Apr 17, 2007

Tim’s quote about the explosive blessing of monotony may be one of the most encouraging and profound attitude-adjustment posts I’ve read in a while. Great job, Tim! It is a must-read for any of you who consider yourselves Notes regulars.

Here’s one quote:

I’ve found that I need to seek to embrace the drudgery of life, thanking God for the comfort of routine and the security of sameness. And I’ve found that I need to embrace even the hard work of becoming a godly man, even when it can seem like monotonous drudgery. I know that the perceived monotony is only a product of my own sin and selfishness.

On this day...

Mark W. April 17, 2007 at 1:57 pm

Since the definition of “drudgery” commonly is stated as “unpleasant” work, I’m baffled as to why the comforts of sameness and the freedom to spend time reading the bible would even be equated with drudgery in the first place. It looks as if the whole attitude Tim displays toward routine is wrong-headed in the first place. In any event, I would not dare call these comforts “drudgery”…not even for the shock value!

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Jeff April 17, 2007 at 8:57 pm

Mark, I understand what you’re saying, but after many, many moons of trying to consistently discipline myself to read the Bible daily – for study, meditation, reflection, and transformation – I would like to say that every day is “white hot” with God. But it’s not.

Tim is dead-on. There are, unfortunately, many mornings that I feel I drag myself to the Word, and my sinful self whispers sweet hesitations to my ear. “You don’t have time… You’ve read this part so many times… There are other more pressing things… Aren’t you sleepy?”

It most assuredly, in our carnal state be perceived as drudgery. But it’s those delightful moments of being dragged before the Throne of God by the power of His Word which transform another ordinary moment into one of majestic encounter.

Routine, yes. Mundane, sometimes. Drudgery, when I’m selfish and disconnected spiritually. However, thank God for His grace in leading me to His Word much more often than I run into it.

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Notes from the Trail
The Personal Blog of Jeff Noble
Info: From the misty hills of Virginia, "Notes from the Trail" seeks to encourage you on your journey. Written by a graphic designer-pastor, this blog is a blend of humor, insight, and faith discovery.

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