Seeking, Searching and Simplifying

Every year at our church, we take 40 days during the beginning of the year to set aside time to seek God. Now, I know this can sound a little weird because “Who knew God needed to be found?”, but it’s actually scriptural: Heb 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. We call this time “seeking time”.

In the past, seeking time for me has been all about denying my flesh (fasting), feeding my spirit (praying), feeding my soul (reading the bible) and communing with God (worshiping). I’ve created elaborate plans and schedules to be sure I prayed 40 hours each week, or spent 25 hours every week in worship, or what have you. I’ve even gotten into pride over the amount of praying and fasting that I’ve done and had to spend time fasting in secret repentance.   You see, it’s always been about “mortifying the deeds of the body”; through denying the body of food, you’re letting it know that you – the real you – is in control. Then, you are better able to live your life for God without the constant struggles of the “flesh” – what we would call the carnal nature, or the old, un-regenerated man.

This year is a little different for me. It seems to be all about simplifying my relationship with God. He is in me and I am in Him. Where in previous years, my main concern was denying myself, this year, my main concern is searching out where God is in things. God is in my everyday life – I believe this to be true – but where can I see him? Where can I hear Him? God is concerned with my health and my happiness – but where is He when I overeat? Where is He when I argue with the people I love?

Now – I know that He IS there, that’s not the real question – the question is, what does He think about my life? Where is He actively participating in my life? Where would He like to be a part and I’m not letting Him?

New Year’s Limbo

It’s a new year. Bright, shiny and new.

I love the idea that at the stroke of midnight, every December 31st, some mythical slate is wiped clean and we get to start all over again. Despite my cynicism and skepticism, I’m still optimistic enough to want to believe that it’s true – and therefore it is. So, with a sigh of relief, we wave goodbye and good riddance to 2009, and look towards 2010 with bated breath, while we take a moment to revel in New Year’s Limbo.

Today, we can ask with total abandon, “2010, what do you hold in store for us? What opportunities, what set-backs, what joys and what sorrows?” That’s the magic of New Year, everything is exciting – even future sorrows – because they’re future. They are to come. The past is behind us, the future has not arrived, and we are standing in this moment in time truly experiencing the now.

I think if I practiced a ritual as pointless as making New Year’s Resolutions, this year mine would be to maintain this New Year’s Limbo every single day. Or to quote a wiser man than myself, “forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before (Phil 3:13)”. Then, while standing in this place of limbo -  this in-between place -  taking the opportunity to truly “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus (Phil 3:14)”.

So today, it’s all about Limbo. How low can you go?

Humility and Leadership

Sometimes these words can sound like antonyms.

The humble man makes himself of no account, submits readily to others and does not push his own agenda. The leader is confident, assertive and knows what needs to be done and how to get it done. The humble man knows that it’s only through the grace and mercy of God that anything good or perfect can be done. The leader understands that because of the sacrifice of Jesus, WE are now the righteousness of God and have the grace and power to do all that He has put in our hearts to do.

See, they sound contrary one to the other. And most people identify readily with one or the other. Which one you lean towards will depend on any number and variety of circumstances. However, the descriptions I just gave don’t have to be of two separate men! The goal is to lead from a place of humility. Jesus said it over and over again – Follow me. And then He said only what He heard the Father say and did only what He saw the Father do. He didn’t preach His own message, but the message of the Kingdom of God.

One of my favorite quotes that I came back from Catalyst with was from Chuck Swindoll – “Humility fosters a life of peace and rest. Over-confidence in your own abilities will burn you out.”

So, if you’re tired, stressed and on the verge of burn out – stop right now and ask yourself: what am I doing in my own strength? Where am I not walking in love? Where have I allowed pride to creep in? If you answer these questions honestly, and ask Holy Ghost to show you the things about yourself that you can’t see, you may be surprised at how far off track you’ve gotten without even noticing.

Let It Be – Too

As a follow-up to my last post, I realized that I left out possibly the most important part of “I gotta be me”, and that is – I gotta let others be THEM.

It’s easy for us to defend our right to be ourselves, but harder to remember that others have that same right.

I’ve noticed that I have a hard time seeing people as they really are. Us self-absorbed human beings tend to define the people in our lives solely by their relationship to us.

• That’s MY husband. He lives with ME. He works all day, then comes home to talk to ME about US.
• That’s my Spiritual Leader. He leads ME. He teaches ME. He’s concerned about MY well-being and that I’M happy and fulfilled in life.
• That’s MY God. He saved ME. He made ME to be His righteousness. Even if no one else ever accepted Jesus, He still would have done it just for ME.

While there’s nothing inherently wrong with any of these statements, I think that most of us stop there and forget that all of these people have a life, purpose and meaning beyond what they can do for ME. I believe that I’m on a path that will one day end with me being able to look at people and see the plan and purpose for God in their lives without me in the forefront of the picture.

Let It Be

Not only a great song by The Beatles. Words to live by.

If you’re one of the few people who read this blog and don’t also read Heretics and/or Ricky Patrick, I recommend checking out some of their most recent posts (links to their blogs are on my blogroll to the right) because the most recent ones “The Leadership Conundrum” and “Believe the Best” are what have sparked this post from me.

Last week, a group of us leaders from GBF went to the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta. A leadership conference geared toward the young leaders in today’s church. There were some great presentations, great music, great preaching and teaching, loads of ideas, programs and innovations for us to experience.

I think it’s interesting that every person I’ve asked “What was your #1 take away from Catalyst” the answer has been different. One person said, “The whole conference was about how much being a leader sucks.” Another said, “The whole conference was about how much we need each other and how important relationships are.” For me, the whole conference was centered on and inspired by humility – remembering that, while we strive to be our very best, we have to remember that our very best is as filthy rags. We are nothing and can do nothing separate from the mercy, grace and power of God.

It’s been a week now since Catalyst ended, and I’ve had time to ponder what I heard, discuss thoughts and ideas with friends and colleagues, and search my own heart. And I’ve come to the conclusion that I just need to let myself be me. That’s one of those statements that seems simple and obvious, but in application, actually becomes complicated and somehow elusive. We define ourselves by so many criteria, it’s easy to become distracted or even overwhelmed by the myriad of possibilities and options.

I think that I have recently been caught up in the idea of “being a leader” rather than being caught up in following after God. When I focus in on God, and do all that He has put in my heart to do, I look around and there are people following me with excitement, energy and expectation. But when I notice them, then stop and turn to them in order to “develop” them, suddenly I’ve stopped leading and the momentum dries up. I know that I’m never going to be Francis Chan, or Kari Jobe or Marie Hendrix. And that’s OK, because I’m not SUPPOSED to be them, I’m supposed to be ME.

Now, for the pilgrimage to discover just who the heck that is…