Posts Tagged ‘Spirituality’

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Spiritual Fitness and Endurance

August 29, 2010

I have refereed soccer for over 20 years. Along the way, I’ve been privileged to work some pretty high-level games. In order to be successful, I had to continually train my body and my mind. Part of training the body is to have the endurance to still be running at the end of the match along with the players and not be so tired that you begin to make poor decisions (mind).

People ask me about the spiritual life. Is it one burst of enlightenment? Or, is it believing in a set of words? Baptists (among others) emphasize the importance of decision. Some think that once you make the decision for Christ, then you’re pretty much done. Nothing else to do.

The answer to all of that is pretty much “no” or “there’s more.” Paul often uses the metaphor of athletic training when speaking of the spiritual life. Just as it is necessary to train your body and mind to be fit to be a soccer referee, you must train your body and mind to be fit for the spiritual life. How do you train? You train your mind by study–study the Bible; study scholars who study the Bible and help explain terms the original languages and the like; study writings from spiritual masters; and, most of all think abut what you’re reading. You train your body by working to avoid sins of the body–sexual, alcohol abuse, and the like. You also train through the discipline of prayer.

James makes a similar teaching at the beginning of his pastoral letter–you gain endurance by living through trials.

Once you decide for Jesus, the spiritual life begins in earnest. Begin training now.

Tags:, , , , , ,
Posted in Christianity, Living, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Too Much Bluster

August 11, 2010

You know the type. Over the top. Seems to go overboard in telling how much faith, joy, enthusiasm for God they have. Shakespeare, who had great insight into human nature, said, “Methinks thou dost protest too much.” This type of person also seems to deny too vigorously when someone asks something.

Fortunately, I meet few people like this. Fortunately, because a “red flag” raises in my mind when I do meet them. I think that sometimes the bluster and vigor of their profession masks a deep uncertainty. Perhaps they really do want to follow Jesus. Inside, though, there is still something not committed, unsure, conflicted. Some just can’t overcome a deep passion or emotion. And that holds them back. Somehow they just need to get to the point of compete trust in God. Maybe it takes an “existential event,” that is, an experience in life where they truly understand the need for decision and trust.

Peter was just such a person. He believed, sort of, but he was always a little over the top. He professed that for which he didn’t understand. On Jesus’ last night while at dinner, he told Peter that tomorrow he would deny ever knowing him. Peter was aghast. How could that happen? But it did.

While we  should model our lives after Jesus, Peter is a better example of how most of us really are. Peter’s example also shows how you can overcome. Peter went from denial to leadership. Examine your own life. Are you, too, a little over the top? Where have you not committed your life to God. You can. Peter did. He showed the way. It’s not too late.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Living | Leave a Comment »

Roadblocks on the way to Life

June 29, 2010

A wealthy man approaches Jesus and asks, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus asks if he has kept the laws. “Yes, ever since I was a child,” replies the man. The man here acknowledges that following the law (see all my previous posts about rule-following) does not give him assurance of eternal life.  Jesus sees that. He loves him.

So what is the roadblock in the way of the man from the assurance of Life? Jesus sees the symptoms. This man cannot live a life with God because his wealth occupies too great a part of his life. He needs to focus first on God. Remember Jesus’ two “commandments.” First love God, then love other humans. It’s very simple, but very hard to do. For this man, there was a roadblock to living with God. He needed to put God first, his wealth second. He could not do that.

This passage is often rationalized these days. We in the West are wealthy beyond the dreams of ancient (and not so ancient) people. We know from other stories in the Bible that mere wealth is not the stumbling block. But having wealth–many things, money, possessions–can occupy too much of our time and attention. We need to remember where our attention needs to be.

Now, I’m preaching in that last paragraph. But, I’m a very busy person. I’m trying to build a business. Traveling much (today, it’s Dallas, last week Detroit, before that Phoenix, before that Los Angeles…). When I have much to do, it’s hard to remember my time with God at the beginning of the day. I’m sure that it’s similar for many. We have much to do, livings to earn, money to invest, shopping for more things to do. And so on. The real question is how do we make an appointment for ourselves to be quiet, alone with God, focus on eternal things?

This man? He couldn’t. He went away sad. Outsiders would think he’s perfect from the way he lives his life. But inside, he just can’t open a space to live with God. How about me? How about you?

Tags:, ,
Posted in Christianity, Living, Spirituality | Leave a Comment »

Focus takes patience

June 18, 2010

Ever notice how sometimes you’ll think of someone or something and it comes into your life? Three times in the last month I’ve thought of someone and they’ve appeared in my life one way or another. Or sometimes we think of a spiritual fruit or it’s part of a teaching, and there occurs a chance to practice it? Well, that just happened, too. I find interesting and amazing things happen when I’m tuned in spiritually. But when travels and other pressures grow intense and I don’t take time to pause, then I miss opportunities.

We just had teaching on patience–one of the spiritual fruits (that is, ways of living with God)–that Paul details in Galatians. If you are tuned to your spiritual life, you’ll recognize opportunities for patience. Such as cutting a little short the amount of time you allow to drive to the airport, clear security and be in time for your flight. This is a routine part of most weeks for me. Sunday, I allowed enough time but no “what if..” time. And sure enough, for the second straight week there was a traffic jam on I-75 heading to Dayton. It’s a rural area. There shouldn’t be that much traffic at noon on Sunday.

Oh, then I realized–it’s time to cultivate that spiritual fruit I was just learning about intellectually. Now it’s time to make it part of my personality. There’s no sense in getting anxious, complaining, trying to drive aggressively. You just “chill” as they say. What happens, happens. So you just remain calm, listen to some music, and make it when you make it. If you’re late, you just rearrange flights. But I made it, and slept comfortably in Phoenix Sunday night.

And patience is actually tied into focus and distraction. I could have been distracted by all manner of “what if” thoughts–and actually those thoughts did start. Then I returned to focus, remembered the teaching on patience and calmly made my flight.

Tags:,
Posted in Christianity, Living | Leave a Comment »

Awareness

October 17, 2009

I’ve been pondering the first part of Ephesians–what are God’s spiritual blessings. As I settled into the whirlpool at the YMCA yesterday after my workout, it occurred to me that too often in my contemplation or other prayers–or even my work as a writer–that I sink into some sort of deadened state. Then the word (not The Word, I suppose) came to me–Alert. When I was first learning meditation, a teacher said you should be in a state of “restful awareness.” I’ve been resting without the aware part. Not a good combination. I’m sinking into a state of reduced energy and not being aware of the presence of God and others and not being alert to the opportunities and teachings that could be unfolding for me.

Time to check my energy level and restore the “aware” part of restful awareness. That’s related to another “a” word, attitude. Got to get them all correct.

Tags:,
Posted in Spirituality | Leave a Comment »

Every Blessing

October 13, 2009

One of my commentaries says Paul’s opening in Ephesians that includes God providing every spiritual blessing is derived from a common synagogue prayer in his time that his readers would have understood. However, a joy of reading with fresh eyes includes gaining new understanding. What would it mean to live as if you had every spiritual blessing? I recently heard a talk by noted management writer Gary Hamel where he quoted survey respondents saying that they saw no difference in the way their Christian friends lived and anyone else. Does that apply to you? Are you living as if you have received every spiritual blessing from God?

OK, that’s probably not something you attain as final during your life. Rather, it’s more like a guide during the journey. Few of us are perfect, but all of us can show something of the indwelling of the Spirit. Right?

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Christianity, Spirituality | 1 Comment »

How do you know you’ve sinned

July 5, 2009

Why didn’t God make it easy for us to know everything? This question from my wife as we discussed some contentious issues that people in the church love to fight over sounds like the makings of a series.

I’ve been studying sin–and God’s response–while my Bible study group reads Romans. So first, what is sin? Well, Paul gives us one of his many lists in the introduction to the letter. People love lists. We can take these as a checklist. Hmm, I don’t do that one, or that one, oh, let’s skip that one, I don’t do that one–and so on. Meanwhile what we’re really thinking is — other people do that one, she does the next one, he does that one — so I must be better than they.

I think that the real question lies not in looking at others (remember Jesus’ story about checking out the piece of sawdust in someone else’s eye when we have a plank in ours?), the real question as we read Romans and the rest of the New Testament is “Really, no dodging the issue, what sins have I done lately, the last hour, the last day, the last week?” My new crusade is to get people away from the theoretical, from looking at others. The real issue is within me, and you.

If I come to realistic grips with my sins, my straying from a relationship with God, then perhaps my life and witness will help others look at the mess they’ve made with their lives and also seek a relationship with God. Note, I didn’t say the observance of a list of rules–I said a relationship. Living with Jesus is the key. How can I worry about others when I’m such a mess? That’s the issue.

Gary Mintchell

Tags:, ,
Posted in Christianity, Spirituality | Leave a Comment »

Conversations

June 19, 2009

It’s amazing the conversations you can have just by opening up–and by listening. I travel a lot for business and have had some of the most deep and interesting conversations at dinner. This week I was in Phoenix. There was a dinner for people from the media (I’m a magazine editor) and various marketing and engineering people from the host company. I sat with my journalist friends from Mexico, Argentina and Brazil. Silvia from Brazil asked if I was “how do you say, Protestant”. Then she wanted to know what sect. (Her English is far better than my Portugese.) I told her I was Methodist. She laughed. Her father-in-law is (as close as I can tell) the equivalent of a District Superintendent and her brother-in-law is a local church pastor both in the Methodist Church in Brazil.

She is Catholic, no surprise to me, but we went on to have a fascinating conversation about religion and spirituality, about my favorite stream of Catholicism–the Carmelites.

At other dinners I’ve discussed spirituality with a wide range of Christians and with Hindus, Buddhists and Moslems. If you’re polite, listen, present your ideas with humility, it’s amazing what you learn about people and the seeds you can plant in return.

I’ve heard the phrase frequently lately from Gandhi about “I like your Christ, but I don’t like your Christians.” I’ve also read other people who couldn’t figure out why, when they should agree with people of various Christian persuasions, didn’t–only to discover it was really the people they didn’t like, not the idea.

Lord, save me from being one of those people who turn people off. Make me a better listener. More like a gentle rain than a hurricane in my dealings with others.

— Gary Mintchell

Tags:, ,
Posted in Spirituality | Leave a Comment »

Maintain Focus

May 8, 2009

Last weekend, the word of the day seemed to be distraction. I noticed in church so many people were distracted from the worship and teaching. Later at a concert, the same thing. So many thoughts and concerns running through their heads. So much need to talk.

But I know focus is a hard thing. I’ve been pondering how to maintain focus, study and prayer while living a hectic life. Last week I was in California (from Ohio) all week. Five days, four hotels. Up at 3:30 am Monday to catch the 6:15 flight eventually to San Diego. Off the plane, meet my colleague, drive up to Temecula, check in hotel, drive to company we’re visiting, discuss technology and business, leave for dinner and back to hotel 10 pm PDT (1 am EDT).

Next day up early, videotape interviews, lunch and back to airport for flight to San Francisco. Once again in hotel about 10. Same thing Wednesday and Thursday. Friday up early to head to airport, home 1 am.

This week just two days that bad, but the problem is–how do you maintain discipline and focus in the midst of life? It’s easy for me to sit in observation mode and watch others in a state of distraction. Harder to step back and watch myself in distraction. Let he who is without sin cast the first rock, as Jesus once said.

Tags:, ,
Posted in Christianity, Spirituality | Leave a Comment »

Easter 2009

April 11, 2009

-Gary Mintchell

Reflecting on being in Jerusalem last month and thinking of the Easter story gives an entirely new perspective. The people close to Jesus had a week of remarkable high highs and remarkably low lows all in the space of eight days or so. And the geographical area covered is so small. I took a picture of the “Palm Sunday” road from the Temple Mount. It is a road that comes down a mountain (hill?) to a valley and immediately rises toward Jerusalem and the Temple. The religious leaders would have easily seen the procession and commotion across the valley. From the peaceful setting of the Garden of Gethsemenee to the prison cell where Jesus was likely kept for the balance of the night (probably in a harness that kept him suspended from a hole in the floor down into a cave-like room) was not far in physical distance but light-years in terms of experience. Then a day of going back and forth between judges to the walk through crowded market streets to the cross. But hope comes from the empty tomb. Earlier in the trip we visited Tabga where the risen Jesus came to Peter and asked him three times “Do you love me?” Then “feed my sheep.”

I suppose that’s our challenge after Easter, too. Feed Jesus’ sheep.

Tags:, ,
Posted in Christianity, Spirituality | Leave a Comment »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »