Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we
profess, for he who promised is faithful.Hebrews 10:23
We sing songs about God being our Rock. We hear sermons about not living as though on shifting sand. And yet so often I find myself having days where my faith feels more like something I’ve placed in a box to access at a later date and time. I rush about “doing life,” not as a Christian but as a citizen of the world. I let go of my Rock and hold on to my to do list.
But what do we, as Christians, really want to accomplish in our lives? If it’s simply completing to-do lists every day, we miss out on some of the greatest human qualities God gifted us – the ability to dream and grow and have hope.
When I was in high school, I wanted to be an astronaut. I met with Air Force recruiters who were enthusiastic about me joining up. But when I sat down with my parents, they immediately discouraged me. They thought I couldn’t handle the rigor and discipline of training. I had two choices – to ignore them and join anyway or give up my dream. Had I a strong prayer life, I could’ve lifted up this quandary to God. And then be guided by Him. At each roadblock I could’ve held fast to the knowledge that He put me on that path. But I’m sorry to say, I neither prayed nor kept my dream alive.
This verse today harkens back to Abraham and Sarah’s unswerving faith in God. They went through terrible trials in which it would’ve been understandable had they given up on God’s promises. We see throughout the Old Testament when the Israelites did give up hope. They grumbled to Moses and set off in directions which brought death. And who can forget Lot’s wife – looking backward rather than forward to God’ promise?
How often do we pray for help from Jesus, knowing that He answers prayers, and then after things get a bit tough or we feel the wait is too long we give up on our hopes and dreams?
Blessed is the one who perseveres under
trial because, having stood the test,
that person will receive the crown of
life that the Lord has promised to those
who love him.
James 1:12
God never breaks a promise. It’s always us. It’s us that needs to take our faith out of the box and place it at the top of our list each day. We need to hold fast to the knowledge that God is working for us and not against us. Whenever we are tempted to give up or get discouraged about our dreams, we need seize the promises that God has shown us.
Here’s a prayer from Sparkling Gems from the Greek that might help you, through faith, “hold unswervingly” to your dreams!
Lord, I am well aware that events will occur in life that will tempt me to release the dream You put in my heart. So right now, I ask You to fill me with the courage I need to refuse to let go of my dream. Even though my mind and the circumstances around me may send signals that the dream will never come to pass, I know that You are faithful to what you have promised. Help me wrap my arms of faith around your promises and never let go until I see them come into manifestation! I pray this in Jesus’ name!
Can a mother forget the baby
at her breast and have no compassion
on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget, I will
not forget you!
See, I have engraved you on
the palms of my hands;
your walls are ever before me.Isaiah 49:15-16
I just was having a bad day. Nothing really seemed to fall into place. My husband got some bad news from work which makes me worry about him and our financial situation. And then we decided to go get my car washed. My husband was vacuuming the back of my hatchback. I decided to walk around the back in order to reach the passenger front window. Unbeknownst to me he had pushed the button to close the hatch as he walked away. I walked square into the corner of the door with the top of my head. My husband was completely unaware as he was now on the opposite side of the car. I bent over holding my head trying to 1) not cry like a baby and 2) stay conscious.
I cried out to him like a mewling lamb. My first reaction was to blame him and then I apologized, saying it was just an accident. But that was the last straw for me that day. I wanted to sit down and sob. It has taken so much out of me to stay in tune with God during the trials and tribulations of the Covid pandemic that I just wanted to give up. No more joyful grasping for God. No more peace resting in His Word. I just was done.
Come to me, all you who
are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest.Matthew 11:28
And God whispered to me, “I’m still here. And I still love you. And I know you are having a hard time. Come and talk to me.”
I still find it so hard to pray when I’m truly struggling. But God is so compassionate to us. He knows when we are holding on by a thread. He will take even the tiniest snippets of prayer from us to help us hold on. Like the mother in the Isaiah verse today, He longs to hold us in His arms if we would just run to him – or even crawl.
The process of sanctification this year made me realize quickly that I was shrinking away from not only God but my husband at that painful moment. I didn’t want to burden my husband any more than he already was. But after a little while, I shared with him how I was feeling. I know it’s hard for men to see their beloved wives in pain and not be able to fix our ills. But he gave me what I needed — a listening and compassionate ear, and a hug.
That’s what God wants to do for us too. Although we shouldn’t turn our prayer time into a litany of complaints, we should bring him our pain.
Therefore, as God’s chosen people,
holy and dearly loved, clothe
yourselves with compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness
and patience.Colossians 3:12
I like this visual of clothing ourselves. The fruits of the spirit are God’s way of giving us that spiritual hug and listening ear. He is compassionate, kind, gentle and patient with us. And Jesus was certainly humble. When we encase our minds and hearts in these gifts and then turn those fruit outward toward God’s people, we get them back tenfold.
My husband is a godly man. Because of this, God used him to give me the compassion and gentleness I needed that day. And I was able to pull myself back on track.
I could have easily given in to my despair. I mean my head was killing me and felt like I had a concussion. Nothing I could do would fix any problem around me. But I have learned to grab hold of the promises of God for my rescue.
Be on your guard; stand firm
in the faith; be courageous;
be strong.1 Corinthians 16:13
My head still hurts a few days later but I can almost (almost) laugh about it now. I’m glad I don’t have to keep apologizing to anyone for losing it – since I pulled back my anger almost immediately. My husband felt bad enough as it was. And my compassion toward him helped me to stay in line with God’s Word.
I thank God for His promise to never forget me, always hold me tightly and guide me with the fruits of His spirit.
Join me starting January 11 for my next series! Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to help create a vision of you! The words we speak and think and pray have a great impact on our life. We will embark on a journey of praying changes into our lives. New Year’s resolutions have nothing on what God can accomplish when we ask for miracles to transform us!
Hope — what is hope really? It’s usually paired with “dreams” as in- — “Hopes and Dreams.” But, that combination phrase lessens and cheapens the real power and impact of hope defined in the Bible and promised by God. A dream is whimsical, theatrical and imaginary. Hope, from a Christian perspective, is rooted in a foundational promise from God. Hope is ambitious, assertive and seeped in God’s hope for his people. Nothing locks in the promise of hope for me better than an Old Testament verse like this one:
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.Isaiah 40:28-31
Grinder. Amongst my friends, that’s a title earned by time in the pressure cooker of challenges and battles. A badge of honor accomplished and proudly worn from difficult and trying times in life, in business, and under fire. The Bible tells us that those times will come for all of us. We know and have been taught in scripture that extreme heat and pressure are the only things that can shape and sharpen iron.
I’ve got a friend who offers this charge to me when I’m in it deep: “The only way through it, is through it.” Short and sweet — put your head down, grind it out, do what needs to be done for as long as you need to, and you will come out the other side. No shortcuts, no substitutes, no opt outs, no procrastinating. Do what needs to be done, do the best you can, and take care of business. Make the pain and suffering work for your benefit to make a strong you for better days ahead.
That’s hope. If you do the work, grind it out, it will get better. It’s a process and a promise, but you gotta do the hard work. It won’t stay bad or hard forever. That’s God’s promise for all of us. Do the work, put in the time. Stay connected to the Lord and make the commitment to hold the line. Stay the course, stand firm in your convictions and commit. Remembering, most of all, that God works on His timeline not ours. The New Testament is full of hope delivered through Jesus’ teaching and promises lived out amongst his followers.
Who’s a better example of a grinder than the Apostle Paul? He is the New Testament Super Grinder. Once Saul became Paul and the scales fell away from his eyes, his life became a one-man testament to grinding it out for the Lord’s promise of salvation. Shipwrecked, arrested, beaten, imprisoned and tortured. There was no quit in Paul’s mission of spreading God’s promise. Some of the most empowering texts in the Bible come from the hands of Paul and the promises of God’s hope, power, salvation and renewal.
Paul inspires Timothy to stay strong of faith and strong in conviction in the battle for hearts and minds. Paul encourages and challenges Timothy to hold the line for God’s promises for his congregation. Paul is a mission-purposed driven machine. An example for all of us of a grinder for God.
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
With hope comes the everyone’s desired outcome: peace. Isn’t that the goal of our aspirational yearning and grinding?
A place of deserved rest: peace, comfort and love. And isn’t that end goal, that accomplishment, always much sweeter when we have earned it with hard work, perseverance, suffering and clenching on to the promise of God’s reward for our lives?
I’ve heard a lot of media types say this year is one of the most difficult “of all time.” As humans we tend to look at history from our own timeframe. When we do that it negates all the trials and tribulations so many before us have endured. . As Christians we need to grasp hold of the many promises of which God clearly states in His Holy Word. When we do, we find that people have successfully endured extreme hardships for 1,000s of years because they placed their faith in Him. . Join me and a few guests these next few weeks as we explore just some of those promises which help us, not only endure, but to find joy and peace no matter what the world hurls at us. . Go to https://emboldened.net/ and follow to receive your daily email of promises made and kept by God.
Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”
He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him.
After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”).Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished.
Mark 5:36-42
I’m writing this post on the United States’ election day. When you read it, you’ll know much more about who may be the next U.S. president. There’s a lot of anxiety and fear swirling around the world right now because of this election. Unfortunately, so much of it is based on misinformation or downright disinformation. And a lot of it is designed to create fear and distrust. What’s so different for me this presidential election is the peace I have, which is solely due to my trust in God. I am not afraid; I just believe.
In Mark’s retelling of Jesus bringing this young girl back to life he starts out with her father, a leader in the synagogue, coming to a large gathering around Jesus. He urgently pleaded with Jesus to come and heal his sick daughter. He believed that just by touching his daughter, Jesus will heal her. As Jesus walks through the crowds towards the man’s house a woman, who had been bleeding for 12 years, reached out and touched Jesus’ clothes. She thought:
“If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.”
Mark 5:27
Jesus knew at once that someone had put their faith in him. He turned to the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” (Mark 5:30) Of course, a lot of people had probably touched him because they were all crowding around Him. We so often want to be “fans” of Jesus, His groupies. But how often do we turn to Him in complete and total surrender and ask for His healing power, His peace? How often do we put limits on His ability to “make all things work together for our good?” (Romans 8:28). In fact, the simple act of turning to the crowd, searching for the woman who touched Him, caused the disciples and friends of the girl’s father to be almost annoyed. He was taking time away from what he “should” have been doing which was healing the girl. In other words, we think Jesus as all knowing, all powerful and yet in the same breath assume he can’t do all things.
We should not be so astonished, so amazed that Jesus can, by just being, heal us. We should not be so astonished that He also chooses to take action in His time. If we believe and have faith in the truths of the Bible, we must expect that, if Jesus can raise a little girl from the dead, if he can raise Lazarus from being many days dead, then He can handle anything else this world throws at Him.
This knowledge and trust is what has brought me through, not only this election season, but through the unrest brought on by Covid19. Each time I try and take back my fears and worries I am reminded in my Bible studies and through my amazing Christian relationships that peace can only be fully achieved by placing those fears back in God’s hands. A good friend has been completely transformed this year through this same process. My BSGs (Bible Study Girls) were reflecting today about how few times this friend speaks of “her anxiety” — which she used to wear like a favorite coat. Imagine that – with all the mess that is 2020 her anxiety has all but disappeared. Pretty amazing. Those trials and tribulations that James writes of have been hammered home this year.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
James 1:2-3
Have you taken these “opportunities” of trials to grow in your faith? To grow closer to God? To grasp the promise of Jesus’s peace? Another of my BSGs, who in a difficult trial, begged for God’s help and felt that peace descend over her. She described it as a weighted blanket – warm and calming. Isn’t that more of what we want rather than living in constant disarray, discombobulation and wailing?
So, as I wait for the results of this important election, I use each time my mind wants to lean into worry to instead lean into Jesus’ words – “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” And His amazing peace never fails to come over me.
The Lord bless me and keep me; the Lord makes his face shine on me and is gracious to me; the Lord turns His face toward me and gives me PEACE.
Before I sat down to write this final word on the Book of James, I re-read through the five chapters and my highlighted notes. What struck me was how perfectly James’ words speak to the state of our current world. In February 2020, as news of the Covid19 virus started coming in from around the world we didn’t think too much about it. Another type of flu, meh. And suddenly March was upon us. Our lives were shutdown. Justified or not, our businesses closed, so many allowed fear to grip them into locking themselves in their homes, we ran out of toilet paper, our churches stopped welcoming us into their doors, and we watched rioters burn down cities. Some of us turned away from God and others of us ran toward Him.
I told my husband the other day how amazingly well spoken the disciples were. I think the tendency to think back to “ancient times” may lead us to think they weren’t as smart as us because we value “knowledge” over “wisdom.” In this short five-chapter letter, James’ gifts shine through. He is eloquent when using the metaphors of ships and rudders and forest fires and small sparks when speaking of our waggling and dangerous tongues. He turns into a great debater when providing facts about not showing favoritism and how the famed among us are typically the ones who take advantage of us. He is a fiery preacher when scolding us to submit and resist the devil. And a faithful servant reminding us to reach out to God for any and all needs.
I read an introduction to a Bible study on James once that said, “Unlike most books of the New Testament, the letter of James is best known for the people who don’t like it. People like love. They like Christ. They don’t like James.” But isn’t that the very reason this letter needed to be written? Before we are thrown into a crisis like the year 2020, before we face off with the devil, before we walk out the door to deal with unhappy, non-believers, James wants to shake us awake. To give us the tools to stand firm in the face of adversity. To be God’s faithful lights for the world. When I read James, I think of this letter as one for us everyday people. It’s a workshop full of concrete “how to’s.” There’s nothing wishy washy or confusing about James.
James is a “how to” book for us all
In the midst of the trials of the last few months, how many of us have considered it “pure joy?” (James 1:2) When out for our evening walk the other day, I told my husband how much I have appreciated what has happened. It forced me to slow down and stop fretting over filling up my daily schedule. My house got really clean. We turned to each other for loving support more than ever. We became a team and God was our head coach. I’ve been blessed to spend more time with a particular friend than I wouldn’t normally as she goes through a divorce. My BSGs (Bible study girls) started meeting in January. Two of whom I only slightly knew. We are now prayer warriors for each other. I asked my husband what positive things have come out of this for him – in the face of a very difficult work situation. He said he’s realized who he can really rely on.
I’ve learned how to be humble. I’ve learned to listen to people who have fears that I don’t have and show them grace. That person driving alone in their car with a full double breather mask pushes me to pray for them to find peace rather than make fun of them. Because that is what the Word tells us (James 1:23).
The destruction caused by favoritism, hating our neighbor, people lacking in mercy and those living in greed fills our daily news. People wanting to burn small businesses because they feel their needs are greater. Rioters standing with bullhorns yelling all night into homes because their view of the world comes first. Employees and businesses “gaming the system” to get more of the money distributed to help those struggling makes me want to cry. And, I can still picture a couple at Home Depot filling their pick-up truck to its fullest with toilet paper and laughing about it. (James 2:8, 13, 3:16, 4:17, 5:2).
And if we looked hard enough, we saw churches helping their communities by doing food drives and people volunteering to help at Food Banks. We saw neighbors supporting each other. We saw churches fighting to stay open and serve their flocks. I saw people like Christian worship leader Sean Feucht gathering people by the 100s to pray and worship God outside – at parks, at beaches, on the streets. I saw friends get on their knees and fully surrender to God. (James 2:8, 14,4:7, 5:19)
In the United States, we are going through an important presidential election. I’ve stood at street corners supporting a candidate while the opposing side hurls hatred and curse words at me. All the while they hold signs telling me to have more compassion and to love certain races. (James 3:9). I’ve watched candidate debates where the lies are piled up not only by the candidate but by the debate moderator and then by the media. All in order to disguise the true platform of the candidate. Their yes has not meant yes and their no has not meant no. (James 5:12)
I’ve said to others that this time seems unprecedent. And this letter of James seems very prescient. There is a sifting going on. Have we chosen to surrender and submit to God? (James 4:7). Have we thrown up all our worries, our hurts, our sins to God or are we taking them out on others? (James 5:13-16) Are we working to build up our brothers and sisters in Christ or are we fighting with them? (James 5:19)
Will we finally surrender it all to God?
James makes it clear, without a lot of flowery prose, as to the destruction we humans can wrought without our eyes firmly on God. The question is, will we listen and do or will we deceive ourselves?
Thank you for joining me on this journey through James. I look forward to you joining me with my next series called, “Living Amazed through Jesus” beginning November 1.
She remembered that night when she laid in her bed waiting and expecting. Waiting and expecting her father to enter the room and sexually assault her, again. But as she lay there she thought, “One day I will do something great.” And great she did. In 2005, Time magazine’s “25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America” ranked her as 17th. She is known all over the world by her ministry and volunteer work. Joyce Meyer overcame constant sexual abuse as a child because of hope and faith in God.
This week we looked at just one chapter in the Book of James. Chapter one brought us front and center in how to deal with trials. He spoke of spiritual wisdom and the wise act of listening and controlling our anger. In just 26 sentences He stands in front of us in admonition to wake us Christians up. And show the world what trust in Jesus Christ, our savior really means.
Do not merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourselves. DO WHAT IT SAYS.
James 1:22
He goes on to say that when we leave church, after we pray each morning, or read our devotional each day we ought not to then turn out into the world and forget who we are. We are not like everyone else. Isn’t that what our parents told us when we wanted to go hang out with the “cool kids?” There are expectations and responsibilities to accepting Christ.
When I was a “baby Christian” I had a conversation about church with my mom. She is the daughter of a Baptist minister. She hasn’t regularly attended church since she was a child. She doesn’t pray. She says she believes in God but anyone that knows her couldn’t tell that to be true. She told me that when she was a child at church, she would watch all the ladies attend church dutifully. And then, they would gossip, hate each other, complain endlessly to her father, lie, cheat, and all other manner of sin. My mother had and still has a dim view of “Christians.”
When we leave the doors of church or our home we mustn’t forget who we are.
How many of us live our lives fully realizing that not only is God watching how we handle trials and temptations, but our non-Christian friends and neighbors? Do they see you getting angry and yelling and gossiping? Do they get a sense of peace from you during difficult times? Are you easy to talk to because they know you will listen without judgement? And are the words you speak back coming from a Godly place? Do you turn down offers of socializing with friends and tell them it’s because you have a Bible Study you are committed to? Have they heard you speak about your quiet time you spend with God, praying for others? Do you tell others you will pray for them and do it immediately, with them? What was the last book or movie or tv show you settled into? Was it something where you could gain wisdom of God’s ways?
While sitting and listening to God to speak through me before I sat down to write this, the song “My Father’s House” started playing over and over in my head.
The Jericho Walls are quaking
Strongholds are shaking
Love is breaking through
When the Father’s in the room
Cory Asbury, The FAther’s House
When we invite God into our lives during hardship, when we seek His wisdom, when we listen for His voice, and act as He wants us to, we experience His strength and love. The shackles of sin and anger, the ugliness of self-degradation and self-centeredness give way to freedom. Freedom to see His beauty in resolving problems. Freedom to experience joy in even the most difficult of times.
James pulls no punches. But he always reminds us, in the midst of admonishment, of the “why.”
We will develop maturity and perseverance
We receive the “crown of life” that the Lord has promised
We are given the Word of Truth so we can be “firstfruits” of all God has created
We live in the righteousness that God desires for us
When we rid ourselves of immorality and accept the Word planted in us, we are saved
We are given freedom
We will be blessed in all we do
James is not asking us to do anything more than what we ask of our employees, our children or our friends. If we make a commitment, promise, accept a job, want a friendship, then we must work on it and act in such a way as to say we are all “in.”
My challenge for this weekend it to be fully aware of our actions and words, especially while around non-Christians. Good luck, my prayers are with you.
They didn’t want to add to our current, stressful situation. My husband, their son, owns and operates residential Alzheimer’s care facilities and each day the state government was changing rules related to COVID-19. The staff were worried, residents’ family members were worried. And true to my in-law’s gracious ways, they didn’t want to pile on more bad news.
You see, my precious mother-in-law had been diagnosed with uterine cancer. When we talk about angels on Earth you’re talking about her. When I picture her I see love. I see goodness. She is one of my touchstones. She’s a lot of people’s touchstones. During the last 32 years she has quietly guided my faith journey. And she has cancer.
James leaps from the starting gate in his letter to the church with a challenging statement:
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
James 1:2-3
A few years ago, that statement might have received the response, “Are you ‘cray, cray’?” Meaning you’ve got to be kidding. Not only “joy” but “pure joy.” It reminds me of the scene in the movie Animal House — a pop culture film about a college fraternity. In it, actor Kevin Bacon is being initiated into the fraternity. He is required to be harshly paddled by its members. But not just paddled, he must also request the beating each time by yelling, “Thank you sir! May I have another!” The pain is evident on his face with each whack. Yet he knows he must ask for more to achieve his ultimate goal — membership.
While I don’t believe God wants us to be begging for trials, He knows in the course of our existence they will naturally come. In Mark 10, Jesus tells the disciples that not only will they receive a hundred times what they have given up to follow Him but also persecutions. Throughout the Bible we are encouraged to embrace our trials, whether from persecution, loss or affliction, so that our faith may mature.
A few years ago, I started hearing the term, “baby Christian.” The implication being that we are born with our commitment to Christ and then grow with our faith. We can choose to stay “baby Christians” just like we can also choose not to become mature adults. It seems more obvious to the world when we see people who have opted to not get a job, educate themselves, learn to live on their own, have a solid bank balance, and take care of themselves. You might have someone like that in your own family. Or you might be aiding in someone’s stunted path to maturity. What doesn’t always seem obvious is our stunted Christian spiritual growth. It takes much of the same concerted effort to grow in our faith. To be at the place James calls us to — finding Pure Joy in the difficult times.
Where are you at on the Spiritual Growth Chart?
With James’ simple opening salvo he blasts us into paying attention. We can either 1) scoff and choose to ignore him as a crazy person or 2) say, “tell me how.” In Luke 22:28 Jesus listens to a dispute among the disciples. They are arguing who is the better disciple (sounds like one of my PTA meetings). He interrupts and tells them, “You are (all) those who have stood by me in my trials.” His trials. You see, Jesus was sent to not only verbally teach us our Father’s ways but to experience our earthly ways to show us how to handle them. We mark our spiritual growth chart with each trial when we turn to Jesus and say, “you’ve been here, show me what to do.”
There’s lots of self-help books out there to guide us to being mature adults. But the best book to read for both spiritual growth and worldly maturity is the Bible. Every single book of the Bible talks about trials or persecution. And without fail the solution is prayer. Not just any prayer. A personal plea. A demanding of God’s blessing to rain down on us. A clearing of our eyes to see the joy. And then listening. He will speak to you.
God uses nature to speak to us!
God rarely just throws us first into the fiery pit. And even if he does, he is always with us. That alone is a blessing for which to be thankful. With each trial, each persecution, He expects us to grow more trusting of Him. Yes, expects. Dr. Charles Stanley’s Life Lesson #7 says, “The dark moments of our life will last only so long as is necessary for God to accomplish His purpose in us.” So, my advice to you, accept and learn early and as quickly as possible.
With each trial thrown in your path you gain perseverance, patience and clarity of God’s presence. But we must do the work of asking Jesus, “Show me.” I once told my Bible Study group we need to shorten the “ah ha moment gap” from years, to months, to days, to instantly. We all can look back at situations where maybe we didn’t get the job we’d hoped for or maybe even got fired from a job. Or a loss of a home due to fire, a friendship that soured, a marriage dissolved. How long has it taken you to accept the way God was working in that time? Have you seen it yet? He was there. He spoke to you.
Why is all this important? We know there will be trials so that means we can’t do anything about them, correct? When we dread what we think is to come, when we are poured into concrete boots of fear during trials, we’ve taken our eyes off Jesus. And if we are to grow in this project called Us we need a strong foundation of keeping our faith and trust in Him alone. This is not an easy task. For some of us it takes every minute of every hour re-focusing our mind on Him – especially when we are afraid. I’ve come to use the term, “Perspective Change Moment” with some of my friends. When we start in on our ills, fears, anger, dread it helps to have someone say to us,” Yes, that’s awful and…..”
We all need friends who can be our “James!”
With the same practice we put into doing our hair every morning or working out or learning how to use our smartphone or figuring out how late we can sleep and still get to work on time we need to attack the devil that keeps trying to pull our eyes away from Jesus. Show me, Jesus. Speak to me, God. It’s not enough to tell yourself, or others, “don’t worry” or “don’t be afraid.” We must fill our minds with something other than that fear and worry. In Luke 11, Jesus tells the story of an impure spirit coming out of a person and goes looking for a better place. When the spirit doesn’t find it he returns to find a nice, clean, empty house. And you know what that impure spirit does? He invites a few more friends to join him! Our lives end up looking more like a Weight Watchers check-in session – we have a week we are up and a week we are down and on and on. Had that person cast out the spirit with Jesus’ help and filled that home with God’s Word, Jesus’ love, and the constant presence of the Holy Spirit you can bet the evil spirit wouldn’t make it past the garden gate!
I have a good friend who was laid off from her church position about 3 years ago. It has been difficult for her to find the joy in that trial. For me, I can remember how unhappy she was in that job. But no matter how many times I told her how miserable she was, she still couldn’t accept it. Until she finished one of her journaling books. One day a week or so ago she started reading through her old journals from that time. In them she found her old self praying for God’s intervention constantly. Each workday entry was a distraught woman praying for God to fix the problems swirling at work. She finally had her “ah ha moment.” God was there, telling her to leave. But she kept holding on. That day she made a new mark on her spiritual growth chart. God had spoken to her and she had to joy of knowing He was with her. She could release all the negative emotions surrounding losing that job. It wasn’t where God wanted her to be.
So, here I was, working on being the best team member I could be for my husband as we waded through the throes of the COVID-19 lockdown and my in-laws finally decided we needed to hear the news. Cancer. Just a year ago this would’ve put me in a tailspin. But in just that year’s time, I’ve gone through a family death, putting on a distance wedding, accepting the fact that I’m not going to work anymore, and much more. With each trial I leaned into my Rock a little more. With each trial I started finding the joys. So, after the news I took my dog for a quiet walk in our nearby canyon and asked Jesus, “Show me.” I cried out to God the great Counselor, God my Comforter. I first pleaded and said, “You can’t take her.” I raised my hands high and begged for mercy for my sweet mother-in-law. I reminded Him she is a faithful servant. She is His loving daughter. And then I listened. He reminded me we all must pass one day, just as her own mother did a year ago. He told me He loves her more than even I do. He told me to just keep loving her and living out joy moments right now, today. He showed me that when her time comes, just as mine will too, she will join her mom in glory at God’s card game table. The battle of who is the best 31 card player will continue into eternity. And I laughed.
31!!
Are you going through a trial and need prayers? I’d love to pray with you. Have you gone through a trial and had your “ah ha moment?” Please share.
It may be hard to find at times but there’s joy in trials. When we face a challenge we can go forward in dread or in the knowledge God is leading the charge.
Join me starting September 7 as we dig deeper into the Book of James with a five week study. Follow my blog to receive your daily emails.
One of my favorite visuals from the Bible is James 1:23 – “Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in the mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” Strangely enough I find myself doing that at times. I get up, wash my face and go about my day. At some point I’ll go into a restaurant or store bathroom and look in the mirror as I wash my hands. I almost shock myself when I see what my hair looks like or how old I look.
I also do this with obeying the Word of God. I get up in the morning, read my devotionals and Bible studies then head out into the world. At times it may take all day before I forget the Word, other times it’s my first encounter with another human as I leave my street. I get angry, snarky, unforgiving, worried, maybe even a bit vengeful. I forget God’s admonition – that if I want to receive mercy then I need to be merciful. If I want to be treated kindly then I need to treat people with kindness. I tell people that the actual act of being a faithful follower of God takes work. It takes practice. Some days it takes every single ounce of strength to keep my mind fixed on Jesus. The world wants us to take the easy route. They want us to forget what we look like. The world says “it’s ok” to chip away at what we know to be right. Those “almost right” temptations are what give the devil his footholds.
There’s been great debates over time about grace vs. works. I’m not a world-renowned Bible scholar. I don’t have a degree in theology. But I can read James 2:14 which states,
“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?”
James 2:14
Throughout the New Testament it’s made clear that faith without deeds is really no faith at all. The Book of James speaks to my Martha-like spirit. But it also is for Martha’s sister, Mary. Because deeds come in all forms. Martha showed love by cooking and cleaning. Mary showed love through adoration and giving.
James is only five short chapters. But they are packed with Jesus follower gems. The foreward in the Bible study book, James, Faith that Works, says “Unlike most books of the New Testament, the letter of James is best known for the people who don’t like it. It’s seen as a scalawag among the obviously Christ-centered letters of Paul, and the love-concerned writings of John.” I personally like being a scalawag.
scalawag
noun
a scamp; rascal.
We feel the sting of James. But without an occasional admonishment, we humans are extremely prone to skipping along dangerous paths. As a parent, I know the two most important roles I played while raising my girls was 1) setting and holding them to rules and 2) loving them even as they broke those rules. Isn’t that what God does for us each and every day – when we turn from the mirror and forget what we look like?
Join me, starting September 7, 2020, as I take a chapter in James each week to spur us on to action – to be doers of the Word, not just readers. Through James we can learn to take practical steps to living out our lives as Christ followers.
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