Week 3

1.  The topic of "being" and "doing" is very important in our spiritual and personal formation.  If you miss the important point that "doing" must flow out from "being," you will eventually burn out.  You will settle for a life that is inferior to what God has intended for you.  Everything you do must be energized by your personal relationship with Christ.  In many cases, what you are "doing" is not the problem.  The problem is on the "being" end.  With all of the "doing," you are not able to make Christ your ultimate pursuit, and have sacrificed a cultivated relationship with Him for a life of activity.  When this happens the "being" aspect of you is stunted and the "doing" parts of your life cannot be sustained.  Reflect on your life right now.  Take inventory of all of the activities that you are currently involved in.  Most likely, they are very worthy causes--girl scouts, business, Bible study, school, worship team, etc.  Are your activities (doing) flowing out of a life energized by your growing relationship with the Lord (being)?  What practical steps can you take to bring your "doing" and "being" into balance? (Boa Text)

This year was absolutely packed with activities that filled up most of my schedule. In a normal week I would go to church once, bible study once, rehearsal every night Monday through Friday, class Monday through Thursday, work Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, and sometimes all day on Fridays. That didn’t leave much more time to do anything other than sleep and complete homework, occasionally I was on set for a film. The world had been feeding me the lie that I needed to do everything. “We sojourn in an increasingly fragmented world that has a way of eroding our commitments and blurring our focus” (Boa, p.213, 2001). Now as it is summer my schedule has slowed down, I look back on my busy schedule this past year and wish that I had been more careful about just “doing” things. I feel like my “being” was at a stand still this past year. I didn’t allow myself time to breathe, which in turn made it hard for me to put my servants heart into what I was “doing.” Currently I could be more involved, but the Lord has instructed me to stop and seek Him. So I may find out who I am through knowing who He is. I will find my “being” and next year there will be an improvement in my “doing” flowing out from my “being.” For now, its little steps, only committing to what little I can, making sure I am invested, not just checking out part way into an activity. I want to be able to give my all, and to let it flow from my “being,” from my heart and spirit. I don’t feel that my activities were energized nigh my relationship with Christ. It’s sad to think about, but I think I didn’t allow myself to enjoy the opportunities and see what God was doing through them. A lesson to be learned. This upcoming year I want to be more level in making sure that my relationship with the Lord is president in all that I do, that I am seeking Him even in the midst of an activity, to have the mission He has given to make me thrive. I reflect on a verse I memorized as a girl in summer camp: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to the God the Father through Him” (NIV Holy Bible, Col. 3:17). Amen.