How do you find comfort? Like a small child with its security blanket, most of us have some activity or some thing that brings us comfort. We’re all familiar with the term “comfort food,” meaning the type of food we eat to make ourselves feel better. Some people find comfort in hot baths, good books, naps, or the company of good friends.
Sooner or later we all need comfort to get through this life.
Experts say the holidays, supposedly a time of celebrating and rejoicing, actually cause many people to experience higher levels of stress and depression. It’s a time we might need to step up our comfort-seeking levels.
This is meant to be a joyful season, but if joy seems to elude you as you go about singing your Christmas carols, consider the line from “God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen” – “O tidings of comfort and joy.”
Comfort and joy are intertwined. If you are in need of comfort, you aren’t experiencing joy.
Sometimes all the hot baths, long novels, soft blankets and crunchy nachos in the world won’t make you feel any better.
Second Corinthians 1:3 tells us that our Lord Jesus Christ is “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.” This is such good news to those in need of His comfort. I think sometimes we forget that He knows, He understands, and He cares about our pain. He is ever ready to minister His peace to us, but we must be ready to receive from Him.
If you’re feeling far from joyful this Christmas season, talk to your Heavenly Father about that. Ask Him to bring you His comfort, to fill you with His peace, and to restore your joy. In faith, receive from Him that which He has promised. Stay close to Him, and all the mayhem around you or any sorrow you may be carrying cannot supersede His comfort.
God rest ye, merry gentlemen – and women!
Showing posts with label 2009. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2009. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
While we were still sinners
When you have lived your entire Christian life with a performance-based mindset, changing your way of thinking can be difficult.
First, let me explain what I mean by performance based. This is the idea that God loves us more when we’re “good” and less when we’re “bad.”
Romans 5:8 explains, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Think about this: Before you even knew God, before you ever loved Him or did one thing to please Him, His love for you was great enough to send Jesus to the cross on your account.
What makes us think we can do anything to make Him love us more?
Perhaps because our experience with human relationships has taught us that there are limits, there are conditions to the love people give us, we expect God to treat us the same way. It’s too difficult to fathom a love so strong that someone would die for us, while at the same time grasping that we could never deserve or earn that love.
Maybe in our attempts to earn God’s love we’re really just building up our own self-esteem. If I can point to all my good works and lack of naughtiness, will you have more admiration and respect for me?
Corrie Ten Boom said that at the end of her life, she didn’t want people to comment about how good she was to God but about how good God was to her. She spent her life in service and sacrifice to her Lord, but her motivation obviously stemmed from a deep sense of gratitude for His love toward her, not a sense of obligation or an attempt to make herself look good.
Striving to be good enough will not bring you closer to God.
A life spent contemplating God’s great love leads to thankfulness, which leads to obedience, which leads to a deep abiding faith, which leads to godliness, not of our own efforts but born out of our relationship with Him.
First, let me explain what I mean by performance based. This is the idea that God loves us more when we’re “good” and less when we’re “bad.”
Romans 5:8 explains, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Think about this: Before you even knew God, before you ever loved Him or did one thing to please Him, His love for you was great enough to send Jesus to the cross on your account.
What makes us think we can do anything to make Him love us more?
Perhaps because our experience with human relationships has taught us that there are limits, there are conditions to the love people give us, we expect God to treat us the same way. It’s too difficult to fathom a love so strong that someone would die for us, while at the same time grasping that we could never deserve or earn that love.
Maybe in our attempts to earn God’s love we’re really just building up our own self-esteem. If I can point to all my good works and lack of naughtiness, will you have more admiration and respect for me?
Corrie Ten Boom said that at the end of her life, she didn’t want people to comment about how good she was to God but about how good God was to her. She spent her life in service and sacrifice to her Lord, but her motivation obviously stemmed from a deep sense of gratitude for His love toward her, not a sense of obligation or an attempt to make herself look good.
Striving to be good enough will not bring you closer to God.
A life spent contemplating God’s great love leads to thankfulness, which leads to obedience, which leads to a deep abiding faith, which leads to godliness, not of our own efforts but born out of our relationship with Him.
Thanks in all things
This Thanksgiving, how many of you will participate in the tradition of going around the table taking turns sharing what you’re thankful for?
Our family has done this a few times in the past, and typically you’ll hear such things as, “I’m thankful for my family”; “I’m thankful for my home”; “I’m thankful for my country”; “I’m thankful for all this good food!”
Oh yes, of course we are (and should be!) thankful for these things. We are blessed in myriad ways. I can never thank God enough for my family, my home, and all the rest.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Years ago when I first read this, I thought it meant I was supposed to be thankful for everything, and quite frankly, I found that a little hard to swallow. Thankful for everything?
“I’m thankful I have cancer,” “I’m thankful my marriage is falling apart,”’ and “I’m thankful my child is on drugs,” seem like ridiculous statements. And they are ridiculous!
1 Thessalonians 5:18 doesn’t tell us to be thankful for everything. Not everything that happens is God’s will or God’s best for us. (Are you going to thank God for something the enemy doled out while we weren’t paying attention?)
No, the passage instructs us to give thanks in all circumstances.
Paul wrote this exhortation to a young church facing persecution. He knew that when faced with hardships and trials, expressing gratitude to the God who saves us and blesses us would be a powerful tool to build us up in our faith and to help us stand strong in the face of the enemy.
There have been plenty of times I have been in situations for which I was not thankful. But placed against the backdrop of God’s all-surpassing faithfulness, goodness and greatness, the situation dimmed in comparison.
For this, I can always be thankful.
Our family has done this a few times in the past, and typically you’ll hear such things as, “I’m thankful for my family”; “I’m thankful for my home”; “I’m thankful for my country”; “I’m thankful for all this good food!”
Oh yes, of course we are (and should be!) thankful for these things. We are blessed in myriad ways. I can never thank God enough for my family, my home, and all the rest.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Years ago when I first read this, I thought it meant I was supposed to be thankful for everything, and quite frankly, I found that a little hard to swallow. Thankful for everything?
“I’m thankful I have cancer,” “I’m thankful my marriage is falling apart,”’ and “I’m thankful my child is on drugs,” seem like ridiculous statements. And they are ridiculous!
1 Thessalonians 5:18 doesn’t tell us to be thankful for everything. Not everything that happens is God’s will or God’s best for us. (Are you going to thank God for something the enemy doled out while we weren’t paying attention?)
No, the passage instructs us to give thanks in all circumstances.
Paul wrote this exhortation to a young church facing persecution. He knew that when faced with hardships and trials, expressing gratitude to the God who saves us and blesses us would be a powerful tool to build us up in our faith and to help us stand strong in the face of the enemy.
There have been plenty of times I have been in situations for which I was not thankful. But placed against the backdrop of God’s all-surpassing faithfulness, goodness and greatness, the situation dimmed in comparison.
For this, I can always be thankful.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
All This and Coffee Too
Readers who communicate electronically will most likely identify with lists of questions we receive in order to let others “get to know us better.” Like you, I’m often called upon to respond to such questionnaires. Recently, in answer to the question “What is the one thing you cannot live without?” I replied “COFFEE!”
I was joking of course. My life would not cease to exist if I never had another cup of coffee (maybe), but do you ever stop to ponder what you can and cannot live without?
Aside from the obvious – we all need food, clothing, shelter, etc. – what do we need?
In the tenth chapter of Luke, Jesus told Martha that her sister Mary understood the one thing that was needful. While Martha worried about making sure everything was taken care of and tending to many details, Mary demonstrated her faith by sitting at the Lord’s feet learning all she could from Him. She forgot about everything else that “needed” her attention when she was in His presence.
Matthew 6 talks about the things we need in this life and makes it clear our Heavenly Father knows we need these things (Mat. 6:32), but once again we’re reminded that only one thing is needful. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Mat. 6:33).
I return to this topic again and again, because most of us (including me) can’t seem to hang on to the knowledge that we need God. We need to seek Him and to know Him. We need to put everything else aside and label it “rubbish.” We need to sit attentively at His feet, willing to learn from Him and receive everything He has to give us.
And then, He promises us, we will have everything else we need – like coffee.
I was joking of course. My life would not cease to exist if I never had another cup of coffee (maybe), but do you ever stop to ponder what you can and cannot live without?
Aside from the obvious – we all need food, clothing, shelter, etc. – what do we need?
In the tenth chapter of Luke, Jesus told Martha that her sister Mary understood the one thing that was needful. While Martha worried about making sure everything was taken care of and tending to many details, Mary demonstrated her faith by sitting at the Lord’s feet learning all she could from Him. She forgot about everything else that “needed” her attention when she was in His presence.
Matthew 6 talks about the things we need in this life and makes it clear our Heavenly Father knows we need these things (Mat. 6:32), but once again we’re reminded that only one thing is needful. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Mat. 6:33).
I return to this topic again and again, because most of us (including me) can’t seem to hang on to the knowledge that we need God. We need to seek Him and to know Him. We need to put everything else aside and label it “rubbish.” We need to sit attentively at His feet, willing to learn from Him and receive everything He has to give us.
And then, He promises us, we will have everything else we need – like coffee.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Hangin' with the kids
As I write this column Sunday evening, I’m very tired. My kids were around this weekend, and I let them keep me up far too late. Even though I knew I’d suffer for it the next day, I couldn’t pull myself away from them as long as they wanted (or were willing) to spend time with me. I love to hear their stories, whether they’re reminiscing about their childhoods or filling me in on what they’re doing now. Even if we’re only watching a movie together, I love being in the same room with them, having them near by.
I would feel bad if my children came to see me only out of a sense of obligation. I hope that they want to spend time with me.
If I as an earthly parent delight that much in my children’s company, imagine how much our perfect heavenly father delights to spend time with us.
This is a point I think most of us tend to forget. We think of our “obligations” as Christians: I should go to church; I should pray; I should read my Bible, and so forth. We forget that God is our Father, and He very much wants to spend time with us. (1 John 3:1a; “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!”)
The God of the Universe has brought us into an intimate, parent-child relationship with Himself! Perhaps because it’s such an immense thing to grasp, we’re always losing sight of it and need to be reminded.
As children we learned “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so” – a simple yet profound truth that we tend to forget as adults.
Let’s be sure to nurture that relationship with our heavenly Father, because it is the most fulfilling bond we’ll ever experience.
I would feel bad if my children came to see me only out of a sense of obligation. I hope that they want to spend time with me.
If I as an earthly parent delight that much in my children’s company, imagine how much our perfect heavenly father delights to spend time with us.
This is a point I think most of us tend to forget. We think of our “obligations” as Christians: I should go to church; I should pray; I should read my Bible, and so forth. We forget that God is our Father, and He very much wants to spend time with us. (1 John 3:1a; “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!”)
The God of the Universe has brought us into an intimate, parent-child relationship with Himself! Perhaps because it’s such an immense thing to grasp, we’re always losing sight of it and need to be reminded.
As children we learned “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so” – a simple yet profound truth that we tend to forget as adults.
Let’s be sure to nurture that relationship with our heavenly Father, because it is the most fulfilling bond we’ll ever experience.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Letting go
Ephesians 4:32; Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
You want a guaranteed way to get yourself all fired up and angry? Just start thinking about all the things people should be doing for you that they aren’t – the ways they should be encouraging you, the ways they should be helping you, the ways they should be letting you know that they care about you.
Go ahead, try it. Don’t make excuses for them. Don’t remind yourself of their many respons-ibilities. Don’t think about the times they have been there for you (concentrate only on their failures!), and whatever you do, don’t you dare think for one minute about the times you may have let them down.
Good job. By now you ought to be boiling mad. You might even be crying because you’re just so hurt by how people disappoint you!
Are we having fun yet?
It’s a fact of life – people will let us down. Sadly, I’m sure I’ve disappointed everyone in a hundred ways. I’m thankful for those who bear patiently with me and forgive my many shortcomings.
Sometimes I’m not so forgiving of others. I can mull a grievance to death, working myself into a state of pathetic self-pity until I’m unfit to be around other humans. I need to let go of these things.
When I’m disappointed in others, I need to remember how much I have been forgiven. In my sorrow over being disappointed by others and being a disappointment to others, there is comfort in knowing that in all these things, somehow, miraculously, I am “accepted in the Beloved” (Eph.
1:6).
My Savior knew that I would fail, and that is why He came to redeem me. And from a heart of gratitude for His great grace, I can extend that grace to those around me.
You want a guaranteed way to get yourself all fired up and angry? Just start thinking about all the things people should be doing for you that they aren’t – the ways they should be encouraging you, the ways they should be helping you, the ways they should be letting you know that they care about you.
Go ahead, try it. Don’t make excuses for them. Don’t remind yourself of their many respons-ibilities. Don’t think about the times they have been there for you (concentrate only on their failures!), and whatever you do, don’t you dare think for one minute about the times you may have let them down.
Good job. By now you ought to be boiling mad. You might even be crying because you’re just so hurt by how people disappoint you!
Are we having fun yet?
It’s a fact of life – people will let us down. Sadly, I’m sure I’ve disappointed everyone in a hundred ways. I’m thankful for those who bear patiently with me and forgive my many shortcomings.
Sometimes I’m not so forgiving of others. I can mull a grievance to death, working myself into a state of pathetic self-pity until I’m unfit to be around other humans. I need to let go of these things.
When I’m disappointed in others, I need to remember how much I have been forgiven. In my sorrow over being disappointed by others and being a disappointment to others, there is comfort in knowing that in all these things, somehow, miraculously, I am “accepted in the Beloved” (Eph.
1:6).
My Savior knew that I would fail, and that is why He came to redeem me. And from a heart of gratitude for His great grace, I can extend that grace to those around me.
His strength, my joy
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13, NIV).
I have a naturally cheerful disposition. My dad told me I was born smiling! I don’t know about that, but throughout my life people have questioned how I can be so happy – some have questioned whether that happiness is sincere.
The truth is, in my younger years, I sometimes hid beneath my happy exterior when I was actually miserable on the inside. I wanted people to like me and believed in the saying, “Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and you cry alone.”
After I came to know the Lord, I discovered there was more to being happy than a smiling face and a cheerful exterior. I discovered that, laughing or crying, I was never alone. I found a friend with whom no pretenses were necessary because He loved me unconditionally. And in that acceptance, I found a kind of inner joy that strengthened me and allowed me to be genuine with others – and to be genuinely happy.
There is a song that says, “This happy face that I’m wearing, you know Jesus put it there to stay. And since the world didn’t give it to me, I said the world can’t take it away.”
What is it in your life right now that’s stealing your joy? What is that thing, that person, that situation, that memory of which you cannot let go that will not allow you to experience joy?
If our hope and trust is in the world, happiness will come and go, depending on our circum-stances – and may elude us altogether. But if our hope is in the Lord, even though hard times will come and there will be times of sorrow and pain, there’s an inner joy that can’t be corrupted by whatever may be taking place in the world around us.
Our God is a God of great joy, and His joy is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10).
I have a naturally cheerful disposition. My dad told me I was born smiling! I don’t know about that, but throughout my life people have questioned how I can be so happy – some have questioned whether that happiness is sincere.
The truth is, in my younger years, I sometimes hid beneath my happy exterior when I was actually miserable on the inside. I wanted people to like me and believed in the saying, “Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and you cry alone.”
After I came to know the Lord, I discovered there was more to being happy than a smiling face and a cheerful exterior. I discovered that, laughing or crying, I was never alone. I found a friend with whom no pretenses were necessary because He loved me unconditionally. And in that acceptance, I found a kind of inner joy that strengthened me and allowed me to be genuine with others – and to be genuinely happy.
There is a song that says, “This happy face that I’m wearing, you know Jesus put it there to stay. And since the world didn’t give it to me, I said the world can’t take it away.”
What is it in your life right now that’s stealing your joy? What is that thing, that person, that situation, that memory of which you cannot let go that will not allow you to experience joy?
If our hope and trust is in the world, happiness will come and go, depending on our circum-stances – and may elude us altogether. But if our hope is in the Lord, even though hard times will come and there will be times of sorrow and pain, there’s an inner joy that can’t be corrupted by whatever may be taking place in the world around us.
Our God is a God of great joy, and His joy is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10).
Mind of the carpenter
“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious – the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies” (Phil 4:8–9 MSG).
My oldest son is a carpenter, and the unfinished basement of our home drives him crazy! He’s forever on our case to buy the materials to finish off the basement. “After all,” he reminds us, “the labor would be free!” My husband and I keep patiently reasserting that even with free labor, one still needs the money to purchase the required supplies, and we simply do not have the funds.
One day he made an astute observation: “You know, Mom and Dad, the worst part about not finishing off your basement, is that you’re not using that space, and unused space very easily becomes a dumping grounds.”
Yes, he was referring to the massive accumulation of “stuff” down there that has gotten totally out of hand. If ever there’s something we don’t know what to do with, we just “put it in the basement.” But if we were using that space (a family/rec. room, bedrooms and a bathroom – all complete with closets/storage areas), things would be put away or thrown away, not just left to take up unused space.
It’s the same way with our minds. Perhaps you’ve heard “An idle brain is the devil’s workshop.” We’re called to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5b) and to fill our minds with His thoughts (Phil. 4:8).
If we let our thoughts simply wander where they will, the devil will gladly start throwing all kinds of junk in our space. He’s going to stir up strife among loved ones. He’s going to make us feel worthless and miserable. He’s going to put all kinds of thoughts in our heads that do not belong there and would not be there if we were filling our minds with God’s thoughts.
Start paying attention to your thoughts. Jesus said, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10, NLT).
Do your thoughts depress you or lead you to anger, frustration, or anxiety? Those thoughts are not coming from our Lord. He said He wants you to have “a rich and satisfying life.”
Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith (Heb. 12:2). He’s our finish carpenter! See what happens when you give Him your thoughts and let Him transform your mind from an unfinished, cluttered mess to one of beauty and order.
My oldest son is a carpenter, and the unfinished basement of our home drives him crazy! He’s forever on our case to buy the materials to finish off the basement. “After all,” he reminds us, “the labor would be free!” My husband and I keep patiently reasserting that even with free labor, one still needs the money to purchase the required supplies, and we simply do not have the funds.
One day he made an astute observation: “You know, Mom and Dad, the worst part about not finishing off your basement, is that you’re not using that space, and unused space very easily becomes a dumping grounds.”
Yes, he was referring to the massive accumulation of “stuff” down there that has gotten totally out of hand. If ever there’s something we don’t know what to do with, we just “put it in the basement.” But if we were using that space (a family/rec. room, bedrooms and a bathroom – all complete with closets/storage areas), things would be put away or thrown away, not just left to take up unused space.
It’s the same way with our minds. Perhaps you’ve heard “An idle brain is the devil’s workshop.” We’re called to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5b) and to fill our minds with His thoughts (Phil. 4:8).
If we let our thoughts simply wander where they will, the devil will gladly start throwing all kinds of junk in our space. He’s going to stir up strife among loved ones. He’s going to make us feel worthless and miserable. He’s going to put all kinds of thoughts in our heads that do not belong there and would not be there if we were filling our minds with God’s thoughts.
Start paying attention to your thoughts. Jesus said, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10, NLT).
Do your thoughts depress you or lead you to anger, frustration, or anxiety? Those thoughts are not coming from our Lord. He said He wants you to have “a rich and satisfying life.”
Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith (Heb. 12:2). He’s our finish carpenter! See what happens when you give Him your thoughts and let Him transform your mind from an unfinished, cluttered mess to one of beauty and order.
Screwtape is alive and well
My son had the most interesting writing assignment in college last spring. His task was to write three letters in the form of C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters. If you haven’t read the book, it’s a series of letters from a demon named Screwtape to his nephew and apprentice Wormwood. As an underling demon, it’s Wormwood’s task to steal a young man’s soul from “the Enemy” (i.e., God) through the use of deception (which after all is Satan’s only true weapon).
In Screwtape’s letters to Wormwood, he provides instruction, advice, and correction as his nephew badgers the Christian, sometimes making progress, but mostly losing ground. Among other things, Screwtape advises Wormwood to use “jargon, not argument” to keep the young man from “the Church.”
I thought of this recently when, after an especially good church service, a friend and I were sharing our excitement over the morning’s events. It turned out that both of us had thought seriously of staying home that morning. She was exhausted after a sleepless night, and I had a child heading back to college and kind of wanted to hang around home to see her off.
Had we mindlessly given into those urges to stay home, we would have missed an awesome morning in God’s presence that blessed and strengthened us spiritually!
I said to her, “Don’t you suppose some little imps are getting chewed out right now because they failed to convince us to stay home?”
She laughingly agreed, “Yes, the head demon is probably saying, ‘You told her she was too tired to go to church? That’s the best you could come up with? You gotta do better than that!’”
While we had fun with the analogy between The Screwtape Letters and our experience, it really is important to remember that we do have an enemy who seeks to “kill, steal, and destroy” (John 10:10).
Any time God is doing something good in your life, don’t be surprised by the stumbling blocks that “suddenly appear.” Do you think the enemy wants you to do anything that’s going to further your walk with the Lord? Of course not!
If you’re moving forward, you’re probably experiencing resistance.
Expect that and know that “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
In Screwtape’s letters to Wormwood, he provides instruction, advice, and correction as his nephew badgers the Christian, sometimes making progress, but mostly losing ground. Among other things, Screwtape advises Wormwood to use “jargon, not argument” to keep the young man from “the Church.”
I thought of this recently when, after an especially good church service, a friend and I were sharing our excitement over the morning’s events. It turned out that both of us had thought seriously of staying home that morning. She was exhausted after a sleepless night, and I had a child heading back to college and kind of wanted to hang around home to see her off.
Had we mindlessly given into those urges to stay home, we would have missed an awesome morning in God’s presence that blessed and strengthened us spiritually!
I said to her, “Don’t you suppose some little imps are getting chewed out right now because they failed to convince us to stay home?”
She laughingly agreed, “Yes, the head demon is probably saying, ‘You told her she was too tired to go to church? That’s the best you could come up with? You gotta do better than that!’”
While we had fun with the analogy between The Screwtape Letters and our experience, it really is important to remember that we do have an enemy who seeks to “kill, steal, and destroy” (John 10:10).
Any time God is doing something good in your life, don’t be surprised by the stumbling blocks that “suddenly appear.” Do you think the enemy wants you to do anything that’s going to further your walk with the Lord? Of course not!
If you’re moving forward, you’re probably experiencing resistance.
Expect that and know that “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
What choice should I make?
What’s your strategy for making decisions when there is no clear wrong or right answer?
We’ve all been there: Should I buy a different car, or fix the one I have? Should I take that job, or stay where I am? Should I marry the person I’m dating, or should I keep looking?
Decision making can be tough, and if you’re one who desires to be in God’s will for every area of your life, you might feel frozen, unable to make a decision and move forward, if you’re just not sure what He wants you to do.
You’re wise, of course, to seek the Lord’s counsel. As we grow spiritually, we get better at hearing God’s voice and discerning His will in the details of our lives. Here are some things that will help you in the process.
Pray scriptures like Colossians 1:9b, making it personal by putting it in the first person (“Lord, . . .[I] ask that [I] may be filled with the knowledge of [Your] will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding”). Or meditate on verses like James 1:5, and trust God to keep His promise:
“Lord, your Word says, ‘If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.’ So I’m asking for wisdom in this situation, and I trust that Your Word will be fulfilled.”
Continue in prayer and in the Word.
Sometimes you may need to seek counsel from other mature Christians. They can pray with you and help remind you of pertinent Scriptures. God may use them to give you insight you missed on your own.
When you know that there is no “wrong” or “right” choice, but you believe that one choice will bring you closer to God’s perfect will, trust Him to give you complete peace about your ultimate decision.
Finally (although these ideas are hardly all-inclusive), understand that you’re probably going to miss God’s will sometimes (none of us is perfect yet!). But know that He can redeem any situation when you’re genuinely seeking Him: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
We’ve all been there: Should I buy a different car, or fix the one I have? Should I take that job, or stay where I am? Should I marry the person I’m dating, or should I keep looking?
Decision making can be tough, and if you’re one who desires to be in God’s will for every area of your life, you might feel frozen, unable to make a decision and move forward, if you’re just not sure what He wants you to do.
You’re wise, of course, to seek the Lord’s counsel. As we grow spiritually, we get better at hearing God’s voice and discerning His will in the details of our lives. Here are some things that will help you in the process.
Pray scriptures like Colossians 1:9b, making it personal by putting it in the first person (“Lord, . . .[I] ask that [I] may be filled with the knowledge of [Your] will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding”). Or meditate on verses like James 1:5, and trust God to keep His promise:
“Lord, your Word says, ‘If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.’ So I’m asking for wisdom in this situation, and I trust that Your Word will be fulfilled.”
Continue in prayer and in the Word.
Sometimes you may need to seek counsel from other mature Christians. They can pray with you and help remind you of pertinent Scriptures. God may use them to give you insight you missed on your own.
When you know that there is no “wrong” or “right” choice, but you believe that one choice will bring you closer to God’s perfect will, trust Him to give you complete peace about your ultimate decision.
Finally (although these ideas are hardly all-inclusive), understand that you’re probably going to miss God’s will sometimes (none of us is perfect yet!). But know that He can redeem any situation when you’re genuinely seeking Him: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
Enough to satisfy
I don’t know why people make such a fuss about “the empty nest syndrome.” My youngest is leaving for college this week, and it is NO BIG DEAL. I mean, really, what IS the big deal? Kids grow up and leave home all the time. So what?
Oh, who am I trying to kid?
I’ve been doing my best to put her leaving out of my mind. If I don’t think about it, it doesn’t bother me. But now the days are slipping by so quickly; the inevitable is going to come, and it is heartbreaking.
I’ve been trying to focus on the positives: My stuff will stay where I leave it. (She has a tendency to borrow my things and forget to return them.) I’ll have clean bath towels when I need them. (She uses two at a time, and they often get left in her room in the basement.) I’ll be able to see the counter top of the bathroom that she usually uses!
But you know, none of this really matters to me. I’ll take her presence and her company – forgetful, messy ways and all – any day over any of these things.
Pastor Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life Daily Devotional this week calls Christianity a “singing faith.” Why? Because we use God’s gift of music to express our love for Him, but music is also a tool He uses to express His love for us.
As is so often true in my life, God used a song we sang in church this week to help me through this difficult turning point in my life. It’s called “Holy One” by Rush of Fools, and the lyrics reminded me that God lifts me up when I run to Him. He fills me with His love and satisfies every need when I’m abandoned by the world (or by my children!).
There may be some sad days ahead, but I’m going to keep singing that song. I’m going to let God keep reminding me that He is enough to satisfy every need, every heart’s desire.
I hope you have a litany of good Christian music you listen to. Oftentimes the lyrics come right from the Word of God, and He will use that music to strengthen and encourage you.
Oh, who am I trying to kid?
I’ve been doing my best to put her leaving out of my mind. If I don’t think about it, it doesn’t bother me. But now the days are slipping by so quickly; the inevitable is going to come, and it is heartbreaking.
I’ve been trying to focus on the positives: My stuff will stay where I leave it. (She has a tendency to borrow my things and forget to return them.) I’ll have clean bath towels when I need them. (She uses two at a time, and they often get left in her room in the basement.) I’ll be able to see the counter top of the bathroom that she usually uses!
But you know, none of this really matters to me. I’ll take her presence and her company – forgetful, messy ways and all – any day over any of these things.
Pastor Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life Daily Devotional this week calls Christianity a “singing faith.” Why? Because we use God’s gift of music to express our love for Him, but music is also a tool He uses to express His love for us.
As is so often true in my life, God used a song we sang in church this week to help me through this difficult turning point in my life. It’s called “Holy One” by Rush of Fools, and the lyrics reminded me that God lifts me up when I run to Him. He fills me with His love and satisfies every need when I’m abandoned by the world (or by my children!).
There may be some sad days ahead, but I’m going to keep singing that song. I’m going to let God keep reminding me that He is enough to satisfy every need, every heart’s desire.
I hope you have a litany of good Christian music you listen to. Oftentimes the lyrics come right from the Word of God, and He will use that music to strengthen and encourage you.
Reason to praise
Do you need a reason, some inspiration, to praise God? In this week’s Daily Devotional by Pastor Rick Warren, he talks about praising God and reminds us that, “In the Bible, a name was a clue to a person’s character.” He exhorts us to become familiar with the names of God because “Praying the names of God reminds you of who He is and what He has done for you, and that will stir up love in your heart for Him.”
Interesting that in the small study group I belong to, we’ve been using a book called The Prayer That Changes Everything: The Hidden Power of Praising God, by Stormie Omartian who says, “The better we know God, and the more we understand all of who he is, the less we will be able to contain our praise for Him.”
Our first study involved looking up just some of the many names of God, and everyone in the group agreed that this exercise profoundly affected our desire to praise Him. When you read about the many awesome characteristics of God, it truly does stir up your spirit of love for Him.
I want to share just a few verses taken from Stormie’s book that describe who God is. I encourage you to take some time to look up these verses, read them out loud, and make them part of your praise to our Holy God.
NAMES AND ATTRIBUTES OF GOD
He is Good (1 Chronicles 16:34), He is Powerful (1 Corin. 1:24), He is Great (Ps. 86:10), He is Love ( 1 Jn 4:16), He is Wisdom (1 Cor. 1:24), He is Holy (Psalm 22:3–4), He is Patient (Romans 15:5), He is Changeless (Malachi 3:6), He is Merciful (Psalm 116:5), He is Almighty (2 Corin.
6:18), He is Glorious (Exodus 15:11), He is Righteous (Deut. 32:4), He is Just (Isaiah 45:21), He is Grace (John 1:14), He is Majestic (Isaiah 1:14), He is All-Knowing (John 16:30), He is All-Wise (Prov. 3:19–20), He is True (Jeremiah 10:10), He is Pure (1 John 3:3), He is Sinless (1 Peter 2:21–22), He is Radiant (Hebrews 1:3 NIV), He is Faithful (Deut. 7:9), He is Magnificent (Isaiah 28–29 NIV), He is Worthy (Psalm 18:3), He is my Creator (Psalm 139:13 TEV), He is my Redeemer (Isaiah 59–20), He is my Strength (Isaiah 12:2), He is my Truth (John 14:6), He is the Lifter of my Head (Psalm 3:3), He is the All-Sufficient One (2 Cor. 12:9), He is my Savior (Luke 1:47), He is my Hope (Psalm 71:5), He is the Son of God (Luke 1:35), He is my Resurrection (John 11:25).
This is only a small portion of what God tells us about Himself in His Word. I hope you will praise Him and be blessed.
Interesting that in the small study group I belong to, we’ve been using a book called The Prayer That Changes Everything: The Hidden Power of Praising God, by Stormie Omartian who says, “The better we know God, and the more we understand all of who he is, the less we will be able to contain our praise for Him.”
Our first study involved looking up just some of the many names of God, and everyone in the group agreed that this exercise profoundly affected our desire to praise Him. When you read about the many awesome characteristics of God, it truly does stir up your spirit of love for Him.
I want to share just a few verses taken from Stormie’s book that describe who God is. I encourage you to take some time to look up these verses, read them out loud, and make them part of your praise to our Holy God.
NAMES AND ATTRIBUTES OF GOD
He is Good (1 Chronicles 16:34), He is Powerful (1 Corin. 1:24), He is Great (Ps. 86:10), He is Love ( 1 Jn 4:16), He is Wisdom (1 Cor. 1:24), He is Holy (Psalm 22:3–4), He is Patient (Romans 15:5), He is Changeless (Malachi 3:6), He is Merciful (Psalm 116:5), He is Almighty (2 Corin.
6:18), He is Glorious (Exodus 15:11), He is Righteous (Deut. 32:4), He is Just (Isaiah 45:21), He is Grace (John 1:14), He is Majestic (Isaiah 1:14), He is All-Knowing (John 16:30), He is All-Wise (Prov. 3:19–20), He is True (Jeremiah 10:10), He is Pure (1 John 3:3), He is Sinless (1 Peter 2:21–22), He is Radiant (Hebrews 1:3 NIV), He is Faithful (Deut. 7:9), He is Magnificent (Isaiah 28–29 NIV), He is Worthy (Psalm 18:3), He is my Creator (Psalm 139:13 TEV), He is my Redeemer (Isaiah 59–20), He is my Strength (Isaiah 12:2), He is my Truth (John 14:6), He is the Lifter of my Head (Psalm 3:3), He is the All-Sufficient One (2 Cor. 12:9), He is my Savior (Luke 1:47), He is my Hope (Psalm 71:5), He is the Son of God (Luke 1:35), He is my Resurrection (John 11:25).
This is only a small portion of what God tells us about Himself in His Word. I hope you will praise Him and be blessed.
Standing on the promises
“Standing on the promises that cannot fail, / when the howling storms of doubt and fear assail, by the living Word of God I shall prevail, / standing on the promises of God. Standing, standing, / standing on the promises of Christ my Savior; standing, standing, / I’m standing on the promises of God” (by R. Kelso Carter).
If you walk in faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, perhaps you’ve had people say to you on occasion, “Well, I wish I had your faith” – as if it’s something you were born with or inherited or manufactured on your own.
If faith is “the substance of things unknown and the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1), where does faith come from?
Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
I’ve seen Christians who worry about every imagined danger and every possible thing that could go wrong. And I’ve seen Christians “walk through fire” with grace and peace, never giving in to fear. (I’ve been on both ends of that spectrum and everywhere in between!) Our faith, our ability to trust God and act accordingly, comes from the Word of God. If we’re going to stand strong and confident no matter what comes our way, we need to stand on His promises. God has a promise in His Word for every circumstance we might encounter in life. But in order to stand on those promises, we need to know what the promises are.
The more we fill our minds with God’s Word, the stronger and stronger our faith becomes.
If you walk in faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, perhaps you’ve had people say to you on occasion, “Well, I wish I had your faith” – as if it’s something you were born with or inherited or manufactured on your own.
If faith is “the substance of things unknown and the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1), where does faith come from?
Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
I’ve seen Christians who worry about every imagined danger and every possible thing that could go wrong. And I’ve seen Christians “walk through fire” with grace and peace, never giving in to fear. (I’ve been on both ends of that spectrum and everywhere in between!) Our faith, our ability to trust God and act accordingly, comes from the Word of God. If we’re going to stand strong and confident no matter what comes our way, we need to stand on His promises. God has a promise in His Word for every circumstance we might encounter in life. But in order to stand on those promises, we need to know what the promises are.
The more we fill our minds with God’s Word, the stronger and stronger our faith becomes.
Just a little "concerned"
“I’m a mom; it’s my job to worry.”
Sound familiar?
It seems we think worrying is not only our job, it’s our sacred duty!
Maybe subconsciously we believe we can measure our love by the amount we fuss and worry over every little detail of our children’s lives. (Does a lack of worrying show a lack of concern for their well-being?) It’s very easy to fall into the worry trap because it’s such a normal and accepted way of thinking in the world. But you know what? We need to always remember that God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Philippians 4:6 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”
I don’t worry as much as some people I know. This should make me feel better, right? But there’s that “anxious for nothing” clause in there.
Drats, I’m not okay with just a little worry. God does not want us to worry about anything, not even our precious children.
When my firstborn was an infant and grew sick with bronchitis his first winter, I grew sick with worry. A wise person told me, “Don’t worry about your baby. Trust God, He loves your child more than you ever could.” I almost didn’t want to admit it, but I knew in my spirit this was true. I loved my child more than my life, but I could not love him perfectly as God did.
Accepting that truth has given me peace time and time again over the years. When I catch myself worrying about my children (yes, I still do it, although I’ll admit only to “being concerned”), I thank God that He loves my children more than I ever could, and I can trust Him to look out for them.
The verse following Philippians 4:6 (Phil. 4:7) says, “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
When we learn that through “prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,” we can “let [our] requests be made known to God” and trust Him for the outcome, we will experience His peace that “surpasses all understanding.”
God wants His children to walk in peace and confidence, and honestly, isn’t that what we want for our own children?
Sound familiar?
It seems we think worrying is not only our job, it’s our sacred duty!
Maybe subconsciously we believe we can measure our love by the amount we fuss and worry over every little detail of our children’s lives. (Does a lack of worrying show a lack of concern for their well-being?) It’s very easy to fall into the worry trap because it’s such a normal and accepted way of thinking in the world. But you know what? We need to always remember that God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Philippians 4:6 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”
I don’t worry as much as some people I know. This should make me feel better, right? But there’s that “anxious for nothing” clause in there.
Drats, I’m not okay with just a little worry. God does not want us to worry about anything, not even our precious children.
When my firstborn was an infant and grew sick with bronchitis his first winter, I grew sick with worry. A wise person told me, “Don’t worry about your baby. Trust God, He loves your child more than you ever could.” I almost didn’t want to admit it, but I knew in my spirit this was true. I loved my child more than my life, but I could not love him perfectly as God did.
Accepting that truth has given me peace time and time again over the years. When I catch myself worrying about my children (yes, I still do it, although I’ll admit only to “being concerned”), I thank God that He loves my children more than I ever could, and I can trust Him to look out for them.
The verse following Philippians 4:6 (Phil. 4:7) says, “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
When we learn that through “prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,” we can “let [our] requests be made known to God” and trust Him for the outcome, we will experience His peace that “surpasses all understanding.”
God wants His children to walk in peace and confidence, and honestly, isn’t that what we want for our own children?
It's in the Book
Imagine you decide to write your memoirs so that there could never be any confusion about who you are and what you’ve done. And then let’s say that instead of reading what you’ve written about yourself, people who want to learn more about you choose to talk to other people who have never even met you. And since nobody knows what they’re talking about, all kinds of misinformation is being spread about you.
Wouldn’t you get annoyed? Wouldn’t you just want to say, “Read my book if you want to know the truth about me!”
Years ago most of us learned that “God created man in His own image (Genesis 1:27a), but today I see a different trend. I see that we want to create God in our image, to make Him be how we think He should be according to our own personal agenda.
Forsaking God’s Word, the Bible, we are depending on our own feelings and ideas of what God should be like to define who He is and to explain how He operates in the world today. Many people don’t even bother to give the topic enough consideration to form their own ideas. They just adopt what they’ve heard someone else say – maybe in a song, maybe on Oprah. Who knows?
Some people, without having done any research on the topic, say they don’t trust that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. Therefore, they don’t go to His Word to learn about Him. At this point everything becomes subjective. You just choose to believe what you want to believe about God – whatever makes you happy. …
It’s kind of a mess, really.
God wants us to know Him. In Jeremiah 31:3 He proclaims, “I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God. …”
Don’t take someone else’s word for it; go straight to the source and let Him tell you all about Himself. After all, that’s why He gave us the Book!
Wouldn’t you get annoyed? Wouldn’t you just want to say, “Read my book if you want to know the truth about me!”
Years ago most of us learned that “God created man in His own image (Genesis 1:27a), but today I see a different trend. I see that we want to create God in our image, to make Him be how we think He should be according to our own personal agenda.
Forsaking God’s Word, the Bible, we are depending on our own feelings and ideas of what God should be like to define who He is and to explain how He operates in the world today. Many people don’t even bother to give the topic enough consideration to form their own ideas. They just adopt what they’ve heard someone else say – maybe in a song, maybe on Oprah. Who knows?
Some people, without having done any research on the topic, say they don’t trust that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. Therefore, they don’t go to His Word to learn about Him. At this point everything becomes subjective. You just choose to believe what you want to believe about God – whatever makes you happy. …
It’s kind of a mess, really.
God wants us to know Him. In Jeremiah 31:3 He proclaims, “I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God. …”
Don’t take someone else’s word for it; go straight to the source and let Him tell you all about Himself. After all, that’s why He gave us the Book!
Open our eyes
WHAM! The bird slammed into the sliding glass doors of the deck and fell to the ground stunned senseless.
Poor little thing. One minute he’s flying along oblivious to what lies before him; the next he’s blindsided by something he never saw coming.
Some of us go through life this way – never seeing what’s coming, blindsided by the snares the enemy lays in our path. WHAM! We run into the snare and are rendered ineffective for the Gospel. But this is not God’s intention for us.
In Ephesians 1:17–18a, Paul prays “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, . . .”
Paul understood that we needed God to give us supernatural ability to discern things spiritually in order to move forward in our walk with God.
Sometimes we feel “stuck” in our spiritual lives. We’ve come up against an invisible wall and don’t know how to get past it. We think we’ve done what we can, but we’re not moving forward. When this happens, we need to ask God to open the eyes of our spiritual understanding, to help us see clearly the next step He would have us take. And then we need to ask that He would embolden us by His Spirit to take that step, to not resist His direction.
I wonder if the last thing that little bird saw was the shocking reflection of his own face rushing up to meet him. It takes a supernatural gift of God to identify and overcome spiritual barriers (or snares), but it takes an act of our will to seek God, believe for His help, and obey him. If we don’t do this, we set ourselves up to fall right into the enemy’s trap.
Poor little thing. One minute he’s flying along oblivious to what lies before him; the next he’s blindsided by something he never saw coming.
Some of us go through life this way – never seeing what’s coming, blindsided by the snares the enemy lays in our path. WHAM! We run into the snare and are rendered ineffective for the Gospel. But this is not God’s intention for us.
In Ephesians 1:17–18a, Paul prays “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, . . .”
Paul understood that we needed God to give us supernatural ability to discern things spiritually in order to move forward in our walk with God.
Sometimes we feel “stuck” in our spiritual lives. We’ve come up against an invisible wall and don’t know how to get past it. We think we’ve done what we can, but we’re not moving forward. When this happens, we need to ask God to open the eyes of our spiritual understanding, to help us see clearly the next step He would have us take. And then we need to ask that He would embolden us by His Spirit to take that step, to not resist His direction.
I wonder if the last thing that little bird saw was the shocking reflection of his own face rushing up to meet him. It takes a supernatural gift of God to identify and overcome spiritual barriers (or snares), but it takes an act of our will to seek God, believe for His help, and obey him. If we don’t do this, we set ourselves up to fall right into the enemy’s trap.
Turn loose the lion
As a copy editor I literally make a living correcting other people’s mistakes! I make jokes and use my profession as an excuse for a tendency that can really put off people, but I must try hard to curb my compulsion to correct others when I believe they are wrong. I especially try to watch myself when it comes to arguing biblical principles.
Nineteenth century English evangelist and expositor of Scriptures Charles Spurgeon said, “The word of God is like a lion; you don’t have to defend it, you just turn it loose.”
When we hear someone say something that flies in the face of Scripture, is it profitable to get into an argument with them over this, or is it enough to counteract that by simply sharing what the Word says? We need to remember that even Jesus was not always listened to. People chose to reject His message. People chose to reject Him. So we point people to biblical truths, but after that, we need to allow them to choose whether they will receive that Word.
God doesn’t pound us over the head and force us to believe anything about Him. Why do we feel compelled to try to coerce others into accepting our beliefs? Is it really just pride convincing us that we must demonstrate how “right” we are?
Remember Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Turn loose “the lion,” and let it do its work.
Nineteenth century English evangelist and expositor of Scriptures Charles Spurgeon said, “The word of God is like a lion; you don’t have to defend it, you just turn it loose.”
When we hear someone say something that flies in the face of Scripture, is it profitable to get into an argument with them over this, or is it enough to counteract that by simply sharing what the Word says? We need to remember that even Jesus was not always listened to. People chose to reject His message. People chose to reject Him. So we point people to biblical truths, but after that, we need to allow them to choose whether they will receive that Word.
God doesn’t pound us over the head and force us to believe anything about Him. Why do we feel compelled to try to coerce others into accepting our beliefs? Is it really just pride convincing us that we must demonstrate how “right” we are?
Remember Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Turn loose “the lion,” and let it do its work.
Returning the gift
Do you ever have those times where everyone is annoying you, and you think, “If I were God, we’d definitely be having another flood”?
I know that sounds extreme, but sometimes I’m not so good in the patience department. (I really do love people; I’m only talking about “sometimes.”)
One person is annoying me with his crabbiness; another is getting on my nerves with her pushy-ness. That person will not express gratitude for anything; the other one is totally self-centered, and on and on it goes.
What should my attitude be?
Time and time again the Scriptures command us to love one another. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34).
This command would be so much easier if we didn’t have to deal with so many different kinds of people, right?
Nevertheless, our Heavenly Father wants His children to live in harmony: “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose” (Phil. 2:1–2).
The love principle is really pretty simple: we return what we have received. Apart from Jesus I would be guilty of every sin, every fault, I find in others. Have I ever been crabby, pushy, unappreciative, self-centered, or any of the host of faults I find in others? Of course I have. Has God forgiven me every single time I fall short of His perfection? He absolutely has.
Romans 5:8; reminds me that God loved me while I was still a sinner and showed His love by giving me Jesus. Knowing this truth keeps me looking gently upon my fellow human beings.
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you (Eph 4:32).
I know that sounds extreme, but sometimes I’m not so good in the patience department. (I really do love people; I’m only talking about “sometimes.”)
One person is annoying me with his crabbiness; another is getting on my nerves with her pushy-ness. That person will not express gratitude for anything; the other one is totally self-centered, and on and on it goes.
What should my attitude be?
Time and time again the Scriptures command us to love one another. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34).
This command would be so much easier if we didn’t have to deal with so many different kinds of people, right?
Nevertheless, our Heavenly Father wants His children to live in harmony: “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose” (Phil. 2:1–2).
The love principle is really pretty simple: we return what we have received. Apart from Jesus I would be guilty of every sin, every fault, I find in others. Have I ever been crabby, pushy, unappreciative, self-centered, or any of the host of faults I find in others? Of course I have. Has God forgiven me every single time I fall short of His perfection? He absolutely has.
Romans 5:8; reminds me that God loved me while I was still a sinner and showed His love by giving me Jesus. Knowing this truth keeps me looking gently upon my fellow human beings.
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you (Eph 4:32).
Where two or three are gathered
We started meeting in June of 2005. I didn’t know what God had planned. I only felt led to offer an opportunity for women to meet together once a week for Bible study, prayer and fellowship.
I felt ill equipped to handle this task; I knew so little myself. I didn’t want to set myself up as an expert; I just knew a group would need a facilitator to keep things moving smoothly. For awhile, I argued with God, explaining He’d surely picked the wrong person, and there must be someone more qualified than I for such a task. I even wrote out a fairly long list of reasons why I couldn’t do it, and He needed to find someone else. You see, I wanted to part of such a group; I just didn’t want to be the responsible one.
He wasn’t letting me off the hook.
I’ll never forget that first meeting when about five women – Bibles on hand, notebooks open, pens ready – sat with all eyes intently on me, ready to get started, eager to learn. It was intimidating, and scary, and exciting.
Our first topic was prayer. We used the ACTS format (adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication) to start with. I remember our first feeble attempts at adoration – offering praise to God aloud. Some of us had never done that before. I remember when women who never said a word finally began speaking up and joining in the prayer time. It was thrilling.
My intention was for us to meet only that summer. Four years later . . . many have come and gone, but a core group remains that continues to grow and mature in our relationship with the Lord. We’ve learned so much together, and those first awkward prayers now flow freely.
Do you wish you were part of such a group? If you have that desire, I think you can be confident that it’s from the Lord. He wants His children to meet together often (see Acts 2:46)! Is God asking you to initiate a Bible study/prayer group? Like me, you may feel unqualified for the job. That’s OK. It’s best that you not rely on your own strength; you have to rely totally on Him. That will place God directly in charge – exactly where He should be!
I will say, before I began, I checked with the leaders in my church to receive their input and blessing. Accountability is important.
If you believe God is leading you to start a small-group study, talk to your spiritual authority, prayerfully consider how God wants you to proceed, let Him lead you, and follow His direction.
God bless you as you are obedient to Him.
Matthew 18:20; For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.
I felt ill equipped to handle this task; I knew so little myself. I didn’t want to set myself up as an expert; I just knew a group would need a facilitator to keep things moving smoothly. For awhile, I argued with God, explaining He’d surely picked the wrong person, and there must be someone more qualified than I for such a task. I even wrote out a fairly long list of reasons why I couldn’t do it, and He needed to find someone else. You see, I wanted to part of such a group; I just didn’t want to be the responsible one.
He wasn’t letting me off the hook.
I’ll never forget that first meeting when about five women – Bibles on hand, notebooks open, pens ready – sat with all eyes intently on me, ready to get started, eager to learn. It was intimidating, and scary, and exciting.
Our first topic was prayer. We used the ACTS format (adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication) to start with. I remember our first feeble attempts at adoration – offering praise to God aloud. Some of us had never done that before. I remember when women who never said a word finally began speaking up and joining in the prayer time. It was thrilling.
My intention was for us to meet only that summer. Four years later . . . many have come and gone, but a core group remains that continues to grow and mature in our relationship with the Lord. We’ve learned so much together, and those first awkward prayers now flow freely.
Do you wish you were part of such a group? If you have that desire, I think you can be confident that it’s from the Lord. He wants His children to meet together often (see Acts 2:46)! Is God asking you to initiate a Bible study/prayer group? Like me, you may feel unqualified for the job. That’s OK. It’s best that you not rely on your own strength; you have to rely totally on Him. That will place God directly in charge – exactly where He should be!
I will say, before I began, I checked with the leaders in my church to receive their input and blessing. Accountability is important.
If you believe God is leading you to start a small-group study, talk to your spiritual authority, prayerfully consider how God wants you to proceed, let Him lead you, and follow His direction.
God bless you as you are obedient to Him.
Matthew 18:20; For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.
He won't let you fall
When I was a little girl, I loved to climb things: ladders, trees, haystacks. . . .
Seeing how high I could go and looking at the view from above was exhilarating, but getting back down was another story. Climbing down is much scarier than climbing up!
Sometimes I would reach my lofty destination and then freeze, unable to get back down. At times like that, I would start calling for my dad.
I remember my two older brothers yelling up at me, attempting to coax me down. They would try to shame me for being a scaredy-cat, but I stubbornly insisted they “GO GET DAD!” I knew if I just waited, my dad would come and rescue me.
Once Dad got there, he could talk me down one step at a time, and I would jump into his outstretched arms.
I trusted him not to let me fall.
It seems everyone’s frightened by something (or many things). If you watch the news, you’ll find there’s just so much to be scared about. You can be afraid of the swine flu, food poisoning, mold, parasites, cancer, heart failure, terrorist attacks, car accidents, identity theft, losing a loved one, losing your job, losing your only set of car keys . . .
Am I scaring you?
This weekend is Father’s Day. I know not everyone has an earthly father who can help them through life’s scary situations, but remember your heavenly Father is always looking out for you. If you’ll have enough trust to jump into His big arms, He’ll never let you fall.
Seeing how high I could go and looking at the view from above was exhilarating, but getting back down was another story. Climbing down is much scarier than climbing up!
Sometimes I would reach my lofty destination and then freeze, unable to get back down. At times like that, I would start calling for my dad.
I remember my two older brothers yelling up at me, attempting to coax me down. They would try to shame me for being a scaredy-cat, but I stubbornly insisted they “GO GET DAD!” I knew if I just waited, my dad would come and rescue me.
Once Dad got there, he could talk me down one step at a time, and I would jump into his outstretched arms.
I trusted him not to let me fall.
It seems everyone’s frightened by something (or many things). If you watch the news, you’ll find there’s just so much to be scared about. You can be afraid of the swine flu, food poisoning, mold, parasites, cancer, heart failure, terrorist attacks, car accidents, identity theft, losing a loved one, losing your job, losing your only set of car keys . . .
Am I scaring you?
This weekend is Father’s Day. I know not everyone has an earthly father who can help them through life’s scary situations, but remember your heavenly Father is always looking out for you. If you’ll have enough trust to jump into His big arms, He’ll never let you fall.
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