– Joe Fornear
Sometimes I see my life as all about closing the gap between life as it is and life as I want it to be. 
An “Ideality Gap” is the distance between current reality and the ideal. You see, I have goals – big goals – and when they’re blocked, I’m not happy. I need to get stuff done. I’ve got to make a difference.
Yet it happens over and over. I’m bogged down by seemingly purposeless roadblocks. Then as my ideality gap widens, my agitation increases. My “fixer” gets fired up and compulsions kick in. “Hi, my name is Joe, and I’m a raging workaholic.” Who will set me free from this discontent?
My ideality gap was never wider than back in 2003 while sidelined by Stage IV melanoma. Because I couldn’t work much, I felt doomed to a helpless state of limbo. The option to double down on effort was removed – I was just too weak. Then I learned of a surrender which sets free. That “still, small voice” from that great, wise Lover of my soul spoke once more:
Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep. – Psalm 127:1-2
So I questioned, and still question today, my inner slave driver. “Do you seriously believe you can out-think, out-plan and out-produce the God of the Universe?” After all is said and done and re-done and re-said, He gives to us even in our sleep!
Am I really so important? Does everything depend on me? Could I trust Him to cause the readers of this devo to have a meaningful take away, even if I ended abruptly?
Well, maybe not that abruptly. One final thought – all praise to Him Who sets us free from obsessing over ideality gaps.
