I Was Just Thinking

I know when my world is imploding on me. I can tell just as good when I start to reason and rationalize and even second guess God. I talk out of both sides of my mouth trying to convince myself, and others, that I am okay…cool…never better. In truth I am not okay. I’m good. And, I’m getting better – but, I am not all the way there just yet. I have resorted to thinking that maybe, just maybe I need to reconsider getting back with my ex. This is when I know I am in dire trouble.

Let me expound. There are only a few things that really matter to me. Well, let me say there are only a few things that I will allow to upset my world. One is family; one is church; and one is work – in that order.

Family is good. We have a few stumbling blocks and hurdles but we always manage to reduce mountains to mole hills. Besides, that is the one thing that most people don’t get a choice in deciding on. You can ignore, dislike, cuss out – yes, I said cuss, and you can love them. The last one is probably the hardest part, but hey the greatest of all things is love and that is what it is. Just accept this: you are essentially stuck to family via a bloodline that you cannot get away from.

Now when it comes to church - Yeah, yeah, I know. We often feel led, guided or pulled to the place where we worship. Either the choir, the minister or something about that church drew you into the folds. But no matter how you got there, it was a decision that you participated in. You can stay and be a part of the ministries or not –it is your choice.

Work is like church in many ways – you made the choice – filled out the application and signed on the dotted line. And like church, staying or leaving is your choice. It is one you have to deal it.

Okay, so I said I am good with family. The choices in that matter are limited anyway so I can deal with that.  But when I look at church to me it should almost be like home/family. I’m like Stephanie Mills – that is a place where love should be overflowing not a place of strife and envy.  When church is a battleground I cannot help but to question my motives/reasons for remaining in such an environment.  In so many places we see where churches are falling apart; pastor’s behind the scenes deeds are coming to the light; adultery is part of the status quo and no one wants to say anything – they just continue to go along to get along. My good Lord, please have mercy! What happened to building the kingdom and bringing souls to Christ? God is now green – as in the color of money; and Christ is just an icon where praises are heralded in his general direction never intended to land anywhere near him.
Oh, and I can’t forget to mention work. We spend the majority of our waking hours at work. We live there, we eat there and we socialize there (sometimes).  We applied for the job and now that we have been in place for a while things have begun to change and not always for the better. Stress and jealously and nitpicking become our daily bread. The joy of the job has slowly receded until you don’t even remember ever liking the place.  Managers walk around like they are demigods, or maybe even such a higher authority that they have the right to look down from their perch wielding orders in such a fashion that shows no respect, kindness or empathy. Dear Jesus – what is going on?
When I began penning this I said “my word…imploding…etc…” but the truth of this matter is that it ain’t just my world, it’s a whole lot of people’s worlds. Folk are turning away from the church, falling dead on their jobs and generally living in such a miserable state that they are having breakdowns.  Suddenly we are diagnosed with mental illnesses that were coined a decade ago or have been an old standby for years (bipolar disorder and schizophrenia – just to name a couple).  We have taken God out of the schools, work and sometimes even church and have the nerve to wonder why we are a pill popping, drug addicted society appropriating and approving the most deviant/evil behavior.
I don’t know about you but I’m scared. Scared enough to ask each of you reading this to join me in a community prayer every day at 6:30 a.m.  Let’s pray for our families, churches, places of employment – our world! Let’s pray for not just peace in the Middle East, but peace in our hearts and the hearts of others.

Each of you has your own concerns and prayer needs I’m sure. Feel free to post them and allow others to pray with you.  Matthew 18:20 says “Where two or more are gathered in my name, there I am also.” So let’s gather in the name of Christ, the Son of the Living God, and see if we can’t pray and bring about change.