i'm a very critical person. i don't think that is any surprise to anyone who has known me for more than a day. because i am so critical, i know what i like and what i don't like, and i find myself spending much of my time at church (or a church related event) picking it all apart and telling myself what i would do differently. i hate so much that i do that, but it is who i am and has brought me to the point i am at right now.
as i was sitting in d-group with a group of my friends discussing what we thought was most and least important for the modern day church, i realized something. i realized that what i was taking part in was getting us no where. we all knew what we felt was important and what was not, but none of us was truely doing anything to see the church become what we felt it was meant to be. sure we are all attending churches, we are all doing our own thing to serve the community, but none of us is doing anything to see that the church becomes what we believe it was meant to be.
what we are doing though, is sitting around talking about what we don't like and what we would do differently...like so many other christians in the world. what is wrong is that we are only contributing to the problem. everyone is willing to put there opinion in the mix, but only a fraction is trying to bring about that which they whole-heartedly believe in.
i think that is where i am. i'm so tired of only contributing to the problem and not seeking to be a part of the solution. i'm tired of talking about what i believe the church should look like and not actively doing what i can to see that it looks that way in my life. i hope that i'm not alone on this one. i'm not saying there is nothing good happening in the church, but many have forgotten what it was meant to look like (that one is for another time).
we could talk about this all day, but i don't want to...
we could have the greatest ideas yet, but unless it is acted upon it's worthless...
i just want to be a part of the solution, not the problem...
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4 comments:
James, i think you're being to hard on yourself. From what it seems, you do a lot. All the different projects you talk about and the strong desire to go on mission trips, they all sound like you trying to do something to better the church. the church won't be judged as a whole, but as individuals. But dare i say it and start problems, but maybe just loving on people isn't enough? Maybe that's why you feel as if you accomplish nothing?
sorry dr. josh, im afraid your diagnosis is wrong. i just want to stop complaining about the church, and just be the church. that's what im saying. maybe next time. lol.
My bad dawg, here i thought i was trying to make you feel better...
Wow James! You have no idea how much I agree with you on this. But may I give a few words of encouragement here?
Do you know what your name means? James is a Hebrew name meaning "supplanter". Now sometimes this word comes with some negative meaning to it but if you look at one of the meanings in websters you'll see that it means " to take the place of and serve as a substitute for especially by reason of superior excellence or power". You having a critical mind is actually an innate thing about you. Don't feel bad... I'm the same way. But that is how God made you... he knows that you can use that critical mind of yours and not only identify the problem at hand but also come up with something to replace it and initiate the change, making it even better than before! And he expects you to use it... sometimes we just have to be careful how much we use it and if we really have the given authority from God to change it...
I hope this helps!
~Jeanne;)
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