3. what's stopping you?
i came across this video for the first time a couple of years back while i was in geneseo. at the time, i didnt really think much of it. i thought it was cool. maybe even a bit heart-piercing, but i quickly forgot about it afterwards.
but i randomly decided to listen to it again and it really hit me twice as hard.
i originally wrote a whole long blog post about what i think a "church" should be like and wondering why my own church back at home was suffering so much. but i realized that more than that, it was important to see that simply our perception of God, and the life that Jesus called us to live can make or break the way we live as Christians and they way we view and practice, "church".
please, watch it if you have been feeling seemingly luke-warm in your faith. watch it if you are a Christian, yet you dont know how quite to reconcile the life we feel like we should live on earth as opposed to the one Christ says we are to expect as His followers. watch it if you have time on your hands(you must have some time on your hands if youre reading this blog, haha)
i have a couple of sticky notes on my desktop because i have stunningly horrible memory these days (uh oh..) but one of the notes i wrote on it was something i wrote one night as i was reflecting on my life as a christian and what it meant to me.
the sticky note simply reads, "WHAT'S STOPPING YOU?"
i think what i was going through at the time, and something that ive been wrestling with for a long time is the fact that, i genuinely feel that if i am a Christian, my life should be DRASTICALLY, RADICALLY, FOREVER different from the one im living now. yes, some of you might say, "sokin you are joining as a full time staff worker, that's pretty bold."
but honestly, i dont think this is true. for me, i constantly have this feeling that being a Christian implies SO MUCH MORE than the life im living now. and francis hits upon a couple of these points in this sermon. that as a Christian, what is stopping me from denying my right to a prosperous income. what is stopping me from denying my right to a family, a big house, nice car, and personal security? what is stopping me from worshipping God and praising God in all circumstances, undignified? what's stopping me from fasting and praying and seeking for God to set me on fire for Him so that i can live my life for the sake of others?
if you know me, i LOVE LOVE LOVE cars and things like that. im not very vocal about the things i love but youd be surprised at how much i covet material goods. but more and more i realize, i dont really need any of that stuff. i really dont. i dont need to buy a new bass guitar. i dont need to buy new sneakers. i dont need a new computer. i dont need much of anything than my daily sustenance.
but yet i do desire it much. i constantly desire bigger and better things. and im always struggling with that.
im not saying that as Christians, we are supposed to live as beggars.
but what i am saying, and thinking these days is:
"what if i denied myself so much so that i wouldnt mind to live as a beggar, if for the sake of Christ and His gospel?"
what is exactly stopping me from living a life where i can "take up His cross" and follow after Him? what is stopping me from seeing that i realistically and practically only have about 60 more active, physically able years to do something with this life. as john piper would say, "to not waste my life?"
i think whats ultimately stopping me is, is this world and the 20+ years of living under the assumption that all these "things" are good and worth it. but the bible clearly says its not.
i pray that i may live like this one day. Lord, may i live the life you intended me to live.
sokin.
(sorry about the long post! i got to clarify a lot of my thinking while i wrote so it came out longer than expected. and i also apologize if it sounds "preach-y". i really wasnt trying but more so, i think i was writing more to myself than anything. and if you read this whole thing and made it this far, AND ended up watching the clip. kudos to you! i will buy you chicken and rice when i get back to nyc, haha)
but i randomly decided to listen to it again and it really hit me twice as hard.
i originally wrote a whole long blog post about what i think a "church" should be like and wondering why my own church back at home was suffering so much. but i realized that more than that, it was important to see that simply our perception of God, and the life that Jesus called us to live can make or break the way we live as Christians and they way we view and practice, "church".
please, watch it if you have been feeling seemingly luke-warm in your faith. watch it if you are a Christian, yet you dont know how quite to reconcile the life we feel like we should live on earth as opposed to the one Christ says we are to expect as His followers. watch it if you have time on your hands(you must have some time on your hands if youre reading this blog, haha)
i have a couple of sticky notes on my desktop because i have stunningly horrible memory these days (uh oh..) but one of the notes i wrote on it was something i wrote one night as i was reflecting on my life as a christian and what it meant to me.
the sticky note simply reads, "WHAT'S STOPPING YOU?"
i think what i was going through at the time, and something that ive been wrestling with for a long time is the fact that, i genuinely feel that if i am a Christian, my life should be DRASTICALLY, RADICALLY, FOREVER different from the one im living now. yes, some of you might say, "sokin you are joining as a full time staff worker, that's pretty bold."
but honestly, i dont think this is true. for me, i constantly have this feeling that being a Christian implies SO MUCH MORE than the life im living now. and francis hits upon a couple of these points in this sermon. that as a Christian, what is stopping me from denying my right to a prosperous income. what is stopping me from denying my right to a family, a big house, nice car, and personal security? what is stopping me from worshipping God and praising God in all circumstances, undignified? what's stopping me from fasting and praying and seeking for God to set me on fire for Him so that i can live my life for the sake of others?
if you know me, i LOVE LOVE LOVE cars and things like that. im not very vocal about the things i love but youd be surprised at how much i covet material goods. but more and more i realize, i dont really need any of that stuff. i really dont. i dont need to buy a new bass guitar. i dont need to buy new sneakers. i dont need a new computer. i dont need much of anything than my daily sustenance.
but yet i do desire it much. i constantly desire bigger and better things. and im always struggling with that.
im not saying that as Christians, we are supposed to live as beggars.
but what i am saying, and thinking these days is:
"what if i denied myself so much so that i wouldnt mind to live as a beggar, if for the sake of Christ and His gospel?"
what is exactly stopping me from living a life where i can "take up His cross" and follow after Him? what is stopping me from seeing that i realistically and practically only have about 60 more active, physically able years to do something with this life. as john piper would say, "to not waste my life?"
i think whats ultimately stopping me is, is this world and the 20+ years of living under the assumption that all these "things" are good and worth it. but the bible clearly says its not.
i pray that i may live like this one day. Lord, may i live the life you intended me to live.
24Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.25For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
matthew 16:24,25
sokin.
(sorry about the long post! i got to clarify a lot of my thinking while i wrote so it came out longer than expected. and i also apologize if it sounds "preach-y". i really wasnt trying but more so, i think i was writing more to myself than anything. and if you read this whole thing and made it this far, AND ended up watching the clip. kudos to you! i will buy you chicken and rice when i get back to nyc, haha)
Good post.
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of post-its on my desk as well. One of them says, "Stop, drop and pray."
I like how you mentioned the "What's stopping you?" thing. It's a good reminder. Living in such a materialistic world, we tend to forget our true goal.
It's really hard to just let go of our desires. I totally agree. I guess we need more prayer.
Especially at times like these, I feel like a quick injection of money into my bank account would solve all of my (and parents') problems.
I think what's more important is prayer. We need more prayer in our lives!
Stop, drop (everything), and PRAY!
Peace.