Faith Venture

Overcommitments Can Kill You

October 19, 2011

When something is on your mind, your subconscious brain is ever watchful for signs and suggestions. So, this thought came to my Inbox a short time ago, “Most of the stress people experience comes from inappropriately managed commitments they make or accept.”– David Allen, author & productivity consultant. (By the way, if you have never read a little book “Getting Things Done”, rush out, buy it, read it, practice it. GTDers, and I’m one, develop a practice of thinking and doing that is designed to reduce that stress.)

I’m in Los Angeles this week. Trying to finish a 2,500 word article and two 600-word columns for a magazine that is supposed to go to the printer in two more days. I’ve been on the road every week since Labor Day. Next week I go to Nashville before having a week off and then another four weeks including a week in Germany. Even though one of those weeks was vacation and another was family-related, it’s hard to feel in control. Then there is the class I have wanted to take for a few years. I’m finally eligible, but it occurs during all this travel. Can I fit that in? That, not the travel itself, is the stress point.

Ah, maybe I’m overcommitted? Probably so. Thanks David for the reminder.

It’s good to look at Jesus when things seem to pile up. He took a little time to himself, went off alone, and talked with God. He always returned refreshed.

Are you either overcommitted or about to be? Might be time to take some time away, even if only a half-hour, to listen to God. Then figure out what you can do. This kind of stress can kill you. Take care of yourself.

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Discipline your emotions and your mouth

October 13, 2011

Have you ever been involved in youth sports as a coach or parent? If that was in the past, do you look back at yourself and your actions with fondness…or with a grimace? I started out in soccer as a coach. I knew nothing. But that didn’t prevent me from loudly expressing my opinions. I remember some times as a parent that now make me ashamed.

This was especially true after I became a referee and heard how bad all that sounds. Try it sometime.

I’m trying to draw a spiritual lesson from an incident that affected me deeply last weekend. There is a young girl (about 16 or so) who has worked as a referee for me for several years. She is good, if young. Last weekend I put her in the position of authority in a match of 12-year-olds. Should have been fine. But, coach went berserk. She should have ejected him, but she was too kind.

After the game, he approaches her and puts his arm around her shoulders. OK, that’s totally inappropriate in any situation. Touching a referee (unless you’re friends) takes the inappropriate to the next level. Then in this intimate setting, he proceeds to tell her how terrible she is. So we go to yet another level of inappropriate. Assistant coach then offers — if she doesn’t report them, they won’t file a report on how bad she is. Oh, by the way, if you haven’t guessed already, they lost the game.

Now, for all I know, the coaches are fine, upstanding Christian gentlemen. Or, they may not have seen the inside of a church since their wedding. But I’ve been at this for over 25 years, and I still can’t believe how people act. All sense of proportion is lost.

James instructed us to tame our tongues. What a simple little instruction in a good, but short, letter. But how hard to do. And nothing seems to bring out our inner anger than a sporting event–especially one in which our children are participating. I know better, and I’ve failed in my life. But what a teaching moment was lost on those coaches. Maybe we need to be reminded when we fall short?

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Complicated Christianity

October 4, 2011

Do you tend to complicate things? You think too much. Come up with too many ideas? Or perhaps you think about what you or someone else should do for a long time before you ever do it?

I do that sometimes. I’ll think about a project. Plan it in my head. Figure out all the tools I’ll need. Visualize how I’ll do every step. Think about problems I’ll encounter. Then it turns out to be a simple 15-minute project.

I also think too much about life sometimes. Albert Einstein (who seemed to be really complicated–ever try to read through the General Theory of Relativity?) once said something like “it should be as simple as possible, but not too simple.” It’s easy to make things complicated in our minds.

Acts 2 describes some powerful speaking that penetrated the hearts of those who heard it. The asked the disciples what they should do next. That’s a powerful question–in our lives we should always ask what the next step is. What is the next action we should take.

In Acts 2:37 Peter answers these new Christians with three next actions. Repent. Be baptized in the name of Jesus. Receive the Holy Spirit.

I like to play with words. So much so that almost 14 years ago I made a career change from an engineer working in manufacturing to a writer and editor of a magazine. So, I worry about words. Take “repent” for example. What do you think of when you hear that word? An old-time evangelist thundering from the stage trying to frighten people into submission? The caricature of a man with a long beard and long robe carrying a sign reading Repent?

It’s actually a simple word with a simple meaning. Important, but simple. What Peter was saying was that you used to live in a certain way. Now you recognize that that way of life leads to spiritual wasteland. So you decide to change the way you live. That’s all. You used to live one way, now you live another. Easily said. Hard to practice. Right?

Now if you make that decision to change the way you live your life, you will make a public commitment to join a community of people also trying to live that life. You are baptized in a public celebration of your decision.

Then you will receive the Holy Spirit. In other words, God enters you (remember how we make God complicated by trying to explain that the one God has three forms–Father, Son, Spirit–and then think we have three Gods). Anyway, God enters you and you now live a new life in relationship with this God that you have found.

What should we do next?

Posted in Christianity, Faith, Living | 1 Comment »

Getting Disciplined

October 2, 2011

So, I’m preparing to teach a class on developing spiritual discipline. Meanwhile, I’ve been so busy that several of my disciplines—including writing this blog—have gone out of the window.

In the past three weeks, I’ve slept in my own bed a total of 5 nights. All this travel destroys my routines. As I’ve thought about this, I have concluded that I need at least one habit or discipline that I can do on the road even when I’m getting to my room about 11 after dinner and needing to shower to leave by 7 for a breakfast meeting.

That realy is what disciplines are all about. Making a conscious choice to do something every day that will move you toward growth. I have another one of those weeks coming up. We’ll see how I do.

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Jesus, Others, You

September 15, 2011

Our church sponsors a summer camp with the foundational theme of JOY-Jesus, Others, You. Put Jesus first in your life, then others, then you. Our society, at least in America, seems to be It’s All About Me. When I read about the political situation in our nation’s capital and the state capitals, what I see is “entitlement.” The difference between the parties is simply which group of voters, er, people are entitled to handouts. Even the Tea Party is all about me–they want to keep more of their money (but they don’t seem to want to give up programs that benefit them directly).

I travel a lot, so I spend a lot of time on airlines. As a frequent flyer, I board early in the process. It gives me an opportunity to observe. Last week a middle aged couple boarded with way more than the allowed two carry ons. The plane was a small regional jet with small overhead compartments. The woman had the maximum legal size roller case. Flight attendant told her to leave it on the jet bridge. Woman got mad. Attendant said, “All the green tagged bags must be gate checked.” Woman said, “What if I take off the tag?” Thing is, it would not have fit.

Then the couple starts looking at the limited overhead space to store their goods. Tried to use the space reserved for the bulkhead passengers who don’t have underseat storage. Flight Attendant, now their enemy, explains some things about storage. Man winds up putting a large shopping bag behind his legs blocking seat access. Oops, violation of safety rules. They have a couple of other violations. Flight Attendant makes several announcements over the PA system. Then on final check asks the couple to comply with safety regulation. They get even further mad. “XX is going to hear about this.”

OK, maybe they’ve never flown before. But when the world revolves around you, you don’t notice others.

Yesterday I wrote about a church where all the members care about others. Then I wonder, given our narcissistic society, is it possible to move people from self-centeredness to caring about others. Guess it takes God to break through?

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Develop a Caring Church

September 14, 2011

Recently I was in a meeting where one person shared a burden on her heart. She wondered how we could know if someone was hurting, seeking, wondering, joyful and needed to share.

Programming church people immediately want to develop a program. Let’s have a mentor program where everyone is assigned someone to look after! Oops, who does the assigning? How do they know whom to put together? Is there accountability? What if there’s the wrong match and it lights a fuse? Or we have a formal program of another sort to bring people together.

But in Acts 2:42 and following it is recorded: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common… Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”

Dallas Willard in “The Spirit of the Disciplines” says that early church members really did organize their lives differently from their neighbors. And the neighbors noticed.

What if—-what if we could develop not a program but an environment where we devoted ourselves to teaching, to prayer, to sharing together, to caring for one another? Wouldn’t that attract people? Wouldn’t that be the kind of place where people ask “how’s it going?” and really mean it. And get an honest response? And start a healing dialog?

Wow. I wish.

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How I Can Find God

September 9, 2011

I am at a technical conference in St. Louis. Last night as we gathered after the keynote address for a late snack and beverage, I found myself in three conversations that are not an unusual experience at these conferences.

The women beside me talked about the manufacturing software business and marketing in that arena. Across the table and to the right from me was a well-known MIT graduate and inventor who was talking particle physics, energy and combating cancer without chemotherapy. The man across the table and to my left was discussing how the failure of organized religion had destroyed his belief in God.

I never find it amazing that dinner conversations broach into spiritual discussions. Almost everyone I meet is seeking for spiritual nourishment–even those who think it will never happen.

Since almost all of us were scientifically trained, I approached him from the standpoint of science. Seems logical to me, even common sense, although some of you may be offended to a greater or lesser degree. That’s OK. I never said you had to agree with me. And I always welcome a reasoned and reasonable comment.

Back to the point. I told him I could prove God exists–actually, I went on, I won’t prove it, he will. But I won’t prove God’s existence with a rational, logical argument–the kind of reasoning you may have been taught in geometry class when you learned to . People much smarter than I have tried that–and failed.

The essence of science is that you observe something. You record the methods which led up to the observation. You write the entire process and publish so that others can do that. Other people follow the method and observe something (or not). Over time, a truth is established.

Over millennia, seekers have discovered ways to find God. By pursuing spiritual disciplines, you will become closer to God and discover Him. The basic disciplines (which really means a habit that you choose to do) include study (Bible and other spiritual writings), meditation, prayer, service, celebration and worship. There are others, but if you develop a daily habit of these things, you will feel closer to God.

So, yes, I can use science to prove God’s existence. But it’s just one human at a time. To those who would argue it’s just a hallucination, I’d answer “you don’t know, because you’ve not done it.”

A word of warning. It seems to be the human condition that you just cannot feel the warmth of God at all times. Sometimes God just doesn’t seem here. The Willow Creek Community Church foundation conducted a massive survey. One question was have you ever felt stuck in your spiritual life. Almost 2,000 answered yes. A follow up question was how did you get “unstuck.” The answer was (not necessarily in these exact words) to return to the disciplines–study, prayer, meditation and so on.

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Maintaining Equilibrium In Changing Times

September 7, 2011

Saturday’s weather was a humid 97 deg F. While I was refereeing a soccer match, I’d stop and mentally scan my physical condition at the end of a sprint. I was looking for any signs of heat problems or dehydration such as dizziness or mouth drying. Probably lost several pounds of water weight.

Monday was like the first day of fall. After a dry summer, leaves have begun falling early. The temperature was a cool 61 deg F. A 37 degree swing. An entirely different feeling as I walked through the woods along the old canal path.

Weather swings can cause or exacerbate mood swings. There are other causes of mood swings. If you get to swinging too far each way, alarm bells should sound as you mentally take stock of yourself.

I can’t help you if your swings border over into a diagnosable illness such as bipolar disorder. But most, if not all, of us suffer from feeling close to God then apart from God — consolation and desolation as the ancient Christian writers put it.

To combat these feelings, you need a rock. A solid foundation of faith and practice to remind you that, even if God does not feel present, He really is. That is where the solid habits of spiritual discipline help you. Just by getting up in the morning early and studying spiritual writing then meditating and praying on them can start your day solidly. You recognize that God is still there even if you don’t feel His presence–or sometimes even when you feel that you don’t even want His presence.

Other spiritual disciplines help, too. Try service. No, not necessarily a big mission trip. Try just saying something kind to someone. Helping someone with a package. Giving something to someone. Or try worship–getting together with other people to focus on God is a wonderful help.

It’s autumn in Ohio. We’re due for more swings in the weather until winter settles in. Establish a pattern of stability in your life to help keep you in equilibrium.

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The Spiritual Power of Waiting

September 2, 2011

I was contemplating on the word waiting this morning. At the beginning of the book of Acts of the Apostles, Jesus tells his followers to wait in Jerusalem because special things are going to happen.

The culture we’ve developed over the past 50 years or so places little value on waiting. Young people don’t want to wait (and gain experience) before becoming CEO. Heck, people don’t even want to wait on a meal or the satisfaction of a desire for something. I want mine and I want it now (I think I’ve heard a pop song to that effect).

It’s not without experience and wisdom that the proverb exists–good things come to those who wait. Of course, you wait with expectation. Watching like the wise bridesmaids in the parable.

And the followers waited–but they didn’t just sit around wondering. They prayed. The first two chapters of Acts notes several times that the followers (there were more than the 11) were in prayer together. So, praying and waiting. And when Jesus said special things would happen, they did.

Pentecost day came. Suddenly the followers, especially the apostles, felt tremendous power within them. Power that they’d always seen in Jesus. Power that they depended on Jesus for. Now they had it. They could feel it. Jesus told them to witness to the ends of the earth. Well, people from the ends of the earth were in Jerusalem for the Passover and Pentecost feast days.

The apostles wanted to witness. From the power within them, they were able to talk to every passerby in their own language. Luke lists several. This was crazy. These guys probably knew Aramaic, Greek and Latin. How could they know all those other languages? The power of the Holy Spirit, of course.

They waited, they prayed, when the time was ripe, they became powerful. 3,000 people became believers that day. And the church began with power.

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Rooted or Restless in the Spirit

September 1, 2011

Are you restless in your mind and soul? Are you unable to sit quietly? Focus on a book? Focus on prayer?

When I teach a Yoga class–which is mostly for strength and flexibility, but also for focus and calm–I end with several minutes of quiet relaxation. It’s interesting to watch the class and see who can achieve quiet and rest and who is restless.

Psalm 1 introduces the Psalms. It talks about how to approach the collection of prayers. It talks of meditating on them. And how people rooted in God will get closer to God but how many people are restless. These are like chaff–empty shells that are blown by the wind first one way then another.

I look around and see a restless world. Herman Hesse was said to be the first “modern” writer in the sense that the protagonist of Steppenwolf could not sit in his room quietly. The first thing he did when he got to his room was turn on the radio (radios were new at the time Hesse wrote).

Our society (especially American and Western Europe, but spreading quickly everywhere) is predominantly restless, unsettled, not rooted in value–like empty shells first blown this way then that. We require diversions. We require noise. We have many desires–but always just for ourselves. We want what’s ours, and we want it now. But when we get something there is no contentment. No resting in God. We just move on to the next desire that appears in our mind.

We need to stop for a time every day and contemplate on the unchanging fruits that come from God. With your roots reaching deeply into God, you can become a being that produces the fruits of love, patience, joy, peace, gratitude, service. I like to be around rooted people. How about you?

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