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Are You Always Looking For The Next "Big" Thing?

From the latest Hunger Games or Harry Potter movie (am I already dating myself?), to the newest brand of cross trainer shoes; from the latest best selling book, to the newest song to hit the airwaves, or just planning for that next great, unforgettable vacation, we, as a culture, even in the church, always seem to be longing for that next big thing to come along to add some excitement to our “ordinary” lives. Even just buying something new sometimes seems to put a spring in our step…. for awhile.

My wife, Toni, and I read books together on a regular basis, and one of the latest is the book Ordinary subtitled “Sustainable faith in a radical, restless world” by Michael Horton.
On the back cover it reads “The greatest fear most Christians have today is boredom - that sense that they are missing out on the radical, world-changing life Jesus promised. One thing is certain. No one wants to be ordinary.”

This book gave us a lot to talk about, and frankly, we realized that we often find ourselves stressed out by the restless anxieties and unrealistic expectations we either place upon ourselves, or feel others are placing on us. We feel we need to keep up with the latest trends. We need to be relevant to today or the world will just pass us by. Won’t it?

The 3 pastors recently completed a personality test that revealed some fun and interesting things. For example, some of us are more traditional, in that we are more comfortable with things the way they are, and some are more comfortable with change. You can decide what type fits which pastor. :-)

We all grow up with traditions. These traditions preserve many elements of our belief and practice that we hold dear. It’s good to have traditions. It’s also good to have variety in our lives. That’s what adds the “spice” to life, right? Creativity is a gift from God. It’s part of what He has given to us in being made in His image. So, I’m not saying here that looking forward to a special event or thing is bad. Hopefully, we are all eagerly “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13) when he returns. What a day of rejoicing that will be! But to always be preoccupied with the next big thing can create a sense of boredom that can cause the beautiful and wondrous day-to-day things to be lost to us.

What I want to say in this brief offering, and what Toni and I gleaned from this book, is that our lives are, for the most part lived in the ordinary. And a greater appreciation of the ordinary can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary! Take some time today and look at the ordinary means of grace that God has lavished upon you.

Is it not remarkable that Jesus Christ Himself is speaking to us whenever we open His Word and whenever it is preached? Isn’t it a wonder that the Spirit is still raising those who are spiritually dead to life through the sharing of the gospel? Isn’t it astounding that those who belong to Christ are growing in grace and the knowledge of His Word, strengthened by His power through His Spirit in their inner man (yours included, dear friend), through our weekly gatherings, our bi-weekly CareGroups, the regular administration of the Lord’s Supper, classes, prayer meetings, etc all guided by godly elders and deacons who care for you?

Horton closes his book by saying, “The (ordinary) life we live now by the Spirit is a down payment or security deposit on the blessings of the age to come. We can live in the ordinary world, with its common curse and common grace with our ordinary growth in Christ through the ordinary means of grace, and with our ordinary callings in the family, the church, and the world. We can be content with the ups and downs because we have every spiritual blessing in Christ which we share with our fellow saints.

So, let go of the stress of always needing the “next big thing.” Learn the lesson of the ordinary from the apostle Paul in Phil.4:11-13, “...for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Pastor Dan Huff