I know that when it comes to emotions/feelings, I am an enigma to my husband. And even though I realize he’ll probably never “get” where I’m coming from, I am still compelled to dump all my feelings on him. After all, as a friend recently pointed out, he has “perfectly shaped ears,” designed, I’m sure, just for listening to me.
So year after year I make him listen to my tales fraught with mean people and difficult situations and just how hard life can be. And a common reply on his part is often, “That’s good for you! It will toughen you up.”
So year after year I’ve been telling myself that I need to toughen up and not be so sensitive – until I rejected that notion and said, “Wait a minute! Why do I have to be tough? God made me a sensitive person, and I’ll cry if I want to.”
Hmmm, maybe a reality check is in order.
God-given emotions are good. We have plenty of biblical examples of people expressing strong emotions – agonizing and weeping over the lost, for example.
God’s will is for us to be molded into the image and likeness of Christ. As we grow up in Christ, our emotions will reflect that growth. No longer slaves to bouts of depression, fits of anger, or spells of self-pity, our Spirit-filled lives will reflect His fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control – and the wonderful emotions that accompany this fruit.
If you are a highly emotional person who feels things deeply and cries easily, rejoice in the knowledge that you are created in the image of an emotional God! At the same time, be willing to surrender any emotions that are not from Him; they will lead only to despair and destruction.
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1–3).
Monday, April 19, 2010
One way, Jesus
In desperation I tried to tell someone important to me about God’s love for her. When she replied, “I’m very spiritual. I try to be a good person, and I hope I’ll go to heaven when I die,” I agreed that she was a good person.
“But,” I asked her, “don’t you want to know that you’ll go to heaven instead of only hoping? The Lord Jesus paid a huge price so you could know that you’re saved.”
“Well,” she replied, “I believe there are many ways to heaven, and Jesus may or may not be one of those ways.”
Now, I knew this woman was raised in the church, so I asked her, “So you don’t think it matters if you believe in Jesus and trust Him as your savior?”
She said no.
To this I sadly responded, “If it doesn’t matter what you believe, if just being a good person is enough to save you, then why did Jesus have to die? You’re saying He wasted His time and gave His life for nothing, because we can get to heaven by our own efforts.”
As disheartening as this conversation was, it’s a sentiment that appears to be more and more prevalent all the time.
With myriad voices telling us so many different things to believe in, it’s easy to lose our way and start thinking, “It all sounds good!” But Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27–28).
We don’t want to appear shallow or narrow minded, and we’ve all been taught the importance of “tolerance,” but Jesus said, “I am the way and truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
Having just celebrated Resurrection Sunday, let’s continue to walk in the knowledge that we serve THE living God who redeems us and saves us. … And let’s declare this truth to all those who have gotten confused and lost along the way.
“But,” I asked her, “don’t you want to know that you’ll go to heaven instead of only hoping? The Lord Jesus paid a huge price so you could know that you’re saved.”
“Well,” she replied, “I believe there are many ways to heaven, and Jesus may or may not be one of those ways.”
Now, I knew this woman was raised in the church, so I asked her, “So you don’t think it matters if you believe in Jesus and trust Him as your savior?”
She said no.
To this I sadly responded, “If it doesn’t matter what you believe, if just being a good person is enough to save you, then why did Jesus have to die? You’re saying He wasted His time and gave His life for nothing, because we can get to heaven by our own efforts.”
As disheartening as this conversation was, it’s a sentiment that appears to be more and more prevalent all the time.
With myriad voices telling us so many different things to believe in, it’s easy to lose our way and start thinking, “It all sounds good!” But Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27–28).
We don’t want to appear shallow or narrow minded, and we’ve all been taught the importance of “tolerance,” but Jesus said, “I am the way and truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
Having just celebrated Resurrection Sunday, let’s continue to walk in the knowledge that we serve THE living God who redeems us and saves us. … And let’s declare this truth to all those who have gotten confused and lost along the way.
What to wear
In the television show What Not to Wear, participants allow fashion experts to go through their closets, ridiculing their wardrobes and ultimately throwing away their clothes, all in exchange for the promise of a new wardrobe that will improve their lives by advancing their careers with “the right look.”
Participants sometimes cry when forced to surrender certain items of clothing: “But it’s so comfortable!” they wail. Or, “I love that because I’ve had it for so long,” they moan. Or, “That outfit is a reflection of my personality!” they exclaim.
These participants can’t see what’s obvious to the fashion experts – these clothes are hideous and are hindering their chances of getting ahead in life.
I laugh to think of the fashion experts going through my closet. Would anything in my sorry wardrobe survive their scrutiny? I doubt it.
God’s Word tells us, “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” These attributes of God are compared to garments that we may – or may not – choose to wear, but it is an act of our will. Each day we must choose what to put on.
I realized recently that when I go against THE “fashion expert’s” advice and instead put on indifference, hatred, pride, hard-heartedness and rudeness, I make myself UGLY. Who wants to see me dressed like that? Somebody should just tell me, “Girl, you look awful. Go home and change your clothes!”
Thankfully, my heavenly Father wants to take me on a shopping trip and buy me an entire new wardrobe. I imagine Him saying to me, “My child, I love to see you in compassion,” and “You look beautiful when you wear kindness,” and “Humility is your best color,” and “Gentleness goes so well with everything,” and “Do you know how THIN you look in patience?”
While I still despair each day over my wardrobe when I enter my closet, I’m thankful that God gives me things to wear with lasting beauty and eternal benefits.
Participants sometimes cry when forced to surrender certain items of clothing: “But it’s so comfortable!” they wail. Or, “I love that because I’ve had it for so long,” they moan. Or, “That outfit is a reflection of my personality!” they exclaim.
These participants can’t see what’s obvious to the fashion experts – these clothes are hideous and are hindering their chances of getting ahead in life.
I laugh to think of the fashion experts going through my closet. Would anything in my sorry wardrobe survive their scrutiny? I doubt it.
God’s Word tells us, “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” These attributes of God are compared to garments that we may – or may not – choose to wear, but it is an act of our will. Each day we must choose what to put on.
I realized recently that when I go against THE “fashion expert’s” advice and instead put on indifference, hatred, pride, hard-heartedness and rudeness, I make myself UGLY. Who wants to see me dressed like that? Somebody should just tell me, “Girl, you look awful. Go home and change your clothes!”
Thankfully, my heavenly Father wants to take me on a shopping trip and buy me an entire new wardrobe. I imagine Him saying to me, “My child, I love to see you in compassion,” and “You look beautiful when you wear kindness,” and “Humility is your best color,” and “Gentleness goes so well with everything,” and “Do you know how THIN you look in patience?”
While I still despair each day over my wardrobe when I enter my closet, I’m thankful that God gives me things to wear with lasting beauty and eternal benefits.
Victory ahead
Feeling discouragement beyond anything I’d ever experienced, I couldn’t find the motivation to move beyond the setbacks and disappointments of life – until one day my husband looked sincerely into my eyes and tentatively offered, “It takes no effort at all to lose a football game.”
And then he flinched because he figured I wouldn’t appreciate his sports analogy.
We don’t always speak the same language.
But I didn’t bop him upside the head or even roll my eyes at him. He wasn’t quoting Scripture or telling me, “God doesn’t want you to give up!” but surely God gave him just the right thing to say, because that short and simple statement reached me and helped me get back up and resume the battle that is sometimes life.
With a husband and three sons who are all football fanatics, I’ve watched enough games over the years to genuinely wonder how guys can go out there, get beaten up and utterly exhausted, and keep on playing hard for the entire game even when they’re behind on the scoreboard. What can I learn from these dedicated athletes?
Athletes must have a broader vision, a higher goal, than merely the game at hand. Every battle on the football field is an opportunity to learn and to improve for future games.
We can look only at our current situation and decide it’s too hard, it’s hopeless; or we can look at the bigger picture and say, like Paul, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).
Athletes recognize that they do not play for themselves alone. They are accountable to others and won’t give up for love of their teammates.
We’re not alone in this game of life. Sometime other people need us, and sometimes we need them; but if we give up, we’re no good to anyone.
My husband’s football analogy was especially apt. The qualities required to persevere on the gridiron are the same qualities needed elsewhere in life: farsightedness, accountability, perseverance and love.
As Christians, we will face setbacks and disappointments in life, but it’s so important to leave them behind and “... run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith …" (Hebrews 12: 1–2).
And then he flinched because he figured I wouldn’t appreciate his sports analogy.
We don’t always speak the same language.
But I didn’t bop him upside the head or even roll my eyes at him. He wasn’t quoting Scripture or telling me, “God doesn’t want you to give up!” but surely God gave him just the right thing to say, because that short and simple statement reached me and helped me get back up and resume the battle that is sometimes life.
With a husband and three sons who are all football fanatics, I’ve watched enough games over the years to genuinely wonder how guys can go out there, get beaten up and utterly exhausted, and keep on playing hard for the entire game even when they’re behind on the scoreboard. What can I learn from these dedicated athletes?
Athletes must have a broader vision, a higher goal, than merely the game at hand. Every battle on the football field is an opportunity to learn and to improve for future games.
We can look only at our current situation and decide it’s too hard, it’s hopeless; or we can look at the bigger picture and say, like Paul, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).
Athletes recognize that they do not play for themselves alone. They are accountable to others and won’t give up for love of their teammates.
We’re not alone in this game of life. Sometime other people need us, and sometimes we need them; but if we give up, we’re no good to anyone.
My husband’s football analogy was especially apt. The qualities required to persevere on the gridiron are the same qualities needed elsewhere in life: farsightedness, accountability, perseverance and love.
As Christians, we will face setbacks and disappointments in life, but it’s so important to leave them behind and “... run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith …" (Hebrews 12: 1–2).
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
God of Joy
How often do we think about the fact that God is a God of JOY? Joy is not just a great feeling; it’s an essential part of experiencing an effective Christian walk.
Nehemiah told the Israelites, "The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Neh. 8:10). Strength – mental, physical, emotional or spiritual – is important in all we do. Have you ever noticed that when you approach a task in a negative or sad state of mind, you feel exhausted the entire time you’re working? Now think of the times you were really happy and felt good about what you were doing. Do you remember how exhaustion didn’t hit you until after the project was finished? Joy makes the difference.
Jesus was filled with joy, and He came to share that joy with us. In John 15:11 He said, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” You see, it’s His joy in us that makes our own joy complete. And in John 17:13, he reminded, “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them” (John 17:13). Our God is not stingy when He’s handing out joy! He wants us to have the full measure of His joy – all of it.
When the Holy Spirit was given to us, He became the direct path for us to enter into God’s 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). Seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus and know what it is to experience the kind of joy the world could never understand.
When God is our source of joy, we are infused with His strength. This joy is not something we manufacture ourselves – putting on a happy face and going through the motions. This joy is His gift to those He loves to enable us to walk in His power and victory.
Nehemiah told the Israelites, "The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Neh. 8:10). Strength – mental, physical, emotional or spiritual – is important in all we do. Have you ever noticed that when you approach a task in a negative or sad state of mind, you feel exhausted the entire time you’re working? Now think of the times you were really happy and felt good about what you were doing. Do you remember how exhaustion didn’t hit you until after the project was finished? Joy makes the difference.
Jesus was filled with joy, and He came to share that joy with us. In John 15:11 He said, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” You see, it’s His joy in us that makes our own joy complete. And in John 17:13, he reminded, “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them” (John 17:13). Our God is not stingy when He’s handing out joy! He wants us to have the full measure of His joy – all of it.
When the Holy Spirit was given to us, He became the direct path for us to enter into God’s 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). Seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus and know what it is to experience the kind of joy the world could never understand.
When God is our source of joy, we are infused with His strength. This joy is not something we manufacture ourselves – putting on a happy face and going through the motions. This joy is His gift to those He loves to enable us to walk in His power and victory.
The boss's time
I do freelance work from home, and, depending on how tight a deadline I have, there can be a lot of freedom in setting my own hours. I can get up early, sit down at my computer in my pajamas, and have a lot of work done by noon. Or I can work late into the night and sleep in the next morning. If I have a small project with a loose deadline, I might putz around – an hour here, an hour there – doing other things along with my work throughout the day.
But when I come to work at the Voyageur, I get paid by the hour; therefore, I’m on my boss’s time. I understand that I’m expected to work for every hour I’m paid. I’m accountable for my time, and I do what my boss expects me to do, not whatever I happen to feel like doing – which, quite frankly, some days would be zilch! Doesn’t matter. You gotta work when you’re getting paid.
I got to thinking about how different my life would be if I approached every day with the mindset that I am not on my own time. I’m working for “my Boss,” and need to do whatever tasks He sets before me. What would happen if each day I said, “Okay, Lord, I’m on your time; what would you have me do this day?”
Ephesians 5:15–16 of the Amplified Bible says, “Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people), Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil.”
The days are evil, the time is short, and every day has Kingdom work to be done, whether it’s out in the world or in a prayer closet. Making Jesus the boss each day puts our lives on track to be purposeful and worthy and accurate.
But when I come to work at the Voyageur, I get paid by the hour; therefore, I’m on my boss’s time. I understand that I’m expected to work for every hour I’m paid. I’m accountable for my time, and I do what my boss expects me to do, not whatever I happen to feel like doing – which, quite frankly, some days would be zilch! Doesn’t matter. You gotta work when you’re getting paid.
I got to thinking about how different my life would be if I approached every day with the mindset that I am not on my own time. I’m working for “my Boss,” and need to do whatever tasks He sets before me. What would happen if each day I said, “Okay, Lord, I’m on your time; what would you have me do this day?”
Ephesians 5:15–16 of the Amplified Bible says, “Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people), Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil.”
The days are evil, the time is short, and every day has Kingdom work to be done, whether it’s out in the world or in a prayer closet. Making Jesus the boss each day puts our lives on track to be purposeful and worthy and accurate.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
What About Trust?
Pastor Rick Warren made the following comment in a post on his Facebook page: “Never confuse forgiveness and trust. Forgiveness must be immediate and unconditional. Trust must be re-earned over time.”
I found this especially interesting since I’ve recently been part of an ongoing group discussion on the topic of forgiveness. Someone posed the question, “How do we trust those who continue to sin against us after we’ve forgiven them multiple times for the same type of offense?”
That’s a very good question, and I would never presume to have a pat and easy answer to that question, but as the discussion progressed, this thought occurred to me: The expectation that we can or should be able to trust our fellow human beings should be tempered with the realization that even those most worthy of our trust – those who truly love us and would never want to hurt us – in all likelihood will eventually do something that leaves us feeling hurt or betrayed or just very disappointed, and our trust in them will be compromised. Therefore, while trust is an essential part of any good relationship, maybe we shouldn’t expect to be able to trust others 100 percent.
Now, if we deal with someone who habitually offends, asks forgiveness, and then repeats the offense, our responsibility is to forgive that person every time. The next move? Pray for that person, and trust GOD to deal with whatever underlying issue in his or her life is causing this behavior. And then the next time that person comes along and commits the same old sin against you, trust that your prayers are at work in this person’s life. Trust that God is dealing with the issue and change is on its way.
As I said, I don’t want to sound trite when it comes to an issue that can be complicated and painful, but sometimes we think it’s up to us to “fix” someone else when we need to step back and let God take care of the matter.
So we forgive them, we pray for them, and we get out of the way and let God do what He will.
Psalm 118:8; It is better to trust in the Lord / Than to put confidence in man.
I found this especially interesting since I’ve recently been part of an ongoing group discussion on the topic of forgiveness. Someone posed the question, “How do we trust those who continue to sin against us after we’ve forgiven them multiple times for the same type of offense?”
That’s a very good question, and I would never presume to have a pat and easy answer to that question, but as the discussion progressed, this thought occurred to me: The expectation that we can or should be able to trust our fellow human beings should be tempered with the realization that even those most worthy of our trust – those who truly love us and would never want to hurt us – in all likelihood will eventually do something that leaves us feeling hurt or betrayed or just very disappointed, and our trust in them will be compromised. Therefore, while trust is an essential part of any good relationship, maybe we shouldn’t expect to be able to trust others 100 percent.
Now, if we deal with someone who habitually offends, asks forgiveness, and then repeats the offense, our responsibility is to forgive that person every time. The next move? Pray for that person, and trust GOD to deal with whatever underlying issue in his or her life is causing this behavior. And then the next time that person comes along and commits the same old sin against you, trust that your prayers are at work in this person’s life. Trust that God is dealing with the issue and change is on its way.
As I said, I don’t want to sound trite when it comes to an issue that can be complicated and painful, but sometimes we think it’s up to us to “fix” someone else when we need to step back and let God take care of the matter.
So we forgive them, we pray for them, and we get out of the way and let God do what He will.
Psalm 118:8; It is better to trust in the Lord / Than to put confidence in man.
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