As I was coming home the other day, I found myself praying for a normal life. I’ve been reflecting on my life lately, and what I’ve found is most certainly not “normal.” Here I am, 35 years old. Based solely on my own observation, most folks my age seem to have gotten married, had at least one child (if not more), are fairly settled in a career, own a home, and so on and so forth. I, on the other hand, am not married (not even close), have no children, live in an apartment, and I work retail (and I’m not really sure that’s the career I’m looking for).
As I was praying, I could hear God sort of whisper in my ear, “What is normal?” My gut-reaction answer was, “Well, it’s what all those other people have!” Then God introduced an interesting thought into my brain: maybe I’m not supposed to be normal. In a case like this, wanting to be “normal” could even be a sin.
I know, it’s kind of a radical thought, but follow me on this. The normal life that I’ve been wanting is based on what the seeming majority already has. I know, it doesn’t seem so bad, but allow me to quote the original Top Ten List: “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor,” (Exodus 20:17) So, just by praying my initial prayer, I’ve broken a commandment. Great.
Rather than bring down his wrath on me, God gently redirected my thought process to show me what He wants for me. If we all had the same stuff, life would be pretty boring. “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.” (I Corinthians 12:4-6) “The sun has one kind of glory, while the moon and the stars each have another kind. And even the stars differ from each other in their glory.” (I Corinthians 15:41)
See, it’s our differences that make us useful to God & His kingdom. It’s our different situations that allow us to compliment one another in the body of Christ. It’s our different experiences that allow us to help others in their time of need. Look at the disciples Jesus chose. Peter was a fisherman. Matthew was a doctor. Matthew was obviously the more educated of the two, but it was Peter who preached the first sermon (see the book of Acts) that led 3000 people to faith in Christ. If Christ chose such a diverse group of men to follow Him initially, then being different can’t be a bad thing.
So, I’m changing my prayer. I don’t want to have a normal life. I want the life God has planned for me. “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days, when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.’“ I may not understand or know those plans, but I know that, as God reveals them to me, even if they don’t make sense, it’s in my best interest to follow them. God created the intricacies of the universe. I think I can trust Him with the details of my lifetime.
1 comment:
I have come to believe that "normal" does not exist. It seems that the definition of the word tends to float depending upon which psychobabbler one listens to at the moment. That said, I do believe that whatever normal is, it consists primarily of being able to cope with whatever is thrown in my path, also known as the crisis de jour. Coping and continuing on through is my normal and one cannot do that without a source of external power he/she is able to internalize and use. God and His Word work for me. Apparently they work for you, too.
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