Thanks to Chuck Wilson for this nugget of wisdom today. It resonates today for some reason.

My pastor, Dale Evrist, has declared that this year, our church would be focused on the understanding and implementation of the theme, “A New Day, A New Way” [podcast]. Really! A new day and a new way? What does this mean?

I’ve been around “church” for a long time and after awhile, it’s easy to hear a teaching like this and move on as if I already understand and know what’s being said (ahem, pride!). Fortunately, this series and theme, hasn’t fallen on deaf and prideful ears. I’m very, very, challenged by what I’m hearing and it’s causing a lot of questions, concerns and thought.

Today (Sunday), at the end of the church service, pastor Dale said something that has captured my attention all day. Simply put…

“You are not called to be served, but to serve.”

The weight of that comment came in the context in which it was presented. He offered this challenge. When you go to lunch today, you aren’t there to be served, but to serve your waiter/waitress. It doesn’t matter if they don’t serve you well. What matters is that you serve them well.

Has anyone else noticed that customer service is at an all-time low? My personal favorite is when I go through a drive-thru and not one word is said beyond what I owe. So, in those moments, I’m supposed to serve them! Folks, this isn’t going to be easy for me. Often times, the business owner in me is running over ways that their service could be improved. Apparently, I should be using that time to go over ways that I can improve my service to them. Jeez. Where do I start? I have a lot of habits that need to be changed. Honestly, my mind is resisting this change in thinking.

This methodology, approach, paradigm shift…whatever you want to call it, doesn’t stop here. Here’s a list of other areas it applies:

• Seek first to care, rather than be cared for
• Seek first to understand, than be understood
• Seek first to listen, rather than dominate the conversation
• Seek first to apologize, than to look for an apology
• Seek first to initiate conversation, than to be conversed with
• Seek first to plan dinner, than to expect that dinner is planned
• Seek first to be generous, than to expect generosity
• Seek first to learn, rather than to educate
• Seek first to ask, rather than be asked
• Seek first to give thanks, rather than complain

What is your “seek first?”

Lately, I’ve been feeling a bit distant form the corporate spiritual climate in our city and church. I’m not talking about feeling disconnected to friends or the vision, but the passion and drive that pushes you from observation to activation. That’s been missing. It’s lack has been bugging me for quite some time…until today.

This morning at church, our pastor,Dale Evrist, gave a prophetic word that nailed me to the core. He said:

There is a deception of being overwhelmed that’s purpose is to isolate you from what God is doing in and around. It’s a lie and we can’t give Satan room with it.

Ever have one of those moments where you aren’t quite sure how to describe what you’re feeling but someone says something and it wraps it up perfectly? Yeah, when he said that today, I was convicted. That was me. Key phrase, WAS.

Interestingly, one of the definitions that dictionary.com uses to define “overwhelmed” is:

To defeat completely and decisively:

DEFEAT! Who knew that when I was talking about being overwhelmed, I was actually declaring that I’ve been defeated. There’s power in my words and I too often declare that I’m “overwhelmed.” Now it’s clear to me why this is a deception. Jesus promises to give us everything we need. In fact, His grace is sufficient for today.

But this doesn’t stop with my spiritual pursuit. I find that I used my business, our transition, Britt’Knee’s story and arrival (or lack thereof), social calendar…just about everything to isolate me from participating in personal and corporate worship. Those things that bring me closer to Jesus and closer to people who will help me along my journey. What a crock Satan has had on me.

Note that the definition said decisively. Or better defined, calculated and on purpose. These things aren’t just flippant distractions. They are calculated and deliberate based on what Satan knows will distract me. You see, I know me best and I can tell you that all of my excuses are things that i care deeply about, but my perspective on them has been focused too much on how they affect me, rather than being focused on how those things play into God’s bigger plan and strategy.

Today, I’ve had to repent of my frequent verbal declarations of defeat. I am no longer defeated, I win. Just read the back of the Book.