Just Be

Photo by Melissa Askew on Unsplash‍ ‍

As a pastor, I get a little excited and a little nervous around Christmas and Easter. Pretty obviously, I feel like I have to deliver a better sermon during those seasons. I feel like the church and the worship times on Sundays have to be right on point, maybe even a step above usual.

Here’s how the Word of God comforted me this year about that pressure: "He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake” (Psalm 23:3b ESV).

I said to myself, “I am preaching the Resurrection tomorrow for his name's sake. Not for my name’s sake. Not for Remedy City Church’s name’s sake. So I don’t, and we don't, have to be special tomorrow. Just truthful. Just faithful. Just kind. Just ourselves, under the work and supervision of Jesus Christ. That’s plenty! It’s all for his name, not mine!”

And there you go. Maybe that helps you with something today. Is there a “path of righteousness” you are being led out onto? If so, remember that whatever it is—perhaps speaking truth in love, repenting or forgiving (or a little of both), stepping into the hard things that God calls you to do—it’s for his name’s sake. Whatever the path of righteousness before you today, you don’t have to be special, be persuasive, be amazing, be extra, or be perfect. Just be, under Christ’s supervision. It’s for his name’s sake.