Don't forget to rest....
I know that resting may be equated with laziness in your mind. You think you need to always be accomplishing something. If your agenda isn't filled with meetings, errands and to-do lists you don't feel that you have had a worthwhile day. You think that you need to put an X in a box, marking your task completed, to have fulfilled something of value. What if I told you that you needed to have a box ready to check with the word "rest" printed next to it? Would you think it was important enough to fit into your schedule? Would you scratch it out and treat it as a joke?
God put that box on your list. He has designed your life to include a time of rest. Don't take my word for it, look in HIS Word. After God created the earth, animals, day and night, light and dark, man and woman, he RESTED. He took the time to still his heart and actions and enjoy all he created. When he gave Moses the Ten Commandments he included the Sabbath, a day of rest, just to clarify the point: you can work all week long, but take time to rest. Obviously, God believes his children can benefit greatly by setting apart a day of the week where the focus of life is not on what must be done next but just quietly, calmly enjoying where we are in life and what surrounds us. This is a time to relax with God, free of distractions.
Our spirit needs this rest. During the week there are a million and one entities clamoring for our attention: work, the news, kids (if you have them), cleaning the house, tending to the weeds and lawn, paying bills, and maybe even exercising at the gym. There are countless directions that our lives take during the week. Come Saturday many people head out for the "fun" that they couldn't fit in during the week. To some people that is a dinner out with friends, a trip to the mall, an afternoon at the beach, or even just the morning spent in bed (or on the couch still in pajamas).
But Sunday is meant to be set apart. Every day is supposed to be spent connected to God through prayer and scripture, but Sunday is set apart as something different. This isn't a day where we go through the motions thinking more about God then the other days of the week. This is a day where we spend our time relaxing with God. Imagine that he has come over to spend some time just chatting on the porch swing with a nice cool glass of lemonade on a hot summer afternoon where the breeze is just right and not a cloud is in the sky. God wants to have that time with you, soaking in the beauty of the day he created. He wants you to simply sit back, relax and enjoy it with him.
When you begin to put into practice this resting principle you may feel like you're being lazy. It goes against your nature to do "nothing" - that is nothing that has a visible result - but that is precisely the kind of day God has designed for you. On this day he wants you to set aside the things that distract so that he can have your full attention. This is the best way to give your soul the TLC it needs. By allowing for this time of rest God can rejuvenate your spirit and renew your soul. With this fresh excitement and vigor you will be more prepared to greet the week to come with a Christ-like attitude and obedience, not to mention peace that only he can impart.
On your day of rest don't neglect the physical rest your body is crying for, too. Your body is in desperate need of this special time. All week long the demands of life take a toll on our physical being. Our muscles are worn out and our energy becomes depleted. The Sabbath is given as a time to recharge our batteries that are running on low. While sitting on the porch swing, fellowshipping with God, he will do the work of restoring your body. He doesn't want you worrying about getting in a workout, hitting the gym or meeting a certain scale's deadline. He wants your attention so he can tend to your physical and spiritual fatigue. Both are vitally important to being a useful and productive vessel for his kingdom during the rest of the week.
Today, on this special Sunday set apart just for you, I encourage you to breath a sigh of restful relief. Don't burden your mind with lists and errands. Don't stress about the week to come. Simply enjoy the presence of a Savior who came to save your soul and breath life into your being. He created you, cares for you and longs to give you a peace each and every day of the week. Today he wants to spend some one-on-one time with you. Will you give him that pleasure? His desire is to show you more of himself, reveal more of his love to you, and he wants to do it today - right now. He isn't demanding a sacrifice that comes in the form of a burnt offering, he is asking for your time and your rest. Will you give that to him today?
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Your fitness evaluation
Observe the Olympic athlete and you will see precision, determination and dedication. They have a protocol that requires them to be wholly devoted to the task at hand. They cannot be on the fence, half in, or impartial. They must be completely sold out, giving themselves entirely to their sport.
It is easy to look at those athletes and see that their level of fitness is above and beyond the norm. They are amazing specimens. Magazines marvel at their abilities, sports commentators tick through the list of their accomplishments and awards. Viewers become entranced by these ordinary men and women with extraordinary abilities such as Michael Phelps or Gabby Douglas. These people, who on so many levels look just like us, have given up so much to accomplish great things. They have risen to the top of the pack, beat out competition and overcome unbelievable odds. They go through grueling training and years of tireless work to make it to the world's stage.
Our culture takes their appreciation for these accomplishments and elevates them to heroin status. Olympians are not just exemplary physical fitness marvels, they are stars. Fans turn out in droves with signs, t-shirts and screams of "marry me, (fill in the blank)". Our society has made these individuals into rock stars. Why? Because, to the common man, their skills are the stories of super humans. They run faster then the speed of light; bend their bodies in ways that look incomprehensible; swim a lap so fast that you swear they had gills.
We put so much value on this kind of accomplishment. These are the things our world strives for. We want to be the best at something that can be calculated and measured. How fast can they swim a lap? Who is the fastest sprinter in the 100 meter dash? Whoever takes the Gold is the hero, the name on the lips of men who are glued to ESPN and women who haven't followed a sport, other then shoe hunting, in their entire life. The winner becomes the flavor of the week or the day - good luck making it to a month.
It is a shame that our culture has become so obsessed with physical accomplishments that it has neglected what is most valuable: spiritual fitness.
The Bible makes it abundantly clear that our primary focus in life is to be on our relationship with God and how we order our lives in accordance to his will and Word. Yes, physical fitness and worldly accomplishments can be a blessing and can have value but that value pales in comparison to our spiritual health and wellness.
There are a number of scriptures that clarify this point and are wonderful tools to guide Christians in setting their priorities in accordance with God's design. Here are a few...
Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."
1 Timothy 4:7-8 "Take time and trouble to keep yourself spiritually fit. Bodily fitness has limited value, but spiritual fitness is of unlimited value, for it holds promise both for this present life and for the life to come."
1 Thessalonians 4:4-8 "Every one of you should learn to control his body, keeping it pure and treating it with respect, and never allowing it to fall victim to lust, as do pagans with no knowledge of God. You cannot break this rule without cheating and exploiting your fellow-man. God will punish all who do offend in this matter, as we have plainly told you and warned you. The calling of God is not to impurity but to the most thorough purity, and anyone who makes light of the matter is not making light of a man's ruling but of God's command. It is not for nothing that the Spirit God gives us is called the 'Holy' Spirit."
The Bible doesn't leave our physical fitness as a gray area, letting us determine its importance, nor does it neglect to address the abundant importance of our spiritual fitness. Both are vitally important but not to be confused. Spiritual fitness is to be our utmost priority, the primary focus of our lives. Our discipline and devotion is to our spiritual fitness. Physical fitness can only be part of our lives in a healthy, God-honoring way if we have the spiritual fitness in its rightful place first and foremost.
The question to ask yourself today is how is my spiritual fitness? Am I sold out for God above all else? Is my devotion sold out to living obediently and whole heartedly for the Lord? Don't allow the allure of physical fitness or worldly accomplishments steal your devotion or divert your primary focus away from the Lord. Fitness that is rooted in this world will last for a time, but spiritual fitness will last for eternity.
It is easy to look at those athletes and see that their level of fitness is above and beyond the norm. They are amazing specimens. Magazines marvel at their abilities, sports commentators tick through the list of their accomplishments and awards. Viewers become entranced by these ordinary men and women with extraordinary abilities such as Michael Phelps or Gabby Douglas. These people, who on so many levels look just like us, have given up so much to accomplish great things. They have risen to the top of the pack, beat out competition and overcome unbelievable odds. They go through grueling training and years of tireless work to make it to the world's stage.
Our culture takes their appreciation for these accomplishments and elevates them to heroin status. Olympians are not just exemplary physical fitness marvels, they are stars. Fans turn out in droves with signs, t-shirts and screams of "marry me, (fill in the blank)". Our society has made these individuals into rock stars. Why? Because, to the common man, their skills are the stories of super humans. They run faster then the speed of light; bend their bodies in ways that look incomprehensible; swim a lap so fast that you swear they had gills.
We put so much value on this kind of accomplishment. These are the things our world strives for. We want to be the best at something that can be calculated and measured. How fast can they swim a lap? Who is the fastest sprinter in the 100 meter dash? Whoever takes the Gold is the hero, the name on the lips of men who are glued to ESPN and women who haven't followed a sport, other then shoe hunting, in their entire life. The winner becomes the flavor of the week or the day - good luck making it to a month.
It is a shame that our culture has become so obsessed with physical accomplishments that it has neglected what is most valuable: spiritual fitness.
The Bible makes it abundantly clear that our primary focus in life is to be on our relationship with God and how we order our lives in accordance to his will and Word. Yes, physical fitness and worldly accomplishments can be a blessing and can have value but that value pales in comparison to our spiritual health and wellness.
There are a number of scriptures that clarify this point and are wonderful tools to guide Christians in setting their priorities in accordance with God's design. Here are a few...
Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."
1 Timothy 4:7-8 "Take time and trouble to keep yourself spiritually fit. Bodily fitness has limited value, but spiritual fitness is of unlimited value, for it holds promise both for this present life and for the life to come."
1 Thessalonians 4:4-8 "Every one of you should learn to control his body, keeping it pure and treating it with respect, and never allowing it to fall victim to lust, as do pagans with no knowledge of God. You cannot break this rule without cheating and exploiting your fellow-man. God will punish all who do offend in this matter, as we have plainly told you and warned you. The calling of God is not to impurity but to the most thorough purity, and anyone who makes light of the matter is not making light of a man's ruling but of God's command. It is not for nothing that the Spirit God gives us is called the 'Holy' Spirit."
The Bible doesn't leave our physical fitness as a gray area, letting us determine its importance, nor does it neglect to address the abundant importance of our spiritual fitness. Both are vitally important but not to be confused. Spiritual fitness is to be our utmost priority, the primary focus of our lives. Our discipline and devotion is to our spiritual fitness. Physical fitness can only be part of our lives in a healthy, God-honoring way if we have the spiritual fitness in its rightful place first and foremost.
The question to ask yourself today is how is my spiritual fitness? Am I sold out for God above all else? Is my devotion sold out to living obediently and whole heartedly for the Lord? Don't allow the allure of physical fitness or worldly accomplishments steal your devotion or divert your primary focus away from the Lord. Fitness that is rooted in this world will last for a time, but spiritual fitness will last for eternity.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Lover of my life
Embrace where you are in life. Whether you are experiencing sickness or health, joy or frustration - embrace it wholeheartedly. The tough days are there to grow you. The peaceful days are there to give your spirit rest. Love them each the same.
Don't lament what you don't have or wish away your circumstances. Choose to be the greatest lover of your life. It is a daily decision to be content and fulfilled. You don't need perfection to make that choice and you don't need "ideal circumstances." You just need the right attitude. You can look on a lousy, rainy day and see the possibility to get floor cleaning done in the house or you can look at that same rain and be annoyed that you can't tend your garden. Which outlook is more productive? Obviously, complaining about what you can't change does you no good. Making the most of a day stuck inside is a much better use of energy. The floors will thank you.
The same goes for our life outlook. One person may look at an illness as a set back. How can you advance in a career when you are constantly on sick-leave for chemotherapy treatments? Another person may look at such a devastating diagnosis and choose to make it a time of spiritual renewal and growth. Same set of circumstances, different outlook. Who do you think is more at rest and has more peace? Who do you think is losing their patience, crying and sinking into depression?
I've done my fair share of fighting against my circumstances. I've lost my patience, cried my eyes out and sunk into deep depression over my own health. When I look at those periods in my journey I am filled with regret. I wasted so much time focusing on things I couldn't change. I could have been taking that time to dig deeper into God's word, read more books, study about topics that interest me or learn an instrument - the possibilities for positive outlets reaches beyond my mind's imagination! Yet, I didn't do any of those things in my dark hours. I spent my time wishing I was in a different body, with a different life. That way of thinking did me no good.
Today it felt as though God was whispering in my ear a much needed reminder to not just accept my life as it is in this moment, but to embrace it and truly, honestly love it. Every morning I am given the renewed opportunity to enjoy where I am at in life. I have the choice.
Loving my life is as simple as that. It is a yes or no decision. When I say yes I open the door to all sorts of blessings I could have easily missed. My eyes are opened to the unique beauty of my situation. I have been blessed with the opportunity to focus on my physical restoration. During this phase in my life I don't have the responsibility of children and husband to take care of. I don't have a career that is vying for my attention and energies. I am not in a school atmosphere, surrounded by drama and worldly influences. I am set apart for a season...set apart for a reason.
When I fell away from God in college I went through a spiritual renewal. I had sinned, abandoned God, ignored his commands and acted in willful disobedience. Yet, he never let go of me. In the end he broke through to the core of my being, brining to my knees and transforming my heart. I have never been the same since that day. My spiritual being was restored from a fallen, rebellious sinner, blind to truth and lost in a den of satan's design. God took that lost girl loaded with the burden of sin and made her new.
Now he is doing the same with my physical body. It has been stripped of every last ounce of cushion, padding, support and insulation. My body has undergone such a destruction that its ability to function still amazes me. And still, God has never let me go. He has carried me when physical logic would argue that my body couldn't keep going. Somehow, God has made sure this body continues to function and, now, he is rebuilding it. He is restoring it to be a miraculous creation, better then it was before.
During this time I am enjoying the process of watching God work out his creation before my very eyes. I am getting a front row seat while he reveals his design. If I were focused on where my body isn't at, the weight it hasn't reached and the limitation it still must succumb to, I would miss the miracle God is performing. He is putting weight on this skeleton of skin and bones. He is empowering me to lift heavier weights every week with better form and smoother precision. He is enabling me to run farther, faster and longer. He is building the muscles in my body to walk up steeper hills and winding trails. Most importantly, he is renewing my energy to enjoy life with a greater passion then I have been able to experience in years.
I don't want to miss the miracle of my life and the beauty that God has set all around me. God, the lover of my soul and creator of my being, has given me a life worth embracing. Every day he is in my life, speaking to me through my circumstances, showing me more of himself. I don't want to miss a single moment of his design - be in difficulty or ease. He has designed it specifically and specially for me. If for no other reason, that is a life worth loving.
Posting catchup.... Free from guilt (July 8)
I am my own personal court system. I am my own personal
judge, jury and executioner. And trust me, I’m tough. I don’t go easy on
myself. I lay on the burden of guilt with all the skill of a seasoned lawyer.
My conscious doesn’t stand a chance.
I have lived with this guilty verdict my whole life. Every
small infraction and major failure weighs on my mind like a heavy bolder. The
burden I carry is entirely self-inflicted. I don’t require the testimony of a
witness who will unveil my faulty actions or downright bad behavior; I take the
stand in my mental court. I tell the truth, sometimes exaggerating the
situation’s negative attributes. Why do I do this? I convict myself at the hint
of even the slightest breach in my “law.”
I am my own harshest critique. This reality is weighing on
my mental state. This court of one makes it hard for me to forgive myself for
the mistakes I have made and am bound to continue to make. I am living as if I must carry out a
sentence for my wrong doing by laying on the mental guilt. Is this God’s
intended penalty for my sins? Does he want me to feel really lousy because I
have made mistakes in the past, been rebellious, hurt those I love and been
callous in my regard for others? Am I making those wrongs right by feeling bad
about them for days, months and years following the occurrence?
God didn’t send his only Son to die on a cross so I could
live under the dark cloud of guilt. Did he come so that I could live life with
a free for all attitude, not caring about what results from my actions or how
my decision impact the world around me? No, of course not. He came to fulfill
the law, not to abolish it. His whole life was a sacrifice to free me from the
guilty sentence I deserve, allowing me to live life forgiven and whole, not
broken and burdened.
When I carry around my own guilt, refusing to allow God to
remove it from my shoulders, I am selfishly holding on to a weight that Jesus
died to take away. It is a slap in his face. By refusing to accept the
forgiveness for my mistakes I am telling God that his Son’s life isn’t enough.
Are my sins so big, so horrible that Jesus’ life isn’t enough to erase them?
Isn’t his death and resurrection enough to heal my soul and make me whole, even
though I am a sinner? Jesus came to take the punishment for my sins. In my
court of one I am guilty, but Jesus took the sentence. He stepped into my place
so I wouldn’t have to suffer years behind bars, a lifetime in hell.
My sin du jour may be one that has hurt the people I love
the most, or maybe it is a simple mistake that threw off my plans for the day –
either way, Jesus came to forgive them both. He came to wipe clean my slate of
both my biggest failures and smallest missteps. Have I truly and fully accepted
his gift of forgiveness? Am I still holding onto my own guilt, shutting him out
of hidden corners in my conscious? There are no places far enough back in my
mind that I can hide them from God. He knows where I hold myself in judgment
even when he has already told me I am forgiven. If I have confessed my sin and
asked for Jesus gift of salvation to right my wrong and make me clean then I
have no reason to carry around anything but a renewed and restored heart.
I no longer stand in judgment for my sin. Jesus took my
burden. He carried my cross. Each day is a new day to show the world what
restoration can look like in the flesh. It looks like a fallen sinner, forgiven
and free because Jesus came to earth in the form a little baby to die for me.
There is no room for guilt. Jesus has set me free.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
4th of July
Happy Independence Day, America. Today is a special day of the year where we take a step back to reflect on the blessing of living in a free country. We take the time to salute a soldier, thank our military and remember the fallen. Churches make a point of thanking God for the freedom to worship and pray without the fear of imprisonment and even death. Family and friends gather together in the comfort of their homes and communities, sharing in the simple joys of a hot BBQ and the twinkling of sparklers - some even take the twinkle and make it a bang with the inclusion of backyard fireworks.
364 days a year I overlook the immense blessing it is to live in this country. How many days have gone by that I haven't even given a moment's thought to the sacrifices given by so many so I can enjoy the simple, free life I have come to take for granted?
If I were to wake up in Pakistan I would be in constant fear of imprisonment for my faith because of bogus claims of blasphemy by Muslims who seek to silence Christians. If I had been born in Africa I might not have a family due to the devastating diseases that rip families apart and take the lives of the young and the old. Being born in China could be a death sentence. Not only do they discriminate against girls but they limit the number of children that can be in any one family. In a country such as Germany the strong Christian influence that seeps into all areas of American life would be missing. The diminishing number of churches in that country and the rest of Europe is astonishing and a travesty. In North Korea the situation is even bleaker. The government actively seeks to persecute Christians. They have driven them underground but even out of the public eye practicing Christians face unspeakable danger.
Here in America I wake up in a comfortable, queen sized bed with soft, clean sheets and the sweet sound of a song bird outside my window. I make my way into my kitchen well stocked with eggs, vegetables, breads, flavorful spices and healthy supplements. I recline on my comfortable couch with one of my many copies of the Bible and favorite devotional books to start my morning. I don't have to hide the names on the covers of these books and I don't have to study in secret. On Sunday mornings I am welcomed into a body of believers singing praises in the company of hundreds who share in the same song. Throughout the week my opportunity to publicly and openly share in the gospel with brothers and sisters in Christ are far too great to number.
From morning to evening my day is characterized by comforts unknown to so many people around the world. And it is all because I was born here, in America. I was born into a country that men scarified their lives to obtain and protect. Our Founding Fathers faced great persecution and threats when they left their home land in search of a place where they could be truly free. Now men and women put on their military boots to secure that same fundamental right. They put their lives in danger every day so that I can wake up free and safe.
I am thankful for a day to reflect on what my fellow citizens have sacrificed to secure the life I have come to know and love. My only regret is that I don't take this time to be thankful more then once a year.
So, thank you to the brave men who signed the Declaration of Independence all those years ago. The leap of faith they took paved the way for the life I enjoy today. And I thank all the men and women who leave their families, homes and safety so that they can protect me and the rest of America. Words can not describe how thankful and grateful I am for your sacrifice. You have given your lives for my freedom. There is no greater sacrifice.
364 days a year I overlook the immense blessing it is to live in this country. How many days have gone by that I haven't even given a moment's thought to the sacrifices given by so many so I can enjoy the simple, free life I have come to take for granted?
If I were to wake up in Pakistan I would be in constant fear of imprisonment for my faith because of bogus claims of blasphemy by Muslims who seek to silence Christians. If I had been born in Africa I might not have a family due to the devastating diseases that rip families apart and take the lives of the young and the old. Being born in China could be a death sentence. Not only do they discriminate against girls but they limit the number of children that can be in any one family. In a country such as Germany the strong Christian influence that seeps into all areas of American life would be missing. The diminishing number of churches in that country and the rest of Europe is astonishing and a travesty. In North Korea the situation is even bleaker. The government actively seeks to persecute Christians. They have driven them underground but even out of the public eye practicing Christians face unspeakable danger.
Here in America I wake up in a comfortable, queen sized bed with soft, clean sheets and the sweet sound of a song bird outside my window. I make my way into my kitchen well stocked with eggs, vegetables, breads, flavorful spices and healthy supplements. I recline on my comfortable couch with one of my many copies of the Bible and favorite devotional books to start my morning. I don't have to hide the names on the covers of these books and I don't have to study in secret. On Sunday mornings I am welcomed into a body of believers singing praises in the company of hundreds who share in the same song. Throughout the week my opportunity to publicly and openly share in the gospel with brothers and sisters in Christ are far too great to number.
From morning to evening my day is characterized by comforts unknown to so many people around the world. And it is all because I was born here, in America. I was born into a country that men scarified their lives to obtain and protect. Our Founding Fathers faced great persecution and threats when they left their home land in search of a place where they could be truly free. Now men and women put on their military boots to secure that same fundamental right. They put their lives in danger every day so that I can wake up free and safe.
I am thankful for a day to reflect on what my fellow citizens have sacrificed to secure the life I have come to know and love. My only regret is that I don't take this time to be thankful more then once a year.
So, thank you to the brave men who signed the Declaration of Independence all those years ago. The leap of faith they took paved the way for the life I enjoy today. And I thank all the men and women who leave their families, homes and safety so that they can protect me and the rest of America. Words can not describe how thankful and grateful I am for your sacrifice. You have given your lives for my freedom. There is no greater sacrifice.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
A thankful heart
Have you ever had one of those days where everything seems to drag you down, pulling your mood into the shadowy corners of despair? These are the days where the seemingly insignificant comments from an outsider can send you into an emotional breakdown. On these days vulnerability reigns supreme and stability is at a minimum.
I have been known to suffer from these kinds of days - yesterday being the latest installment. For practically no reason at all my mood was sour, my emotions were on edge and my positive outlook on life was non-existant. Everything was making me just plain sad. I can pinpoint exactly when the cloud settled in over head. I was sitting on the steps to the living room watching my brother and his wife play with their two kids on the floor. Lucas (the two year old who loves any sports game that includes a ball) was doing his parroting of some funny sentences his Dad has taught him. My favorite being, "go to the Fingerlakes." Lucas doesn't have a clue what the Fingerlakes are and probably wouldn't enjoy them much if he went at this young age but, because my brother loves the Fingerlakes and has talked about them at great length, Lucas apparently wants to go, too. They were egging him on to say more funny phrases in his classic two year old voice. As I watched the snap shot of an adorable little family unit play out in front of my eyes I began to feel the pangs of longing for that kind of happiness. I should have been smiling along with them, sharing in their happiness and contentment in life. Instead, I let a sadness settle in and put up shop. Within no time at all the feelings of loneliness that have plagued me in the past returned with vengeance... and it was only 10 AM. The rest of the day wasn't looking promising.
By the time the evening rolled around I had spent my entire day with a big, black, ominous cloud looming over my head, covering up any peace I might hope to have. Everything I encountered throughout the day seemed to only add another layer to the cloud's dark exterior. Nothing earth shattering or particularly upsetting occurred or was said that could keep me so down in the dumps. I just couldn't seem to break free from the shadows. Although on one level I wanted to step back into the light, on another level I was a willing victim of my own negative thoughts.
That evening, after dinner, my Mom started feeling out my mood, attempting to see if it was one of those funks that could be easily shaken. Within a few minutes she realized this was a larger cloud, one that couldn't be blown away like the flame on a weak little birthday candle. This was going to take some real talking and, ultimately, some serious tears.
My resolve to hold back the flood waters didn't last but a moment. I gave into the emotional breakdown that I knew had been building all day. It was as if I was due for a clean out of the tear ducts. They poured. I cried out of loneliness and the burning desire to be wanted and loved. For three years the male attention has clocked in at a zero. Most days I am perfectly content with that reality. But not every day. And yesterday, seeing the happiness and love shared between a couple and a family, made me want what they have. By the end of the day I was ready to release that lump in my throat that had been building all day with the holding back of the flood gates.
Mom, always my stable and strong support and greatest advocate, let me lay my emotions out on the table without interruption. She didn't jump right in, telling me to get over it or that I was being irrational. She told me how she understood how hard it must be to be alone for this long with absolutely no attention from any guy at all. She assured me that it is natural to desire that attention. She let me cry and rubbed my back - her go-to way to comfort me (and my personal favorite).
After a few minutes of letting me be an emotional wreck and letting me know that my feelings were normal, she then moved to the advice part of the breakdown - the part where she helps me pick myself back up. She told me to look at what I have to be thankful for. She reminded me that it is one of satan's favorite tricks to make us see the allure of what someone else has at the detriment of forgetting all we have in our own life. He loves to use jealousy and envy to drag our peace into the gutter. He was definitely succeeding in doing so with me. I had completely stopped being thankful. In my entire day not one thought had been of thanksgiving. Every thought had been about what I don't have, how I want what I don't have and how maybe I am going to be stuck in this situation, this loneliness, forever. My thoughts were irrational and satan was loving them.
But thank God for a Mom who knows how to listen and knows how to point me in the right direction. She started listing the things I do have to be thankful for. She must have known I needed a helping hand in this task. She pointed out Pippy, the relaxed muscles in my legs, the pounds that have been steadily creeping in on the scale, an adorable house in Chagrin Falls...
She forgot to mention a family that all gets along, an amazing Mom as a best friend, a Dad who provides for my financial while still caring about my health and happiness.
My list could go on and on but it didn't need to for me to see how foolish I had been.
I spent my entire yesterday in a terrible funk because I started looking at everything but what God has given me. I looked at the blessings of every other person around me and completely neglected my own. How could I possibly have been in a good frame of mind with that kind of outlook on life? It is a given that when you are bemoaning what you don't have you are going to be depressed. On the other hand, when you are praising God for what you do have you can't be lamenting the things you don't have. Thanksgiving and complaining cannot co-exist.
Yesterday, I needed that gentle reminder to stop looking around at other people's blessings. My Mom provided a nudge in the right direction. She pointed me to the right road and encouraged me to take that step back onto the path of thanksgiving and praise. When I took that step it meant leaving the cover of the dark cloud that had settled overhead.
It didn't take me long to see the error of my ways. I had wandered down a rabbit trail of satan's design. Once I recognized the cause of my irrational thought and the solution to correct it, I was immediately relieved of the depressed, negative outlook that had burdened my heart and ruined my day. But just because the first 3/4 of my day was spent under a cloud didn't mean the last 1/4 had to be afflicted in the same way.
I spent the rest of my evening in peace. My mood was switched from vulnerable to calm, like the smooth, still waters of an ocean after a turbulent storm. Thank God for the restoration of peace. He is faithful to grant it to us without hesitation when we ask. He doesn't require a waiting period to reinstate it and you never have to take a number. When we're ready to be bathed in his peace he will lavish it on us immediately.
Today I am resting in thanksgiving, praise and peace. I am not looking at the things God hasn't brought into my life just yet. Instead I am singing praises to him for the lavish blessings he has bestowed on me. How could I possibly be a grouch when there is a song of praise on my lips? A thankful heart has no room for the snares of satan. It is too busy thanking God and resting in his peace.
I have been known to suffer from these kinds of days - yesterday being the latest installment. For practically no reason at all my mood was sour, my emotions were on edge and my positive outlook on life was non-existant. Everything was making me just plain sad. I can pinpoint exactly when the cloud settled in over head. I was sitting on the steps to the living room watching my brother and his wife play with their two kids on the floor. Lucas (the two year old who loves any sports game that includes a ball) was doing his parroting of some funny sentences his Dad has taught him. My favorite being, "go to the Fingerlakes." Lucas doesn't have a clue what the Fingerlakes are and probably wouldn't enjoy them much if he went at this young age but, because my brother loves the Fingerlakes and has talked about them at great length, Lucas apparently wants to go, too. They were egging him on to say more funny phrases in his classic two year old voice. As I watched the snap shot of an adorable little family unit play out in front of my eyes I began to feel the pangs of longing for that kind of happiness. I should have been smiling along with them, sharing in their happiness and contentment in life. Instead, I let a sadness settle in and put up shop. Within no time at all the feelings of loneliness that have plagued me in the past returned with vengeance... and it was only 10 AM. The rest of the day wasn't looking promising.
By the time the evening rolled around I had spent my entire day with a big, black, ominous cloud looming over my head, covering up any peace I might hope to have. Everything I encountered throughout the day seemed to only add another layer to the cloud's dark exterior. Nothing earth shattering or particularly upsetting occurred or was said that could keep me so down in the dumps. I just couldn't seem to break free from the shadows. Although on one level I wanted to step back into the light, on another level I was a willing victim of my own negative thoughts.
That evening, after dinner, my Mom started feeling out my mood, attempting to see if it was one of those funks that could be easily shaken. Within a few minutes she realized this was a larger cloud, one that couldn't be blown away like the flame on a weak little birthday candle. This was going to take some real talking and, ultimately, some serious tears.
My resolve to hold back the flood waters didn't last but a moment. I gave into the emotional breakdown that I knew had been building all day. It was as if I was due for a clean out of the tear ducts. They poured. I cried out of loneliness and the burning desire to be wanted and loved. For three years the male attention has clocked in at a zero. Most days I am perfectly content with that reality. But not every day. And yesterday, seeing the happiness and love shared between a couple and a family, made me want what they have. By the end of the day I was ready to release that lump in my throat that had been building all day with the holding back of the flood gates.
Mom, always my stable and strong support and greatest advocate, let me lay my emotions out on the table without interruption. She didn't jump right in, telling me to get over it or that I was being irrational. She told me how she understood how hard it must be to be alone for this long with absolutely no attention from any guy at all. She assured me that it is natural to desire that attention. She let me cry and rubbed my back - her go-to way to comfort me (and my personal favorite).
After a few minutes of letting me be an emotional wreck and letting me know that my feelings were normal, she then moved to the advice part of the breakdown - the part where she helps me pick myself back up. She told me to look at what I have to be thankful for. She reminded me that it is one of satan's favorite tricks to make us see the allure of what someone else has at the detriment of forgetting all we have in our own life. He loves to use jealousy and envy to drag our peace into the gutter. He was definitely succeeding in doing so with me. I had completely stopped being thankful. In my entire day not one thought had been of thanksgiving. Every thought had been about what I don't have, how I want what I don't have and how maybe I am going to be stuck in this situation, this loneliness, forever. My thoughts were irrational and satan was loving them.
But thank God for a Mom who knows how to listen and knows how to point me in the right direction. She started listing the things I do have to be thankful for. She must have known I needed a helping hand in this task. She pointed out Pippy, the relaxed muscles in my legs, the pounds that have been steadily creeping in on the scale, an adorable house in Chagrin Falls...
She forgot to mention a family that all gets along, an amazing Mom as a best friend, a Dad who provides for my financial while still caring about my health and happiness.
My list could go on and on but it didn't need to for me to see how foolish I had been.
I spent my entire yesterday in a terrible funk because I started looking at everything but what God has given me. I looked at the blessings of every other person around me and completely neglected my own. How could I possibly have been in a good frame of mind with that kind of outlook on life? It is a given that when you are bemoaning what you don't have you are going to be depressed. On the other hand, when you are praising God for what you do have you can't be lamenting the things you don't have. Thanksgiving and complaining cannot co-exist.
Yesterday, I needed that gentle reminder to stop looking around at other people's blessings. My Mom provided a nudge in the right direction. She pointed me to the right road and encouraged me to take that step back onto the path of thanksgiving and praise. When I took that step it meant leaving the cover of the dark cloud that had settled overhead.
It didn't take me long to see the error of my ways. I had wandered down a rabbit trail of satan's design. Once I recognized the cause of my irrational thought and the solution to correct it, I was immediately relieved of the depressed, negative outlook that had burdened my heart and ruined my day. But just because the first 3/4 of my day was spent under a cloud didn't mean the last 1/4 had to be afflicted in the same way.
I spent the rest of my evening in peace. My mood was switched from vulnerable to calm, like the smooth, still waters of an ocean after a turbulent storm. Thank God for the restoration of peace. He is faithful to grant it to us without hesitation when we ask. He doesn't require a waiting period to reinstate it and you never have to take a number. When we're ready to be bathed in his peace he will lavish it on us immediately.
Today I am resting in thanksgiving, praise and peace. I am not looking at the things God hasn't brought into my life just yet. Instead I am singing praises to him for the lavish blessings he has bestowed on me. How could I possibly be a grouch when there is a song of praise on my lips? A thankful heart has no room for the snares of satan. It is too busy thanking God and resting in his peace.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
You want what for less?
Our American culture has become slave to the "something for nothing" mentality. We shop for the best deals. Clip coupons till our hands lock in a claw position around the scissors. Dollar Stores, Dollar Trees and Family Dollars abound. Commercials tell us to never pay "full price for fabulous," so shop TJ Maxx and Marshals (Okay, if I must). Mall kiosk's are home to knock off designer brands because we want the style without the price tag. Tires for Less is as good as the big Michelin Man, right? Men are always searching for the next deal on the best cable package, switching as often as the latest promotion.
We want what we want, when we want it at a price that is less then THEY want us to pay. Sound like the typical American consumer? Actually it sounds like the typical American when it comes to more then just consumption habits. This trend expands far beyond the cash register and into the hearts of home, relationships, work, child rearing...you name it and chances are the something for nothing culture has infiltrated.
The trouble with this line of thinking is that it yields lousy results when it comes to the emotional and spiritual health of the individual. Try putting in nothing and having a successful marriage. Or how about putting in nothing and being a valued employee at work? What about raising kids? Putting in nothing? Good luck with that! And, in my opinion the greatest potential for disaster, the relationship with God that lies stagnant. The danger of sitting back and expecting God to pile on blessings and opportunities without having to put in any tender love and care into the relationship is risky business. It has dire consequences that far exceed the mistake of buying Dollar Store batteries that die in a day. Both give birth to frustration, one is eternal, the other can be remedied with a stop at CVS.
Having a relationship with God shouldn't be about what we get in return. It isn't a "I give you and hour and you give me a pony" sort of transaction. We don't put in our time in exchange for the fulfillment of our latest and greatest request. If that is all we are considering when we are spending time in daily devotional or attending Sunday school then we are making a fatal error. God is not Santa. He is not there to give us what we are asking for simply because we ask nicely. And he isn't counting the amount of time we put into our relationship with him to calculate what we get in return. If we approach God with that attitude then we are simply taking our smallest effort, greatest return principle into our spiritual life. Instead, we should be approaching God with a heart burning to know him more, not to receive our latest human desire. We must throw aside our culture that screams "what's in it for me?"
If our most precious relationship becomes a hand out machine, we start looking for the best deal - isn't that only natural? We take what we know about bargain shopping and transfer it to the blessing machine we have substituted for God. So instead of attending Sunday school maybe we skip it and just show up for the service and hour later. Instead of waking up a half an hour early for a devotional time the snooze button gets hit more and more frequently. What can we get from God with this amount of effort?... and a little less?.... and a little less?... and the downward spiral continues.
Our culture wants us to put in nothing. They want us to view the world through the lens of "what's in it for me?" But God doesn't use that lens. He wants to give you an entirely new pair of glasses. These glasses don't concern themselves with self indulgence and self interest. They are entirely fixed on God: his character, his love and his will. Selflessness blots out self preservation. Obedience reigns supreme.
To put on these glasses means taking off the old pair that see the world through a bargain hunter lens. Put down those old pair of shades that want the latest and greatest without having to lay down the sticker price. Ditch the popular mentality of getting everything without putting in anything.
Instead, put on God's glasses. Don't worry about what you will get. Just give of yourself. Just seek to bathe yourself in the attributes and Word of God. Chances are you won't see a return in a form that carries a price tag. Your reward will be something much greater - greater then anything offered on the store shelves of even the priciest boutique. Your reward is in heaven.
Even TJ Maxx prices can't compete with that.
We want what we want, when we want it at a price that is less then THEY want us to pay. Sound like the typical American consumer? Actually it sounds like the typical American when it comes to more then just consumption habits. This trend expands far beyond the cash register and into the hearts of home, relationships, work, child rearing...you name it and chances are the something for nothing culture has infiltrated.
The trouble with this line of thinking is that it yields lousy results when it comes to the emotional and spiritual health of the individual. Try putting in nothing and having a successful marriage. Or how about putting in nothing and being a valued employee at work? What about raising kids? Putting in nothing? Good luck with that! And, in my opinion the greatest potential for disaster, the relationship with God that lies stagnant. The danger of sitting back and expecting God to pile on blessings and opportunities without having to put in any tender love and care into the relationship is risky business. It has dire consequences that far exceed the mistake of buying Dollar Store batteries that die in a day. Both give birth to frustration, one is eternal, the other can be remedied with a stop at CVS.
Having a relationship with God shouldn't be about what we get in return. It isn't a "I give you and hour and you give me a pony" sort of transaction. We don't put in our time in exchange for the fulfillment of our latest and greatest request. If that is all we are considering when we are spending time in daily devotional or attending Sunday school then we are making a fatal error. God is not Santa. He is not there to give us what we are asking for simply because we ask nicely. And he isn't counting the amount of time we put into our relationship with him to calculate what we get in return. If we approach God with that attitude then we are simply taking our smallest effort, greatest return principle into our spiritual life. Instead, we should be approaching God with a heart burning to know him more, not to receive our latest human desire. We must throw aside our culture that screams "what's in it for me?"
If our most precious relationship becomes a hand out machine, we start looking for the best deal - isn't that only natural? We take what we know about bargain shopping and transfer it to the blessing machine we have substituted for God. So instead of attending Sunday school maybe we skip it and just show up for the service and hour later. Instead of waking up a half an hour early for a devotional time the snooze button gets hit more and more frequently. What can we get from God with this amount of effort?... and a little less?.... and a little less?... and the downward spiral continues.
Our culture wants us to put in nothing. They want us to view the world through the lens of "what's in it for me?" But God doesn't use that lens. He wants to give you an entirely new pair of glasses. These glasses don't concern themselves with self indulgence and self interest. They are entirely fixed on God: his character, his love and his will. Selflessness blots out self preservation. Obedience reigns supreme.
To put on these glasses means taking off the old pair that see the world through a bargain hunter lens. Put down those old pair of shades that want the latest and greatest without having to lay down the sticker price. Ditch the popular mentality of getting everything without putting in anything.
Instead, put on God's glasses. Don't worry about what you will get. Just give of yourself. Just seek to bathe yourself in the attributes and Word of God. Chances are you won't see a return in a form that carries a price tag. Your reward will be something much greater - greater then anything offered on the store shelves of even the priciest boutique. Your reward is in heaven.
Even TJ Maxx prices can't compete with that.
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