THRIV3::{discipline.love.passion}

did you know that with technology the faster you figure out a problem, the quicker you can reach your desired goal? let me give you an example. you desire an informative, user friendly, and visually appealing blog. that’s not a bad desire, but you have some problems: a) you’ve never made a blog before, b) your coding skills are limited, and c) you aren’t a graphic designer. those are some pretty big barriers to accomplishing your desired goal. but although technology may be complicated, it can be broken down and understood, because it’s logical.

so i began applying the wisdom i’d learned through technology to other areas of my life, and the benefits were significant. anytime a new problem would arise, i would spend hours observing, studying, and testing. i began to realize that i was really good at breaking things down, and understanding what made them tick. turns out i’m able to understand complex things and explain them to others, which is a really valuable gift to have if He’s called you to pastor. but therein lies “the rub.” what i mean is that applying the wisdom that everything can be broken down, understood, and fixed is only true when approaching things that are logical, and rational. what about broken things, things innately flawed?

sin entered the world in Genesis 3, beauty ruined. apart from God everyone is broken and flawed; sinful. and even those who love and trust Jesus, still battle the sinful nature, but are bound to righteousness. (rom 7:21-25, rom 6:18)

so then, how do you approach relational problems? how do you fix broken and flawed people?

i’ve spent hours on end observing, studying, and testing. i’ve tried one solution after another. this approach continually leaves me with unmet desires. i desire a wife, a helper, a companion, and a compliment. it would seem a large part of my failures stem from impatience.

Love is patient. [1 Cor 13:1]

impatience is something i’ve battled for a long time. He’s been so merciful in growing me in this regard. but one area i still fiercely battle impatience is female relationships. over the last three years i’ve come to see the depth of my relational ignorance. He’s revealed just how inept i am when it comes to pursing the opposite sex.

how do you handle unmet desires?

i contemplate, reflect, question, worry, and obsess. God has been gracious in bringing a plethora of wisdom into my life via brothers, older men, and scripture. He is continually tilling up mans wisdom, and exposing it to His truth. i’ve come to understand that sin takes root and unwise decisions begin taking place when i worry and obsess. if i trust He is my greatest good, then His plan is better then any i could ever devise.

and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. for those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.
romans 8:28-30

i pray that He would kill in me anything that would prevent me from more of Him, that He would walk with me and before me, and that He would give me eyes to see and ears to hear. i covet your prayers, and ask for your grace, as God grows in me patience.

i’m slowly realizing He hasn’t called me to fix you, but love you and point to His son!
so i plead for you, and beg Him to move… and ask if you would do the same for me.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Col 1:15-17