I wonder if Jesus or the Buddha or any other beloved religious figure ever had a bad day? Maybe bad day is too strong. Maybe occasionally they just were not on top of their game? If they were really human---and I believe they were---I can imagine some days they may have felt like they just didn’t have it that day. “It” is always an interesting concept. I am always intrigued when coaches talk about certain athletes just have “it.” Sometimes I know exactly what they are talking about. I suspect most of us have felt like some days we have “it.” And some days we don’t.
I am confident I have had “it” as an athlete. There have been times when I was speaking that I felt like I had it. It is easy to assume that Jesus always had it. And particularly when Gautama became enlightened and was then known as the Buddha, surely he had it. But I wonder. I can’t believe they had “it” every waking moment and in every ministry/teaching situation.
I know all too well there are days when I am in the classroom and just don’t have it. That does not make me bad or ineffective. But I know I am not my usual. Usually I think I am fairly effective. But some days I just don’t know. I also know the difference between the days when I just don’t have it and that’s that. And there are also days when I am confident I have it, but the students are not doing their part. It is hard to be an effective teacher when the learner does not want to learn!
In terms of spirituality, I ponder what “it” is? Certainly Jesus and the Buddha had it. And no doubt other saints had it, too. I don’t know anyone who thinks St. Francis lacked it. Many of us even think Pope Francis also has it. But I suppose it is always easy to be a little suspicious of any living human being. I can imagine some days the Pope is not on top of his game. When I feel that way, I don’t have to fear that I have lost “it.” I simply can touch it some days or I can’t stay in touch with it. It has not disappeared; it somehow is not available to me. Maybe the Pope feels the say way?
Quakers would talk about “it” as the Light Within or the Inner Light. This language comes from our theology which affirms that Jesus is indeed the Light of the world, as John’s Gospel declares in the first chapter. For Quakers this is related to our faith that each of us is created in the image of God. For sure this is not just a Quaker privilege; it is a human privilege. Every human being exists in the image of God. Some days we act in such a way that it is difficult to imagine that we are in the image of God. Those days make it hard to be on top of your game.
One thing I have tried to learn and practice is to recognize some days I am not on top of my game. I recognize that, accept it and try to do no harm. It has not been easy. Sometimes we grow up with a self-image that prefers to see ourselves as perfect---at least we are trying to be. Perfectionists have a difficult time believing and accepting some days we are not on top of our game. I suppose folks at the other end of the spectrum have a similar problem. If I think I am not enough---never enough---then it is difficult to feel like you are on top of your game.
I am not an athlete any more. Spiritually speaking, my “game” is ministry. When I am not on top of my game, that means my ministry is not effective. In this sense my bad day means I try, but somehow my efforts are not effective. This does not discount God’s grace. I firmly believe the effectiveness of ministry is not solely dependent on human effort and savvy. But quite a bit of ministerial effectiveness is dependent on human effort.
If I am tired, ministry suffers. If I am not in touch with my Inner Light, I am operating out of some other kind of light---or even operating in the dark! In the spiritual game, the agenda is not our agenda. The agenda comes from the Spirit. Sometimes I am not on top of my game because I have confused which agenda I am working on. The key is to recognize when that happens, acknowledge it and try to get back in touch with the Light and the spiritual agenda.
There is no reason to become depressed or beat yourself up when you are not on top of your game. You simply hit the spiritual reset button. You spend a little time in prayer and listening. You re-commit to the spiritual agenda which guides your life and action. I also think community is important. Communities support you---in all those days you are on top of your game and those when it is pretty clear you are not. Part of my routine is to cultivate my community every day. Communities support my theology and my ministry; I need those folks on my spiritual journey.
It is important to me to think about those times I am not on top of my game. It helps me see I am not perfect. Realistically, I cannot always be effective. When I am not on top of my game it does not mean I have lost it! Community is the crucible of support, nurture and encouragement---which is what I offer others, too, in community.
Finally, I am grateful for “it.” That is God-given; that is a gift which I have the privilege of sharing.
I am confident I have had “it” as an athlete. There have been times when I was speaking that I felt like I had it. It is easy to assume that Jesus always had it. And particularly when Gautama became enlightened and was then known as the Buddha, surely he had it. But I wonder. I can’t believe they had “it” every waking moment and in every ministry/teaching situation.
I know all too well there are days when I am in the classroom and just don’t have it. That does not make me bad or ineffective. But I know I am not my usual. Usually I think I am fairly effective. But some days I just don’t know. I also know the difference between the days when I just don’t have it and that’s that. And there are also days when I am confident I have it, but the students are not doing their part. It is hard to be an effective teacher when the learner does not want to learn!
In terms of spirituality, I ponder what “it” is? Certainly Jesus and the Buddha had it. And no doubt other saints had it, too. I don’t know anyone who thinks St. Francis lacked it. Many of us even think Pope Francis also has it. But I suppose it is always easy to be a little suspicious of any living human being. I can imagine some days the Pope is not on top of his game. When I feel that way, I don’t have to fear that I have lost “it.” I simply can touch it some days or I can’t stay in touch with it. It has not disappeared; it somehow is not available to me. Maybe the Pope feels the say way?
Quakers would talk about “it” as the Light Within or the Inner Light. This language comes from our theology which affirms that Jesus is indeed the Light of the world, as John’s Gospel declares in the first chapter. For Quakers this is related to our faith that each of us is created in the image of God. For sure this is not just a Quaker privilege; it is a human privilege. Every human being exists in the image of God. Some days we act in such a way that it is difficult to imagine that we are in the image of God. Those days make it hard to be on top of your game.
One thing I have tried to learn and practice is to recognize some days I am not on top of my game. I recognize that, accept it and try to do no harm. It has not been easy. Sometimes we grow up with a self-image that prefers to see ourselves as perfect---at least we are trying to be. Perfectionists have a difficult time believing and accepting some days we are not on top of our game. I suppose folks at the other end of the spectrum have a similar problem. If I think I am not enough---never enough---then it is difficult to feel like you are on top of your game.
I am not an athlete any more. Spiritually speaking, my “game” is ministry. When I am not on top of my game, that means my ministry is not effective. In this sense my bad day means I try, but somehow my efforts are not effective. This does not discount God’s grace. I firmly believe the effectiveness of ministry is not solely dependent on human effort and savvy. But quite a bit of ministerial effectiveness is dependent on human effort.
If I am tired, ministry suffers. If I am not in touch with my Inner Light, I am operating out of some other kind of light---or even operating in the dark! In the spiritual game, the agenda is not our agenda. The agenda comes from the Spirit. Sometimes I am not on top of my game because I have confused which agenda I am working on. The key is to recognize when that happens, acknowledge it and try to get back in touch with the Light and the spiritual agenda.
There is no reason to become depressed or beat yourself up when you are not on top of your game. You simply hit the spiritual reset button. You spend a little time in prayer and listening. You re-commit to the spiritual agenda which guides your life and action. I also think community is important. Communities support you---in all those days you are on top of your game and those when it is pretty clear you are not. Part of my routine is to cultivate my community every day. Communities support my theology and my ministry; I need those folks on my spiritual journey.
It is important to me to think about those times I am not on top of my game. It helps me see I am not perfect. Realistically, I cannot always be effective. When I am not on top of my game it does not mean I have lost it! Community is the crucible of support, nurture and encouragement---which is what I offer others, too, in community.
Finally, I am grateful for “it.” That is God-given; that is a gift which I have the privilege of sharing.
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