Do or Do Not…

Do or Do Not…

Monday was Star Wars Day.  (You know, May the 4th be with you.)  I have loved Star Wars since I was a kid.  In fact, I have seen every Star Wars film in the theater since the original showed up in 1977.  I was just a little guy at the time, but I will never forget the excitement and joy of watching this incredible space opera unfold.  In the second movie, Empire Strikes Back, we are introduced to a strange, little green fellow voiced by Frank Oz that would become Luke Skywalker’s instructor.  He was funny looking and weird, but since the 1980 release of Empire, Yoda has become a part of pop culture with his wise sayings.  One that echoed through my 7 year old mind was “Do or Do Not.  There is No Try.”  It is an idea of committing oneself to the task that lies in front of you.  It has stuck with me over the years and still rattles around in my head.

Often, we see the need for us to make changes in our lives.  We know that God wants us to live a healthier life, but fail to take the necessary steps.  There is a lot of “I’ll try…”  However, when we just try, there is an out.  We can say, “At least I tried.”  Just trying won’t get us to where we want to go.  We will just make attempts and pat ourselves on the back, but will still be in the same place.  God wants us to go “all in” as we follow Him in making necessary change in all areas of our life.  

In Luke 14:25-27, 33, Jesus encourages His followers to go “all in” in the process of following Him.  There was no half way…

 
25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple… 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

When we are choosing to do what God has called us to do, there is no try.  Whether we are called to leave behind those things that we care about or making healthy choices so that we might honor God with our bodies.  There is no try.

When I finally made the transition to a healthier lifestyle, there was a moment of “I am going to DO this.”  When I did, I could almost hear a little green Jedi Master saying, “There is no try.”   

Dan Carson
balancedlifeconcepts@gmail.com

Dan is a motivated life coach with a passion for pastors.

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