Yesterday, after service, someone said to me, "you really spoke from the heart today." Hmm. What do you do with that? Does that mean that the other sermons of late have been shallow and not from the heart. I don't think so. I thought about what they said. I understand what they meant. I settled on this thought.
You really spoke from the heart today. You always speak from the heart. It's just that sometimes the heart is a little more full than at other times. I can live with that.
Isn't that the truth of normal spirituality. There are ups and downs to life, ebbs and flows. A Christian can't expect to be on top of the mountain every day or even every week. Valleys are needed so that the mountains can be enjoyed. Without valleys, we don't even know what mountains are.
I know so many people who have unrealistic expectations placed upon them. Often the expectations are place by or at least reinforced by themselves.
Guess what, you can't be happy every minute of the day. You can't be "on" every minute of the day. You can't always see the good. Real, normal spirituality understands the human frame. We are but dust. We are created to be dependent upon God. Our brokenness just helps to reinforce our need for Him.
If we can't feel on top of the world every day, what we can do is do our very best to do the right things and see the good, especially when we are having a down day. It is real easy to celebrate with someone when you are on the mountain top. It is real easy to preach your guts out when your heart is overflowing. I wonder tho, if God doesn't place more value on the gifts that we give when we are down in the dumps, grinding out a day, pressing ourselves to do what we know is for the best. That seems like real spirituality to me.
So, whether up or down, don't judge yourself by how you feel. You are loved and created in the image of God. Put your best foot forward, do all the good you can, to all the people you can, in all the ways that you can. Feelings are fickle. The work of the soul goes on. Savor life, it is short.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
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1 comment:
Jeff,
Your blog is terrific this morning! Actually, I enjoy your blog every day (ha ha) but these thoughts of the ups and downs of life is something that I can truly relate to - particular in the last 15 years of my life.
When I'm on the mountain top, I say a prayer of thanksgiving for God's blessings and when I'm in the valley, I know that He is near and there's nothing I can't handle with Him by my side.
Isn't this what it's like to truly live? Just as we experience life more fully when it's nearly taken away, the extremes keep us awake to the fact that we're here for a purpose.
Wishing you a good view from the top this week!
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