“We are half-hearted creatures”
“It would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
C.S. Lewis, “The Weight of Glory” and Other Addresses
I can’t stop thinking about this and wondering what I need to learn from it. Am I thinking too small for God?
How am I limiting myself from living into God’s vision for my life?
- Am I open to receive God’s vision for my life or just concentrating so hard on my own vision that I can’t see what amazing things God might have in store for me?
- Am I underestimating my own God-given gifts?
- Am I asking God to co-create my best life?
- Am I letting fear (of judgment, of failure) stop me from taking action on God’s nudges?
- Am I creating enough quiet time to listen for the voice of Spirit?
- Am I calculating without factoring in God’s grace and power?
- Am I selling others short because of limited thinking?
- Am I so easily satisfied that I can’t imagine the “more” God has in mind for my life?
- Am I asking for help and guidance regularly?
Abiding is more important than striving
It’s my nature to want to take action, but in the task of learning to think bigger, I believe it’s a matter of abiding, not striving. Striving may come, but not until I receive some clarity about what that striving should entail. I need only look to the natural world around me to see the incredible power and beauty of nature and remember the words from the Bible:
Consider the lilies, how they grow: they toil not, neither do they spin; yet I say unto you, Even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Luke 12:27
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Psalm 8:3–4
Thinking big can look small
Spiritual insights are only as good as their application in our daily lives, so it’s important to ask the question: “What does thinking too small—or thinking big enough—look like in real life?” Start by asking yourself the questions above and answer as honestly as you can. When I did that, I began to realize ways I have been limiting myself.
Most of us will never be famous or recognized in any way the world considers big (but you never know…). What “thinking big” will look like in your life will not be same as it will look like in mine. In fact, thinking big for me will be one thing today and another thing tomorrow. Today it might be writing a chapter in a book. Tomorrow it might be jumping in the car to take a friend to her chemo treatment or taking the time to listen to someone sharing their pain. If God is using me in any of these instances, who’s to say that’s not big enough?
[tweetthis]We’ve got to stop selling ourselves short and stop selling God short. #Heartspoken [/tweetthis]
Are you thinking too small for God?
Take a moment a pray this prayer with me.
Lord, I don’t want to be a small thinker in any aspect of my life. I want to play big for you. Help me abide in you, day in and day out, until I can see glimpses of your greater vision. And when I do, let me never be afraid to step into it, knowing you are walking beside me. Expand my heart and mind so they are always vessels for your spirit and your love, ready to be poured out in service to others. AMEN
I’m Sorry: Two Vital Words In A Healthy Relationship
This post reminds me of a small group I took part in called “Supernatural Ways of Royalty” which posed the question: do we have a pauper mentality or one of of a prince or princess? Since God sees us as royalty in His eyes, that alone should cause us to believe that we have significance and that He has an amazing plan for our lives! When you feel insignificant it’s hard to think you really matter and that you can make a difference but when you feel like a princess, it certainly can cause you to have bigger dreams!
Thank you so much for sharing this, Cari Jean — it really shows how other Christian educators are aware of this tendency we have to undersell ourselves when we need to embrace God’s view of us. I so appreciate your reading and commenting!
Abiding instead of striving – A new idea to consider, Elizabeth. Thank you for presenting so many challenging concepts of connection.
I’m glad this resonated with you, Annette. The irony is that for me, abiding can actually feel like striving, because I find it so hard to sit still and just bask in God’s presence. I’m more like the title of that 1960s book, “Are You Running With Me, Jesus?” Thankfully, I believe He IS running with me as soon as my feet hit the floor, but I am working on building more quiet time into my life. It’s a bit like taking time to sharpen the axe before starting to cut — it makes the cutting so much faster!a 🙂
I think that the small things can mean big feelings for someone else. I stopped to see a friend at work yesterday (two buildings away) and I simply told her I walked over to tell her I was thinking of her (she’s going through cancer treatments). She started to cry, that I would be so thoughtful. I recently told a friend to be sure she was taking time for herself after she had advised me on my internet burn-out. Sometimes just a brief sentence or a small comment can mean big things for someone else.
Thank you so much for confirming this, Karen — it’s too easy to diminish the importance of these small gestures of kindness. I imagine when we get “to the other side,” we’ll be amazed at the things that are valued in heaven that we are too quick to dismiss. Thanks so much for sharing these great examples!