Why Connect?

At the Launch, we talk a lot about being God's "sent" people. We are not here to live for ourselfs, but instead, we exist more for everyone around us. But here's a confession: I'm not very good at being "sent". I'm very good at being selfish. I tend to look after me. I tend to do things that will be good for me. Sometimes I realize this and think to myself, "Dang. I've got to be praying more. I'm so focused on myself. I need to connect with God so that I can be more focused on others."
I was having one of these conversations recently (not actually with myself, but with my wife) and I got a bit of a wake up call. Ultimately, I shouldn't be praying just so that I can be more focused on others, but rather, I should be praying in order to stay connected to my God who loves me and gives me life. This is not to say that I don't want to be focused on others- I'm just saying interaction with God is good in itself. It's not supposed to be a means to an end, at least certainly not exclusively. I want to share in the peace and joy of Jesus, AND I want to be a different person because of it.