Currently Reading Why a Suffering World Makes Sense By Chris Tiegreen see related

“If you want your life to count, if you want the ripple effect of the pebbles you drop to become waves that reach the ends of the earth and roll on for centuries and into eternity, you don't have to have a high IQ or EQ; you don't have to have good looks or riches; you don't have to come from a fine family or a fine school. You have to know a few great, majestic, unchanging, obvious, simple, glorious things, and be set on fire by them.”  – John Piper

Lately I've been troubled by the amount of "me-ness" that seems to be going on around me.  It seems like everyone wants to be the center of it all.  People are jealous of others success.  Why?  Because they want it for themselves.  They want glory for themselves.  It even happens in churches across the country.  People are focusing upon the blessings that God has given them as a cosmic payback for all the good that they are doing and "deserve".  I think we're going down a path that we're not going to like in the end.

I spoke this past weekend at NOMACCA's Labor Day Retreat on this topic.  I am really concerned for the youth of this generation because we've lost sight of what matters, what is important and where lasting joy comes from.  Today we are told that if we want to count, if we want to be happy we need to take it from wherever it will come.  If we have the money or the friends or the relationships then we matter!  It's not true!  We think we're somebody because of who we are, but in truth we are somebody because of who He is.  Even Christians are struggling with "me-ness".  We can sometimes be the worst, because we act no different then the world around us and then we treat Jesus as a supernatural insurance policy, an add-on.  It's no good!  We need to shift our mentality away from fulfilling our desires which only provides temporary, half-hearted joy to fulfilling God's desires for our lives which provides lasting, fulfilling God-glorifying joy.  If only we could be set on fire for His glory and not our own, then we'd see joy.  Then we'd see lives that count and honor directed in the right place.  My dream for you guys is that you'd be ignited with a passion that seeks to center Christ in every aspect of your lives.  That'd you'd be passionate with a desire to honor God in all you do.  That'd you'd be passionate in finding joy in the blessings and trials that God allows you to partake in for His glory and your growth and maturity.

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." - 1 Cor. 10:31 (ESV)

For more on this topic (the why and the how) please read Luke Middleton's post located here:

http://www.lukemiddleton.com/?p=609  "The Battle of the Mind"