 Question: What is mediocrity? What examples of it have you witnessed recently? How do you prevent mediocrity from attacking you, your family, or your business?
Answer: I would say my definition of “mediocrity” is, not pursuing my God-given calling. Examples of mediocrity in my life would include: Not seeking to grow in my faith. Not learning about myself. Not learning how to develop myself so I can increasingly become who God made and called me to be. Not taking responsibility for my life. Not seeking to bear much, good, and lasting fruit for Christ and his Kingdom. General laziness and, sometimes, apathy. I guess with these examples I'm trying to point toward the direction of my life as opposed to results. Some folks may be given five talents, some two, and some one. What counts is not how much you’re given, but what you do with what you’re given. Are you faithful with what you’ve been given, or do you tend to bury your talents in the ground? No effort – no risk – no trust in God. That describes too many of us. That has described me all too often. I think we slow the influence of mediocrity in our lives by obeying God, trusting him, staying close with him, continually seeking to be filled with his Spirit, staying in God’s Word, praying, praying, and praying some more, pursuing lifelong personal development and learning, etc. AND... traveling along this path with others is key. And, of course, taking action based on all this introspection is key. The sanctifying process is more than learning how not to sin. While it obviously includes that, it also incorporates the positive act and attitude of conforming more and more to the likeness of Christ and renovating our lives under his Lordship so that we can grow toward our God-given potential…for his glory. Putting off sin and putting on righteousness. Dying to self and rising with Christ. We must continuously move forward, becoming progressively sanctified (i.e., becoming more like Christ, who perfectly fulfilled his calling). In all of this, God's grace is required. (I'm not endorsing a "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps" mentality.) I have experienced mediocrity in my own life. Every time I have daydreamed or surfed the net too long, watched too much TV, slept in too late, etc., I have embraced mediocrity.* But I think I’ve come to understand that I move toward overcoming mediocrity in my life only as I make the most of the time God has given me. Very practically speaking, that means having a God-glorifying plan, (related to the various spheres of my life), and then faithfully, strategically, and consistently working that plan. There's certainly more to say about this, but this is a start. By the way, I just started reading a great book by Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy, entitled, Living Forward, which addresses these very ideas. Best of all, they provide a great road map (or action plan) for how to "live forward." * Just a note to say I have not defined how much "too long, too much, or too late" is, regarding the things mentioned in this sentence. That's going to look different for each of us. I know the difference between "taking a break" versus "being lazy" in my life. You'll have to figure out the difference between the two in yours. Just a quick thought for today.
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This is the fourth lesson in our series on Spiritual Power. This lesson focuses on what has to first happen in our lives before we can begin living the spiritual life. God must first do a work to awaken us to our need for him. He must also take up residence in our lives before we can even desire to live the spiritual life, much less actually do so. Join me as we learn more about this from John 3:1-8. The Holy Spirit spoke and worked in ancient times. He moved mightily in and through the biblical writers. But does the Holy Spirit still speak today? That's a little of what we'll be talking about in this third lesson of our series, "Spiritual Power." This is Lesson 2 in our series on Spiritual Power. This lesson focuses on God's powerful outpouring of his Spirit in Acts 2. When we repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are given the precious gift of his Holy Spirit to empower us to live the spiritual life. The Spiritual Life, Part 1: Spiritual Power. Lesson 1: Meet The Holy Spirit This is the first lesson in the new video series, The Spiritual Life. This first part is on spiritual power and focuses on the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit. This lesson is an introduction to who the Holy Spirit is. This is an introduction to a new video series on the spiritual life from a Christian perspective. |
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