Life is a journey. That is ringing very true for me these days. As I am on my journey, I am learning that lessons I had previously learned are being retaught in different and more profound ways. I remember my father-in-law saying at some point in his 60s, “You would have thought I would have learned this by now.” I understand that sentiment. How about you?
Although the mission stays the same for Total Life Pursuit, the way I carry out the mission continues to change, and I think it is because I need to learn my lessons so I can help others understand the same lessons far before the age of 64! Our mission is to “Awaken the life that Jesus gave you.” He came to give us life, and He accomplished His mission. That life is eternal, and that life is remarkable, incredible, spectacular, and wonderful. The last thing that Jesus meant for us was a mediocre or ordinary life according to the world’s standards. The word Jesus used for abundant (John 10:10) can be translated as excess.
Furthermore, His work on the cross enabled this extraordinary life to be lived by us. The “mood” of this verb means it could happen. That means we are the ones to go after it and attain it with conviction and effort. That is what our ministry does. It awakens people to the reality that they are not meant for ordinary, and we equip them to attain it through various means, especially encouragement. This looks different in the different situations as we walk through the doors God is opening for us. We have traveled extensively in the last several years and ministered to many personally and corporately. As always, our focus is on pastors and leaders; we always get opportunities wherever we are to get together with them and encourage them, but this message is for everyone!
This year has continued to be different, but we are carrying out the same mission. We have hosted two pastors, a pastor’s family, and a missionary, who is currently still with us. Content creation seems to be at the top of God’s to-do list for me, as He keeps saying, “Do what I put in front of you.” The rub for me is I am not traveling and speaking to groups. I am not meeting as many new pastors. My online coaching continues, but there are not as many appointments. This has challenged me, yet again, to consider my identity is only to be found in Jesus and not in what I do. I love what I do, all of it! But there is something left over in me that I believe I need to “do” something that I can quantify to be worthy of my position. Like my father-in-law, I think, “I thought I was over… this performance thing”! Yet another level to be addressed by my loving Father. Wholeness is His plan. Oh, His mercy and love!
As I share my life, I want to challenge you to look at yours. Where is your identity found? Would it be okay if you did nothing but take walks with Jesus and read books, including the Bible, for a month? Would you go nuts? All the young parents are now yelling at their screens, “Send me”! If you didn’t do what you are doing, where you get at least a portion of your identity, mom, dad, lawyer, pastor, engineer, accountant, designer, technician, would you still be you? Yes, it may come easily to your lips, but I want to challenge you to look deeply inside. Take some time. Talk with God. Who are you if you take off every hat you wear besides the son or daughter of God?
Maybe this isn’t your issue. We all have problems. What is God working on with you? Sometimes, you are in Beulah-land, that place in Pilgrim's Progress that seems like it is the final place you have been looking for, but it isn’t. There was another road for Pilgrim, and there are always new roads for us to explore and conquer until we meet Jesus. I pray that God will not just be with you but change you and that you will never stop short of living the remarkable life that Jesus gave you to live.
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