1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
Genesis 1:1-2 (NIV)
In the last newsletter, I discussed the “it” that we recognize as missing in our lives. From the perspective of our careers “it” can be a network of contacts or opportunities that we don’t have. “It” can be a collection of advocates that are necessary to mention our names in rooms we don’t inhabit. In our close relationships, “it” could be a sense of intimacy and connection that we desire. “It” can be a place of belonging and understanding that we have always aspired to be part of. “It” can be a sense of physical, emotional or spiritual security that will increase our sense of safety and comfort. “It” can be a sense of purpose or drive that we want for ourselves or others in our lives. “It” can be any wholesome longing we have that is currently not in our grasp. We can experience feelings of confusion and discouragement if we compare ourselves to others whom we think have the “it” we want for ourselves.
I shared the framework to create the “it” we desire using the acrostic C.R.E.A.T.I.O.N. The elements of the C.R.E.A.T.I.O.N. framework are shown below.
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C |
Set the Context. Situations are neither ALL good nor bad. They are a mix of both. |
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R |
Engage your Rational mind to separate thoughts and feelings (they aren’t the same!). Allow for separate spaces to interact with these two aspects of self. |
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E |
Exercise judgment in separating thoughts into two categories – (1) within your control, (2) outside of your control. |
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A |
For those thoughts that are within your control, what are the Actions that you need to take? |
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T |
Consult with trusted others to determine the proper Timing and content of your action plan. |
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I |
Include the God of the visible and invisible as you present your action plan to him in prayer. He will optimize it. |
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O |
Occupy whatever space you are currently in. Do your best with whatever opportunity you currently have or in whatever situation you are in! Don’t lie down and die! |
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N |
Stay Near to God and others. Don’t abandon community. Don’t lose confidence in God’s goodness and his ability to create it for you! |
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The first step is to create context for ourselves.
Genesis 1:3-5 – 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
Just as God separated light and darkness, we must recognize that situations are neither all bad nor good. They are a mix of both. Many times, we are so overwhelmed by the bad that we fail to see any good in the absence of the “it” that we seek. Our minds switch to an all or nothing mode and we frame our entire existence from the point of view of what we think we are missing. As much as light and darkness have unique purposes, our circumstances exist on a continuum of bad and good that we must be intentional about recognizing. To help with that recognition, I encourage you to walk through the questions below. Put aside some quiet time to do this reflection. Use the spaces provided to write your answers to the questions or use a personal journal. It is important that you write out the answers to these questions.
Discussion Questions:
- What is the “it” that you think you don’t possess? (Use the types of “it” that are mentioned in the first paragraph to initiate your thinking.)
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- What are some benefits to your life, that you will achieve, if you create your “it”?
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- What are the bad things you are experiencing as a result of not having the “it”? (Health, finances, relationships, security, happiness…)
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- List at least 3 good things about yourself. (Seek the help of others if you are unable to create a list. Good things can include personal characteristics, positive circumstances, healthy relationships, fun hobbies, recent accomplishments, recent good experiences…)
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