Sunday, April 18, 2010

Overwhelming and Worth It

I haven't blogged in a while, and this devotional inspired today's entry. (I'm intentionally excluding the title because it doesn't directly relate to the subject of this blog entry):

http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/NewLife/11629046

The process of change can be overwhelming. If I'd known two years ago what I know today, Im not sure I would have started on this journey. Life's "comfort zone" has two variables: comfort and death. Of course it's comfortable, hence its name, but that comfort comes at a high cost. It is a death to anything that might cause failure in your life. Therefore trying new things or creating new ventures--i.e. ideas, relationships, etc.--is out of the question because it could crack or dismantle the precarious pedestal of life you're standing on.

There can be no chinks in our armor, no mars or defects in our personality, nothing that could take away from the admiration others have of our life. Yet, are you presenting your real self to others or are you playing a role that you think brings the best rewards? Have you considered that what you think are the best rewards are really just fools gold and life could have more to offer if you stop living up to others' expectations? Why? Because sometimes others' expectations of your life are not as high as your own dreams or aspirations.

Maybe it's time to start reaching for those goals that seem implausible or more than out of reach. If so, I would hope that you would reach your goals, but more importantly that along the way you will discover new and interesting things about yourself and life as well. Having said that, I take my initial statement back. If I'd known two years ago what I know now, I still would have started on this journey. It might have been a slow and half-hearted start, but I would have started it. (Smile)

Why would have I started the process of change despite the fact that it's been overwhelming? Because my expectations are high, and in the end, I believe the results will have made this process of change worthwhile.


36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."
37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed.
38 Then He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death ; remain here and keep watch with Me."
39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will." (Matthew 26:36-39 NAS)