This is the 1st in a blog series from one of my friends from the Race, Jimmy McCarty. So much of what he's saying here resonates with where i am right now. And i think it's something that MANY friends are dealing with too (you know us ... the wandering, searching 20-somethings :) .
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Exposing the "it" Myth
I’m in the process of developing a philosophy on my generation’s fierce grip on “it.” The word itself is potentially the most ambiguous, definition-less, abstract concept imaginable and yet it is placed on a pedestal as potentially the greatest good there is in life.
My grandparent’s generation worked 60 years in a career happy to make a living, happy to feel the sweat on the brow for the satisfaction of a job well done. There was not as much emphasis put on the actual job itself but instead on the fact that the job was a blessing and the potential for advancement was icing on the cake.
We’re now coming out of a generation-wide embracing of the transient mindset. This had its hold that nothing should ever be done for a long period of time. Commitment was the worst evil because it made one feel trapped and ultimately unhappy – because freedom = happiness in most situations.
What’s being birthed in my generation, however, is a return to a fundamental belief that “it” is out there. We use “it” to describe a host of things: our future mate, our ideal job, the most amazing adrenaline rush, the environment or experience that will produce the utmost satisfaction and euphoria.
“It” has been defined otherwise as “destiny” or “fate” or the “mountaintop.” It doesn’t matter than we live in paralyzing discontent, unwilling to settle for anything less than the ultimate emotional high, the promise of “it” is tantalizing and motivates us to continue on.
I’m beginning to learn what a terrible myth “it” is. To think of the time I’ve wasted waiting for “it” when I could have been enjoying the moment. The doors I failed to walk through because if, just if, “it” came along while I was doing something else, I’d miss it and regret it forever.
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So where i'm at lately is this .... i'm getting mixed signals in my head. Which message is it:
- "Don't settle & God has a specific plan for you." OR
- "Be content & there is no IT"
AHHHH!!!! Is it one? Is it the other? Is it a confusing mixture of both? Any thoughts?
love to all.
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1 comment:
That's good stuff. I kind of think that the "it" both does and doesn't exist. "It" does exist if "it" is defined by a way of being that is caught up in seeking the Kingdom - even if that means figuring out what "seeking the kingdom" means. I don't think "it" exists if it is defined by a self-centered existence. That is the opposite of the Kingdom. I like what your friend is saying, "our future mate, our ideal job, the most amazing adrenaline rush, the environment or experience that will produce the utmost satisfaction and euphoria..." All those things are self-centered and I think the battle I have had to face is realizing that my ultimate happiness ironically isn't living in a self-centered universe. Today I was meditating on what it would look like to be so caught up in seeking God's Kingdom and wanting to be a conduit for His love that I would even forget about the desire to be married. I surely know that the more I have lived in Kingdom mission and community the less I feel that desire for marriage. Man, how cool would it be to be in a marriage where two people were totally caught up in seeking His Kingdom and living His love? What would it look like if a whole group of believers lived life together like that? That "it" keeps me going, that "it" is worth dying for.
As far as God having a specific plan or not, I am finding that God's will, as it is referred to in the Bible, is something that is obvious as He renews our minds to see through His scriptures and relationship. I think part of that will is that we devote the necessary time to prayer and seeking wisdom if we are at an impasse. I think it is too easy for us to not be active in letting our minds be renewed and in prayer so we end up taking our cues from the dominant culture instead of devoting ourselves to understanding the over-arching will of God (Acts 16:6-10, Col 1:9, and Romans 12:2 are great passages for that). I'm quite confident that God will get us where He needs us to be if we sincerely devote ourselves to trying understand His over-arching will and grow in close relationship with Him.
Heh, guess I had some thoughts on that :-) I actually wrote an impromptu 30 page paper on this stuff a while back because of being passionate about this very issue for believers in their 20's.
Ummm, how are you? Haha.
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