What a difference a good night’s sleep makes. My mind clear, my morning routine completed, I’m ready to corral my thoughts and commit them to cyberspace.
Before going to bed last night, I discussed my intent to discover my life’s purpose with help from Rick Warren’s mega-selling tome. The first chapter begins by stating “It’s not about me.” So much for those years I spent reading self-help books instructing me that all I had to do was spend my time affirming my desires (which I never did), becoming more assertive, establishing boundaries, etc, and my life would become everything I ever wanted. Of course, God was never mentioned in these books; in fact, he had fallen out of favor for several decades in our society, at least secular society, which was the only one I was familiar with.
When I became a Christian, I really didn’t change all that much. Accepting the Lord at the Harvest Crusade in Anaheim was more at the urging of the woman who invited me. The only thing different in my life was reading Our Daily Bread each day. At about the same time, I began attending ACA meetings twice a week, a commitment that still astounds me since I tend to lose interest in things. I attended these meetings regularly for 1.5 years, until I realized that I had learned everything I needed to know, discussed everything I had to discuss, and was ready to move on w/the rest of my life. I had no desire to be like some of the other people, attending for years, complaining about the same problems with seemingly no resolution or growth. I believe these people weren’t interested in tackling their issues, perhaps because w/out them, they’d actually have to make some changes. Either that, or their issues had become so interwoven w/who they felt they were that to resolve them would strip away their identity. But, isn’t change the point of ACA or any other 12-step program? But I digress.
Anyway, the first ? Warren asks how I can remind myself that life is about living for God, not myself. I can give a textbook answer, which is my tendency, since I always did well on tests. In this case, however, the answer is for my benefit, and only by being honest will I learn and grow (forgive me this platitude, I just can’t help it.)
What can I do to remind myself to live for God? Tell myself as often as I can whether it be in the space between thoughts, activities, sentences, whatever I happen to be doing. I’ve been concentrating lately on reminding myself that I am God’s light in this world and should behave accordingly. This seems to help me remember that God made me, God saved me, God owns me and acknowleging this make the rest of my life better and set me up for eternity. (Is it selfish to believe in God so that I can reside in Heaven after Death? Jesus did say to people who are outwardly religious that he never knew them, i.e., their heart wasn’t sincere. Of course, religion and faith are two different animals. Another ? to ponder.)
Til next time.
