Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Letting Go
I started this blog so I could get some thoughts out and to catch people up on my life, and to offer some consolations from my piddly mind. I also could use help with some matters. Comments Welcome. This is something that has bothered me for a very long time. In the words of many a "revivalist minister," 'Let Go, and Let God.' What does this look like in today's society? What does it physically entail? When I talk to my married guy friends about looking for a wife, they all say the same thing: "As soon as you stop looking, she'll come. As soon as you give it up to God and let Him have this care, He'll provide." Now don't get me wrong guys, this is great advice. But as a single man who really would like to someday have a wife, or at least the beginnings of one, this isn't what I want to hear. I want to hear about how I should pursue with reckless abandon. As I write that, I realize that is how I should be towards God. He's that way with me. "Chasing me like a lover, right through Heaven's gate," in the words of Bill Mallonee. I do realize that is how it should be. My purpose in this life is to love. To love God with all my heart, soul, body, and mind, and to love my neighbor as myself. I can see how to physically love my neighbor. We see it every day. And I know that Christ says "When you do this to the least of my Brethren, you do it unto Me." But am I really doing it to Christ? Am I really loving Him with every ounce of me? How do I do that? How do I let go and let God? I can pray all day long and 'say' that I want Him to have my cares and my stress and whatever else I feel like giving Him at that time, but how do I REALLY give it up? For now, I'll just say the Jesus prayer. . . Lord, Have Mercy.
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5 comments:
Not that I do all that good a job of it myself, but pray. Give yourself time in the morning and the evening before bed to just sit before God and be (like you inspired me to do back in high school). Pray.
Love ya kid.
Dude...
I wish I had an answer. But I don't. Just wanted to make a comment so you would know I read your post.
I'm a mega free spirit, so my natural response is:
"Quit stressing about it and worrying about it, and just enjoy the gift of life that God has given you. If someone gives you a gift, and you waste it worrying and stressing (in direct opposition of their question "who of you by worrying...") about how to best use it, what good was the gift?"
This, I'm sure, is decidedly un-Orthodox. So it should probably be ignored.
All I know, is that when I started just enjoying the company of girls, instead of worrying about which one I wanted to marry (yadda yadda yadda), I ended up marrying one.
It wasn't that I wasn't looking, it was just that I wasn't looking. That is to say, I didn't shut my eyes. I just stopped searching and worrying and really caring for that matter. I just started talking to girls as if they were no different than guys, and treating them no different than I would (respectfully) treat a guy.
Girls aren't mythical magical creatures. They are people, created in the image and likeness of God. Stop looking at them like girls, and start looking at them like people, and just start being friends with a bunch of them just like you would with guys, and maybe something more will come of one of those friendships.
That's what worked for me, but I have no clue what will work for you. Plus that kind of throws all the old romantic (IMO silly) notions of "courting" and "dating" and what-have-you out the window. Some people are really locked into all that (IMO) crap, so whatever floats your boat.
The thing I remember being the absolute hardest before Julie is laying in bed at night by myself. Infact, I hated not sleeping in the same room/bed/general vicinity of someone SO MUCH, that I would spend all night on my computer until I collapsed exhausted into bed/couch/chair asleep. I don't know if that's a problem for you or not, but if it is, I sympathize with you whole-heartedly. I NEVER found a solution to this. Ever. I don't think there is one. In fact, I believe that people were meant to all sleep on together, piled up like wild animals or something in a big cuddly group. I remember one year coming home from church camp, utterly exhausted and collapsing in my room on my giant futon. Matt Trent was sleeping on his back and I had my head resting on his belly. It was comfy. In today's society, that would be considered "gay". Also, since everyone can afford their own house/bed it just doesn't happen. But do you think that Adam and his family all slept on seperate piles of hay? Doubtful. Plus for safety sake this wouldn't even make sense. So I think that one thing we have lost as a society is this, and it can make not having a wife very very lonely. Maybe get a dog... a cuddly one that licks your face.
Wow... I'm sure that post was entirely too long. Sorry... Hope something I said might help...
Oh and this post was by Chris McCulloh (It won't let me log in since my blog account is the beta one, and your blog isn't...)
Just wanted to clear one thing up...
When I said:
"and you waste it worrying and stressing about how to best use it"
Note that this should not be construed as "squander". It should be construed as "use it in what way you best can without worrying about the best way in which you are unable". So sort of a do what you can and don't worry about what you can't. Along with, don't spend ALOT of time (definately spend a little) worrying about IF you are doing your best. You generally KNOW if you are doing your best... Shouldn't require too much though...
that's thoughT (NOT though).
*sigh*...
Sweet dude! Sorry, not that post, but I finally remembered to check this out. I added you up over at my blog, so I hope you weren't like wanting to keep this private or anything. I only refer to you as C.M. though, and let me know if you want me to take it down. And, you should post more often, unlike your lazy brother.
I won't post my comments about this subject here, don't have time (Dust's bachelor party in t-minus 20 minutes), but if you ever want to talk, let me know. All I have for you now are these words of wisdom:
"Don't worry...I'm sure there's a babe out there for you too. Peace out."
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