The well-known Lutheran theologian Gerhard Forde (1927–2005) once observed, “The self seeks its own self in all things, even in its piety.” I became painfully aware of this several weeks ago while thumbing through some old prayer cards of mine. (For context, I record my prayer requests on 3×5 cards to help me focus while praying.) Scrawled on a badly misshapen prayer card were three bucket list prayer requests. These are the goals I had hoped to achieve before leaving full-time pastoral ministry. The three requests were: 1) Publish a book, 2) speak at a conference, and 3) make an impact. Some readers might judge these requests harmless, assuming they reflect nothing more than youthful zeal. But after some prayerful discernment, I’m more inclined to say they reflect earthly-mindedness and a worldly heart. [read more]
