My life is not my own…
I can’t stop thinking about this phrase. it’s been the answer to many of my thoughts over the past few days.
“Why do I have to constantly be running to take kids to swim, soccer, drama?” – my life is not my own.
“Why do I have to pick ANOTHER setlist for ANOTHER Sunday?” – my life is not my own.
“Why do I go through the extra work to put together a live band and a live drama for VBS, when we could use a video and a CD?” – my life is not my own.
“Why should I put effort into providing quality musical opportunities to kids who are often ungrateful and rude?” – my life is not my own.
“Why should I have a “honey-do” list on top of my own to-do list?” – my life is not my own.
“Why do I have to read my bible consistently?” – my life is not my own.
I’m coming to see how selfish I can be in really unassuming ways. You see, just a few days ago, I would have answered these questions very differently. And I would not have seen my old answers as selfish at all. And I think if you’d ask the people who know me, they hopefully wouldn’t put selfishness at the top of a list of my qualities (there are other bad ones that are sure to be on the top of that list!).
All of my old responses would have centered around what I get out of the deal. It’s my time, it’s an inconvienence to me.
But it’s not about me…apparently, it never has been. I was created to bring glory and honor to Jesus Christ. There is nothing about my wants or desires in that statement. Not that I don’t believe that we don’t ever take time for ourselves. Jesus took time away for the crowds, but it was for the purpose of recharging him for his task of glorifying God. I usually rest because I’m tired, bored, or lazy.
As I’ve started to try and live this way, I’m finding that things I thought were inconveniences are really opportunities in disguise!
I’m trying to make “my life is not my own” my first response, but frankly, I’ve got a long way to go. So how about you? What would change in your life if your first response was “My life is not my own…”? Thoughts?
jeffrossman said,
August 11, 2009 at 9:45 am
“He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30
I’ve been thinking a lot about holiness lately, and you essentially have summarized what I believe to be the central message of holiness – “My life is not my own.”
“…since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’ And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ…”
We were bought with the blood of Christ, therefore we do not own ourselves. Thus our work, our thoughts, our actions, our relationships are all owned by Christ. Submission can be a challenge, but that divine resignation to the total Lordship of Jesus Christ is the most wonderful experience we can know – and it is the very definition of holiness.
Sherri Mickelsen said,
August 26, 2009 at 7:45 am
How interesting, Scott, that we have known (maybe only “of”) this concept forever, in my case all my life, but don’t really live it very much. Jesus gave his life to redeem us. I have been studying this in John. He came to give us life, to light our lives, to overcome the darkness. Instead of surrendering completely to him, we think we know more about how our lives should be lived. Of course, we don’t say that, even to ourselves, but we act like it! Maybe instead of being a little frustrated by how much of my summer went to things involved with the same ministry you were talking about, I should have been thinking, “my life is not my own.”