freshman day #173

My first semester was most predominantly marked by one single feeling - panic.Everything in this God-forsaken (I mean that quite literally) place pushes you to build up one thing and one thing only.
Yourself.

I just finished editing my 'to the undergraduate business major' rant.
To not be (but really) narcissistic. I quite like it. I'll post it when the time is right.
But this week, it was one of those moments that was a true....revelation. Realization. God-sighting. Where I finally figured it out. 

"You shall have no other gods before me" -Exodus 20:3
That's the DCCYC verse for this year.
And for years we were told, you can't put money, or your grades, or your belongings before God. Idolatry is "Excessive or blind adoration, reverence, devotion, etc."
And for years we discussed how we should be doing quiet times before our homework, allot time for prayer with God even on our busiest nights, and spend every Sunday morning and Friday night worshiping Him and studying His word.
For years we were told don't be stingy with your money or time or whatever else God has blessed you with, because God loves a "cheerful giver."
And for years we thought,
I do all those things, (or even just some) then I'm not idolizing my grades, not idolizing my stuff. I'm not committing idolatry.

I haven't been idolizing grades or money or my things. In reality I've been idolizing myself. And everything that stemmed from that was just a symptom.
Grades for prestigious college for good job for sufficient money for happy family for comfortable living for fulfilling lives for nice retirement. 
For me.
And the most frightening part was that I had never been taught to live any other way.

What did it really mean to glorify God? What did it mean to glorify God with my "good works", with whatever I did.
It's always sounded so easy in theory but in reality it's an incredibly difficult thing to strive for. If you're not in ministry and aren't a missionary, aren't a non-profit working to save the world, what does glorifying God really look like? What am I actually doing with my life to further the kingdom of God. Seriously.
thought of the day, let me know what y'all come up with.

end rant.
02.09.14