.shockwave sabbatical?

I've taken some time off over the holidays to do some reflecting and praying about the blog, the challenge and where to go from here.  In a number of ways, I've forced myself to do the challenge and it's been easier for it to become just another item on the religious checklist.  Pray?  Check.  Read the Bible?  Check.  Share the gospel with someone today?  Uh-oh...better get to it so I can check it off.  That was never the intended purpose of the shockwave challenge.  It's all been about motivating you (and me) to act in obedience to the Great Commission.  It's been about overcoming your (and my) fears in doing so.  It's been about stirring up God's love within us as believers and unleashing it upon our respective worlds.

Having said that, just like any other spiritual discipline, it's easy to get into a routine where you do something without even thinking.  And by not thinking, you don't reap all the benefits that were intended to accompany that spiritual discipline.  For example, I could mindlessly read my Bible while focusing on all the tasks I have to accomplish for the day and not glean one iota of spiritual truth from the time I spent skimming the words on the page.  Perhaps you're doing that right now as you read this post.  I hope not.  Or, I could pray selfish prayers according to my desires alone and not base anything I say on God's Word and I would be wasting my breath.  Religiously, I could "check them off my list" and say I've completed the task for the day.  But I would be no better as a result.

One major thing I've learned from doing the shockwave challenge is that it's more important to follow God's leading in sharing the gospel than it is to share the gospel as a religious duty.  There have been days where I've simply done the challenge just to say I did it.  And by doing it, I told myself I was "off the hook" for the rest of the day.  There have been other days where I've truly experienced God leading me to share with someone and it's led to salvation, healing, miracles and changed lives.  Those days when I partnered with God to share the gospel were much more fruitful than the days I did it just to appease my religious ideology.

So, for now, I'm taking a break from POSTING about my shockwave moments.  I'll still be doing the challenge, but with a renewed sense of purpose.  I'm refocusing on the original intent...reaching people and giving life.  I'll be praying for opportunities and taking the opportunities God sends my way.  I will be sensitive to His voice and follow His leading.  I suggest you do the same.