Were they thinking, as I often do, about just making it through today?
Were they thinking of the rest of the days activities and what must be accomplished once they leave this building later today? Ball practice, band practice, tutoring, something for dinner, a couple of loads of laundry, homework, church, AWANAS, answering emails, returning telephone calls, etc, etc, etc.
And then I thought to myself :
Do they ever wonder why we do these same things every day?
Do they wonder why we are here?
Do they get bored with the cycle of Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. ? Nothing really changing except for the seasons, which themselves repeat too.
Do they ever wonder why we do this over and over and over? Do they think beyond the day at hand looking for the purpose of living in it?
My question for you is - Why ARE we here? Why do we keep repeating Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, etc?
I know the “Christian” answer. Most of you are thinking what we have always been taught, “We are here to glorify God.” And we are.
But more specifically, more personally, I am here to make a difference. So are you.
Jesus made a difference.
Contrary to the way I often live, I am not here to just merely survive to the end of the day, falling into bed totally exhausted. I am sad to say, often exhausted from running through a day totally void of eternal meaning. Useless Exhaustion. Exhaustion that accomplished nothing for the Kingdom.
I am here to make a difference. I am here so that He can make a difference.
As long as there is new life being birthed into this world, I have a purpose. You have a purpose.
That purpose? To make a difference in someone’s life. To move someone’s day from the “blah” level to the glimmer of hope level.
I can do that. You can do that.
How?
Think of some ways you can make a difference in the every day and post your ideas for us to read. It would be wonderful to have a toolbox full of ideas on hand ready to bless someone else in our experiences “Beyond Sunday Morning”.
God, I have a purpose. You are my purpose. Others experiencing You is my purpose. It is not enough to simply survive through each day, retreating into my home at the end of it, shutting the rest of the world out like they don’t exist. Surviving in relation to this subject is not really a positive word is it? You want us to thrive, not just survive. Thrive on the life and vitality that You bring into us. We have such a gift to give, such hope to share, such a difference to make, even if only to just one. Father, don’t just show me, knock me down with opportunities to make a real difference in the lives of those around me. Then YOU WILL BE GLORIFIED. Survival is not enough. Surviving leaves me with nothing left to give the ones I meet. I need to THRIVE, so that I have extra hope to share with the hearts void of Hope itself. I don’t want this to be a prayer that ends at the end of this post, Holy Spirit, bring it to the forefront of my thoughts, readily upon my mind and heart. Use me, Jesus, to accomplish your will.
Royal Princess Daughter Of The King
One of the things we discussed last night in Youth was something that was mentioned at our Marriage Conference. Debbie said "Good is the enemy of Great."
ReplyDeleteThat's very simple, but so profound at the same time. Brett's challenge was to examine ourselves and see what ways we are settling for good instead of striving for great.
My heart and passion in this life is to share Christ. I love being able to talk about what He has done in my life and about the things that He is showing me daily.
Prayer is something that God has showed me a lot about this past year. One of the things I do each day is go to the Operation:World website and prayer for the country listed for the day. If I don't pray for that, I make an intentional search for different ministries to be in prayer for.
It's the most powerful tool God has given us, but it is also the least used. Praying daily, I believe can make a difference.
Thanks, this post has given me a lot to think about today.
One of the ways I try to make a difference in the everyday comings and goings of life is, I try to be patient with the person behind the counter or the one waiting on me. I never know what kind of day they have had and I try to encourage them by being the customer that was nice. Maybe the next time I see them they will remember that and look forward to waiting on me again.
ReplyDeleteTodd
I must agree, that making a difference requires us stopping looking at ourselves, and our situation, and praying God gives us ears to focus on others, and eyes to see others. I think we're exposed to so much everyday, we're just numb to it, or to self-centered to realize. Or worse, to lazy to want to make a difference, that might make us have to work harder, or uncomfortable.
ReplyDeleteGod sets our days full of divine appointments, we just have to be in tune with Him, and sensitive to Him to show us. Then follow thru with obedience.
This is a constant prayer of mine, I'm am selfish, lazy, and comfortable all to much to be willing to be used by God to make a difference and touch the world. I settle for good, when He has great plans for my day.
When we are willing to step outside of our comfort zones into a new trust and level of obedience to Christ, The closeness, the unity of our spirits, the new passion that becomes of it, is exactly what our "normal" is supposed to look like. So we walk away blessed, and more complete. My prayer, for myself, and for my sister I'm praying for these next couple weeks is to make this our normal...not settle any longer.
So...I want to share a book of wonderful ideas of being focused on others. "Give this Christmas away" By Matthew West. Its at lifeway. It might have things specifically to Christmas, but so much can be used for just concepts to work towards, or make time for, any time of the year. Things like, writing a letter, Putting your buggy back at the grocery/store, looking people in the eye and smiling as you pass them, not getting the closest parking spot, making a meal for your spouse whose running late, buying someone elses dinner at a restaurant, etc etc. Great thoughts to get our imaginations going :)
ReplyDeleteI am a very task oriented, check the list off kind of person - in a wierd way!:) However, in my stack of "to do today", I keep a blank sheet of paper that has my name signed at the bottom. This reminds me everyday as I go through my list of things to do that my life today is a blank sheet of paper that God wants to fill in so that when the day is done, I can sign my name knowing that I have done what he has planned for me. If you try this, BEWARE! The sheet of paper will tend to end up at the bottom of the stack that you never get to. I have to purposefully keep pulling it up to the top so that I keep a proper focus. Some of my favorite days have been when I run across that blank sheet of paper and put the rest of the stack away for the day! I dare you to try it!
ReplyDeleteBrittany