Ep 80

I want to ask you a rhetorical question. How many times have you been talking to someone, they ask “How have you been?”, and your answer goes something like this… 

Oh man, I’ve been really busy.” Or “Yeah, I just don’t have time for much anymore, between work and family.” 

You’re listening to Living the Freedom Life Ep 80 and today we are talking about being The Art of Marinating.

When we first started this podcast, when we were dreaming up the concept of Living the Freedom Life, I had the thought “We need to make this short, to the point. I’m so tired of listening to podcasts that last 45 minutes and they only REALLY say about 5 minutes of worthwhile stuff. I think everyone is much too busy and they don’t want to sift through the fluff.” 

See, the assumption here is that everyone is so intelligent nowadays, that all we need is a boiled down version, all we need is the Cliff Notes or the Highlights. 

I’m no longer convinced of this. If we are so intelligent, why are we still having such moral failures? Why do we still feel like we’re just floating through life? We’ve lost sight of knowing what it really means to thrive. Why do so many still struggle with such elementary life skills? 

I’m not saying that I’m immune to this. What I am saying is that I believe we have lost the art of marinating. 

I hope you know what I mean by this.

This isn’t a New Concept. Most of us have heard about living in a microwave Society. 

There’s an art to slowing down. 

Not only is there a great art to slowing down, but there’s great power in it as well. 

Yes, rest is important. In fact, it made the top 10 list, you know, keeping the Sabbath. 

Pastor Brady Boyd book “Addicted to Busy- Recovery for the Rushed Soul”. 

It takes a while for a person to get to the point to where you can become prideful in spewing how busy you are. As though it’s a Rite of Passage. Or it shows how important you are. How much people depend on you. 

Actually, it’s quite the opposite. Overworked is the new uneducated. Being busy is just a red flag showing that one doesn’t know how to set boundaries in their life. 

What we’re talking about today isn’t an atrocity. If a lot of people trust you, depend on you, end call on you for advice, that’s a great gift. 

Just like I can throw some chicken, right from the freezer, on to the grill, and it will come out to be a great meal.  However, if we take the time to blend some spices and sauces together and put that chicken in a bag and let it marinate, NOW that will have new meaning.

You see, being busy isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But if we learn the art of marinating, I believe things will be much better, deeper, richer and much more full of flavor. 

When I explain marinating, what I really mean is meditating. I’m not talkin about sitting in the corner with your legs crossed and a fruity hat on your head reciting chants. 

All meditation is, is taking the time to stop, slow your mind down, that takes time. And be intentional about what you’re thinking about. Some people call this practice mindfulness. 

We are instructed to practice this in the Bible.

I’ll have a link in the show notes on the scripture reference in Philippians, but I’d like to paraphrase if I can.

Phil 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

He’s asking us to meditate on these things. So, instead of us focusing on things that are lies, where to focus on things that are true.  instead of focusing on things that are shameful and embarrassing, think on these things that are noble.  instead of trying to figure out how to get the upper hand or the advantage on someone, think on these things that are just.  instead of imagining what the worst case scenario could be, think of things that are pure and lovely.  Instead  of believing the worst intentions, let’s start looking at the things that are of a good report.  if there’s any goodness, and virtue, and if there’s anything praiseworthy, we are to meditate on these things.  That’s what Philippians 4 verse 8 is talking about. 

If we are able to put these things into practice in our everyday life, we will in fact begin to start Living the Freedom Life. If we were able to push out those thoughts and focus ourselves on this scripture, how we are to discipline our fault life into thinking on these things, we will be Living the Freedom Life. That’s our hope for everyone listening today.

Until next time, Living the Freedom Life, this is Kyle.