Thursday, September 11, 2008

Settling

I hate to settle. Settling is against everything I stand for. What is settling? Settling is saying "well, that's good enough." It is like the cliche "Close enough for government work." I am not sure why I have such a passion for not settling. Maybe it was growing up playing sports and always seeking to do better. Perhaps it was the desire to do better in school and go to college. No matter where this came from, the refusal to settle for "good enough" is usually a good thing.

It is a good thing in the church as well. God forbid if in the church we settle and say "Well, it is only church." It is of course not only church. The church is Christ's bride, the instrument he uses to change lives, save marriages, change the world, and offer genuine community. We should always look at how we can do better: welcoming people, assimilating people, creating an environment for people to worship God, discipling people and everything else.

Yet, spiritually, for the indivudal, there comes a time when we need to settle. There comes a time in our own spiritual lives where Jesus has to be enough. There must come a time when Jesus satisfies all. There must come a time in the life of faith where we do not need the approval of man, the excitement of extra-curricular activities, or the satisfaction of this world. In the spiritual life there is one thing in this world to settle for that meets every need where we can quit our striving- Christ Jesus.

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