LIVING TO COMMEMORATE: The Freedom in being Driven by Gratitude

How easy it is to be consumed by the unconstructive murmur of the few. It is amazing how we value the input of those who care nothing for us. We work overtime to prove ourselves to those whose only aim is to tear us down. We run harder for our enemies then we do our advocates. We run so hard to only find ourselves still lacking in their eyes.

For so many of us, our motivation in life is to prove our self and compete with those just ahead of us. I've come to the conclusion that if we aim to prove our self to those around us, we will be defined by them. To prove ones self to the world is to live life in reaction to it. Our goals will reflect what the world demands from us and the fulfillment of those goals will makes us look exactly like what the world challenged us to be. The problem with this is that what people want from us usually does not look like what we want for our self. Therefore to live life with the goal of proving one self would be to look nothing like what we personally desired.

It is a waste of our life to live for the approval of man, for there is no end or satisfaction to such a goal. In fact no matter how much you prove yourself to one stage of life, you will always find more people please in new levels of your journey. If our habit in life is to play catch up, we will never lead, we'll never take hold of our own path and our steps will always shadow a world that runs in circles.

Ironically, it is more of an honourable desire to live a life that aims to prove nothing. In fact, there is a sense of freedom in having no desire to prove ones self. Motivations are purified and the rhythm of our mind and heart
is clear and certain.

This fantasy world I speak of, where man no longer is driven by expectations or competition, can only be grasped in the story of Grace. The only way to live in this freedom is to understand that Christ's work on the cross proved everything for us. Although many would say that Christianity is marked with laws and restrictions that determine our standing, it is actually absolutely the opposite. We have nothing to prove to our God. The whole point of the cross was to prove it all FOR us.

For those who know that they have nothing to prove to God or to this world, know the secret of how to have a radically different and liberating motivation. They live in response to the blessing, forgiveness and love they have received. They live with a motivation marinated in appreciation and gratitude. They react not to the mockery of those who oppose them or to cocky remarks from those ahead of them, they react to the love they have received.

We have nothing to prove because Jesus has proved everything for us. He has mastered life, conquered death, and disarmed the powers and authorities against us. Jesus finished it all on the cross, and has eliminated the idea of competition. We race not to compete but to simply commemorate His sacrifice. The race we run is not against man or even forces of evil, the race we run is in response to the legacy of Christ. Just as we run for breast cancer, walk for aids, or bike down the DVP for heart and stroke research, we run for Christ. Not out of obligation, competition or self-gain, but out of pure appreciation. We race to commemorate His legacy and to raise awareness of his cause.

To Go a Little Deeper

We sow not for the purpose of reaping, suffer now not to gain later, we sow in reaction and suffer in response. We once saw sowing as a cause to the effect of reaping, but when our motivation is appreciation, and our understanding is that we have everything we need in Christ, sowing becomes an effect and reaping becomes an afterthought, a bonus off our radar. When you know you have everything in the finished work of Christ, you don't waste time thinking about the reaping aspects of life. What you do think about is how undeserving you are to such a gift, and it is that reception of unconditional love you feel that creates this newfound reflex in your body to sow. If you are satisfied in Christ, you live out your thanksgiving in sowing. You sow in response. Your reaction to how satisfied and complete you are is to sow, is to give, is to suffer and live for Christ.

Treasuring what you have takes your mind away from complaining about what you don't have. A focus on our lack makes us fixate our attention on how we are going to gain, and in what way we are going to reap. Thinking we need to do more, or prove more to God and to the world only makes us focus on how we are going to reap, and it is this "lack" (we have been deceived to think we have) that is causing us to mutilate the concept of grace and the original reason as to why we sow and serve our Lord - that simple reason of comprehending His great love for us.