Month: September 2007 (page 2 of 2)

To the two or maybe three of you who care, I apologize for not making good on my promise to fill in the blanks about quitting from a couple of weeks ago, so let me give you the Reader’s Digest version of “I Quit Today.”

Two Sundays ago, my talk was called “I Quit,” and I based it on 2 Corinthians 4, which God had been using to rock my world for several days at the time. I prefaced my message by saying that there comes a time when, contrary to conventional wisdom, it’s OK, even necessary to quit. (I hadn’t read Seth Godin’s The Dip at the time, but my later reading of his little book on quitting sure resonated with my heart and mind!) Anyway, about this time, you could sense the tension in the congregation when I announced that I was quitting. I went on to talk about seven things I was quitting, effective immediately. (Here they are, in case you’re interested).

1. I quit playing church – and start pleasing God. Life is way too short to play to the audiences that don’t get it, that don’t care about it, and that really don’t matter in the eternal scheme of things.
2. I quit being responsible for things I’m not responsible for – and start fulfilling my calling. I am responsible for doing some things and doing them as well as possible. But I am not responsible for everything.
3. I quit focusing on peripheral issues – and start focusing on what really matters.
4. I quit doing everything I can – and start operating in God’s power and with God’s resources.
5. I quit complaining about how bad I have it – and start being grateful for the work God is doing in my life.
6. I quit placating the insiders – and start seeking out those who are far from God.
7. I quit gazing at what’s around – and start concentrating on what’s ahead.

There you have it, ladies and gentlemen…use it if you want it. Learn from it if it helps. Ignore it if it doesn’t. But whatever you do with it, I’d certainly appreciate and benefit from your prayers. Thanks!