Going through the Motions

Going through the Motions

There is a song I have been hearing a lot on the radio and well now on my iPod called  “The Motions” by Matthew West. The song reflects on how he doesn’t just want to go through the motions but to feel something again. That just ok isn’t enough anymore and he wants that passion inside of him. It is such a great song and worth checking it out. 

      We all go through moments in our lives that we just go through “the motions”.  That is fine for a bit but we just can’t keep that up. It is not what we are to do. We can get lost easier when we don’t feel anything.  Yes, sometimes when we just go through the motions, we are able to gain back those feeling because we kept going. Then there those other times, that we just do and nothing is coming, there is no spark, nothing seems to click. When that spark hit me almost a month ago I decided to run with it. 

     I decided that day that this wasn’t working anymore and that I am blessed to have that spark and if I don’t give all now, then I don’t think it will work. About this time I heard this song and I realized that this was just what I needed to do.  I had to live like this was my last chance to give everything. That this was it. 

      Jesus wants this for us. He wants us to give everything to Him just as He gave everything to us, including His life. This could mean many things to each of us. What does it mean for you to just go through the motions? Do you just say the prayers because you feel you should or do you feel those prayers as you say them? Do you sit at mass and just watch the clock or do you participate in the mass? Do you flip through the pages of the bible or do you sit back and take what you are reading to heart? 

    Change it up if you feel you are just going through the motions. If saying the organized prayers seem not to be working, then make up a prayer. Write your own prayers. If mass seems to be just going through the motion maybe check out another church in your area. Now I am not saying a different denomination but maybe even listen to a different priests homily.  Add things to your life. Check out some christian music. Check churches that may have some guest speakers or a mission. Try taking the bible and sit in a park or by the ocean. Think outside of what your routine is and add to it.

     Granted it is our hearts that have to feel something ultimately to stop the feeling of just going through the motions. These are just some tricks you may try and see if something adds that spark. All it will take is that spark to make that change start. I thought there always had to be this grand epiphany. You know where it will seem that the angels on mount high are singing and the sun will just shine down bright on you, but that is not what it was for me. I just woke up one day and started to feel something stirring. 

      I denied that stirring a bit because I really didn’t think it was God again. It couldn’t be I thought but it was and going through the motions wasn’t going to make it right for me.  He doesn’t want that for us. He wants to be in our Hearts with joy and passion then just the ok of life. Also for me I tried to keep this to myself because I wasn’t sure if it was real, but for me part of not going through the motions is sharing what is going on. When  I sit down and write the blog I feel that fire burn in my soul. There is just this feeling that I am doing something different. When I also email back and forth between a good friend of mine about things of Faith, God and religion I again feel that fire. That friend has helped with keeping me from just going through the motions. There is a challenge and thought process that goes along with the emails. He challenges me to think, not just with my brain but my heart and soul. Is this what I really believe or is it just the motions. I don’t think we are to do this alone by any means. Jesus could have done it on His own but He chose to have people close to Him to help Him so why not have someone help you and challenge you as well. 

       Sometimes like I said all we can do is go through the motions until we reach a point that it just isn’t enough anymore. It would be great to just say “ok, enough of this” and it all falls into place but it is not that simple. We have to work on it. We have to labor in the field and find that treasure of faith. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and remember all you need is a spark to start a fire.