5 Smooth Stones

I absolutely love David. It doesn’t matter if we are talking about the shepherd boy, entertainer of King Saul, soldier, or King, I just love reading about his progression through both his faith and his life. I would go so far as to say he is one of my spiritual heroes (minus the whole adultery/murder part). God himself found David as a man after His heart.  “But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’” Acts 13:22 (NLT). What an amazing statement. I pray that even through my own mistakes and lapses of judgement, God sees me as someone after His own heart and that will do His will.

I think that as Christians (myself included), we often believe that if we just do what’s right, everything should be smooth sailing. We think that life should be comfortable and easy if we just say and do the right things. The American Christian church is especially guilty of this. We have grown accustom to ease and comfort, so we feel like we must put on a façade of perfection. Social media only fuels this fire because we can portray ourselves any way we want. What a travesty! No one has a perfect life, nor will we. Honestly, I am thankful that things aren’t perfect because if they were we would miss seeing the blessings through our struggles.

The very thought of an easy life actually goes completely against the teachings of Jesus himself. He did say “take up your cross and follow me” (see Matthew 16:24-26). That phrase has become somewhat cliché in our modern society. He was literally saying “take up your instrument of extreme torture and death and follow me”.  This wasn’t some cute cross to hang on the wall. He was essentially saying “be ready for a rough ride but I’m right here beside you”.

If you look at the life of David, that is essentially what he did. He believed that God was with him no matter what he was experiencing. He had a bold faith that he was not afraid to share. So many Christians live incognito in this world. We believe in God but don’t want to be perceived as “different”, so we sacrifice some of our beliefs on the altar of fitting in. David didn’t care about that. Even in the darkest moments of his life when he was literally running for his life, he chose to praise God. He was never afraid to go into danger, because he knew God was with him.

I love the story of David and Goliath for many reasons (see 1 Samuel 17). First, I love when God uses unexpected people to advance His kingdom. I also love that He uses unqualified people to achieve incredible victories. David was a teenage shepherd who had never been near a battlefield, much less encountered a soldier with the skills and stature of Goliath. However, he trusted God so much that he chose to go to battle with the only weapon he knew how to use: a slingshot. He passed up using the King’s own armor because it was far too heavy and he wasn’t used to it. Instead, he went and found 5 smooth stones from a stream and went to battle. Here is what I love that I never thought about until this week; David grabbed 5 stones, God gave him the victory with only 1. Wow! Not only was David underqualified, underage, and under skilled, he was also underprepared with only 5 pieces of ammo. However, God gave the victory to a young man with a willing heart and only needed 1 stone to do it. All David had to do was obey.

So, what is God asking you to do? Even if you feel like David and are underqualified, underage, under skilled, and underprepared, God can use whatever stone you bring to the table. All you have to do is bring it!

Exciting News!

I have been keeping a little bit of a secret over the last couple of days, weeks, months, even a few years. I am about to reveal the secret! Drum roll please........I have officially published a book! This is a project I have been working on for a very long time a little at a time. However, when I officially became a stay-at-home mom last June (something I knew would be a temporary season), I made a hard goal to get it finished. Believe it or not, it has been done for several months but publishing takes time! I am so excited to finally be able to tell the world!

So here is a little background information, in 2009 I hit one of the hardest trials in my life up to that point when I found out I was about to be laid off from a job that I loved. It was absolutely devastating and I really struggled with the prospect of losing my job. I went through a period of really questioning my faith and dealing with depression and hopelessness like I had never experienced before. When the initial shock wore off, I started a journal writing down some of the issues I was working through. That journaling process is the very genesis of my new book Finding God in The Wilderness: Learning to Trust God During Times of Uncertainty. 
In the process of writing this book, I can honestly say that I learned more about the nature of God and about truly trusting in Him regardless of what is happening around me than I ever had before. Finding God in the Wilderness will take you on a journey from the wilderness to the promised land, in hopes of learning from the mistakes of the Israelites. When you find yourself in a wilderness season, it's extremely easy to do just what the Israelites did; grumble, complain, and want to run back to the familiar comfort of the chains you left. Despite your uncertainty and fears, the discomfort of the unknown may be exactly where God wants you to be. We must learn how to trust God in the wilderness.
I would be truly honored if you would check out my new book. If you are reading this blog you can get the book for 10% off here by entering discount code PZ6ZVSQ3 at checkout. If you would rather order from Amazon both paperback and Kindle versions are available here. If you do, please do me a favor and write a quick review and share it with your friends!
I hope and pray that the things that God has taught me through every experience and page within that book, will inspire you to also trust God no matter what you may be going through. 

Who are you, really?

                It’s that time of year again, high school and college graduations are going on nearly every weekend in May and into June. This time of year, I always think back to when I was about to graduate from high school and college, and how smart I was back then. Of course, I say that sarcastically, because looking back now I see how little I knew about life. It’s so easy in your teens, and early twenties to be so sure of your life’s path. We build our identities so much on what we do, who we know, and even what kind of clothes we wear or vehicle we drive.  However, none of those things are eternal. Jobs change, in both expected and unexpected ways, friendships definitely change, and material things go in and out of style and eventually end up worn out and tossed aside.

                So, who are you, really? If all the fancy clothes, “cool” friends, money, and talents were suddenly stripped away from you, what would remain? Are you a person that does whatever it takes to fit in or be admired? Or perhaps are you willing to go into tremendous amounts of debt just to look the part of someone wealthy? Or maybe you are willing to compromise and “fudge” your beliefs a little at work or school because you don’t want to be called a prude? On the other hand, maybe you have a firm set of beliefs and are unwilling to compromise on those just to fit in with the world?

                Those are hard things to think about, because we have such an attachment to status. I know that when I first graduated college, my identity revolved so much around what I did that when I suddenly found out that my location was closing and I was being laid off, I was crushed. It was at that point that I really had to start figuring out who I was, beyond what I did or who I knew. I had to go back to Genesis and realize that I was formed in the very image of God and regardless of who I was or what I did to earn a living. I also had to remember that God had a plan for my life and He wasn’t surprised in the least about the fact that I was being laid off. “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 NLT.

                At that point, my sincere hearts’ desire turned toward walking the path God Himself had laid out for me. I started praying more than I ever had before. I chose to put my focus on one thing: the approval of God Himself. That isn’t an easy task. In the materialistic world we live in, if you don’t run with the right crowd or have the fanciest house on the block, you can sometimes be looked down upon. Although having nice things is not a bad thing, letting those things own us is. It can also be challenging when you are not willing to bend on your morals, I have especially seen this as a teacher when kids are not use to being held to a high standard. It can be lonely at times when it feels like everyone else is just going along with the world. Whatever we do though, we need to focus on doing it as a witness of the gospel. “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 NLT. Whether you are a doctor or a garbage collector, that doesn’t really matter. Each one of us has a great commission from Christ to make disciples of ALL nations (See Matthew 28). We need to have an eternal focus in whatever it is we do for a living. We must have integrity, generosity, love, and honesty no matter what we do for a living. We also must be willing to stick to our morals and beliefs no matter who is trying to convince us to bend “just this once”.  I know that I have fallen short in so many of those areas. However, I pray constantly for God to use me to reach others.

                I pray for all my former students, friends, and relatives who are graduating that your focus would not be on the status of what you do, the money, how much stuff you have, or what others think of you. Rather, I pray that you would work every single day as if God Himself was your ultimate boss (Hint: ultimately, He is). Don’t become a fake person who changes depending on the people they are with. Be the person who, when others are going through a hard time and need a true and honest friend, they seek you out. Congratulations and best wishes to all of you! I can’t wait to see where your life’s journey will take you!

More than a Bumper Sticker

                I received a catalog in the mail the other day from one of my favorite Christian bookstores. I like always like to glance through it when it comes, because they always have such neat home décor. It occurred to me as I was flipping through the pages, that so often we, as Christians, have taken verses and symbols and turned them into nothing more than a cool bumper sticker or cute wall hanging. We throw around verses like Philippians 4:13 (I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me) as if they were nothing more than a cute saying. We walk around with a t-shirt saying, “I can do ALL things”, yet live in a defeated state of mind spewing negativity everywhere we go.

The time has come. It’s time to start living the life we like to give lip service too.  I get tired of saying one thing and doing another, don’t you? Either the Bible is completely true, or it is a fraud. There’s no middle ground. According to 2 Timothy 3:16, ALL scripture is God-breathed, so either it is, or it isn’t. So, if the Bible is true, we are told over and over things like; we are more than conquers (Romans 8:37), don’t worry (Matthew 6:34), and that God is always with us (Deuteronomy 31:6). Why are those promises so hard to believe?

Over the years, especially the last 5 or 6, I have gone through many circumstances where I had to move beyond a bumper sticker faith and really re-assess where I was placing my trust. When things are going smoothly and there are no real challenges, it’s easy to live in a realm of clichés and feel-good quotes, but have no real substance to your faith. However, when unexpected situations occur, or rapid changes happen, you must choose if you are going to step out in faith, or cower back in fear. It’s so easy to default into fear and never be willing to take a chance. Sadly though, the rewards often lie in those places where we are depending on God, not on a comfort zone.

For now, I am choosing to live day by day seeking what it is God has for me. It isn’t easy, and there are many days where I fall into worry, doubt, and fear. However, I know without a shadow of a doubt that God does indeed have a good plan for my life and for my family, and I choose to trust that in the right timing, those promises will come to fruition.

“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the LORD. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” Jeremiah 29:11 NLT.

You’re Slowing the Process

                God’s timing is one of the most frustrating, misunderstood blessings in disguise that we often encounter. We live in such an instant gratification world, that the term long-suffering is a mystery. Like most of you, I absolutely hate waiting on things. I am sometimes so impatient that I have even taken things out of the microwave (yeah, that machine that speeds up the cooking process) before they are ready. When that happens, the process is actually slowed down. Rather than 2 more minutes of cooking, it turns into 2 ½ or 3 more minutes because of my lack of patience.

                My two oldest daughters (2 ½ and 5 years old) live in a phase of slowing down the process. My 2-year-old insists that she can do everything herself. Whether it’s putting on clothes or buckling her car seat, she has to do it. Most of the time I don’t really mind, however, it seems like her biggest tantrums always happen when she wants to do something herself but I know she can’t. It doesn’t matter how logical my reasoning is, in her 2-year-old mind she knows how to do it. Of course, when I let her go ahead and try, it turns into a tantrum because she can’t do it. By the time I settle her down, 15 minutes have passed for a 30 second task. My 5-year-old is the exact same way. She is little miss independent right now and loves to help cook. She wants to dump ingredients and stir them together. At one point, she was helping her dad cook one of his favorite things and decided to jump ahead and not wait for instructions. She ended up dumping half a bag of powdered sugar into the bowl. Thankfully, he was able to get most of it out and it didn’t ruin the whole recipe, but it added about 10 minutes to the process. If she would have just been patient, they could have eaten their snack a lot sooner. 

I think we so often do the same thing in our walk with God. We don’t want to wait on his timing so, like my 2-year-old, we insist on doing it ourselves. We try to force on the pants when both our legs are in the same hole, then wonder why we get so frustrated. Or maybe like my oldest daughter, we are so anxious to get to the end result, we jump ahead and start adding our own ingredients before we know if those ingredients are even in the recipe. When we do that, God not only needs to help us, but he must first undo all the damage we created in the process of doing it ourselves. I struggle so much with not jumping ahead of God’s plan. When I feel called in a certain direction, I want to run and not walk. Yet, we are not always asked to run. Sometimes we are told to wait.  

After Jesus was resurrected, He told his disciples to wait before they went out to preach. I’m sure that they were fired up and ready to go out and save the world, but they had to wait. “And while staying with them He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, He said, ‘you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’” Acts 1:4-5 ESV. They needed the power of the Holy Spirit before they could be truly effective ministers to the nations.

Perhaps in our time of waiting, God is empowering us for the thing that he is calling us to do. Rather than trying to force the hand of God and slowing down the process, maybe it’s time to wait and let Him show us day by day and step by step what we are supposed to do.

Driving Lessons

My daughter recently turned 5 years old. Since then, she has really felt like she is older and can do more things. She just loves helping her dad work outside and in his shop. The weather around here has been absolutely gorgeous lately, and last weekend we went out to help tear down an old fence. Once we got the panels and fence posts taken down, my husband went to go get his little tractor to load them up to haul them over to the place he was stacking them. Of course, my girls wanted to help him because they love riding on the tractor.

                On their way back with the tractor, my husband did something that a lot of daddies do, he let my oldest daughter steer as he was driving. She was so excited, this wasn’t the first time she has steered, but it was the longest amount of time. When she got off she told me that she just got done with her driving lessons and that she knows how to drive now. In the days since, she has told me several times about knowing how to drive and has even started giving me instructions about watching where I’m going when I am driving.

                I started thinking about her driving skills yesterday. It occurred to me that so many of us look at our own lives the same way that she was looking at her knowledge of driving. We think we are in ultimate control of our lives and are “driving”, when really everything we have been given is a blessing. Just like I know, as a parent, that she does not really know how to drive, God knows that regardless of how “in control” we may think we are, ultimately, He is the one in control. Now, that is not to say that He doesn’t give us free will and reign in certain areas of our lives. It does mean, however, that we are just like that little 5-year-old, we may be making those small decisions and slight turns of the wheel, but when we are about to run into a fencepost, God will grab that wheel and course correct if needed. “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.” Proverbs 16:9

                These course corrections may not be easy, but they will always be beneficial. They will also never be contrary to the Bible (so don’t think God is calling you to cheat on your spouse or steal from your employer). Jonah had a course correction in the form of a giant storm, and ended up smelling like fish guts (see Jonah Chapter 1). The Israelites had a course correction in the form of wandering around for 40 years because of their poor decision making skills and lack of trust (see the whole book of Exodus). I had my own course correction, in 2009 when I was laid off from a job I loved. As tough as they are to go through (and I still haven’t learned to love going through course corrections, sometimes I downright hate it), they are always for our benefit. Even in my own situation, I can look back now and see that God was taking me in a different direction for my benefit.

An Introduction to Tom

                I would like you to meet Tom. Now, before you think I am a crazy cat lady and stop reading, hear me out. I am not writing about Tom because I am excited about a new cat. As a matter of fact, if you have been around my house you will know that we have about seven thousand barn cats, so a new cat is no big thing. Actually, Tom is not even my cat.

                As you probably figured out, Tom is, of course, a tom cat. About 6 months ago, he just showed up at our house from who knows where. What makes him special is the story behind the cat.

                When Tom showed up at our house he looked like a body builder on steroids. He was scratched up and looked like he had seen a few fights in his day.  He seemed to have no fears, and has been known to go after the dogs if they try to get too close. We didn’t mind having him around, because living where we do, we want to keep mice and snakes to a minimum, and cats seem to do a good job of that. Because of his mean nature though, we told our girls to stay away from him.

                A strange thing has happened over the last 6 months with Tom. When he first showed up, he was incredible scared of us. He stayed out by the barn and would run and hide every time we came near where he was at. But, over time, he started to get curious. He realized that we weren’t after him so he started getting braver and braver. He started coming closer and closer to the house, until he eventually started sitting on the porch.

                At this point he was still pretty scared of us, and would run off if we acted like we were going to go near to him. We continued to tell the girls to stay away from him because he might scratch or bite them. But I could tell he was changing. Slowly, as he got more brave and trusting of us, I made the first move. I slowly moved over to him and softly pet him on the back. He didn’t attack, but he did run away. Over the next few days he let me pet him a little more. Finally, after realizing I wasn’t going to hurt him, he actually let me pet him for a while.

                He slowly started to get brave with the girls, and now loves to be scratched behind the ears. He has even turned out to be quite the protector. If he feels like our basset hound, Murph, is getting too close he will step in and block him. He is now one of my favorite cats because he just loves being where we are.

                That sweet cat really made me think a lot about how easy it is to judge someone, or something, before we really know them. Growing up I learned, as most of us did, how to pass judgement on others. Whether we judge them because of the family they came from, where they grew up, or what they look like, the majority of people have some pre-conceived notions about other people. I know I do. But, just like that cat, you may not know what a sweet person they may be.

                Over the course of my life, I have had several occasions to learn the value of not judging a book by it’s cover. I have struggled with being judgmental pretty much my whole life, and even today still catch myself. I even debated writing about this, because I do still struggle in this area. But, we are told to confess our sins one to another (See James 5:16).

The first real chance I had to learn the lesson that you can’t always believe your pre-conceived notions and rumors was in the process of getting to know my husband. I was humbled so much when I learned how, under the sometimes rough exterior, this guy was a very thoughtful, intelligent, and caring man of tremendous integrity. That was really the start of the process of re-thinking my judgmental ways.

                After moving to Texas, I started going to a church where, once again, I learned a little more about not jumping on the judgement train too soon. The church had an incredible worship leader who you could tell really had a heart for God. However, one Sunday he dressed a little different than we were used to, and you could see how he was covered in tattoos. I was a little surprised and thought about jumping on the judgements again, but he proceeded to tell us about his past and how he came to Christ. It was such a great story of conversion, I felt terrible about having any negative thoughts.

                The biggest learning experience for me in the area of passing judgement though, has definitely been in my time as a teacher. I have heard so many heartbreaking stories from students who tend to get in trouble at school. More often than not, they simply crave attention and need love from others, they just don't know how to get it.

                We are called to love people. Not just people like us, but ALL people. Jesus himself said “’You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40 NLT.

                Jesus tells us that it is equally important to love God and love others. That love doesn’t mean that we continue to let them live in sin if that’s what is going on. It does, on the other hand, mean that no matter what, we love each other.

                I have definitely not arrived, unfortunately. However, I pray that each day that goes by would teach me to look at people through the eyes of Jesus, rather than through my own.

                “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:3-5 NIV

Distractions

     

 

      One of my absolute favorite things about my short time as stay-at-home mom has been the revival of my personal quiet time.  On a typical day, I get my oldest daughter up and ready to go to school, when she leaves with her dad (who also happens to be the principal at her school), I have a little bit of time before the other two girls get up.  I have cherished that time.  Rather than go back to bed, which can be a temptation, I have tried to use that quiet time to read my Bible, read a devotional, watch some of my favorite preachers that I have recorded, or even write this blog if there is something on my mind.  It has been such a great thing for me spiritually to intentionally take time by myself to immerse in God’s word.  Over the last few months I have gone from doing this as a duty, to actually looking forward to it.  I actually hate to miss it on those days that both of my other girls happen to wake up early.  It’s been kind of funny to me since becoming more intentional about reading my Bible, how many distractions seem to come up. 

“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:3 NIV.  There is nothing that Satan wants more than for us to be distracted when we are spending time learning about God.  This morning was a perfect example.  We just started a new study about the Holy Spirit in my ladies Bible study group.  It is a really great study so far.  I started on the work book last night and was going to continue this morning.  However, for the life of me I could not find a pen that would work.  I tried every pen I could find and none of them would work.  I spent 10-15 minutes on this stupid little problem.  The thought crossed my mind to wait until later to work on it because I was getting frustrated.  However, when that thought came to mind I sensed that the pen issue was just a distraction of the enemy to keep me from doing the study.  So, instead of quitting, I found a pencil instead and sat back down to get to work.  Wouldn’t you know it, the minute I started writing, the lead on my pencil broke.  I actually laughed out loud at this pathetic attempt of the enemy.  I clicked out some new lead and kept going.

It’s so easy to allow life to distract us from pressing into God.  After all, we have a lot of things going on; demands at work, kids needing us, laundry and dishes, bills to pay, and even church events.  We are so busy that it can be easy to skip our time reading our Bibles.  I am so guilty of that.  However, one of the most common questions Christians have is, “how can I hear from God.”  Our first method of hearing from God is by reading His word, the Bible. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV.  If we don’t spend time in the word, we may miss out on what God is trying to tell us.  And don’t be fooled, simply reading to check of the box of your “read through the Bible” list may not give you the same benefit as actually digging into what you are reading and trying to understand it.  For example, when I taught math I would have never just told the kids to just read the chapter and do their work.  They would have been completely lost if I would have done that, and likely would have given up altogether (like many Christians do).  If I did have them read something I would explain it to them as they read.  God does the same thing with us.  He doesn’t want us just to read and then go about our day.  He wants us to allow him to explain through His Holy Spirit what we are reading.  However, if we give into every distraction and never stop long enough to be focused, we are going to miss out on what God is trying to tell us.

I am guilty of giving into the distractions.  Whether its housework, my favorite TV show, social media, my phone, or just plain laziness, I have done it all.  However, I have always benefitted during the times I put all those distractions away and allowed the teacher to explain what I just read.  It’s absolutely amazing how, when you do that, you may even get a fresh perspective on verses that are so familiar that you think you already know everything there is to know about them.  I encourage you, carve out some time in your day to spend letting God reveal to you exactly what He wants to teach you.

Gifts

                I love giving gifts.  I love spending time picking something out for someone I care about.  Several years ago I went through the Love Languages book by Gary Chapman and, no surprise, gifts was one of my top 2 love languages (the other one high up on the list was words of affirmation).  Now before you misunderstand, I am not a high maintenance person who expects fancy expensive gifts from my husband and others.  No, quite the opposite.  I love a simple hand written card, homemade gift, or just when my husband thinks of me and gives me an unexpected Dr. Pepper from the gas station.  The thing I love about gifts is knowing that someone was thinking about me.  I am all about the thought process behind the gift.  However, the emotional side of gift giving can be a hard thing to swallow when I happen to give someone a gift they don’t like or is not exactly what they were hoping for.  Over the years, I have had a few of those gifts that kind of just a flop. 

I remember my first married Christmas when I bought something for my husband that I thought he really wanted, only to get a hesitant “thanks” when he opened it.  Now don’t get me wrong, he did appreciate the gift, however, it wasn’t exactly the brand that he was wanting because I am sometimes too much of a bargain shopper and got him the cheaper version.  The thing you must know is that when it comes to love languages, gifts is one of the lowest for my husband so he doesn’t always think about the back story and thought process behind the gift.  There have been other times when I gave a gift to someone that I had spent a lot of time picking out or making, and never even received a thank you.  That can be frustrating and sometimes can cause disappointment for a person like me.

Matthew 7:9-11 (NLT) says, “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”  This got me to thinking about how often I have not been grateful for the gifts in my life.  How many times in our lives have we received a blessing, maybe a new job we had prayed for, healthy children, or simply a roof over our head and food in our belly, and not given thanks for it?  I know, for me at least, it has been far more often than I care to admit.  I sometimes get my feelings hurt when others are ungrateful, how must it grieve God every single day when we don’t even acknowledge the things He has done for us? We are told “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT). 

God is a wonderful gift giver, although, unlike us as parents sometimes, he gives us exactly what we need and not always what we want.  He is patient with us when we unwrap the gift to simply utter an insincere “thanks”.  He knows how even though it may not look like it, the lost job, missed promotion, or unfulfilled dream, are simply stepping stones to get us to where we are called to be. “Remember what I accomplished in antiquity! Truly I am God, I have no peer; I am God, and there is none like me, who announces the end from the beginning and reveals beforehand what has not yet occurred, who says, ‘My plan will be realized, I will accomplish what I desire,’” Isaiah 46:9-10 (NET).  I love that.  When I get discouraged because of my immediate circumstances, I try to remember that He knows the end from the beginning.  He sees when the right turn I am wanting to take through what looks like a field of beautiful flowers, is actually a steep cliff in just a few feet.  I don’t know about you, but I want to submit to that, be thankful, and trust that He really does have a divine plan for my life.

“For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope. When you call out to me and come to me in prayer, I will hear your prayers. When you seek me in prayer and worship, you will find me available to you. If you seek me with all your heart and soul, I will make myself available to you,’ says the Lord. ‘Then I will reverse your plight and will regather you from all the nations and all the places where I have exiled you,’ says the Lord. ‘I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you.’” Jeremiah 29:11-14 (NET, Emphasis mine).

Mundane Blessings?

    

Throughout the course of a person’s life, we are faced with a series of good times, not so good times, and even the occasional periods where we really aren’t sure if we will make it through. It’s during these different periods of our lives that we also find ourselves in different phases of our Christian walk. There are times when we feel as though God doesn’t care, couldn’t be further from our situation, or perhaps doesn’t even exist. However, we also experience times of extreme closeness and intimacy with God. Why is that? Is God truly far away at times, or do we keep God from being close to us?


When the Israelites left Egypt during the Exodus they were riding high on the miracles they had just seen. They had lived through the Passover, numerous plagues, and had finally, after 400 years of slavery, been set free. To top all of these miracles off they even got to see God part the Red Sea right before their eyes. They could not have possibly felt any closer to God at that time. The Israelites were so on fire for the Lord that as they crossed the Red Sea they even began to sing praises (see Exodus 15:1-18). They were extremely focused and their faith was strengthened. However, as you probably know, that is not the end of the story.


Two and a half months into their wilderness journey (after numerous blessings), they were in the Desert of Sin (ironic name don't you think?). The people began to grumble (not the first time if you read the whole story). They kept talking about how they should have stayed in Egypt because at least there they had all the food they wanted. Like we so many times today do, the minute something gets uncomfortable, we want to quit and go back to the comfort of the way things used to be, even if that means going back into bondage. The gut reaction of the Israelites was not to look to God, who had saved them from the plagues, rescued them from slavery, made it possible to walk on dry land in the middle of the red sea, and had turned bitter water into water that was drinkable (see Exodus 15:25); instead they looked to their circumstances and took their eyes off their provider. How many times have you done that? I know that I have done it more times than I could possibly count, or would honestly care to admit


Why is it that we as humans have such a hard time with change? We get comfortable with where we live and a certain group of friends. We find something we like at a restaurant and never order anything else. We even do this at church. Have you ever tried sitting in a pew where someone else usually sits? Why is that? Do we enjoy monotony? Are we a boring species? I don’t think so at all. I believe that we as humans like to put up walls and form comfort zones. It can be uncomfortable or even hard to move to a new town or start a new job. Because of that we so often find ourselves settling for less than God’s will for us. This applies to every aspect of our lives; from where we work, to who we marry, even to how we treat our physical bodies. Change is hard. No matter how much we know in our head about the benefits, we struggle to break our old, comfortable habits and ways.


Despite the grumbling of the Israelites, God still blessed them as they complained about how hungry they were. What I love about this story is how God chose to do it. Rather than just show them some animals or a fruit tree, he chose to feed them Manna directly from heaven (see Exodus 16:4-5). What an amazing blessing! To ensure that they could only gather enough for one day, any leftovers would actually rot. Talk about “give us this day our daily bread”. I have to be honest though, I struggle with that. I am a worrier by nature and I cannot fault the Israelites for wanting to gather extra Manna each day. Isn’t that just like us as humans, we are focused not just on today, but we are looking at tomorrow. Even if God just finished blessing us, we are worried about 5 years down the road, as if God doesn’t already know about what will happen then as well. The funny thing about God is that he expects us to do that, he knows our nature, he created us after all. If you look at the story of the Israelites, they still tried to gather enough Manna to store for later, however, it served them no purpose because it went bad.


God didn’t stop the Israelites from gathering more than they needed, however, it served them no purpose. It was God’s intention for them to really learn how to trust in him. When we do see blessings happen, we must be careful to not take them for granted. The Israelites had an incredible, daily blessing literally falling from heaven. However, that became routine for them. After all, they had been following a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (see Exodus 13:20-22). They started to take the miraculous for granted and every time they got bored or wanted something different they would grumble and complain. Don’t we do the same thing? I know there have been times when I have followed the exact same pattern as the Israelites. I get in a desperate time of struggling, seek God for his help, and he miraculously comes through for me. However, sometimes the very next day, I am grumbling and complaining again. Why is it that we as humans constantly do that? Why is it so hard to be content and enjoy where we are? Why can’t we take a step back and savor the blessings of the Lord every day?


God’s blessings should never become mundane, but they do. When he blesses us over and over we sometimes come to simply expect it. Just like a spoiled child, we throw a temper tantrum when we don’t get what we want. When I think about my own life, I see that even in myself. I have taken God’s blessings for granted so many times, simply because I have come to expect them. However, just like a child, when I have had to patiently wait, save up, or work hard to get what I have been wanting, I appreciate that blessing so much more. We need to learn how to have that thankful attitude more often. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT) says “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” It’s God’s will that we could learn to be content and thankful no matter we may be going through.

Hard Verse to Swallow

We all know it.  For Christians, it’s probably one of the most familiar things that we have all recited.  I’m referring, of course, to what we call The Lord’s Prayer.  This prayer is the pattern given by Jesus of how we should pray.  It’s found in Matthew 6:9-13 “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’”  I have heard and recited this prayer so many times that it has kind of become something that I mindlessly say without really thinking about it. 

                However, recently this prayer has struck me in a way that is slightly uncomfortable.  In particular the part about “forgive us as we forgive others”.  That’s a scary thing to pray if you happen to hold any unforgiveness.  Do we really want God to forgive us the way that we forgive others?  I can honestly say that until recently, that is not what I wanted.  I had a few people that I secretly harbored unforgiveness for, whether I consciously realized it or not. 

                I love to listen to various podcasts while I am cleaning throughout the day and about a month ago I heard one about unforgiveness.  Since that time, I have really been mulling that over in my mind, and digging into scripture to read more about it.  There are several things that God has to say about forgiving others.  Here are a few verses just as examples:

                 1.       Immediately after the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6, the very next verses say this, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14-15.  These words are in red folks, that means they came from Jesus himself.  Not only are we told to forgive others, we are also told that if we don’t forgive others, God will not forgive us.  That should absolutely terrify us and that alone should inspire us to forgive others.

                 2.       “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’” Matthew 18:21-22.  We are told to forgive continually.  That means even if the same person sins against you time and time again, you still need to forgive them.  That doesn’t mean that we are excusing their action, it means that we are not going to continue to hold it against them. 

a.       Immediately after this verse, Jesus goes on to tell the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.  If you are unfamiliar with this parable I recommend going and reading Matthew 18, but in a nutshell, a man was shown a ton of mercy by a king by being forgiven of a tremendous debt that he could not pay.  He then turned around and demanded payment from someone who owed him a small about but who also could not pay.  Rather than extending the same mercy as he had received, he had that person thrown in prison.  This got back to the King who was not happy.  The king handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he could pay back all he owed.  Jesus ended the parable by saying “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” Matthew 18:35. Have you felt any torture in your life? Maybe there’s someone you need to forgive from your heart.

                 3.       “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 5:23-24.  We are told to reconcile before approaching God.  That’s a pretty big deal.  To me that means that if we want our prayers to be heard, we have got to forgive others. 

The most interesting (and honestly the hardest) thing I have noticed in the last month or two of digging a little deeper, is that we are not told to forgive only if the other person deserves it or if they ask us for forgiveness and pay us back for the damage done.  No, we are simply told to continually forgive others.  This is not dependent on the other person.  It isn’t dependent on if they deserve it.  And it isn’t dependent on if they are even repentant.  Forgiving others doesn’t even always affect others.  However, it does impact us.  If we are not forgiving someone, that person and their actions tend to constantly be in the back of our minds.  We develop hatred and even wish ill on that person.  In severe situations, it may even impact our health.  If we forgive someone it doesn’t excuse that person.  It does, however, release us from the oppression of the sin that person committed against us.  God still tells us, “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’” Romans 12:19.  God is still in charge.  Just like I always tell my daughter when she starts yelling at her sister, “I’m the mommy, you aren’t, if your sister is being bad let me take care of it, not you.”.  God is telling us, “I’m God, you aren’t, if your brother or sister are being bad let me take care of it, not you.”.  Whoever you may need to forgive, I encourage you to sit down and get serious with God and let that burden go.