Do Not Be Afraid

I love Streams in the Desert and have been reading it during my morning devotional for the past couple of years.  The book speaks do powerfully to me because the author really understood suffering.  It wasn't merely intellectual because she was living through difficult times as she wrote about keeping the faith when life is hard.  Mrs. Charles Cowman was caring for her dying husband during the years she penned this now devotional classic.  There is just something about someone who has "been there" to give us wise advice.  Suffering is a common denominator.  Suffering in one area of life gives us more compassion for those who suffer in a different way.  Suffering expands our perspective while enlarging our heart.  On December 13th, Cowman quotes J.R. Miller when she writes, "If you are in the shadows because of some strange, mysterious providence, do not be afraid.  Simply go on in faith and love, never doubting. God is watching, and He will bring good and beauty out of all your pain and tears." We can believe Mrs. Cowman because she writes from experience. 

How comforting to know pain and tears are not random or meaningless, but that tears touch the heart of God.  God does not simply weep for us, but intricately weaves purpose and meaning through our pain - carefully preparing us for what lies ahead.

Your suffering may be because of the loss of someone dear, the loss of a dream, declining health, the worry and concern over a loved one's well being, the anguish of watching someone self-destruct, a job loss with financial reversals,  a break in an important relationship, a myriad of troubles...or several seemingly disasters all at once.    

We can be sure that during the hours of our sufferings if we turn ourselves toward God, our hearts will begin to overflow with compassion for others.  He wastes not a tear, a broken heart, nor an anguished spirit.  Turned over to the hand of the Master, our suffering transforms into a beautiful tender sympathy that flows back to others in their time of need.  Do not be afraid. 

Waiting is Not Our Default Mechanism

Waiting is so difficult for children at Christmas time!  The anticipation of opening those glittery gifts under the tree clicks some kids into overload mode.  Many a home echos with parental threats of Santa skipping their home because of such hyper behavior!  Child or adult, none of us like to wait, really.

When we have the medical test, we would like the diagnosis immediately, thank you.  How many drivers feel personally attacked when the light turns red on their road!  Having to make an extra round circle of the parking lot because there are so many shoppers is annoying.  Computers that take an extra few seconds to load are considered obsolete.  Waiting is not our default mechanism.  Food is fast, and we want it faster.  And waiting in lines?  Thank you for online shopping and small local shops.  We don't like to wait.

And then there is prayer.  We want the quick answer, the miraculous, the "sign" - a neon one if possible.  But instead, we wait.  Sometimes we seem to receive instant results for those incidental prayers (a close parking spot, Lord - it's raining...).  However, we wait for that unthinkable and mentally excruciating circumstance day by day, season by season and many a time for years.  When will that loved one come back to You, Lord?  When will I be able to get out of debt?  When will that job I wanted so badly come to fruition?  When will that teenager make a mature decision?  When will that person apologize for their actions?  When will my loved one's health improve?  And we start to think that perhaps God is not hearing.

Isaiah has some words for us about waiting:  "So the Lord must wait for you to come to Him so He can show you His love and compassion.  For the Lord is a faithful God.  Blessed are those who wait for His help."  Isaiah 30:18 (NLT)

Interesting that the Lord is also waiting for us.  Waiting for us is a time that either intensifies our faith or a time we choose to give up.  Waiting for the Lord is a time when He demonstrates His mercy, compassion and long suffering.  Isaiah goes on to say..."though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, He will still be with you to teach you."

Ah, so waiting is a time that we are learning.  What we learn pivots on our attitude as we wait.  The impatient driver may swerve around the slow moving car in front and into oncoming traffic.  The patient driver eventually sees the light turn green and moves forward. 

Mrs. Charles Cowman articulates in Streams in the Desert, "Our unbelief is always wanting some outward sign.  The religion of many is largely sensational, and they are not satisfied of its genuineness without manifestations, etc.;  but the greatest triumph of faith is to be still and know that He is God."

Our world doesn't place much value in stillness or quiet faith during times of adversity.  But a trusting patient heart gives our Heavenly Father delight and increases our ability to experience the fullness of joy at the time of His choosing.  May you have some quiet peace in your waiting today. 
 

Helping A Friend with the Holiday Blues

We know for sure that the holidays aren't the happiest days for everyone.  For those with broken hearts and an "empty chair" in their lives, the holidays point to that which is missing.  The sights and sounds of the season intensify memories and that can be painful.

How to help?  Here are a few ways:

• Initiate contact with your friend this holiday season, even if it is awkward.
• Think of simple and practical ways to show you care...pick up something needed at the market, bring by a cup of coffee, send a card, send a daily "thinking of you" text, offer to fix sothing that is broken, bring them a Christmas ornament, a copy of an interesting article, a magazine or a baked good.
• Help your friend fight against isolation...invite them into your lives...go shopping together, have a meal together, invite your friend to the Christmas service at your church.
• Acknowledge their loss.  When we have lost a significant person in our lives through death, we want to know others still think of their loved one.
• Donate to a meaningful charity in the name of your friends loved one and let your friend know.  Send your friend a card commemorating the gift.
• Help connect your friend to someone stronger on their similar road.  Make an introduction and tactfully bring up what they have in common.
• Give your friend uplifting reading material that shares Scripture.
• Pray for your friend, and if they will allow it pray with them focusing on God's promises of hope in every situation.
• Give cards with Scriptures that pertain to your friends circumstances.  The Psalms are wonderful sources of encouragement and strength.  For example, "My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!"  Psalm 121:2
• Help enlarge your friends perspective beyond today, beyond the holidays and help them remember they will not always feel the intensity of the pain they have today but that with Christ there is great hope for every tomorrow.

I Didn't Do It

Here's a youtube video on denial with thought provoking lyrics by Alex Walker.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2siHK3lv_Uo&feature=plcp

Technorati:  G6KDBU8J34WD

Don't Give Up!

"To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. I trust in you, my God!  Do not let me be disgraced, or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat.   No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced...Show me the path where I should walk...point out the right path for me to follow.  Lead my by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me.  All day long I put my hope in You.  Remember, O Lord, your unfailing love and compassion...Forgive the rebellious sins of my outh;  look instead through the eyes of our unfailing love, for you are merciful, O Lord.  Excerpts from Psalm 25

The Psalmist, David, brings out the character of God and David becomes an ‘open book’ about his own struggle with his personal character traits and shortcomings.  David pleads with God, and at the same time expresses trust and confidence in God based on who God is and the relationship God has with “those who fear Him.” 

What does mean to “fear God?”  The top word choice I would make would be “reverence.”

Therefore I can have trust and confidence in God because of the character traits this Psalm brings to light of the Lord Almighty.  He is:  powerful, trustworthy, just, a teacher, a leader, my salvation, compassionate, loving, kind, forgiving, good, righteous, truthful, a guide, the Savior, gracious, a guardian, a deliverer, a protector, and redeemer.

Since the Lord is all those things to me, why do I stress?  Why do I fret?  Why do I allow myself to become discouraged?  Lord forgive me for the times I focus on little things when You are so immense and able to perform all that you have promised!

Here is an amazing group of statements that describe David’s growth in character as he ‘day-by-day’ took steps of faith in responding to the situations in his life.  When David pleads his case before God he:  lifts up his soul, expresses trusts in God, is teachable, is willing to be led, waits upon the Lord, confesses his sins, asks forgiveness, receives instruction, is humble, never forgets the depths of his own sin, asks for God’s grace, admits his loneliness and affliction, asks for help, talks about the enormity of his troubles, asks for deliverance, asks God to guard him and waits in faith.

In times of doubt, confusion or discouragement, this list of David’s can give us a wise perspective and set us in a productive and positive frame of mind to face our challenges.  Don’t give up!  Wait in faith!  

Ways to Help in Troubled Times

It gives me great comfort to know that at times Jesus was “troubled in spirit” (John 13:21).  The Scriptures indicate that Jesus had this distressing feeling right before He was to “speak the truth in love” to someone He truly cared for – Judas Iscariot.   

When I, as a growing Christian, feel “troubled in spirit” my next thoughts are usually ones of guilt.  “A good Christian shouldn’t be so uptight…we are told not to worry…not to be anxious about anything…yet here I am fretting.”   It helps me to know that Jesus understood feelings of dread and anticipatory grief.   

After Jesus spoke those words of loving confrontation to Judas… “that you do, do quickly” , He launched a conversation with His disciples that would change the world.  “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another”.  John 13:34-35. 

This “loving one another” shines most brightly in troubled times.  It seems that our hearts are most open to God during crisis.  God draws near to the brokenhearted. Dark times can be holy moments when believers seek to communicate God’s love and care when it is needed most.   

Author and speaker Lauren Littauer Briggs shares some insights from her own times of personal tragedy and from the wisdom of others who have traveled difficult roads.  Briggs and others who view this blog writes some “Do’s” and “Don’t” for helping someone when they are hurting:

DO:     

• Respond in a timely manner.
• Offer caring statements that acknowledge they are going through a crisis.
• Offer specific things to help.
• Step out and help (example:  I’m going to the store, will you check your milk and see if you need any).
• Help your brother or sister in Christ find a “new normal.”
• Use the agreement principle (example: if I was facing that I’d feel the same way). 
• Listen to how they are feeling.
• Share Bible verses with a promise (I will be with you).
• Encourage (gently push, if there is a strong  and trusting relationship already established) against the normal response of isolation.  Encourage involvement in support groups, Christ-centered counseling, hospice (if applicable), grief counseling and significant friendships.
• Remember the children in the situation and that they have a need for interaction with their peers as well.  The children may need counseling in a tough situation or involvement in a helping group through the church or school.  Offer rides or an extra hand.
• Tell them you will pray for them and then really pray for them.

DON’T

·         Wait too long.  It gets more awkward.

·         Say things that minimize what the hurting person is going through.

·         Ask “when will you be your ‘old self’ again?”

·         Offer spiritual cliche's.

·          Say “HI!! How are you?!!!”

·         Say “I know just how you feel!”

·         Tell your hurting person, “don’t worry…have faith.”

·         Don’t put time tables on the other person or compare their situation with other things.

 

If you have been through something difficult, and from your own experience would like to add to this “Do” and “Don’t” list, I would welcome your dialogue.  You may contact me through the comments on this blog or through facebook.

Your experience can help your brothers and sisters in Christ as we seek to be better helpers and “bear one another’s burdens.”  Thank you.

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

The writer of the 139^th  Psalm, King David, expressed centuries ago what science now proclaims – the magnificence and complexity of our human minds.  Not only are we the only species to inhabit planet earth that has a soul; within our marvelous framework we have the ability to reflect God’s image in using His gifts of creativity and intellect. Only people build bridges and hospitals, write novels and compose symphonies.  God, who loves to give good gifts to His children (Matthew 7:11) revels in endless variety.  Just look at us!   

Recently I had the opportunity to take a course that challenged us to develop God given talents and strengths for ministry.  This course utilized findings from the Gallup International Research & Education Center.  The research included findings from two million interviews taken over the last thirty years.  We learned that not only is the human brain amazingly complex –  but that each of our unique talents are formed early on – in the womb!  “Your synapses create your talents.  So how are your synaptic connections made?  Forty-two days after you are conceived, your brain experiences a four-month growth spurt.  Actually, the word “spurt” doesn’t do justice to the sheer scale of what happens.  On your forty-second day you create your first neuron, and 120 days later you have a hundred billion of them.  That’s a staggering 9,500 new neurons every second...”  (from Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton, Ph. d   

The psalmist talked of God making all our delicate inner parts.  God must have been ecstatic the day He created the human brain – that amazing part of us that holds our talents, capabilities and dreams  – what a creation – what a gift!   How God must have smiled.  What obvious delight the Father takes in us, His beloved children.   

My mother’s passion is painting portraits.  She likes to paint pictures of famous people.  I remember portraits in the house of President John Kennedy and Ghandi.  But she also liked to paint pictures of someone else.  When I was growing up, she often painted pictures of me.  That made me feel incredibly loved! To think that she determinately spent hours and hours creating my image.  Think how that concept is magnified with God’s love for us!  He created each of us in His image and took the time and effort to put together each minute piece of our personalities, physical features, dominant thinking patterns and talents.  He considered every detail, and how we would all fit together for a specific purpose.     

When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment, He said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” [emphasis mine]  (Matthew 22:36,37) 

Loving God with all our heart and soul are natural responses when the grace of God is revealed to us.  We can’t work our way to heaven, but certainly acts of love and compassion are one way to show God we love Him.  What are some good ways to love God with all our minds?  Studying His Word is essential to growth in the love and knowledge of Jesus Christ.  Another step in loving God with all our minds is getting to know the mind God gave us, and using our intellect in service to others.   It’s worth further investigation.  Not only will we grow in usefulness to the body of Christ, but an increased understanding of the unique way God made each one of us makes one feel incredibly loved. 

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous – and how well I know it. 15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.  Psalm 139:13-16  New Living Translation