Don't Wanna

Some days there are things that I just don't want to do. That is probably not a revelation, but is more of a statement that we can all identify with. We don't want to go to work, don't want to respond courteously when we have been treated rudely, don't want to be patient as we wait in lines, don't want to work out or eat  right, and don't want to have confrontations with anyone. There are probably more things in a day that we don't want to do than those that we are eager to attack.

Benefit is found in the discipline of doing the right thing anyway. Getting up earlier than your body desires so you can read the Word and spend some focused time in prayer, getting on the exercise bike even though you want to sleep on the couch, and responding with genuine interest to someones recap of their day are all examples of developing the right disciplines. They help you form habits that overcome the lack of desire we often feel for doing the right thing even when it's difficult to muster the appropriate enthusiasm. There is a payoff that makes it worthwhile and the immediate satisfaction of completion is more desirable than the regret from doing nothing.

Self Talk

I think most of us have a habit of talking to ourselves at one time or another. It might be when we are looking for something we can't seem to locate, trying to organize things around us, or talking as we try to remember why we went into a room in the first place. While these are not harmful on their own (unless you are in the presence of law enforcement or medical professionals) the concept of self-talk is real and can inflict damage that has a lasting effect.

We develop a habit of self-talk that stems from our life experiences. It is the voice that reinforces our negative characteristics and flaws and holds us back from healthy relationships and self-image. It can also be the whispers of lies that we believe because we have heard them for so long that they start to sound like truth. Neither of these are healthy for us and can poison our value of ourselves and ultimately create dysfunctional relationships with those around us. It's a trap that I have learned to recognize, but not due powerful foresight, but painfully learned hindsight.

The remedy for this malady is found in listening to the true, compassionate voice of our Father. He speaks His unfailing, unconditional love over us. He whispers of His mercies that are new every morning and His grace that is given to cover our sins. It is a spiritual discipline of eliminating all other voices (including our own) so that we can hear what God is waiting to speak.

An Apparent Contradiction

Isn't it frustrating when you try to do something right and yet fail? It's like setting up a diet & exercise plan that only lasts for three days. It's that old behavioral pattern that you have promised to avoid and yet you're back in it the moment the opportunity arises. It describes that addiction you have worked so hard to control--substances, pornography, work, people-pleasing--and yet it controls you the moment you let your guard down. The frustration increases when it violates the declaration you have made to live your life for Christ. 

When we attempt to make these corrections based solely on our own will power we are only successful for short periods of time. It's why the permanent solution is found in the power of sustainability that is found only in authentic relationship with Christ. He gives us strength to break the pattern of a life of contradiction where we declare allegiance with our mouth yet struggle against the influence of sin.

Flip a Coin

After wrapping up our series on the Sermon on the Mount this morning by sharing a two-headed sermon with Mike, I am reflecting on the concept of choices. We are obviously faced with them all day long--some of them quite simple (what to eat/wear) & others quite complex (financial opportunities, relationship decisions, choosing to follow Christ, etc.) There is no doubt however, that our future will be a sum of the choices of our past. While that may sound obvious, I think that we neglect to give careful consideration to that principle. We can become so flippant about making choices that we fail to see how the options we have available to us tomorrow are based upon the decisions we make today.

• Relationships with our family can be negative or positive based on how we choose to treat them
• Our financial future can be negatively or positively impacted by how we choose to spend today
• Career opportunities can be enhanced or decreased by (un)ethical decisions
• Our character can be strengthened or weakened by how we choose to treat those around us
• Spiritual development can increase or decrease as a reflection of our devotion today
• We can gain the right to speak God's truth to people that need to hear it because we have earned that right through Christ-like compassion and genuine love today

We will not always choose correctly, but we can hopefully make choices with healthier intentions for tomorrow if we realize the magnitude of what we are building on each day.

Take a Step-Part 2

As a follow up to my previous post, I have been meditating on practical next steps. There is nothing fancy about any of this, but it should encourage us to know that we can begin to move forward even in small ways. The journey of a 1,000 miles begins with that first step.

• Find some way to exercise today-even if it is walking around the block.
• Eat less food & make better choices for your meals today.
• Ask your children what they want to do & do it with them.
• Don't spend money on something just because you want it. 
• Take a deep breath instead of responding to your spouse in anger or frustration. Think the best of them & not the worst.
• Pray--even if it is one sentence.
• Read your Bible--start in John 1 and simply read it. Then ask the question, "What can I do with what I just read?"
• Tell your spouse you love them.
• Turn off your computer and walk away from the distractions that keep you from engaging with people around you.

Take the first small step today and then add to it tomorrow. It's the only practical way that progress and transformation are ever seen.

Take a Step

I read a tweet this morning from Relevant Magazine that said, "You don't have to decide what you are going to do for the next 20 years. You just have to decide what you are going to do next." It isn't a revolutionary thought, but can actually be helpful for our personal development. We can sometimes become so easily overwhelmed with the work associated with change that we give up before we even start. It can be helpful to simply think about the next step you can take & then take action. It reflects a goal that is probably not attainable in a 24 hour period, but to be reached must begin today. 

Get Real

I was looking at a blog this morning that was simply pictures from a week of camp hosted in my hometown of Daytona Beach. It was from NewSpring Church's summer camp, "Gauntlet" and the 2600 campers & volunteers that were part of the week. I sat with tears in my eyes watching pictures roll by of young people being baptized in the ocean, engaging in worship, laughing with each other, and sitting under powerful teaching. It inspired me in so many ways to see their reactions to all of their experiences.

I wondered why it impacted me so much until I realized it was because what I was seeing was genuine. There is something about authenticity that is so attractive it stirs up our emotions and engages our curiosity. It is the pull of a magnet that we almost can't describe--a feeling deep within us that makes us want what we are seeing. 

It is the reason that we are struggling to see Christ as the Lord of this city. We have to strip away our carefully constructed facades and admit that we are struggling people who desperately need grace and recognize that it comes through Jesus Christ alone. When we mobilize people who are passionate about this and willing to be honest we will start to see a revival in our city unlike anything this region has witnessed before. Are we willing to be that humble?