27 May 2024
I saw a lovely young lass with a hoodie that said across the back: "Live Your Best Life". It's a crass commercial branding that masquerades as popular self-help psychology. I'm not sure who said it first, but where I hear it most is from the likes of Joel Osteen and his feel-good idolatry. Unfortunately, he's only the most obvious example; that crap is everywhere.
Here's God's truth: Your human existence is meant to be expended, wasted on futility. That's because this life is futile. The only way to break out of the trap of futility is to expend your life voluntarily on divine glory. You learn to embrace and celebrate what God is doing in burning up your human existence.
For an introvert, being around people is taxing. Being around needy people who consume your energy and talents is even more taxing. Introversion does not hamper the development and use of talents in dealing with people, but it means you are burning resources. At some point, you need to recharge by getting away from people. And in order to make the most of that recharging, you need to develop an interest in whatever enhances the process -- the arts, nature, solitary exertions, etc.
For an extrovert, being alone and facing their inner demons is taxing. It is just as necessary for them to endure that kind of trauma as it is for introverts to deal with people. Extroverts rebuild by using socially the gifts they gain from passing through isolation.
Both are changed by the sorrows they face, made stronger if they are paying attention and are connected to their faith. Here's the sad thing: Most people have no faith, and way too many of those who do have faith, have way too little of it. Thus, the world around is heavily laden with insufficient faith, people who have too little to offer and need too much from us.
Again, that's what this life is for. The notion that we should try to make the most of our human existence and meet our own needs first is idolatry. It is not what the Bible portrays in the whole. Human need is not a barometer for anything spiritual. Human need simply is. Jesus indicated it would always be there, a feature of the Fall.
The only way to face the Fall is nailing your fallen nature to the Cross. That means using it as expendable, of finding some driving conviction that carries you through the draining days and nights of doing what is hardest. This is your Cross, your reasonable sacrifice on the altar of faith.
Put this in context. I've often said souls are precious, but life itself is not. Your mission is to feed the souls wherever God places you, doing whatever God designed you to do. You cannot know what that is until you are fully in touch with your convictions. You cannot be in touch with you convictions until you are fully committed to the life mission God will give you, sight unseen.
Turn the gospel sword on your own fleshly nature. That's how you conquer Satan and his ilk.
Comments
Jay DiNitto
"Live Your Best Life"
The funny thing is, there's nothing really objectionable with this, because you can fit the sentiment into whatever your situation calls for me. I suppose for us, it's a paradox, since our "best life" really starts when we sacrifice ourselves, either by having our life cut short, or spent in full in service to the Lord. The real good stuff we can't comprehend comes after.
CatRez
Correct. It's not the words themselves, but the presumed sentiment behind them.
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