“Mike, what are you doing? … I’ll tell you what I’m doing – nothing… I’m not even spending time with God today.”
What? This sounds like a terrible way to spend time, right?! Let’s hear him out on this, though. Mike Donehey from Tenth Avenue North always offers a different perspective that’s surprisingly worth considering.
Watch the video if you didn’t. He delves deep and explains himself well, but here’s a brief recap just in case.
He says, “I realized a while back we always say, ‘Hey did you do your devotions?’ … I’m like, why does it gotta be an ‘achievement’ thing, like an investment/return strategy. Because if we’re honest, to just be with God, to commune with Him, for most of us feels like a gigantic waste of time… What if I told you, God doesn’t need you, but he wants you. At first you might get offended… What if I told you, your loveliness to God doesn’t rise and fall with your usefulness? … For God, He’s the King of the Universe. For Him to hang out with any of us, He doesn’t climb up the social ladder, He’s climbing down it… He doesn’t do that because He needs you to be productive. He does that because He wants you… just you. So, now I can breathe, right?”
This frees us up to set aside our plans and achievements and give God control. In thankfulness, let Him write the story and do great things through little old me.
What do you think? Do we need a perspective shift? You can leave a comment below!
This idea is summed up in the song “Control” by Tenth Avenue North. Check out the lyric video.