Feeling God’s Pleasure

I believe God made me for a purpose. But He also made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure. (Eric Liddle, Chariots of Fire) Chariots of Fire is one of my all-time favorite movies. The line above is one of the few that I can quote from any movie. It probably has a lot to do with the fact that the movie was released in 1981, when I was still in my prime as a competitive runner. While the main story line is the athletic competition that culminates in the 1924 Olympics, an important sub-plot is Liddle’s internal tension over how to reconcile being a devout Christian and a gifted runner. When his sister urges him to give up running and become a missionary immediately, he responds with this line. Almost three years ago, I made the shift from being an executive pastor with a part-time consulting practice to being a full-time consultant, coach, and speaker. I am frequently asked what that transition has been like. My answer echoes Liddle’s words. I believe that God has given me exactly the right mix of experiences and abilities for this work. I love to help churches, ministries, denominational bodies, and other faith-based organizations turn their visions into results and grow in their impact for the Kingdom. When I’m doing this, I feel like I’m running effortlessly and enjoying God’s pleasure. It wouldn’t be fair, however, for me to stop here, any more than it would be fair to portray an Olympian’s gold medal moment without recognizing the sacrifices it took to get there. Paul says, “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.” He recognizes the hard work and the hard moments that are part of every success story. Even though I love my new venture, there have been plenty of long hours, disappointments, and moments of uncertainty. I doubt that anyone can “feel God’s pleasure” every moment of every day. If we look at the Olympic moments experienced by other leaders without understanding the back stories, we set ourselves up for frustration. What about you? How often do you feel God’s pleasure in your work? Are there moments when you think, “I can’t believe that I’m getting paid to do something that I love so much”? If not, is it just a matter of additional “training” or do you need to switch to a different sport? It’s easy to receive my blogs by email. Just sign-up on Feedburner by clicking here.]]>