Ok, so its been awhile. And by awhile, I mean a long while. I am sorry for such a hiatus.
Life has been interesting. I was home for an extended amount of time...almost 2 months...for break. It was nice being home, but probably not the best time for me spiritual. Had some relationship ups and downs. Highlight of break was spending so much time with Robert and strengthening our friendship.
Now I am back up in Mass for the semester. The new semester is filled with new stresses, namely an unbelievably large work load. I am in four courses, but really five because one ends in a month - which is the main cause of my stress. My reading list is like Mike Tysons wrap sheet. My courses are as follows
Christian Ethics (finishing that one up)
Systematic Theology II
Life and Theology of Karl Barth
Christianity and the Postmodern World
Greek I (something like that I don't know the real title)
Anyways, in terms of the spiritual, things are on a steady upswing from a deep pit. I am getting involved in worship, increasing accountability, etc. It is cool. Getting to know some cool guys up here from the school. Should be a great semester with some discipline.
Went on a road trip down to NC for Greg's wedding...which was a weekend that involved something like almost 30 hours of driving and was draining but good to see everyone for the most part.
That is a brief update. Its two months so give me a break, this isn't a journal Anyways, on to the important thing.
PLEASE IF YOU READ THIS RESPOND
I really would like to know how people define success. If you read this blog, I would appreciate an honest response to this question and hopefully a subsequent post will follow on the subject. I am not trying to make this a trick question. How do you honestly define success, or more specifically, what must happen or occur in your life to make you define it as a success at this current moment. Your response can be more immediate or more long-term. Just let me know.
Until later, peace out.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
How do people define success...What a good and beneficially loaded question. It's loaded because they way you answer this question defines many of the assumptions that underwrite your ethics, hope, and conduct. The easy answer to this, John, is that I don't define my own success. Rather, my idea of success, like most of the spiritual truths that are permeating my life, come from God, and not from the effort in my noodle. It can still be defined, however, and I think that the application of "success" can look different for different people, within reason. Thus, my real answer is that success for me "looks" like restrained capitalism and unrestrained holiness. I use this term since I feel like I'm constantly battling between two masters, God and mammon. Although I wish this weren't true, it is necessary for most people to have money, and so a small aspect of success for me depends upon having enough of it, although this is meant in a different way than for most people. I think that far more often than not, American Christians define success by attaining what can be attained without sinning. This is ridiculously flawed, since as Christians we are supposed to define ourselves and make God's name great not by our avoidance of sin, but by our love for others and our reckless pursuit of the Kingdom of God (which is not heaven btw).
Thus, success is obedience to God, and is not defined by material success, or even church success. Success is probably not even a healthy term to use, perhaps victory is better. I like victory since we tend to think of Christ's role in our victory more easily than we might of our "success", especially if we read the bible and are reformed ;) So, my victory in God is simple and easily attained by being obedient to what God wants me to do with my life. Here we enter another problem, however, since I don't think we really allow the bible to speak on how we determine God's will either. We are far too quick to dismiss texts like the Rich Young Ruler, or any verse that endorses self-denial as a way of life, for our own good. Thus, if you work for Quixtar, you are in sin and need repentance, and if you speak of how much God favors you more than about how you need redemption, you need a humiliating reality check. I know I'm not speaking to you John, but still, it helps to answer the question.
For me, success is living below your means. Success is minimizing your footprint on the earth, both economically and environmentally. Success is living missionally and making relationships purposively. Success is spending every dollar conscientiously and every minute in life-worship. There is no way to excuse the ungodliness of sloth or waste if we believe in the Kingdom Coming. Success is obedience.
Okay so this is a way late response to the success question:
I could define success in two ways. The first way, Caleb nailed. That's the way we're supposed to define success. It's all about bringing glory to the Lord and finishing well- by that I mean living a faithful life and by the time we're at the end of it, not having to repent of large chunks of years wasted. I'm reading Bonhoeffer's "The Cost of Discipleship" right now and his idea is that we should measure our success by looking at how selfless we are. The more we pour out ourselves for others, the more we are like Christ, and the more our life will have an impact FOR THE GLORY OF GOD- That is success.
The second way I can define success is the way I, Victoria, Sinny McSinnerton, defines success subconsciously. By subconsciously, I mean the way I am naturally inclined to act when I'm thinking I'm doing a good job at life. It is the way by which I measure if I had a good day or not or if my life is going swell.
This could be different for everyone, for example, the movie star defines success by how many people know their name and how many paparrazzi they have to run over to get out of their driveways. A normal working Joe could define success by how much stuff he could buy or how many vacations... you get the idea. For me personally, I define success in the same way most movie stars or pro athletes do- which is embarrassing. The more people that know me, the better. The funny thing is, is that I'm known usually for good stuff like going into missions or helping whoever. Those things aren't bad in themselves, but it's the daily struggle against the flesh to make sure I do things because the Lord finds them pleasing and not man. My life is not supposed to be about my own renown- it's supposed to be about the Lord's.
Longest response ever.
Post a Comment