The journey continues

Several of my blogs recently has talked about finding joy in whatever circumstances I find myself in. This is a journey and not a one time decision. Seems that is how most things work. I was talking about forgiveness today at lunch and the conversation led to how we often talk like forgiveness is a one time act. My perception is that one decision to forgive may mean forgiving that other person daily. It doesn't happen all at once and I am not sure when you reach that point of totally forgiving someone else. To me finding joy is the same way. I made a decision to have joy in whatever situation, but each day I make the decision to actually do that. One is the mental decision and then I try to live out that decision each day. All of that to say that I'm still finding my way on that journey through the day to day decisions.

Last night several things combined that challenged my decision to find joy. I was faced with the decision to give into the old way of thinking or to search for joy where I was at. I would like to say it was an easy decision and that I got it right, but reality is that I fought finding joy. I wanted to be critical, to point the finger at someone else, to withdraw from a relationship, to justify the way I was feeling and I did... for awhile. But the cool thing about this journey is that you can pick back up even when you get sidetracked. It took me a night to realize that I needed to set aside those thoughts that pull at me and to still pursue the right things. It meant having conversations that I didn't particular want to have. It meant serving even when I didn't feel like it. It may not always be fun, but doing the right things will bring joy.

Pursuing Jesus is like that. It will be challenging. It will require effort. It will cost you. Cost you things like sacrificing your pride, your selfishness, your "rights", but man is it worth it. I don't always get that right (probably get it wrong more often than right), but it is a decision that I want to make each day. That is a journey worth pursuing. What are you going to choose to pursue today? What journey are you willing to start down today? No matter what you decide, you are heading on a journey. You get to pick the direction you are heading each day. Enjoy the journey and I hope you find joy along the way.

Joy in unexpected places

As I continue this process of finding joy in the middle of the messiness of life, the next step in that process hasn't always been what I expected. (Not that I really knew what to expect.) Last week at AZero Lane quoted Charles Spurgeon who said, "Delayed obedience is disobedience." How does that fit into joy? Not sure that I have it all figured out yet, but here is what I do know right now. God often prompts us through the Holy Spirit. That person that springs into your mind that you feel you should call or e-mail or pray for. That feeling that you are suppose to do something for a particular person and you don't really know why. That prompting to have a conversation that you really don't want to have. To serve when you don't really want to. What do we often do with those prompts? I can't speak for you, but they have often got lost in the busyness of life for me. It isn't that I don't necessarily want to do it, but more like, not right now because I am busy. I have thought that I will get to it later when I have some more time. The reality is that I usually don't find that extra time and then I just simply forget about doing whatever it was that I felt prompted to do. So we come to now. What I decided was that I wasn't really being obedient to God. I was fitting him in when it was convenient. This last week I decided that whenever I felt that nudge that I was going to do whatever it was that day. It has lead me to some spots that I didn't expect. It has lead me to have conversations that felt awkward starting. It has lead me to serve in some ways that I hadn't planned on. But the reality is that I haven't missed the time I have spent on doing these things. Matter of fact, I have been more content and found joy in doing those things. Oh, they aren't always fun but I feel that I am really pursuing what Jesus was talking about. Having Him the first priority and trusting where he is leading even when I don't have a clue where it is going to take me. It has been refreshing. So are you ready to jump in? Challenge for the next week. When you feel that prompting to have that conversation, to help someone out, to make that difficult call, whatever it is, do it that day. It may be a little awkward, but it is better than being disobedient to God.

Bonus quote from Andy Stanley. "Unexpressed gratitude communicates ingratitude." Who are you assuming knows you are grateful when you should be telling it to them instead? Someone who has impacted your life, someone who has helped you out recently, someone who encouraged you recently and you are thankful for those words or actions... let them know you are grateful, don't just assume they know. See if you assume something that just makes... well you get the point. Have an incredible day of obeying and being grateful! I am guessing that you will find joy in the day if you do.

Half-truths, white lies, and other nice names

What do you do when you feel like you have been lied to? What if it is a white lie? What if the truth is bent to make it sound more favorable, but it isn't completely false? What if it is an omission of facts to make it sound better than it really is? What if it is a lie to protect your feelings? What if...

We can debate all we want what fits under the category of a lie, but the truth is the truth. There aren't shades of truth. It is as simple as it is true or it isn't. We want the grey. We want to be able to hide behind words so we call lies things such as half-truths, white lies, fudging the truth, etc.

So how do you deal with all of the various non-truths? If you feel someone has lied to you, do you call them out on it? Do you let it go because it is only a small lie? If someone says they will do something and then doesn't, is that a lie? Do you consider their intention in determining whether it is true or not?

Seems we live looking for the loophole. We feel we are the exception to the rule. We don't want absolutes. They don't allow much wiggle room for us make ourselves feel better. Absolutes say it is true or it isn't. Wonder why we have to make it more difficult than that?

Wonder what it would take to be amazing?

What would it be like for Jesus to be amazed at something you did? I was reading the other day the story in Luke 7 that talks about a captain in the Roman army and the faith he displayed knowing that Jesus could heal his servant by simply giving the command. Think about it. This is Jesus we are talking about here. You know the one who calmed the storms simply by telling it to stop. The man who had healed tons of people by his touch. He had to be use to the amazing. But it says here that he was amazed or taken aback by this man's faith. Wonder what he thinks of my faith? Do my small tentative steps amaze him or does he wonder why I don't display an audacious faith? Did the captain realize he was doing anything amazing or was he just trying to live out what he knew? Wonder if we tried to live out the things we know we are suppose to do like loving our enemies, forgiving one another, serving the forgotten of society, encouraging one another, if he would be amazed? Sometimes I think we compare our lives to others and say we don't measure up to them, but I wonder if God isn't more concerned if we are doing what He asked us to do. What do you think? Are you living an amazing life? Aren't we suppose to be?

A contradiction?

Listening to the radio this morning I heard the song "Misery" by Maroon 5. If you don't know the song it is a peppy, upbeat song that sounds like it would be about something fun, but in reality it is talking about being in misery. Seems there is a little contradiction between the words and the music. The song reminds me of a lot of Sunday mornings at church, only there the words don't match the reality of life. Those who know me very well, know that I can't stand the question "How are you doing?" It is one of those questions that people will usually answer with a "Good" or "Fine" and not even really think about it. It is a throw away question for most people, like talking about the weather. The reason the song reminds me of Sunday mornings is because there seems to be this idea that when you step in the church building that you are suppose to be perfect. Life is great for the 1 or 2 hours that you are there. You don't have any problems, but is that reality? I've seen and heard people say how good they are doing when I know they are struggling. Marriages are in trouble, people are barely making it financially, they are struggling with depression, life is throwing all sorts of problems in their path, but they are "good". I know we can have joy in all circumstances, but isn't this the place where we are suppose to lean into other people and God? We don't want to burden others with our problems. We can handle it on our own. Show no weakness. Have it all together. Compare our problems with others and say they aren't that bad. Can't we come clean and sometimes say we love Jesus, but we are having a crappy day? Somehow we seem to think as Christians things aren't suppose to be difficult. Life is suppose to be perfect because we are chasing after Jesus. I don't think that was the promise. I think what Jesus said is that he would be there for us in the midst of it all. So as someone trying to follow the way He laid out for us, shouldn't we be there in the middle of it all for each other? Hard to do when we continue to hide behind the mask of having it all together. So do the risky thing and be transparent. Oh, some people may not know what to do with that, but continue to search for the community that will do life with you. Life has some wonderful times and other times when it is painful and difficult. Are you willing to share both of those? It is easy to share the good, but those who are willing to share their tough times with me are those I am the closest to. Let's quit hiding behind the catchy tune and really hear the words. Let's make Sunday morning more like the conversations we have when we are hanging out at the coffee house or bar. Let's lean into each other whether it is Saturday night, Sunday morning or Tuesday afternoon. Can we drop the pose of having it all together?

Tis the season

Tis the season for joy. That is what I am searching for this season. Not the Christmas season necessarily, but this season in life. To have joy in the middle of the messiness of life. This year has been one where I seem to take one step forward and then three back. During the craziness of life, I somehow lost the joy in my life. I let selfishness and my own self-absorption rob me of the joy found in the incredible things around me - the ability to be awed by God, the joy of relationships, the joy of serving, and the joy found in chasing after a life like Jesus.

What I am learning is that when it is all about me it doesn't leave much room for anyone else, including God. So how do I recapture this joy in life? Not really sure. For me it starts with the decision to find joy in the middle of all the crap in life and to have the awkward conversations. You know, the conversations that open myself up to others. Those conversations that require me to ask for forgiveness, to be challenged, to let others love and encourage me, to be transparent. Not exactly a fun process, but joy is more than just happiness. Don't get me wrong, I think happiness is part of it, but it is also way more than that. I want that joy, that even when things are tough, still lets me be content in who God is and how he made me. So the search begins. Ought to be easy to find since it is the season of joy, right?