Complacency

Complacency:
a feeling of quiet pleasure or security, often while unaware of some potential danger, defect, or the like; self-satisfaction or smug satisfaction with an existing situation, condition, etc.

Ever wake up with one idea that just sticks out like a neon light in your mind? And not really know why? That's what happened to me today- and the idea concerned complacency. What a deep thought to wake up with on a weekend day. Not something I can say I really enjoyed, because, well, there has to be some time off from the rest of the week, right? Spending my day in deep thought about such a deep subject was just NOT really where I wanted to go. But, the seed had been planted, and would continue to sprout throughout the day.

The initial thought behind it was that it's so easy to become complacent in so many, perhaps all, areas of our lives. I know that for myself this is an issue I struggle with in great detail sometimes. Three areas just popped out at me today, so I'll work with those. I'm sure there's a whole lot more- but God is kind enough, and more than loving enough to understand that dealing with these three was enough for one day!

The first- and the easiest to talk about! After years of working a job I totally hated, I found one that was better suited to my gifts and dreams, and yet I find myself called to start the process of find a job all over again. But I've become complacent- the job I have works for me some of the time, and that allows me the false sense of security that helps me ignore the all too real fact that this job is just not creative enough, doesn't stretch me enough to make me happy in the long run. The danger here- in losing what I've worked really hard to achieve, the danger of losing focus in what God is calling me to do, and straying from the path He has set out in front of me.

The second is, (and by no means are these in any order of importance, because they are ALL important) is relationships. Today the relationship that concerns me is of the S.O. type. I woke up with the thought that when I refuse to ask or acknowledge that I have a need that isn't being met that I am being complacent, that assuming that my needs aren't important, or that whatever it is that is bothering me can wait until another day is dangerous. This so came back to bite me in the rear end today. Before I go any further, let me tell you I consider myself so blessed in this area of my life. I'm in a relationship with a wonderful person who loves God more than he loves anybody- and I consider it truly a gift from God to be able to say that, and to know God is such a part of our path, our lives and our love. The only problem with this relationship is that, well I'm from Venus and he's from Mars, and sometimes we just don't speak each other's love languages. So, I woke up needing to hear that I was loved, in some manner- a simple phone call would have worked, you know, one I didn't dial. (All the women can relate to this and all the men are scratching their heads saying I don't quite get it, and that's ok. This is for me). Anyway, I didn't get that, so I got it in my mind to ignore to some extent a pattern for us, one that I might add means a great deal to me. But I was being a a bit hardheaded, I am Irish-and so I went ahead and did other things. Now, how was that being complacent you might ask. Well, because I totally expected this to blow over and not have an effect on us, me, him. Let me tell you that was so wrong. Not only did I hurt his feelings, (for which he showed me grace and accepted my heartfelt apology), but I cheated myself out of something I enjoyed, and expected it to not have any effect. That's being pretty complacent.

The third thing came at church this morning. The pastor was talking about the ways we connect to God, and walked through 8 different ways. One of the things that hit me so hard about this was that in the two ways I connect to God I had become very complacent.

I feel God the most when I'm doing intellectual connecting- digging deep into what some scripture means, or through sensate connecting- connecting to God through art, music, preferably all my senses. And I haven't been doing this. Intellectually, the ideal is to pick apart some idea, to read something that relates to God and discuss it. Sensate connecting for me can be as simple as listening to worship music on the radio, or as complex as opening myself up to a creative venue, project that God wants me to do. There's not been much of that lately, and I've really felt a disconnect- which is a huge danger. When I, we, become complacent in our ways we connect to God, well, it seems to me that those are the times that other forces fight to control us.

All this was huge stuff for me today. As you can tell from the length of this post. But it matters. It matters to me- I don't want to go through life being complacent.

Lord, Thank you for your grace, for your strength and love, and for your Son. I lift my hands and give thanks for everything in my life, the good, the bad and the ugly, because I know you've brought the beauty, that you will be with me through the bad and that you will protect me from the ugly. Lord I thank you for the thoughts you've given me, for the seeds that you've planted and the roots you've grown. Thank you for the people in my life, and the love they show me. I come before you tonight, asking for strength to walk where you would have me walk, for insight to know and understand the areas in my life where I am threatened with being foolish, and the courage to strive to be the person you call me to be. In Jesus' name, amen.

Until next time...
Proverbs 1:32: "For the waywardness of the naive will kill them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them.