exodus 18:18, NIV).

There seems to be a theme running through my life the past few months, and the verse above… that’s it.  That’s me, thinking I can do it all… wanting to do it all… falling flat on my face, because no one can do it all…

But oh, how the lectionary connects day after day after day…

Philippians 1:15-18 is just as convicting, because I think it gets at the root of the problem of busyness and burnout.  We struggle to let go of our own ways, even if someone with a different perspective is achieving the same result:

“It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.  The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.  But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice…” (NIV).

And so I find myself, today, wondering which tasks of which I might let go…

There’s something about being willing to delegate anything that can be done at about an 80% proficiency level…

It’s a struggle for this Type A perfectionist, but I’m desperately trying to say, “What does it matter,” a little more often.

 
L.