A couple of months back, I'd been enjoying the benefits of an incredible gym for awhile and I'd talked a friend into going with me for a visit. One of the trainers/make-you-believe-anything-is-possible-if-only-you-join-our-gym-professionals sat both of us down and began asking her questions.
Some of the questions were incredibly personal ones that only your doctor and someone as intense looking as these individuals could pull off not only asking, but also getting an answer.
Finally they got to one question that I've been thinking about ever since they asked it. He looked her dead in the eyes and said "On a scale of 1-10, how serious are you about losing weight?"
It wasn't my question, but I still thought about it right then.. a 1.... a 10... how serious?
She answered "10" and I have to admit I winced a little bit. Because I know she's not a 10.
Because a 10 is the highest point on this scale. A 10 says there is not even a small degree of me that isn't willing to do whatever it takes.
I imagined, easily since I can see myself in the same position some times that perhaps the answer to "On a scale of 1-10 how much do you wish you had lost weight?" Wishes are an entirely different matter.
Wishes are, as grandmothers all over the world who told their children "If you wish in one hand and spit in the other, only one hand will get full.", useless.
It challenged me to rethink the numbers of my life.
You see, someone who is a 10 in seriousness about losing weight, is probably going to lose weight. They won't need a gym to exercise, because they're already exercising. But they might use a gym to exponentiate the effects of their exercise. A 10 in seriousness about weight loss effects every single day of their life. It effects everything they eat. It effects their thinking, their goals, their desires, their habits. It also sees results.
So as I rethought my numbers, I realized that I want some of my numbers to be higher. I realized that if I graded myself, I would probably say on a scale of 1-10 that I was a 6 in how serious I was about seeking God.
I'm not counting my score of 12 concerning how much I wish I knew God better - the only score that counts is the one that actually involves me acting on what I say is important. And 6 is a sad score to me.
And it's also a promising score.
You see, a 6 means I see obvious areas that I can improve in. a 6 shows me clear ways that I can grow that I haven't been taking as seriously as I know I should. A 6 tells me that my life still has areas of change and when I pursue those areas - then life will continue to increase in this wonderful thing I call the Presence of God.
It's hard to separate your wishes from how serious you really are though. Everyone wishes for a clean house, good finances, well-behaved children, good relationships, favor at work; but few people are serious about them.
But do you know what a 10 is? A 10 is everything. A 10 is all-consuming.
Do you know what a 5 is? Half of everything.
A 5 doesn't lose much weight.
A 5 doesn't walk away from the presence of God with a face glowing so radiantly that others ask you to cover it.
If you were honest - honest - what do you think your number would be in how serious you are about drawing closer to God? How serious are you about walking in the Holy Spirit giftings so that when you pray people are healed, demons are cast out, prophecies are spoken?
10 is an easy answer, but I don't know anyone that is a 10 about anything. And it's ok to not be a 10. But I don't think God is pleased when we hit 5 and stop so we don't become peculiar.
How serious are you?
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6 comments:
Awesome post! Will definitely be evaluating what my number is regarding my walk with the Lord. It will give me something to consider and pray about while working out this afternoon... :)
Thanks for stopping by and reading. I'm glad you enjoyed the post. I'd love to know how your self-evaluation turns out.
Your thoughts are very honest. I enjoy them...
Here's the "Luther-ish" answer. I fail to seek God sufficiently to draw near to him, so Jesus Christ sought and loved God perfectly, and his love for God was credited to me.
But so as not to seem like I'm avoiding your question: I could give you an answer, but I don't know if I trust my own evaluation. A lot of times, I think I'm an 8 or 9, and then I see something that indicates total apathy, lovelessness, and flawed character. Other times I'm a 2 or 3, and God reveals himself in such a way that compels me to love him far more than I realized I could at that moment.
Just like your friend at the gym, I'm not very accurate at estimating my number. But I think God's message to me is: when you're a 3 in seeking me, I'm still a 10 in seeking you. And that's cause for rejoicing all around.
Absolutely Nate! Thank you!
I understand the feeling of the numbers going up and down, but you're entirely right about the message of God number being the same either way.
Love it. Thanks!
I am obviously a 10, perfect in every way. Not a thing wrong with me. And, I got some ocean front property in Nebraska, if you'll buy that. LOL!
I'm actually on a sliding scale, seems like it slides downward more then it goes upward.
Ok, seriously though, I see myself as a 6. I'm nowheres near perfect, just an ol' chunk of coal God is polishing until it shines. Seems though, I get to a 1 or 2 sometimes.
Truly, it's not how I see myself, but how God sees me. If I could see myself as God does, a diamond in the making, instead of, a dull, ashen, lifeless chunk, life would be so much sweeter. I would feel like running faster, jumping higher, praising louder, praying longer.
Yes, I'm a six on my way to a stunningly beautiful 10 diamond. Warning, there many obstacles along the way. So, sit-down, buckle-up and hold-on, as it's going to be an awesome ride!!!
Sorry if I got carried away.
Hi hi.. I believe it's not by chance I happened to read your blog. I have to seriously ask myself this question too.. and how serious am I in serving my God, and to enter into His plan for me?
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