Tuesday, October 25, 2011

You Don't Want My Life: Trying to Grasp the Passion of Christ (Pt 1)

Sheesh...it's almost Thanksgiving. Where did the Summer go?! I have a better question for you: Where did last week go and if you find it could you bring it back; please? I have some things I'd like to redo. Some decisions I feel I need to change.

Depending on who you talk to you'll more than likely get a response that someone is "busy". Take some time out to "slow it up and slow it down" and you may just realize how fast the World continues to move as you endure the painstakingly awful task of trying to sit still. It seems that busyness, the constant need for doing something at all times and over-connectivity has become a plague to our society in these days and times.

Think on the costs of being so busy:

  • How does the level of busyness or lack thereof affect your personal life and relationships with close family and friends? 
  • Would you take the offer to walk in someone else's shoes given the opportunity?
  • What makes you think that someone else's life is worth living [for you] (i.e. Do you think to yourself, "I wish I had their life.")?

Father, what is the difference between vain busyness and passion? How is it that the more we put on our plates or allow to be dumped on them seems to equate to an increase in importance or accomplishment? Are we afraid to have a simple life? Do you want us to be jacks-of-all-trades but masters of none? Help us to realize that sometimes "we have to do what we have to do". Likewise, may we come to a better understanding that there are times where we think we're doing what we have to do, when in reality we're simply stretching ourselves too thin. If we are called to do hard work that might lead to consequences in the natural, allow us to be reminded that we're working for you. Amen.

"It all started with...."

For all intents and purposes we'll say it started this Summer. I've already talked about different scenarios and situations that happened in other postings but this is more of a broad or "big picture" view of exactly what went down. I'm going to break this into two parts so there should be a decent effort at achieving brevity.

I had two choices back in June of 2011 as to where to head for my summer internship. The first was located in beautiful San Antonio, TX. Wow...I've seen clips as I watch the Spurs take on other franchises in the NBA. There's a nice little river walk and everything just seems so calm and peaceful. My second choice was Washington, D.C. Now, I didn't have anything against going to D.C. but Texas seemed to be the better of the two options (e.g. Paycheck, Further South, etc). To make a long story short, having approximately no money, and unable to pay rent in the state where everything is "bigger" I swallowed my pride, moved in with family and my Summer officially got started in late June near the nation's capital.

There's just one problem...we really weren't near the nation's capital...or not as close as I'd like to be. My commute ending up being 1hr and 30min both ways. My days usually started at 4am and ended no earlier than midnight or 1am (on a good night). Sounds crazy doesn't it?! That's just going to and from work. I was also working on a number of projects from being involved in leadership programs remotely, to starting the interview process for full-time positions. I was a tad bit more than "dog-tired", but what choice did I have?

Mark 15:33-34 (NKJV)
33 Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

This is where I ended up due to circumstances. I'd cry out to God asking/wondering why He'd bring me out here and specifically why this job that I was interning at. Everyone who worked there did nothing short of encouraging me to "go somewhere else" once I finished (pretty reassuring I know). Let's not get back into the interpersonal issues with my coworker(s). It was a big pot of mixed feelings and emotions. I knew once I started the job it was going to be a long 2.5 months...and believe me, it...was....long.

I didn't have too many options or alternatives. I did what I [felt I] had to do. I paid for it and am continuing to pay for it today. I feel this summer was nothing short of "sacrificial". Why do all of that and risk so much?

Stay tuned for part 2.


Why?
The quick skinny:

Please understand: If I didn't have a model (in Jesus) all I'd know to do in times of trouble is holler. #followFromExample


What does this mean for me? #theReader 
Sometimes you really do have to do what you have to do to get things done. It sounds cliche, but in certain cases rings true. Don't think that everything has to be done because there are certain tasks that aren't worth your time, won't benefit you in anyway and will have you regretting the decision you made to invest in it. Work on ways to not only prioritize your tasks but also get a better idea for what's "urgent" for today and what can simply wait. Just because it's on a "To Do" list doesn't mean before the clock strikes 12 it has to be "To Done".

For further insight:

Read-Matthew 8:18-22,  Mark 15:21-32
Watch-Passion Of Christ (Gives a glimpse of what Love is. Don't think: "Religious story". Think: Allegory for how our passions cause us pain, especially when it's due to our passion for others.)

Challenge
  • Become passionate about something and discover how that "drives" the way you live