Just yesterday my girl Paige and I were doing some grocery shopping and started talking about how much of life is lived to maintain life itself, that is we farm (or shop) to eat, we make (or buy) clothes, we monitor our bodies and employ them to rest and to exercise, all to farm and make clothes.
After thinking about this idea more, I meshed it in my mind to the story of the Tower of Babel and how God destroyed a cultures attempts to reach God, a luxurious and ridiculous effort born from the modernization of the culture, the existence of a slave culture, no doubt, and a lot of free time.
The narrative of that account combined with the amount of time it takes our God-designed bodies and minds to simply sustain our temporary existence leads me to some comforting facts:
1. God is not interested in using you to build anything that might be used to replace him or give you the false sense you can interact with him without giving him all agency.
2. What God wants us to do here on earth is something we can do while doing something else.
And so I’m learning that the stuff that God wants us to do happens while we are shopping for food and making clothes and walking the dog and clearing the table to do the dishes.
In my opinion, the stuff of life is about this, then:
1. Loving each other, and learning to do so as unconditionally as possible, which will also require a leaning on God.
2. Forgiving each other, and leaning on God to do so.
3. Providing for each other and working together for the good of those we love.
4. Giving our lives to God in the sense we must learn not to grapple for control.
I don’t believe God is helping you build a Tower of Babel, be that your career or your church or your perfect family. But I do believe God wants to help you love, forgive, be patient, provide for those you love and give him control of your life.
What gets built with God’s help, then, is less tangible. The Kingdom of God, at least on earth in our time, is perhaps a relational construct.
What do you think God is helping you do? And what do you think people believe God is doing that you aren’t so sure he’s involved?
Great post Don. thank you. It reminds me of the feast in Luke 14:15ff. when God invites us to this awesome party, and one by one we had all these other excuses of why we couldn’t make it. lame excuses which each resemble the building of babel that you mentioned…
“life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” -john lennon
A true list, and if each Christian did those things in whatever sphere of influence they’ve been given by God, then the whole world would change. Being faithful in the little – it counts big.
Oh man. So good. I just blogged nearly the exact thing. Love it.
http://laurennicolelove.blogspot.com/2011/05/injecting-purpose-into-your-life-before.html
- lauren
You bring up an interesting point: even good things (job, church, family…etc.) can be a “Tower of Babel” when they are out of balance.
So beautifully put, Don.
God is helping me forgive and be patient.
What I try to do and see others trying to do that I’m not so sure He’s a part of is build “church”. I’m not sure he digs it, really. I know he loves cooking with my friends and i though. I know that for sure.
“God is not interested in using you to build anything that might be used to replace him or give you the false sense you can interact with him without giving him all agency.” I totally agree, and how often I do try to replace him with things that are so fleeting and temporary. Sometimes it feels like if I can just get what I want then I’ll be happy, when in reality if I replace Him, I’ll never find true happiness. Thanks for the thoughts Don.
I think possibly one of the most important things to be living with God is dreaming with Him. Dreaming helps us to not to simply sustain what we have and be on “defensive” mode but to continue trusting God knowing there is always more to live and gain with Him! Aw makes me excited
Great post. It’s so true God has designed us to live our lives, He’s with us guiding, enabling, encouraging and preventing as we run the race set before us. If it matters to Him to number the grains of sand, how much more important our daily moments become. Thanks for your insights.
In light of this, and Jesus saying you must hate your mother and father to follow me, should I spend more time doing normal things like being with my family or should I be plotting a war strategy on how to drop gospel bombs all over the world?
Personally, I’m on furlough from the war, enjoying my family more than ever.
Your post made me smile…I’m also on furlough from the war…dropping gospel bombs…very creative way to say it! I am simply asking God to be part of ALL I do, to help me be aware of what He is doing, which in my opinion is loving people.
Love this!
I’ve been thinking alot about this basic concept lately. Wanting to do “big things” but feeling called to be faithful and focus on the every day stuff of life. I’m thinking God doesn’t care about whether we do big or little things (by the rest of the world’s standard), He cares that we obey when He calls and that takes knowing Him, relationship. Great post!
Who doesn’t want to be significant in life? Can anyone live life with a feeling of fulfillment if they aren’t engaged with life?
Unfortunately when we humans seek validation we do so by creating a “structure” (religion) that replaces God in our lives. Thankfully God loves us enough to tear down our towers of Babel. But anyone of us can become hard of heart and “curse God and die” (Job 2:9b) metaphorically.
To answer your questions I think God is helping me to know Him more by not allowing me to be happy with being the same day in and day out. And to answer your second question, while I’m sure God isn’t creating a religion to fit our culture, some are using church attendance and human reaction as indicators that God is on board with their ministry.
Love this Don! I make a point of acknowledging and engaging the people in my daily path because of what you just wrote so pointedly: That IS my life… the person making my sandwich at the deli, the bank teller (does anyone else STILL go inside the bank vs. the ATM?), the secretary at my kids’ school, the attendant at 7-11. It wasn’t always true–many times those people were invisible to me as I talked on my cell phone or was busy listening to the noise in my head of all I “had to get done;”, but these days, I get such joy out of those mini moments. And who knows-that mini-moment for me might very well be a mega-moment for them. I feel much more connected and present to those around me while I “do life.” Thanks for the confirmation.
Have I told you lately what a tremendous blessing you are? Thanks for consistently putting into words what our hearts need to hear.
On a recent trip to Thailand I had a really neat experience where I got to see Monks receiving merit. It wis a heartbreaking experience knowing that their attempts to do “right” were not right by any means. I wrote about it on my blog if anyone would like to read. http://lifexpresseddigitally.me/blog/thailand-day-2-darkness-of-buddism/
I often get busy with projects that ultimately end up being a glory vehicle for myself. I don’t mean to, but dang it…the further I get into them the more it seems to be about a “look at me!” mentality. But I’m getting there. Your post is a confirmation of what God has been teaching me–so encouraging! There’s freedom in obscurity.
@BlaCorc, I love your post!
I am learning to plan my life, but allow myself to drift in the ebb and flow of the life that God has for me. One of the hardest concepts for me to learn is that I’m not after some glorious goal (ending) on earth; rather, I’m living life and learning to embrace and enjoy each day and be swept up into an adventure with God.
Make my plans, strive for Godly goals, but understand that God is much bigger than any idea that I have of Him.
Great post!
perfect.
I think God is helping me to surrender different parts of my life. Bits that I’m clinging onto in the hope that they might satisfy me instead of God. But he never accepts a begrudging surrender, he always waits for me to see that He is what I really need and genuinely desire. That way its not some religious transaction that puffs up my ego without my heart being soft towards him.
Yes! I have the exact same thoughts, Pete. I’m somewhat terrible with my willing (gulp) surrender.
I like the idea that God continually helps us find freedom. And He likes to help us see He is faithful, even when it doesn’t seem that He is.
I like the message in this post!
God is most certainly working with me to be more patient. And I think through that work He is also showing me how to give up some control and put my full trust in Him. This is becoming very evident as we try to sell one house to buy another. We look at buying a new house to be a way to serve our own family, friends, and community in a more wide reaching way. Our house becomes a safe haven for the kids we serve and teach, it becomes a home base for bigger based projects in our community, and it becomes a place where our small, tight knit family can connect and play and rejoice in the gracious gifts we are given. We just need to keep learning and moving through the whole process…it’s the journey that needs to count, more than the final destination? I think we are on the right track…
Maybe in June our Storyline will become even more clear!
“What God wants us to do here on earth is something we can do while doing something else.” Wow. Really, wow! I can’t believe how profound that is. I LOVE your point about the effort that it takes just to live. I spend most of my free time–whatever scraps of time I can grab–to live out my life’s mission. I believe that I am honoring God with that time, and I know I feel fully alive while engaged in that. However, it’s never as much time as I would like, but it’s all the time that I have. I absolutely love your point that God wants us to do something here on earth, while we are doing something else. That is beautiful!
I think God is helping me to be more accepting of other people. And I am not so sure that God really wants me to persuade other people that my way of worshiping him is the only way. I don’t really think that God needs my help (or anyone else’s for that matter) to convince anyone to turn to him.
This has been on my mind a lot lately. I just wrote about it myself earlier tonight. The scripture that convicted me of this was Matthew 10:24 – “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!
It is enough for us to be like Christ. To love God and love others. Matthew 22
It seems like everyone wants to do something and do it big, and they feel like the only way they are successful is if they have a huge amount of people watching what they write, sing, build, do. But what if while everyone is trying to get out there, they miss writing, singing, building, doing for are those in their circle of life that God has created for them – those in our own homes, churches, schools, and neighborhoods?
So true. Just dance. Like nobody’s watching. And maybe someone will. But don’t worry about it.
So true—and I almost feel a sense of relief by reading that.
I have definitely realized in my short time as a manager, the main things I am learning include patience, loving others for their special gifts that are different from mine, appreciation for working in a beautiful place and interacting with all sorts of people, and learning to have easier expectations for people as I’d want them to have for me (basically, the Golden Rule).
All of those things I thought I was “good” at, but am realizing how much practice I really need and how much relationships thrive as a result…and i’m much happier.
Once again, you write about stuff I only think about. A lot of times I think no one probably thinks these thoughts….then I read it here! Makes me feel a bit less isolated. Thanks!
Hi Don
I’ve always thought validation is what drives us to be who we are. Just as equally, criticism does the same. I smile as I read the other comments. Perfect. Great post Don. I love your post. Have I told you lately what a tremendous blessing you are?
Must be tough being you Don:).
I think God is helping me try to spread the good news of the freedom in Christ.
That there is NO religious ladder to climb, and that He has come ALL the way down (to the bottom of a grave)to save REAL sinners, who know their need of a Savior.
Other than that, I’m not so sure.
Another one which I find relevant. I was at a Jackie Greene concert in north Lake Tahoe and after the show I approached a women who had been dancing near me. I had a sense she had a hard shell but was soft inside. I looked her in the eye and told her I felt she was really hurting inside and had wrapped it up with a hard shell. She acknowledged the hurt. She said she couldn’t look at me and had to go because she was going to cry and didn’t want too. I claimed healing on her while looking directly in her eyes and she couldn’t take it and ran away in fear. I so wanted to talk with her, but fear seemed to have crippled her. I prayed for her the next couple of days. I’m not sure I did the right thing, but I hope so. Feeling all puffed up, I figured I earned another beer and ordered one.
While I was thoroughly enjoying myself at the concert and interacting with people I felt I was able to touch someone’s heart. When not feeling useful to God I hope these interactions with people help them and that I’m doing work He finds pleasing. So thanks for the post Don!
What do you think God is helping you do?
Choose God’s Kingdom work and vision over using my musical gifts in worship when the former means walking away from an opportunity to use the latter. God is helping me to work through the grief of losing my misplaced identity.
And what do you think people believe God is doing that you aren’t so sure he’s involved?
Starting more ministries instead of starting more relationships.
Raising up the next greatest CCM artist/band/song.
God’s helping me be a parent. It’s what’s happening while I’m living out my life.
Yes! I am learning that same thing- over and over again. I keep making life about “big” things but want to stay in that place of peace and rest and fulfillment in it not being about the “things” at all but the people those things are done with and for…. well said.
Wow Don,
This is something that I am just learning and going through right now. I work in the Hollywood Entertainment industry, where career, projects and stuff make who you are, and family, relationships and God are just side armors for when you want to fall back on something. I had to finally decide if I wanted God to give me a career in Hollywood (with all the glory it’s fringed with) or have him move me through the industry, touching and reaching those who are lost to the cause of Christ. Once I realized that I am not on Earth to just writer really good moving movies, but to touch those around me with each and every breath I take, the Kingdom becomes a lot more meaningful. I am still learning and struggling sometimes, but God is faithful…
Way to go Don!
SOOOOO true!
I am going to link this in a post…
Hi Don,
I am intrigued by what you have written and I wish to challenge you on a few of the points that you made in this post. Although I do not share the same religious beliefs as you do, I do believe that you could make your points more valid to all that read them.
As it stands now, what you have written could be considered a bad argument, in that the points that you mentioned all carry one intrinsic flaw. Just before you describe your points, you make the statement;
“The narrative of that account combined with the amount of time it takes our God-designed bodies and minds to simply sustain our temporary existence leads me to some comforting FACTS:”
There is absolutely no problem with you saying that that those things lead you to comforting beliefs, but the word fact implies that everyone holds those fallowing statements to be true.
In your second set of points, you have done what would be better suited for your first two. Instead of admitting these 4 points as fact, you clearly describe them as your own opinion.
Thanks Don. I like this.
What do I think God is behind me doing?
Relax. Quit trying so darn hard on some many fronts. Lower my standards, if you will, or maybe learning to accept the funky, unfinished, sometimes wild thing that I am. Enjoy that which is beautiful around me: my kids, my wife, my neighborhood, the farmland around me…
Be in the moment more often, and avoid not the freakin’ hurry I seem stuck in most of the time.
What do I see happening in His name that I question?
I could list some things, but I’m kind of jaded by orgranization, one of which I call the Church, right now. Maybe i’ll just share the good stuff that makes sense to me that I just mentioned.
Your list of what God wants from us is good. We just have to be sure we’re loving our neighbors, and not just our friends.
I’ve been thinking and talking with friends lately about “loving your neighbor as you love yourself.” We love ourselves enough to make sure we get those groceries and those clothes (and an education, and the joy that comes with knowing your good at something)…so part of our time needs to be spent making sure our neighbors get those things, too.
In this ever-smaller world, it can be tough to discern who our “neighbors” are and how best to love them — and I think that’s the part where we give God all the control to send us where He will. Like that crazy Samaritan, risking and giving much to take care of someone who probably wouldn’t have walked across the road to spit on him.
God is helping me to see the importance of the little things in life, particularly my own. Having just turned 30, and still not being sure what exactly to do with my life, it’s been more difficult to be aware of the great value in the little things God has me doing in my day to day life. But I’m always most blessed by the little things, and encouraged that God uses me to bless others in little things.
Love your list of what life is all about. If we strive to do those things, oh the things we could do.
[...] Other Stupid Statements – C. Michael Patton Hell is Either Empty or Full – Rob Rynders Life Happens While You’re Doing Something Else – Don Miller View Shane Raynor's Profile Subscribe via RSS [...]
[...] the meaning and joy of ordinary life. They are well worth your time. The first is a short post from Donald Miller’s blog. The second is a somewhat impromptu sermon by Kyle Pipes from this past weekend at eastern [...]
I don’t know if this is in the back of your head as you think these things, Don, but here’s what I take away from your post…
I’d love it if God would send me on a mission that frees me from all the mundane tasks I feel obligated to endure on a daily basis. Something that says “Stop what you’re doing, drop everything, get away from all those things that bore you so much and go do this totally exciting thing for me. You’re off the hook and you don’t need to worry about any of that practical drudgery any more.”
That doesn’t stand up very well in the face of a statement like: “What God wants us to do here on earth is something we can do while doing something else.” Gak. Instead it forces me to consider the possibility that I’m already on a mission and that the daily grind is at least a necessary element and perhaps an integral part of the mission.
Maybe a stronger sense of the mission is what I lack – some appreciation for how it is that God wants to use me that causes me to see the mundane in a different way – as relevant to what’s meaningful about what I have been assigned to undertake…
Two first grade students, during what they probably consider their daily mundane task – going to school, gave their substitute teacher (me) a hug and told me I was a fun teacher. For me, it was an opportunity taken by God to show me how loved I am and how I’m on His mind. It’s during these seemingly ordinary moments we can reach out to others and give them a hug from the Father.
Hi Don! What a fave post — life is about doing everyday life — and having the faith to believe God is at work in us. That is my totally life passion. Believing this and encouraging others in this amazing life of faith.
btw, it appears while I’ve been busy doing my thing … you’ve met your “Paige”!
That’s awesome, Don! Happy for you two. Cool to stop by and “catch” up…
[...] Life happens when you’re doing something else. [...]
I have a whole bunch of partially built towers. I think I need to put my tools away.