Letting go of useless distractions

There are a plethora of sayings out there telling us what we need to do with and in our lives. 

Here is a short list of items that you may have heard. And now that you have heard them, perhaps repeatedly, you feel an unconscious, or even conscious, weight on you like you “have” to do these things.  Word for you:  you don’t.

Here we go:

1.  Find your tribe

If Jesus is our truest and highest and only example in how to live, then this statement is not one for Christians.  Jesus was about doing His Father’s work every day of His earthly ministry.  Jesus was not concerned about “fitting in,” or finding His tribe.  He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah!  That was enough for Him.  And you being a child of God is enough for you, whether or not you ever find a “tribe.”  Finding your tribe is a useless pursuit because people change.  People are fickle.  People leave.  Putting our hope or identity in a tribe is a recipe for disappointment.  Instead, trust that God will provide every single person that He wants to provide for us in our lives.  We don’t need to go looking.  We don’t need to let it define us.  So go on and take this one off of your already-overloaded plate.

2.  Find your passion

Oh how I hate this phrase - with a passion!  Again, Jesus never looked for His passion.  And I don’t really understand how we convoluted the real meaning of this word anyway.  The Passion of Christ, when He gave His life for us on the cross, in that sense of the word, it means passive.  Christ allowed, passively, for His enemies to crucify Him knowing that that was the purpose for which He came.  Again, we are found in Christ alone.  He puts desires in our hearts in order to accomplish His will and purposes, not for some kind of “self-actualization” or “fulfilling” a passion.  It’s not about finding our passion, kids.  

It is about letting Jesus lead us into His purposes for our lives.  

We put ourselves in the devil’s playing field when we follow anything or anyone other than the Lord Jesus Christ.  If the end goal of finding our passion is to take the ball and run with it, then we are lost, though we may “look”found in the world’s eyes.  It’s not about us.  It’s not about our passion.  It is about following Jesus fully and wholeheartedly, wherever He leads, whether or not it has anything to do with what we “like.” 

3.  Go big or go home

Can you imagine Jesus saying these words?!  Neither can I.  I mean how do these catch phrases catch on?!  Jesus did not travel more than a few miles from His hometown His entire life.  Was that a “big” life?  C’mon, kids.  Get with Jesus’ program, not the world’s. In our obedience to Christ, it may look big or small.  The obedience is what matters, not the “bigness” of what we do.  Jesus never tried to "go big" and yet His influence is and always will be the greatest and longest lasting of all.  And what He did was simply follow His Heavenly Father’s commands.  There’s a lesson in there for you if you dare truly follow Jesus.

4.  Make a bucket list

This one irks me to no end!  We are not here to check off useless items in hopes of doing everything we ever wanted to do.  Where is God in that agenda?  Don’t we trust Him to provide all of the opportunities that He wants to give us in this life to do for Him?  Not for ourselves, for Him!  Throw away your stupid bucket list and let God send you to any or all of the places and do all of the things that He wills for you.  Let Him be Lord over your life, not a list!

5.  Fear of missing out

FOMO.  Toss it!  Again, when you truly allow Jesus to be Lord over your life, you need not fear missing out on anything that He wills for you! As long as you are obeying Him daily, it is not possible for you to “miss out” on anything.  You should be more afraid of missing His will.  

6.  Live your best life

I cannot believe how this catch phrase has taken over the collective psyche.  Who in the heck is trying to live their worst life anyway?!  Again, this presupposes that we are the master of our lives.  We choose how we live it.  We choose what is “best.”  But that is not what Jesus says about our lives at all!  Following Jesus, obeying Him - that is when we truly live a life pleasing to Him, no matter if it “looks” like the worst, the best, or anything in between.  Read the Sermon on the Mount and let me know if “live your best life” is there.

7.  Have a side hustle

For the love of God and all that is holy, not everyone needs a side hustle!  If God leads you to get another job, then by all means, obey Him.  If you are content with the work you have, then stick with that.  No pressure!  I officially release you from any pressure that you may feel to get a “side hustle.”  

8.  Be concerned about your legacy

Oh dear.  This is putting the cart before the horse.  We are not meant to live backwards, but forwards!  And again, if we are truly following the Lord, letting Him call the shots and be Lord of all of our lives and our hearts, then the legacy will take care of itself.  

I can’t help but feel like all of the above are complications.  Wherever there is complication, God is not in it.  All of the above items somehow put the onus on us, trying to make it about us, trying to take control of the parameters of our lives.  Hogwash!   That is not the life that God has told us to live.  

Why do we fight against the simple?  Are we that addicted to stress and “control” that any old saying will do? Do we jump on any worldly bandwagon out there?

C’mon, kids!  Life was intended to be lived simply.  And by that I mean, we are simply to keep trusting God and obeying Him.  That’s it!  That is the secret to life!

And how our obedience pans out is all up to the Sovereignty of God.  Can we handle Him being in control?  If not, go on and full out live for this life only, this world and its useless advice.  But for the love of God do not straddle the fence!  

Christians are supposed to be the examples!  All throughout history, Christians showed the way, showed the Light.  Now, it would seem that Christians are following the world more than leading it.

There is still time!  Please let go of all useless, worldly advice that is doing you more harm than good. These are all distractions!  

Seek the Lord.

Do what He tells you to do.

Stay in His Word (read it daily as if it were literal food that you need, because your spiritual life depends on it as such).

And all the rest will happen according do God’s perfect will for your life.  Let Him be Lord already!

Oh Lord.  It pains me to see those who call themselves Christians living more in the world than in Your will.  They may try to pass it off as being "relevant." Yet another ploy of the enemy.  This world knows that none of these things really fill them, really work.  They are living on the surface of life and avoiding You when they go along with the latest tide.  Please, oh God, open our eyes to see what really matters, all we really need.  Empower us to lead the way, shine Your Light in an ever-increasing dark world.  Help us to not be concerned about buying into the latest fad, but in simply looking to and obeying You.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.