Responsibility
By Lexi Cole Ellis
By Lexi Cole Ellis
Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should
remain in the situation they were in when God called them.
1 Corinthians 7:24 (NIV)
1 Corinthians 7:24 (NIV)
I
recently read a fascinating article about mental illness on Facebook. Normally,
I steer clear of reading the Facebook comments on articles but for whatever
reason, this particular time, I clicked on the comments. A woman whom I don’t
know (let’s call her Sally) wrote this: “I may not be responsible for my mental
illness, but I’m responsible for my recovery.” She went on to say that she
would most likely struggle with mental illness for the rest of her life, but
learning tools to help her manage and live in freedom meant she could continue
to move forward.
I
was taken by Sally’s view of responsibility. There were pieces outside of her
control and hardships that made wellness difficult. And yet, those challenges
didn’t stop her from pursuing freedom and fighting for her health. By accepting
responsibility for what she could control - - her learning to manage her mental
illness - - she was owning her story. It makes me wonder if Sally knows Jesus,
because I see such a parallel in what she posted. There may be things outside
of my control: situation or circumstances I didn’t choose…
- But I’m responsible for my responsiveness and keenness to the Holy Spirit’s prompting.
- I’m responsible for loving a broken world and actively being Jesus to all, regardless of how uncomfortable or inconvenient it may personally feel.
- I’m responsible for acknowledging the weight of my own sin - - realizing I’ll never be “good enough” to redeem myself - - and that accepting an active love-relationship with Jesus Christ is the only way to release myself from the bonds of sin and condemnation.
I
love how 2 Peter 1:10-11 is paraphrased in the Message: “So, friends, confirm
God’s invitation to you, His choice of you. Don’t put it off; do it now. Do
this and you’ll have your life on a firm footing, the streets paved and the way
wide open into the eternal kingdom of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ.” We
are responsible to actively pursue repentance, to be a light to others, and to
serve and closely know Jesus.
There
is plenty I can’t control, nor can I claim responsibility for, in this world.
But I want to be like Sally, and recognize what I am responsible for… following
my Savior and being His hands and feet to a broken world.
GOING
DEEPER:
1. What are some of the responsibilities God has called you to? What needs to change so those responsibilities are a high priority in how you live your life?
1. What are some of the responsibilities God has called you to? What needs to change so those responsibilities are a high priority in how you live your life?
Lexi and her husband, Andrew, have
an adorable dog named Calvin and are expecting their first child in June 2018.
She teaches sixth grade Reading & Writing, serves with Children’s
Ministries, and is the Fresh Start Coordinator.
