Faith – Page 3

30daysofpraise, Bible, bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, christian men, christian parenting, Christian women, Faith, god, Jesus, Jesus Follower, prayer, proverbs, religion, scripture, Uncategorized, wisdom

Gardeners for Life

October 11, 2026September 30, 2026 krisshetter

First published May 5, 2025 as part of the On Being Sanctified series.

“The people served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel.

After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt.” Judges 2:7 & 10-12

In my mind I like gardening. The idea of tilling, planting, and harvesting feels wonderfully earthy and “back to basics.” You lovingly prepare and replenish the soil. Gardeners then carefully select the correct seeds or plants for the coming season. Then, there’s the occasional weeding and keeping watch for pesky bugs. All that work results in a great harvest. Ruby red tomatoes, giant onions, green and shiny cucumbers, and lettuce! Oh, the bountiful array of various lettuces which now blend together for that healthy, homemade salad!

Like I said, however, in my mind. Don’t get me wrong, I have a little garden which right now has onions and garlic and a bit of lettuce and herbs. But after I planted those, I just sort of forgot about them. A week or so ago, after a few days of rain, I realized the entire garden looked like a wild field of weeds. I peeked at it day after day until one day my husband and I decided we absolutely must attack all the weeds around our house. A task I dreaded.

How many of us want to plunk all those plants we so carefully selected at the gardening center into our gardens and then forget about them until harvest time? We forget the work which needs to be done to attain our dream result.

The Diligent Gardener

Our scripture today reflects a similar behavior by the ancient Israelites. God had rescued them from bondage in Egypt and brought them into the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua. God went before them as they conquered peoples who practiced idolatry and other evils. Sexual immorality and all manner of other sins were rampant in these cultures. Meanwhile, God was with the Israelites providing food, shelter, and victory.

Within one generation the Israelites knew nothing of this God who so lovingly cared for them. And they “did evil in the sight of the Lord.” One generation.

Years ago, when I was working in marketing and public relations, the graphic designer in my department told me about her homeland. She and her family were originally from Iran. She called herself “Persian,” not Iranian. She explained that when she was young, Iran was a cosmopolitan country. People owned beautiful homes. Women were free to be educated and marry whomever they wished. There were religious freedoms and capitalism.

In 1979, the Ayatollah Khomeini, who had been fomenting revolt in Iran from France, returned to Iran. This sparked a revolution to unseat the monarchy. Within a year, the pro-western country was transformed into a brutal theocracy. In less than 50 years, most westerners only know Iran as it is now. One in which women are imprisoned and tortured for not covering themselves from head to toe. A regime which threatens any democracy that tries to grow in the middle east, and really beyond. Less than a generation.

“Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.” 1 Timothy 4:15

Paul warns in his letter to Timothy about the importance of diligence. How diligence, also called stewardship, affects our sanctification journey. Throughout the Bible we see God’s warning about being good stewards of His Word. It’s a constant drumbeat because too often, we seek to take all we have learned about God and for a while we are eagerly obedient to Him. Then we begin to coast.

I had an older friend tell me a couple years ago that she wasn’t interested in volunteering at church because she had already “been there, done that.” She said it was time to relax and “coast.” I had to remind her of this scripture:

“Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children.” Titus 2:3-4

Work To Be Done

No matter our current place along our sanctification journey, God has gardening work for us to do. It may be planting, watering, weed pulling, bug spraying, or harvesting. All done for the glory of God at the time of His coming. All done to keep His Word close to the hearts of generations to come.

“So, Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-13

Friends, ask yourself today in this first look at godly stewardship, are you coasting? Are you saying, “I’ve done the initial work and now it’s someone else’s job to do the weeding?” You have been trained and equipped for a purpose. It’s most likely not something lofty like being a bestselling Christian author or famous missionary. No, most of us have been equipped to get down on our knees in the dirt and work the soil.

King Solomon once lamented that he put in the hard work of building his kingdom, which might ultimately be enjoyed by an heir who had done nothing to earn it. Jesus says, work now in helping build my kingdom and you will reap the benefits come harvest time. And we will dance together with joy.

Jesus calls us to labor faithfully in His kingdom now, trusting Him with the harvest. So this week, look at the patch of ground God has placed in front of you. Is there work you have been leaving for someone else? What is one faithful thing you can do today?

Enjoying A Wisdom Filled Life

October 10, 2026October 2, 2026 krisshetter

First published April 15, 2024 as part of the Enjoy Life: from meaningless to meaningful series

A teenager asked his father if he could go to an unsupervised party where there would surely be drinking. He denied his request. “Aw Dad, why not?” he complained. “I’m in high school now!” Dad replied: “Because some will drink and the party could get out of control.” “But, Dad, those are just very small parts of the party! “My answer is ‘no,’ and that is my final answer. You are welcome to stay home tonight, invite some of your friends over. But you will not go to that party. End of discussion.”

The teenager walked dejectedly into the family room and slumped down on the couch. As he sulked, he was surprised to hear the sounds of his father preparing something in the kitchen. He soon recognized the wonderful aroma of brownies baking in the oven, and he thought, “Dad must be feeling guilty, and now he’s going to try to make it up to me with some fresh brownies. Maybe I can soften him up with lots of praise when he brings them out to me and persuade him to let me go to that party after all.”

The teen was not disappointed. Soon his father appeared with a plate of warm brownies. He took one. Then his father said, “Before you eat, I want to tell you something: I love you very much. That is why I’ve made these brownies from scratch with the very best ingredients. The best stone-milled flour. The best free-range eggs. The best organic pure cane sugar. Premium vanilla and the finest chocolate.” The brownies looked mouth-watering.

“There is one ingredient not normally found in brownies. I only added a tiny amount, so small you probably wouldn’t even notice. Go ahead and try one.”

“Dad, what is the mystery ingredient before I eat it?” the teen asked. Dad answered, “Why? The portion I added was so small. Just a teaspoonful. You won’t even taste it.” The teen said, “Come on, Dad; just tell me what it is.”

“Well, OK, if you insist. That secret ingredient is organic…dog poop.” The teen instantly dropped his brownie back on the plate and began inspecting his fingers with horror. “DAD! Why did you do that? You’ve tempted me by making me smell the brownies cooking for the last half hour, and now you tell me that you added dog poop! I can’t eat these!”

Dad smiled. “Why not? It’s only a tiny amount compared to everything else in the brownies.”

It won’t hurt you. It’s been cooked right along with the other ingredients and you won’t even taste it. Go ahead and eat it.” His son replied, “No, never.”

The wise dad continued, “And that is the same reason I won’t allow you to go to that party. You won’t tolerate a little dog poop in your brownies, so why should you tolerate a little immorality in your life? We pray that God will not lead us unto temptation. So how can you in good conscience entertain yourself with something that could easily get you into trouble?”

The teenager lowered his head, then looked up at his Dad. He smiled. He finally understood. He never did go to high school parties where there was drinking.

Ah, the wisdom of a father. Don’t most parents wish and hope we can provide such clever and wise examples to their children? And best of all, they listen and obey? But alas, so much wisdom dispensed, even to us, falls on deaf ears. We know better and usually think we can do better than the person trying to save us from heartache or hardship.

The Old Testament can be broken into four categories of books. The Pentateuch (the first 5 books), Israel’s history, the prophets, and then wisdom. Two entire books, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, have as their focus the topic of wisdom. It must be something God finds very important in the lives of us humans. Yet, wisdom and the enjoyment of having a life filled with it, seems so elusive to many.

We all have that family member, friend, neighbor, co-worker or acquaintance who causes us to scratch our heads each time they make yet another disastrous decision. A decision that looks a lot like the same mistake they made last time when they sloughed off good advice. Or maybe that person is…you.

Much of the wise advice we hear throughout our lives has its roots somewhere in the book of Proverbs, authored mostly by King Solomon. In Ecclesiastes 7 & 8, he goes on to remind us to seek wisdom but that wisdom, by itself, is not to be the end-goal. He should know. Having asked God to grant him the wisest mind, he eventually managed to really mess up his life pursuing all manner of fleshly desires of which his gift of wisdom afforded him by becoming a wealthy king. He became the poster boy for “do as I say, not as I do.”

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” Proverb 9:10

Had he followed his own wise counsel he might have produced offspring that didn’t want to betray him or destroy the kingdom once they were in power. It’s a good lesson to learn when we dispense wisdom to our fellow, earthly travellers. As Jesus once reminded us, remove the log out of your own eye before you comment on the speck of another.

All that aside, it appears that at the end of Solomon’s life he recognized so many of his faults, sins or indiscretions. The result was his study of life in Ecclesiastes. And with that we get such wonderful pearls as:

‘For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.” Ecclesiastes 7:12

If there is one thing, after seeking Christ, that we should pursue throughout life, it is wisdom. It’s not easily gained. Often, gaining wisdom requires suffering first. Isn’t that what we so often try to impart to others? How to avoid pain, suffering, loss by taking our hard-earned advice?

“It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.” Hebrews 12:7-8

Like the son in the brownie story all of us need discipline sometime in our lives. It’s the first step in wisdom seeking. The person who learns from their mistakes or experiences (or others’) gains one step closer to being wise. One step closer to living a peaceful, joy-filled life.

“None of us can come to the highest maturity without enduring the summer heat of trials.” Charles Spurgeon

“The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.” Ecclesiastes 7:4

Solomon isn’t telling us in the above verse to not have a good and happy life. What he is saying is our seeking joy and happiness at all costs is a shallow goal and not wise. When our yearning for closeness to God can only be satisfied during joyful times, we miss out on the richness that tough times can bring.

Life, as we all know, isn’t all rainbows and unicorns. As he has said throughout Ecclesiastes, life is frequently about toiling and repetitiveness. Wisdom is rarely sought and found while we are whooping it up at a party.

Wisdom is found before we enter the door and remember the terrible hangover we had that last time. Or the fight you and your spouse got into because of inappropriate behavior at the neighborhood BBQ. Or even maybe the DUI your friend got when you drove home together. When we brush all that aside for a “good time,” we’ve entered into the land of folly.

Wisdom is gained by remembering. Remembering the wise words shared with you. Remembering the results of poor decisions, either by yourself or someone you know.

Wisdom isn’t just knowledge. My mother-in-law was a very wise person. She didn’t go to college, she didn’t have some big shot important job. She was a mom, a sometimes employee at dress shops and florists. She was a devoted Christian and a ready-hand at many volunteer events. She was creative and quick-witted. And she dispensed wisdom with ease. Wisdom gained from a dirt poor childhood with an alcoholic dad. From watching her brother make one bad decision after another ending up on drugs and in jail. She didn’t need self-help books to know about life, she lived it and remembered it.

“To know is not to be wise. To know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.” Charles Spurgeon

Friend, in this first look at wisdom let’s make a good evaluation of our own lives. Are we enjoying a life of wisdom or are you continuing to make the same bad decisions? Are you saying “talk to the hand” when someone who has wise words wants to impart them to you? Do you brush aside past mistakes as Solomon did thinking things will be different this time? Have you prayed, as King Solomon did, to the Lord asking for wisdom, in each and every aspect of your life?

Wisdom will keep you from the extremes, as Solomon reminds us in Ecclesiastes verse 7:9 It will preserve you, your good name Ecc 7:1, your family and other relationships. Seek first to be obedient to God and then ask Him for insight and wisdom.

I want to leave you today with a prayer that many may be familiar with written by theologian Karl Paul Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971), called the Serenity Prayer.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
forever in the next.
Amen.

Enjoying A Wisdom Filled Life Part Two now available! Click here

Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness

October 9, 2026October 2, 2026 krisshetter

First published June 6, 2023 as part of the Christian Life In Full Bloom series

Charles Spurgeon once wrote that if God took full license of His greatness and majesty we would surely be trampled under His feet. Instead, God, Himself, displays the most magnificent teaching of gentleness for us all to experience. He holds back in His anger, judgment, and frustration. He is long-suffering and meek in His dealings with us.

King David, with all his power and authority, mirrored this meekness and humility often when he wrote of God in the psalms.

“You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and gentleness made me great.” Psalm 18:35

God’s gentleness made King David great. It seems like an odd statement to make. You would think he would say “your strength” or “your authority” is what bolstered the king. No, instead he sought to point out the gentleness of God. And I wonder, how often do we stop to realize just how gentle God has been with us?

The unbeliever or borderline Christian may never fully appreciate this character trait of God. An unrepentant sinner doesn’t see the need to apologize to anyone for doing life as they see fit. They consider there to be no authority which will one day sit in judgment of them. Therefore, they don’t have the viewpoint that God is being so, so patient with them. Each day on this place we call Earth that the non-believer merrily lives a life in direct conflict with the fruit of the Spirit (ie: hatred, discord, jealousy, selfishness, idolatry, rage, sexual immorality) is another day in which God is showing His gentleness. A day that God has given them to hear His voice before the final judgment.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29

Imagine hearing a man say He is God, a man of flesh and blood, yet tell you He is gentle and humble. You can’t point to any other person in history, besides Jesus, that would say that and be believable. The Pharisees expected the Messiah to come in on a mighty steed to the sounds of trumpets. He was to slay all of Israel’s enemies and lay claim to all land and treasure. He was to pronounce all those suffering without fair trial in jail free to leave the prisons. He was to place the Jews at the top of all humanity.

Instead, as He rose from the waters of baptism by John, a dove appeared over His head. A symbol of peace and gentleness. There was no lightning. There were no earthshattering sounds. Just the sound of water dripping from His body and a cooing dove. And yet, a revolutionary was set on His designated path.

So often I hear Christians and non-Christians talk about meeting God face to face. At the pearly gates of heaven, they imagine a conversation about whether their “nice list” is greater than their “naughty list.” But let’s back up. Moses, himself, could not look directly at God or he would have certainly died on the spot. God’s power was so great He had to put some of it into a burning bush for a visual of sorts. And even then, Moses was admonished to not come too close and to clean his feet in reverence.

We humans while we are alive on earth can only see God as a shadow or a lesser representation because we would be so overwhelmed by His presence. So now understand the meekness He had to undertake to become flesh and blood.

“A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” C.S. Lewis

Jesus said He was God. Jesus performed miracles as God. Jesus warned of judgment as God. So, either we believe He is God or we must throw away everything He said as a crazy person. And if we believe He is God then we should be amazed at how gentle and humble He truly was while here on earth. He didn’t once look at a Pharisee and afflict him with a terrible illness. He didn’t lay waste to the soldiers who came to arrest Him. No, He was patient with everyone. Teaching, showing, loving us into His coming kingdom.

“No destroying angel smote the men who spat in his face, no devouring flame burned up those who scourged him. The force of his life was the omnipotence of gentle goodness. He did not lay the weight of his little finger upon the minds of men to compel them to involuntary subjection; his conquests were such as led men in willing captivity.” Charles Spurgeon

As we reflect on the fruit of the Spirit this week, remember that gentleness is not weakness. Our God possesses infinite power and authority, yet He deals patiently and tenderly with us. May His gentleness shape the way we treat others as we learn to call Him Abba, Father.

Enjoying The Enough Life

October 8, 2026September 30, 2026 krisshetter

First published April 8, 2024 as part of the Enjoy Life: from meaningless to meaningful series

In 2014, researcher and Contentment Foundation founder Daniel Cordaro took a team of researchers to the remote area of the Himalayas in Eastern Bhutan. Their subjects were 200 nomadic families who had never been contacted by outsiders. It was to be the final look into a 5-year, cross-cultural study of how people identify and react to a long list of emotions. Upon showing the villagers dozens of facial and vocal expressions, even having been cut off from the rest of the world, they recognized the vast majority of emotions with accuracy. However, it was one emotion that elicited a different response to the norm. That emotion was contentment. Their guide, Dr. Dorji Wangchuk, stopped for a moment when they reached that word.

“In our culture, this emotion is very special. It is the highest achievement of human well-being, and it is what the greatest enlightened masters have been writing about for thousands of years. It’s hard to translate it exactly, but the closest word is ‘chokkshay’, which is a very deep and spiritual word that means ‘the knowledge of enough.’ It basically means that right here, right now, everything is perfect as it is, regardless of what you are experiencing outside.”

This explanation by Dr. Wangchuk brought chills to Cordaro who goes on to say in his story of this experience, “No matter where I went on planet earth, all of the cultures I interacted with revered contentment as one of the highest states to cultivate in life. Yet in the West, we were obsessing about happiness—and feeling more anxious, depressed, and stressed.”*

While Mr. Cordaro may have decided through his research that “happiness” rather than contentment is a relatively new goal which rears its head mainly in western society, I would argue it’s actually been around for a very long time. You only need to turn to Ecclesiastes 6, indeed much of Ecclesiastes itself, to see pleasure seeking or happiness sits atop many people’s motivation in life.

“If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life’s good things, and he also has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he…even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?” Ecclesiastes 6:3 & 6

King Solomon would relate to this prosperous man; it might even be a reflection of the King himself. A man who amassed riches, property, wives, children, slaves, food, and wine. Yet was drawn to study the meaningless life. A life much the opposite of those Himalayan nomads.

A 2016 survey by YouGov asked Americans whether they would rather achieve great things or be happy. 81% said they would rather be happy. Despite the widespread pursuit of happiness, people struggled to define it or achieve it.** And I ask you, on a daily basis are you seeking happiness or contentment? Are you seeking to feel the emotion that pleasure provides or resting in the peace of enjoying “enough?”

“Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” Ecclesiastes 6:9

The “I need to do and seek out what makes me happy” hasn’t really worked out that well for us humans. It’s a life led by self-fulfillment and fleeting emotions. Back a few years when I decided to seek happiness, I went about it working hard at changing myself. I needed to be less, I suppose, like me and more like people who appeared happy with loads of friends. The problem was I was still me. I was still filled with sinful thoughts and behaviors, most of which I couldn’t see or didn’t want to.

“You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” James 4:2-3

Through study of God’s Holy Word, I finally had my “aha moment.” I was seeking with the wrong motive. What I needed to seek was joy and contentment, not how to be happy. Why? Because desiring happiness didn’t mean to love others, rather just myself. It meant getting what I wanted, not what God wanted of me. It led me to covet and be jealous of those who seemed “happier.”

In the late 1800s, Russian author Leo Tolstoy experienced his own profound revelation when seeking the meaningful life. Born to aristocrats, he had all that wealth could provide. He ran in highly intellectual circles debating the politics and issues of the day. And for all that upper-class privilege he once stated,

“My life came to a standstill. I could breathe, eat, drink, and sleep, and I could not help doing these things; but there was no life, for there were no wishes the fulfillment of which I could consider reasonable… had a fairy come and offered to fulfill my desires I should not have known what to ask.”

In the course of events Tolstoy became involved with a group of Russian peasants. What he witnessed was a hard life. One with heavy, daily labor. And they were content. They, he said, knew the meaning of life and death and labored quietly. They endured deprivations and suffering. They lived and died seeing the good.

So how do we achieve this state of contentment? Must we cast off all our hard-earned wealth? Sell our homes and become Himalayan nomads? Become like John the Baptist and wear rough clothing and eat bugs?

“Enjoying life is a matter of character, not circumstance.” Booker T. Washington

Like so many lessons gifted by God, the hard won path to contentment is not about our outward appearance. If it were, the successful business person would be doomed. Yet success, from a wealth perspective, is not seen in the Bible as something to be disabused. It is only seen as causing potential difficulty for the believer. It wasn’t the prince’s wealth that caused him not to be able to follow Jesus. But rather his clinging to it for his happiness. (Matt 19:21-22) His character was filled with greed and pride.

In the completed study by Cordaro he found there were two views of what people think makes for a contented life. The first he called the “More Strategy.” It’s that view of the western happiness mindset. More money, more stuff. The problem, he found, was once you got more, that feeling of happiness drifted away like the mist.

The second approach is the “Enough Strategy.” It’s when people look inward to find the happiness. He poured through thousands of years of ancient wisdom traditions and found that the ancients almost never used the word “happiness.” More than 90 percent of the time, they used the word “contentment,” and described it as a state of “unconditional wholeness,” regardless of what is happening externally.

The unfortunate diagnosis by Cordaro however, is that somehow we can become whole all by ourselves. It’s the same mindset of modern, secular psychology and thousands of self-help books. He didn’t research which ancient wisdom traditions were successful at this goal and how. If he had, he might have discovered Jesus, who offers something far deeper than self-generated contentment. The Christian hope is not that we become whole through our own efforts, but that we are made whole through Him. The knowledge of enough ultimately begins with recognizing that, in Christ, we already have what matters most.

Enjoying The Enough Life Part Two now available! Click here.

*Excerpt from Greater Good Magazine, May 27, 2020 What If You Pursue Contentment Rather Than Happiness?

**BBC’s Nat Rutherford

Enjoying Life’s Possibilities

October 7, 2026September 30, 2026 krisshetter

First published May 6, 2024 as the last in the Enjoy Life: from meaningless to meaningful series.

I’m going to be completely honest with you, my friend. Today’s post was to be what the British call “a bit of a fob off.” You see, I had always planned to write the last look at Ecclesiastes after I returned from a 10-day trip to see my daughter and grandkids. With a five-month-old infant and a sports-obsessed two-year-old, writing simply wasn’t possible during my visit. Let’s just say this 59-year-old grandma (Guga as I’m affectionately called) passes out from exhaustion about 8:30pm each night after a day of bottles, diapers, up and down the stairs, laundry, baseball, football, golf, hockey, and little bits of quiet snuggling in between. I love every single bit of it.

So here I was back home ready to jump in to the wise words of King Solomon. And I started feeling ill. After just a few days home I became so delirious and short of breath that I caused myself a full-blown panic attack one night thinking I was dying. My husband managed to get me to the doctor where I tested positive for Influenza. I can’t remember the last time I had the actual flu. A flu that then turned into pneumonia — which is why I didn’t seem to be getting better. My hopes of feeling up to writing even a few lines were put way, way back on the burner.

But through the blessings of the Lord, I was put on new medications just yesterday. I now have a veritable neighborhood pharmacy on my counter. And although walking from one room to the next still seems a bit like I’ve tried tackling the 213.7 mile John Muir Trail with my friend Betsy, I can feel my body recovering. So instead of “fobbing off” and writing a placeholder, here I am through God’s providence, jumping into wisdom and life and the wonderful meaning of it all.

“However, many years anyone may live, let them enjoy them all. But let them remember the days of darkness, for there will be many.” Ecclesiastes 11:8

You see, even in my darkest moments when I was really sick I was remembering some important things about this life. That I don’t know how it all works but God does. Ecclesiastes 1 reminded us that although we are made in God’s image, He still is the ultimate creator and has more power and knowledge than we can ever hope to amass.

“Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.” Ecclesiastes 1:10

I also allowed myself to ask why God doesn’t fix things immediately at my whim or even pleading? Which, of course, reminded me of the famous Ecclesiastes 3 scripture:

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens … a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal,”Ecclesiastes 3: 1; 2-3

After my 4am panic attack and my husband had calmed my breathing, I laid back in bed thinking, “Is this what it will be like in the end? At my final moments? Worried and panicked? Clawing to hold on to one more day of this life?”

When we looked at Ecclesiastes 9, we ran head first into the only truth no one can deny, no matter how hard they try. “The same destiny overtakes us all.” (vs 3). And yet we cling so hard and forget about the other truth the people of this world want to deny – we have hope for those who believe. We have an eternal place where God has a plan for justice. Where He has brought every single one of our loved ones, who also believe, to live with us forever and ever. Nothing left behind but sin and strife and pain and death.

My friends, if we accept that death is our future and as Solomon told us in verse 9:12, “No one knows when their hour will come,” we must take all that he says in wisdom in his last chapters 11 and 12 to heart.

“As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.” Ecclesiastes 11:5-6

The New Testament repeats the same message: know God, love God, trust God, and obey Him. We are not God. We barely understand the present moment, and often struggle to remember yesterday, let alone see tomorrow.

There’s a trend on Instagram where very talented photographers stop average looking strangers on the street and ask to take their picture. The people (usually women) tell the photographer all the reasons why they are not worthy of having a photo taken of them. One adult woman with fairly new braces said she would start smiling once her braces came off. In what — two or three years? And yet her brace-filled pictures were gorgeous!

Are you waiting to smile until something better happens in your life? Until the right person comes along? The right job? The right bank account? That “happiness” seeking roller coaster that Solomon warned us about in Ecclesiastes 6. It’s a joy killer. It may look like seeking meaning but it all becomes so meaningless.

“Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body,” Ecclesiastes 11:9-10

Solomon tells us, “go!” Try that new hobby or skill. Actively seek out new friendships and opportunities. Tell your friend or family member how much God loves them – today. Stop waiting until you get to the point where there’s no longer time, but also remembering all along who you belong to – our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Not hedonism as we looked at chapter 10 and the Right Side of Life. That’s meaningless folly. True joy, true enjoyment comes from knowing and listening to the Lord and stepping onto the narrow path.

I read a quote recently that went something like this:

“Trusting God is like being married to adventure but if you are looking for an excuse, you will find one.”

In other words, if you truly trust in the Lord for His love and provision. If you truly believe you are a beloved and beautiful daughter or son of God then He wants you to enjoy this short life He’s given you on this little blue planet.

This ancient book of wisdom on the surface seems like the last place to go to for this inspiration. I mean reminding us from beginning to end we will all die…a real party conversation killer. But sprinkled throughout this truth are the six reminders to “Enjoy Life.” Enjoy life while fearing the Lord and keeping His commands (Ecc 12:13). King Solomon did a bit too much of the first and forgot the second until towards the end of his life. He’s pleading with you hear his God-given words now.

I read this article by editor and founder Joanna Gaines in my most recent copy of Magnolia magazine. I realized it was a great way to end this series studying Ecclesiastes and the meaning of life. Especially for those of you who struggle with life’s changes, the good and the frequently not so good. We may want to retreat, go back to the old. We pray for God to remove the struggle and the pain. And it might get us stuck. Stuck in bad habits, unhealthy relationships, or the lie that nothing will ever change. Stuck believing God has no better plan ahead. Stuck in the lie that your personal cycle of life will just keep plugging away, never changing and never ending. Which keeps us far from the concept of joy and enjoyment. Listen to this excerpt from Mrs. Gaines’ essay titled, “Space to See Possibility” (spring 2024).

“When life swung, for the first time I didn’t hold my breath. I stood tall. I looked around. I worried less what was changing now and instead looked forward to what it could give way to the next. I asked myself, “What beautiful thing can come from this? What did I learn that can carry me forward?” And I came to realize that it’s the aftermath that’s the most formative. It was how we landed, how we let what was different be its own kind of beautiful. It was how we reset, changed course, and believed in the goodness to come.”

As my head has started to clear from my illnesses – my dizziness is dissipating and my vision is clearing – I look back over how often I sought the Lord. How often I thanked Him for seemingly endless boxes of Kleenex, soft sheets, a comfortable bed, doctors, pharmacists, drug inventors and scientists, friends, clean water, my husband and daughters, and more. I pleaded but I didn’t know if I would be healed or when. I felt terrible yet, still I knew my life is good. A life to enjoy even in the least enjoyable moments. Because that’s what our faith gives us. Head scratching, oppositeness from the world. A life of meaning.

My friend, I hold out my hand to you asking you to join me on this great adventure called Jehovah, God, Jesus, Elohim, Holy Spirit. Ask Him today, “What’s next?” and go enjoy.

Rise and Shine

October 6, 2026September 30, 2026 krisshetter

First published December 29, 2023 as part of the Soli Deo Gloria series.

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.” Isaiah 60:1-2

Rise and shine and give God the glory! Those are the words I heard when I first woke this morning. You see I had told my husband last night, just before we went to sleep, that I had no idea what I was going to write about today. Zip, zilch, nada. But I wasn’t worried. I didn’t lay awake all night concerned about the words that had yet to come. Why? Because more than a month ago, I committed this project to the Lord and determined not to run ahead of Him. I surrendered my worries to Him. So, last night I fell into a blissful sleep with the knowledge that our glorious Lord always comes through for us.

You read that correctly. He always comes through on His promises. He is always present to comfort us, to teach us, to protect and heal. The way He accomplishes this may not (and it usually doesn’t) look like how we imagined but, when we have faith in His love for us and we seek Him in every circumstance we will see Him at work.

Yesterday at lunch my friend and I shared the topics of what can keep us up at night: family strife, fears of illness, the state of the world, and even our pets. As the Lord has worked on the part of me that often brings the most struggle, my mind, He has taught me to surrender every thought to Him in prayer and trust. To release my prideful ideas of control and be still of mind.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10

That thief? He is the one keeping you up at night. He whispers that you are responsible for fixing everyone else. He reminds you that death may be just around the corner. He reveals to you all your weaknesses and screw ups. He places the doubt of God’s sovereignty and love in your mind. He’s convincing you to expect bad things to happen. He’s the one telling you to clean up your act before you can come bow down before our Mighty and Glorious King. Ugh! I hate that guy! The king of lies

“Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me.” Micah 7:8

Oh, yes we will rise! We will rise because when we pray, the glory of the Lord shines a light on the lies. Before we go to bed each night we turn every single thought over to Him and we don’t take it back. We put it in God’s holy lockbox. We pray for the hope of tomorrow. That the Lord will do a mighty work in our circumstances. Because Jesus came to slay that serpent and indwell in us the fruit of the spirit.

I heard in a podcast this morning that Israel’s enemies would try to defeat them by putting rocks in their fruitful wells. King David was said to have opened all the wells up in victory. That’s what we need to pray today. For the Lord not to fill us — as believers we already have the gift of the Spirit in us — but to remove all those rocks we have placed in our well. It may be bitterness, jealousy, fear, mistrust, anger or any number of negative thoughts and actions. We pray not to be filled but to break down those rocks and fully utilize the glorious gifts we’ve been given such as love, joy and especially peace.

Oh, that blissful peace. It’s what we yearn for each night we lay our heads to rest. My friends, it’s time to unblock our wells and give God the glory for all He has done and will do for you. The hope of today and tomorrow that He will be present in your life every single moment.

And when you rise, give God all glory and honor and power. Amen.

Tasting God’s Goodness

October 5, 2026September 30, 2026 krisshetter

First published April 21, 2025 as part of the On Being Sanctified series

“Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” 1 Peter 2 :1-3

When out walking the other day, I was contemplating the good gifts of God. Gifts I long to experience daily. Peace, love and joy are a few that spring to mind. Weirdly enough this pondering made me think of southern buttermilk biscuits. Yes, biscuits.

For the past, I don’t know, 20 years or so I’ve been on this quiet pilgrimage to make and eat the perfect buttermilk biscuit. A good spicy, pork gravy on top isn’t so bad either. But that elusive biscuit keeps calling my name. I’ve tasted many a biscuit from California to South Carolina and Texas to Missouri. A few biscuits found their way onto my plate in Louisiana and Georgia. None have met my dreams and expectations.

I’ve made a number of attempts to make such a mythical biscuit. I’ve even come pretty close with a famous lifestyle influencer’s recipe. The process, which took a few days, included chilling various ingredients, grating butter, and what seems to be the most important part, carefully yet not over handling the rolling and cutting of the dough. My neighbors were gifted much of my last batch which met with mouthwatering approval.

So here we are, wondering what biscuits have to do with God’s gifts? Well, let’s back up a bit. In our sanctification journey we’ve looked at the importance of knowing who God is, who we are in God, and knowing God’s character and promises. Then we took on the challenge of how trials take us down bumpy roads. Yet, they lead us to greater trust in how all that knowledge comes together for our good. This week we’re cooking up ways to live the life we yearn for each day.

So, let’s start this week with a question: What do you most want out of your short life here on earth What do you yearn for each day you wake?

In the July 24, 2023 edition of CNBC’s “Make It,” therapist Charlotte Weber wrote of the nine things people want most in life.

To be loved
To be understood
To have power
To have and give attention
To have freedom
To create
To belong
To win
To connect

If you answered my questions with yearnings such as a desire for marriage, children, money, or even the perfect biscuit, you could probably attribute any of those with something on Ms. Weber’s list. But here’s the thing, her ingredients to attaining those nine desires are all temporary. A spouse who loves you, a friend who understands, a situation where you have power and win. Getting attention and belonging may last for a day, a month or a season. And freedom? From what? There are rules everywhere we go! None of these ingredients are bad or even frowned upon by God. But they are temporary fixes.

My biscuit journey made me realize we make commitments large and small to the things of this world for which we yearn. I had to submit to the rules of biscuit making. And if I plan to fulfill my goal, I need to be obedient to that cause.

I want to give you a recipe for the big life goals Ms. Weber revealed which, when followed, last throughout eternity. You’re probably not going to like it. But it’s a recipe that been tested for thousands of years and those who have tasted it all agree it is good. You might have guessed it — submission and obedience to God.

“As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:14-16

Let’s be honest, when anyone talks about obedience and submission a little red flag goes up in our mind. Unfortunately, so many Christian teachers and pastors these days seem to blame our lack of obedience to the Lord on our western culture. Here’s a Bible pro-tip: humans have struggled with obedience since the third chapter of Genesis. We need to stop blaming modern culture and realize it’s a human problem that spans all time and location. The Israelites didn’t live in western culture yet I recall a few times where they had kings that “did evil in the sight of the LORD” and were found very wanting.

We do, however, love to compound our basic disobedience to God by being fearful of disobedience to man. Nowadays that means we’re to be a planet saving, animal loving, anti-capitalists it seems. We are asked, “Are you using recycled containers?” If not, you’re killing the planet. Have you given enough money to the homeless? They are destitute because of you! Have you ethically sourced your jacket? If not, you’ve probably destroyed an entire rainforest. The food you eat, the leisure activities you enjoy, the car you drive – you’re being called every day to submit to new worldly rules. And if you don’t comply, then you can’t possibly be a good person and be happy! How could you, you planet destroyer and animal hater? Submit to the modern rules and feel good about yourself!

You may throw up your hands and call the recipe for eternal happiness and joy impossible. But as Christian author Kevin DeYoung writes in his great little book, “Impossible Christianity”, “When genuine discipleship becomes impossible, hell often becomes impossible as well.” In other words, when we believe failure is the norm, we forget the reality of hell.

And I don’t know about you but hell is not what I’m yearning for when I’m done here. I also know I want lasting, deep peace and joy. It’s true that what we all yearn for in the now will only be a shadow of what is to come in eternity. Jesus reminds us that He knows we can’t do everything perfect and need to lean on Him all the time. We seek holiness as a life goal and know it’ll take the Holy Spirit to do the work in us. Urging us, teaching us, and even admonishing us.

“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14

The world wants to tell Christians God’s only ingredient for the world is love. They conveniently leave out that God is also to be feared and revered. And separation from God, which is what Jesus was experiencing on the cross when He said, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me,” is what we call “hell.”

Our disobedience tells God we don’t revere Him and instead revere ourselves. We want to be the author of our own recipe. So, while we have declared our faith in Jesus Christ, we continue to turn away from the holiness He so desires for our life. To the unbeliever it must be confusing to see us acting this way!

This holiness is not impossible. And while perfection may be our eternal goal, in all honesty we won’t achieve it here on earth. But like my biscuit-making journey, we need to keep hungering and thirsting for it.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6

This week’s question: When you hear obedience and submission, what is your reaction?

Coat of the Holy Spirit

October 4, 2026September 30, 2026 krisshetter

First published March 3, 2025 as part of the On Being Sanctified series

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Romans 5:1-4

As I’m writing this my BSGs (Bible Study Girls) are working in the book “Now and Not Yet,” by Ruth Chou Simons. We’ve just completed a week-long study on Joseph’s life found in Genesis 37-50. Joseph’s story is one of those known by believers and non-believers far and wide, mostly because of that coat. You know the one – of many colors that his dad Jacob made for him. That coat became a visual reminder of Joseph’s favored son status amongst his brothers.

Most of us know Joseph’s story: his jealous brothers sell him into slavery after he shares a dream about ruling over them. In Egypt, he rises in Potiphar’s household but is falsely accused and thrown into prison. Yet God continues to favor him. After interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams of coming abundance and famine, Joseph is placed in charge of Egypt’s food supply. Years later, his brothers come seeking food, unaware they are standing before Joseph himself. The story culminates in forgiveness and reconciliation.

At the end of the study week, three things stood out to me: 1) Even in the worst, he made it the best. 2) We don’t hear of God telling Joseph what to do. And 3) Joseph’s walk with God seemed woven into who he was.

I pointed out to the ladies that the first time you even hear Joseph speak God’s name is when he rebuffs the wife. He said it would be a wicked and sinful thing against God. After that even in jail while interpreting dreams, you don’t get Pauline-like statements about suffering and perseverance for God. But when asked by Pharaoh if he could interpret the dreams he said, “I cannot, but God will give Pharaoh the answers.” And when Joseph finally revealed who he was to his brothers he made the amazing statement, “And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.” Genesis 45:5

From favored son to dropped into a well to die. From slavery to Pharaoh’s trusted servant. From betrayed to forgiving. Joseph had God embedded so deeply in him that each trial, each good thing, was of God. It was as though he wore God as a comfortable, favorite coat.

You have to think as the years went by while in Egypt, he thought of the brothers who tried to kill him. As he sat rotting in jail for years, of that beautiful, multi-colored coat. We now can read the full story, but Joseph himself never knew what was to come. He only knew God was with him.

Raise your hand in all honesty if you would be plotting your revenge or how you would turn your backs on your family (or friends or neighbors or fellow church members) after being treated so terribly. All the while waiting to hear God’s voice telling you what to do or how to feel about it all.

When the time came to stand face to face with his brothers it wasn’t anger and bitterness that he expressed. He could look back at the betrayal of Potiphar’s wife and how it led him to years in jail all to be worked out by God. He saw how God had used even his slavery to save countless lives. God didn’t have to reveal some new great truth to him. He slipped easily into wearing God’s goodness in the trials. He saw that God was sovereign, and he trusted Him. God was teaching him to persevere, leading him up to redeeming his family with forgiveness.

We’re the fortunate ones to have the entire story of the Bible laid out in front of us. We get to see the work of an even greater Joseph – Jesus. We see how His Father asked Him to wear a different coat – – one lined with all the blackness of our sins. His suffering and perseverance redeemed all humanity. His gift to us? The Holy Spirit residing in us for our time here in this world. So like Joseph we too can wear the living God each day. We wear a majestic, wise, and powerful inner coat: the very presence of God’s Spirit within us. Having Him be a natural way of life for us – obeying, trusting and persevering.

Friends, we were sanctified by the blood of Jesus. Giving us justification to stand before God in peace. He has clothed us in white, having removed that dark punishment of death. We are being sanctified right now by the Holy Spirit guiding us through the hatred or lack of love we experience, the lies told about us, the tragedies and trials. He bathes us each in God’s glorious light that we might shine it out to the world! And what is all this for? We will experience our final sanctification when we are glorified and the purple robes of kings are placed on our shoulders. When we face our LORD and He says to us, “Welcome home, good and faithful servant!”

“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:2.

Until then, God purifies us. He is making you holy, “hagiasmos” or set apart. Walk like Joseph through your day, wearing not that cheap, shiny, sparkly coat of the world, but rather the coat which envelopes you inside and out with the Holy Spirit. He will make you more valuable than any favored, earthly treasure. He will clothe you in something more precious than gold.

This week’s question: What’s been the most confusing or challenging part of your Christian journey?

Bible, bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, christian men, christian parenting, Christian women, Faith, god, Jesus, Jesus Follower, prayer, religion, scripture, Transformation Prayer, Uncategorized, wisdom

Pruning for Fruitfulness

October 3, 2026September 30, 2026 krisshetter

First published April 14, 2025 in the On Being Sanctified series

“In all this you greatly rejoice though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:6

You may have learned at some point that wildfires actually can be positive for burning out old, dead wood and allowing for new growth. God’s trials are our great refinery. Every one of us experiences it. But only Christians have the promises and therefore the hope for truly brighter days. Only we have the guiding, comforting light of the Holy Spirit to remind us He is always with us.

As the faithful we are led to forgive those who persecute us. Not only forgive but to love. The fruit of our faith is joy, peace, patience, love, gentleness, kindness, self-control and faithfulness (Galatians 5:22).

If during a trial you don’t have this fruit you have to ask yourself if you have truly surrendered to Christ. Or are you, as Pastor Tim Keller once said, “Sitting in God’s seat”? Meaning, are you the arbiter of “the ways things should and must be?” Are you so angry, sad or distraught when, after you’ve determined what is best in your life, that it all goes so differently? You’re sitting in God’s seat.

The secular world says, “There is no future so I must have all my happiness in the ‘now.’” When that inevitable trial or suffering comes, the worldly are thrown into despair. They think life should always be good. As followers of Christ we should and must put our ultimate happiness in the eternal. When suffering comes to us it is to be expected because we live in a fallen world. On the flip side, when life is good, we should be thanking God for what is actually the “unusual.”

This garden we are all in has a lot of gopher holes that have been dug out by the world who live by fleshly desires. Greed, selfishness, hatred, unforgiveness, unkindness, sexual immorality and more are the result of Satan’s pull on mankind. And it all slams against us at one time or another. Trying to pluck us from His hands.

He gives us this beautiful promise: “And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

Jesus said this to the apostles as He sent them out to spread the seeds of the Gospel because He knew what they would face. Death and persecution would follow them everywhere.

Is this all to just “get through” safely to eternity? In one way, yes. But remember those fruits? We don’t have the fruit of fear and drudgery and timidity. We have the fruits of what so many seek through self-help books and psychology. Our trials help us learn to persevere and grow closer to God in trust. They show us that He is truly worthy of all our praise. He provides and protects until He calls us home.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4

So again, I ask, have you come out stronger in your trials? Has your faith beautifully blossomed? If not, it’s time to reflect. To ask yourself if you missed God in the suffering and in the calm. If you missed an opportunity for peace in the pain. If you still seek to control outcomes and sit in God’s seat? Are your roots at the surface or are they grounded deep in the love and knowledge of God?

You will face something difficult again. He is trustworthy and has a plan for you. Through your tears, ask Him to reveal Himself at work. In your anxiety ask Him to make your path straight. In your heavy burden take up His offer to turn it all over to Him.

I promise you, because I have seen Him at work through many people, including myself, you will see your faith grow by leaps and bounds. And the world will have a difficult time pulling your deep roots from God’s rich soil.

This week’s question: What promise of God have you relied on during difficult times?

Bible, bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, christian men, christian parenting, Christian women, Faith, god, Jesus, Jesus Follower, prayer, proverbs, religion, scripture, Transformation Prayer, Uncategorized, wisdom

Enjoying the Surrender

October 2, 2026September 30, 2026 krisshetter

First published March 11, 2024 as part of the Enjoy Life: Ecclesiastes from meaningless to meaningful series.

A friend of mine recently surrendered a bitter, past hurt over to the Lord. She started with obedience, albeit reluctantly, she admits. The pain caused by her last church has been difficult to overcome. She told me she’s been praying one of the best prayers you could ever pray: “Help me imitate Jesus .” As part of a study about revival we’ve been doing she’s also spent a lot more time just listening for God’s Word. Not asking, pleading, telling, or even praising. Just listening. And He has spoken.

You see my friend used to love teaching children the Word of God. At her old church she was deeply involved in children’s ministry. After a tumultuous pastor change and the subsequent wrangling for top dog positions within the church, a few staff members were laid off without warning. She was one of them. She had given her whole heart over to the ministry and felt betrayed. It led her to declare she would never serve in children’s ministry again, ever.

And then in January we opened Pastor Robby Gallaty’s study on revival titled, “Revive Us.” He encouraged us to spend time with God starting with just five minutes of quiet time. We soon worked our way up to 15, then 20 and finally 30 minutes. Over the course of the next two months, we shared what God showed us. A word here and there, a vision of being loved, a message of strength, a picture of His majesty.

For my friend? After praying yet again on how to imitate Jesus, she found herself in her quiet time with a vision of a beach scene. A man teaching little children at the edge of the sea. Love abounded from child to teacher and teacher to child. The teacher turned and looked at her and smiled. It was Jesus. She was overcome with tears; real tears streaming down her face in realization that to imitate Jesus would be to do the one thing she had refused. To do the one thing she knew God had gifted her. To teach the children.

Although she had already agreed to “dip a toe” into Sunday School by observing the following week, she did so with trepidation. That vision, given to her the day before she was to serve, filled her with love and joy. When she walked into the children’s ministry department the administrator was so happy to see her – they were short leaders in Kindergarten. “Would she take on the class?” she was asked. Without any hesitation my friend agreed. You should have heard the joy in her voice when she told us how she was immediately loved by the children, how she danced and sang, how she was filled with the Holy Spirit. How she was healed!

The moment my friend stopped protecting her wound and surrendered it to God, she found what Solomon spent a lifetime searching for.

“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 2:10-11

My friend’s experience stands in stark contrast to King Solomon’s reflections in Ecclesiastes 2.

Solomon was the richest man in the world at the time. He had everything at his fingertips. He built palace after palace. He made large parks and orchards. He had plenty of female slaves to do his every (and I mean every) bidding. He had singers, dancers, gold, silver, food, drink – all the delights of a man’s heart (Ecc 2:8). And he was miserable. He was seeking meaning and purpose. He tried buying it and building it and owning it.

“The abundant life is to be found in ‘treasuring up for God’ rather than for self.” Kenneth Bailey, Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes

What did my friend have? A humble servant heart, slightly broken and needing mending. She didn’t seek to enrich her life. She asked to serve the One True God, Jesus Christ. So, He gave her 10 little, beautiful faces that Sunday. Little children who were eager to be her new friend and to mend her heart.

I once read that we should see ourselves as channels of joy rather than reservoirs. Meaning we don’t store up all the blessing for ourselves but rather send them on to others. Pastor Gallaty reminded us of this truth. Through intercessory prayer and acts of service we become those channels.

“If revival coming to your family or community depended on your prayers, would it come?”Pastor Robby Gallaty

When our prayer life and subsequent actions serve only to enrich ourselves, we find our situation mirroring Solomon’s. Striving and chasing wealth, status, knowledge and even wisdom – with God as a supplemental figure or not thought of at all, really. When our pursuit of pleasure, comfort, or even “peace” becomes our highest priority, we miss the beautiful work God wants to do in our lives.

“A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God.” Ecclesiastes 2:24-26