JUST GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS!!
I have been energized and enjoying the opportunity to visit many churches and love the privilege of interacting with so many Christians from various walks of life. But when people chat and converse with us, I have noticed a common theme among many Christians and it's been difficult for me to put into words. So I'll characterize what I have observed as "people are going through a mid-life Christian crisis."
Here are some of the symptoms:
Worrying about where their Christian life is going...Feeling frustrated...Feeling almost 'invisible'...Thinking that their time is running out...Questioning the meaning of their Christian life... Wanting their life to mean something and make a difference in another's life. ...Wanting to make some changes but not knowing where to begin
The last thing you and I want to do is waste our lives on religious activity that is devoid of spiritual productivity or being active in the church but not advancing the Kingdom of God. We don't want to come to the end of our days on earth only to realize that we've had little impact. Simply put, people want to make life count!
When I think of what has been communicated to me about how often we just mechanically take part in life, the song "The Motions" by Matthew West comes to mind. He writes and sings about just going through the motions day after day of our Christian walk without passion and enthusiasm to make life count. He speaks out against the sense of complacency that often controls our life as Christians. Are we attending church more out of responsibility and obligation without the passion we once had, A.K.A. just going through the motions. Unfortunately there isn't one thing in life that's fun, exciting, rewarding or fulfilling when just going through the motions.
If you're feeling this way there is only one solution, a radical change. Now listen to me closely, this has nothing to do with changing churches, but has everything to do with changing your emphasis. From receiving to giving, from observing to action, from just noticing a difference to being the difference.
In Matthew 5: 13-16 Jesus says we are the salt and the light of the world. Not to lose it or hide it but to let the whole world see it. That they may see our good deeds and experience the love that's inside us. Because an encounter with you means they just encountered Jesus, to encounter Jesus is where new life begins...Make your life count!
