Desperate & Waiting

Have you ever been desperate for the answer to a question? Perhaps it was waiting to hear about a contract on a house, a decision on a promotion, determining whether you were accepted into college, or the results of medical tests. Every day that went by without an answer felt endless. You constantly checked your phone and your email to see if the response had been delivered. We fret about the delay in response and cause ourselves stress in the process. The period of waiting can be painful and the answer can sometimes be a relief regardless of the outcome.

Have we felt that same desperation while waiting to hear from God? When have we asked for something that we didn't get an immediate answer for? Have we continued to seek His direction when it seems like nothing is forthcoming or do we give up hope too easily?

An element of desperation in prayer isn't a bad thing for our spiritual health if it encourages us to continue to talk to God about what we're looking for. Waiting for deliverance teaches us patience and increases our reliance on God. This intermediate period can be the time that God needs to shape us to be ready to hear what He needs to tell us. Don't give up too early, but choose to faithfully pray and we might see God do something bigger than we first imagined.

Payoff Time

How are you preparing for the next level?

Michael Thomas is a safety for the Miami Dolphins who just joined the team in the last 10 days. He has always been a practice squad player (for non-sports fans this means that he never got to play on Sundays, but helped prepare by being part of a scout team) in the NFL and had never made an active roster. Michael got a call last week on Monday that the Dolphins wanted to sign him, flew cross country to join the team, and spent the rest of the week studying the playbook in anticipation of Sunday. As these stories tend to go, he saved the game for his new team twice in the last minute & sealed it with his 1st career interception. Whether you are an avid sports fan or not, it's a great story of someone stepping up when they were finally given the opportunity.

What will you do when you get your chance? How are you preparing now to be ready when that opportunity comes? It doesn't matter if it's in a relationship, a career advancement, a financial opportunity, or the chance to do something with significant impact. The moment won't reveal itself if you're not faithfully laying the groundwork long before it arrives. Those who are prepared are more aware of that special moment and ready to take action when it counts. 

Preparation combined with opportunity breeds success. 

Keep Watering

We put sod down at Northridge around the sides of the expanded children's wings about ten days ago. We have also had the wettest summer since our arrival in Georgia with great amounts of rainfall. Naturally, the rain has now ceased since we put the grass down and I am concerned for its survival. That has led to a repetitive pattern of watering, moving the sprinklers, and watering again. I truly didn't think it was going to make it, but we are slowly starting to see shoots of green that give me hope. Of course the watering will have to continue--a few sprigs of green grass doesn't give us clearance to stop doing what's necessary for growth.

Unfortunately we often take that approach in our relationships. Things can become dry spiritually and emotionally so we start doing the things that we know will make it better. Once we see signs of correction and healing we assume that it's going to be okay and stop doing those positive steps. It doesn't take long for things to dry up again and the relationship emergency to return at full strength. Diligent, faithful efforts will bring results that have deep roots and are able to withstand the changing climates that are certain to affect us. We have to be willing to nurture the important relationships in our life with God and other people for sustainability and health.

Do All the Things

The book of Joshua tells the story of Israel's victory in Canaan and the work of Joshua. There are great tales of battles, conquering foes, and following God's will. Also in the book are chapters devoted to Joshua assigning land to the tribes to ensure their futures. Acting as a realtor for the Israelites isn't the most thrilling of bedtime stories--fighting battles for God is certainly more engaging and exciting. This doesn't negate the importance of doing all that God asks, however, even when it doesn't thrill the soul.

It's an important lesson for leaders to understand that fulfilling all the tasks God has assigned to us reflects our obedience regardless of the excitement level. As fully devoted and developing followers, we should exhibit a willingness to do what He is calling us to do in that moment. The best leaders work equally as hard and are patient through whatever the position requires at that time. Fathers lead their families best when they are consistent through the normal and the abnormal. Husbands show love to their wives in the ordinary and not just the extraordinary. Men are spiritual leaders through the day-to-day devotion to the King as well as the time of great trial and risk. 

Joshua's consistent example revealed his passionate desire to do whatever God's will called for. Our obedience n the mundane and the fascinating reveals our own character and develops us into godly leaders worth following.

Settling In

In Genesis 11, Terah the father of Abram (later Abraham) took his family and started on a journey. In verse 31 of chapter 11 it says, "Terah took (his family) and together they set out...to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there." In the next chapter Abraham is called by God to finish the journey and head into the Promised Land where his descendants will live. God's plan was for his people to end up in Canaan and even though Abraham was going in that direction at first, his family stopped short of their goal.

What are we settling for in our families? Are we content with only fulfilling a portion of God's vision for our marriages & children? We attend church fairly regularly & think that is good enough so we don't continue to make the investment in true growth. We are content with showing genuine, unconditional love to our families a few times a year (birthdays, anniversary, Christmas) and falsely believe that will cover us for the year. We get excited about a vision for great potential in our family, but are too afraid to make the lifestyle changes that obedience requires. We give just enough to appease our guilt, but not enough to truly trust God with our finances and see remarkable breakthroughs in blessing.

If we want to be passionately true to our faith in Christ we need to have the courage to refuse to settle for anything less than God's complete promises regardless of the personal cost and level of devotion required to see it fulfilled.

Sharpening

Ecclesiastes 10:10 If your ax is dull and you don't sharpen it, 

you have to work harder to use it. It is smarter to plan ahead.

I haven't cut a whole lot of wood with an ax, but have worked mainly with a chainsaw in my time. From my limited experience with a human-powered tool, I do know the importance of making sure the blade is sharp. It is tiring to continue to swing the ax with great force to attempt to cut wood when the ax head isn't prepared to help with the work. If you know that you're going to be chopping wood then it would make sense to spend the time beforehand making the sure the tool is ready to use.

What personal "axes" do we need to be sharpening each day? We don't always know exactly what we need to be ready for, but there are ways in which we can begin to prepare. Working to maintain our integrity is a sharpening that will guide us to make the right decision in our relationships, finances, and habits. Developing the disciplines of prayer and Bible application will have us ready to depend on God when circumstances are tough. Having confidence in our moral boundaries and reinforcing those choices daily will help us make the right decision when our resolve is weakened.

It's been said that tough times reveal our character more than they shape it. The preparation that enables us to be successful in these trials requires forward thinking and diligent sharpening of the right tools.

Disillusioned

Have you ever been in a situation where you said to yourself, "This isn't what I thought it would be?" Perhaps it's a relationship that has had some of the initial shine of attraction wear off. It might be a new job that seemed like the perfect place to work until you spent a month there. Parenting can certainly cause this thought to dominate your mind--especially during the teenage years. For some, it might even be in the months after baptism when you still struggle with the same old sins & temptations. 

I remember when I entered into ministry in 2003 after teaching high school for nine years. I was excited about the potential of getting a chance to work everyday in an environment that was focused on bringing Christ to those that needed Him. At the end of my first day after an hours long staff meeting, I remember sitting in my office and dejectedly thinking, "This is not at all what I expected." The expectations I had created in my mind were dissimilar to the realities that I was facing. This left me with two options: to go through the motions with lowered expectations or bear down in prayer and work through the situations and trust God to deliver. It reminds me of a quote from Bobby Bowden, former head coach at FSU, who said, "Great jobs don't usually become available. Great leaders get in, work hard, and make the job they have a great one."

If we believe in the sovereign plan of God, then we are not here by accident. He has positioned us in this time and place to achieve His directives and will. Things will not always be as easy as we hoped, but we place our trust in His ability to work in and through us. We move forward in faith knowing that the end result of our endeavors will justify our diligence in overcoming our struggles.

Starting Line

The old saying for avoiding trouble is, "Don't start none, won't be none." I actually thought of this phrase while meditating on a different topic though-the concept of change.

I don't know that many people are perfectly content with the current status of their life. We all desire for things to improve (even in minor ways) and to see change take place. The problem with desiring change is that it takes effort on our part to make it a reality. If we don't begin the actions that lead to change, it won't accidentally happen to us.

• We want our marriages to improve, but neglect to have the hard conversations to work through past hurts & regrets.
• We want to be in better physical shape, but won't start the process of eating healthier & exercising.
• We want to be closer to our children, but don't start the conversations to hear what they are truly thinking.
• We desire a better financial future, but continue to spend each monthly dollar without a plan to improve it.
• We want to be better Christians, but aren't willing to sacrifice our time, energy, and talents to live like one.

The change that is necessary in our lives will not take place because we wished for it. It is an endeavor of faith and action that leads us to improvement.

New Tricks

"He came back and found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, 'Simon, you went to sleep on me? Can't you stick it out with me a single hour? Stay alert, be in prayer, so you don't enter the danger zone without even knowing it. Don't be naive. Part of you is eager, ready for anything in God; but another part is as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire." Mark 14:37-38 (MSG)

I identify with Peter in more ways than I like to admit. I can be brash & impetuous and given to big moments of faith followed soon by moments of weakness. Even though Jesus was chastising Peter in the garden I feel He was talking to me in some ways. 

I am always asking God for wisdom, vision, and clarity so that I can grow more in His plan for my life. I am open to His guidance and how He wants to impact my personal relationship with Him, my family, and the ministry that He has called me to. I like to believe that I am ready for whatever He desires and to take enormous risks of faith for His Kingdom's sake. At the same time there is that part of me that is comfortable with the routine and pace I am in now and struggles with making the necessary changes for growth. 

It will be hard work to follow through on God's design. It will require vigilance and perseverance through difficult endeavors and challenges. I won't drift into something greater for God. I must stay alert and remain in prayer even when it is difficult to maintain my focus and I feel like giving up.

Sense of Urgency

I have a statement written on the whiteboard in my office-"Vision + Urgency = Growth." It is referring to the growth of a church, but my thoughts this morning are focused on its impact on my overall life.

I don't know that a lot of people (myself included) live each day with a sense of urgency. We tend to keep up with the pace of life as dictated by our calendars, but busyness is not the same as urgency. Fervent attention to a vision for our lives and the disciplined obedience it takes to see it fulfilled lead us to a level of growth that is absent otherwise. It is our failure to seek vision from God and adhere to it that leads to complacency. We can easily become people who simply go through the motions of life.

I am not comfortable with that and I believe that is why there has been unrest in my soul these past few weeks. I need to recapture the vision that God has for me as His son, for my family, and for my calling as a pastor. Each day must then be directed by diligent faithfulness to see the growth that He intends.

Imagine the difference in the church and in our communities if we operated with that focus. We haven't even imagined the metric to measure the growth that God has waiting for us if we do.