The Road Ahead

2013 dawns on a new set of circumstances – mostly variations of past circumstances – many the consequences of our decisions or indecisions - there is nothing new under the sun. Our Pastors encourage us with sermons on renewal and hope, political rhetoric is spouted about budgets and new beginnings, last minute donations and IRA contributions are made for tax deductions – fresh starts are resolved. For a moment we whimsically imagine outcomes that might be. Weight loss programs and fitness centers have their peak season. Exercise equipment manufacturers work overtime. January 1^st is the day we cast off the past and celebrate the first day of the rest of everybody’s life. But EVERY day is the first day of the rest of life … or eternity for that matter.

I have a gathering sense that more of us are beginning to make plans again. The last few years have deflated our sense of control over outcomes but I’m finding myself around folks who are patching that hole and re-inflating their future. But a smoldering ember of pessimism persists and we have to snuff it out.

A few weeks ago I had the flu and some undistracted time with God. I came away from that with a keen sense of His truth and absolute nature and how He abhors masqueraders and hypocrisy. He is not relative nor does He change with the “times”. He was and is and always will be. Everything is relative to Him. Isn’t it good to know that He doesn’t change – that He’s not a moving target?

In my supplications I asked God what interfered most with His progress through me for His purposes and He brought me to self examination and the exposure of petty sin in my life. What might seem inconsequential to you or even to me and certainly not imposing or hurtful toward anyone else, He revealed things in my life that impede His usefulness of me to His glory. The two words “suitable vessel” kept popping up.

I’ve quoted the words of Ian Thomas from his book, The Saving Life of Christ (©1961, Zondervan, ISBN 0-310-33262-1) before and I’ll quote them again, (p.13), ”Christ did not die simply that you might be saved from a bad conscience or even to remove the stain of past failure, but to “clear the decks” for divine action.”

Being convicted afresh I was nevertheless mindful of past failed attempts to “throw down” those petty things in my life. Now a whisper suggested a different approach – “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord.” (Zechariah 4:6). And so began a process of understanding that led to the idea that I should give to God as my Christmas gift to Him those things He had revealed to me that stood in the way of my being a suitable vessel for His work through me. The Bible instructs me that God wants these things. His Son willingly came and had poured on Him all of our transgressions so we might become “suitable vessels”. And by the power of God He will take them and keep them and I give them (bearing the desire of the temptations that will surely come to recall them) with no desire to take them back. What true gift was ever given that was ever taken back?   

SO WHAT’S HOLDING US BACK?

Following a thread from a message from my Pastor I was anxious to get to the bottom of a chronic problem that I see facing many business leaders with whom I network; call it the “Victim Mentality”. It has to do with that phenomenon I mentioned earlier about our deflated sense of control over outcomes. I believe that this condition permeates our society and is the motive for the rising and somewhat uncontrollable entitlement mentality that is driving division in our nation.   

I did a little research and found that there’s a whole lot of stuff written about victimization syndrome and self-pity. Considering that adjacent to all the lude placations, forms of sublimation and petty indulgences being offered and succumbed to all about us I suppose it’s reasonable to conclude that our nation suffers from an epidemic of self-pity and blaming. So where do we go from there?

Helen Keller said this about self-pity; “Self pity is our worst enemy and if we yield to it, we can never do anything wise in this world.”

Victimization is a trap. Recognizing that you have fallen into the snare of embracing victimization is the first antidote. Call it depression, call it grief, maybe its just plain old disappointment borne from an unrealized outcome. There is a place for that and a season. But we were not created to dwell there. Seasons are supposed to change and cycle through. We have a life to carry on. And so we have to, at some point, whatever the reason for our circumstances, take responsibility for your own life, leave the blame game to someone else, re-awaken an attitude of gratitude, nurture a forgiving heart toward our transgressors (real or imagined) in order to free not the transgressor but ourselves from the burden of the (real or imagined) offense, and defocus on ourselves by refocusing on helping others.

Why are things not going as we had hoped? First examine within and then look to what’s next – and do it. Make a plan and do the next thing. There are no victims – there are casualties and survivors in an often seemingly benign universe in which we swirl. I have grasped onto God’s outreached hand and I believe that He knows the end from the very beginning and that He does all things well. Stand up, dust off your feet and DO THE NEXT THING.     

Happy New Year and all the best!

Bill