Honest Thoughts from a Pastor

When I was a child, I used to drive my parents crazy with this word – “Why?” The tables turned on me when I became a parent. Over the last 19 years, I have had the privilege (and challenge) of hearing 8 kids say “Why?”, sometimes on an hour-long loop. While that question can drive us insane, we better know the answer (and it better be a good one).

Many of us have answers to why we do things. When asked why we work a particular job, some would say, “I hate it, but I have to make a living.” When asked why some are married, they may say, “I’m not very crazy about my spouse, but I’ll tolerate him/her until the kids grow up.” There are lots of bad reasons to answer the “Why?” question.

The same questions mentioned above could have more positive answers to why we do things. In response to a job, we could say we may not like everything about it, but we strive to honor God by making an honest living and reflecting Christ in the workplace. When answering the question about marriage, we could say that marriage takes work and we want to reflect the picture of Christ and the Church the best way possible. Answers like these can make life much more enjoyable.

Is the “why” behind what you do simply to check off boxes, or do you strive to flesh out the abundant life Jesus died to give you in every aspect of life? If you’re checking off boxes, God wants more for you. You have a choice. You can choose to look at it negatively, or you can choose to look at it positively. I’ve been too busy checking off boxes for far too long, and I’m ready to enjoy the journey. Is anyone with me?