Yesterday was a science day for the second graders, and we made slime. It’s always a huge hit and it’s the closest I’ll ever get to being a rock star. After I got home though, I thought about the experiment and soon began to identify with the slime, or actually the glue that is the primary ingredient. Stick with me on this one… (yeah- a pun, I know.) The first step in the process is to add water to the glue to destabilize it, and break it down. Then you add some borax that has been activated and wham-o! Slime! (After you shake it until your arms fall off, of course.)
I can’t tell you how many times I have felt like that glue, confined in a jar, destabilized, disordered and useless. My worship suffers. My joy wanes. I have a tendency to get very busy with church and lose sight of the Christ who heads it. There is so much work to do, after all. I so need that “activated” ingredient to infuse my life, my worship, and my fellow believers.
So how do I get “it” back?
I get a tremendous boost from God’s word, so good study time is critical. I can lay those issues out in prayer- often I write them down- and listen for God to speak to my heart. I love to study. God’s word is an inexhaustible source of strength, comfort and encouragement. There’s so much there… how can you not… and then the Greek and the Hebrew… (I am a “Word-nerd”.)
I also like great music, in my car, played loud! I can sing really loud, and have some serious worship. That seems to give me that ‘reset’ I need.
Occasionally, I have to evaluate my activities. Are they helping me honor Christ or are they interfering with it? This is tricky because sometimes ‘good’ activities can be an issue and squeeze out the best. I dropped some things a while back, and even though I was good at them, had been involved with them for years, I didn’t miss them. That was a tip-off that I did the right thing getting them off my plate. I replaced them with some things I’m passionate about and have been blessed to have God work through me in some new ways.
Maybe you can identify…