In or With?
We have all witnessed scenes of stressed-out parents in the supermarket, doing their best to keep their cool while their child has a very public meltdown. Not only do they have to deal with the child during a tantrum, but also the stares of other shoppers and the sense of shame some of those stares and mumbled chastisements elicit.
If you approached those frazzled parents in crisis and asked if they are happy "in" their life, they would likely respond with either anger or tears. Of course, they are not happy. Their child is having a major public tantrum, and they are feeling frazzled.
However, if you ask them if they are happy "with" their life, you may receive a different answer, even amid a maelstrom. "Does your life have a purpose?" At that moment, they might respond: "Yes, and currently, my life's purpose is to raise a decent human being who does not throw tantrums when things don't go their way."
"In" is circumstantial…how am I feeling about what is happening right now? Are things going well for me? Is my job enjoyable? Do I have all I need to live comfortably? Are my relationships going well? Do I feel safe and secure? How we answer these questions impacts our immediate sense of contentment and happiness.
"With" is a question of purpose. Am I living as God intended? Am I growing as an individual? Am I working to develop the gifts God gave me? Am I making a positive difference in the lives of others? This has more to do with what our life is about rather than what we are experiencing now. Even when things are difficult, there is a sense that we are living as God intended.
This Lenten season offers an opportunity to admit our human frailty and come to terms with the purposes for which we were created. It is a time to lean into our relationship with God so that we understand who we are.
"So we keep on praying for you, asking God to enable you to live a life worthy of your call. May God give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do."
II Thessalonians 1:11
Let's be intentional about taking this season to assess our lives apart from our current circumstances. Pray that we are enabled to live the life for which we were called, to demonstrate God's love, compassion, generosity, and forgiveness for all of humanity.
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Dan Kreiss, Associate Pastor for Mission Outreach, brings with him a heart for service and a diverse array of experiences in the mission field. Be sure to subscribe to the Mission Outreach Blog to read and follow along as he documents his personal journey and shares his vision for RPC’s mission outreach commitment. Along with providing meaningful resources, this blog will help jumpstart the important conversations our church community must be having about missional living.
Dan Kreiss
Rev. Dr. Dan Kreiss is the Associate Pastor for Mission Outreach at RPC. Dan is particularly passionate about encouraging the church to reflect the diversity found in its surrounding community in regard to age, gender, ethnicity, education and economic status.