July 2011
4 posts
Summer is upon us. Grills fire up. Graduation parties commence. Watermelon is sliced. Pools open up. And in general, most people feel a sense of happiness about life around them. For me, this is my second summer out of college. And after a year of being in a band, the summer is starting to look a little different than it used to. This one in particular consists of multiple church camps, finishing a new record, traveling across the country, and preparing for my wedding in August (by the way, my fiance Lindsay is by far the most beautiful and amazing life partner I could ever ask for). I’ll admit, it’s been a bit of a chaotic season thus far, but I’m doing my best to find time to unwind and drink life in. The latter has been a challenge to say the least.
Because of the nature of my job, it can be difficult to establish routines that I can follow consistently. You throw in the fact that I’m not really a creature of habit already and you might see where problems could arise. I’ve been reading a book lately called “The Me I Want to Be” and it’s really helped illuminate how to live out the full potential of who God made me. You see, sometimes I get upset when I forget to or don’t have time to wake up early in the morning and spend time with God. Sometimes I get discouraged when reading my Bible gets cut short by the demands of the day. What I’m learning though, is that as long as I’m comparing my spiritual life to someone else, I will never measure up. I can’t. Because I am not him/her. God has wired each of us in some incredibly unique ways. And to think we all have some predisposition toward waking up at 5am and reading Scripture can be really crippling for non-morning people (like me). And so in the midst of an on-the-go lifestyle, God has been teaching me how to meet with Him specific moments. Whether it’s a sunset on the ride home from a show, or a meaningful conversation with a band-mate, or the activity of the Holy Spirit at a camp, there are endless opportunities to engage with God. It’s just a matter of figuring out how God has made you and shaping your interactions with God accordingly. We aren’t all meant to spend 3 hours a day on our knees in prayer. As great as that would be, it isn’t always realistic.
So I challenge you. Have hope. If your friend is a spiritual giant of a person and always seems to have time to do spiritual things, stop comparing yourself to them and ask God what His plan is for you. You were created with some insanely cool characteristics. Don’t squash them because you’re trying to be someone your not. You are not him/her. You are exactly what God intended.
