Just completed the 23rd Annual Venice Marathon- my 1st and hopefully not the last!
The end of this semester is drawing near and I am definitely finding myself in the mode of withdrawal. It seems to be a common theme in my life. I start something, anything, so valiantly and when the end is drawing near... it takes everything in me not to quit. I can think of several examples, areas in my life where this has occurred. I recognize the fact that this is most certainly a commitment phobia along with a disputable fear of failure. It's often easy for me to get away with it (so I believe) due to the fact that I don't sit still very easily and I can readily jump onto the next big thing happening in the world.
Get away with it?
Who am I fooling? There is nothing less honorable, that I can think of, in this life than jumping from one agenda to the next. A consistent, disciplined lifestyle is usually a reflection of what a person has determined as important in his/her life.
As a believer I have not been the greatest example of this. Being aware of this reality is the first step in working towards refinement and allowing the Lord to work within me to be pruned. I can't however just be 'aware', I must be active in my understanding. I would consider this area of "bailing out" certainly a weakness in my life. Richard Sibbes writes in The Bruised Reed a bit about not allowing our weaknesses to keep us from duty-
We should not avoid good actions because of the infirmities attending them. Christ looks more at the good in them which he means to cherish than the ill in them which he means to abolish. Though eating increases a disease, a sick man will still eat, so that nature may gain strength against the disease. So, though sin cleaves to what we do, yet let us do it, since we have to deal with so good a Lord, and the more strife we meet with, the more acceptance we shall have. Christ loves to taste of the good fruits that come from us, even though they will always savour of our old nature.
Justification of situations or circumstances is what usually leads me to quit. "I wont get a good grade because of blah blah blah...so I might as well withdraw now" or, "I have already screwed up this dinner, we might as well just go out and grab a bite to eat." More recently I found myself running a very long race...and on mile 17 thinking to myself, "you already have a really bad mile time just quit...who cares anyways."
Wow- what a weakling. By the grace of God I didn't quit the race- but I did realize how weak my mind is. Sibbes goes on to write, "sometimes a Christian has such confused thoughts that he can say nothing but, as a child cries, 'O Father', not able to express what he needs, like Moses at the Red Sea. These stirrings of spirit touch the heart of God and melt him into compassion towards us, when they come from the Spirit of adoption, and from a striving to be better."
I want to strive to be the best I can be. I think the old phrase coined nicely by Nike is Just Do It! Obedience is the key. Prayer filled obedience. Sibbes concludes with the example of Paul 'pressing on toward the mark for which he was called'. It is so important for me to finish what I start. Not only for my reputation- but also because I claim to be a new creation in Christ. Actions speak louder than words- and a life of perseverance and completion until the Lord calls me home is what I will strive for. I'm so thankful for his grace.
"There is never a holy sigh, never a tear we shed, which is lost. And as every grace increases by exercise of itself, so does the grace of prayer. By prayer we learn to pray. So, likewise, we should take heed of a spirit of discouragement in all other holy duties, since we have so gracious a Saviour. Pray as we are able, hear as we are able, strive as we are able, do as we able, according to the measure of grace received. God in Christ will cast a gracious eye upon that which is his own." -Sibbes (1577-1635)
Get away with it?
Who am I fooling? There is nothing less honorable, that I can think of, in this life than jumping from one agenda to the next. A consistent, disciplined lifestyle is usually a reflection of what a person has determined as important in his/her life.
As a believer I have not been the greatest example of this. Being aware of this reality is the first step in working towards refinement and allowing the Lord to work within me to be pruned. I can't however just be 'aware', I must be active in my understanding. I would consider this area of "bailing out" certainly a weakness in my life. Richard Sibbes writes in The Bruised Reed a bit about not allowing our weaknesses to keep us from duty-
We should not avoid good actions because of the infirmities attending them. Christ looks more at the good in them which he means to cherish than the ill in them which he means to abolish. Though eating increases a disease, a sick man will still eat, so that nature may gain strength against the disease. So, though sin cleaves to what we do, yet let us do it, since we have to deal with so good a Lord, and the more strife we meet with, the more acceptance we shall have. Christ loves to taste of the good fruits that come from us, even though they will always savour of our old nature.
Justification of situations or circumstances is what usually leads me to quit. "I wont get a good grade because of blah blah blah...so I might as well withdraw now" or, "I have already screwed up this dinner, we might as well just go out and grab a bite to eat." More recently I found myself running a very long race...and on mile 17 thinking to myself, "you already have a really bad mile time just quit...who cares anyways."
Wow- what a weakling. By the grace of God I didn't quit the race- but I did realize how weak my mind is. Sibbes goes on to write, "sometimes a Christian has such confused thoughts that he can say nothing but, as a child cries, 'O Father', not able to express what he needs, like Moses at the Red Sea. These stirrings of spirit touch the heart of God and melt him into compassion towards us, when they come from the Spirit of adoption, and from a striving to be better."
I want to strive to be the best I can be. I think the old phrase coined nicely by Nike is Just Do It! Obedience is the key. Prayer filled obedience. Sibbes concludes with the example of Paul 'pressing on toward the mark for which he was called'. It is so important for me to finish what I start. Not only for my reputation- but also because I claim to be a new creation in Christ. Actions speak louder than words- and a life of perseverance and completion until the Lord calls me home is what I will strive for. I'm so thankful for his grace.
"There is never a holy sigh, never a tear we shed, which is lost. And as every grace increases by exercise of itself, so does the grace of prayer. By prayer we learn to pray. So, likewise, we should take heed of a spirit of discouragement in all other holy duties, since we have so gracious a Saviour. Pray as we are able, hear as we are able, strive as we are able, do as we able, according to the measure of grace received. God in Christ will cast a gracious eye upon that which is his own." -Sibbes (1577-1635)
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