Guiding Light

Therefore, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me—so that I would not become arrogant. I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”~ 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 

 

Life....there will be storms. There will be hail. It will really suck the fun out of existence at times. Anyone who led you to believe that life was easy LIED!!! We get kicked, punched, stabbed in the back, pummeled, and left like roadkill. 

 

There will be times where we will only be able to crawl along because we have been broken.And the biggest lie.........that we believe we are alone in our struggles! If we could handle every situation; if we had the answer to every question; if we were strong enough to make it on our own, we would be boring, alone and so very wrong! 

 

Ever wonder why God allows us to go through so many times of yuck and mess? Perhaps to remind us that we are not self-sufficient; perhaps to get our attention OFF of ourselves; perhaps to help us rely on Him....or all of them. There have been times in my life when I prayed with every ounce of desperation within me for God to "MAKE IT STOP!" and I heard my Grampa's voice remind me "Don't run from Him, run TO Him!" 

 

*When you feel alone, abandoned, as though no one understands...you aren't the first; you aren't the last; and you're not the only one right now.

* When you are so tired of trying that you just want to say, "That's it, I can't do it anymore!" You are not the first; you're not the last; and you're not the only one right now.

* Life is not easy - If it was easy, we'd be SO bored with it.

* Life is not going to go according to our plan - God's plan is far greater than ours every time.

* You are NOT alone! 

 

We are led to believe that admitting we are hurting or struggling is a sign of weakness. Would you rather drown or let someone grab your hand and help you up?

 

God's grace is a gift that is free to us, we cannot earn it, buy it, steal it, or deserve it. God's grace sometimes means letting someone walk with you through the minefield. Sometimes it means someone is there to encourage you and urge you on. Sometimes it means someone sits right with you and lets you cry. 

 

God's gift of grace is sufficient!

Walk Together!

He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:4-5

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt "There is NO WAY I can make it through this"?  I can remember playing Intramural softball,  I got a great hit, the ball went into the outfield, I touched first base, made the turn and felt "POP" in my ankle.  It was when I felt myself falling to the ground that I because aware that I was not the only one who heard it.  By the time I hit the ground, and the pain flooded my body, the opposing team's first baseman was already working to get me on my feet so we could get to the medic (who also served as the undertaker and part time veterinarian in this small town).  This first baseman got my arm around his shoulder and kept telling me "Just lean on me.  We're going to get there." 

Think about it, isn't that what God does for us?  He provides someone, in our time of need, who probably doesn't know exactly how we feel, but understands how THEY felt when they endured a similar situation.  As a matter of fact, it's as if God has a list of people who have endured and are now willing to help. 

Think about everything you have faced and come through.  Have you noticed that God will bring people into your life who are going through something similar?  God doesn't comfort us just so we will be "comfortable."  God comforts us in order that we can be His comforter to others.  As a matter of fact, The Apostle reminds us in Galatians 6:10, "Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith."

When God brings someone into our life that is in need of help that we can provide, they should hear from us, "Lean on me."

Explore!

Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.

Galatians 6:4-5 

 

It's no secret that God loves everyone....yes EVERYONE.  "But what about Charles Manson?  What about Adolf Hitler?  What about people who murder?  But what about....?"  God loves EVERYONE!  Why?  Because God IS Love!  It's who He is.  The simple fact that people choose not to accept His love does not change who He is.

 

Because God loves us so much, He has given us gifts that we need to discover and use for His glory.  When did you discover that you could empathize with those who were hurting?  When did you realize that you actually could relate to the lonely?  What about caring for the heartbroken?  When did you understand those who were broken?  God brings people into our lives that need His love and He uses us to provide that love.

 

Sometimes we have to take time and search deep within ourselves to realize who God has given us a compassion for.  Most of the time, we don't consciously realize that God has called us to minister to a specific group until we look back and find our hearts are full of God's love for them.

 

Think about that. 

What You Can!

“An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds,” they answered. “And then he drew water for us and watered our flocks.”
Exodus 2:19 

Moses was a Prince of Egypt and figured it would be a rather easy task to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.  When he saw an overseer beating an Israelite, he killed the overseer and expected the Israelites would flock to him and declare him a hero.  They didn't.  In fact, when Pharoah found out what he had done, Moses had to get out of Dodge in a hurry.  

Let me ask you something, have you ever had a dream that didn't pan out?  Maybe, like Moses, your dream came crashing down before it ever got its first breath.  It's disappointing, depressing, humiliating, and very humbling to fail.  Moses ran all the way to the land of Midian where he sat down at a well.  After a bit, 7 women came to get water from the well but were chased away by some shepherds.  Moses could have merely watched, maybe even chuckled as these women were chased away from the well.  He could have just sat there stewing in his disappointment and depression.  But he didn't!  Not only did he chase the shepherds away, he also drew water for the women's flocks, not only that...he drew water for the women to take back with them.

Chuck Swindoll said it best "If you can't do the good you would, do the good you can."  God puts us in the places He wants us so we can do the good we can where we are.

I Just Can't Do It Anymore!

I had gotten home, undressed, and was sitting in my recliner when the phone rang.  It had already been one of the most draining days I've ever experienced, and I was mentally, physically and spiritually on EMPTY.  The last thing I wanted to do was talk to anyone else for a while.  I looked at the number and saw it was someone I had been counseling for several years.  With a quick "Jesus, please give me strength and wisdom for this" I answered the phone, "Hey Padre, you got a minute?"  Please don't get me wrong, I love helping people!  I love seeing that "Ah HA" moment when the pieces begin to make sense.

On this particular occasion, I felt weak and washed out, but I knew if I told the caller that I was just to empty to talk, I would most likely undo all of our counseling and my reputation would take a huge hit.  So I asked the caller to give me just a second so I could get to my office (at home).  Again, I silently begged God for the strength and wisdom to give my best to this caller.  I got to my office, closed the door, and for the next two hours had one of the most energizing conversations ever.  We had a great heart to heart deep conversation, and the longer we talked I realized that my weariness had turned into energy.  And, to be honest, some of the answers I provided to the caller's questions, I have NO idea where they came from except God had provided.

Afterwards, God reminded me of how my Pastoral Counseling Professor began each class by telling us "What you do on your own power will exhaust you and leave you feeling defeated.  What you do because you have asked God for help, insight, strength, courage to speak the truth in love, will leave you energized beyond comprehension."  And it's true!  Because when I am at my weakest, the only One I can rely on is God.

Oh Pooh!

"Do not pass by anyone in need, for you may be the hand of God to them."

Proverbs 3:27 

 

My phone rang at 10:17pm.  I was already in bed (yes I'm old like that) and my first reaction to the phone ringing was, "What NOW?"  I was irritated and considered ignoring the call completely.  After a couple more rings, I shook myself awake, gathered my thoughts and answered.  The voice on the other end was a friend of mine, she was crying so hard that her voice was shaking and she said, "I need your help."  After we talked for a bit, it became very clear that my friend really was in a situation where help was needed, not just a quick prayer or a piece of sage wisdom, but a more long-term effort.

 

Now, I will say that I wasn't overly thrilled about the prospect of helping in such a long-term way, but the more I prayed about it, the more insistent God's voice filled my soul, "THIS is one of the reasons I have prepared you for ministry!"  And then, He reminded me of a verse I had learned as a child, "Do not pass by anyone in need, for you may be the hand of God to them."   To be honest, I still struggle with my desire to let my friend endure their struggles on their own and deal with the consequences, but God reminds me over and over "If that were YOU in that situation, would YOU want someone to help?" which is usually followed by "Love your neighbor as you love yourself."  God, as always, makes very valid points because He is ALWAYS right.

 

I have taken a lot of guff from others because of this need to help, but when God shows us how to help, are we really so arrogant and selfish as to tell God, "Nope!  Not gonna do it."?  Let me put it another way, by refusing to help someone in need, how does that support my claim to be a Christian?  How does that shine God's light in the darkness?

Is it inconvenient? Yes!  Is it irritating? At times.  Is it worth it?  Yes!  What if my help is ultimately rejected? That's for God to deal with, my job is to do what is right.

Are You Worried?

For the Lord grants wisdom!
    From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Proverbs 2:6

 

I hate to admit it, but I was fooled and taken advantage of a couple of years back.  I heard of a family in dire straits and sought to help even though I suspected better, nonetheless, I rendered financial assistance only to hear how happy the family was now that they had money to spend on their Christmas gifts.  I freely confess that I was more furious when I heard that, but by then I could not recover the aid that had been rendered.  And it was then God chose to remind me that I should have heeded his prompting instead of jumping in with both feet.

 

God grants us wisdom when we ask for it.  That's His job.  Our job is to listen and heed the wisdom He gives us. God doesn't grant us His wisdom just to have something to do.  He gives us wisdom for our own good.  With God's wisdom we can plan for our own family's well being; we can learn to discern whether a sad tale is truth or a lie.

 

Because I didn't heed God's prompting to take some time to think it through, I AND my family paid the price for the deception.  I'm not saying that we should not help others, please don't think I'm saying that at all.  What I am saying is that I am learning, granted the hard way, to stop-pray-listen-pray-consider-pray-then act.  I also have come to understand that I can't help everyone.  God has blessed me in many ways, but being independently is not one of those blessings. 

We Need To Talk About This!

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
    he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

The righteous person faces many troubles,
    but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.

Psalm 34:18-19

 

There is something we NEED to talk about....it's a topic many are uncomfortable discussing for whatever reason...but we MUST address it.  We NEED to discuss Suicide!  

 

Suicide is an act of desperation; an answer to our dilemma when we have run out of answers; the "final escape" from the emotional, physical, spiritual agony.  Do I believe suicide is a sin? Yes I do, but I also understand why some choose that path.  Do I believe suicide is unforgivable and the one who commits suicide will be denied entry into Heaven? No.  There is only ONE unforgivable sin and suicide isn't it.  Besides nothing, absolutely NOTHING, can separate us from the love of God!

 

There is a common comment I have heard when someone has taken their own life: "They didn't give any indication they were even considering suicide."  We can't always know what is going on in someone else's mind.  We don't always know what someone is facing or struggles they face.  What we can do is remind them, every time we interact with them, that they are a valuable part of our lives and we care about them (Show them, don't just tell them).  Will that always change someone's mind? No.  Sadly, once a person has made the decision, they will usually follow through. Yet sometimes, the simple act of showing them how much they matter will give them that spark of hope they so desperately need.

 

Suicide is devastating for those left to cope with the sudden loss.  But I have a confession to make, having been in the darkness of despair on more than one occasion, and with pistol in hand, my own thoughts were not about abandoning my loved ones.  My thoughts were telling me that my loved ones would be better off without me.  There is a difference and it's called PERSPECTIVE!  If you have never been in the darkness of despair to the point you saw no way out, you cannot understand what it is like there.

 

But there is hope!  And THAT is what I want to get across!  How can we help someone who is considering suicide?  

 

Let's get practical:  

STAY WITH THEM! Don't leave them alone if at all possible!  

LISTEN TO THEM! Let them talk about everything that is going on in their hearts and minds, even if it sounds like gibberish to you, in their minds it makes sense so JUST LISTEN!  

DO NOT JUDGE!  Judgmentalism will not achieve a favorable response!

SPEAK IN SOFT TONES! Believe it or not, your tone of voice does have an effect.  Speak in comforting tones and a soft volume.

DO NOT TOUCH THEM WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION!  Sudden movements (even a hug or a hand on the shoulder) can trigger a disastrous nervous reaction.

REMIND THEM OF THEIR VALUE!  People need to feel valued, they need to know that their lives matter, that THEY matter.  Remind them with specifics ("You matter to me because we are friends and I want us to become better friends."  "You are important to me because every time I see you, a smile is your gift to me.")

OFFER THEM HELP!  Offer to contact someone THEY trust to help them.  Offer to go with them to appointments.  If they are hospitalized make it a point to go see them OFTEN!

 

Suicide is not the escape we may think it is.  But when we look beyond ourselves and reach out to love others a Christ loves us, we CAN make a difference!   

 

"He will not crush the weakest reed
    or put out a flickering candle.
    Finally he will cause justice to be victorious."

-Matthew 12:20

  

There IS A Way Out

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, regarding the affliction that happened to us in the province of Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of living. 

2 Corinthians 1:8

 

This is not a topic many people want to consider, yet it is one of the extremely important because it can help save someone's life...perhaps even yours.

 

We endure a lot every single day, and if we allow it, we will carry it with us until the burden builds up and threatens to destroy us.  Think of it this way, take your every day stress and think of it as a stone.  The bills you have to pay (each one being a stone), the demands of the job (each one is a stone), the expectations of others (each one is a stone), dealing with family matters (each one is a stone), getting the children to all their activities (each one is a stone), keeping your relationships positive and meaningful (each is a stone)...you get the idea.  Now, each stone gets put into a backpack you have to carry everywhere you go, even in the shower, to bed, everywhere.  How long do you think it would take for you to get uncomfortable?  How about until you get overwhelmed?

 

Each stone, in and of itself, isn't that heavy.  Yet when we let them build up and build up without dealing with them, they can become too much fairly quickly.

 

Also consider those who have endured traumatic events and are now haunted by those events and are constantly replaying them in their minds unable to stop them.  The doubts, the questions, the self accusations, the self condemnations that scream in their minds are relentless.  Then add on the regular daily stresses and you can see how this can very quickly become overwhelming.

 

You see, when get overwhelmed, we start to despair.  Despair is the loss of hope.  When we despair, we tend to withdraw into ourselves because we have been trained to believe being overwhelmed is a weakness and if you seek help you are a worthless wuss.  This train of thought needs to stop!  

 

The reason there is help available is because help is needed.  However, if no one knows what's wrong, they cannot help.  

 

This thought of despair came crashing down on me over the weekend when I was informed that someone I knew had surrendered to despair and took his own life.  That should not have happened!  Yet, I now have to accept that it did and I was not able stop it because I had not kept in contact with him.  

 

Here are some things we need to understand:

     1.  We are NOT alone!  No matter what we are enduring, there is always someone else who has also dealt with or is dealing with the same or very similar situation!

     2.  If you can see no way out, reach out for help.  Reaching out is a great step to take!

     3.  Write down what's on your mind. Sometimes just the act of getting the issues out on paper or a Word Document can alleviate some of the stress.

    4.  Stay around other people!  We tend to isolate ourselves when we are feeling overwhelmed.  Keeping around other people can help distract us from sinking into despair.

     5.  Keep breathing!  That may sound silly, but remember life happens to us one breath at a time.  We cannot take more than one breath at a time!

 

Please, and I cannot ask enough, PLEASE reach out for help!   

 

"Weeping may only last the night, but joy comes every morning." - Psalm 30:5 

On The Turning Away

⁴⁶ Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. ⁴⁷ When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁸ “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him.
But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
⁴⁹ When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.”
So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!”  
⁵⁰ Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.
⁵¹ “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked.
“My Rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!”
⁵² And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.

Mark 10:46-52 

 

I've rediscovered a song by Pink Floyd entitled "On The Turning Away" which has a haunting quality that replays itself over and over in my mind.  The more I listened to the lyrics, the more I came to realize that, like so many others before me, I had ignored the suffering of others.  There is one part of the song which says:

Don't accept that what's happening

is just a case of other's suffering

or you'll find that you're

joining in the turning away

 

To say that this pierced me to the very depths of my soul would be the understatement of my life.  To add to this verse, my devotion this morning was about blind Bartimaeus, and the writer asked a very poignant question: "How many people in the lifetime of Bartimaeus turned away from looking at him, deafened his pleas for mercy, and simply ignored him?  How many times in our lifetime to we do the same thing to the Bartimaeus' around us?"

 The punch to my forehead was almost audible!  I also read about a man who carries with him "Peanut Butter Kits" which consist of two loaves of bread, a large jar of peanut butter, and some sturdy plastic utensils.  When he encounters someone begging for food, he gives them a "kit" so they may eat several times.  

I also know of a police deputy who, when he knows he will be transporting someone to jail, will stop and purchase a hamburger, fries and drink.  When his transport is ready to go, the deputy will give them the food.  By the time they reach the jail, the one being transported is docile and cooperative.  And to think, a single act of kindness makes a HUGE difference.

Remember what Jesus asked of Bartimaeus?  "What do you want ME to do for you?"  At this point, Bartimaeus could have said any number of things which would give momentary pleasure.  Instead, he told Jesus, "I want to see."   Think about this, we have eyes yet we choose not to see.  We have ears yet we choose not to listen.  We have means yet we choose not to help.  We have become part of the turning away!  It's time we change that, don't you think?

 

 

Pray For Each Other?

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

James 5:16 

 

Why would James tell us to confess our sins to each other and pray for each other?  Permit me to offer an explanation from "The Gospel According To St. John (me being the St. John)":  I advise all of the new hires for the Sheriff's Department to get to know their coworkers (squads for the deputies).  Why? So you can help each other; so you can know when something is bothering your coworker; so your coworkers will know when something is amiss with you.  

 

I admit it...I'm not comfortable letting people get too close to me right away.  I tend to take this aspect of human relationships fairly slowly.  I do this on purpose: If someone gets to know me quickly then they may be stunned into insanity by what they learn.  The last thing I need is to have to explain why "Dave" is curled up in a corner babbling and drooling.  The other reason is one we can all understand...we've been burned by people whom we have trusted too soon.  

 

Now look at what James is telling us.  Does he REALLY expect me to confess my sins to someone else against whom I have no sin to truly confess?  NO!  What James is saying is that we need to be open and bare with each other.  Let's face it, when we have nothing to hide from each other, we have nothing to fear from each other.  When we have nothing to fear from each other, we are FREE to join together and make a positive difference in this world.

 

Let me ask you something...when was the last time you prayed for someone else?  Was it the generic "Father, be with 'Dave' and bless him in all he does"?  Or did you pray specifically, "Abba, thank you for bring 'Dave' into my life.  You know he is struggling financially with the birth of his daughter and his wife is not strong enough yet to return to work.  Please allow me to be Your servant to them and to show Your love and care to them.  Thank You for their daughter, 'Eileen', and for his bride, 'Barbara', for the joy and happiness they bring each other because of You..."  You see, when we are open with each other, praying specifically for each other is a privilege and an honor.  Not only that, we will ALWAYS have things to talk with God about because there are nothing hidden from each other.

 

Here's my challenge for each of us: Get to know each other so we can pray for each other, care for and about each other, and so we can be of service to each other.  One of my nuggets of advice is this: "If I don't know what's wrong, I can't help you". And guess what?  That means I also won't know how to pray for you!  The only way I can know what's going on with you is if you tell me OR if we are so close to each other with nothing to hide that we can tell when we need to pray for each other, and reach out to each other.

 

Think about that please.

It Ain't Easy!

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.

1 Peter 1:6 

 

I remember, quite well, Army Basic Training.  It was torturous. It was challenging.  It was painful.  I wanted to quit.  It was definitely an endurance test.  And, believe it or not, it was one of the best growing experiences in my life.  I still use many of the skills learned in Basic Training, and while I am grateful for my Drill Instructors, at the time I really wanted them to leave me alone.  You see, Basic Training was trying for everyone, but especially for an introvert like me.  I was promoted midway through and was made Squad Leader which forced me to step out of my comfort zone and be in charge of my Squad.  Each day I prayed for this little slice of torment to be over.The endurance test of Basic Training was 24 hours a day, seven days a week for 8 grueling weeks.  I entered Basic Training at 185 lbs. and graduated 8 weeks later at 127 lbs.  

 

However, before I left for Basic, my recruiter told me that it was going to be "the closest thing to Hell you'll face this side of the dirt."  And he wasn't kidding.  Even though I KNEW ahead of time, I still struggled!  Guess what?  Scripture tells us over and over that on this Earth we will have to endure and even with that knowledge we still struggle, at least I do.  But the thing that keeps me going is knowing that God has promised that He will always be there to help.  The mere fact that, compared to the eternity that awaits, our endurance through the trials of this world are relatively tiny discomforts.

 

When we rely on God, that still doesn't take our stresses and trials away, but we will be given the strength to endure and to endure mightily! 

What Difference Does It Make?

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat well,” but you do not give them what the body needs, what good is it? 

James 2:15-16 

 

One of the biggest criticisms I have heard about Christians is they pray a lot but don't DO much.  And to be honest, that criticism, in some cases, is absolutely correct.  How many times have we heard of someone struggling and our response was "I'll pray for you"?  While praying for someone is always a good thing, wouldn't it be even better if we prayed AND helped that person?  

 

Let's look at this a different way: Suppose you were struggling to provide food for your family after a setback, would it be better for members of the church to come and pray for that family?  Or would it be better to bless the family with groceries?

 

Remember when Jesus fed the 5000?  He met their need and as a result, they listened to Him.  And every time Jesus healed someone, He met their need and, as a result, His message was heard.

 

Remember the Good Samaritan?  The person who had been left for dead was passed over by the religious guys.  It was the Samaritan who came along and met his NEED.  

 

Praying is good!  But God requires us to DO something as well, even if it is to sit with someone while the vent.  There is no reason to ever become a "bookshelf christian" where you look pious and collect dust.  Let us be about following the example of Christ!

What Is Love?

¹⁷ And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.
¹⁸ Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.
1 John 4:17-18

Let me give you a premise:  "We can only love to the degree that we have been loved."

Now, that might sound a bit bizarre and may be difficult to grasp, until we take a little closer look.  If you are like me, for the longest time I thought that I had to love God in order for Him to love me back.  If I did all the right things then God would love me.  If that were the case, love is a reward...not a free gift.  You see love flows FROM God to us, and as a result, we can love to the degree we are loved (although we tend to limit the love we give).

You see, we need to be reminded that God doesn't need us, and we don't have to do anything to please God.  God loves us SO much (even though the stench of our sin is offensive to Him) He sent the Messiah to save us and cleanse us of the sin stink. There is only one Messiah in the world and we aren't it.  Whatever God is going to do in the world, He will do without our help. God is God and we aren't (and aren't you glad you don't have God's job?).

We must allow God to love us, and love us completely!  As a result, increased faith, compassion and love for others, and an obedient heart will follow...but God's love for you HAS to come first.  You see, it is BECAUSE of God's love for us that we can love each other!  

And remember, God's perfect love drives out fear!  Thus, we can love each other, encourage each other, become part of each other without fear!  Let's love others because God's love has filled us to overflowing FIRST!!!    

Have I Messed Up Too Much?

Today, I'm changing the format of today's devotion.  I know, I know, it's change and "change is bad."  Trust me on this.

Have you ever felt as though you had messed up SO badly that even God couldn't possibly have a plan for your life?  Ever been told that you had offended others so much that even God couldn't undo the offense?  Have you ever TRIED to mess up so badly that you thought God couldn't possibly use you to help anyone? 

I admit it.  I have thought all those things, and even more.  And God has proven me wrong over and over.  Not only has He proven me wrong, but more times than not He has proven it in spite of my situation and in spite of me.

Remember Joseph?  His brothers had sold him into slavery, and Joseph found favor with his new boss, Potiphar, who put him in charge of his household.  Now, that would be a great job for Joseph, but Mrs. Potiphar had other ideas.  She got Joseph in trouble and thrown into prison.  Joseph spent a long time in prison and all the while, God was orchestrating EVERYTHING to bring His plan for Joseph to fruition.  Finally, Joseph found favor with Pharoah and was put in charge of the entire land of Egypt second only to Pharoah.  Now Joseph's brothers had come to Egypt to by food due to a famine and there they encountered Joseph.  Long story short, Joseph told his brothers "You meant me harm, BUT God intended it for a good purpose, so He could preserve the lives of many people, as you can see this day" (Genesis 50:20).

Now, Joseph could have told his brothers, "I'm offended by what you did to me and what you said about me. So I'm going to tell my boss and let him deal with you."  But what good would that have done?  We get offended far too easily by far too much.  If we stop for a moment and ask, what GOOD does my hurt feelings do? We would probably realize it would do more GOOD if we decided to seek God's plan for our life FIRST.  Consider this: "Nothing can stop God's plans for your life" - Isaiah 14:22.  Did you catch that?  NOTHING can stop God's plans!  So we have a choice, rejoice that God's plans are unfolding or we can pout, either way God's plans will arrive with or without our approval.

Let me tell you something that I am still learning...I may THINK I have messed up so badly that even God can't turn it around into something good, BUT the truth is I'm not that powerful enough to thwart God's plans.  You see, God takes all the pieces of our broken lives, our screw-ups, the times we try to force our plans on Him, the times when we fell face first in the muck, the times that we thought we were so very important, and He uses them to shape His masterpiece for us.  This is why the Apostle Paul reminds us, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them" - Romans 8:28.  

God is God and we are not!  And aren't you glad.

I Still Struggle!

Even if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts and knows all things.

1 John 3:20 

 

This is rather difficult.  Last year I was diagnosed with PTSD and have been getting counseling for it.  The more I talked with my counselor, the more I realized that, while some of the scenes and situations I have encountered throughout life contributed to my PTSD, my main struggle was in how I dealt with everything.  And to be honest, this has been a struggle for quite some time.  You see, I feel guilty almost all the time, even if I haven't done anything to warrant being guilty.

 

My struggle is that my heart has been faced with so many situations where I have felt helpless that the helplessness has grown into guilt.  And I don't like feeling guilty all the time! 

 

God reminds us through the prophet Jeremiah that: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?"  What does this mean (I'm still learning this in therapy)?  This means that when we rely strictly on our feelings and emotions, we can be fooled!  Our feelings and emotions are prone to manipulation!  Yet the facts cannot be disputed!  

 

Fact: "God is greater than our hearts and knows all things"  God is faithful to hear our cries and He is always ready to forgive us.  Because of this, we have no need to feel guilty unless we have done something for which we need to seek forgiveness.

A Trip To Stuff-Mart

Prideful arrogance leads to conflict; those who heed advice are wise.

Proverbs 13:10

 

We are encouraged to take pride in our appearance, in the work we do, in the way we treat ourselves....but at what point does pride become prideful arrogance?

 

I was strolling around Stuff-Mart the other day when I was approached by a person, shabbily dressed and had a bit of a funk going on, asking if I had any change.  I didn't even bother to check, because I usually don't carry cash, so I brushed her off with a brusque "Sorry no" and kept right on with my mission.  As I wandered through Stuff-Mart, I couldn't shake that image.  Am I better than her?  Had I really become so Pridefully Arrogant that I would look on another human being with disdain?  I was so caught up with this God sent interrogation (I began to understand every so slightly how Job felt when God told him to put on his Big Boy Britches because God was going to ask Job a few questions), that I completely forgot what I had gone to Stuff-Mart to purchase in the first place.

 

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore, I ended up getting some food and other supplies.  Then I went back outside and saw this person slowly trudging away.  I caught up and asked if they had a place to stay, and was told "for now" but all the money had been spend on rent and electricity.  I gave the person all that I had purchased and several phone numbers of groups who might be of help.  The tears shed by this person broke my heart all over again.

 

What have we to feel Pridefully Arrogant about?  Are we truly better than any other human being?

Life.....Driving Me Crazy!!!!

When my heart is overwhelmed, 

lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalm 61:2 

 

If we were to look at all that is going on in your life, job, and mind...what would we discover?  I'm willing we would discover many who are either on the verge of, or already, overwhelmed by everything.  We have quite the balancing act to perform while we are on this Earth.  

 

We have family issues (finances, activities, juggling childcare, clothing, housing, food, transportation, where to we go first for Christmas/Thanksgiving, what do we need to do not to offend the family members, and on and on); 

 

We have job issues (am I doing a good job, will I be able to get promoted, how do I stay out of the gossip/politics, how am I going to afford the new insurance rates, what mood is the boss in today, how can I find time for vacation when I have projects that need my input, does my family come first or does the job, and on and on and on);

 

We have relationship issues (Does he/she like me, have I messed up, he/she ticks me off with her actions/words/inaction/silence, how can we have a relationship with my crazy schedule,  how do I deal with the people who insist on criticizing my very existence, how do I repair this broken relationship or do I even want to, is this relationship good for me or is it creating more stress than it's worth, and on and on);

 

Toss into the mix the daily items of which we have no control (traffic, engine trouble, weather, etc.) and it is amazing that we haven't crawled into a cave to wait it out.  We feel the stress and anxiety mounting with unrelenting progress and the faster we try to keep juggling everything the more frantic we become until we finally just can't take it anymore.

 

What happens when we become overwhelmed?  We begin to doubt our worth.  We begin to feel as though we are a failure.  We lash out at others because they seem to be able to handle the pressure better than we can. Our neck and back muscles  begin to knot and even the chiropractor can't unknot our knots.  Our sleep gets disrupted because our mind won't shut down, OR we can't seem to get enough sleep because we don't want to face the world any longer. Our health begins to decline. And finally, we begin to shut down.

 

So what do we do? Allow me to offer some helps, please note this is not a complete list by any stretch, but hopefully something will offer a bit of relief:

1. TAKE TIME OFF!  I know, you don't believe you have the time to get away, but you do.  So what if the project moves forward without you.  It your health declines because you won't take time to recharge, the project will still move forward without you.
2. FOCUS ON THE IMPORTANT! If your home life is in turmoil, it will bleed into your work which will cause your work to suffer.  God provided you a family for a reason, embrace them.  Make them your place of refuge!  If you are dating, your relationship status will take a toll on your performance in every other aspect of your life.  Therefore, if the relationship is building you up and making your WHOLE life better, good.  If you are left constantly wondering if this is going to work out....walk away.
3.  Take Care of YOU!  God only gave the universe ONE you!  You are the only you EVER!  Therefore, take care of you...your health, your sleep, your life, your everything.  Remember, the same God who keeps the seas from enveloping the world is the same God who holds you in His hand and knows how many hairs you have.
4. Learn To Let Go! "Life is simple, it is we who complicate it."  I love The Big Bang Theory!  There are many wonderful quotes from that program, but my favorite is from Sheldon "Life is simply the breathing, taking in nourishment, and expelling waste.  The rest is unnecessary."  If you have more activities than you can keep track of, eliminate some of them.  And, at the risk of offending parents, children do NOT need to have so many activities that you are merely a taxi!
5. Rely on the ONE Who is in Control!  God is God.....we are not.  God loves us beyond our ability to comprehend.  God is the one who should be our primary focus because He is the one with the plan for each of us.  Talk with Him.  Talk with Him a LOT!  Talk with Him about EVERYTHING!