Words Escape Me

Words come to me easily a majority of the time. I'm usually able to sit and write or engage in conversation to share what I'm thinking without a great deal of effort. However, there are those seasons in life (even brief) which seem to take the words out of me. I can strive to put some things together during these periods, but it takes extraordinary effort and the results are not always very fruitful.

This past week has been that kind of difficult period. I have had to conserve my words because I have haven't had extra to share. Several times when I sat down to blog I found myself staring at a blank screen for long periods of time before giving up. Even my personal journaling suffered as I couldn't clearly articulate the things I was thinking and feeling. It wasn't necessarily a lack of desire as much as it was an inability to create the coherent, constructive thoughts I normally can craft.

There isn't a quick solution to this ongoing dilemma, but simply a call to be patient in the process of seeking healing and clarity. When words won't flow smoothly, it's sometimes best to just let silence fall. The lack of words will often communicate more clearly than we expect.

Just Relax

In some seasons life is just harder than others. The schedule is demanding, obstacles to progress keep coming up, and events occur that knock you off your feet. Even when you try to maintain a proper balance and keep moving forward, it becomes too difficult to achieve. As you reel from the impact of tough life circumstances it even becomes difficult to express what you think and feel. Putting the words together to describe what's happening internally just doesn't seem possible. Not being able to articulate your emotions and thoughts becomes frustrating.

I don't have an astounding answer for how to cope in these seasons. I only know that rest and peace are possible in God. He doesn't always choose to explain everything in grand detail to us, but He does promise we can find comfort in His presence. When events seem to stack up to the point of tipping over, the idea of safety and rest can be enough to carry us through.

Know Who You Are

No matter how hard you might work to control details, life will never move exactly as you planned. There will be unforeseen circumstances, emergencies, uncertainty, and interruptions to derail us (almost sounds like a typical Monday, doesn't it?) Any amount of life experience will affirm this truth. What we have to determine is our personal response when this inevitability occurs.

Coping skills and adaptability are admirable qualities that help in these uneven times and can certainly guide us down the right path. These can be learned to a certain extent and should be strengthened as much as possible if we expect to be overcomers. I think the longest lasting success is found in something much simpler and more foundational: our identity.

If I am clear about who I am (son of the King, husband, father, friend, pastor) I won't allow these other events to pull me away from that. In fact, it's by reminding myself of the importance of who I am trying to become that helps me fight selfishness, anger, and stupidity. There's no guarantee I will always remember this, but hopefully I can see the value in maintaining the integrity of my character instead of responding flippantly to current circumstances. Don't let life's fluctuating events decide who you will be, but let your identity decide how you will respond.

Keep Driving

We passed a road sign on our sight-seeing with our mission team today that said, "Rough Road for Next 6 miles." I appreciated the caution and shared it with our team, but also thought to myself, "This would be helpful in other areas of my life too." How much easier would it be to deal with difficulties if we always knew when they were coming and how long they would last? If we could see a sign that let us know exactly when we were about to hit a rough patch we might be able to endure it better. 

Since we don't always have the power of predictability we will just have to persevere when uneven patches come. The road we are traveling leads through this tough section and we'll survive it if we just keep moving until we reach the other side.  

Hunker Down

The flu bug has infiltrated my home and sickened my family. My wife kicked it off a week and a half ago when she was laid up in bed for five days. Even though we tried to keep everyone at a distance it soon hit my youngest two daughters. My oldest and I thought we had avoided it and then she was struck with the bug this morning. At this point I am holding out hope that I can stay away from it even though the odds are not in my favor. No amount of disinfectant, vitamin C, and water seems to be enough to keep it at bay.

I suppose that the greater life lesson in this is found by admitting that even with the best preventative care, I can't stop all things from happening. No matter how much we prepare we won't always be ready for what is coming. When those events strike we learn to care for ourselves the best we can and endure until things get better. It's not a perfect solution, but if you can't avoid the tough times you have to find a way to survive them.

Keep Swinging

"My motto was always to keep swinging… In a slump... 

the only thing to do was keep swinging."

Hank Aaron

When you don't know what to do, keep doing what is right. When things don't seem to be going your way, keep doing what is right. When your pace of life is uncertain, keep doing what is right. When we are struggling to maintain our focus, keep doing what is right. When we are completely at a loss in our relationships, we need to keep doing what is right. 

The measure of the character of a person is in their ability to consistently do what is right even in difficult circumstances. Our steadfast commitment will help us endure through trying times.

Not a Cliche

We all face situations where we are at a loss for words and action steps. Our personal wisdom doesn't seem up to the task of choosing what is next and we are unsure of which direction is best. It can be quite frustrating and can even cause a fair amount of heartbreak as this indecision can become quite paralyzing. It might seem cliche to those who don't believe fully in its power, but I know that the most important thing to do is to pray.

While circumstances may catch us by surprise they are never beyond God's ability to see. He knows the best possible outcome and is willing to guide us if we will let Him. He understands the depth of our confusion and pain and wants to bring our attention back to Him while bringing us healing. He works to restore our faith when it seems to wane and cover us with peace like a warm well-worn blanket. Even when we are unsure of exactly what to ask for, He is able and ready to deliver the answer we are desperate to find. He is our greatest comfort in times of need and simply asks that we seek Him and trust Him. Without faith in Him how else would we manage to survive these stormy seasons?

Harder

Life is harder than it appears to be at first. I remember being a teenager and thinking how awesome it was

going to be when I was an adult. I remember as a child dreaming of the complete control of my own life and how much better that would be. As a young adult, it was about the perfect delight of being married and the incredible joy of parenthood. In my beginning as a pastor, I imagined how grand it would be to be full-time in ministry and the powerful impact my life would have. I'm not denying the truly fantastic moments along this journey, but I will also readily admit that there are times when it is much more difficult than I ever imagined it would be.

The good news for me (and you as well) is that while I might struggle through some tough times I am not alone. There are friends, family, and fellow sojourners that commiserate with me and can also lend their collective wisdom and strength along the way. We can encourage and support each other when the way seems to complicated to navigate. If we surround ourselves with faithful people we will discover that we have the solid support we need to thrive in difficult times. We can then be that same support for others when the time comes. 

My greatest hope comes from God's perfect plan and timely deliverance. He never told His children that this would be an easy path, but He did promise that He would never abandon us. Our great Father promised that He would work things out for the good of those that love Him. He has guaranteed us that if we will turn and seek out His wisdom that He will deliver. His promises and our confidence in them are the key to our perseverance and maturity.

"It was harder than we dreamed, 

but I believe that's what the promise is for." 

Andrew Peterson, Dancing in the Minefields

My Best (Or Not)

There are some days when it seems like I am operating at maximum intensity and capability. These are the days when I feel like I relate well to people, I see how all the details fit into the big picture, my productivity is off-the-charts, and everything gels together. I love these days when all the parts of my life seem to fit cohesively together without any blurred lines or uncomfortable overlap. Unfortunately, this "perfect" type of day doesn't happen very often.

Most days I am able to do certain things well and then find ways to struggle through the other parts with some degree of completion. There are also those days (fortunately they are rare) where it seems that I can't hold a conversation with myself without communication issues. These are the highly frustrating times when it feels like everything I touch becomes exponentially more difficult.

The truth is that no matter what kind of day it is I still need to persevere. I can't quit life because I'm struggling in my communication or having a hard time thinking beyond the tasks of today. As a leader in my calling and in my family, there will be days when I have to battle through with less than my best stuff. While it might exhaust me more than the high-performance days, I'm sure that I will be made better through the struggle than when it all comes easily. I know that's the truth, but sometimes I need the reminder when it all seems to be an extremely difficult journey.

It Hurts

The beginning of the process of change is always painful. There will be moments of difficulty in the days ahead, but the initial steps of change are never easy to manage. One of the most powerful motivators to continue is the passion for a different future--having our vision fixed on a distant goal that can't be achieved by doing the same thing we've always done.

We have to continue to keep that picture out in front of us or we'll give up during the struggle to create new habits. Write that potential future down, talk about it often, and remind yourself what it is that you're truly aiming for. Sometimes it's the hope for something better that motivates us to keep striving when the journey of transformation seems too strenuous to travel.

D & D

I've said many times before that we seek God out of desperation or devastation. One is a reflection of a deep, passionate desire for God that overwhelms us and drives us to seek Him above all other things. The other creates the same result, but stems from terrible circumstances that drive us back to Him. Disastrous life circumstances can certainly lead to desperation, but I would rather choose to seek Him on my own before those tumultuous periods of life occur. I've discovered that choosing to be desperate for God eases the times of devastation and increases my daily dependence on His strength.

Which one of these best describes your interaction with God? Are we normally inclined to relentlessly pursue Him out of our normal relationship or do we wait for difficulty to strike before we turn to the one true hope? Hopefully we'll learn to desire desperation for Him in every aspect of our life and not follow a pattern of ignoring Him until devastation strikes. 

Hard to See

I was driving home and listening to ESPN radio the other day and the talk show hosts were talking about a recent decision made by Mitch Kuptchak, the general manager of the LA Lakers. His choice was being over analyzed by countless outsiders as they debated his wisdom and ability to plan for the future. The best commentary was provided by a reporter calling in on one of the shows. He simply said, " It's easier to play Mitch Kupchak than it is to be Mitch Kupchak."

We often rush to make judgments on other people's decisions without understanding all of their reasoning. While it's true that people will sometimes make poor decisions (even with all the facts in hand) we still can't completely comprehend the weight of their thought process. I've discovered (especially in recent years) that leaders of healthy, successful organizations have to make difficult choices that may not be readily accepted or understood by everyone else.  Successfully leading an organization requires a great deal of vision and the ability to make tough decisions after weighing all the options. Leaders are willing to take a risk that will better their organization even if that isn't readily apparent to outsiders. We can choose to be overly critical of every move or show some grace to our leaders by trusting the careful thought & prayer they have invested in a difficult choice. It's a conscious choice to be an encouraging follower instead of a negative critic.

Position Change

Depending on what level of athletics you are competing in, it can be tough to switch from one position to another. If the two are somewhat related it is easier, but several factors affect the difficulty. An increased level of competition, the length of time you have played your original position, the difference in necessary skills, and the amount of time for transition can all contribute to an uncomfortable change. It's best to prepare for this adjustment by being as flexible as possible, having the willingness to invest in the change, and persevering through the transformation to find success.

While an athletic position switch might not be on the horizon, God is most certainly working in us for change. Our success will depend on how we answer a few questions:

• How are you positioning yourself to see the calling that God has on your life? 
• What areas do you recognize that you need to grow in?
• Are you willing to be humble enough to see your areas of needed growth?
• Where is your devotion increasing? 
• What are you asking God to reveal to you as you look to the future?

Fast as Lightning

We have had a stormier-than-usual summer here in Georgia. There has been a tremendous amount of rainfall and it is usually accompanied by gusting wind, peals of thunder, and brilliant flashes of lightning. We had a storm roll through earlier this week that was very threatening and didn't give us a great deal of warning. In one swift moment, we were blinded by a bolt of lightning as the thunder sounded simultaneously with the sizzle of electricity. The boom shook the house, immediately

knocked out our power, and fried our modem and router. It must have hit a transformer nearby as I found a piece of burned ceramic in our driveway after the storm (see picture on right.) Even though we felt like this came out of nowhere we realized that the storm had been building for some time before descending upon us.

It's no different from many of the devastating moments in our life. It seems like it hits us all out once & out of nowhere, but this release point has been building pressure over time. Moments of infidelity are forged out of careless thoughts, wandering eyes, and ignoring boundaries. Financial ruin is shaped by overspending, selfish purchases, and a lack of planning. The pain and aftermath of suicide is built through ignored depression, unwillingness to ask tough questions, and lack of compassion. The damage from each of these is as devastating as a lightning strike.

The best way to avoid the repercussions is to actively work in prevention mode before the storm hits your horizon. Don't get caught resting and falsely believe you're immune, but make the daily, disciplined decisions to prevent destruction before it happens.