Powerful.

If there is a group of words that are overused in our vocabulary, this one is in the mix. "Love" is overused - we love each other, we love ice cream, we love sunny days. You can probably think of others. For me, it's powerful. It's become powerless to me, lacking in real meaning or descriptive power.

Every church gathering is described as powerful, looking ahead to the next one - "we're excited and expecting a powerful time in the Lord" - and in giving some substance to the previous times - "wasn't that a powerful time last week?" We describe prayer times as powerful, worship times as powerful, conferences and engagements as powerful. It's overuse, to me, has taken away the fullness of that power that we're ascribing to an experience. Everything can't be equally powerful...

On the other hand, what if it wasn't powerful for me? Did I miss something? Probably - but if it's always powerful and I rarely exerience powerful, something's missing somewhere. Or worse, in expecting something powerful next time, do we blame God if it doesn't live up to some prescribed expectation? Can I get off the boat if I don't have the powerful time that was promised in all the advertising?

Right now, when I hear that word, (after I cringe inwardly) I mentally substitute MEANINGFUL. I want to be a part of something meaningful, something transforming, something that makes a difference and an impact on me and the world around me.

Now, that would be powerful.
- posted by Rick @ 14:00