Thursday, December 17, 2009

A Joyful People

Our Pastor talked about being a joyful people but also about "losing your song". To listen to the message in it's entirety, click on my title. That will take you to the Church Web Site and you can both view and hear the message. Everything he shared is so in my heart and I was sitting on the edge of my seat trying not to jump out and shout out loud "amens!"

I just finished re-listening to the message and took note in my journal. Thing is that I took over 16 pages of notes! So, I will condense it even further and share with you the highlights.

Summary:

God has made us to be in relationships and out of that relationship God has so designed us so that we are to have the resources, the gifts the capabilities so that we can step into that which He has for us. In that place, joy comes from living and operating out of our sweet spot.

But, so often we find: "When the demands of life exceed the resources of what you bring to the table, over an extended time then depression most inevitably follows." (Burning the wick, not the wax!)

Remember a time in your life when you felt the most satisfied, when life was fun and not a drudgery. I bet it will have been a time in your life when your giftings intersected with your calling. You were operating out of your true self. You felt the wind of the Holy Spirit blowing underneath you and you were flying. None of us can "stay" there all of the time but have had moments when we have put our feet up, sighed and said: "Life is good!" It isn't that we are not working. Actually, we could be working very hard. But because the work was coming from the core of where we are most alive, our sweet spot, work is a joy! Such joy is life when it is lived out of the places in which we are intended to live.

The reality is though, that we live in a broken, fallen world cut off from God. Think of a child running home to show off a newly drawn picture to parents. Rather then encourage the child, they attack the efforts. We live in a society were others try and knock us down a peg or two as they may judge that we are ego driven (so they are helping us to be humble). Ugh! This can cause us to run out of steam, we become discouraged and a hopelessness can set in. This is why there are so many addictions. And so many of us have lost our Song.

You will burn out when:

  • you are no longer living in who God has created you to be
  • you have to deny your true self in order to please the others who around you
  • your resources are not sufficient for all the demands that are being made of you
Good news: The Gospel can Restore our Song
The "computer" of your life now becomes plugged into the power-grid. Drawing from an infinite source stuff happens:
  • your dead battery gets recharged!
  • the broken places are restored!
  • as He restores you, you find the places in your heart where you are truly you, uniquely gifted, and He invites you to fly!!
Sometimes our defense mechanisms kick in and we try to hide these places because last time we let them show they were attacked and we had to run away and hide in a cave just to live. Walls may have been built and the only real living is done at night in the safety of the home and for some only in their dreams. God CAN step into those places. He can and He would say: This is who you are. This is who I have made you to be. These are your passions, these are your longings! Don't let anyone shame you. Don't let anyone be your God! I am your God and I am calling you forth! *preach it Pastor, preach it* As you hear His voice, step into it with fear and trembling and God will meet you there.

As you begin to practice those muscles, those facilities that have so died, amazingly God brings them back to life and we become stronger. We can start holding our own again in our world. Then God places us in Christian community. If it is functioning the way that it should, where God is present, where God's Grace abounds, where people truly love each other and rejoice with each others successes. Rather than being secretly gleeful about others failures, where people can come along side me like a parent with a child and encourage even after a failure. They can celebrate my victories with me, encourage me to find my own sweet-spot and fly. THAT is what the Church should be!

Challenge:

We live in a world of stress. The temptation for some is to just curl up in a ball and limit our world as stress increases it's demands on us. This stress seems to reveal the flaws that we have and we don't want others to see that! As our world seems to grow more "cranky" what a time for us to try to abide with Christ and live a full life, with Jesus in overflow of Grace and love.


Questions:
  • What are the places in my life that I have shut down because life was too hard?
  • Where is the Holy Spirit nudging me, encouraging me to step out, and take wise risks?
  • What is the part of my heart that I have hidden in the deep basement that I need to bring up into the open so that my gifts are not lost to me and to all God's people?

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*last time I shared a message from my church I had a nasty comment left, someone arguing points with me. May I remind you that this is MY Blog which reflects my passions and my thoughts and opinions. Mean comments will not be published*

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4 comments:

Jen said...

Lots of great stuff, I'll have to listen to the message now!

Patty said...

I love you baby sissy! Miss you!

Lori said...

I just happened upon your blog and found this such a remarkable post. I have worked very hard in the last 18 months to focus on God in my life to move on, find joy and peace. Funny thing like you said others then want to knock you back down. I was meant to see this post tonight, I thank God for what ever drove me to it. I sincerely want to add you to my sidebar, I feel blessed tonight to have made your acquaintance. Have a very Happy New year, and thank you! Lori

Shaun and Holly said...

Lori,
I am so excited that this post ministered to you so!! I am very thankful for my Pastor and this message that he spoke. Such truth in it!!! Pleased to meet you. :)

Holly