Too Much

I am re-reading the entire Bible again this year and have started in Genesis and the story of our beginning. I was reading about Adam and how long he lived (930 total years!) and his son, Seth who lived 912 years. When you read this passage you realize Seth lived 112 years after his father died. My thought this morning was that this was a long time to live while missing a loved one. I know they had hundreds of years together, but that would probably make the loss feel even greater.

The idea of being young and/or living forever has been pursued for centuries. While there are parts of that idea which seem attractive, I found myself thinking the opposite this morning. We obviously don't live as long as early man once did and I am grateful. Living that length of time provides a lot of years of sorrow. I realize there is great joy in life as well, but there is an abundance of trials and we experience much loss. I know how hard it is to effectively cope in our limited time and couldn't imagine making my way through it over 500 or more years.

It's another reminder to me that while there are beautiful pieces of this life for us to experience, we aren't ultimately made for this world. I have no desire to rush through the life I am allowed to have here, but I also recognize I am created for more than just this time.

Something beyond this earth is what our hearts long for and will eventually find, whenever that may be.

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.

Find Your Second Wind

I read a running article today which shared a simple yet complex bit of wisdom. This author wrote, "Everyone has a second wind. Most people just don’t run long enough to find it.” I can relate to this from a runner's perspective as I've often felt exhausted on a run only to find another burst of energy that carried me through to the end. In those moments I had to fight the urge to quit and only then was I able to find the second wind that enabled me to finish strongly.

We need that same mentality of perseverance in other areas of life too. Without an attitude of endurance we can give up far too quickly on relationships, jobs, changes in behavior, and new plans. Sadly, we will often decide to quit before we find out what we're really capable of doing. When we are willing to push through barriers of resistance, we will discover we're able to go further than we thought. Our character will be stronger and we'll be more confident in our ability to persevere as a result.

Washed By the Water

There is something powerful about water and the spiritual imagery of renewal and washing things clean. It has always resonated with my soul and stirs up waves of emotion that I believe were planted there by God to call me to something deeper. When it is tied together with music it vibrates a spiritual part of us that responds in a more intimate way than other mediums. It brings a desire to seek out the blessings of water and the renewal of life that God brings even through difficult times.

Even when the rain falls

Even when the flood starts rising

Even when the storm comes

I am washed by the water

Even when Earth crumbles under my feet

Even when ones I love turn around and crucify me

I won't never ever let you down

I won't fall

I won't fall

I won't fall as long as you're around me

The Right Perspective

"The only difference between stepping stones and stumbling blocks is how you look at them"

Roy Williams, basketball coach, University of North Carolina

We will all face adversity and it will come in many different forms. No matter how we might try to avoid it there will be trials to test us. Our ability to persevere can be attributed in large part to our perspective.

If we can only see obstacles as stumbling blocks we tend to be crushed when we encounter them. If we begin to see them as stepping stones we believe something better is on the other side. This is the perspective that leads us to believe we can overcome these trials as we mature and discover hope in the process.

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.

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?

What's Left?

Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes. His wife said to him, "Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!" Job 2:8-9  

Job is an iconic man of suffering from the Bible. He was blessed with livestock, children, a large home, possessions, good health, and his wife. In one quick afternoon he lost all of it except for his loving wife. Even though I have tended to be a little harsh in my assessment of her, I need to remember that she had suffered great loss as well. She and Job were now at the point where everything that had once been important to them both was gone. Mrs. Job speaks out of frustration when she wonders why her husband is clinging to his integrity.

The thought occurred to me this morning: maybe he's hanging on to his integrity because it's all that he has left. Isn't that true for all of us though? We might surround ourselves with other things and even inflate our own ego with possessions, talent, and influence. If all of those things are stripped away however, there should be something that is stable and unchanging. When everything else is removed our character should still stand strong. It's in these desperate moments when we find out if our integrity has the value we think it does.

When all of our "stuff" is gone-who are we? If we can't answer that with confident authority we might need to start working on reshaping our character.

Stability & Peace

How do you react when things around you seem to be moving faster than you can control? How do you respond when difficulties arise in the middle of routine? Where do your instincts lead you when traumatic and catastrophic events occur?

Some will be tossed and tumbled by what happens. They won't be sure of their next response or how to find a way to stand on their feet. Others will be calmly stable as their circumstances rush by them--not distant and removed, but carefully surveying the present and determining what the next best steps to recovery will be.

There is no guarantee that we will automatically be in one category or another, but I am certain that a consistent, growing relationship with Christ is the key to finding peace. It's the strength gained from the indwelling Holy Spirit that makes the difference in our response and gives us the ability to be calm when everything else is in chaos.

The Tale of Success

There are many successful leaders that I look up to. I admire the organizations that they lead and the scope of their influence. I will even admit to a bit of covetous curiosity as I see what they accomplish and the impact they are able to have through their efforts. I admire their innovation and how it appears that so much of what they do brings tangible, positive results. 

There is nothing wrong with appreciating what these leaders are doing, but if I only pay homage to their current level of visible success I am neglecting the hard work that got them to this point. No one who is prosperous (financially or relationally) reached that level without enduring hardships, learning from failure, and persevering through tough times. A happy marriage, a thriving church, a profitable business, an influential mentor, and a winning coach all have definable successes. They each also have stories of striving through difficulties to be where they are today. 

Admire and respect what you see in front of you in the present, but understand that the hard lessons of the past were essential in the process. When you are seeking this same level of prosperity make sure you are ready to endure the tough trials that make it a reality.

Anticipation

I wrote this blog in my head this morning while getting things ready for worship services at Northridge. I found myself thinking about and praying for the people that were going to be filling the halls later that day. I knew they would be coming in with emotional baggage, expectations, frustrations, joyfulness, and a longing for something meaningful. My prayers turned towards God providing exactly what they needed and being faithful as church staff & leadership to do our best to let God work through everything that was going to take place.

The thought resonated with me that we need to have an eager anticipation for our churches to be filled and for God to do His work through our faithful obedience. We never know what each day will hold-I can assure that I could not have predicted all that today would bring-and we need to be ready to do our part as agents filled with the Holy Spirit.