Monday, October 10, 2011

Impostor Syndrome

Sometimes I feel like a fraud.  I know that I'm smart and successful and good at what I do.  But I know it in the abstract and not internally.  I know the truth: I'm lazy, not as good as I know I could be, and am superficially sincere.  

I think it is called "Impostor Syndrome" and I think it hits more people than we realize.  It could be a real psychological disorder and it could be something we all think.  We all may, at different times, feel inferior.  We will feel unqualified.   I struggled with it 2 years ago when I started grad school and I am having those same thoughts now that I'm starting a real, full-time job.  I know I can do this but get thoughts that suggest I should run back to a safe environment, like school.  I am not an impostor, but I feel like an impostor.

Question: 
Is the impostor syndrome bad?  What can we learn from these thoughts and feelings? How do we grow from feelings of inferiority to confidence?  How does the Impostor Syndrome reflect our own fallenness and God's redemptive work in our lives?

Monday, October 3, 2011

Resurrection

I love the Detroit Lions.  You might know that about me, but I needed to clarify.  I love the Detroit Lions.

The last two weeks they have been down 20+ points during their games and have fought back to win.  Down, out, beaten, and perhaps dead?  Two weeks ago, statistically they had a 2% chance of winning their game when they were down 20 at the half to the Vikings.  Yesterday, they had a 1% chance of winning after getting down 24 points to the Cowboys.*

In our terms, they were dead to rights.  Down, out, beaten AND dead.

But someone forgot to tell the Lions.

They won both games.  Surprise.  It's not the same, old Lions, right?  Down, out, beaten, dead, and back alive?

As a fan, I kinda lose hope in the one I love.  I see the death.  I see my hopes dashed, my dreams shattered, and my faith shaken.  And all for a football team.

But they won.  And it kinda makes me want to smile.**

The Lions remind me of Jesus, and we don't even have Tim Tebow....

Read the Bible, specifically John or Mark.  Jesus had some followers, some fans, if you will.  They loved him and lived with him.  They were friends and brothers.  And then Jesus died.  Cue the dashing of hopes, shattering of dreams, and shaking of faith.  All for a friend and leader.  Jesus was down, out, beaten, and dead.

Skip to the end of John or Mark.  Seriously, I give you permission to read the end first.  Jesus isn't dead.  He came back to LIFE.  He had a 0% chance of living again.  0%.  No one dies like he did and comes back to life, even in modern medicine.  Dead.  Now alive.

It kinda makes me want to smile.**



*I read the stats on the NFC North blog, written by Kevin Seifert.
**That was an intentional understatement.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Minnesota Vikings

I went to an NFL game last Sunday with my friend, Ty.  The red-hot Detroit Lions came to Minneapolis to play against the stumbling, bumbling Minnesota Vikings.

First.  NFL.  Game.  Ever.

Some background coming into the game:  The Lions dominated the Bucs and Chiefs in the first 2 weeks of the season.  The Vikings at halftime leads in their first 2 games but lost in the second half.  All signs pointed to a Lions blowout win.

Except someone forgot to tell the Lions.  Like their first two games, the Vikings came out and grabbed a 20 point lead at halftime.  The fans were cheering; the esprit de corps high.  The game was in hand and the Vikes were going to get their first win of the season.

Except someone forgot to tell the Lions.  End of the game score: 26-23, Lions in overtime.

The most surprising thing of the game wasn't that the Lions failed to play in the first half.  It wasn't the second half comeback.  It wasn't Calvin Johnson's mega catch to set up the game-winning field goal.  No, the most surprising thing in the game was the fickle-minded fans who went from cheering to booing in minutes.  My ears rung from cheering and my ears rung from the booing.

Cheering to booing in a matter of minutes.  And back to cheering when they stopped the Lions and scored a tying field goal.

It surprised me.  Just plain surprised me.

It's Matthew 21 and 27; Mark 11 and 15.  The Jews cheer Jesus when the situation is going as they want and boo (clamor for his death!) when the situation reverses itself.

Jews and Viking Fans.

And Us.

Cheering, booing.  Celebrating, complaining.  Running towards Jesus and running away from Jesus.

I guess history is doomed to repeat itself?  Human condition?  Still, surprising.