Do The Work

In acting class I remember our teachers using this phrase "do the work". What they were referring to was the character background, reading the entire play for context, coming up with a bio for your character, memorization, rehearsing, substitutions, finding the inciting incident, what does your character want, what's the obstacle you're facing, what's at stake and there's alot more. You can dissect a scene down to seconds (dramatic pause, beats, sobbing) you get the gist. 

Makes me think of how useful that phrase actually is in our day to day living -- if we applied that is. I've never been so intentional about something as I have been about my Christian walk. I know the term Christian has a bad rap but we're not all hypocrites just like all men aren't chauvisnistic pigs. That sounds personal doesn't it? I simply wanted to add some umph to it, is all. 

Do the work. That requires some action on our part. For me, being intentional and doing the work looked like this: reminding myself that I didn't have to curse someone out to get my point across, reminding myself that I didn't have to get my point across, that I don't need an apology to prove to someone that I was right, that I am no longer the person that I was yesterday (new creation), that I can give up certain things even if the world thinks I'm a looney - it was (and still is) constantly reminding myself; so whenever my thoughts don't line up with who God created me to be, I'd be intentional about listening to what was coming out of my mouth, how I was behaving etc. The practical way to put this is that I had to check myself and certainly I got checked by God (conviction) as well. This, coming from someone who blurted out the first thing that came to mind, was not easy but I was intentional about it. I wanted to change it, I wanted to do better and therefore I was going to take the necessary steps to do so, come what may. 

If we take the examples of what doing the work means in acting class, we can certainly glean some insight into why we are the way we are and that's a start. What's our background? How did we grow up? Where did we grow up? How do our friends see us? How are we relating to the opposite sex? Why?

Let's make it personal. What's your dream? What do you want? What and who is stopping you? What are you going to do about it? What are the obstacles? What is the "why now" of this present moment/of your life? I don't know how many of us take a moment to reflect on these things other than once a year when the new year is upon us. I'd say that's not enough. Actually, I just preached to myself! I'm going to keep a journal of my monthly successes and moments of learning, call it failures if you want to. Join me, all twenty of you who read this blog. Hehe I'm in a silly mood today, forgive me but that's part of who I am and I want to share that part of me with you as well. I can be random but I digress. Perhaps you're already keeping a journal on such things, go YOU! Now this isn't so that you can throw pity parties, self-condemn, feel guilty, shameful or anything negative. It's all positive, we are going to fall but we will get back up. That's it! No dwelling on the fall but more so seeing where you slipped up and knowing that next time -- you got this! 

I know many of us have big dreams and we've set short and long term goals but don't get me wrong with the kind of work that I am mentioning here. I am referring to your spirituality, your inner man, your soul, your integrity, your character, your honor, your courage, your proclamation of the truth, your slips, your falls, your fumbles, your wordly ways etc. THIS has to be in check (in tact, disciplined, self controlled) before we go out there to influence others and change the world with our God sized dreams. We have to be honest with ourselves and we have to humble ourselves in order to do this, I know. It's great and comforting to know that I have a God who is merciful, forgiving, good, gracious and patient with me and you. He's rooting for us. He's our cheerleader. 

So let's do the work that we're able to do. God will extend His grace but it's up to us do the work and then walk with the confidence of knowing the ultimate work of love that Jesus did on the cross. 

I pray that if you don't know Jesus as your Savior that God would draw you near to Him and reveal Himself to you. We live in a fallen world, the news tells us so, but He has the masterplan. I can't make you want God in your life, that's God's job and I have complete faith that He will do it but what I am encouraging you to do is be a better version of yourself. Do the work before the work does you, the latter being one of no control, it has you.

Be intentional, let's stop living wrecklessly and YOLO'ing our lives away. The next generation is looking at you whether you notice it or not. I am doing the work too, let's do better because we know better.  

Glory to God.