What is your approach to life? Do you see it as an indescribable gift with a clear purpose to live out or do you see it as something that just happens so make the best of it?
I have been meditating upon Psalm 68:28 recently. “Summon your might, O God. Display your power, O God, as you have in the past.” There is a clear connection between expectant faith and a vibrant purposeful life. Nothing robs us of life and purpose like a passive approach to life and a commitment to the American dream of retirement. Passivity brings paralysis which is bondage and we end up wasting our life. So, how can we recover a vibrant expectant faith so we will not waste our life, but live it to the full?
First, to the young folk. I will let you determine if you are in this category. Young people reject passivity and embrace a bold faith. Take some time to read and reread the story of young Jonathan in 1 Samuel 14 where one day he rejected passivity and it changed his life and his nation forever. Like Jonathan – young folks:
Prepare for bold steps of faith
Learn the difference between youthful impatience and God’s timing
Invest your life in bold acts of faith and God will respond
Honor your elders but reject their passivity
Acts of bold faith awake a sleepy generation and set them free from bondage
Now for us older folk, if you are over 40: reject retirement and embrace God’s mission. When I say reject retirement I am not saying retiring from your job is a bad thing. We all have and need transition in our lives for a new season of fruitfulness. When I say reject retirement I mean reject the pursuit of the American dream of retirement that is a lie and embrace your part in God’s mission for this world. I love the story of Caleb found in Joshua 14. I believe it is one of the most important stories in the Bible to give us a proper view on aging and faith. Take some time to read and reread this story. Like Caleb – older folks:
Are we more defined by fear and failure or faith in God’s promises?
Do we view aging as losing life and mission or gaining life and mission?
Are we talking more about our health problems or our heart’s dreams?
Are we defined more by Blessing or by Cursing?
Are we living more from an earthly inheritance or heavenly inheritance?
A few final thoughts about how to practically reject passivity and learn to embrace a bold faith:
Stop media mindlessness and go do something significant
You can’t reject passivity if you don’t change your priorities
Read, Pray, Talk and Dream about a life of bold faith with others
This week reject your passive attitude toward something
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