All this week we’re sharing #LiveFully thoughts and stories from writers around the web. Today we hear from Steve Goble, a certified Coach, Teacher, & Speaker with the John Maxwell Team. He partners with you to find solutions to problems, accomplish your goals, and achieve your dreams. Find him: Email | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook.
Think about a roller coaster. You have ups and downs, twists and turns. Sometimes roller coasters go from 0-60 almost instantly and other times there is a slow climb before the initial speed picks up. Then, without warning, the roller coaster might come to a grinding halt.
Imagine yourself in the line for the roller coaster. Think about your feelings in that moment. You want to get on the ride, but you’re afraid. You experience fear and trepidation about what the coaster may be like. During the ride, you might scream from joy or fear. You might hang on so tightly to the safety bar that you begin to pray for your safety!
You’re so focused on yourself, your thoughts and emotions, yet you are completely of control. You completely miss what’s going on with the other riders, with the friends and family that are along for the ride with you.
In short, you don’t take the time to enjoy the ride.
Replace the roller coaster ride with a day in your life. You get up in the morning and rush around getting ready for work. You fear and stress about the meeting with your boss, the presentation you have to give, or your next interview. You go through work, rushing from one project to the next, staying busy, and believing that you’re accomplishing something. You grab lunch on the run or at your desk, not taking time to sit with co-workers or introduce yourself to the new person.
You are around people the whole day, but you’re really all alone.
Is it what the Lord wants you to be doing? Doesn’t He want you coming closer to others and to Him? Is this how He wants you to #LiveFully?
As Christians, we’re called to be leaders of our communities and families. Yet, we’re struggling to lead ourselves in the daily choices we make in our witness to others. We can’t even lead by example.
According to a recent statistical analysis, women spend an average of .58 hours/day in ‘Organizational / Religious Activities’ or ‘Religious and Spiritual Activities’. For men it’s even worse at .43 hours/day. For both sexes, this equates to around 30 minutes each day we spend with our Lord! Throughout the year, this equals about one week of time spent growing closer to God. Have you ever become successful in something spending only one week every year at it? Is this how you can truly #LiveFully?
It’s up to us to lead our lives with intention, to not be distracted from others and God by life’s roller coasters. We do this by spending time with the Lord and in His word. Building relationships with others, focusing our time on people and not just tasks, and sharing the gospel with those in our lives is really important if we hope to #LiveFully and honor God.
I invite you to go now, step away from your own fears and emotions and enjoy the ride! Go build relationships. Go #LiveFully.
Are there people in your life that you see everyday, but never connect with because you are distracted by the “roller coaster?” What can you do about it?
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