Rationalization is a Defense Mechanism

The easiest way to tell if a professing Christian is a Pharisee (ie, a religious hypocrite) or someone who truly has peace and freedom in Christ:

PHARISEES ARE ALWAYS RATIONALIZING EVERYTHING.

Do you defend yourself, or do you deny yourself?

Strive and Thrive

* Pointing to myself *

Stop coasting through life.

Fruit

Becoming a "better Christian" is an ends, not a means.

Waiting on God

21 Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22 For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings.

1 Corinthians 7

If you can gain your freedom, do so. Waiting on God is not a passive activity.

Revival

True revival doesn't come from preaching revival. True revival comes from preaching Gospel.

Lover

Who you are isn't so much what you do, but what you love.

This hit me one day when a friend wanted to know if we had a mutual friend in the Bay Area. Without even mentioning his name, he said, "He's an enthusiastic sports fan".

"Yes! I know him," I said. And I did! Then I realized how weird it was that I knew exactly who my friend was referring to just by hearing what it was that this person loved most. Initially, I found it amusing, but pretty soon it started bothering me. A lot.

Does this person take pride in the fact that he is known for being a lover of sports? I knew that I wouldn't be.

I know someone who loves the Steelers. I know someone who loves Switchfoot. I know someone who loves Snoopy. I know someone who loves Harry Potter, someone who loves makeup, someone who loves K-pop, someone who loves computer science jokes, someone who loves veganism, someone who loves spending as little money as possible. And I even know someone who loves poop. Ha! Some of you reading this can probably immediately guess who these people are, too. Is that funny? Or is it sad? Scary?

What do I love? What do others think I love? Do people see me as a lover of books? A lover of philosophy? Do people describe me as "the girl who obsesses over new, obscure music artists"? Or "the girl who does homeless ministry every weekend"? Or "the girl who is always engaged in theological debates"? What is it that I talk about, gush about, all the time? What is it that I enthusiastically share and discuss with others?

What is it that my mind runs to when I wake up in the morning, that it dwells on in the stillness of the night as I drift off to sleep?

I don't want my thoughts and my speech and my actions wrapped up in these things. More importantly, I don't want my identity wrapped up in these things. I am ashamed, mortified, terrified, at the very possibility.

Career != Calling

God spoke through me today. He does that sometimes; I can tell when it happens because I know that, under normal human circumstances, I am not smart enough to come up with the stuff he says through me on my own, and with such immediacy and boldness at that.

"What is our purpose?" a friend had asked me. I pointed her to Galatians 5: You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Christ set us free from slavery, free from sin, so that we can serve one another instead, so that we can bear fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

"Then how does that relate to careers?"

"I don't know," I admitted. That was me speaking. But then I felt a fire light up from within. "What I do know is that your identity is not in your career. Your career isn't eternal. It's temporary. It's a small detail in God's plan. Yes, your job may be important, but it's not you. You are first, a Christian. Second, everything else. Paul was an apostle. He was also a tentmaker. He made tents for a living. But no one immediately thinks 'tentmaker' when they think of Paul!"

At that, my friend laughed. "Wasn't Jesus a carpenter?"

"And Peter was a fisherman, and Matthew was a tax collector. But who cares! That's not nearly as important as the fact that they were disciples of Jesus. As Christians we have so many higher callings in life! We are ambassadors, representing the heavenly kingdom on earth. We are soldiers, fighting against the works of the enemy. We are Jesus's bride, preparing ourselves to love and to be loved. We are salt and light, flavoring the world and enlightening it with truth."

It occurred to me then that I had actually never thought of that before; at least, not quite that way. I mean, sure, I knew that Christians were compared to ambassadors, and soldiers, and a bride, and salt, and light, and runners, and newborns, and so many other roles and things throughout Scripture. But while my friend was asking me to piece it all together for her, the Holy Spirit was busy piecing it together for me...

I can't imagine Paul spending much time wondering whether or not he was supposed to be making tents!

I've wasted way too much time worrying over what my "true calling" (read: "non-eternal, non-essential career") ought to be. Know what? It really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of God's plans. What matters, ultimately, is that my actions and choices and behaviors and attitudes be rooted in love for God.