Showing posts with label desire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label desire. Show all posts

Whole Desire

We all face questions and desires in the course of our lives and how we react to them shapes who we are and who we will become. For some, it is a subtle tingling in the back of their minds that whispers of an idea or proposes the the ghost of a question. These questions are distant and though they matter in a way, they are left in the shallow waters of desire and spontaneity, and often are answered without care or much thought. Yet there are some who simply yield to the wills and dreams of others, ignoring their own questions and passions.

For others, they cry to the world the pain of their inquiry. They beckon any to come and answer, ever seeking and wanting to examine every fragment of the question that leeches upon their soul. For them the questions are a matter of life and death; without an answer, purpose and passion cease. Actions are pointless. Life ends before it begins. they have yearnings to complete their accomplishments and forsake all else, hellbent on bringing their desires to pass.

I do not fall in either of these extremes. In fact, I 'd say I land dangerously close to the fence: filled with questions that, without answers, that are siphoning the life out of me, while also not caring enough to throw myself in to the torrent that might yield the clarity I seek. I have a great deal in my life that I desire to understand and things I wish to do, but I am unmotivated. I do not fully desire these things, for if I did I would surely seek to fulfill them. I do not wholly wish to know a foreign language, so I learn a few words and quit. I do not wholly wish desire to loose weight, otherwise I would face the pain and the struggle of exercise to accomplish this. I am lacking motivation and discipline.

What I am really dealing with here is a lack of intentionality and self-control.

I find that this is a continuation on the topic of "doing", which I wrote about briefly about a month ago. If I wish to "do", then my will must be brought into submission and I must realize (and accept) the pain and struggles that I will endure to accomplish my desires. To be fit is to exercise. To know a language is to study hard. Nothing comes without a cost, a price to be paid. To know the love of another demands time and empathy; it demands that one be willing to suffer. I am finding that this is the way of life. I am finding also that I have failed to see the value of what I would gain and have not been willing to cash the check.

So what about you? Is there anything that you have wanted to do but have not fully committed to? Perhaps it's a physical discipline, or a mental one? Maybe you have desire in the realm of the spiritual that has been left unfulfilled? Look at it, examine it, accept the cost, and decide for yourself "is it worth it?"

Let's get out and do something y'all. Let's move out of the realm of half-way desiring something into the realm of wholly desiring something that we might then go and fulfill them.

Grace and peace,

Stephen

Feeling the Tug

Ever since Spring of '10 I have been in love with travel. I enjoy seeing new places and being in cultures unfamiliar to me, and in the time of my college career I was blessed with many opportunities to go abroad and visit lands outside my own. I miss those opportunities, but have sought to make the most of what I have now here in my homeland, which I have missed and loved returning to. I found, however, that I can't escape the desire to travel and have new experiences. This, I believe, primarily comes out of having been changed and molded by my travels. I have seen greater change in my life and have been challenged by my surroundings and by people in my travels. I long for that again.

I believe that the time has come to begin actually doing something about my situation and my life, that I begin meeting new people and having adventures and new experiences. I have been incredibly blessed with gifts, talents, and desires, and even more so that I have become tied down by a relationship and, therefore, have no true responsibilities to anyone outside of paying off a few minor debts. This past year I have allowed myself to feel overwhelmed and enslaved by those said debts and by the expectations and beliefs of others, but that is an unhealthy and unreasonable way to live. I am free and should be living as such.

In my liberty to choose my life and my next steps, and trusting that God is guiding my will by the transformative work of His Spirit, I will do what is necessary to do what I desire to do and discover more of the world and of myself. I need to stop selling myself short and not being being the leader that I am just because of false self-talk and and because of I am putting myself down or letting people put me down or control me. It is unacceptable and dishonorable to God who made me who I am and has guided me through life to this point. He did not give me desires and gifts to be buried in the dirt, but instead to be used and invested in the world. In this I have failed greatly.

My soul screams out the pain of loss and realization, but also in joy that truth prevails and I can step out of my current situation stronger than ever and overcome the lingering shadows of sin and soul-enslavement. I have set boundaries on my life that diminish my ability to act and I have not set proper boundaries for humanity, and where I have set boundaries I have failed to defend them from intruders that barge through.

I have let time and opportunity slip by because of foolishness and bowing to the whims and perceived thoughts of others. I have feared humanity more than I have God and as a result I have become enslaved to humanity, to the philosophies and expectations of my parents, and to the broken culture that I dwell in. I am the one at fault. Through Christ who liberated me and gave me His Holy Spirit, I can break free of the darkness of my fears; I enjoy His creation and His presence forever and ever and go into the world.


Grace and peace,

Stephen

"In a Hole in the Ground..."

"..there lived a Hobbit."

For years, the story of Bilbo Baggins has ignited the hearts and imaginations of children and adults alike! Good and evil, Elves and dragons, and unlikely hero on an unlikely adventure. There is a beauty to the story of Bilbo that many tales of heroes and villains lack these days...depth. 

I recently re-watched the "epic motion picture" and was overtaken by a need for adventure! Life IS an adventure, though. I forget that sometimes. It is easy to forget the reality around you and to be caught up in all that one doesn't see or what one can't hear, feel, taste, or experience. Greed and covetousness for the experiences and lifestyle
s of others is an unhealthy way of going through existence; a misuse of the time that God has allotted to us. 

Recently, it has come to my attention that I dwell on the "what could be" and miss out on the "what is." Additionally, I do nothing to change "what is" to achieve the "what could be" and as a result I lay in self-imposed misery...missing out on life and missing out on opportunities to grow closer to God and to serve the Church and the world. 

Do not think that I am saying that desires to see the world or to have better things is a bad thing. Do think, however, that I am saying that we need a greater appreciation for what we do have and enjoy life as it is rather than be miserable in the thoughts of how it could be. As I have previous written about in an earlier post..."be present"
On the flip side of things, we should not become so caught up in the comforts of "what is" that we miss opportunities to step into peoples' lives and to experience the unknown, the new...and maybe even be a force of good that stumbles across the Ring of the Dark Lord, therefore becoming the gateway to saving the world form eternal darkness and despair! 

O.k. maybe a little far-fetched there, but you get my point. Bilbo was a happy fellow because he was able to enjoy the present and see the good that he had, but he also had the courage and drive to let go of all that he had to go out and be a part of something scary, challenging, and potentially life threatening. One of the most vital scenes in the movie (or so I believe) is toward the beginning when Gandalf and Bilbo are discussing the quest (see right). Gandalf states, "You will have a tale or two to tell when you come back." "Can you promise that I ever will come back,", asks Bilbo. Gandalf replied, "No...but if you do...you will not be the same." That was the point in which I found myself ready to jump on a plane to Africa! 

I think that God has a duel desire for humanity to find joy in their surroundings, but to also to not be enslaved by the possessions that we have and the lives that we run. Perhaps St. Francis of Assisi had a better understanding of what God desired for humanity than most of us do...maybe.  

I realize that I've jumped around a lot in this post, but it truly reflects my reflections (hehe) that came about from my watching the movie. 

Be grateful and work in the place that God has placed. Make the most of what you have! 

Be ready for when the call of duty comes and beckons you to do more and to be courageous for the sake of the Kingdom and for Christ our Lord and our King (who lives and reigns with the Father and with the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen). 

Peace be with you all,

Stephen

Having a Moment...

Have you ever thought of the phrase "I just had a moment"? It's such a strange phrase. It makes very little sense if you think about it. Had...a...moment. And yet I find myself thinking of how just thirty minutes ago I had an experience that I can describe with no other words than "had a moment". I do not mean it in terms of psychological breakdown...but instead of a sudden and brief period of time where everything in life seemed to shift and life became a blur. It was a moment in which I felt a deep and unyielding desire that I have not felt in some time.

I was on my way from the laundry room to my apartment, listening to music, and reflecting on life as it is and how much things have changed in the last year alone. In the midst of my thoughts and emotions there rose this sudden desire to sing a song called "Moving Forward" by Israel Houghton that I haven't heard (or sung) in a very long time. It then passed a desire for God overwhelmed me. I got into my apartment as quickly as possible and put my clothes in my room as the emotions and the intense feeling of desire kept increasing...and before I knew it I was standing in the dark, right in the center of my living room and letting my emotions and desires rush over me and I began to pray.

Intimacy...this was my prayer. A closeness and a unity with God. For a long while I have been seeking to understand who I am, and then to apply what I learn to real life. I have definitely been seeking God before this moment, but nothing as strong or as relentless as this moment in time that came like a sudden wind...not knowing from where it came or to where it ever went or even still to where it will soon be. It is a beautiful and wonderful experience that touches the heart, the mind, and the soul...

This I hold as evidence...dear sweet truth of the Holy Spirit dwelling within me and I wish I felt it so strongly more often.