The Mirror of the Word and other works by C.E. White can be purchased on her website, cewhitebooks.com or on Amazon

“And in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and prayed there for a time. Simon and his companions eagerly searched for him; and they found him and said to him, ‘Everyone is looking for you.’”

—Mark 1:35–37

Serving others well doesn’t mean we’re at the mercy of what they want from us.

It means we’re at the total mercy of what God wants, and that might be disappointing to those around us.

Jesus often withdrew when people were waiting and even looking for him. He didn’t allow the expectations of others to dictate his actions. He did exactly what the Lord had for him in that moment, and he did it in the Lord’s strength.

If we’re serving as God directs, those around us may not always be pleased with our decisions.

There might be some people who think, “Hey, she just left, and we needed more from her,” or “It was rude not to come when so many people were expecting him.”

Only by taking this example from Jesus and making the time to withdraw and be with the Father can we know where we can best spend our time. If we’re serving without his direction, our natural tendency is to feel that peoples’ needs dictate our actions.

They do not.

We are always to be led by the direction of the Holy Spirit, which will come as we are purposefully abiding in the vine of Jesus Christ through prayer, submitting to his will, and learning from the Word.

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