Good stuff

And now for something completely different...

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What to do with "Blah" days

People are going to have their good days and their bad days. There will be some days when everything is going right, much has been accomplished, and hope for the future is evident. Then, there are those days where it seems bad is permeating through us and around us. Perhaps we fell into sin or see sin around us, or a disturbing situation took place. Most people can probably talk about the good days and the bad days. But, the majority of life is made in what I like to call the "blah" days. These are the days when neither much good nor much bad happened. These are the dangerous days where we find out who we truly are. These are the days when not much happened in the office, not much is going on this evening, and a little was accomplished but not much. The things you remember most happen on the most horrific of days or the best of days. Everyone knows what they were doing when the 9/11 tragedy took place, just like many older people know what was happening when Pearl Harbor was bombed or John F. Kennedy was shot. Many remember what took place when news came that a loved one had died or when a spouse asks for a divorce. At the same time, many remember when their child was born, or when they first invited Christ into their heart, or when that game winning point took place, or the wedding day, or the day they got the big promotion. You get a few of those years a day. Sometimes you may slip into the "bad" time for a few weeks and sometimes you skip about in the "good" time period. However, its those in between moments that truly develop our character and what we are all about. Those moments when we decide to do the dishes so our spouse doesn't have to do them. Or when we give somebody a ride to the airport. Or when we step out and help somebody out.
God looks very closely at how we are in the happy days and rejoices in us. I think God really loves seeing his children happy. God mourns those days when all is going wrong and we are frustrated and upset. It's a painful process, but he knows that this will help to define us and make us the complete person we need to be. What is God thinking on those days when we are in the midst of the hustle and bustle of life? I think he looks for those moments where we do good, when we talk with him, and when we choose to do what is right even if there appears to be no motivating factor for doing right.
Rejoice in the "blah" days, for these are the days that truly define you as a person and show whether you are progressing or degressing.

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The Joy of Progress

There is nothing more challenging than maintaining passion and fire in the midst of failure. You try, try, try and fail, fail, fail. Usually, this leads to quitting and disillusionment. However, for some, they go crazy and actually continue to pursue success. There are countless stories of athletes, business entrepreneurs, politicians, and ministers who went from the pain of failure to the joy of success. What is amazing is that very few can point to any specific moment when everything changed. Rather, they continued to do what they believed was the right way to do it. It is during this time of failure that we must look closely at the slight level of progress that has been made and take joy in it. We must grab onto those small moments that have the potential for success, otherwise we become very discouraged.
As a pastor, there are too many moments where failure has been the predominant force in my life. Either I messed up, someone else messed up, or a little bit of both. Yet, I'm still here. I am here for one reason and one reason alone. I feel called, equipped, and cannot picture myself doing anything else that this juncture in my life. Yet, by most standards I have failed much more than I have succeeded. However, I believe most standards are wrong when defining failure and success. The degree of failure should be measured by the amount of time it took us to quit something. If you haven't quit, then in my opinion, you really haven't failed. Those who view me as a failure because I allegedly hurt them, or wasn't a strong enough leader, or lacked that "flare" that defines a good leader really aren't around me all that much because they quit. The critics will always be critical and the only way it can effect me is if it leads to my quitting.
Instead, learn from your mistakes, stay true to what God has called you to do, and never forget that the two great commandments should influence every action. Hang onto that, don't quit, understand failure happens, and make sure you are judging success on the right standards.

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