The ordinary seems to appear in everyone's life. Aiming to get to the next level of a career or hobby may seem at first to be extraordinary and that it will change things. But that new, higher level starts to feel ordinary the longer we are there or the more we meet people who have been there. Being at that next level doesn't change who we are.
The good part of admitting we are ordinary is that we know God loves us not because of our works or exceptional things we do, but just because we are his. It's not us. He is the extraordinary one. The less we have to brag about, the more we know it's really God and not us that brings our worth and love from God.
That doesn't mean we don't try to do extraordinary things at times. God is working with us through the Holy Spirit, so we have the capability to do good that might fit in that category.
And our love for God, and his love for us, prompts us to want to do what he wants for us and for his glory—sometimes that could fit into that category of extraordinary too. Just like if we love someone, we feel compelled to do what will benefit them.
A push to always be or do the extraordinary can be hard, though, on anyone, since it's not possible to do all the time or even much at all. Some people may think that aiming to do that all the time is what God wants. But God wants us to rest and to also trust that where we are is where he wants us since he directs all of life. He has put us where we are in life, and it may seem ordinary, but one thing he wants most is for us to love him and our neighbors. Maybe the ordinary is a good place to do that. Love is often shown in being consistent.
Showing posts with label ordinary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ordinary. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
The Everyday
Do people often overlook the simple beauty in everyday? Absolutely.
Many times every moment becomes a moment to think about the next vacation that is in a far away location, or some way to convince another person we are truly somehow exciting or different than others. When that happens, all focus or attention is lost to the beauty in simple things that is sitting there.
It's time though to accept, appreciate, and really invest in the blessings that we already have. People love to make everyday life seem dull and trivial--by calling it mundane or ordinary or assuming every day taken off of work should be to a far away location. It's also a good time to watch our words in this area and realize why complaining is detrimental.
It takes a little bit of work to love the details of simple days. If you take a walk, you can just enjoy the sun or the color or the reflection of light. It's amazing to think about how all of it works and is beyond what humans can create. A nice, caring touch of our creator.
Cooking, one of the most routine tasks, can be a time of interesting reflection. So much variations in color and texture and taste. God could have created it all to be one color, but we have so much to look at and try.
Worship, or being grateful to and thinking of God, can happen there, in the everyday. Taking time to notice the little things that make life a little easier and praising God for them.
Many times every moment becomes a moment to think about the next vacation that is in a far away location, or some way to convince another person we are truly somehow exciting or different than others. When that happens, all focus or attention is lost to the beauty in simple things that is sitting there.
It's time though to accept, appreciate, and really invest in the blessings that we already have. People love to make everyday life seem dull and trivial--by calling it mundane or ordinary or assuming every day taken off of work should be to a far away location. It's also a good time to watch our words in this area and realize why complaining is detrimental.
It takes a little bit of work to love the details of simple days. If you take a walk, you can just enjoy the sun or the color or the reflection of light. It's amazing to think about how all of it works and is beyond what humans can create. A nice, caring touch of our creator.
Cooking, one of the most routine tasks, can be a time of interesting reflection. So much variations in color and texture and taste. God could have created it all to be one color, but we have so much to look at and try.
Worship, or being grateful to and thinking of God, can happen there, in the everyday. Taking time to notice the little things that make life a little easier and praising God for them.
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