The "It" in your "Blank"

In my life group we are going through a study together. (Enter shameless plug here for life groups / small groups: if you don't have one, you need to get one! Don't know what it is? Ask!) The topic isn't really relevant to this blog post but a question asked in the participant guide is the catalyst to the thoughts that follow.

Why do we think that if we accomplish _________, our lives will be better?

What is the "it" in your "blank"? Think about it and fill it in...

Why do we think that if...

...we become debt free...
...we lose weight and fit into those skinny jeans...
...our kids will just behave...
...we can get our kids through college...
...we can just get past this project...
...we can get through this month...
...we can obtain that one special item...
...we can get the perfect job...
...we can find our soul mate...
...we can just get healthy...

...our lives will be better?

We really do focus on things like that, don't we? If I can just accomplish this one thing, everything else will fall into place and life will be great...right?

Most often when we are thinking along these lines we are focused on that one thing. We become obsessed with it. We are devoted to it. We are pursuing it. We alter our lives to make it our priority to achieve. Our lives revolve around it. We are energized by it. We want to be victorious over that one thing. We feel full of life as we chase the sense of fulfillment and completion.

All so our lives will be better.

But let's take another look. It could be said that even with the best of intentions, when we are focused and relying on our "it" to make our lives better, we are really idolizing it. When we idolize something we regard it with blind adoration and devotion. (So says dictionary.com) We are literally relying on our "it" to make our lives better. But should we? Or should be relying on God? You know Him...the One that hung the stars and moon in the sky...the One that controls the waves in the ocean...the One that chose you to be here right now in this time for a reason.

God. It is Him alone that we should be relying on. 

In reality, if we achieve the "it" in our "blank", will our lives really be better? Will everything else just fall into place somehow? Will things just be perfect from that point on with no issues after that? Of course not. What we will find is that there is a list of "its" just waiting to fill in the blank. We will literally just continue to move from one thing to another, our focus and passions shifting under the persuasion of the ever changing winds of life. Nothing will ever feel settled.

The core of the matter is that while we are so focused, so passionate, so intertwined in our "it", there is no longer room for the One that our heart really cries for. Our list of "its" literally distract us from seeking Jesus in our lives. That, my friends, is by design. The enemy uses tactics like this to keep us from obtaining an intimate relationship with Christ. It is startling to think about, isn't it?


So what if we changed that a little bit? What if we take all of that effort, energy, passion and focus, and turn it to pursing God instead of the "it" of what fills our "blank"? What if we focus on feeding into an intimate relationship with Christ? What would our lives look like? I believe that while we always have room to grow and learn and better ourselves in different areas of our lives, if we focus and pursue a deep and passionate relationship with Jesus, He will help us accomplish the "its" on our list. In fact, He will show us the "its" that we may not even realize are in our lives. The beauty is that it is THROUGH Christ that we will have the WISDOM and STRENGTH to be victorious in those things in our lives.

Ephesians 4 talks about the unity and maturity in the body of Christ. Verses 11 - 14 explains how Christ gave the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip God's people for service so the body of Christ will be built up to the point of being mature in our knowledge and faith, "attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming."

We will be able to...

...become debt free...

...lose weight and fit into those skinny jeans...
...see our kids behave...
...get our kids through college...
...get past this project...
...get through this month...
...obtain that one special item...
...get the perfect job...
...find our soul mate...
...get healthy...

...if that is what God has planned for us. When we have that connection with the Author of our lives, we begin to know what it is that He wants for us. We are in tune with His Spirit. We trust His guidance and direction. We are willing to step out in a blind faith, adoration and devotion to Him. Yes, we are idolizing the King of Kings. Our desire should be to want His will in our lives.

Will everything in our lives be perfect? Oh, heck no. Why not? Because the enemy is not going to sit idly by and let that relationship happen without putting up a fight. And you can EXPECT a fight. It is spiritual warfare.

But here is the thing, when we focus on, and pour into, our relationship with Christ, we know that we could not be in better company, under better direction, better protected, or more loved. Over time it is inevitable that our finances will change, our secular relationships will change, our jobs, health, and list of "its" will change. But God never will. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8 That is something that we can count on.

So why put your focus, passion and energy into your "it" list when you could put your focus, passion and energy into the Creator of the Universe who will never change, who created you to love Him, who has a purpose for your life, who loves you unconditionally, who is your provider, and who is the source of your existence? It's not too late to change your focus...

Lord, it is so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day mess of life that distracts us from focusing on You. Help bring me back to You in everything I do. I want to be completely focused on You, turning all control of everything else over to Your more than capable hands. Take my "it" list and have Your way with it. I am filling in the "blank" of my life with You because I know in doing so, my life will be the best that it can be according to Your will. I don't want to be anywhere else...