A few weeks ago, I revealed that my phrase of the year is "slow but purposeful." It amazes me how much of life pushes against this idea. It feels like the moment you experience a bit of peace, you soon get sucked back into the current of frantic busyness.
A couple of days before the new year, a thought entered my mind. I was pondering how to live a slow but purposeful life when there is so much to do. And it occurred to me that on most days, I go through life believing this lie:
If I'm Not Stressed, I'm Doing It Wrong
So often, I wake up and expect to be overwhelmed. It's almost like a pre-set factory setting. Of course, I should be stressed right now. That's life!
And sometimes, when things are peaceful and calm, I get suspicious. I'm not stressed, so something must be wrong. Things are a bit too quiet... too peaceful. Is there something I forgot to do? (It's like the scene in Home Alone where the mom is sitting comfortably in her first-class plane seat. Then suddenly, she jumps up and screams, "Kevin!")
Do you ever go through life this way?
I know this isn't how Jesus wants me to live.
In John 10, Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd. It's a beautiful image. He knows his sheep, and he cares for them. But Jesus warns us there is an enemy who has a different agenda:
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. (John 10:10, ESV)
One of Satan's greatest tactics is to take the good gifts God gives us and use them against us.
God gives us 24 hours a day to do meaningful work, love others, and enjoy his beautiful creation. And what does Satan do? Well, in my experience, he attempts to turn those same 24 hours into a pressure cooker! He dangles lies in front of me about how I'm not doing enough.
But Jesus came for the exact opposite reason:
I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10, ESV)
Jesus came to offer us abundant life.
Now, we need to be careful not to twist Jesus' words. Jesus is not preaching a prosperity gospel.
Abundant life doesn't mean a perfect life. It doesn't mean a carefree life. It doesn't mean that if we choose to follow Jesus, everything will go our way, and we'll have material abundance, good health, and wild success.
We only have to read through the gospels to know that isn't what Jesus had in mind!
And as we have seen this past week with the raging wildfires in LA, there are stressful times. My heart breaks for those whose lives are now forever changed by the devastation. It makes my small stresses feel like a piece of cake.
Part of what it means to have abundant life is peace in the middle of chaos. Even in stressful moments, I can stop and take a breath to remind myself that the Good Shepherd is with me. He has laid down his life for me so I can be at peace with God and others. And, as King David says in Psalm 23, he has invited me to be a guest at his table.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever. (v. 5-6, NIV)
A few verses earlier, David says that even though he is walking through a dark time, he doesn't have to be afraid. He knows God is with him.
This is what abundant life looks like. It's not a life free from hard times. It's a life of experiencing Jesus as he walks with us through those hard times.
So, as we enter a new week ahead, my challenge for each of us (including myself!) is to take a few minutes out of our day and sit with the Good Shepherd. Take some deep breaths. Read Psalm 23 out loud. (It's amazing. I took a few seconds to do this now, and I already feel calmer.) But most of all, allow the peace of Jesus to comfort you.
My mind might scream, "If you're not stressed, you're doing it wrong!"
But Jesus says, "If you're stressed, come to the Good Shepherd."
Questions to Ponder:
Do you ever find it difficult to experience peace, even in the non-stressful moments of life? Why do you think that is?
What do you think it means to have abundant life in Jesus?
On a scale from 1 to 10, how stressed or overwhelmed do you feel right now? How can you carve out a few minutes each day this week to rest with the Good Shepherd?
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