A Slice of Life
HAVE YOU EVER HEARD ANYONE SAY:
My devotional life is non-existent. Accountability is a joke. My house is in an uproar, and my marriage feels more like sharing a cell with another prisoner than a cherished and loving partnership. Being at home is so hard and depressing . . . I’d rather be at the deer lease (man) or the mall (woman). The last time I really felt passionate about life was when my son caught a fly ball in his T-ball game.
Where is the joy, peace, patience, gentleness and self-control I am supposed to have? If I have the Holy Spirit inside of me, where is His fruit? I feel so dry and lifeless. In a word, my life is like a desert.
But when Sunday rolls around, things have to look different. We have survived the week, and it is time for church. Somehow, I miraculously manage to get my family out of bed, cleaned up and in the car. We argue all the way there, but as soon as we get out of the car, we look different.
The first person I see that asks, “How are you?” I answer like I always do – “Fine.”
Liar! You’re not fine . . . you’re not even remotely fine. You can’t spell f-i-n-e. You couldn’t find fine if it hit you in the face. In fact, the truth be told, you are a mess! And another weekend match of verbal volleyball has you stiff-arming everyone you meet with your antiseptic “fine.”
It is just so easy to do, isn’t it? You may as well be Moses, adjusting your veil to make sure it hides the real you. You respond. You don’t even know why you say it. It’s almost uncontrollable. Ingrained, instinctive, programmed…I am fine!
In your defense, though, who are you going to tell…another Christian? I don’t think so. How absurd would that be? They might assume that you were needy or something. You can’t let that happen. They might actually listen to you and pray for you. Heaven forbid, they might just minister to you. Good night! Wouldn’t that be horrible?
So let me ask the question: How are you really doing?
Written by: Marc Owings on July 12th, 2010
Posted in From the Heart | 4 Comments »
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Marc: I really need your prayers right now. Last week, I was ready to blow my brains out. Things are not great and I need your prayers.
posted on July 13th, 2010 at 6:53 pm by Dianne GeorgeOur staff at church came up with our own definition of FINE, and none of us ever use the word. It standsfor freakedout, insecure, neurotic, and emotionally disturbed! We say we are anything, BUT FINE!
posted on July 13th, 2010 at 6:54 pm by Lesa AshleyHow am I doing, you ask. I say, Fine. Because it’s all relative. It’s compared to what. My job could be better, but I also could be outside in the 100 degree heat all day or not have one. My wife and I aren’t as close as I’d like, but there’s progress. Maturation if you will. Do my kids get my best all the time, NO. But, I attempt to be diligent. Do I dwell on myself and my problems too much, YES. Does that minimize my God, YES. What I know is I’ve experienced God’s GREATEST gifts. Love, Mercy, Compassion, Grace.. My need is my connection, which is stretched and frayed @ times. I know it’s by my own accord. Getting back to center takes work. Especially when life seems to strike you out over and over again. But, I know character is born from adversity. So there’s the fall back. God is increasing my character to handle more responsibility when I can show His character is adverse situations. Failure is not an if, but a when. I could have gone on and on about the issues and problems that are in my life, but they’re always going to exist. That’s by design.
Being a mess doesn’t mean your not fine. It just means you’re living. I do understand your point. Putting yourself out there helps move you back to center faster.
This is my question. Can I respond like Christ in a split second? How in the moment can I become?
God Bless you Brother,
JC
posted on July 19th, 2010 at 3:53 pm by JeremyI think you are on the right track. I have often said that the will of God for our life is character. It is a currency that will spend in any situation!
I believe that transparency and open relationships provide wise counsel into our life (family, individual, callings and social life, etc.). The point of this particular devotion is for those individuals who are living what I call the poser lifestyle. Every answer is “fine” when life is at its hardest. They tend to live life alone and carry all the weight isolated from other believers. The Bible tells us to carry one another’s burdens. Confession and transparency are one simple key to living the all in life God intended us to live. It is not free from suffering and pressure, those are also keys to our growth, as you have pointed out.
However, God calls us the body of Christ….we must chose to connect!!! There is life in connecting with others, and sharpening occurs in the process.
Man, it is so good to hear from you bro!
Marc
posted on July 19th, 2010 at 9:08 pm by Marc Owings