Complacency.
At least for me, it's a combination of comfort, entitlement, indifference, and arrogance. Not sure what the order is, but the combination is there and silently creeps into my attitude, and eventually my actions. Others may or may not be aware, but I am definitely aware of it.
Thankfully, God is all-knowing and all-powerful, and finds ways to rebuke me and allow me to see how complacency is seeping into my everyday life. It's a battle, but one that is already won with God.
In my complacency, I think I am secure with my plans and future outlook when in fact it is as though I have a piece of yarn tied around my waist connecting me to a small flower and I think I am safe from the typhoon. It is false security. And is way too dangerous.
I may have incredible food to eat, a great house to sleep in, cheerful friends around me, rewarding work to do, comforting weather to walk in, even be in a great church community..These are all great blessings, but are MEANINGLESS if my relationship with God is left neglected. I may hide behind these blessings and know the right things to say, but at the end of the day...it is my pursuit of God's heart that makes everything worth it. Just as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes found all the joys in life to be meaningless without God, I can confidently say that in my life that the comforts were never the source of peace and joy in my life.
There is one thing that must be #1 in my life for everything else to have its complete flavor and blessing.
The Fear and Pursuit of my Lord and Savior.
A Time for Everything (Ecclesiastes)
The God-Given Task
9 What xgain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen ythe business that zGod has given to the children of man to be busy with.11 He has amade everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot bfind out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12 I perceived that there is cnothing better for them than to be joyful and to ddo good as long as they live; 13 alsoethat everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is fGod's gift to man.
14 I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; gnothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. 15 That which is, halready has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God iseeks what has been driven away.1
From Dust to Dust
16 Moreover, jI saw under the sun that in the place of justice, evenkthere was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. 17 I said in my heart, lGod will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is ma time for every matter and for every work. 18 I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but nbeasts. 19 oFor what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity.2 20 All go to one place. All are from pthe dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows whether qthe spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? 22 So I saw that there is rnothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for sthat is his lot. Who can bring him to see twhat will be after him?
I need not focus nor fool myself that I have control over my future. It is in God's hands; thus, keep it simple: being a witness for Christ is the ultimate calling. And this can be done in whatever you do.
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