The Why of the What
2018 has been a very busy year with lots of amazing writing projects coming my way via the Lord’s hand, where all blessings and provision come from. So, by the end of February, on Mondays when I write this blog, I realized I was just out of creative gas, so to speak. Sure, I was challenged for time, but I had been at that place many times before. This was different. This time I realized ….
I really didn’t have anything to say.
Now, when we get to that place in any area of life, we face a decision, a crossroads, we ask: Am I just going to talk or write or whatever anyway? Fake it? Bull my way through? Go grab some old and recycle? Repeat the past?
That’s when I asked myself the question that this culture gets farther and farther away from all the time … Why?
Not what but Why? … We ask “What?” all the time but leave off the why.
So when I got to the question of “What am I going to write?” and had nothing, I then allowed myself to ask “Why do I write?” and “Why do I feel an expectation to write?” With no great answer, I stopped. And I waited. Until today when I sensed I had something to say. A whycame to claim my what.
So, this week, I challenge you to avoid the question of what? and ask why? instead. Why do I do that? Why should I do that? Why do I feel an expectation here? Why do I feel this way?
Author and communicator Bob Goff says that he tries to quit something every Tuesday. The point is really not to quit anything but to never stop asking why he does what he does and what he no longer needs. He shares the story of one Tuesday morning when he sat down at his desk to find a letter from his assistant. It was her resignation. He went immediately to ask her why she was quitting. She told him because he encouraged her to quit something every Tuesday. They talked and she kept her job but they both learned something. The vast importance of getting off the incessant treadmill and asking ourselves Why?
The main reason we don’t ask is typically fear. Fear of facing the facts and the real answer.
So fill in the blank today: Why do I …..? It might make you quit something. It might make your start something. It might make you put something on hold until you know.
Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked him, “Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.” Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? —Matthew 15:1-3 NLT
1 comment
Randy Mac June 7, 2018
As per usual, God has used my brother to speak words straight to my heart. And, as always..... I'm grateful. God Bless!!