Thread: How has your faith in Christ affected YOUR pursuit of "the American Dream"?
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How has your faith in Christ affected YOUR pursuit of "the American Dream"?
Posted : 27 Nov, 2010 07:17 AM
Here's another thought-provoking, encouraging and inspiring article from In Touch magazine that I was blessed to read this morning about how God caused one couple to re-think THEIR pursuit of "the American Dream" ...
Steve
Rethinking the American Dream
What if letting go of everything you wanted led to dreams you didn�t know you had?
By Joan Ball
�But how did you know it was God?�
I paused for a moment, wondering how it was possible that another person who�d been a Christian since childhood could be asking me, a former atheist, about hearing and following the leading of the Holy Spirit. �Well,� I said, �I knew and I didn�t know . . . �
This certainly wasn�t the first time I�d found myself sitting in a coffee shop describing the haphazard journey my husband and I had embarked upon in the years since my unanticipated conversion to Christianity. Still, it was hard for me to understand why so many Christians were surprised and fascinated by our decision to sell our home, leave our careers, and pursue this uncertain path in the heart of our prime earning years. Granted, our radical change of lifestyle was out of step with the arc of the American Dream we�d been successfully traveling, but when amazing grace blew in unexpectedly, it rocked our world and changed everything.
Despite my rather abrupt conversion to Christianity in 2003 at the age of 37, the change of life that followed didn�t happen all at once. I�m not sure how eager I would�ve been, had I known what taking one obedient step after another would result in: a major transition from the stability of a life lived for myself to the uncertainty of a life surrendered to Jesus. Thankfully, I was spared knowing the end from the beginning, as God laid out His plan in bite-sized pieces�one challenge or sacrifice at a time. And then, we woke up seven years later with a new life we�d never dreamed of having.
Sometimes, the changes we were prompted to make in the weeks, months, and years that followed my conversion appeared to make sense. Walking away from a hard-earned 15-year career in public relations (something I never thought I�d do) coincided with my teenage son developing serious health issues. If God was really behind such a huge lifestyle change, I could see the wisdom in it; considering that He was up to something important behind the scenes made it easier to pull the trigger.
But there were other times, when following the Holy Spirit seemed to make no practical sense. Like when I woke up in the middle of the night and told my husband that we were supposed to sell our 4,000-square foot dream home with no idea why (or where we�d move). Only because Martin was so convinced that my conversion of faith and these subsequent promptings to make changes were real was he willing to go with it. A few years later, we were similarly compelled to open the doors of our home and sell everything we didn�t truly need. We ran ads, posted flyers, and watched while strangers�from soon-to-be-married couples to empty-nesters�snatched up and made offers on furniture, art, jewelry, and other cherished treasures. At the time, it just seemed nuts. Yet later, we eventually saw that these experiences were exercises in letting go and recognizing that everything we owned was a gift rather than a right.
Hence, my friend�s question in the cafe. How did we know it was God? Why would a reasonable, rational couple with three kids choose to trade comfort for an unknown future�with nothing more to go on than an intangible but firm sense that it was what He wanted us to do?
I can�t blame her or anyone else for questioning our decisions. Before all this happened, I�d scoffed at the suggestion that Jesus be my Lord and Savior, not to mention that He was actually hearable. Sure, in my early 30s, I�d traded the rabid atheism of my 20s for the possibility that there might be something out there. I�d even come to believe that it might be to my benefit to learn more about this �something� and its potential to help me live a more sane life in a program of recovery. But this �power-greater-than-myself� certainly wasn�t going to have a hand in my pocket�much less decide where I lived! Yet then came my unexpected, unsought, and supernatural encounter with an unseen Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, which radically changed my faith in an instant. I was not only ready to listen; I was desperate to know what it meant to truly follow Him.
Aside from the Ten Commandments, Christmas, and Easter, I had no context whatsoever in the early days of my journey for what it meant to follow Jesus. All I knew was that I felt absolutely compelled to read the Bible. Perhaps �reading� is too tame a word. I was like a castaway bellied up to a sumptuous buffet�reading multiple translations side-by-side and breaking down passages using dictionaries to translate the original Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic text. I cut my spiritual teeth on stories of ordinary men and women who went beyond a Sunday-morning kind of religious routine and put their lives on the line to do whatever extraordinary thing they were called to do on moment�s notice. Along with Jesus Himself, these biblical heroes were my first models for what it meant to live a genuine life of faith, and their stories prompted me to question everything. And that included asking myself what success might look like through the Savior�s eyes. It seemed clear that I should find out what it would mean to offer my life as a �living sacrifice� (Rom. 12:1) in suburban New York in the 21st century.
So I was confounded when I discussed these stories with Christians who told me they felt a call on their lives but were waiting for the time to be right, the money to be there, or their kids to graduate from college before they�d consider pursuing it. That made no sense to me. If God was the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8), why would He operate differently just because we had laptops and cell phones? Why would the God who called people out of the mundane and into the extraordinary suddenly view our comfort to be more important than building His kingdom? It didn�t add up.
I was eager to learn more, but when I turned to the Christian community for help, my questions multiplied. The more I connected with spiritual leaders (I talked with everyone I could) or read their writing, the more I saw that �following Jesus� meant very different things to different people within the body of Christ. For some, social justice and serving the poor were paramount. Others stressed the importance of �family values� and moral teachings. There were those who felt it was about discovering one�s unique purpose and embracing a calling; still others said it was a matter of practicing �spiritual gifts.� I was fascinated to find that, according to the Bible, each group was �right,� at least in part.
So I kept reading, watching, and listening to anything and everything I could get my hands on. I was a sponge for any insight I might glean from the faith experiences of others�from the ancient patriarchs to modern megachurch pastors. Digging into Scripture, I prayed Proverbs 1:1-7, asking God for �prudence, knowledge, and discretion�; I requested that He help me attain wisdom and discipline, equip me to understand words of insight, and show me how to discern what was �right, just, and fair.�
That�s when the Holy Spirit began nudging me with questions about my day-to-day life�and got deep into my business. I began thinking about things like, How much house is enough house? How much money do I really need to spend on a car? Are expensive music lessons for my child top priority, or should I be factoring in the family across town who badly needs food?
As I explored these questions, I could see I�d stumbled into a supernatural treasure hunt. No ten-step to-do list for living the Christian life, particularly through my own power, could replace surrender to real transformation in the hands of the living God. My prayers shifted from �help me, give me� to asking that I be changed from the inside out�that every desire would be conformed to His desire (Rom. 12:2). Instead of praying around my desired outcome for things, I prayed for doors to open and close however He wanted. That I�d feel contentment only when I was pleasing Him and be agitated when off-track. Slowly, I began to welcome a �no� as much as a �yes.� I began to understand and accept that He is God and I am not, and that the �fear of God� (which is �the beginning of wisdom�) is about awe and worship, not fear of punishment or condemnation. I prayed for faith to trust that He would help me recognize His answers to these prayers�and for the courage to follow with complete abandon. And then I let go, choosing to follow the Lord wherever He might take me.
Years later, I am living a different �American Dream.� One in which who I�m becoming means more to me than where I�m living. One in which the people I�m impacting matter more than my title or salary. One in which I�m fulfilled and content, even in the face of disappointment or difficulty�and know I�m loved even when circumstances say otherwise.
So, how did I know it was God? At the time, I both knew and didn�t know. But now, I can say this: My life and my state of mind are nothing like they once were. And only God can take away our most prized dreams for our lives and replace them with a reality infinitely better.
Joan Ball is the author of the memoir Flirting With Faith: My Journey from Atheism to a Faith-Filled Life.
Copyright 2010 In Touch Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved. www.intouch.org. In Touch grants permission to print for personal use only.
How has your faith in Christ affected YOUR pursuit of "the American Dream"?
Posted : 27 Nov, 2010 07:53 AM
I'm not sure if the American Dream today is what it used to be. But I think life in America today is a mix of greed, capitalism run amok, consumerism and an emerging police state. I have traveled around the world, and spent the better part of the last year out of the US. Coming back to the US, I experienced some reverse culture shock. Every thing was about marketing, consumerism, branding.
I was working in a second career of mine. After 10 years in corporate data analysis and marketing I was looking for a change (plus I had been laid off). I had left one corporate consulting job because I ethically could not do it any more. I was working 60 hours a week and traveling 50% of the time working with banks to sell credit cards. I could not in good faith do a job that meant putting people in more debt.
Everything in this country is about bigger, better, newer. We have to have big homes, the newest car, the most technologically advanced gadgets. We work longer hours, go deeper into debt for them at the expense of our families our health our relationship with God.
I can't say that there has been one verse in the bible that has changed my views or that I've heard the spirit guiding me away from these things. It is just a gradual progression to try to move away from the consumerism that we call The American Dream. I do think thought that we all need to evaluate what we prioritize.
How has your faith in Christ affected YOUR pursuit of "the American Dream"?
Posted : 27 Nov, 2010 09:48 PM
This is a very good article, I really enjoyed reading it. I have thought about this topic before, especially in the last few years. It is true that in our culture we can get very caught up in having the latest technology and material possessions.
During my time in college I was able to talk with several missionaries who had gone to poorer and less developed countries and they too said that they felt almost lost when they came back and were once again surrounded with so many materialistic concerns.
Although it is wonderful to read an article written by someone who really did commit to living her life for God and making the changes she felt called to make, I know so many people, (myself included), find it really difficult to imagine themselves actually doing the same kind of thing.
We get so attached to our possessions. It almost is a form of security to surround ourselves with things at times. And we feel others judge us based on the car we drive, the house we live in etc. And, sadly, people do judge others by these things. But truthfully, those kinds of judgments are based on things that don't really matter, because no matter how fancy our car is, or our house, it won't last forever. And even if it lasts longer than us, it will one day become old, wear out and fall down or be torn down.
I don't think that having material possessions and enjoying them is wrong, but I know that even within myself I feel that I need to have the right focus and not value them too much, or above things that really matter. (Such as my faith and my relationship with God.)
All our possessions can be so distracting. They can take up too much of our time if we let them. I know I have let that happen many times.
The letting go part is scary I think, especially at first. We get so used to living a certain way that we can't imagine how we'll survive any differently. I myself want to live a simpler life. I would love to grow my own food in my own garden and make better meals from scratch. I think it's about how we use our time. After all, we can't get back time that is gone, and using our time well while we're here on earth is so important. Also, making sure we keep things in perspective, realize that material things have a temporary lifespan, and don't put those kinds of things before God in our lives.
How has your faith in Christ affected YOUR pursuit of "the American Dream"?
Posted : 30 Nov, 2010 12:03 AM
With scary news nowadays I think it is now American Nightmare.
In my understanding, if God gave you abundance, be grateful and worship God in enjoying the gift. If your gift is to be in need, it might be because abundance will destroy you.
I heard it before � �To those that the gods wish to destroy, they make them successful.� So, success as we can observe around us is not always a blessing. Just like beauty, it can also be a curse.
Back to the gift of abundance, what if you gave someone a gift, say a shirt, do you like him to give it away or do you like him to wear it himself?
How has your faith in Christ affected YOUR pursuit of "the American Dream"?
Posted : 1 Dec, 2010 04:53 PM
I do agree that abundance, and in particular, over abundance, could definitely destroy someone, or at least cause them to become even more self-centered. It seems that money and having lots of it can really magnify the short-comings we all have. When someone has a lot of money, it never seems to be enough, no matter how much they have. (Of course I am generalizing, not everyone who is wealthy is like that).
Still, even without having lot's of money, all of us can struggle when it comes to putting others before ourselves, I know I can be like that often.
Anyway, I believe that the more we have the more we are asked to give, of whatever it is that we have. And to use our resources to help others in the best way we can.
And, to answer the question above, if I gave someone a gift, such as a t-shirt, I would of course like to see him or her wear it themselves, but if they gave it to someone who needed it more, I would be okay with that. I may be disappointed at first, but I really think that I would be wrong to be disappointed in this situation, and I don't think that God is ever disappointed when we use what He has given us to help those in need.
