Beyond Default
I recently was given two advance copies of Mark Batterson’s new book, Wild Goose Chaise: Reclaim the Adventure of Pursuing God. (It is now out in stores and is a good read!) I finished reading it on vacation… when I was mostly sleeping, eating, reading, relaxing, and reflecting on my life. In the book, Mark made a comment that caught my attention (actually, he made lots of them, that caught my attention)… he said, “too many of us live by default rather than by design.â€
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Take a moment or two to read that again and think about it.
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Which way are you living? By default – just taking life as it comes – not making plans or using the gifts God has given you.  Or, by design – living out of the gifts God has given you and making an impact in the world.
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One thing I know… we are each one created (designed by God) with different interests, gifts, abilities and when we use them, we are living into the designs God has for us. And when we do that, life can be pretty exciting and fulfilling.
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What would your life look like if you were living it by design?
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10 Sep 2008 Martin Hutchison
Sometimes it’s easier to at least try to live life by design than others. In my recent ministry move from the Brethren Academy to Congregational Life Ministries, trying to better shape my life to God’s design has focused on questions like: What would God have me do? For what has God created me? How might my life continue to be shaped in such a way that it conforms to God’s design?
By no means are these easy questions to answer! Even when the opportunity is clearer, moving toward the design can be difficult. But there’s something about making a break from a community and ministry calling that has become comfortable and entering the discomfort of new challenges, new relationships, new skill requirements. For me discomfort often signals growth or at least the opportunity for growth.
Another aspect for me has been paying attention to what I say “yes” to and what I say “no” to. “Yes” and “no” seem to be the tools of the design. When my “yes” has alignment with God’s “yes” for my life, and conversely my “no” with God’s “no,” the image of me in God’s design is clearer.
“Wild Goose Chase” is now in my “to read” pile. I hope to get to it soon. I’m also enjoying Batterson’s evotional. Thanks for pointing it out.
Jonathan,
You are so right… that new territory (jobs, callings, etc) help us move out of the comfortable places where we can easily live by default rather than design. The challenge as I see it is to find ways to live by design and not fall back on default living even when we stay in the same calling or ministry setting. I have made a commitment to give the rest of my life away to this church…. BUT the longer I am here… the easier it is to slip into default living and the harder the challenge to live by design. So, I look for the new territory and challenges that keep me living by design.
You are also right that learning what to say yes to and what to say no to are critical in living by design. And sometimes, we must say no to some really good things! For instance, I just got off the phone with a representative from the Gideons and I told them I am not interested in being part of their organization. I think what they are trying to do is good! But I struggle with the translations they give out (KJV and NKJV). And I don’t fell called to be part of such a ministry… however I am all for giving people bibles! Saying no to them, frees up time to spend doing the things that God has created me to do!
I am at a different place now. I am waiting for God to sort out my passions and gifts. I see a job possibility and I think about how I could do that job, and what I would bring and what I would lack. I am looking for God’s design.
But I do remember the days of the pastorate when I got caught in doing what I always did, because it took so much energy to get going in a different direction.
Good to hear how you are learning and growing, Jonathan.
Hey Martin,
Someone just sent me a copy of this book! It looks VERY interesting. I love what it says on the back cover:
“Most of us have no idea where we are going most of the time. PERFECT. Celtic Christians had a name for the Holy Spirit — An Geadh-Glas, or `the Wild Goose.’ The name hints at mystery. Much like a wild goose, the Spirit of God cannot be tamed or tracked. An element of danger, an air of unpredictability surround Him. And while the name may sound a little sacrilegious, I cannot thing of a better description of what it’s like to follow the Spirit through life.”
Amen to that statement! In my life at the moment, with my beginning a D.Min. program, I do know where my life is heading. However, finding the time to do this. . . that’s my adventure. 🙂
Jeff