As we grew our dreams may have changed to movie stars, pro athletes, and rock stars, what ever the case, we kept on dreaming that one day we would be a success! It had to happen. If Hollywood taught us anything it's that one day our ship would come in!
All my life I felt that I was destined for greatness! Man I had to because I was me! Perhaps it was a mild case of narcissism, or just hubris, but I really felt this. I would lay awake and dream for hours about how awesome I would be. When I was a kid I wanted to be a super hero like Batman, or something daring like a firemen. When I was a teenager it was a rock star like Vince Neil or Prince. But somewhere in there I had the great idea of being a comic book artist! I carried this dream for a long time. I developed my love for comic art during my time in the Navy. After the Navy I met a girl and we got married. She encouraged my drawing, she even bought me a drawing table and other art supplies that I needed. I created, and I drew. But it was not paying the bills. In fact it paid nothing, so I had to get a real job. And life took over and my dream slowly drifted out to sea.
I was raised in the church. Grandson of a preacher. However I was never truly committed to Christ until after I was married. It was during this time that I answered the call to ministry. And my dreams changed. I went to college with high hopes and big dreams. I learned that there were churches of hundreds and thousands; that preachers were famous and wrote books; and I wanted it all. My dream was to be part of a huge church and be a sought after speaker (and serve God too, of course!). My dream after graduation was to begin preaching in a mid sized city church and go up from there! It wouldn't be long and I would be on my way... but that didn't happen. Instead I took a ministry in a small church, in the middle of farm country. And God has used this place to humble me. I kicked against it for the first few years, I kept waiting for "my real life to begin". I tried to quit (within the first year I turned in my resignation), thankfully God was merciful, and the Church kept me on. It would take another 4 years before I would wake up and stop feeling sorry for myself. I needed to stop waiting for that call that was surely coming, to stop checking the horizon for my ship that was definitely coming in. I had to grow up and realize that my idea of success needed to change. (If you haven't listened to Colin Hays song, "Waiting for My Real Life to Begin" you need to!)
We are all taught what success is. In school they would bring in successful people who would tell us that we too could be successful. We see them on TV on magazines and on billboards. There are books and books and books about how you can be successful if you follow these steps... yet the problem is we are never the guy on the book, we are never the guy on the stage, we are never the guy who gets invited to speak, we are just us. We are not famous, and we probably never will be. We are not the top dog we are just us. I know so many guys who want to be the top dog, and they are killing themselves to get there, they are killing their families to get there, and the sad thing is that they are not there. They just spin their wheels waiting for that moment, when their "real life" will begin. As Colin Hay said, "It's gonna happen soon." But it never does.
My purpose in starting this blog is to explore the idea that success can be defined in a new way, and to break the paradigms of success that the world has sold us. That my "real life" is what is happening right now with my family, my ministry, my job, and my own walk with God. Success is not being the guy who gets "the life", but the guy who receives life from the giver of life. In John 10:10 Jesus says,"...I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." The question is, can I be satisfied with a life that is not on top of the world? Can I be satisfied with a life that is simple and trusts in Jesus?
So what are you waiting for? Are you still waiting for that call, as Colin Hay sang in his song? Jesus offers you life, a real life. Pray that God opens your eyes to the truth and that you would see that life is happening all around you.
Peace and Love,
Steve
Nothing more true than this blog post. WE all have big dreams, but the key to remember is God is bigger than we are. He gives us keys to use to make a difference and we are to use them, engage as Picard says. We then hold on for the ride. My dreams to play baseball were transformed to a calling I never envisioned, that's how God works. He calls servants to spread his love, always bigger than our own ambitions. God bless what you do Steve and the way you do it.
ReplyDeleteThanks bro!
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