Drifting

Just the other day I felt myself drifting away from the way God designed me to be. It was a moment where I experienced a strong pull to move toward conformity.

It just so happened I was with a group of people (not from our church) who were discussing what a pastor should and shouldn’t be and the discussion was falling more on the “what he shouldn’t be” side.

And to be honest, it bothered me.

The main reason it bothered me was because I felt the “drift” to change, to quit doing certain things that come naturally to me and to become more like the type of pastor they were describing.

So I spoke up…

Not sure why…

Maybe the conversation had crossed a line…

Maybe I was the only fool in the room…

Or maybe I just needed to voice my thoughts on the topic.

But this is what I know…

After I voiced what I was thinking…

It stopped the drift.

And I’m glad.

And so was Jesus.

You see in “church world” there is a standard for pastors. They are to act, dress, and preach a certain way. There are many problems with these standards, not to mention there are several different “standard camps” that strongly believe that their way of acting, dressing and preaching is the right way. Each “camp” has their own list of what can and shouldn’t be done.

These lists include, clothing, the use of movie clips, drama, arts, singing, jokes and types of illustrations. The lists tell you what you should do or shouldn’t use and is determined by the opinion of whatever ‘camp” has made the list.

And I just do not get it…

I do not get what the big deal is… and this maybe where my foolishness kicks in.

When I hear these lists of dos and don’ts I feel a strong pull to become something I am not.

And I have made that mistake before…

Doing the pastor thing in someone else’s mold…

Faking it, fitting in for approval and acceptance.

This strategy not only didn’t work it drove me crazy.

So to all this I say…

Just give me Jesus.

I have a hard enough time following Him and trying to live a holy life without all the other rules and regulations concerning what you can and cannot do. Lists that are as valuable as a “hill of beans” when it comes to real life and real ministry.

Just give me Jesus.

My creator and My sustainer.

My designer who created me with a purpose in mind. A purpose that is different than anyone else’s.

Just give me Jesus.

For He gives the strength to be what He wants me to be.

Just give me Jesus.

Who was anything but normal. Who leads people away from normalcy.

Just give me Jesus.

And may I never drift away from Him and His purposes for my life and ministry.

Just give me Jesus.

For in Him there is rest from all these human “rules” of good and bad.

Just give me Jesus

So I will not neglect so great a salvation, a salvation that sets me free to be all He created me to be.

Just give me Jesus.

Just give me Jesus…

and that alone will stop the drift.