I’ve been reading some of John Eldridge’s work again. One of my favorite books, in fact my all time favorite book, is “Waking the Dead”; but over the course of the past few weeks I have been diving into “The Way of the Wild Heart.”
One of Eldridge’s core concepts is that at the heart of everything, every passion and pursuit for every man is the Question. That question simply put asks, “Do I have what it takes?”
Wow! I have been really turning this over in my mind as I realize that the Question (and more importantly, its answer) has been so significant in my life up to this point. Do I have what it takes? Do I really?
Do I have what it takes to be a man? Really?
Do I have what it takes to love my family?
Do I have what it takes to be there for others?
Do I have what it takes to be part of a greater community?
Do I have what it takes to be part of something grand and epic?
Do I have what it takes to endure – to really make it? Do I really?
Do I have what it takes to love God more than anything else?
Do I have what it takes to overcome my mistakes?
Do I have what it takes to even... try?
Do I?
I have come to the realization that so many of the things that I consider missed opportunities in my life are much better missed than viewed through the lens of the Question. Have I confused you? Let me try and explain what I mean.
I have carried a disappointment and wound because I did not bungee jump many years ago when I had an opportunity. I feel as though I allowed someone in my life to discourage me from the experience. However, I have to be honest and admit that I really don’t know if I would have been able to make the jump had I really climbed the ladder.
It’s a whole lot easier for me to be angry at someone else for the missed opportunity than to face that fact that I really don’t know if I would have had what it takes to jump… It’s far more easy for me to live with disappointment (and wonder if I have what it takes) than to try and fail and learn that I truly do not have what it takes at all.
And so I find myself looking through the slide show of my life’s disappointments and shortcomings and wondering what would have been the outcome if I would have actually tried? I find myself relating to the man who came to Jesus and said, “I believe but please help my unbelief…” I want to try – I want to believe – I want to find out that I do have what it takes; but it seems as though at times that I will never overcome the fear of being found out to be the failure that I have always been.
And so I reflect on the words of a song that I wrote several years ago… It really applies to me now more than ever – more than it did back when I wrote it (funny how God does that, right?)…
“Today I want to thank you,
For what You’ve done in me;
You’ve given me the power to live completely free.
I’m stepping out in faith again,
And I’m learning to believe…
Today I want to thank you,
For what You’ve done in me…”
I am trying desperately to learn and believe a lesson that I had learned so long ago – but have obviously neglected. Christ and me are a majority (I’m not sure if that’s proper English, but who cares… LOL). The things that I couldn’t do in myself, He gives me the strength to do. The things that I couldn’t reach for, the things that I couldn’t believe for, the things that I was so afraid of; all of those things are completely different when I throw out the lens of the Question and start viewing them through the lens of HIM.
Suddenly I understand the subtle frailty and yet faith-filled words, “I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength.” Words like, “My God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all I ask or think” mean something completely different to me now.
I’ve quoted with passion a particular passage of scripture all of my life. Now I quote it from a place of utter dependence on Christ and His strength, mercy, and grace. Paul’s words to Timothy in II Timothy 1:12 are now my own; “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”
I’m learning that it doesn’t matter if I don’t have what it takes; because He sure does. When I may not be able - He is more than able. And for the first time in a long time, that’s enough for me.
One of Eldridge’s core concepts is that at the heart of everything, every passion and pursuit for every man is the Question. That question simply put asks, “Do I have what it takes?”
Wow! I have been really turning this over in my mind as I realize that the Question (and more importantly, its answer) has been so significant in my life up to this point. Do I have what it takes? Do I really?
Do I have what it takes to be a man? Really?
Do I have what it takes to love my family?
Do I have what it takes to be there for others?
Do I have what it takes to be part of a greater community?
Do I have what it takes to be part of something grand and epic?
Do I have what it takes to endure – to really make it? Do I really?
Do I have what it takes to love God more than anything else?
Do I have what it takes to overcome my mistakes?
Do I have what it takes to even... try?
Do I?
I have come to the realization that so many of the things that I consider missed opportunities in my life are much better missed than viewed through the lens of the Question. Have I confused you? Let me try and explain what I mean.
I have carried a disappointment and wound because I did not bungee jump many years ago when I had an opportunity. I feel as though I allowed someone in my life to discourage me from the experience. However, I have to be honest and admit that I really don’t know if I would have been able to make the jump had I really climbed the ladder.
It’s a whole lot easier for me to be angry at someone else for the missed opportunity than to face that fact that I really don’t know if I would have had what it takes to jump… It’s far more easy for me to live with disappointment (and wonder if I have what it takes) than to try and fail and learn that I truly do not have what it takes at all.
And so I find myself looking through the slide show of my life’s disappointments and shortcomings and wondering what would have been the outcome if I would have actually tried? I find myself relating to the man who came to Jesus and said, “I believe but please help my unbelief…” I want to try – I want to believe – I want to find out that I do have what it takes; but it seems as though at times that I will never overcome the fear of being found out to be the failure that I have always been.
And so I reflect on the words of a song that I wrote several years ago… It really applies to me now more than ever – more than it did back when I wrote it (funny how God does that, right?)…
“Today I want to thank you,
For what You’ve done in me;
You’ve given me the power to live completely free.
I’m stepping out in faith again,
And I’m learning to believe…
Today I want to thank you,
For what You’ve done in me…”
I am trying desperately to learn and believe a lesson that I had learned so long ago – but have obviously neglected. Christ and me are a majority (I’m not sure if that’s proper English, but who cares… LOL). The things that I couldn’t do in myself, He gives me the strength to do. The things that I couldn’t reach for, the things that I couldn’t believe for, the things that I was so afraid of; all of those things are completely different when I throw out the lens of the Question and start viewing them through the lens of HIM.
Suddenly I understand the subtle frailty and yet faith-filled words, “I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength.” Words like, “My God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all I ask or think” mean something completely different to me now.
I’ve quoted with passion a particular passage of scripture all of my life. Now I quote it from a place of utter dependence on Christ and His strength, mercy, and grace. Paul’s words to Timothy in II Timothy 1:12 are now my own; “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”
I’m learning that it doesn’t matter if I don’t have what it takes; because He sure does. When I may not be able - He is more than able. And for the first time in a long time, that’s enough for me.
