Drawing Closer To God

The Space In Between

Do Your Best, Forget the Rest

 

This morning we are in between destinations.  Metaphorically, we are in between spiritual destinations on our year-long cruise.  But we are also literally between destinations.  This summer I am going to be working with Wade Spaulding on his Preaching Internship.  This is a requirement for his Masters of Divinity degree from ACU.  Our plans are to visit the spiritual destination of Worship.  Worship is one of the big ways we draw closer to God.  I am excited about working with Wade on our visit to Worship.  Wade is bringing 4 years of learning and an advanced degree on our cruise.  I expect it to be exciting.  That begins May 29th.

 

Next Sunday my son, Tony, is going to be speaking.  The elders are going to be sharing more of the whys and wherefore's of Tony speaking.  The Sunday after that, May 22nd, I am going to be in Virginia performing Chris and Natalie's wedding.  I say all that to tell you I am in between destinations.  We left The Place called Presence after last week's sermon on Unceasing Prayer.  We won't be in Worship until May 29th.  So this morning I am literally in between destinations.  With only today to speak, I did not want to go to another destination. 

 

But…  perhaps…  the space in between destinations is important.  Life is like that.  We are not always in some spectacular place.  Life is not always amazing.  Most of life is rather… routine.  We get up.  We go about the day's activities.  We interact with the same people.  We go back to bed.  A portion, a big portion, of life is simply… life.

 

Sure, there are high points when we discover new destinations.  There are those times when we are moved to heights of closeness to God.  God is so close we can taste his presence.  There are occasions when our soul soars in spiritual ecstasy.  Those times are great.  Those high points are precious.  But we don't live there.  We live in the routine.

 

On the other side of this, there are storms on our metaphorical cruise.  Sometimes on our cruise we see the storms coming and all we can do is batten down the hatches and hang on.  Other times, storms strike unexpectedly.  It takes our breath away.  I don't know anyone who cruises through life without storms. 

- A diagnosis out of the blue.

-A fluke injury.

-An unexpected conflict.

- A heart-wrenching disappointment.

-A plan-old failure.

-A financial debacle.

I don’t know anyone who escapes storms.  But that is not where we live.

 

This morning I am not talking about peak spiritual destinations.  I am not talking about storms.  This morning I am talking about 'tweener time.  I am talking about what we supposed to do with the space in between.

 

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I would like to offer a simple statement which may help us through the routine of life.

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Do your best.  Forget the rest.  Do you like it?  Perhaps it is too simple. 

 

This statement came to me from an odd place.  It is obviously not in the Bible.  It was not written by Ben Witherington III or Richard Foster.  It did not come to me in the shower as the answer to a Pondering Prayer.  I didn't make it up.  It came to me from Tony Horton.  He is the instructor of P90X; an exercise program.  P90X is a pretty hard set of workout videos.  Tanya and I have recently finished the 13 week program.  A lot of the exercise in P90X I can hardly do.  And so Tony Horton frequently says, as he is encouraging me to keep going, "Do your Best.  Forget the rest".  He makes this statement many times in each routine.  So I have heard "Do your best.  Forget the rest" a thousand times in the last 13 weeks.

 

It finally, soaked into me, that this statement is important.  It connects to more than just working out as hard as you can.  I believe "Do your best.  Forget the rest" is the way to live in the space between.

 

So, this morning I want to dissect "Do your best.  Forget the rest."  I want to show the biblical nature of this statement as it can move us through the 'tweener times of our lives.

 

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Let's begin with "DO".

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Christianity is a "do" kind of religion.  Christianity is not just a set of beliefs.  It is not a religion that holds to some sort of mysticism which sits back and hums its way to being one with the universe.  Christianity is a call to do!  Christianity is a call to be faithful.  Christianity is a call to engage!

 

Galatians 6:9-10 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

 

Titus 3:8 This is a trustworthy saying.  And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.  These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

 

Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

 

You are not called to sit back and sip your iced tea while you wait for the next spiritual destination on our cruise.  You are called to do!  You are called to do the routine of your life!  

 

Through the space in between we are called to be faithful.  We keep on.  We do what God has set before us to do.  We are faithful.

 

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Let's move from "DO" to "YOUR".

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God made us in his image; all of us.  But he also made each of us unique.  I am not wired like you.  You are who you are and I am who I am.  I am good at some things.  You are better at other things.  You like broccoli.  Me… not so much.

 

 One of the joys of life is discovering each person's distinctiveness.  Isn't it wonderful that ever person, you will ever meet, is exceptionally different from every other person you have met.  That is the wonder of an infinitely creative God.  A God, who made 500,000+ kinds of beetles, treasures variety. 

 

The word "YOUR"  brings with it the implication that your, Your is different from my Your.  Each of us have a YOUR which is unique to us.

 

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.  Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

 

 Wow, this is profound.  You are unique in the gifts God gave you at birth.  God wired you the way he wanted you wired.  And, in addition, as you intersect with the Throne of Christ, the Spirit graces you with additional gifts.  You have gifts given you to use for the common good.  You bring your unique Your to the table.

 

What this means to living the space in between, is you need to plug into your spot.  This requires some trial and error.  This may require some Pondering prayer.  This may require some consultation with wise people.  There is a spot which only your piece fits perfectly into the puzzle.  It is the correct shape in the corresponding place.

 

There is a spot here at church.  There is a spot in your family.  There is a spot at work and all over.  In the routine times you find your spot.  You are called to DO YOUR; to faithfully use your gifts.

 

But also, one of the big advantages of the 'tweener time is you have time to develop your, Your.  In the storm you may be called to do what has to be done.  In the spiritual destinations you are drawn in to do great things.  But, in the 'tweener times you work on your gifts.  You improve your, Your.  You have the time to hone your skills.

 

I think this is wonderful.  In the 'tweener time you find your spot.  In the 'tweener time you hone your gifts.  In 'tweener time, you faithfully use your gifts.  Wow, this makes the routine time exciting. 

 

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"DO" "YOUR"… let's move to "BEST".

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Here we hit a paradox.  Our best isn't our best.  Our best is His best.  We are at our best when we allow the Spirit to do His best in us.  Our best isn't just us grunting out more effort, like reps of dumbbells.  It is creating a symbiosis of the Spirit moving us along. 

 

Ephesians 1:17-19 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.  I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

 

DO… a call to action.  YOUR… a call to bring your gifts.  BEST merges who we are with the intersection of the Spirit.  We are back in the Place called Presence:

Simple Prayer asks God's will

Listening Prayer discovers God's will.

 Pondering Prayer our finds our spots to use our gifts.

Unceasing Prayer opens us to the Spirit to do our best.

 

When our routine is lived in God's House it becomes holy!  It is in the everyday routine of God's service where differences are made which will last for eternity. 

 

The space in between is special!  It is DO.  It is YOUR gifts.  It is intersection with the Spirit that brings the Best. 

 

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"DO" YOUR" "BEST".  Now, the 2nd half of the Tony Horton principle…  "FORGET".

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Christianity is a forgetful religion.  Amen?  Our sins have been… forgotten.  We forgive others as we want to be forgiven.  We set the past in the past.  Christianity is a move forward religion. 

 

Here is the real knack of being a Christian in the 'tweener time; Forget! 

 

Philippians 3:13-14 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.  But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 

 

It bothers me when I don't DO as well as I should have.  It bothers me when I disappoint others.  It bothers me when I fail.  When I am focused on the past, I need to ask myself this question.  Did you do your best?  "Yes, I did the best I knew how."  Then forget.  OR "Well, I didn't really do my best."  Repent.  Ask for forgiveness.  Move on. 

 

Lingering in the past does not help our DO or our Your or our BEST.  We deal with, then set aside the past.  We forget

 

Christianity is great.  It allows us to forget.    

 

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"DO" YOUR" "BEST".  "FORGET" … The "REST".

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Here is a partial list of the REST:

-Worry: It shows a lack of faith.  Worry says we are having a hard time with intersection with the Throne.

-Expectations: We are to please God.  We aren't here to please our selves or others.  We forget all expectations but God's.

-Recriminations: It shows we don't believe in forgiveness.  If we need to repent do it and then forget it.

-Criticism: It shows we value people's opinions over God's opinion.  If it is right, change.  Then forget.

-Snide: It allows others to control our emotions.  Digs:  God made us to be who we are.  Rejoice in it.

-Carelessness: Cut others some slack for their mistakes

-Failure: Ours; we repent.  Others; we forgive.

 

When we are doing our best we need to be able to forget the REST.

 

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We have dissected it.  Now let's put it back together.

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Last week I talked about Breath Prayer…  I am working on a breath prayer from the Tony Horton principle:  Lord, Bless my Best.  Lord, I forget the rest.  If I can say this breath prayer a dozen times a day I believe it will move me through the 'tweener times with grace.

 

Most of life is lived in the space between destinations and storms.  It is where we Do the Lord's work.  It is where we use the gifts of who God made us to be.  The spaces are where we intersect with the Spirit to do our best.  When you Do Your Best and Forget the Rest, you will enjoy the cruise! 

 

Tim Stidham

Los Alamos Church of Christ

May 8, 2011