Moment ≠ Momentum

Epiphanies happen. An epiphany is “an appearance from above.” It can be a life-changing moment. It happened to Saul (later named Paul) on the Damascus road. In that epiphany, he met Jesus, and his life was never the same again. Those kind of moments happen, rarely. 

The problem is when we keep waiting for the next epiphany, what we really need is a strategy and structure that will build incremental insight and strength that will last for the long haul. What I am describing here refers to that second word in the title: momentum. There are people, many of them, that seek to live by epiphanies. They have a dash of inspiration, or a new idea, and they live off the burn of that event, until they don’t. And then they are hard-pressed to wait for the next special moment. But God has not promised a consistent series of “moments” in our lives, even while we admit that they indeed do happen, rarely.

Thankfully, a strategy or structure that will build momentum is not as tough as it sounds. One such strategy and structure would be a regular practice of “daily devotions” or “quiet time with God.” We set aside that time on a regular basis, not that we expect a “mountain-top experience” every morning, but perhaps just some small insight, or a thought for the day. Or, when I was growing up, I could count on my Mom and Dad sitting down and having a cup of coffee together (instant coffee, no less) when Dad got home from work. I doubt that either of them thought of this as a strategy or structure, but it was the kind of practice that helped build a solid marriage relationship, hearing each other’s thoughts, pulling in the same direction (or at least it seemed so to me from a kid’s point of view). I imagine some of those conversations were pretty mundane. And so are a lot of things we do in discipleship. But they build strength over time.

Perhaps a person might have an epiphany-like turning point when they begin a life project, like losing weight. They are inspired, and they work hard, and, they experience success. But do you know what is even harder? Keeping the weight off. Why? Because you can do the first part based on a moment’s decision, and carry that decision through for a period of time. But the momentum required to follow through after the self-congratulatory Facebook post requires strength. The strength of a disciple.

Expectations ≠ Experience

We have great expectations. That is, we have plans that we think will work out, well, according to plan. We believe that there is a high expectation that we will meet our objectives satisfactorily, and on time. But, it rarely works out that way. 

There is a theorem in the field of statistics that says there is a high probability of low probability events. A low-probability event is one that rarely happens. Perhaps it has never happened to you before - things like a flat tire or car accident; a sudden illness or injury; a cancellation or firing, and on and on. There is a high probability of one of these events, not because they are common, but because there are so many possibilities. And any one of these low probability events can become a major distraction or interruption that delays your quest to accomplish what you have planned.

Of course, this applies to your own plans When it comes to God’s plans for you and me, they are high probability events. And those low probability distractions - those are part of God’s plan as well. They are designed, not to help you meet all of your own expectations, but to provide you with a God-designed experience that teaches you what He knows that you need to know, about trust, and patience, and humility, and on and on.

Romans 5:3-4 gives a description of the Christian life that mentions tribulations. 

3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;

Now, when you and I plan out our great expectations, we rarely include tribulations. But God does. And then the text gives a small string of benefits that come from the living out of tribulation. The first one is “patience” or “endurance.” When we face opposition or obstacle in the pursuit of our “great expectation,” we sometimes just scratch the whole plan. But God’s design is that we persist through tribulation in His plan so that we learn patience. Further, the string includes “proven character,” or, in the King James version, “experience.” We are changed by the experience. We become “experienced.” Our character becomes more like Christ, and we develop greater resilience and stability in order to continue on in our Christlikeness and service for Christ.

The next word in the string is “hope.” God’s promise for our future is the greatest expectation imaginable. It is God’s plan that you travel through experience in order to get to expectation, both defined and designed by God, who is good.

Putting Off ≠ Patience

Do you have the spiritual gift of procrastination? I have an unpleasant truth for you. It’s not a spiritual gift. If you’ve got it, if you do it, it came from somewhere else other than the Holy Spirit. I’ll leave you to consider what are the other options.

And yet, I think we, all of us, every reader, have been guilty of “putting off” at one time or another. I wonder if we have ever tried to “sanctify” it by calling it, not procrastination, but patience.

The author from whom I have re-worked some thoughts through this series on “this≠that” puts it this way.

1) we chronically underestimate the time it takes to get anything done; 

2) we believe that time is open-ended and sufficiently spacious for us to (meet) all of our ( ) goals eventually 

(M.Goldsmith, Triggers, p.19).

If #1 is true, then we must argue for prioritizing those tasks and pursuits that are most important. Some pit that which is “urgent” against that which is “important.” I think here a better contrast would be for putting first that which is serious over that which is silly. Again, I think you can figure out, if you are serious, which is which.

If #2 is true, then we need to read our Bibles. Our lives are but a vapor (James 4:14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away). Our flesh is like a fading flower (1Peter 1:24 For, all flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls off). We do not have all the time in the world. (Psa. 31:15 My times are in Your hand). My guess is that most people living today will not find that they have more than enough time, but rather, not nearly enough, to do all of the things that they want. Further, my sober guess is that the list of things that won’t get done will not only include many silly things that they had wanted to do, but many serious things as well, serious things that they may never have even thought about.

What should we consider as serious? Things eternal. One’s right relationship with God. The state and security of one’s soul. Oh, we can put these things off. But we dare not call it patience.

Inspiration ≠ Industry

Imagine with me the pioneer boy whose task is to split firewood for the cabin fire, the family’s only source of heat, and the fire on which food is cooked. He’s had this job for a while, and, well, it hasn’t gone so well lately. His father has a stern talk with him about doing better, and, wanting to please his father, he is inspired to do better. And so, out he goes, and in the power of inspiration, splits enough wood for two weeks.

But two weeks pass, faster than one would think, and, wouldn’t you know it, the dash of inspiration that spurred him to action before is strangely missing. But, he drags himself to the wood pile, splits enough for tomorrow, without much enthusiasm or enjoyment.

It’s winter, and one never knows when the next snow will come. Splitting wood only for tomorrow does not take into account blizzards. And, blizzards happen. And when it does, the family is holed up in the cabin, with a dwindling supply of wood, and no one able to find the wood pile in the blowing snow, much less split wood. The cabin gets cold. The food is uncooked. And so Dad takes his son’s dining chair, breaks it to pieces, and uses it for fire and stove wood. His son will have to stand at dinner from now until Spring, when a new chair can be made. Why? Because inspiration ≠ industry.

If you and I rely on inspiration, we will fulfill acts of responsibility and service when we feel like it. And sometimes, it will be exciting and enjoyable. But there will be plenty of other times where inspiration will be depleted. And if we have not practiced the skill of industry, we will be searching for something or someone to blame for our tasks not getting done.

Believe it or not, there is enjoyment to be found in doing work, even when we are not inspired. Get up, get going, and put your back into it. What we find is that, often, the enjoyment is found, not at the beginning, but in the middle, or at the end. But when we rely, not on inspiration, but on industry, we do not have to lay in bed and diagnose how we feel. We get up regardless, because we have a job to do, to which we have committed, and we serve, because it’s what we do, because, it’s what our Lord did for us. 

So here is a final thought question: was Jesus always inspired to greet another crowd; face a long line of needy people; experience resistance and rejection? Or, did he simply commit to do the will of the Father?

Exceptionalism ≠ Excellence

Marshall Goldsmith, in his book “Triggers,” refers to a study that shows an almost complete eradication of central line infections in intensive care units when doctors follow a simple 5-point checklist (p.17). The problem is, doctors resist using this checklist. Why? Because it is so simple. Perhaps they believe they are above such things as a simple checklist. They think they are exceptional. 

The author goes on to describe three human tendencies: 1) our contempt for simplicity; 2) our contempt for instruction and follow-up; and, 3) our faith that we can succeed all by ourselves.

We regard ourselves to be pretty smart people. Simplicity is below us. We can figure things out for ourselves (for instance, recall how often you have avoided using the instructions. We persist in an attitude that we learned when we were age 2: “Mother, I’d rather do it myself.”

Let’s apply this to the Christian life. Do we make the pursuit of following Jesus more complex that it really is? There is a hymn that goes “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” Take Him at His Word; do what He says. That’s pretty simple. I think we add complexity, with studies and seminars, simply to allow us to avoid submitting to the simple.

We live in a world that celebrates the new. And what’s new is pushed at us in a variety of ways. We feel dumb and irrelevant if we don’t keep up. But the old patterns of devotion and diligence are proven, though often forgotten. Consider this: those two “d’s”, devotion and diligence, actually restrain us from flirting with the newest fads. Devotion demands focus and close attention. Diligence involves a faithful practice of established patterns. If we were to follow these, we would have to admit that spirituality is not so much discovered, as practiced. 

Scripture consistently refers to followers of Jesus as little children. We want our biological children to grow to adulthood and independence. Not so “children of the heavenly Father.” We will forever live in dependence upon Him, though we often resist it the present. 

Maybe it really is true that those most “happy in Jesus” are those who simply “trust and obey.”