Making Space

pottery-wheelWhen I was in High school my vice-principal was an AUBA Baptist minister, Dr. Willard Clayton. He gave me a verse one day that has continued to inhabit my soul: “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil 1:6 NLT). I was amazed that he thought God had started something in me and it was a reminder of an experience I had at 4yrs old when my grandmother told me Jesus loved me. Instantly I felt a sense of being special to God. It began my journey to making a life commitment to follow Jesus.

Three facts and three questions have stayed with me from this verse. The facts are:

  1. God has started something in my life.
  2. He is able to complete what he has started.
  3. It won’t be finished until Jesus comes again.

I rely on these facts to keep me rooted in Christ and focused on my place in God’s mission.
The three questions that I continually wrestle with are:

  1. Who is this God?
  2. What has he started?
  3. Will I let him continue?


Our quest to know God will not end on this earth, but face to face with him in eternity. I don’t know exactly all that God is doing in me or through me. He keeps me on a need to know basis. And frankly there are times when I’m not sure I want to work with him or that I want him to continue. Today as a Spiritual Leader these facts and questions continue to till the soil of my soul and challenge me to remember who God is and what He is doing.

God in his great wisdom has chosen to create leaders to lead His people. As Spiritual Leaders we can get so caught up in what we are doing, we forget what God wants to do in us or even what he wants to do through us. Being a spiritual leader means to allow God through his Holy Spirit to continue the work he has started in our hearts and souls and let it overflow to those around us. Actually we are to make space for Him to work, giving Him free reign and whatever he asks.

Spiritual leaders are formed by God. We do not create ourselves, our task is to make space for God to continually recreate us and overflow from us.

Leaders need to be continually impacted, infused and ignited by God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)! The overflow will be transformation of the church.

My role as director of Clergy Formation & Health is to help leaders create space for God to work.

With Paul I declare…

And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you. (Philippians 1:6 Amplified Bible)

Let’s give God space to work!

For Reflection:

  • What do you think of the 3 facts and 3 questions?
  • How do we make space in our busy lives for Him to work?
  • How do we work with Him and not against Him?
  • Do I really believe God has begun a good work in me?
  • Do I believe he has the power to complete it?

3 Responses to “Making Space”

Tim Bannister • May 3rd, 2013 at 8:53 am

Good article, Cheryl!! Great to hear from you after eight or so years. God bless. Tim

Jennifer Smart • August 15th, 2013 at 10:06 pm

“How do we work with him?” We may begin our day by opening our date books and saying to God, “Heavenly Father, this day belongs to you. You are free to rewrite this schedule and I am open to your surprises.” Then be ready for God-incidences.