There are a variety of ways to engage in the activity of running. You can join a running club. You can find a running buddy at your gym or pair up with someone from work. But there is something to be gained by going at it alone.
I will warn you, if you venture to tackle the world of running on your own there will be challenges. When you grow weary there is no one beside you to lift your spirits and cheer you on. If you fall down there is no one to stop and help you up. If you stumble there is no one there to catch you before you hit the ground. When you reach the finish line, or the end of your designated run time or distance, there is no one to give you a high-five or congratulations. On the days that you don't feel like lacing up your sneakers you won't have an accountability partner, no one keeping track of your progress to remind you of your plan and goals. If you are going to complete your run, stick to your training plan and see progress than the burden falls to you.
This practice of going at it alone on a run is really just a training ground for the rest of life. Will you be able to travel through the ups and downs of life even when there is no one there to support you, encourage you and just simply keep you company on the journey?
Will you choose to stay in bed instead of going for the run because there is no one around to see you break the promise you made to yourself to complete a five mile run?
Are you relying on other people to get you through this journey called life?
It is a common saying that, "You come into this world alone and you leave this world alone." To some it may seem like a heartless thing to say. What about friends? What about having a spouse and children and a family? Aren't those relationships important and beneficial?
Certainly relationship can be a blessing but it isn't THE blessing and it isn't a necessity for happiness. In fact, sometimes relationships can get in the way of our primary relationship - our first relationship.
When we become dependent on other people we stop becoming dependent on God. Instead of looking to Him to satisfy our needs, emotionally and physically, we begin to look to the people around us. When we are down we look for our friends and family to pick us up instead of turning to God. When we need motivation we ask a friend for words of encouragement instead of opening our Bibles.
That first place in our life becomes filled with the people around us because they seem easily accessible and visible. We can touch and feel them. We can easily hear their voice by picking up our phones or meeting up for coffee. We get a sounding board and immediate feedback.
The people in our lives can easily become place-holders, taking over the first chair position that God should hold. We stop turning to God and scripture. Instead we turn to the easily accessible and readily available.
But when you run this journey of life alone you don't have those people to turn to. You are alone with no friend to phone. There is no one to complain to when your calves get sore half way through your run. When you don't feel like even beginning that 5K there is no one to say, "Come on! You can do it! Just think of how great you'll feel when you've accomplished your goal!"
No. You only have one place to turn.
And that's up.
You have only one place to look...up.
You can only phone God. He is the only one who will answer. He is the only one who is taking your calls. Because there is no social network. There is no other support system. You don't have the luxury (or the curse) of having other people to fill His place. He is your sustainer and your portion. God and God alone.
This is the beautiful blessing of running alone. You get the opportunity to learn this principle with every stride forward, every mile covered. You are in this journey alone. You and God. When you are in pain or grow weary He is the one you are to call on to sustain you. When you want to give up He is the only one to motivate you to continue on. He is your cheerleader and your encourager. He is the only one there to remind you that you are capable of running further and faster. He is the only one to call on when the hill seems too steep and the road seems too treacherous.
He is your lifeline, your one phone call. God and God alone will carry you through the toughest of runs and the most challenging of life's trials. Because when you run solo there is simply no one else to turn to.
Friday, October 25, 2013
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Joy that doesn't fade away
Don't you just love that new car smell? It is so refreshing! It is such a treat! Even when you are enjoying the aroma of a car fresh off the assembly line you know that the aroma will soon be gone. The new car smell will be ushered right out the window as life takes over in the confines of your vehicle: eating lunch on the go, busing kids to and from school, making long trips to visit family. The routine of life takes its toll on your car and certainly on the new car smell. But it is fun while it lasts, even if it only lasts a few days. Maybe a week if you're lucky.
Will you like what you purchased when the inticing new car scent wears off? Or will you be eyeing up the newest model in the first row of the dealer's lot when reality sets in that your new car isn't so new anymore?
In life, we have to be content with the "dull" parts of life. If we are always looking for the next excitement then we are missing out on the life God has set before us. Your daily life may seem monotonous and lackluster - nothing to see here. Is that okay with you? Can you be content in that?
Or are you always on the hunt for the next flash of exhilaration? Are you living for the next emotional high that comes from a a new romance, new job, financial blessing or material possession?
Are you living for the new car smell, only to grow uninterested and bored when it wears off?
The majority of our life will be spent with a car that doesn't have that clean and fresh aroma. Our life will be spent in much the same way. I hope that your life doesn't actually stink, just like I hope your car doesn't actually stink, but there will be many days, weeks and months that feel like you are simply set on repeat. You have your routine. Nothing new on the horizon. This is when life runs the risk of getting stale and our attitude may become sour. The temptation exists for us to lose our zest and passion for life. We can become complainers. If we don't actively complain then maybe we just lack an attitude of thanks. We don't see anything thrilling happening so we get stuck in a rut, losing our joy in the process.
The true test of where our joy is found is not in the moments of abundant blessing and exciting life adventure. No, real joy is shown in the the moments when nothing seems to be happening. We get the opportunity to show the world the true definition and source of joy when, by the world's standards, we don't have anything to be joyful about.
This is when God can shine through us. When we are getting what we want where is the testimony? Of course it is easy to be joyful in those circumstances. It is easy to be excited about our car when it smells new and looks shiny.
Where does your joy come from? Are you looking for the momentary, fleeting excitements the world has to offer to satisfy your craving for elation and joy? Or are you filled to the overflowing simply because you are a saved, redeemed, justified, loved, cherished and special child of God? Is that enough to keep you content and satisfied?
God doesn't want your joy to come and go. The new car smell was meant to fade. Your joy was not. Your joy can be forever, unwavering and unchanging. To have that true joy it must be built on the firm foundation found only in the blood of Jesus Christ. Nothing on this earth will ever be able to satisfy the longing of our hearts. He alone can give us abundant joy that will never end.
Will you like what you purchased when the inticing new car scent wears off? Or will you be eyeing up the newest model in the first row of the dealer's lot when reality sets in that your new car isn't so new anymore?
In life, we have to be content with the "dull" parts of life. If we are always looking for the next excitement then we are missing out on the life God has set before us. Your daily life may seem monotonous and lackluster - nothing to see here. Is that okay with you? Can you be content in that?
Or are you always on the hunt for the next flash of exhilaration? Are you living for the next emotional high that comes from a a new romance, new job, financial blessing or material possession?
Are you living for the new car smell, only to grow uninterested and bored when it wears off?
The majority of our life will be spent with a car that doesn't have that clean and fresh aroma. Our life will be spent in much the same way. I hope that your life doesn't actually stink, just like I hope your car doesn't actually stink, but there will be many days, weeks and months that feel like you are simply set on repeat. You have your routine. Nothing new on the horizon. This is when life runs the risk of getting stale and our attitude may become sour. The temptation exists for us to lose our zest and passion for life. We can become complainers. If we don't actively complain then maybe we just lack an attitude of thanks. We don't see anything thrilling happening so we get stuck in a rut, losing our joy in the process.
The true test of where our joy is found is not in the moments of abundant blessing and exciting life adventure. No, real joy is shown in the the moments when nothing seems to be happening. We get the opportunity to show the world the true definition and source of joy when, by the world's standards, we don't have anything to be joyful about.
This is when God can shine through us. When we are getting what we want where is the testimony? Of course it is easy to be joyful in those circumstances. It is easy to be excited about our car when it smells new and looks shiny.
Where does your joy come from? Are you looking for the momentary, fleeting excitements the world has to offer to satisfy your craving for elation and joy? Or are you filled to the overflowing simply because you are a saved, redeemed, justified, loved, cherished and special child of God? Is that enough to keep you content and satisfied?
God doesn't want your joy to come and go. The new car smell was meant to fade. Your joy was not. Your joy can be forever, unwavering and unchanging. To have that true joy it must be built on the firm foundation found only in the blood of Jesus Christ. Nothing on this earth will ever be able to satisfy the longing of our hearts. He alone can give us abundant joy that will never end.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Glorious persecution
There is one thing in this life we can be certain of when we follow Christ: persecution. We are bound to endure judgment, ridicule, mockery, and bullying because we are not of this world. We will face opposition from all sides. Sometimes from the people we expect to love us the most. Other times from complete strangers. Our adversaries will be plentiful. We will feel like outcasts, shunned from the crowd. We will feel like modern day lepers!
The pain of this persecution can cause deep wounds if we allow allow these daggers to penetrate. But there is no reason to allow the slings and arrows of this world to scare us. We do not owe the world an apology. At the end of our road we will not stand in judgment before our peers and society. God alone can judge us. Therefore, plot your actions according to Him, not according to the world.
When this world comes to a close it will not matter what your neighbors thought of you or what society deemed as tolerant, political correct or even "normal." All that will matter is where you stood with God. Did He control your actions while you made your journey through life? Were you playing according to His rule book, looking for His approval? Or were you going along to get along in a world that wants to dismiss Godly living as religious idiocy?
Don't conform to this world. Stand in contrast to this world. Stand for the things of God. He wants you to look different than the rest of the world. When you don't fit in, you can rest assured that you are doing something right.
John 15:19-21 says, "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me."
Jesus was certainly not of this world and the world certainly didn't understand Him. They crucified Him - the ultimate persecution. If we are going to be followers of Christ we must expect this same treatment. We must be willing to endure the hardships and cruelty that Christ endured if we are to be sold-out for Him. Don't fall into the trap of being silent for fear that others might judge you. Don't change your positions and beliefs to get along with the rest of the crowd. Align your beliefs and actions solely with the Lord and His scriptures.
The world is going to judge you. Expect that. Don't be surprised by their rude comments. Don't be surprised by their crooked looks and critical attitudes. This is all to be expected. Just keep your eyes on the heavens and continue to live in a way that is pleasing to God. For you know that you are not living for the world's approval. You are living to bring glory to God.
The pain of this persecution can cause deep wounds if we allow allow these daggers to penetrate. But there is no reason to allow the slings and arrows of this world to scare us. We do not owe the world an apology. At the end of our road we will not stand in judgment before our peers and society. God alone can judge us. Therefore, plot your actions according to Him, not according to the world.
When this world comes to a close it will not matter what your neighbors thought of you or what society deemed as tolerant, political correct or even "normal." All that will matter is where you stood with God. Did He control your actions while you made your journey through life? Were you playing according to His rule book, looking for His approval? Or were you going along to get along in a world that wants to dismiss Godly living as religious idiocy?
Don't conform to this world. Stand in contrast to this world. Stand for the things of God. He wants you to look different than the rest of the world. When you don't fit in, you can rest assured that you are doing something right.
John 15:19-21 says, "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me."
Jesus was certainly not of this world and the world certainly didn't understand Him. They crucified Him - the ultimate persecution. If we are going to be followers of Christ we must expect this same treatment. We must be willing to endure the hardships and cruelty that Christ endured if we are to be sold-out for Him. Don't fall into the trap of being silent for fear that others might judge you. Don't change your positions and beliefs to get along with the rest of the crowd. Align your beliefs and actions solely with the Lord and His scriptures.
The world is going to judge you. Expect that. Don't be surprised by their rude comments. Don't be surprised by their crooked looks and critical attitudes. This is all to be expected. Just keep your eyes on the heavens and continue to live in a way that is pleasing to God. For you know that you are not living for the world's approval. You are living to bring glory to God.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Running against the wind
The gusts came with force along the bay. The waves were choppy and the waters stirred. I felt the push from strong winds and the slight chill in the fall morning air. My run that had started out with uncharacteristic ease on the first half was now labored and difficult as I ran against the blowing wind on my return half.
I began to breath deeper, calling on all the endurance I had left in me to keep moving forward. Every step I took felt insignificant. I didn't feel like I was going anywhere. This last mile would take forever at this rate, I thought. My mind started wandering down the trail of defeat. The word "weakness" started being repeated with more frequency and intensity.
Just give up.
Walk the rest.
Take a break, stop moving.
These winds are too much for you to take.
You aren't strong enough to handle this.
You aren't a runner, you can't run in tough conditions....
The lies were fierce. The devil was at work. He was telling me falsehoods to distract me and make me believe that failure was my destiny; that I was too weak and too frail to continue on. He wanted me to give up. He wanted the victory.
In the midst of this attack came the battle cry of my Savior. It is true that I am not enough. I am weak and frail. On my own stamina I cannot run against the winds. But the beauty is that I am not running on my own strength. I am calling on the almighty strength of Jesus Christ. He came to this earth, died on a cross and rose again so that I could run my race through Him. He came to run for me. He is running ahead of me, providing me cover from the push back of the winds.
Satan has no power in the presence of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. When we call on the strength of the Lord we paralyze the tricks of the devil. The Holy Spirit, living within us, speaks words of life and power to us, drowning out the lies of the evil one.
1 John 4:1-4 says, "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."
Winds will come. We will face struggles. But the One who is in us, running our race, is victorious. He is stronger than the winds we face. They are not a distraction to Him and they do not overcome Him. He runs against the winds, He keeps moving forward.
In the face of the winds of life it may feel like our steps are getting us nowhere. That is not so. We may slow down. Our breathing may need to become deeper. Still our run will continue as long as we are running with Christ ahead of us, blocking the winds and breathing into our fatigued bodies.
The devil will tell us we are doomed. He will tell you that your trial is too much for you to take. He will speak to you the words of defeat. But God stands at the ready, armed with the words of life and the promise of victory. He is fighting your battle for you. He is overcoming your biggest obstacles. He is sustaining you as you run your marathon.
To tap into this abundant power all you need to do is call on the Lord. When the winds threaten to sideline you, call on the Lord. When your mountain looks to steep for you to climb, call on the Lord. He is living in and through you and He is greater than your greatest trial and most trying of circumstances. Your marathon run is simply a jog around the block for Him. To unleash the power of His Spirit that can sustain you no matter what inclement weather you face, simply ask to be filled. Invite in the Holy Spirit. God is faithful. When we ask He is ready to come into our weakness and show us His strength.
As you run your race, no matter what the trial may be or how strong the gusts of wind, don't focus on the difficulty that is pushing against you. Look toward the destination. Look to where God is taking you. He will see to it that you make it to the finish line, just keep moving along the path. Call on Him to fill you with the resources needed to continue on. He will run with you against the fiercest of winds. He will bring you through the darkest of days and most difficult trials you face. Just keep running your race.
I began to breath deeper, calling on all the endurance I had left in me to keep moving forward. Every step I took felt insignificant. I didn't feel like I was going anywhere. This last mile would take forever at this rate, I thought. My mind started wandering down the trail of defeat. The word "weakness" started being repeated with more frequency and intensity.
Just give up.
Walk the rest.
Take a break, stop moving.
These winds are too much for you to take.
You aren't strong enough to handle this.
You aren't a runner, you can't run in tough conditions....
The lies were fierce. The devil was at work. He was telling me falsehoods to distract me and make me believe that failure was my destiny; that I was too weak and too frail to continue on. He wanted me to give up. He wanted the victory.
In the midst of this attack came the battle cry of my Savior. It is true that I am not enough. I am weak and frail. On my own stamina I cannot run against the winds. But the beauty is that I am not running on my own strength. I am calling on the almighty strength of Jesus Christ. He came to this earth, died on a cross and rose again so that I could run my race through Him. He came to run for me. He is running ahead of me, providing me cover from the push back of the winds.
Satan has no power in the presence of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. When we call on the strength of the Lord we paralyze the tricks of the devil. The Holy Spirit, living within us, speaks words of life and power to us, drowning out the lies of the evil one.
1 John 4:1-4 says, "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."
Winds will come. We will face struggles. But the One who is in us, running our race, is victorious. He is stronger than the winds we face. They are not a distraction to Him and they do not overcome Him. He runs against the winds, He keeps moving forward.
In the face of the winds of life it may feel like our steps are getting us nowhere. That is not so. We may slow down. Our breathing may need to become deeper. Still our run will continue as long as we are running with Christ ahead of us, blocking the winds and breathing into our fatigued bodies.
The devil will tell us we are doomed. He will tell you that your trial is too much for you to take. He will speak to you the words of defeat. But God stands at the ready, armed with the words of life and the promise of victory. He is fighting your battle for you. He is overcoming your biggest obstacles. He is sustaining you as you run your marathon.
To tap into this abundant power all you need to do is call on the Lord. When the winds threaten to sideline you, call on the Lord. When your mountain looks to steep for you to climb, call on the Lord. He is living in and through you and He is greater than your greatest trial and most trying of circumstances. Your marathon run is simply a jog around the block for Him. To unleash the power of His Spirit that can sustain you no matter what inclement weather you face, simply ask to be filled. Invite in the Holy Spirit. God is faithful. When we ask He is ready to come into our weakness and show us His strength.
As you run your race, no matter what the trial may be or how strong the gusts of wind, don't focus on the difficulty that is pushing against you. Look toward the destination. Look to where God is taking you. He will see to it that you make it to the finish line, just keep moving along the path. Call on Him to fill you with the resources needed to continue on. He will run with you against the fiercest of winds. He will bring you through the darkest of days and most difficult trials you face. Just keep running your race.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
The quiet life
Exercisefriends.com, buddyup.com, fitness-singles.com, teambeachbody.com...for the lonely gym attendee these sites might be tempting. You might be able to find another person who loves to run or do Boot Camp workouts and could help motivate you and provide you with some company on those long miles pounding pavement. The thought of a friend to go along with you on the journey might look appealing. I know sometimes it looks appealing to me.
I would love to have a friend who runs trails with me. A gym buddy would be great on the days that I struggle to push myself beyond my limits. I'd love to share my progress with someone and celebrate their accomplishments, too. Let's face it, some days we would all like someone to hit the gym with us. It can get to be a lonely, boring routine all by ourselves. Going to the gym, or just going through life, on our own can get stale.
But there is something to the life of solitude that we fail to miss if we are always trying to share our experiences with another person. In attempting to fill our days and routines with a person we run the risk of skipping right over the direction given to us in 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12. The scripture says, "...make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: you should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."
Maybe you are facing another workout alone or another wedding without a date or another evening alone with your dog. Maybe you have been single for years or divorced for months. Maybe you don't have a loved one to share your feelings with or a friend to go to the movies with. The bottom line is you feel alone. You have things, thoughts, experiences and ideas that you want to share but you have no one to share them with.
What should you do next? Is match.com your best bet to find love? How about a workout class to find like-minded fitness lovers? Should you turn to a Bible study to find other Christians in your age group?
The question shouldn't be, "how do I fill the void I feel" but "when am I going to surrender this void to God"? Quite frankly God doesn't want you to be looking to fill the loneliness void. If you are experiencing the pangs of longing associated with being alone then God has you right where He wants you. It is in this state that you can become completely and entirely dependent on Him, making your life one of work for the Lord.
And isn't that the true cause of our existence anyhow? We aren't here, saved by the blood of Jesus, so that we can have friends. A social life wasn't why Christ was nailed to the cross. If anything, our social life will become smaller once we surrender our lives to Christ. It isn't guaranteed to grow or flourish.
Why, you might be asking, would God want us to live in solitude? I want to be out there tramping for the Lord so I must be talking it up, engaging with people, being social! I have to be at parties and events so that I can talk about God all of the time.
1 Thessalonians tells us differently. It doesn't instruct us to attend studies, conferences and workshops so that we can meet other Christians or be useful to God. It tells us to get quiet and get to work with our hands. Nothing glamorous about it. Just get to work. Don't concern yourself with having other people to share your work with. Don't worry about talking and being the life of the party. God is asking you to be quiet.
When you stop and think about it, being quiet makes perfect sense. When you are talking are you listening? When you are out with friends are you hearing from God? A vibrant social life is appealing but it can be a distraction. God wants our attention and He is well aware of the noise that threatens to catch our wandering eyes and hearts.
While reflecting on this scripture and the lesson God had for me in it I was reminded of my Great Grandmother. I never knew her but I've heard many stories from my Mom. All of the stories are the same: my Mom's recollection of her Grandmother reading her Bible. She never saw her Grandmother in a soup kitchen or at a Bible study. She never saw her Grandmother at a job or out with friends. Her Grandmother led a quiet life of solitude. Her days were filled with prayer and scripture.
Although my Mom never witnessed her Grandmother doing anything fantastical or exemplary her actions still stuck out to my Mom, so much so that they are vivid to this day. What she saw was a woman of faith who didn't need anything other than her God. That is an amazing testimony, one that is often undervalued.
Like the scripture says, live a quiet life, one that will win the respect of others. My Great Grandmother never won an election and wouldn't have been described as gregarious, but she left an impression on her Granddaughter. She didn't need a social circle or a fancy house. She didn't need a best friend, a weeknight Bridge game or the activities center at The Villages retirement community. She just needed her Bible. She just needed to be in the presence of her Savior.
There is a lesson in her life for all of us. Maybe our lives will lead in a direction that puts us up on center stage, preaching to a crowd or singing to an audience. Maybe we will pen a best-seller or lead a woman's Bible study. Or maybe we will be on the front lines as a prayer warrior in the quiet of our closet. There is no telling where God will use us. But don't assume that He can't use you in your solitude. That may be exactly where He wants to have you now and always. It may be where He wants you for this month or this year. He may have you surrounded by noise right now but could be taking you to a quiet place in the not too distant future. Don't mistake the silence for uselessness or abandonment. Do the work God has for you in the stillness. Tune in to the quiet so that you can hear God with precision and clarity.
God doesn't want you to be dependent on anybody. He wants you to be as at home alone as you are with a room full of people. He wants you to be comfortable with the quiet life, not scrambling to fill it with noise. He will be your portion and your lifelong companion. He will be your workout buddy and your shoulder to cry on. When you allow Him to be your partner in life you will never truly be alone. Just simply come to the silence and meet Him there. You will find Him waiting to take away your void of loneliness and give you the peace of a quiet life spent working for His glory.
I would love to have a friend who runs trails with me. A gym buddy would be great on the days that I struggle to push myself beyond my limits. I'd love to share my progress with someone and celebrate their accomplishments, too. Let's face it, some days we would all like someone to hit the gym with us. It can get to be a lonely, boring routine all by ourselves. Going to the gym, or just going through life, on our own can get stale.
But there is something to the life of solitude that we fail to miss if we are always trying to share our experiences with another person. In attempting to fill our days and routines with a person we run the risk of skipping right over the direction given to us in 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12. The scripture says, "...make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: you should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."
Maybe you are facing another workout alone or another wedding without a date or another evening alone with your dog. Maybe you have been single for years or divorced for months. Maybe you don't have a loved one to share your feelings with or a friend to go to the movies with. The bottom line is you feel alone. You have things, thoughts, experiences and ideas that you want to share but you have no one to share them with.
What should you do next? Is match.com your best bet to find love? How about a workout class to find like-minded fitness lovers? Should you turn to a Bible study to find other Christians in your age group?
The question shouldn't be, "how do I fill the void I feel" but "when am I going to surrender this void to God"? Quite frankly God doesn't want you to be looking to fill the loneliness void. If you are experiencing the pangs of longing associated with being alone then God has you right where He wants you. It is in this state that you can become completely and entirely dependent on Him, making your life one of work for the Lord.
And isn't that the true cause of our existence anyhow? We aren't here, saved by the blood of Jesus, so that we can have friends. A social life wasn't why Christ was nailed to the cross. If anything, our social life will become smaller once we surrender our lives to Christ. It isn't guaranteed to grow or flourish.
Why, you might be asking, would God want us to live in solitude? I want to be out there tramping for the Lord so I must be talking it up, engaging with people, being social! I have to be at parties and events so that I can talk about God all of the time.
1 Thessalonians tells us differently. It doesn't instruct us to attend studies, conferences and workshops so that we can meet other Christians or be useful to God. It tells us to get quiet and get to work with our hands. Nothing glamorous about it. Just get to work. Don't concern yourself with having other people to share your work with. Don't worry about talking and being the life of the party. God is asking you to be quiet.
When you stop and think about it, being quiet makes perfect sense. When you are talking are you listening? When you are out with friends are you hearing from God? A vibrant social life is appealing but it can be a distraction. God wants our attention and He is well aware of the noise that threatens to catch our wandering eyes and hearts.
While reflecting on this scripture and the lesson God had for me in it I was reminded of my Great Grandmother. I never knew her but I've heard many stories from my Mom. All of the stories are the same: my Mom's recollection of her Grandmother reading her Bible. She never saw her Grandmother in a soup kitchen or at a Bible study. She never saw her Grandmother at a job or out with friends. Her Grandmother led a quiet life of solitude. Her days were filled with prayer and scripture.
Although my Mom never witnessed her Grandmother doing anything fantastical or exemplary her actions still stuck out to my Mom, so much so that they are vivid to this day. What she saw was a woman of faith who didn't need anything other than her God. That is an amazing testimony, one that is often undervalued.
Like the scripture says, live a quiet life, one that will win the respect of others. My Great Grandmother never won an election and wouldn't have been described as gregarious, but she left an impression on her Granddaughter. She didn't need a social circle or a fancy house. She didn't need a best friend, a weeknight Bridge game or the activities center at The Villages retirement community. She just needed her Bible. She just needed to be in the presence of her Savior.
There is a lesson in her life for all of us. Maybe our lives will lead in a direction that puts us up on center stage, preaching to a crowd or singing to an audience. Maybe we will pen a best-seller or lead a woman's Bible study. Or maybe we will be on the front lines as a prayer warrior in the quiet of our closet. There is no telling where God will use us. But don't assume that He can't use you in your solitude. That may be exactly where He wants to have you now and always. It may be where He wants you for this month or this year. He may have you surrounded by noise right now but could be taking you to a quiet place in the not too distant future. Don't mistake the silence for uselessness or abandonment. Do the work God has for you in the stillness. Tune in to the quiet so that you can hear God with precision and clarity.
God doesn't want you to be dependent on anybody. He wants you to be as at home alone as you are with a room full of people. He wants you to be comfortable with the quiet life, not scrambling to fill it with noise. He will be your portion and your lifelong companion. He will be your workout buddy and your shoulder to cry on. When you allow Him to be your partner in life you will never truly be alone. Just simply come to the silence and meet Him there. You will find Him waiting to take away your void of loneliness and give you the peace of a quiet life spent working for His glory.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Choose joy
The right thing isn't always the easy thing. The right thing isn't always the natural thing. The right thing isn't always our first instinct, our go-to response or the burning desire of our heart. Sometimes, many times, the right thing is the hard thing. Often times, taking the "high" road means climbing a steep mountain. Let's face it, we'd rather have the ease of a flat surface in which to tread. The uphill climb looks like work.
It is at these plentiful moments in life that we come to an intersection requiring us to make a distinct decision. We have a choice: will we do the difficult, right thing? Or will we go with our human, natural instinct - the wrong thing, the easy way out? Will we take the road with the steep elevation or will we keep our incline at a comfortable zero?
In life we are faced with this choice over and over again. We come to these T-intersections with great frequency. Take, for example, following a workout routine. Some mornings we might wake up and have little to no motivation to hit the gym. On our schedule for the day's workout is a list of exercises and targeted muscle groups but we aren't "in the mood." Now we have a choose. Do we stay home, giving into the lazy part of our flesh that wants to stay on the couch, wrapped in a warm blanket? Or do we buck up and do that which we promised ourselves we would, the thing that will benefit our body and keep us faithful to our plan?
The choose may seem small and insignificant. What's one workout? You can skip one day, right? After all it's Saturday and I worked out during the week and now I should have the weekend off to relax - I deserve it. And plus, I'm just not feeling like it. I don't want to have to drive to the gym and I'd really rather not get all sweaty. I just showered last night. The list could go on and on. There is never a shortage of excuses when we humans are looking for a way out.
Little does the gym-skipper know, but that one decision can have a domino effect. How much easier is it to justify a missed workout during the week if you've had practice justifying the same inaction on the weekend? Before you know it the routine that was once a staple of your weekly agenda becomes an inconsistent occurrence that takes place when the time "feels right."
Life, if it is to be lived with any consistency and purpose at all cannot be lived by feeling alone. It is inevitable that there are going to be days that we don't "feel" like doing anything. Some days we won't feel like being joyful. Some days we won't feel like going to work. Some days we won't feel like cooking healthy meals. Some days we won't feel like listening to our friends burdens. Some days we won't feel like going to church. Some days we won't feel like doing our workout. And on and on and on.
If we rely on our feelings to dictate our actions we will be on a perpetual roller coaster. Our actions and emotions will be as unpredictable as the wind, as changing as the tide. Letting our emotions run the show is a sure-fire way to have a bumpy ride through life, complete with the sudden turns, whip-blash inducing twists and more jerking about then you might think your body can take.
This is no way to go through life. God created us for something greater. He is offering us a way to avoid this up and down, twisting and turning emotional roller coaster. The question is, will we take Him up on the offer - will we tap into the abundant joy only found in Him?
This way of living is a choice, not a feeling. In other words, it is intentional. Instead of allowing our emotions to choose our attitude and actions for us we must be the one to decide. We must choose obedience and Godly living. We must choose the joy and peace God has made available to us. These things won't just happen to us with any regularity. If we wait for joy to come to us it will be temporary and inconsistent at best. To have real joy that is a hallmark of our lives we must decide that we will be joyful. We must choose to fill ourselves with God's joy.
With this truth weighing heavily on my mind I came up with a mantra of sorts to put into practice for myself when I am beginning to let my mood run off with my emotions. "Choose your attitude, don't let it choose you." There are days that I slip into a depressed state because I start looking at the things I don't have or the struggles I am facing. I see the steep mountain and I immediately start seeing the pain associated with the climb. But that is all emotional and feeling dependent. When I put on my emotional lenses I first had to take off God's lens of joy and peace.
It is quite simply really, God wants to fill you and I with His joy. He doesn't want our inconsistent emotions to have free reign. He wants to replace our fleshly feelings for His holy joy. He has given us every reason to rejoice and He wants us to claim that and live it out to the fullest.
Psalm 32:11 tells us to, "Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart."
This attitude of thanksgiving, praise and joy is always available for all of us. We must simply take hold of it. When we come to that T in the road we must make the turn toward joy, not toward our unstable emotions. We can step off the roller coaster and onto stable ground if we choose to be rooted in the promises and truths of God instead of the wavering and ever-changing emotions and circumstances of our lives.
Beloved, upright in heart, today and everyday, choose joy. Choose the hard thing. Climb the steep mountain. Get off the emotional roller coaster. Take hold of that which God is offering to you. Take hold of His joy. One thing is certain, you will never second guess a life lived with a joyful heart.
It is at these plentiful moments in life that we come to an intersection requiring us to make a distinct decision. We have a choice: will we do the difficult, right thing? Or will we go with our human, natural instinct - the wrong thing, the easy way out? Will we take the road with the steep elevation or will we keep our incline at a comfortable zero?
In life we are faced with this choice over and over again. We come to these T-intersections with great frequency. Take, for example, following a workout routine. Some mornings we might wake up and have little to no motivation to hit the gym. On our schedule for the day's workout is a list of exercises and targeted muscle groups but we aren't "in the mood." Now we have a choose. Do we stay home, giving into the lazy part of our flesh that wants to stay on the couch, wrapped in a warm blanket? Or do we buck up and do that which we promised ourselves we would, the thing that will benefit our body and keep us faithful to our plan?
The choose may seem small and insignificant. What's one workout? You can skip one day, right? After all it's Saturday and I worked out during the week and now I should have the weekend off to relax - I deserve it. And plus, I'm just not feeling like it. I don't want to have to drive to the gym and I'd really rather not get all sweaty. I just showered last night. The list could go on and on. There is never a shortage of excuses when we humans are looking for a way out.
Little does the gym-skipper know, but that one decision can have a domino effect. How much easier is it to justify a missed workout during the week if you've had practice justifying the same inaction on the weekend? Before you know it the routine that was once a staple of your weekly agenda becomes an inconsistent occurrence that takes place when the time "feels right."
Life, if it is to be lived with any consistency and purpose at all cannot be lived by feeling alone. It is inevitable that there are going to be days that we don't "feel" like doing anything. Some days we won't feel like being joyful. Some days we won't feel like going to work. Some days we won't feel like cooking healthy meals. Some days we won't feel like listening to our friends burdens. Some days we won't feel like going to church. Some days we won't feel like doing our workout. And on and on and on.
If we rely on our feelings to dictate our actions we will be on a perpetual roller coaster. Our actions and emotions will be as unpredictable as the wind, as changing as the tide. Letting our emotions run the show is a sure-fire way to have a bumpy ride through life, complete with the sudden turns, whip-blash inducing twists and more jerking about then you might think your body can take.
This is no way to go through life. God created us for something greater. He is offering us a way to avoid this up and down, twisting and turning emotional roller coaster. The question is, will we take Him up on the offer - will we tap into the abundant joy only found in Him?
This way of living is a choice, not a feeling. In other words, it is intentional. Instead of allowing our emotions to choose our attitude and actions for us we must be the one to decide. We must choose obedience and Godly living. We must choose the joy and peace God has made available to us. These things won't just happen to us with any regularity. If we wait for joy to come to us it will be temporary and inconsistent at best. To have real joy that is a hallmark of our lives we must decide that we will be joyful. We must choose to fill ourselves with God's joy.
With this truth weighing heavily on my mind I came up with a mantra of sorts to put into practice for myself when I am beginning to let my mood run off with my emotions. "Choose your attitude, don't let it choose you." There are days that I slip into a depressed state because I start looking at the things I don't have or the struggles I am facing. I see the steep mountain and I immediately start seeing the pain associated with the climb. But that is all emotional and feeling dependent. When I put on my emotional lenses I first had to take off God's lens of joy and peace.
It is quite simply really, God wants to fill you and I with His joy. He doesn't want our inconsistent emotions to have free reign. He wants to replace our fleshly feelings for His holy joy. He has given us every reason to rejoice and He wants us to claim that and live it out to the fullest.
Psalm 32:11 tells us to, "Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart."
This attitude of thanksgiving, praise and joy is always available for all of us. We must simply take hold of it. When we come to that T in the road we must make the turn toward joy, not toward our unstable emotions. We can step off the roller coaster and onto stable ground if we choose to be rooted in the promises and truths of God instead of the wavering and ever-changing emotions and circumstances of our lives.
Beloved, upright in heart, today and everyday, choose joy. Choose the hard thing. Climb the steep mountain. Get off the emotional roller coaster. Take hold of that which God is offering to you. Take hold of His joy. One thing is certain, you will never second guess a life lived with a joyful heart.
No such thing as Santa
For some kids this upcoming Christmas will be the first that they awaken to find that the tree is surrounded by presents supplied by dear Mom and Dad or Grandma and Grandpa, Aunt or Uncle...but not Santa. For those little children, the wonder of a fat man with a white beard and red suit shimming down the chimney (or sneaking in the back door for those without a fireplace) will be replaced with the reality that there is no mystical deliverer of gifts. Somehow, someway, the gifts appear there by another source. The gifts are purchased with real money, not made by elf hands. The wrapping paper is creased and tapped with the usual frustration that comes from flimsy manufacturing and dull scissors. The magical sparkle that once blanketed the holiday is gone. In its place is the reality of human effort.
For some kids, they see that the reality is actually work.
I remember when I found out that Santa was just a myth. My mind immediately began to replay Christmas' gone by. I rattled off in my mind all of the big gifts, stockings stuffed to the brim, perfectly picked outfits and my very favorite as a young girl - the American Girl dolls set up under the tree with their historically inspired desks and accessories. I asked my parents, "you did all of that?" Of course the answer was yes. They had taken the time to find just the right gifts, wrap them just so, hide them diligently, and work throughout the Christmas Eve night to make the coming morning a magical experience.
Beyond the holiday season, I began to see that the long days my Dad spent at work maintaining and growing his own business were all in an effort to make a life for me that could rival the gifts of Santa Clause. My Dad has always worked long hours. When I was young it was not uncommon for him to leave by eight in the morning and not return until eight at night. He always went out for the morning with a dollar amount in mind that he would make before he returned home. His business working on cars gave (and continues to give) him the opportunity to work harder to make more. If he hadn't reached his goal by five o'clock he went to another car dealership and tried to find another car to fix. If he needed to work on Saturday to hit his week's income goal or to meet the needs of a customer than Saturday was another work day. The only day he took off was Sunday and even that rule has been broken a time or two.
My Dad has given all of himself to work so that my Mom and I can live in comfort. He has generously given to us that which he has worked so hard for. He hasn't been stingy and he hasn't held back. He doesn't complain that we spend too much or don't contribute enough. He simply keeps doing the work that is in front of him.
Upon hearing that my Christmas gifts weren't supplied by the magical Santa, I gained a new respect for the very real parents I knew so well. They aren't magical, they are something better than magic. They are real and tangible. They know me and still love me. They give of themselves to me all year long, working hours that exhaust me to think about and sacrificing their time for my benefit. This realization, this love, is better than Santa.
The trouble with our world today is that it values Santa more than true, unconditional, sacrificial love. Instead of seeing the value of working hard and the dedication to family and faith that can be shown in the process, our society values the lottery and a government program. But they are missing a beautiful reality: work can be a act of love.
If Santa were real then Moms and Dads would lose a critical opportunity to show their unconditional love for their children. They don't need a huge bank account to make a magical morning. They just need love and a desire to make a special day for their kids.
Santa can't rival the passion of a Mom and Dad. He can't wrap gifts with the same patience or set them under the tree with the same intentional placement. Only the love of a real flesh and bone Mom and Dad or God-given loved one can do that job. Their love that is displayed with such brilliance on Christmas morning doesn't end there. It gets to be shown all year long.
Thank God there is no Santa Clause. If there were I might not know how very much my parents love me.
For some kids, they see that the reality is actually work.
I remember when I found out that Santa was just a myth. My mind immediately began to replay Christmas' gone by. I rattled off in my mind all of the big gifts, stockings stuffed to the brim, perfectly picked outfits and my very favorite as a young girl - the American Girl dolls set up under the tree with their historically inspired desks and accessories. I asked my parents, "you did all of that?" Of course the answer was yes. They had taken the time to find just the right gifts, wrap them just so, hide them diligently, and work throughout the Christmas Eve night to make the coming morning a magical experience.
Beyond the holiday season, I began to see that the long days my Dad spent at work maintaining and growing his own business were all in an effort to make a life for me that could rival the gifts of Santa Clause. My Dad has always worked long hours. When I was young it was not uncommon for him to leave by eight in the morning and not return until eight at night. He always went out for the morning with a dollar amount in mind that he would make before he returned home. His business working on cars gave (and continues to give) him the opportunity to work harder to make more. If he hadn't reached his goal by five o'clock he went to another car dealership and tried to find another car to fix. If he needed to work on Saturday to hit his week's income goal or to meet the needs of a customer than Saturday was another work day. The only day he took off was Sunday and even that rule has been broken a time or two.
My Dad has given all of himself to work so that my Mom and I can live in comfort. He has generously given to us that which he has worked so hard for. He hasn't been stingy and he hasn't held back. He doesn't complain that we spend too much or don't contribute enough. He simply keeps doing the work that is in front of him.
Upon hearing that my Christmas gifts weren't supplied by the magical Santa, I gained a new respect for the very real parents I knew so well. They aren't magical, they are something better than magic. They are real and tangible. They know me and still love me. They give of themselves to me all year long, working hours that exhaust me to think about and sacrificing their time for my benefit. This realization, this love, is better than Santa.
The trouble with our world today is that it values Santa more than true, unconditional, sacrificial love. Instead of seeing the value of working hard and the dedication to family and faith that can be shown in the process, our society values the lottery and a government program. But they are missing a beautiful reality: work can be a act of love.
If Santa were real then Moms and Dads would lose a critical opportunity to show their unconditional love for their children. They don't need a huge bank account to make a magical morning. They just need love and a desire to make a special day for their kids.
Santa can't rival the passion of a Mom and Dad. He can't wrap gifts with the same patience or set them under the tree with the same intentional placement. Only the love of a real flesh and bone Mom and Dad or God-given loved one can do that job. Their love that is displayed with such brilliance on Christmas morning doesn't end there. It gets to be shown all year long.
Thank God there is no Santa Clause. If there were I might not know how very much my parents love me.
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