Cure for the Common Life

If you didn't watch the video I posted earlier, then you might know what I am talking about. This month, I am leading my students through a book called "Cure for the Common Life" by Max Lucado. Max uses this book to try to help people understand the gifts we are given, why it pleases God when we do what He wants and how we can live beyond the common life that people tend to get tied up into.

I told my teens that I love what I do for pay. Being a bi-vocational pastor makes it really hard to focus on ministry when you have to focus on another 40 hour job also. Working at Emdeon is great. I love what I do, I love who I work with and the company treats me well. I could probably continue doing this job for many years if I so desired. BUT this isn't what God has called me to do.

I have been doing youth ministry off and on for the last 10 years. If you don't know, I have been at Covenant-Fellowship for the last 3+ years. I love the church, I love the people and I especially love the students. I know that sometimes they aren't what I want them to be or believe them to be, but they are great kids. Many of their lives are being changed and it is because of me, not that I am taking credit, but because God has put me in their lives and He has given me the skill set to help lead those students to a deeper commitment to Him and to help them find their skillset or "sweet spot" so that as they grow they can enjoy what they are doing.

So many of us take jobs because of the money or benefit package. Working in the corporate world and seeing/talking to people, I can tell you that money doesn't make the job easier. If you hate what you do, you can mask that with money but in the end you will become miserable and really hate what you do. God has given us a "sweet spot", an area in our lives that He designed especially for us. This spot is where we can excel at what we do. The Common Life is so common. If you have God in your life, there is nothing common about you and begin to focus on what gift He has given you and find your "sweet spot".