In Greek there are two words used for time. One is kronos. Kronos refers to our chronological time frame. One day is 24 hours, one hour is 60 minutes, and one minute is 60 seconds... You get the point. The second word used for time is kairos. Kairos refers to God's timing and things in kairos time are much more weighted on the content of the moments. For example, if you have to give a presentation or speech, and you are not prepared for it, five minutes can seem like an eternity. But what about the five minutes leading up to that presentation? They fly by a little too fast and seem like seconds. This is kairos. Some moments mean more and have a lasting effect on you. God works in this time frame.
We need to be longing for kairos moments with God. If we listen to the Holy Spirit he can make this happen. God is constantly speaking and we are usually off in chronologicaLand not listening. I can tell you from experience that if we stop listening long enough, God will shake things up. And, when God shakes things up you will be on your knees listening. I don't mean that like God is my big brother and if you pick on me long enough he is going to take you outside and whoop your rear. I mean that like when God speaks you realize how Holy He is and how small you are compared to His Holiness.
Let me tell you a little story of one of these moments in my life. This is probably the biggest one thus far in my life. Setting -I was working as a mechanic for a small city. The job paid really well for a 19 year old. It was a union job and I was making bank! Some other things to point out is that I was leading worship at a small church and dating a girl for about 6 months. So to put it in the terms of a 19 year old I was living the dream. Can you just guess what the focal point of my dream was? Myself. I was living life, looking to better myself.
Without notice everything was ripped right out of my hands. I was laid off from my job. I thought it was a joke, but it wasn't. In the following two weeks I had so many realizations of who I have become. God shook me and I was listening. God showed me glimpses of who He is. This was only the beginning of a transitional point in my life. I lost my job on Friday and by Sunday I spoke (more like wept) in front of the entire congregation. I told them that I wasn't worth leading them into a time of worship. I need to be an example, and I was more like an example of what not to do. The following year I did a lot of listening to God and made big changes in my life. I broke up with my girlfriend and had enrolled in college. That specific year in my life I lived moment to moment and each moment God showed up and showed me more of who He is. In those moments we realize who we really are and if we want to live by God's standards we will make a change.
That was the biggest transition of my life but it was only a year. What was different about it? It was a year that I decided to listen to God. I decided that this life isn't my own and that my decisions need to be aligned with God's vision.
These kairos moments can be big like my year long journey or they can be small moments. The most important thing about them is that we will listen to God and make changes. If we hear God and don't change we will just harden our heart. We need to live for those moments that we encounter God. You will know you've made the right choice when the goal isn't about you. It's all about God and about His people. Don't harden your heart and be selfish. Life to serve God and serve His people!
Matt Brown
I loved how you mentioned that the moments where the Lord showed you more of who he is made you become more like him. That is so awesome :) I can totally see things of the Lord when I see you Matt!
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