I would like to continue the discussion from the previous post.... I would like to focus some things that Dale and Brent said.
Dale said, “When it comes to callings...and doors of opportunities....and all that stuff that we construct to create some valid reason why we don't obey God...well, I just don't believe in those things anymore.”
Pastor Dale told me something along the same lines when I first got to Rhode Island and it has challenged me in every area of my life. He told me that so often we wait for an “open door” but scripture doesn’t really talk about open doors. If the door is not open, then try a window, and if we can’t find a window...then run as hard as we can through the wall and try to break through the wall. If can’t break the wall and we die from the impact of hitting it, then at least the wall is a little weaker and will be a little easier for the next person to break through.
When I first visualized that I thought...wow, how many opportunities have I missed because I had no door to walk through? I mean, I do not even know when I developed the attitude that I needed God to “open doors” but I remember praying from a young age that God would show me His will by opening and closing doors. Imagine what would have happened in the early church if they waited for open doors? They gave their lives to spread the gospel because there were no open doors...they broke through the walls.
Dale also said, “I propose that we all take our lives and hit this world as hard as we can. Yep, it will cost us our lives.” Spending our lives is something that goes completely against the grain of American culture. Our culture is constantly trying to make our lives more comfortable and easier to live. The “American Dream” is defined by many as the ability to acquire wealth. Even within the church, we counsel our kids to pick careers that will help them achieve “success” and often they chose paychecks over passion. If we, as believers and followers of Christ, are not spending our lives to impact this world...then what are we saving it for? Why are we building ourselves into a box with satin cushions...why are we obsessed with comfort? That comfortable, cushioned box I lived in was nothing more then a coffin. A friend of mine recently told me that he wants to “live his life without borders.” That is what I want to do...live my life without borders. I want to take my life and hit this world as hard as I can. Is my life more valuable then others? Is my comfort more important then sharing love and life with others who are in desperate need?
Brent made the comment, (refering to the great commission) “...so why don't we at every opportunity given to us?” I loved that. You know, this opportunity to Africa is not a once and a lifetime opportunity. The opportunity to go into any part of this world is always there (you can always go by yourself or create your own trip), but at what point in our lives are we going to just do it? I want to take every opportunity to share the message of Christ with people. I want to take every opportunity to love those who have never really experienced love. The trip I am taking to Tanzania is something that I know God can and will use me in...I will be able to love on these kids who have grown up on the streets and share Christ with Muslims and people who do not know God—I also know he will awaken my eyes, hands, heart, and soul to what real need is and what I really need to do to impact this world. I want to take, like Brent said, “every opportunity given” to me to change this world.
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I think we don't becuase we're scared to. I also think that alot of people consider only the "big" things to be doing things for GOD... I think we need to keep in mind that GOD uses the small things too. Sometimes it's not a door, sometimes it is only a little window... but it's still an area where GOD can be made known to others through us.
Hey... sorry about this morning... sometimes there are just too many thoughts in one head... i needed to clear it out... Thanks for being such a great friend!
pastor dale... you and jen have helped encourage my passions greatly this summer. I am thankful for the opportunity to know your family as well!
kat...I love what you said about it being an "area where God can be made known to others through us." I hope that happens daily in each of our lives. (you can clear out your thoughts on me anytime :) You're a great friend as well!)
You know, I was reading a journal entry of mine from a few years back earlier today, and reading your post was just a refresher. Or maybe God was preparing me to read your post by reading that journal entry...
I'd like to share it with you.
Saturday July 12, 2003
I have had a lot of time to deliberate on the topic of my future. With the thinking, the soul-searching, and prayer, I've discovered that I wish someone could just tell me what to do next.
Why do I feel or, rather, why does it seem that God is quiet when the stakes are so high? Abram wandered in the wilderness; Joseph spent 14 years in prison; the disciples in the boat going to Genessaret. Why doesn't He say something? I know that it is profound, and simply, true that if God gave us everything we needed to get where He wants us to go, we'd attempt to get there on our own.
With all apologies, the joy can't simply be in the journey alone.
There must be some struggle between who I was and who I am and who I am to become. If I'm headed for the better then why does who I was seem a wiser and more spiritually astute person than who I am is?
I seem so lost. I am distant from myself. I do not know who I am. I know who I am supposed to be. I know who I try to be. But why isn't that me?
I'm ready to grow up, I just don't know how.
A husband for Dennae! I get to be like the guy that walks up with the ring on a pillow!
I'm regretting not deciding to go to Mexico with you guys until it was too late. I'll see you all soon!
Right now I'm having fun in the mission field we live in...but am I getting too comfortable? AH! :)
Maybe the "door/window/wall" metaphor isn't appropriate to the relationship and action between God and mankind.
Jesus called himself the "gate" through which we (the sheep) would enter, and also the good shepherd who would lead us once we went through.
I know utter passivity isn't a tenable course either, but I wonder if this "must do, must accomplish, must break through" mindset isn't more an outgrowth of the rich and powerful "doing" North American culture than true spirituality.
I'm not trying to be discouraging, just presenting a different viewpoint from the vantage of many years of wrestling with the same questions. Best of luck in your walk. Keep trying things... we have no idea what's going on behind the scenes, even when something looks like a "dead-end"... even when it looks like a "success". God has different measuring cups! ;)
madcapmum brought out and interesting idea with her thought of: "but I wonder if this "must do, must accomplish, must break through" mindset isn't more an outgrowth of the rich and powerful "doing" North American culture than true spirituality."
Perhaps it stems a bit from that mentality. But are we willing to let the third world to the south, the east and even to the west, as well as those parts that no one wants to admit exist in North America continue to languish while offering physical aid alone?
James 1:29..."Pure religion is this, that you care for the orphans, and visit the widows..." In other words, it's caring for those who can't care for themselves.
Whether or not opportunities simply arise, are presented, or are personally created is a lame argument. We are called to go- wherever there is injustice; we are called to preach and teach- wherever there is need; we are called to baptize- wherever there are believers; etc.
Thanks for the post Dennea. We should finish our conversation sometime.
David
I'm reading over my comment and trying to understand why you're presenting it as an argument in favour of letting anyone "languish" in any fashion whatsoever.
If you disagree that God doesn't call us all to perpetual busy-ness, that's fine, but please don't put a spin on my comment to imply that I'm advocating the dereliction of love and responsibility. I look at my own life and at scripture, and I realize that God's timing doesn't always fit in with my own sense of urgency, and we do well to attune ourselves to the pace the Spirit is setting. I'd argue that pace isn't always easy to discern, and there have certainly been those gone before me in the last 2000 years who would concur.
According to scripture, Moses spent what - 40 years moping in the desert with his sheep before staging the exodus? Was that because he wasn't hearing God's voice, or was it because it wasn't God's time? I'd say the latter, but that's my opinion, of course.
I would actually argue that the "languishing" attitude is more an offshoot of the North American mindset, not the tendency for "perpetual business". How busy are most American Christians at working the Great Commission? Sure we are busy with life, but not necessarily with what really matters from and eternal perspective.
I believe our church culture has evolved to the point where we delegate ministry to "professional ministers". We can sit back in good conscience and tell ourselves that our tithes and offerings are paying a pastor to be a minister.
In reality, the only people who are not called to ministry are those we presently call ministers. The role of a Pastor is to "equip the saints for the work of the ministry and the edification of the body". It is the body's job to do the ministry, not the Pastor's.
Let's not be busy for the sake of business. Let's rather make sure our lives have significance because we are pouring them into the lives of others and reaching the lost with the awesome good news.
I am in agreement with Dennis...I think that this feeling of "must do/must accomplish/must breakthrough" is the Spirit leading us on into the fullness of what He wants us to accomplish. Yes, Moses waited on the Lord for 40 +/- years in the wilderness before going back to Egypt, and I know the lord was preparing his heart in leading bleating sheep to lead the whining sheep that would be the Children of Israel...and God was pursueing and preparing him all along! Jesus, in His earthly ministry, didn't really start publically until He was 30 years old...are we to assume that those 30 years were wasted time? Even Jesus, after the ressurection, told the disciples to "wait" in the upper room for the Comforter who would guide them into all truth! So, yes there is a time of waiting in everyone's life...I really think it is how the Lord helps us to learn many of the principles of His Word. It's when waiting becomes habit, and habit becomes comfort, and comfort becomes apathy...that's what we have to guard our hearts against, and I think that is what the Spirit of God is speaking to the hearts of His people at this moment...especially in the "North American" culture of "doing". I just realized, as a person who struggled with being 'task oriented', or in other words a doer, that doing for doing's sake could be just as apathetic in nature, if we are not careful to actually do the divine, God appointed opportunities, and not be so busy doing other things that we miss those opportunities! This is just an opinion from someone who is waiting...and at the same time trying to take every opportunity the Lord brings...
Brent
David, thank you for sharing your journal entry. It was very powerful.
Allison, I am looking forward to hearing all about Mexico. I love what you said about your life being "spent." What a great visual of making a concious decision to live each day...not just wake up one day and realize years have passed you by. You're right--"this" is what we should be doing all the time. And we can. It doesn't matter our occupation, how little or much free time we have, or how receptive or unreceptive people seem around us...we can minister to their hearts all the time. (and I have no clue what you and Eddie are talking about...and I don't think I want to know either...remember the cooties thing? :))
You guys are all such awesome people... it makes me want to move back there so much more! Ok... I just wanted to say that the "open door" thing you wrote was really good. I SO do not want to live a comfortable life! I want to be a world-changer and it's so encouraging to be reminded that I'm not the only one.
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