Go from Meh to Meaningful, Part 3
Part 3 of 3
In this 3-part series, I will address the feelings of meh, or spiritual blah, that mentors and mentees encounter on the path toward becoming wholehearted followers of Christ who rest in Him fully and reflect Him faithfully. Through Luke 9:51-62, I will highlight some major root causes of meh, the power to overcome it, and 5 simple practices for mentors and mentees alike to mitigate it. This series serves as a teaser for more in-depth writing I have been doing on this subject over the past year.
The Power
Finally, there is the Faithful Follower. Look back to verse 51, the very first verse of this section: 51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. Though the followers were often self-righteous, unrealistic, flaky, and waffling, the Bible tells us that Jesus “set his face like flint” as he marched toward a horrific death. He followed the will of his Father faithfully so that his perfect life could be counted for us and he could suffer the punishment for our faithlessness. Because of what Christ has done faithfully, God counts you as the faithful follower, and he is pleased. He doesn’t count your flaws but rather the perfection of Jesus. He even counts our good deeds as proof of our faith, deeds that bring him great joy as they bless others (see Matthew 25)! We don’t follow Christ and try to do good things so God will accept us; He has already accepted us through Christ.
Also, notice that Jesus didn’t turn even one of these half-hearted, misguided men away. He gave them honest admonitions but didn’t run them off. Imperfect followers are always welcomed to his team. Additionally, Jesus invested himself fully into their maturity. Hebrews 6:1 says, “Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity…” Many English bibles translate that last phrase as “go on to maturity,” which can leave us with the impression that true maturity ultimately rests on our shoulders. But the NIV Bible captures the flavor of the original author: “let us be taken forward to maturity.” Quite literally, it can be translated, “let us be carried to maturity.” Jesus not only saved you, but he offers to carry you to maturity. It’s not going to be an easy journey, but he will not abandon you along the way.
The Practices
Considering this faithful grace, how do we abandon unhelpful attitudes and mitigate meh in our lives? Here are 5 simple, godly practices that can facilitate that journey. They are: Repent, Rejoice, Request, Realign, and Reinforce.
First, Repent. In prayer, repent regularly and honestly for the ways you have sinned in thought, word, and deed. This practice reminds us that we aren’t as great as we often think, that we need grace as much as anyone else.
Next, Rejoice by praising God for his greatness and by thanking him for all his blessings in your life. When you reaffirm that he is God and you are not; when you list all the ways he has blessed you, it improves your outlook on life, no matter how difficult the day, month, or year.
Next, Request. Once you have repented and rejoiced, it puts you in the right state of mind to make requests of God. You will be less concerned about daily nuisances and more focused on the bigger issues Jesus introduced in the Lord’s prayer: God’s name, kingdom, and will; forgiveness, temptation, and the battle against evil. As Jesus said, “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things (daily needs) will be given to you.”
Next, Realign. Find time to realign your life with God’s Word. You don’t have to read the whole Bible in order from cover to cover. You don’t have to study multiple chapters daily. Just take time regularly to reflect on the psalms or the gospels to comfort you, speak to your callings, and charge you up for service as God’s child.
Finally, Reinforce. Reinforcing involves two tasks: 1) make a plan for spiritual growth. Dr. Gail Matthews discovered that people are 42 percent more likely to achieve their goals just by writing them down.[1] If you not only say you are going to pray and read the Bible more, but you devise a specific and realistic plan, you will get much further. But you also would be helped by 2) a soul group partner, that is, someone (or two someones) you meet with regularly for prayer, gospel encouragement, and accountability. This is a Christian friend who is not afraid to confront you, who speaks gospel to encourage you, and is willing to pray through the joys and challenges of life with you.
Incorporating these practices in your daily life can be a huge blessing as they mitigate meh. More than anything, fix your eyes on Jesus, the Faithful Follower, “the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured our cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that we will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:2,3).
[1] Psychology professor at Dominican University in California in a study on goal setting with 267 participants.