Monday, May 29, 2017

Don't Sweat It, for the Kingdom of God is Real

Monroe County

If you are looking for summer reading I recommend Eternal Living: Reflections on Dallas Willard's Teaching on Faith and Formation. I finished it this morning. It's touching, moving, deep, and inspiring.

I have highlighted many things. I'm going to slow-cook more in this book by re-reading all I highlighted.

God is addressing me in many ways through Willard's life. One is my need to do my best in obedience to God, and then to leave the results to him. I still worry too much about results. My worrying adds nothing to the outcome, but subtracts from the wellness of my soul.

Mindy Caliguire writes:

"One of Dallas’s greatest gifts to me personally was his repeated, if simple, challenge to place my confidence in the reality of the kingdom...  Whatever part I have to play in this world, I will do it with all the intensity and passion I have to offer. But not with more than I have to offer. And having made my offering, I can let go of the outcomes. I can rest. I can both care and not care." (Kindle Locations 2812-2817)

Kent Carlson writes:

Dallas "continually trusted that the kingdom of God was real, active, operative and advancing all the time. Since this was true, it was not dependent on him or anybody to make it real, active, operative or advancing. Therefore there was no need for worry, anxiety, manipulating, controlling, rushing about or “making it happen.” Certainly we are to work, and to work hard. This is neither an invitation to laziness nor to passivity. Rather, it is an invitation to a life lived in actual confidence in God." (Kindle Locations 2897-2900)

Keith Meyer quotes Dallas as saying, "Leave the results to God - don't sweat it."

The process looks like this.

1. To the best of my knowledge, I have heard from God.

2. To the best of my ability, I have obeyed God.

3. To the best of my faith, I leave the outcome to God.