Surprised by the Spirit: Sustainability?

Okay…

So I’m back, and I believe that it is perfect timing… but I don’t want you to believe that.

I want to show you.

In just this past week I have been led by the Holy Spirit, and I have now seen the consequences.

“Consequences, Cassie? That’s horrible… shouldn’t you be overwhelmed by the honor of receiving direction from the breath of God himself?”

Oh: trust me, I believe I am… but I don’t want you to believe that.

I want to show you.

Yes, living inside and by the freedom of the Holy Spirit is quite possibly, no- definitely, the most powerful and beautiful experience I have yet to encounter in my life.

BUT, it just might be the most, and I will use the same word I used before, overwhelming experience in my life. And, these same consequences I was speaking of are part of the overwhelming experience that has brought me right back to this computer keyboard.

“For God did not give you a Spirit of timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7

This verse took on a whole new realm of understanding, for me, when I, led by the Spirit’s characteristic of power, responded to a quite powerful message on the foundation, the bigness and the beauty of Sustainability in my 1:00 class in Sid Richardson Lecture Hall 1, just this past Wednesday.

“Cool, Cassie, I have no idea what Sustainability is…”

Oh: trust me, neither did I. But now, I believe that Sustainability is another beautiful way to live out our Christianity. But, I don’t want you to believe that.

I want to show you.

So, back to these consequences. I believe I just told you that I responded to this Sustainability message that I littered with fluffy adjectives that you chose to trust me with, or just read over. Well, how did I respond, you ask? I said I responded with power… specifically, the Spirit’s power.

I use possession there, because that power was definitely not mine… and now I have these consequences I keep talking about.

This powerful response, for me, was following up with the speaker, David Rodriguez, with an elaborate overflow of excitement in the form of an e-mail.

”Cassie, you call that powerful? I could write an e-mail in my sleep…”

Yeah yeah, I know. But, if you knew me, you would know that this is bold. This is power. And, this isn’t something I do every day, respond to this powerful Spirit.

Not to mention, this request from the Spirit didn’t really demand too much out of me. It was pretty easy request.

Let me show you…

Clue/confession 1: I had been fired up about this whole Sustainability thing for a while now.

Clue/confession 2: I knew, by a couple glaring hints, that this speaker and I had the biggest possible thing in common: we both loved the Lord.

Clue/confession 3: I was given the opportunity to follow-up with this man simply by

                                                A: his welcoming and “easy to approach” vibe

                                                & B: his straight up insistence that we contact him with absolutely any
                                                        question on sustainability we have.

So, alright alright…  I’m a coward, I know.

But that’s not the point.

Let me get back to the point…

So, I respond with this e-mail, right?

And, by the way, this e-mail wasn’t your ordinary “Cassie,” e-mail either. Why? I just wrote it. I didn’t think about every word. And, I flat out stated my dreams as if they were the real thing. I told him that I was going to be a writer.

Those words don’t come out of my mouth, let alone get typed out for another person to read…

Not Cassie.

He responds. But, not only does he respond, but he begins to drag me out of my comfort zone by insisting that I follow up with a phone call…

***Alert! Not Cassie behavior… Writing the email: comfort, I like to write.

                                                                Making a phone call: hold up… I’m not the outspoken type.

                                                                Well… not without the Spirit I’m not.

And then continues to drag me out of my comfort zone by insisting that I drop everything I’m doing and write about what Sustainability means to me as a “Christian.”

***Alert! Not Cassie behavior… Drop everything I’m doing, mister? I have created for myself a surplus of unfinished homework that I have to finish by tomorrow, not to mention I haven’t gotten much sleep.

And continues to drag me out of my comfort zone by insisting that I don’t think about what I’m writing, just write it.  

***Alert! By now, you already know that’s not Cassie behavior.

And, I am beginning to get a little surprised by how much this man seems to see right through me.

Now, he’s on the Spirit’s side. Not Cassie’s.

When I begin to hesitate in mind, planning to ask him for more time…

“No. Right now.

Do you want to be a writer, Cassie?

Do you want a mentor?”

….

Comfort. The consequence.

“Enough with the story, quit bolding the word sustainability and explain it…”

Sustainability: Meeting the needs of today without compromising the needs of tomorrow.

Alright David, here I go…

Many believe that for one to be “sustainable,” they have to become this environmental control freak who starts “going green” in every area of their life- all at once.

Many believe that for one to be a "Christian," they have to become this uptight religious freak who starts "doing the right thing," in every area of their life- all at once.  

However, what I have come to find in just these few weeks of Professor Whitworth’s Sustainability class, Sustainability it is quite different than the what “many believe.”

And, what I have come to find in the course of my "full ride" with Jesus, Christianity is quite different than what "most believe."

What have I come to find? I have come to find that much like Christianity, Sustainability is a lifestyle. However, contrary to what “many believe,” sustainability can be overcome in time.

Raw Sustainability, like raw Christianity, exposes you to truth. Suddenly, or gradually, your eyes are peeled open to the brokenness and the filthiness (literally) of this world, and you are overwhelmed with a sense of discontent that you can’t help but follow up with action. You want to see change. And you want to see it now.

But here comes the paradox…

You want to see it now. But, like I said, sustainability comes with time.

Real Sustainability, like real Christianity, is a step by step process. You just have to be willing.

Willing not only to humble yourself to change, but to humble yourself to change with time.

You just have to be willing. You just have to respond.

You just have to be willing to respond.          

Willing to respond to the voice in your head that gently reminds you that when you take a 20 minute shower, the amount of water you use has a global effect.

                Response? Stepping out a little earlier.

Willing to respond to the voice in your head that gently reminds you that you don’t need an entire napkin to spit out your gum.

                Response? Using the gum wrapper.

No, it won’t all come at once. If fact it’s not supposed to. Because at its core, Sustainability, like Christianity, is meant to be something you enjoy.

And, you can’t enjoy being sustainable if you’re worried about every step.

You can’t enjoy God if you are worried about every step, either.

Opposite of worry? Joy.

It’s easier to respond to something when it comes from joy, isn’t it?

Let’s rewind. I said earlier that raw Sustainability, like raw Christianity, exposes you to truth.

Yes, there is the tougher truth that I had mentioned before, but there is also another truth.

When learning about Sustainability, you uncover the truth that the earth is actually beautiful, despite all the filth that fills our eyes and minds on a daily basis.  When learning about the truth of Christianity, you uncover the truth that God is actually good, despite all the evil that fills our eyes and minds on a daily basis.

When you find these simple truths, and you grab hold to the hope of an originally beautiful earth and the beautifully good God that created it, and you willingly respond with joy.

Like I mentioned earlier, Sustainability, like Christianity, is a lifestyle. It’s a step by step, fruitful, liberating, and empowering lifestyle.

And it comes from response.

And it just might be uncomfortable.

Hm, sounds familiar.

"Okay Cassie, now you're just leaving out the ugly part... you said there were all those consequences!"
You caught me.
But, I also left something else out.
It's completely worth it.

But, that's just another thing you just find out along the way...
How? You guessed it...
Step by step.
Just let Sustainability surprise you.
And if you're willing to respond,
you may let God surprise you, too.

Thank you, David.

Scratch that…

Thank You, Holy Spirit.