I get asked that a lot!
So let me paint this picture for you...
For the last 5 months I haven't read a book.
Haven't picked up my Bible.
Haven't really prayed.
Haven't done much of anything...except let my circumstances drain my life!
In a way, you can say I lost my way!
But thankfully, my relationship with God is built on Him, not my circumstance,
Not what house I live in,
Not who signs my paychecks...
But on Jesus!
Even though I may have lost my way, God never lost sight of me!
So, back to this question, a question that I have hated...no abhorred, for the last year!!
How are you doing?
If you know me well enough, you know why I abhor this question, so I won't go into that. Matter of fact I think I talked about it in one of my recent blogs. But just today I read this question in a book that I am working through called "To Live is Christ, to Die is Gain", by Matt Chandler. He poses this question at the end of chapter 2, which is fittingly titled "The Worthy Life".
But first, here is a snipit of chapter 2:
"To live is Christ, to die is gain. Christ is all. Looking at it that way, the implication becomes simple. Not easy. But simple. If a mature Christian life, or a life worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ, is a life where you are living deeply with others, regardless of external differences, if you strive for a deeper faith and grow in your faith together, pressing into Christ together, chasing Him together, and if it is fearlessness in faith...how are you doing"?
So that is the context for Matt Chandler asking the question...here are his thoughts after asking the question:
"Are you living a life worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ? Have you found Christ worth living for, worth dying for, worth casting all away for His sake? Examine your own heart. Do you just hang out with people who are like you? Are you timid and fearful when it comes to any opposition to your faith? In the end, are you growing in God, or are you stagnant and cold? Remember, we are talking about what it looks like to be maturing in Christ".
Normally our response to the question "how are you doing" is along the lines of "I'm good". But how different would our answer be if we were looking through the lens of Matt Chandler's thoughts?
Would we still be good?
Do we/are we living in a way that shows what we believe is of supreme worth?
If we are honest with ourselves...have we grown closer to God?
Have we died to stuff like greed and hate and disobedience and let God replace all that junk with his life?
And if I am honest with myself...and we look at that picture that I painted for you in the beginning of all of these confusing thoughts...then I would have to say that am I pretty stagnant right now.
Maybe that is why I abhor the question so much. Because it forces me to examine my heart and see that I have been bathing in the same bath water for 5 STINKING MONTHS!!!!
Maybe I have been asked that question a lot lately because God sees where I am (it's getting better, but I'm still not in a good place)...but He also sees me for who he created me to be...
and where I will be when he heals me??
So...
I ask you the same question.
How are you doing?
But this time, answer it honestly and reflect on Matt Chandler's thoughts...then read the book of Phillipians...it's only 4 chapters!!
