Doing my readings today on guilt, forgiveness and reconciliation I came across the following quote:
Of the great Christian or Jewish words—God, love, sin, guilt, forgiveness, reconciliation—none is a definition. They are all relational statements. That is, love is not a thing; it is a relation. Guilt is not a thing; it is a relation. Sin, too, is not a thing, it is a relation. In reconciliation, the prefix re- means conciliation reestablished, or harmony once broken put back together. This is terribly important. When I say you cannot find a definition of love, I mean that love becomes clear and recognizable only when you behold a relationship (Joseph Sittler 1986, 80).
This kind of struck me. The quote was in support of, and reference to, the way we define forgiveness etc today as opposed to the way it was defined in Jewish culture and context. While today the focus is all on self and individualism then the focus was more on unity and community. Forgiveness and reconcilation was about restoring the balance and the harmony of the entire community as a whole - not simply restoring the original relationships of the individuals involved. As such forgiveness could be seen as a process that occurs as reconciliation is achieved over time within the community.
Yet again this is a perception issue: Dispute resolution vs. restoration of community.
When we think about what forgiveness is what does that actually mean? Is it a single act that allows us to return to old feelings and relations? Is it a process that involves time and acts on the behalf of those in the 'wrong' restoring the balance? Does it mean we have to forget? Does forgiveness mean that the wrongs done to us become morally acceptable? Does forgiveness involve only the victim and perpetrator or an entire community? How do we forgive?
As I have studied this topic I have found that my understanding of biblical forgiveness and reconciliation has grown substantially. Likewise my understanding of others views of forgiveness has been broadened. We don't all think alike and so when told from the pulpit we 'must' forgive we respond very differently...
Funny how a topic we assume we understand can turn out to be a massive blob of grey confusion and miscommunication!!!
Monday, 28 May 2007
Generosity
I got out of the habit of blogging daily and now I'm struggling to get back into the flow of things... I'm sure theres a lesson in that!!!
Generosity. Simon Moetara touched briefly on this topic during his sermon on
What is generosity?
| 1. | readiness or liberality in giving. |
| 2. | freedom from meanness or smallness of mind or character. |
| 3. | a generous act: We thanked him for his many generosities. |
| 4. | largeness or fullness; amplitude. |
To be generous we need first to believe we have something of value and secondly we need to believe we can actually spare some of that for the sake of others. We can't give what we don't believe we have. This comes back then to perception. Truth is we are all wealthy if we can sit down at a computer and read a blog let alone write one or comment on one. This means we have the money required to access a computer, the education required to use one, the time to use it (time being a huge luxury in the Western world particularly) and the time to study / think / pray about what we write about. However generosity is by no means limited to things of worldly value.
To me a big part of being a Christian and becoming more Christ like is wanting to spend time with others sharing, praying, consoling, encouraging, teaching etc etc. I really get frustrated when I see my friends unwilling and uncomfortable in offering to do the same things. To be honest it used to make me quite angry - their lack of apparent willingness to just 'get over themselves' and help minister to someone else.
Then I had somewhat of a revelation.
My friends were unwilling to pray etc not so much out of lack of will but rather out of poor perception. They were so focused on their own faults and failures and the struggles of their own walks with God that they could not see the comparable feast they had to share with others. Its a truly sad thing when we become so inward focused that we can't see the extreme poverty our neighbours are experiencing yet we are all guilty of this - both in terms of physical nourishment (eg Africa etc) and spiritual nourishment (our neighbours, our city, our nation and our world!).
When we hold back from mentioning God and offering to pray for someone experiencing hard times we are refusing to even offer scraps from our table to the starving. Even if we ourselves are only eating bread and drinking water this is a feast to those who have nothing! Comparison of ourselves with others can be a dangerous thing leading to pride and boasting however if we never even consider the condition of others we are guilty of turning blind eyes. Even if we are going through the hardest time and feel we are walking through the valley of the shadow of death God is able and willing to partner with us in reaching out to others. Its about our perception. If we believe that what we have is so little that it is not worth sharing or that we cannot afford to part with any of it then we won't share. If we believe that what we have is very little yet also know that this little amount has changed our lives and has the power to change others we will then share it with others in the hope that it might help someone.
As a leader I don't come to every Sunday service feeling incredible and amazing and in perfect relationship with God. However in spite of my situation I know that what I have is life changing and of incredible value. I pray and minister out of the assurance that God works with and through me and accordingly I ALWAYS have something to pass on to others. I have learnt that generosity of spirit is a mindset... do you have it?!?
Monday, 21 May 2007
Faith levels...
I can't recall which speaker made this statement at Pursuit - but it certainly challenged my thinking - 'maybe we need to reduce our faith to the level we have substance for'. I think the point he was making was that sometimes we have 'faith' for sooo much but we are incapable of following through on what we are believing for. Maybe its better to start focusing on and believing for our friends and family to come to Christ before we pour all our energy into believing for the city of Hamilton to come to Christ within the year. Now I'm not saying think small but I am asking do we have faith for what we can do in partnership with God, or just for what we perceive only God can do (thus requiring little or no identifiable sacrifice from ourselves)? Did anyone else who went to Pursuit pick up on this? Thoughts?
I must admit I'm not entirely convinced however its always nice to have a radical position cross my path and challenge me to question what I believe and why.
I must admit I'm not entirely convinced however its always nice to have a radical position cross my path and challenge me to question what I believe and why.
To be excellent and selective or prolific and second-best?
What a title! My darling little brother once said to me (he was 17) I could either be one of two types of people. I could be all things to all people, serve everywhere I wanted to, do everything I was interested in, wear myself out, but only do a second-rate job, and in the process prevent other people from stepping up and doing the things I was doing, half-heartedly, to the best of their ability. OR. I could be selective in what I do and choose to sacrifice some priorities for other ones and make space for other people to shine. What a choice.
Sometimes its so easy to get caught up in the 'If I don't do it nobody will' mindset. We think that we are irreplaceable, that we alone can finish the job or bring home the medal. Truth is God didn't call us to each be the entire body of Christ - to represent both the eye and the ear, the mouth and the nose, the arm and the leg, the toes and the fingers. He called us each to be individuals, each with different abilities and gifts. As 1 Corinthians 12:8-31 puts it:
Sometimes its so easy to get caught up in the 'If I don't do it nobody will' mindset. We think that we are irreplaceable, that we alone can finish the job or bring home the medal. Truth is God didn't call us to each be the entire body of Christ - to represent both the eye and the ear, the mouth and the nose, the arm and the leg, the toes and the fingers. He called us each to be individuals, each with different abilities and gifts. As 1 Corinthians 12:8-31 puts it:
8 To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.
One Body with Many Members
(Cp Eph 4.1—16)
12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
14 Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many members, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; 24 whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, 25 that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.
The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989, S. 1 Co 12:8
Trying to be a prophet when our intended position is as an evangelist is as silly as trying to be a finger when our true role is to be a nose. Even sillier is when we try to be both at once and never quite work out how to bend or to smell because we try to smell with our knuckle and bend with our nostril. Ridiculous analogy I know but I hope you get the point!
We have been called into the body of Christ for a purpose and a reason. We are needed. We are necessary. However we also need to remember that just as we have a place so do our sisters and brothers and its not fair to them to try and do everything. Far better to have not enough people on the host team and have to ask a random member of the congregation to help out than to have the same old people getting worn out and resentful. Who knows they may like it! (The random - not the 'usual'!!!).
This is an area I constantly struggle with but hey I'd like to think I improve with age and exhaustion!!! Somehow I am always sheepishly amazed by how incredible things go when I delegate them to others and encourage them through it instead of steamrolling ahead myself...
So my question is what is your aim? To be excellent and selective or prolific and second-best?
Trying to be a prophet when our intended position is as an evangelist is as silly as trying to be a finger when our true role is to be a nose. Even sillier is when we try to be both at once and never quite work out how to bend or to smell because we try to smell with our knuckle and bend with our nostril. Ridiculous analogy I know but I hope you get the point!
We have been called into the body of Christ for a purpose and a reason. We are needed. We are necessary. However we also need to remember that just as we have a place so do our sisters and brothers and its not fair to them to try and do everything. Far better to have not enough people on the host team and have to ask a random member of the congregation to help out than to have the same old people getting worn out and resentful. Who knows they may like it! (The random - not the 'usual'!!!).
This is an area I constantly struggle with but hey I'd like to think I improve with age and exhaustion!!! Somehow I am always sheepishly amazed by how incredible things go when I delegate them to others and encourage them through it instead of steamrolling ahead myself...
So my question is what is your aim? To be excellent and selective or prolific and second-best?
Sunday, 20 May 2007
Pursuit in a word
Wow what a crazy crazy week! I can't believe that its only been five days since I posted my last blog - feels like an eternity ago! I, along with a large portion of the staff and leadership team (especially the music department), was up at CLCA South attending the leadership conference 'Pursuit of Excellence' from tuesday to friday and my mind and spirit combined are in revelation overload. So much so in fact that I can't even begin to unpack what happened - it would just take hours and screeds of writing and no-one would EVER read it all.
I think if I reduced everything to one word that word would be "GO". The details will come, it doesn't matter if you go in the wrong direction and have to keep changing course, the point is you are actually moving and doing something not locked up in a closet praying and never doing anything to help direct that prayer. As one of my amazing lifegroup leaders said today(and she hadn't been to Pursuit which makes her EXTRA brilliant to have reached this on her own - go BETH!) its much harder for God to push you in the right direction if you are stationary. At least if you are moving you already have some momentum up and going so its more of a gentle hand guiding the shoulder not a kick up the behind before direction can be given.
This has reinforced some of the opinions I held before the conference about the need to start serving even if you have no idea what your 'calling' is as well as challenging me as to what am I doing right now? Is everything necessary? Effective? Addressing the big commands - to love God, love neighbours and love self? Am I witnessing to my family? Is my family a priority? What does this all look like and what SHOULD it look like? How am I going to change so I am being most effective with the resources I have?
It is so easy to sit here with my list of resources and think I have so little - especially when my list of responsibilities (gosh there are a lot of 'i's in that word) and commitments is in my other hand. Truth is I am incredibly blessed just to have been born into this country let alone to have been given the talents and skills God has blessed me with and the ability to work and study. As James MacPhearson shared with us at camp - its up to us whether we view what we have as a famine or a feast and I choose to see my life through the feast mindset. I just have to determine what I am going to allow access to my feast and what is just going to have wait or be directed elsewhere.
So that is my very condensed version of Pursuit and my response to it. Now I need to start to unpack each message and its relevance to me and apply them. Fun!!!
I think if I reduced everything to one word that word would be "GO". The details will come, it doesn't matter if you go in the wrong direction and have to keep changing course, the point is you are actually moving and doing something not locked up in a closet praying and never doing anything to help direct that prayer. As one of my amazing lifegroup leaders said today(and she hadn't been to Pursuit which makes her EXTRA brilliant to have reached this on her own - go BETH!) its much harder for God to push you in the right direction if you are stationary. At least if you are moving you already have some momentum up and going so its more of a gentle hand guiding the shoulder not a kick up the behind before direction can be given.
This has reinforced some of the opinions I held before the conference about the need to start serving even if you have no idea what your 'calling' is as well as challenging me as to what am I doing right now? Is everything necessary? Effective? Addressing the big commands - to love God, love neighbours and love self? Am I witnessing to my family? Is my family a priority? What does this all look like and what SHOULD it look like? How am I going to change so I am being most effective with the resources I have?
It is so easy to sit here with my list of resources and think I have so little - especially when my list of responsibilities (gosh there are a lot of 'i's in that word) and commitments is in my other hand. Truth is I am incredibly blessed just to have been born into this country let alone to have been given the talents and skills God has blessed me with and the ability to work and study. As James MacPhearson shared with us at camp - its up to us whether we view what we have as a famine or a feast and I choose to see my life through the feast mindset. I just have to determine what I am going to allow access to my feast and what is just going to have wait or be directed elsewhere.
So that is my very condensed version of Pursuit and my response to it. Now I need to start to unpack each message and its relevance to me and apply them. Fun!!!
Tuesday, 15 May 2007
2 Peter 1:3-7
Today in my daily email devotion my attention was drawn to the following passage of scripture:
2 Peter 1:3-7 (NRSV)
3 His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature. 5 For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love.
What an amazing passage of scripture!!! Peter teaches that every aspect of Christian living builds upon and supports the next. Faith allows goodness to develop and goodness supports faith. Likewise goodness allows knowledge to form and knowledge increases goodness. However not only does knowledge increase goodness it then therefore increases faith just as faith supports the development of knowledge. It continues in ever increasing circles to include self-control, endurance, godliness, mutual affection and love.
There is so much pratical advice to be gained from this passage. One of the first points I picked up on was that we can never develop one area of our walk in isolation. Trying to develop faith while deliberately not developing our ability to love or our knowledge of God is like trying to eat ten weetbix without anything else - it might start out ok but a little way in everything feels dry and uncomfortable. Nothing goes down easily, every mouthful is an effort and the last thing you want to be eating is weetbix. However add milk or any form of liquid/lubricant and it becomes a meal that is nutritious and palatable. Often trying to develop our faith leads to the very opposite thing happening - our doubts are increased. Adding bible reading, acts of goodwill and self-control however allows us to see that faith take action and supports its building naturally.
Another point of interest is that we have been given EVERYTHING we need - not only for life but also for Godliness! We are not going to be given, we haven't been given a few of the tools, oh no we already have everything we need. Wow. No excuses can be tolerated in light of t hat statement. So if we already have all we need then we need to be growing in godliness - NOW - no waiting for our 'calling' to be revealed or till we can enter into ministry or get to bible college or raise a family or any of the push-pause reasons that we love to wait on. Feeling challenged?
I could go on and on but its after midnight and bed is calling so the floor is open - what points come to mind for you out of this wee passage? I will be back after Pursuit so I look forward to reading your thoughts
luv Cat
2 Peter 1:3-7 (NRSV)
3 His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature. 5 For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love.
What an amazing passage of scripture!!! Peter teaches that every aspect of Christian living builds upon and supports the next. Faith allows goodness to develop and goodness supports faith. Likewise goodness allows knowledge to form and knowledge increases goodness. However not only does knowledge increase goodness it then therefore increases faith just as faith supports the development of knowledge. It continues in ever increasing circles to include self-control, endurance, godliness, mutual affection and love.
There is so much pratical advice to be gained from this passage. One of the first points I picked up on was that we can never develop one area of our walk in isolation. Trying to develop faith while deliberately not developing our ability to love or our knowledge of God is like trying to eat ten weetbix without anything else - it might start out ok but a little way in everything feels dry and uncomfortable. Nothing goes down easily, every mouthful is an effort and the last thing you want to be eating is weetbix. However add milk or any form of liquid/lubricant and it becomes a meal that is nutritious and palatable. Often trying to develop our faith leads to the very opposite thing happening - our doubts are increased. Adding bible reading, acts of goodwill and self-control however allows us to see that faith take action and supports its building naturally.
Another point of interest is that we have been given EVERYTHING we need - not only for life but also for Godliness! We are not going to be given, we haven't been given a few of the tools, oh no we already have everything we need. Wow. No excuses can be tolerated in light of t hat statement. So if we already have all we need then we need to be growing in godliness - NOW - no waiting for our 'calling' to be revealed or till we can enter into ministry or get to bible college or raise a family or any of the push-pause reasons that we love to wait on. Feeling challenged?
I could go on and on but its after midnight and bed is calling so the floor is open - what points come to mind for you out of this wee passage? I will be back after Pursuit so I look forward to reading your thoughts
luv Cat
Monday, 14 May 2007
You get out what you put IN
As per normal I attended church last night and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. This is a complete contrast to how I felt about church two and a half years ago. Then I would come slink in the side a couple of minutes late, stand and sing but never move from my standing position - even to clap. I'd sit through the service, maybe take a note or two but wouldn't open my bible, and then afterwards chat to maybe one or two people from cellgroup before disappearing home quickly. I'm so glad things have changed.
Back then church was something that was meant to fit in with me, to suit my tastes and meet my needs. I wasn't willing to put anything in until I received what I thought I needed. I would complain the church wasn't very friendly, but never greet anyone myself. I would complain the teaching wasn't very deep, but never take the time to read the bible and understand the teachings at a deeper level. I was trying to suck all I needed out of the tiny commitment I had made and wondered why I was getting so little!
A couple of weeks ago during the offering talk the point was made that what we give in offerings is returned to us tenfold. Last night Dave Artinian mentioned that what you receive back is often in a different form to that which you put in. This doesn't just go for money though - it goes for praise, time, commitment, service, friendship etc etc etc. By choosing to sacrifice my time and my fears of rejection and not being good enough and do things anyway I have been blessed beyond my wildest imagination. I think this is why I enjoyed last night so much. Last night the altar was filled with people, young and old, stepping out of their comfort zones and praising God. It was beautiful! This is also why I love inviting people to step out of their routines and join me in ministering to someone who's hurting, greeting someone new, or serving on a women's team. There are any number of ways to stretch people a little further and often all they need is a little encouragement or support - I know the benefits and I can't wait to see them break through and experience them too.
The most rewarding thing about church for me these days is seeing the people standing in my shoes of two and a half years ago starting to walk forward in their own paths - knowing there is more in store for them and helping them start to see it too by the grace of God =)
Back then church was something that was meant to fit in with me, to suit my tastes and meet my needs. I wasn't willing to put anything in until I received what I thought I needed. I would complain the church wasn't very friendly, but never greet anyone myself. I would complain the teaching wasn't very deep, but never take the time to read the bible and understand the teachings at a deeper level. I was trying to suck all I needed out of the tiny commitment I had made and wondered why I was getting so little!
A couple of weeks ago during the offering talk the point was made that what we give in offerings is returned to us tenfold. Last night Dave Artinian mentioned that what you receive back is often in a different form to that which you put in. This doesn't just go for money though - it goes for praise, time, commitment, service, friendship etc etc etc. By choosing to sacrifice my time and my fears of rejection and not being good enough and do things anyway I have been blessed beyond my wildest imagination. I think this is why I enjoyed last night so much. Last night the altar was filled with people, young and old, stepping out of their comfort zones and praising God. It was beautiful! This is also why I love inviting people to step out of their routines and join me in ministering to someone who's hurting, greeting someone new, or serving on a women's team. There are any number of ways to stretch people a little further and often all they need is a little encouragement or support - I know the benefits and I can't wait to see them break through and experience them too.
The most rewarding thing about church for me these days is seeing the people standing in my shoes of two and a half years ago starting to walk forward in their own paths - knowing there is more in store for them and helping them start to see it too by the grace of God =)
Saturday, 12 May 2007
'Nature'al Medication
Today has been another day of study - but with a twist. I can only handle sitting still so long - leave it too long and I start getting a little bit crazy. Just as I was getting the I can't cope point today I hit a new section in my course called 'Praying with God's "other" book'. The notes discussd how often in the bible people were praying and receiving revelation in the most random places, on mountaintops (Abraham as he climbed up to sacrifice Isaac, Jesus before choosing the disciples and again at his transfiguration), in fields (Isaac was meditating in one when his servant and Rebekah returned), in gardens (Gethsemane), watching potters (Jeremiah 18), at lakeside breakfasts (John 21:15ff). The point being that often it is in creation that God speaks to us.
I know that creation and nature are essential to my spiritual wellbeing. When I haven't made the time to stop and reflect, to re-examine, and to just be in nature - particularly in the bush or at the beach - I start to lose focus and begin to sweat the small stuff. So today - in spite of the myriad of things I need to get done - I went for a walk. I didn't stride it out or hurry, in fact I kind of meandered a bit. I didn't drive to the gardens or the lake, I just walked out my front door with nothing in my hands and no bag on my back. I walked with no destination in mind. The only thing I took with me was one thought: I am a part of this creation. I am not an observer. This is my environment and I am a part of it - it was made for me and I was made for it.
I can't say that it was a particularly spiritual walk or that I received an amazing revelation, but I did take time to pause and reflect and enjoy. I took a photo of an amazingly purply coloured plant. I stood in awe staring up the trunk of a massive massive pine tree. I thoroughly enjoyed the sunshine on my face and back. I listened to a band practice in someones home and admired the drumming. I kicked the autumn leaves and smelt the fragrance of rotting foliage. I smiled. It was great and it only took 34minutes.
We live in an amazing world. It is incredible how even in the city we are surrounded by insects and green green grass and extremely large trees as well as totally diverse people, weird and wonderful architeture and constant movement. As nice as it is to 'get away from it all' its great to simply choose to enjoy and marvel at the environment we live in day by day and still come away feeling refreshed and free.
I know that creation and nature are essential to my spiritual wellbeing. When I haven't made the time to stop and reflect, to re-examine, and to just be in nature - particularly in the bush or at the beach - I start to lose focus and begin to sweat the small stuff. So today - in spite of the myriad of things I need to get done - I went for a walk. I didn't stride it out or hurry, in fact I kind of meandered a bit. I didn't drive to the gardens or the lake, I just walked out my front door with nothing in my hands and no bag on my back. I walked with no destination in mind. The only thing I took with me was one thought: I am a part of this creation. I am not an observer. This is my environment and I am a part of it - it was made for me and I was made for it.
I can't say that it was a particularly spiritual walk or that I received an amazing revelation, but I did take time to pause and reflect and enjoy. I took a photo of an amazingly purply coloured plant. I stood in awe staring up the trunk of a massive massive pine tree. I thoroughly enjoyed the sunshine on my face and back. I listened to a band practice in someones home and admired the drumming. I kicked the autumn leaves and smelt the fragrance of rotting foliage. I smiled. It was great and it only took 34minutes.
We live in an amazing world. It is incredible how even in the city we are surrounded by insects and green green grass and extremely large trees as well as totally diverse people, weird and wonderful architeture and constant movement. As nice as it is to 'get away from it all' its great to simply choose to enjoy and marvel at the environment we live in day by day and still come away feeling refreshed and free.
Friday, 11 May 2007
Motivation
The past few months I have been constantly confronted with motivation - and not in a positive way. It seems that most people I talk to are struggling with it. Either they have never had motivation in a particular area and are struggling with it, they have had motivation and now have lost it and are struggling, or the motivation they have has changed and they are wondering whether to stick with the original or go with the now... Motivation seems to have a lot to answer for!
So what is it?
Motivation (the word) is a noun referring to:
Motive (the word) can be used as a
–noun
–adjective
–or verb (used with object)
To me this indicates that motivation comes back to the cause / value / reason behaind we are doing something. If we have no motivation for a particular area is it because our reasons for doing what we are doing are no longer valuable or important to us?
An example of this would be the student who started out her degree with such high hopes and expectations. She was motivated by attaining a credential, by gaining skills to help her get a good job, by wanting to make a difference in the world, by the sheer joy of learning and growing. Two or three years in the necessity of a degree and the usefulness of a degree is not so important to her - it seems that practical experience is what is valued most. Her belief that what she is doing will make a difference is gone, eroded away by cynicism and an awareness that learning alone is never enough. The daily slog of little money, hard work and late nights struggling to understand meaningless information have destroyed her enjoyment of what shes doing. She's left wondering where did my motivation go? Why am I bothering to study? Why not quit and start working?
This is just one example - it happens to those with specifically 'Christian' aspirations too - but the questions are always the same. Why bother? What purpose is this serving? Should I change direction because the passion is gone? Is God telling me something by 'removing' my motivations?
I don't really have many helpful answers at this point. I struggle with motivation too. I do know that unless my motivation is of God in the first place or changes in the course of things to be of God then my motivation will naturally leech away till I am left with sand...
So what is it?
Motivation (the word) is a noun referring to:
| 1. | the act or an instance of motivating. |
| 2. | the state or condition of being motivated. |
| 3. | something that motivates; inducement; incentive. |
Motive (the word) can be used as a
–noun
| 1. | something that causes a person to act in a certain way, do a certain thing, etc.; incentive. |
| 2. | the goal or object of a person's actions: Her motive was revenge. |
| 3. | (in art, literature, and music) a motif. |
| 4. | causing, or tending to cause, motion. |
| 5. | pertaining to motion. |
| 6. | prompting to action. |
| 7. | constituting a motive or motives. |
| 8. | to motivate. |
To me this indicates that motivation comes back to the cause / value / reason behaind we are doing something. If we have no motivation for a particular area is it because our reasons for doing what we are doing are no longer valuable or important to us?
An example of this would be the student who started out her degree with such high hopes and expectations. She was motivated by attaining a credential, by gaining skills to help her get a good job, by wanting to make a difference in the world, by the sheer joy of learning and growing. Two or three years in the necessity of a degree and the usefulness of a degree is not so important to her - it seems that practical experience is what is valued most. Her belief that what she is doing will make a difference is gone, eroded away by cynicism and an awareness that learning alone is never enough. The daily slog of little money, hard work and late nights struggling to understand meaningless information have destroyed her enjoyment of what shes doing. She's left wondering where did my motivation go? Why am I bothering to study? Why not quit and start working?
This is just one example - it happens to those with specifically 'Christian' aspirations too - but the questions are always the same. Why bother? What purpose is this serving? Should I change direction because the passion is gone? Is God telling me something by 'removing' my motivations?
I don't really have many helpful answers at this point. I struggle with motivation too. I do know that unless my motivation is of God in the first place or changes in the course of things to be of God then my motivation will naturally leech away till I am left with sand...
Thursday, 10 May 2007
Hebrews!!!
Ahhhhh I have done it... I have given in to myself and have entered the blogging world finally. Somehow its so much easier to comment on other peoples thoughts than to write down my own. Its not that I have no thoughts to write down its simply now I have to try and be organised and process rather than read and respond.
Currently I am processing through Hebrews, specifically the Christology of the author and the audience and how Christ is revealed both in person and in purpose. It is fascinating reading the various perspectives on this topic. Commentaries tend to focus on the High Priesthood of Christ and the meaning of this both at the time of sacrifice and subsequently since. I can't say that I have ever really thought about this aspect of Christ before in any depth so much of what I have read has gone over my head. Some commentaries consider this teaching to be 'new' to the audience of the time. They see it as the same message of the gospel reillustrated to emphasise new points. This perspective however is revealed as extremely limited in light of other commentaries whose writers have taken the time to consider the probable audience of the epistle/homily. The audience seems to be, most likely, converts from Judaism (possibly even the priests under the old covenant). They would have been extremely comfortable with the concepts of sacrifice and atonement for sin but would likely have struggled with the idea of one sacrifice atoning for all sin past present and future. In this light the emphasis on the sovereignty of Christ, his complete humanity and divinity, his role as high priest, and his current role as intercessor at the right hand of the father, makes sense in a whole new way.
I think both types of commentary provide insights but attempting to understand context and intent allows a much deeper insight to be attained. I can only imagine how the early Christian converts from Judaism must have felt. Initially expecting to be reunited with Christ anyday and living in that hope only to fall into sin and feel dirty with no clear way to attone for that sin. Knowing that the old ways were no longer appropriate and yet not understanding that Jesus' sacrifice was sufficient both for the sins of their past and for the ones since his death and resurrection. No wonder it seems as though they were tending to be heading back to the old ritualistic patterns of Judaism!
The temptation to return to the old tried and true methods is often so strong in our lives. Kindof like the quantity maths problems where you have to measure certain quantities with a limited array of measuring cup sizes. Sometimes its possible to work out the quantity one way but it takes twice as long as another new way that would not have worked with previous puzzles - trouble is we see that the old way still works and forget to consider other alternative patterns. Its only when we come up against a puzzle that doesn't work with the old strategy that we consider trying new methods. I wonder if thats why we get so comfortable with the status quo. We know it works, we have no reason to question it or try something new so we don't move out of it until we hit a problem. Trying new methods for the sake of trying new methods isn't habitual so our ability to deal with changes is not increased and thats why we then struggle so much with problems that land in our path... leading us to avoid changing even more and settling with the status quo as the cycle repeats itself!
I do believe I'm rambling =)
I am curious to know what happened to the first audience of Hebrews though. Did they return to Judaism? Did they understand what the author was trying to share and begin to grasp the enormity of Jesus' sacrifice and intercession on their behalf? Were they divided or united? I also wonder about Christians today. How many fail to grasp this concept of complete and utter freedom from sin in Christ? How many still feel unable to attone for their sins not realising they don't have to - its been done for them? Or is it better to ask how many truly understand this truth - that we are completely and utterly redeemed! I have always loved Hebrews 11 and 12 but now as I study the book as a whole I am beginning to grasp just how important it is and how much there is yet to learn. Now if only I could write my essay as if it were in blog form!!!
Currently I am processing through Hebrews, specifically the Christology of the author and the audience and how Christ is revealed both in person and in purpose. It is fascinating reading the various perspectives on this topic. Commentaries tend to focus on the High Priesthood of Christ and the meaning of this both at the time of sacrifice and subsequently since. I can't say that I have ever really thought about this aspect of Christ before in any depth so much of what I have read has gone over my head. Some commentaries consider this teaching to be 'new' to the audience of the time. They see it as the same message of the gospel reillustrated to emphasise new points. This perspective however is revealed as extremely limited in light of other commentaries whose writers have taken the time to consider the probable audience of the epistle/homily. The audience seems to be, most likely, converts from Judaism (possibly even the priests under the old covenant). They would have been extremely comfortable with the concepts of sacrifice and atonement for sin but would likely have struggled with the idea of one sacrifice atoning for all sin past present and future. In this light the emphasis on the sovereignty of Christ, his complete humanity and divinity, his role as high priest, and his current role as intercessor at the right hand of the father, makes sense in a whole new way.
I think both types of commentary provide insights but attempting to understand context and intent allows a much deeper insight to be attained. I can only imagine how the early Christian converts from Judaism must have felt. Initially expecting to be reunited with Christ anyday and living in that hope only to fall into sin and feel dirty with no clear way to attone for that sin. Knowing that the old ways were no longer appropriate and yet not understanding that Jesus' sacrifice was sufficient both for the sins of their past and for the ones since his death and resurrection. No wonder it seems as though they were tending to be heading back to the old ritualistic patterns of Judaism!
The temptation to return to the old tried and true methods is often so strong in our lives. Kindof like the quantity maths problems where you have to measure certain quantities with a limited array of measuring cup sizes. Sometimes its possible to work out the quantity one way but it takes twice as long as another new way that would not have worked with previous puzzles - trouble is we see that the old way still works and forget to consider other alternative patterns. Its only when we come up against a puzzle that doesn't work with the old strategy that we consider trying new methods. I wonder if thats why we get so comfortable with the status quo. We know it works, we have no reason to question it or try something new so we don't move out of it until we hit a problem. Trying new methods for the sake of trying new methods isn't habitual so our ability to deal with changes is not increased and thats why we then struggle so much with problems that land in our path... leading us to avoid changing even more and settling with the status quo as the cycle repeats itself!
I do believe I'm rambling =)
I am curious to know what happened to the first audience of Hebrews though. Did they return to Judaism? Did they understand what the author was trying to share and begin to grasp the enormity of Jesus' sacrifice and intercession on their behalf? Were they divided or united? I also wonder about Christians today. How many fail to grasp this concept of complete and utter freedom from sin in Christ? How many still feel unable to attone for their sins not realising they don't have to - its been done for them? Or is it better to ask how many truly understand this truth - that we are completely and utterly redeemed! I have always loved Hebrews 11 and 12 but now as I study the book as a whole I am beginning to grasp just how important it is and how much there is yet to learn. Now if only I could write my essay as if it were in blog form!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
