God blessed me with a godly and kind mother-in-law. When her independence began to wane, Larry and I invited her to live with us. Having lived thousands of miles apart, we sincerely welcomed the opportunity to have her in our home. However, she wouldn’t consider leaving Arizona.

Larry sent monthly checks to help her fill the gap in her living expenses, but we didn’t know what we’d do when she required full-time care. Our income wouldn’t stretch to cover that expense.

Larry and I felt a level of responsibility to ensure Grandma was well taken care of in her latter years. Perhaps because our visits were spread out, we recognized her decline better than she did. When she refused our offer, we didn’t know how to fulfill our duty and desire to help her. God used this incident to help us learn the difference between being faithful and being responsible.

Being Faithful Versus Being Responsible

Being “reliable or dependable” is good and godly (Psalm 15:4). For our purpose, let’s call that faithfulness.

• Faithfulness is doing our best in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God.
• An inflated sense of responsibility is carrying the burden for outcomes beyond our resources or control.

Losing my mother as a teenager, accompanied by my father’s paralyzing grief, amped my firstborn sense of responsibility. I equated being responsible with being dependable. But when being responsible means depending on myself and my resources instead of relying on God, it’s unhealthy and ungodly.

This kind of responsibility steals our peace and joy. It depends on our efforts instead of on God’s faithfulness. This sense of duty doesn’t allow mistakes or rest. It leaves no time to notice God’s everyday provisions, let alone savor them. The responsible person jumps from one challenge to the next, always on duty, not trusting others to share the load.

The faithful work hard, but they also know when to recharge, when to put human needs before the goal, and when to celebrate small wins. They know God is big enough to take care of them and their future.

The faithful work hard, but they also know when to recharge, when to put human needs before the goal, and when to celebrate small wins. They know God is big enough to take care of them and their future. @debbiewwilson
Click To Tweet

Being faithful and being responsible may look similar, but the difference is vast and eternal. For example, consider how these different viewpoints affect even our interpretation of scripture.

“Go to the ant, O sluggard,
Observe her ways and be wise,
Which, having no chief,
Officer or ruler,
Prepares her food in the summer
And gathers her provision in the harvest” (Proverbs 6:6-8, NASB).

The Responsible Responds: “It’s up to me to…”

• Predict possible troubles.
• Prepare for the unknown.
• Take care of myself and loved ones.

The Faithful Responds: “He is able to…”

• Direct my steps (Psalm 37:23).
• Supply my needs (Psalm 34:4-10; Philippians 4:19).
• Secure my future (Matthew 6:33-34, 1 Peter 5:7).

Faith Produces Faithfulness

The Bible says the righteous live by faith. Faith produces faithfulness. God calls us to be faithful stewards whose security rests in our faithful Provider, not in our storehouses. 

The Bible says the righteous live by faith. Faith produces faithfulness. God calls us to be faithful stewards whose security rests in our faithful Provider, not in our storehouses.  @debbiewwilson
Click To Tweet

What’s the difference between being responsible and being faithful? 

• The responsible person works for tomorrow but misses today’s joy.
• The faithful person prepares for tomorrow while enjoying today.

Remember Larry’s mom? When dementia set in, God provided a wonderful place in her beloved Arizona that didn’t require a penny more than the sale of her house.

With rising inflation and rumors of greater shortages, it’s tempting to worry about tomorrow and miss the joys of today. Consider your concerns. Will you look to your efforts or God’s faithfulness to carry you through?

LINKUP PARTY opens on November 2 at 6 am!

Christian Bloggers, come share your Blog with our audience below:

1. Add your Link.

2. Visit the blogger before or after and encourage them with a comment.

3. Share on social media. Click below to share on Twitter that you are joining us! We would love to have you follow the ministry on Twitter and Facebook as well: Soaring with Him FB Page

Which Is Better, Being Responsible or Being Faithful? Join my friend @debbieWwilson as we compare the two. Share your blog! #RechargeWednesday, #Faithful
Click To Tweet

The post Which Is Better, Being Responsible or Being Faithful? {Recharge Wednesday} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.