What Is The Cause Du Jour?

16 Jun

“Many people feel so pressured by the expectations of others that it causes them to be frustrated, miserable and confused about what they should do. But there is a way to live a simple, joy-filled, peaceful life, and the key is learning how to be led by the Holy Spirit, not the traditions or expectations of man.” ~Joyce Meyer

There seems to be a cause for anything and everything.  As a matter of fact, there are several web sites dedicated to causes:  what they are, how to create one, how to find one you might be interested in helping, et cetera.  It seems that the vast majority of people feel compelled to involve themselves in a cause or two.

That might be because we have begun, in the past decade or two, to involve our children in causes at early ages.  Grade schools often have walk-a-thons, dance-a-thons, and other “thons” to raise money for causes.  In later years, most high schools require community service of some kind to “create better citizens” of their students.

Do not get me wrong: causes can be wonderful things.  Without them, many people would never receive the aid that they so desperately need.

However, causes can also become addictive.  There are many people who jump from one cause to another and, somewhere in the process, appear to lose their identity.  They identify themselves solely in “the cause” and if they do not have any cause to embrace, they feel empty or left out.  They feel as if they are a disappointment to others around them.

God did create us to embrace a cause.  The cause that He wants us to embrace is to do His will.  He gives us all the help that we need in the form of the Holy Spirit.  If we are too busy involving ourselves in all sorts of externals, though, we might miss out on what it is we truly need to do with our lives.

Causes are great things.  They can be very good both for the people we aid as well as for ourselves.  We just need to remember that we cannot allow our causes to get in the way of our relationship with God.

FAITH ACTION:  Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in all the decisions you are faced with making today.