Is your life source sustainable?

A lot has been said and written regarding renewable energy as it relates to sustaining our environment. The use of power sources that are limitless, like the wind and sun, is what “going green” is all about.

Businesses talk about sustaining their brand influence, sustaining their culture and their success. Like you, I want to know if the things I am building will last, – whether it’s a business, a marriage, a friendship or a family – can it be sustained over the long-term?

I wonder if how we live day-to-day is sustainable.

Some days I am so stressed by events that I go into deep “tactical mode” thinking that all my hyper-activity will yield some ideal result. The problem is that my hyper-activity is not sustainable. I run out of energy, I feel spent and exhausted, I’m a zombie at 6:30 at night.

My career is sales, so closing the sale is just about everything. You work hard, you negotiate, you position your product, you listen to the customer, you send in your proposal and finally….finally you win the big deal. You are so excited and full of accomplishment and then what? If a sales person is honest they’ll admit that the happy feelings and exhilaration of the sale wear off in literally a few minutes, or hours or perhaps a day. That’s it. Then it’s back into “action mode” as though you never made the big sale. The joy, energy and exhilaration from the big sale is not a sustainable source of joy or energy…it fades.

On a personal basis many of us have crutches to help us get through life. For some it’s being accepted by others, for others it’s hyper-activity (staying busy), for others it’s alcohol or drugs, joining groups or volunteering, keeping our homes as clean as our neighbor’s, for some it’s sex or spending money at the mall…all to get the high, to get joy, to find exhilaration. But these things are not sustainable either. You can only get so much of these things and then they tend to have a pretty big negative impact on life – they are not sustainable as an energy source or a life source. They don’t really work in the long-run.

The only true sustainable source of life I can find is an unabashed confidence in the love and care of God. Living out of that confidence and coming to deeply understand how much he really, really likes me, resting in his power and strength and care…that, that is a sustainable life-source. Good life, sustainable life flows from that energy source – from a holy, loving God. I believe it’s heaven on earth.

What sustains you throughout the day? What sustains your life?

Sustainable life – truly fulfilled life – can only come from one place.

John 10:10: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy (your life); I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. – Jesus (emphasis added)