priorities.

It’s easy to make God a priority when you’re paid to do so.

I did.

For 5-ish years.

That’s not to say that it wasn’t genuine.

From start to finish of my time working with the youth at Mountain View, my eyes were set on God. Not to say they didn’t waiver from time to time, but no one is perfect.

However, when youre paid to teach kids about God it’s easy to slip into a groove without even realizing. And there’s nothing wrong with the groove unless of course something brings you out of it.

Like for me. 3 months ago I stepped down from my position there to pursue some other avenues.

Here I am 3 months later and I am relearning my faith. What I mean is that God was the number one priority in a rhythm that I flowed in for 5 years. But not working at a church any longer, I am having to find a new rhythm. In having to do so, everything has been mixed around. All of my priorities are jumbled.

For the past couple weeks it has been all I can do, and a lot of what I can’t do, to hold onto my faith as I navigate a new rhythm of life.

Many of my friends have been great. Letting me know they are there for me, and giving me the kind of space that a kid who likes to learn the hard way often needs.

One or two people have wanted to do the “Christian thing” and remind me of different scriptures and spiritual proverbs in hopes of establishing a sort of spiritual lightning rod to their, or what they would refer to as our, cause. This, by the way, is a horrible thing to do with someone who is doubting the presence of something because the do not want to be reminded of that “something’s” words of wisdom. I don’t want to be told I don’t have to hurt or feel guilty because Paul says so. Sometimes we just want to feel what we feel. Its part of the process. “Stop crowding my guilt. I worked hard to feel this way and I want to enjoy it for a minute, damnit!”

But that’s okay. I forgive you. You’re forgiven. That’s the beauty of following Jesus…

With that all said. Tonight Buzzy spoke on priorities. He said that when Jesus was asked (and that was key that Jesus was asked. He did not just demand this of people) he said the greatest commandments, aka. priorities, were to love God and love people. They were goals, tasks, or a resolution. They were priorities. They were the constants even when the rhythm changes.

And something made sense. Of course my priorities would shift stepping out of what I have known and into something new. Investing in Jr. High kids, preparing Sunday messages, being on time to staff meetings… none of these are number 1 priorities for me any longer. Now I have new priorities. But I was reminded tonight that the constants are 1. God and 2. People. Period. I'm no longer paid to prioritize God by default so now, I have to make, not more effort but, new effort in order to so.

Regardless of the state of life; regardless of the trials, temptations, or learning experiences that may come, those are the top 2 priorities. They are obvious and yet, as I am learning, oh so easy to lose in the shuffle from one rhythm to another. So, keep your eyes on your priorities and make sure you know what your priorities are…

In the process of finding new rhythm under the umbrella of constant priorities,
Nick