23d • General discussion
First Love
WIDE AWAKE AT 3 AM? READ THIS.
That hollow feeling sits on your chest like a stone. You stare at the ceiling—and you can't decide if you should roll over... or roll out. We all know that moment. Because somewhere along the way...
Faith stopped being an adventure—and became an obligation. Prayer stopped being a conversation—and became a chore. And Jesus...Jesus stopped being someone we pursued and became someone we managed.
You know EXACTLY what I'm talking about. You feel it at 3 AM. You see it in your children's eyes when you're physically present—but somewhere else in your head. You sense it when you're going through the motions of 'serving'—but you can't remember the last time you actually CONNECTED. The fire isn't gone.
But somewhere between your first success and your last achievement...it stopped burning, but the embers are still glowing!!!
I call this the "Excellence Trap"—and it has claimed more good men than you realize.
Here's how it works: You created yourself as a man of excellence. You show up. You serve. You lead. You provide. Early in your faith journey, you discovered the power of discipline. You built spiritual habits. You established routines. You became a man others pointed to as "solid." And here's the tragedy...
In your pursuit of excellence...
- You fell in love with the METHOD of faith.
- You fell in love with the PRACTICE of faith.
- You fell in love with the REPUTATION of faith.
But not with the PERSON of Christ. EXCELLENCE BECAME YOUR ARMOR
I've seen this pattern hundreds of times through my life, and many times it was the man in the mirror.
We try to "do it right" but feel DEAD inside. There are so many men who serve with excellence but have no FIRE in their souls anymore. Excellence became their ARMOR.
It protected us both. It kept us from feeling it. IT kept you from having to risk it. IT kept you from being VULNERABLE. Excellence is a beautiful thing. But it became our FORTRESS.
TWO PATHS. TWO DESTINATIONS.
Let me tell you something that might shake your foundation: I believe there are TWO paths in faith.
Path One: The Path of DUTY. Path Two: The Path of DESIRE. Path One will get you to heaven. But Path Two will get you to GOD.
This isn't heresy. This is Jesus Himself.
REVELATION 2:4
"Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love." In this verse, Jesus critiques the church in Ephesus for losing their initial passionate devotion to HIM and to others, despite their continued hard work, sound doctrine, and perseverance in faith. The context mirrors one of the most frequently voiced complaints of faithful men as they get older and the seasons of life change. The letter is addressed to the Ephesian church, which was known for its doctrinal purity and hard work, but had become emotionally or spiritually detached from its original devotion. The problem (FIRST LOVE) refers to the heartfelt love that characterizes the beginning of a Christians journey. It is the difference between serving God out of devotion rather than mere duty or routine. Here's what that means in plain language:
The first time you chose the Path of DUTY over the Path of DESIRE. The first time, you chose discipline over delight in Him. The first time you chose checking boxes over being fully ALIVE. St Iranaeus said, "The Glory of God is man fully alive.) And here's the hard truth that will set you free:
God never called you to a checklist. God never called you to a religion. God never called you to a reputation. God called you to HIMSELF.
He called you to LOVE. He called you to a RELATIONSHIP. He called you to an ADVENTURE.
WHAT JESUS ACTUALLY DIED FOR!
Jesus didn't endure the cross so you could have a BORING spiritual life.
He didn't suffer for thirty-three years, so you could show up on Sunday and check boxes.
He didn't rise from the grave, so you could add another spiritual discipline to your already-exhausted routine.
He conquered death itself...So that YOU could have LIFE. Not just "eternal life"—but LIFE. LIFE as it was meant to be lived. ALIVE. ABUNDANT. FREE. PRESENT. JOYFUL. He died to break every chain. He died to shatter every barrier. He died to DESTROY the Excellence Trap that has held you captive. THE SHIFT FROM DUTY TO DESIRE
When you shift from the Path of Duty to the Path of Desire...Something miraculous happens.
I've seen it in men who've made this choice. Here's what they discovered: The scriptures they've read a thousand times suddenly come ALIVE. The prayers they've said a million times suddenly have MEANING. The worship they've attended for years suddenly becomes an ENCOUNTER. And here's the wild thing: The things you "have to" do? You start WANTING to do them. You find Holiness in the Daily Ordinary! Not because you're trying to earn heaven's approval. But because you're enjoying YOUR CREATOR. WHAT YOU WERE MADE FOR. God has bigger plans for your faith than you can imagine.
Bigger plans than excellence.Bigger plans than duty.Bigger plans than routine.
THE ADVENTURE AWAITS
Here's what I know about you: You're tired of going through motions. You're exhausted from trying to earn what's already been given. You're hungry for something REAL. Something that burns in your bones.
Something that wakes you up with ANTICIPATION instead of dread. Something called...ADVENTURE.
The fire isn't gone. It's been covered up by layers of duty, expectations, and the lie that excellence is enough. But the embers are still there. And they can be fanned into FLAME. Not by trying harder.Not by adding more. But by making one simple, powerful shift: From the Path of Duty...to the Path of DESIRE.
GOD ISN'T INTERESTED IN YOUR DISCIPLINE. He's interested in your HEART. He isn't impressed by your checking of boxes. He's delighted by your DESIRE for Him. The adventure you were made for is waiting.
The fire you were created with is ready to be reignited. And it starts with one decision: Not a decision to try harder. Not a decision to do more. But a decision... to come ALIVE. Drop a comment below if this hit you. Let's talk about what's next. Your adventure is waiting.
THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ALL STARTED WITH A YES.
NOTE: Not all my posts will be this long, almost but not quite! :)
God's continued blessings,
Invite a brother who might get something out of what we grow here! Feel free to add your thoughts on these posts!
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First Love
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