Ever feel like you're supposed to be hyper-enthusiastic about absolutely everything...and involved in it too? And that if you would dare to NOT be passionate about everything...people look at you with a bit of disdain?
I was reading a blog yesterday where the writer linked to a ministry, and of course, blog hopper that I am, I clicked over to check it out and found myself getting pretty excited about it. Then I had the familiar self-lecture of Bekah, you don't have time for one more thing. You don't have time for half the commitments you have NOW!
At my church, I'm on the committee that asks people to be Sunday School teachers. One of the kids' classes didn't have a teacher this quarter and in the committee meeting, I was asked if I'd be willing to teach. It was the perfect storm for self-inflicted guilt. 1. It's Sunday School. How can you say no to teaching Sunday School? 2. It's a kids' class for goodness' sake. You can't turn down the children!! 3. You're on. the. committee! Isn't it your job to fill in when no one else can? I was sweatin' it, but I mustered up the biggest ounce of courage I had (which was really a very small ounce!) and said, "I can't do it this time. I need to attend the Experiencing God class because I need that for my own spirit right now."
And so it was that I prioritized the passion of my heart to tend to my own spiritual health - even though it meant saying no - to my own committee!! - to the kids' Sunday School class.
My sister is participating in a fundraiser walk this fall - to benefit the American Heart Association. Our uncle battled heart disease and she walks in his memory. This week I received the email she sent asking for support, and my first thought was If I were a good niece, I'd go walk with her and help her raise money. It's a great cause.
But I'm training (with much need for CPR, I might add!) for a 10K...and it's my priority. So I will not walk - but I will send money. I can support her that way and still keep my own commitments in the right order.
This is a great big world with a whole lotta people in it. We don't all have to love the same things. We don't have to share every passion. We're allowed to say no. We're allowed to step back and figure out which things are most important to us...which things demand our attention because we've already agreed to them...which things we feel God pushing us toward...and do those things.
And not only do them...but do them guilt-free because it's really okay to not be overly enthusiastic about every life activity.
No - really!
1 hour ago
2 comments:
It really is ok. The choices we make in life are not usually between the bad and the good. It is between the good and the best. There are a lot of good things that hang around and try to get your attention. They try to play the quilt card on you often. Sometimes every day something good will pop up and say “hey man you need to take a look at me and consider me.. if you don’t you will be sorry”. Thus we all must know what do we want to accomplish and we need to evaluate those things in light of that; in light of our passions. We also must ask can I give it the time and attention it needs and deserves? If not then we should feel stress free saying no even without and explanation.
As someone once told me, "No" is a complete sentence. It's OK to use that one as needed.
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