I'm not actually going to tell people about this blog until I can establish the habit of writing in it. That way, I won't feel quite as dumb if I also fail miserably at this. :) On the internet, it's cool to use cryptic symbols to fain the semblance of real face-to-face interaction. It's also fun to use big words that make me sound smarter than I really am.
I guess I should really title this post "Things I Think God Might be Telling Me" because when you say "God told me to ..." you pretty much take out any room for someone to tell you that you're wrong. Sure, God speaks, but I can mess up the whole listening part sometimes. It's always good to leave room for a little input from people who are more mature in the Lord to tell you that you're being stupid. Plus, if you look at the people in the Old Testament who said "God told me something" and then ended up having just made it up, they got stoned to death. I like rocks a lot - when I can climb on them. But, having them thrown in my general direction sounds kinda bad.
Anyway, it's too easy to get distracted when I'm not actually writing to anyone. So, here are a few things I think God may possibly be telling me.
1) Let my time seeking the Lord in the mornings drive my schedule and my whole day. So many times I let key appointments or scheduled events drive my schedule & how diligent I decide to be on a given day. A friend told me the other day that my time with God should be the unchanging daily discipline that keeps everything else on track and productive, not some other external factor I can't control.
2) Make appointments and fill most of the "empty" or "flexible" time in my schedule so that time doesn't just "drift" away on really useful, but often not so critical things.
3) Being a responsible adult is not bad, sad, or boring. (Yes, us teen ministry people have to tell ourselves this.) If we follow Jesus Christ and His purpose for our lives, being a responsible adult isn't boring, it's valiant. It's something to inspire the students in our ministry to attain to. It should be a picture of the resolve and purpose of people like Daniel, David, Paul, and Jesus himself. That "crazy dedicated sports guy" or the "super disciplined military guy" are always much more inspiring in the movies than the "laid back but humorously friendly dude next door."
4) Nothing is too difficult for God. On this note, watch "Facing the Giants". It's super inspirational, just endure through the first part where they were still getting used to the whole acting concept. This movie gave me a practical picture of how little we expect from our selves, the people we disciple, and God. If a coach can push a student to the point of pain to be a better football player, why can't I push a student to memorize a Bible verse that will change his life? If a teacher can push a student so much that they'd stay up late to finish a project, why can't I push a student to commit an extra hour every week to help lead an evangelistic discussion where several of her friends may eventually receive Jesus into their lives? My job is partly to be a friend, but it's more to make people better.
We can do more than we think because we have God's grace. If we don't do more than the average person, we're not pushing enough and we're not trusting enough. God wants to make us successful in situations we never even thought we could get into. (Jeremiah 12:5) And, if I fail, feel bad, or get into difficult circumstances, I will still praise God.
If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out,how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?
5. I often feel like I myself am a failure whenever I fail at some specific thing or whenever I am weak. This happens because I'm so proud to think that I'm perfect and should be able to do everything perfectly. This starts with a pride that says "I'm perfect. I can't do anything wrong. I'm better than you." Then, of course, I fail and the pride says, "I'm worthless. I'm a failure. I can't do anything right." Then, my pride defends itself saying, "At least you're worse than me because you do this so badly and I do this other thing so well" Then, I get into an annoying cycle when I fail again at the next thing.
So, how can I quit being stupid and prideful like this? The apostle Paul talks about his weakness in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10.
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
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