The New Year tends to bring in new hopes and dreams, new career aspirations, and new resolutions; many of which fail to reach fruition. I have resolved not to make any resolutions. I want to make life changes. I expect this year to be a year of great change for me as I prepare to make certain strides in my life. I am preparing to take the graduate admissions test as I pursue an MBA. I am attending the MBA Texas tour this week and will be narrowing down the schools in which I plan to seek admission and will apply this fall.
There will be changes in my career as well. As I approach my two year anniversary, I find myself hungry for more professionally. I want to grow more in my professional experience, especially as I prepare to market myself as an exceptional MBA candidate. I expect new developments in my personal life as well; better health physically and emotionally. I have started working out and again and plan on participating in a four week boot camp this year. I will be researching some professional organizations to join so that I can expand my professional network. I have signed up for the singles ministry at my church. I'll be volunteering in the special events group within the singles ministry. I'm excited!! I have the opportunity to do something that I love and to meet new people.
This brings me to the entire point of this blog: Sunday's message at church. The pastor's message was about "The Carnal Christian." This message really struck a nerve within me. A Carnal Christian is an individual who believes in God and is saved, but is lacking spirituality. In other words, a Christian who has accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, but continues to live life as though they're not saved; not walking in God's way. The pastor provided this analogy; I think this is an excellent way to describe the Carnal Christian. He described visiting a fast food restaurant and purchasing an unhealthy meal: a double quarter pounder with cheese and large french fries. And then, in an effort to cancel out that unhealthiness, you order a DIET COKE. This tickled me because I thought, "That's so silly-why not just order the regular coke??" He then relates this example to real life. He says that the week, Monday through Saturday, is the double quarter pounder with cheese and large french fries. SUNDAY IS OUR DIET COKE. The Carnal Christian lives their life unhealthily, the way they want to, and show up to church on Sunday in the hopes of canceling out the unhealthiness, the ungodliness that took place Monday through Saturday. When the Carnal Christian leaves church on Sunday, they say "That was an awesome message!!" and forget that message on Monday morning. They don't apply God's word and way to their life everyday.
WOW!! That is my number one priority this year and for the rest of my life: to have a spiritual relationship with the Lord-to recognize my carnal ways for what they are and cast them aside for the Lord's way. The Carnal Christian's life is filled with misery and chaos. The Spiritual Christian's life is filled with joy and peace. The Carnal Christian is dead in Christ and the Spiritual Christian is alive in Christ. I look forward to what 2011 brings and what the Lord has in store for me.