I Wonder--July 2

As I was reading Eric Greitens book, Resilience: Hard-Won Wisdom for Living a Better Life, I came across these words that I wanted to share and invite you to consider. Eric is a former Navy SEAL who is writing to another former SEAL, Walker, who struggles with PTSD following his service to our country. 

For while it is summer time, and summer often is a time of rest and vacation, we cannot allow the excuses of life to distract us away from the call of God to be faithful as the Body of Christ. 

Yes, we are not striving for 'excellence' in practice alone, but neither does God ask us to offer excuses as to why we did not practice our faith, or read our Bibles, or serve our community, or go to worship. It takes work, dedication, consistency to grow and mature as Christians. 

As Eric talks about in the following quotation, in life we have to work. This work requires a commitment on our part. He writes: 

"Excellence is beautiful and, like all beautiful things, temporary. One moment we are victorious. The next moment we were victorious. An excuse, however, endures. An excuse promises permanence. Excellence is difficult. An excuse is seductive. It promises an end to hardship, failure, and embarrassment. Excellence requires pain. An excuse promises that you'll be pain free." (Emphasis in original text)

As the church, we must put aside our excuses and press on toward the goal of our high calling in Christ Jesus. As the church, we must continue to share God's message of flourishing and transformation that is found in Christ. As the church, we cannot offer excuses as to why we are not faithful to the calling that we have received from the Lord. 

As Paul teaches us, we have to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12) each day. We are called to work, and that work could feel painful in the moment, but the end result is the blessing of union in and with Christ. 

 

So I wonder, what does it look like in your life to press on, to put aside the excuses, the justifications, the judgments, and dedicate yourself to being faithful to the mission and work of Christ this summer?