The Truth Process Session V, Post 1

The Spiritual Business of Life

I spent about two and one half hours in Starbuck’s today. For some reason, I find that I am able to think more clearly and gain some clarity about my business when I get out of my office and dedicate a block of time to working on my business, which isn’t actually mine, but God’s. For some reason, I find the Starbuck’s atmosphere conducive to this kind of thing.

I arrived at Starbuck’s with my pen and note pad in hand, ordered a tall decaf, and sat down to think – to direct my thoughts regarding the manner in which I operate the business God has called me to run. I begin to think about how we are doing, and what we are doing. Are we doing the right things, and are we doing them well? Have we become overwhelmed by the day to day demands, causing us to lose sight of the things that matter most? Are we bringing glory to God through the conduct of the business?

I think about the strengths of the business and the people in it. I try to assess the weaknesses, the opportunities that exist in our market, and the threats to our success. By the time I left Starbuck’s, I had three full pages of handwritten notes. I also left with a nagging thought: Why don’t I pay this much attention to my “spiritual business”?

As that question has rolled over and over in my mind, I find that I do not have an acceptable answer. When it comes to business, I am very intentional about what I do. In my spiritual life – not so much. How silly.

It continues to amaze me how often this happens in my life: I get busy, often with things that aren’t really that important, and I drift away from the two things that are most critical to the spiritual business of life – God’s word and prayer. In class this week I made the point that we, as followers of Christ, must be sure that we are taking the time to really think about what is going on in the culture around us. We must examine our own hearts as well as our conduct to determine if we are being swept along by the rush of “false truth claims” so prevalent in the world. It is easy for me to say – much harder for me to do. Maybe you find this to be true as well.

There is great danger in being inattentive to the spiritual business of life. When I allow this to happen (it doesn’t happen TO me – I allow it) my thoughts, desires, actions, and worldview begin to drift along with the world. In that state, what seems right can be horribly wrong. I know from God’s word that I must be wary of what “seems” right.

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. (Proverbs 14:12)

Instead of operating on the basis of what “seems” right, each of us should be very careful that we operate on the basis of what IS right – the truth claims of God.

But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul." (Joshua 22:5)

Think about it…

In Christ –

John

Soli Dei Gloria