Just Thinkin'

I am guessing that everyone who reads this blog knows me at some level or they wouldn't be here. With that in mind, I feel the freedom to spend a little time just downloading my thoughts here, whether it's profound thinking or not. I know there is love and abundant grace and for that I am eternally grateful.

I've been reading and doing my prep for an upcoming course I am teaching, 101 - The Art of Hearing God developed by John Paul Jackson and Streams Ministries. I love this course. I love the way it changed my life and the way I see it changing the lives of those to whom I've had the privilege to teach it. This will be, God willing, my last Starter School. For those who aren't sure, that means that I am a "Teacher Trainee" so I teach classes for which no tuition is charged, although the Student Notes must be purchased to take the class. It's a great way to take the class at less expense and an equally great way to learn how to teach the class. Everybody wins...most of the time. :)

One of the things I like to do to prepare is listen to CD's of John Paul teaching the first Teacher Training and hearing the deep insights for why a particular topic is emphasized and when this insight came to him, and how the Lord has worked in his experience to reveal the principles, concepts and actions presented in the course. There are such gems of truth in this material. Such profound insight. Yeah, I love it. I love it because every time I review the material I see something that hits home. I do a lot of repenting and clean up when I study to teach this course. Wow, the material is convicting.

It is also edifying and encouraging to note that everyone struggles to follow God well. Everyone. I love God with all I am and yet I find myself struggling to keep my appointments with Him. I struggle sometimes to make time to just "sit at His feet and listen" as Mary did when Jesus visited her house. In the past, I've been prone to beat myself up pretty badly over my lack of discipline, and sometimes I still do, but I am getting over that. One of the most freeing concepts I've ever gotten hold of is that God is into progress, not performance. I love the phrase (thank you Jim Driscoll), "We need to learn to get good at doing things badly."

It's not that I purposely go out of my way to do things badly, just the opposite in fact. I strive for excellence in all that I do. But the idea I've caught hold of is that like the kind, gracious, loving Father He is, God loves me just for trying to follow Him well, whether I am a stunning failure or a smashing success. He loves me for loving Him enough to try. There's FREEDOM in that concept. Grab it!

So here's to doing things badly (like writing a coherent blog entry). Go forth and fail...or succeed...but go forth!