Is it possible to live a radical life for Jesus in the mundane?
Carpool. Bills. Yard work. Grocery shopping. Swim practice. Gymnastics. Dinner making. Laundry. Work. Cookouts. The suburbs.
These are the places I’m having a hard time experiencing God in.
Our society likes to talk about dreaming big, finding our purpose, being passionate people and doing radical things for God. It seems difficult to live these ambitious hopes out in our day-in-day-out lives.
But I’m on a mission… to find passion for God in these places I avoid.
It’s day 4 of this journey and I continue to pray, “God, show me what it means to have You interrupt THIS life.”
I am blown away by the responses I’m getting from this. Interestingly, the people I have heard from have varied greatly: stay at home moms, men in full-time ministry, women in full-time ministry, women/men working full-time, single people, married people, divorced people, younger people and older people.
So, I’m sensing this is a collective issue.
But what I’m hearing is consistent… we don’t want to miss God in the mundane but, we feel like we are.
I want you to know, I like my life. My husband and I work through our quirks and these 3 girls we are raising are amazing. I am apart of a challenging church and I get to sit under some of the most amazing women in ministry.
So, what the heck is my problem? I think I’m uncovering bits of it in this process but today… I was starting to feel guilty about this process. Like, over-the-top-guilty.
I’m afraid the enemy of our souls is going to be working overtime attempting to condemn us through this process.
So, I feel led to share what I don’t think this process is:
It’s not being selfish. This desire for something “more” isn’t selfish.
It’s not just a bunch of discontent people. If we were chasing bigger homes, more cars, or more awesome clothes then, we’d have a different story. But we are pursuing God… we are asking Him if there’s more… if there’s an interruption He’d like to do.
It’s not a waste of time. This is taking a lot of time, effort and energy. I don’t feel like this process is something I can do during my normal thirty minutes of “quiet time” in the morning. I’m finding myself while working out, folding clothes, answering the phone, driving kids, talking to friends and even while writing asking God, “Interrupt. Show me You in this place.”
This process is taking me to a new sense of awareness of Him, which can be a bit draining. But I know it’s going to be worth it. The voice of condemnation says the opposite of these things: “This is a waste of time. You are being selfish. And the real issue here is that you are just discontent.” And yes, I felt all of that today.
So, tonight, I reject these lies. For me and for you. Because these are the lies that will make all of us quit this process.
“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” –Romans 8:1
4 Comments
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I’m quite sure that it is more than possible to live a radical life for Jesus in the mundane, if that’s what you’re called to do. I believe that he has made us all very different and that he gives us the desires of our hearts. If you have a longing to do something for the Lord that is beyond the mundane then it seems to me that he planted that longing right where it is.
What will unwind in time I reckon are the specifics of that longing. The God I know loves to do that hindsight thing; a week/month/year from now you’ll look back at these days as the time you started to feel an undefined pull and were fretting about your next step…
Confusing but wonderful. The God of the Universe thinks enough of you to reach down and interfere with the humdrum routine of your life because he thinks that there is even more that you could be doing for Him! Something special.
Keep on keeping on.
Hxx
Thank you for your encouraging words Helen. 🙂 I agree… God’s doing something I won’t forget.
Nicki,
What you are doing has encouraged me greatly. I know that I am not alone and that the Lord is working something new in all of us that are looking for God to interupt our daily lives. I failed to mention before that I am a stay at home mom of a 4 yr old little girl and a 2 yr old little boy. I read your encouraging words through Proverbs 31 for the first time a few days ago and have been following your blog about having a daily interruption from the Lord since. I have to admit that even in the past 4 days as I have asked God to interrupt my daily life, I have been tempted to settle for less than I know He has for me. I have been at home with my children for 2 years now and struggled greatly to find my place at home after leaving a job where I felt important and made decent money. I had to realize that God called me to be at home and no matter how I feel, I am in the Lords will. I still feel like I am trying to “find my place”. What does the Lord want me to do? Am I doing ALL that He wants me to do in staying at home with me kids and being involved in my local church? I have been in church my whole life, yet I know there is more. I know you are praying for those who comment on your blogs and I thank you for praying for me as I am praying for you:)
Love in Christ,
Vicky
Hi Vicky,
I am grateful to hear of the ways God is challenging you and yes, I am praying for you. These are hard questions, the same ones I’m asking myself. I know as we embrace these steps, He will lead. I’ve been in church my whole life too and feel the same way… I think this journey is beyond the church doors.
Much love to you…
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