Date to the prom; that's joy. Magna Cum Laude; more joy. First job; even more joy. Wedding day; some say the best joy. Baby's birth; is there a greater joy? Better paying job; definitely more joy than the first. Grandparent's Day breakfast; can't wait for that joy.
Memories like these create a monumental highlight reel of joy. We place stakes in the ground of our past to re-visit those accomplishments and experiences with friends and family. And aren't we all notorious for re-telling our favorite childhood memories with old friends and new acquaintances with phrases like, "Remember when we...?"
To this day, one of my favorite memories was the zip line across the driveway with rope and a horseshoe!
Unfortunately there are memories we've been charged to recount that seem more like blooper videos and blundering mistakes caused by our own ignorance, apathy, or lack of self control.
Remember that phrase in the Bible, "Count it all joy, brothers, when you enter various trials?" Many of you have probably scratched your head and wondered, "What was James thinking?" I know I have. He says trials, those moments that disrupt the natural rhythm of life, are supposed to be times that we count as joy. Yeah right!
I think most of us would agree that the devastation caused by setbacks such as bankruptcy, cancer, job loss, betrayal, and death aren't worthy of our joy. Yet, every time I read James's letter, that phrase "count it all joy" sounds more like a command than a suggestion.
But what if we removed just one word? What if we removed the word "it"?
The word "it" seems to emphasize the circumstances of the trial rather than the result the trial is actually producing. There's no way our hearts can be happy when bad things happen in life. The pain of life will always hurt. Death will always have a sting. We are wired to feel and express those emotions.
What we must learn to realize is that the trials, the pain, the hurt has purpose. You see, the joy isn't found in the trial itself. Rather, the joy is found in the character the trial is producing on the inside.
When we only experience the good things in life we rely too heavily on our own intelligence, ability, and strength. When circumstances beyond our control, the seemingly bad things in life, the things that require someone else's intervention, we experience a process of change and maturity that we would never know otherwise.
So, count all the joy that can be experienced knowing that all of life's circumstances are working in you to create a more perfect version of yourself if you'll learn to yield to the work God is doing through your glad obedience!
Showing posts with label obedience. Show all posts
Showing posts with label obedience. Show all posts
Sunday, May 15, 2016
Friday, October 09, 2015
Football Season is Here!
Football season is here! For many people in the South, football is god!
I can remember standing on the sidelines and hearing the chant, "Know what to do and DO IT!"
Players and coaches spent countless days in the weight room, watched numerous hours of game film, and trained their bodies and minds for the play calls in practice all to prepare themselves for the physical war under the "Friday Night Lights."
Every routine play and even the trick plays were rehearsed in practice. How could the result not be a 1st down? They can repeat the opponents' play calling in their sleep. How could they not get a defensive stop on 3rd and long?
Life is no different. There's a coach, a playbook, a team, and an opponent. What on earth could de-rail our team from experiencing optimal success? Two things; ignorance and apathy.
So, ignorance is simply not knowing what to do. There are many reasons a player may fail to do the right thing, but he cannot do what he does not know. Maybe he was distracted. Maybe he was absent. Maybe he just didn't understand the play being called. Nevertheless, his inability to fulfill his obligation to the team left him wavering in the ranks of irresponsible behavior.
Apathy is refusing to do something in light of knowing the routine and the results. This player knows the responsibility of the position but is choosing to act independently of those expectations. Pride, inconvenience, or a lack of self control are often indicators leading to apathy. And apathetic tendencies always lead to results that are off course.
How do we overcome two of the most fundamental flaws of any team?
It's simple; obedience. We refuse to be ignorant; we choose to learn and become a student of the game. We refrain from apathy; our responsibility to this team trumps any rights we believe we have as an individual. We submit ourselves to the authority of leadership, to the unity of this team, and to the plausibility of its practices to develop a more cohesive design for success in this game.
This statement, "Know what to do and do it," is more than the MO for a sports team; it's the MO for God's army in the war we face in life. James 4:17 states, "Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." The only way we can guarantee victory over the struggles in life is to identify the voice of our commander and obey with unwavering vigor and resolve!
I can remember standing on the sidelines and hearing the chant, "Know what to do and DO IT!"
Players and coaches spent countless days in the weight room, watched numerous hours of game film, and trained their bodies and minds for the play calls in practice all to prepare themselves for the physical war under the "Friday Night Lights."
Every routine play and even the trick plays were rehearsed in practice. How could the result not be a 1st down? They can repeat the opponents' play calling in their sleep. How could they not get a defensive stop on 3rd and long?
Life is no different. There's a coach, a playbook, a team, and an opponent. What on earth could de-rail our team from experiencing optimal success? Two things; ignorance and apathy.
So, ignorance is simply not knowing what to do. There are many reasons a player may fail to do the right thing, but he cannot do what he does not know. Maybe he was distracted. Maybe he was absent. Maybe he just didn't understand the play being called. Nevertheless, his inability to fulfill his obligation to the team left him wavering in the ranks of irresponsible behavior.
Apathy is refusing to do something in light of knowing the routine and the results. This player knows the responsibility of the position but is choosing to act independently of those expectations. Pride, inconvenience, or a lack of self control are often indicators leading to apathy. And apathetic tendencies always lead to results that are off course.
How do we overcome two of the most fundamental flaws of any team?
It's simple; obedience. We refuse to be ignorant; we choose to learn and become a student of the game. We refrain from apathy; our responsibility to this team trumps any rights we believe we have as an individual. We submit ourselves to the authority of leadership, to the unity of this team, and to the plausibility of its practices to develop a more cohesive design for success in this game.
This statement, "Know what to do and do it," is more than the MO for a sports team; it's the MO for God's army in the war we face in life. James 4:17 states, "Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." The only way we can guarantee victory over the struggles in life is to identify the voice of our commander and obey with unwavering vigor and resolve!
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