Rhythms: Part Two

written by Chris Hartenstein

Last week we set out on a journey to look at what our rhythms reflect about the realities of our lives! I assume since you’re back you want to keep moving ahead...so saddle up!

Right out of the barn, let’s realize our Dad does not try to make life complicated, our enemy does. Additionally, there is something very simple and profound we all must wrestle with: my rhythms reflect my reality. The reality of my priorities, what drives me, what I am focused on, who I am listening to, where am I taking my deep heart questions, etc.

Every time I leave for Montana and come back to Ohio, it is an opportunity for me to have space to reset or re-calibrate how I am living my life. That being said, before I come back I start to pray: “Dad, what are you calling me to during this next season?” By asking this question, I realize I will need to release some things, in order to receive from Him. I am going to have to make room in my life for what my Dad is asking of me. This is not easy because I internally battle the enemy and my own will. I don’t really want to let go of certain things. Likewise, I don’t always want to do what He asks.    

 While journaling on the question above, my heavenly Father gave me two words: rejuvenation and revelation. To be clear, I am not making a blanket, prophetic statement for everyone. This was for my family and me and it's meaning is still unfolding. In the meantime, I continue to “ask for clarity, listen for details, and then follow in trust; putting my faith into action (John 10). I am intent to understand what He means and work it out day-to-day. As He reveals specifics to me, I must begin to establish rhythms that reflect what He is asking of me, doing in me, and desires to do through me.  

Now I must align (or calibrate as we like to say at TNF) my rhythms to His direction, to the reality that He desires to bring about in my life. Notice how it moves from “me-focused” to “Him-focused.” My rhythms and thereby my reality is aligning to the reality He wants to bring about in this world.  

A hill we are willing to die on at TNF is that Jesus did not come to “just” save us from our sins, but to be the ultimate example of what it meant to be TRULY HUMAN.   Over the next few weeks, we will look at Jesus and learn how He established rhythms. Jesus will help us really understand how to have rhythms that reflect the reality our Dad desires and will make it an easy contrast to what we are currently doing. Take some time and sit with the questions below.

Calibration:
- What do my current rhythms (habits, time, finances, friendships, etc) reflect about my reality?
- What drives my current rhythms?  Be honest - is it me or my Dad?
- Why is that?
- What does that reflect about my relationship to my Heavenly Dad?