"The Lord your Maker is your husband--the Lord Almighty is his name--the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth." Isaiah 54:5
"The Lord your God is with you; he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord my Maker and my God is my Husband and takes great delight in me!! Those verses make my heart want to leap out of my chest. God is truly the Lover of my soul and I must first fall in love with Him and allow Him to saturate me and completely fill me before I can truly love my physical husband. Whether you are single or married, these verses hold incredible promises for us as women!
Each one of us, whether we are currently married or are still waiting for God's man to make his grand entrance into our lives, has been blessed with a waiting period before we meet our husbands. How will we spend the days God graciously provides for us to prepare for a spouse? I don't know about you, but I did not spend the beginning of my waiting period very wisely. I tried to rush in and make relationships happen and then stress over them to make them work once I actually got what I thought I wanted; in my younger years, I was so desperate to maintain a dating relationship with a man because of the pressure I felt all around me. I was not aware of it at the time, but I acted prematurely out of fear. I moved on my own before God was ready for me to move because I was afraid. What if God doesn't ever bring me a husband? What if His plan for me is to be single? For some reason, those questions caused me to fear being "alone" forever. However, now that I am on the other side of those experiences and have matured in my faith, I see that He wanted me to fall deeply in love with Him and providing the time for me to do so was actually one of the biggest blessings He could allow me to experience. He wanted me to trust Him completely and experience His rejoice and delight over me because He knows no man on this earth can satisfy or fulfill me the way He does. I did not realize that my single days were actually a blessing. Don't get me wrong--God has graciously given me another chance after witnessing and forgiving my horrific blunders on my staggered path to righteousness. He has blessed me with the most incredible man of a husband, more than I ever thought or imagined. He even granted me the smallest of details I desired in my husband because He knows me that intimately and cares for me that deeply. However, I have learned some gems of wisdom from my mistakes that I wish I had known prior to marriage. I feel that I would have been a much better companion and mate in the beginning of our marriage.
After trying and failing for several years in the "dating world," God sent a friend in my path who, thankfully, saw and acted on an opportunity to disciple me. She showed me how to spend time with God daily, through quiet times in His Word, prayer, and living His Word. She showed me what it was like to LIVE His Word by being obedient to Him. She shepherded me, taught me how to memorize Scripture, then put it into action. That's when I decided to stop trying to make things happen on my own. This is not everyone's story, for sure, but it's mine and it showcases how God lovingly and patiently worked in my life. God may be working differently in your life, but for me, He convicted me of my sin and led me to a peace of being single. He whispered to my soul, So what if you are single the rest of your life? Is that so bad? I will always love you completely and you will live in complete devotion to me. I am the only One Who will fulfill you and fill the void in your life. Trust me and let me do just that. I am not saying that married women do not or cannot live in complete devotion to the Lord; I am only recording the words God whispered personally to me during a dark time in my life. Consequently, I decided to stop dating altogether and focus on my spiritual walk with Him, my first Husband, then reaching out to those around me and spreading the gospel.
I made the decision to stop dating in college; after making that decision, I finished my final semesters of postsecondary schooling, graduated, and moved to Jefferson County, where I landed my first (and only) teaching position. I started working full-time and I loved it! I loved being on my own, growing daily with my God, and working with teenagers--no room for men or dating anywhere that I could see. Then, God decided to shake up my world once again (I think He likes to keep me on my toes). I was living in Jefferson County, but still very active in my home church in Augusta and I was playing in the church softball league. Before one of my games, my roommate at the time said, "Hey! Isn't that Josh from college?" He was leaning on one of the posts under a pavilion near the field looking for a friend who had invited him to come out to the softball game, who, by the way, wasn't even at the game himself. Ha ha! If that's not God's working, I don't know what is! Josh recognized my roommate and me and we all talked that night, hung out with friends after the game, then went home.
Needless to say, through several visits and phone calls, our friendship grew until I noticed signs that this man who was calling as a "friend" was really interested in a more serious relationship and wanted to date me. Well, as a working, independent woman who was chasing after God, I told him that I was not interested because I had just started working and my relationship with God was finally flourishing. I had fallen in love with my Jesus and had let Him court me first. I hate to admit it, but I turned him down. However, just two short weeks later, through my devotions and teaching from the Lord, God laid Josh on my heart and nudged me to him. So, like a hurt puppy, with my head bowed low and my tail between my legs, I confessed to Josh that God had changed my heart about dating him.
The rest is history. He was thankfully still interested and God has been growing us closer to Him and closer to each other ever since. Let me just point out that growth implies pain, hence the term "growing pains." Our road has not been without bumps, potholes, detours, and traffic accidents. We have experienced SEVERAL growing pains throughout the years. James encourages us in the Bible, as Christ follwers, to "consider it pure joy...whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (1:2-4). Apart from God, having a husband will not complete us, ladies. It does not diminish our insecurities; in fact, it may actually produce additional or larger ones. Being married does not secure our social statuses, make us happier, or complete our womanhoods. And it will NEVER satisfy us. If we try to fill our God-shaped hole in our being with an earthly man, we will be greatly disappointed, but once we turn our focus on God, He will give us everything we need and meet our desires with the most awesome gifts that expand way beyond our thoughts or imaginations. We need to allow Him to love us the way He longs to and let Him surprise us with someone who will help sharpen us and walk through life with us, growing closer to God every day. He will provide; we just need to place our lives and desires in His faithful hands.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013
The Abundant and Overflowing Life
Romans 6:19-22
19 Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness, leading to holiness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
We are all slaves to something (or someone). None of us is living our own life. Whatever controls us and gives us purpose is our master. For some of us, it is trying to fit in, to be popular. For others, it might be materialism, trying to gain as many and as beautiful possessions as possible, things that provide a certain status for us or allow us to be "one step" above everyone else. For others, we try to keep up appearances; we are slaves to a certain body image that we try to maintain at all cost; some people are slaves to their jobs; some are slaves to substances and those substances control their every move and thought. Satan loves for us to believe the lie that a life of sin is so much more fun and rewarding than living a life of righteousness. I believed the lie for a long time. I thought everything I did for sin, every choice I made to pursue sin was worth it, until Jesus shook my world. He showed me that true life is living for Him. If we are living for anyone or anything else, we are just existing, wasting time, just breathing day by day, trying to survive until the next one, just trying to get through the next 24 hours; or worse, we are chasing a dream that will one day be taken away from us. We focus our efforts on getting the highest paying job, having the best looking body, the biggest house, the nice car, or whatever obsession/idol it is because we live under Satan's lie that those things will sustain us; we believe that they will fulfill us or grant us the security we desire. What a miserable way to live! Living in bondage under the control of something that will not last, something or someone other than Jesus, Who offers us abundant, free, and eternal life is not the way God intends for us to live. It is not what He wants for us. In Jeremiah, God says that He knows the plans He has for us, plans to prosper us, and not to harm us, plans to give us a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). How many Christ followers are living a life that claims we believe that? If He knows the plans He has for us and those plans will prosper us and not harm us and they will give us hope and a future, why are we trying to do things on our own? Is it because we think we know better than God? Why are we trying to live apart from Him? We run away from Him and then we get angry with God when we fall on our faces. He does not want us to run from Him, but trust in Him, that His plans are good and right and will bring Him the glory He deserves. Why are we trying to drive the car? We are meant to be the passengers while Jesus leads us where He wants us to go and drops us off to "do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10).
God describes us, His people, as "God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10). God created us. He created every inch of us, every facet, every nuance, quirk, and characteristic. He knows us better and more intimately than anyone on this earth, yet we try to chase everything and everyone other than Jesus. David, in Psalm 139, perfectly describes our Savior's knowledge of us. He says, "O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways...you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well" (v. 1-3, 13-14). The Lover of our souls knows us so intimately and created us so deliberately and specifically, and He loves us! He takes delight in us! He made us perfectly to do the works He planned for us in advance to do. He has equipped us to do whatever it is He is leading us to do, however He is leading us to act. Then why don't we trust Him? Why do we think our ways are better or that He doesn't know what He is doing? How many times do we think, Lord, you can't be asking me to do that? Or, Lord, You know I am not made for that; I know You are asking me to do this for You, but I think You have the wrong person. I am too young, too poor, I can't speak well, I don't know enough, I don't have the means to accomplish the goal You are asking me to accomplish. God does not ask us to do something for which He has not equipped us. If He asks us to step out on faith, accomplish a certain task, or boldly act on something He is calling us to do, then we need to step. We need to trust Him Who knows us so intimately and Who made us to do whatever it is He is asking us to do. We cannot grow in righteousness and faith if we don't trust Him or try to live life on our terms, the way we want to. When we disobey God's calling, whether by running away or ignoring it and choosing to do nothing, we miss out on the abundant life God has for us. He wants to bless us; He wants to use us, but we have to trust Him, trust that His ways are right and good, and step out on faith. John 10:10 tells us that "the thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come so that they may have life, and have it to the full." We can and will only experience abundant life through Jesus Christ, when we surrender to our choices and desires and allow Him to lead us.
So, what is God asking you to do? How is God asking you to move or act? Will you have the faith that He is capable of accomplishing the task through you? Let Him use you--He longs to pour out blessings on you!
19 Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness, leading to holiness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
We are all slaves to something (or someone). None of us is living our own life. Whatever controls us and gives us purpose is our master. For some of us, it is trying to fit in, to be popular. For others, it might be materialism, trying to gain as many and as beautiful possessions as possible, things that provide a certain status for us or allow us to be "one step" above everyone else. For others, we try to keep up appearances; we are slaves to a certain body image that we try to maintain at all cost; some people are slaves to their jobs; some are slaves to substances and those substances control their every move and thought. Satan loves for us to believe the lie that a life of sin is so much more fun and rewarding than living a life of righteousness. I believed the lie for a long time. I thought everything I did for sin, every choice I made to pursue sin was worth it, until Jesus shook my world. He showed me that true life is living for Him. If we are living for anyone or anything else, we are just existing, wasting time, just breathing day by day, trying to survive until the next one, just trying to get through the next 24 hours; or worse, we are chasing a dream that will one day be taken away from us. We focus our efforts on getting the highest paying job, having the best looking body, the biggest house, the nice car, or whatever obsession/idol it is because we live under Satan's lie that those things will sustain us; we believe that they will fulfill us or grant us the security we desire. What a miserable way to live! Living in bondage under the control of something that will not last, something or someone other than Jesus, Who offers us abundant, free, and eternal life is not the way God intends for us to live. It is not what He wants for us. In Jeremiah, God says that He knows the plans He has for us, plans to prosper us, and not to harm us, plans to give us a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). How many Christ followers are living a life that claims we believe that? If He knows the plans He has for us and those plans will prosper us and not harm us and they will give us hope and a future, why are we trying to do things on our own? Is it because we think we know better than God? Why are we trying to live apart from Him? We run away from Him and then we get angry with God when we fall on our faces. He does not want us to run from Him, but trust in Him, that His plans are good and right and will bring Him the glory He deserves. Why are we trying to drive the car? We are meant to be the passengers while Jesus leads us where He wants us to go and drops us off to "do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10).
God describes us, His people, as "God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10). God created us. He created every inch of us, every facet, every nuance, quirk, and characteristic. He knows us better and more intimately than anyone on this earth, yet we try to chase everything and everyone other than Jesus. David, in Psalm 139, perfectly describes our Savior's knowledge of us. He says, "O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways...you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well" (v. 1-3, 13-14). The Lover of our souls knows us so intimately and created us so deliberately and specifically, and He loves us! He takes delight in us! He made us perfectly to do the works He planned for us in advance to do. He has equipped us to do whatever it is He is leading us to do, however He is leading us to act. Then why don't we trust Him? Why do we think our ways are better or that He doesn't know what He is doing? How many times do we think, Lord, you can't be asking me to do that? Or, Lord, You know I am not made for that; I know You are asking me to do this for You, but I think You have the wrong person. I am too young, too poor, I can't speak well, I don't know enough, I don't have the means to accomplish the goal You are asking me to accomplish. God does not ask us to do something for which He has not equipped us. If He asks us to step out on faith, accomplish a certain task, or boldly act on something He is calling us to do, then we need to step. We need to trust Him Who knows us so intimately and Who made us to do whatever it is He is asking us to do. We cannot grow in righteousness and faith if we don't trust Him or try to live life on our terms, the way we want to. When we disobey God's calling, whether by running away or ignoring it and choosing to do nothing, we miss out on the abundant life God has for us. He wants to bless us; He wants to use us, but we have to trust Him, trust that His ways are right and good, and step out on faith. John 10:10 tells us that "the thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come so that they may have life, and have it to the full." We can and will only experience abundant life through Jesus Christ, when we surrender to our choices and desires and allow Him to lead us.
So, what is God asking you to do? How is God asking you to move or act? Will you have the faith that He is capable of accomplishing the task through you? Let Him use you--He longs to pour out blessings on you!
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Disobedience in God's Eyes
In the book of Joshua, verse 1:9, God strengthens Joshua with an incredible promise. He charges Joshua to "be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." When I read that verse, it gives me an overwhelming sense of power and hope because I know where my God is, there is victory! If you are familiar with the story of Joshua, then you know that Joshua was Moses's right hand man, his helper, his "aide" as he is described in verse 1 of the first chapter of Joshua. When Moses dies and can no longer lead the Isralites across the Jordan River, God expects Joshua to step up and fill Moses's shoes. Joshua could not see it at the time, but God had been preparing him to lead His people to "cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them--to the Israelites" (1:2). As soon as Moses dies, God calls Joshua in his place to carry out the promises God had given the Israelites. God reminds Joshua of the promises He made to Moses and reminds Joshua to "be strong and courageous." He then gives Joshua his first set of instructions. Joshua's immediate response is obedience. He doesn't think, he doesn't hesitate; he only obeys. He does not run to consult his friends, co-workers, bosses, or anyone else for advice on whether or not he should obey God. He knows his God--he knows His voice, His leading, and His character. Because of that, his only response is to obey.
Joshua obeys and God leads him step by step across the Jordan and into Jericho. God seems to only give Joshua instructions for each next step of the journey. Joshua is aware of the big picture in the sense that he knows God's promises for the Israelites, but he does not know how God will execute everything to arrive at that destination. He just trusts and obeys each individual step. Then, one day Joshua sends spies into Ai to check out the land. His spies advise him to only send a few troops to overtake the land. Joshua follows their advice, and the people of Ai chase down the Israelites and defeat them. When Joshua discovers that his men have been beat, he tears off his clothes and falls face down on the ground, crying out to God, questioning how God could lead them to this land and then allow them to be defeated. God provides a simple and direct answer to Joshua, "Israel has sinned" (v. 7:11). God tells Joshua that they will not be able to stand up against any enemy until the sin has been destroyed.
Joshua learns that one man from the tribe of Judah, Achan, had stolen items that were devoted to God. When Joshua discovers Achan to be the guilty party, Achan is killed because of his sin. God is serious about our sin. He has big plans for us, victorious plans, but we cannot reach those plans on our own--we must trust Him. If we try to go our own way, we will fail. We are not victorious on our own. God is our victory and if sin is present in our lives, we cannot defeat our enemies. We have to confess our sin, expose it to the light, repent, and continue to chase after God.
In the scenario of Joshua chapter 7, Achan dies because of his sin. We cannot stand in the presence of a holy God with sin present in our lives. We must repent of it. If we have sin in our life, something else will die. The only choices we have are to kill the sin or allow death to enter another area of our lives. If there is sin in my life, then death may come in the form of a relationship, losing a career or job, money, possessions, or something else. We cannot allow sin to have any room in us if we want to be victorious in Jesus.
Confessing our sins to God may be difficult because we don't like to fail. I know I hate admitting defeat to Satan. I hate to admit that he had me for a while. But even the feeling of admitting defeat pales in comparison to the cleansing that comes through Jesus once I confess my sin to Him and allow Him to wash me clean. In Psalm 51:10, the psalmist cries out to God, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." I don't know how many times a day, week, or month I need to pray that prayer, but I pray it as many as necessary because, for me, I would rather live in victory with my Savior than to succumb to Satan's vices and live in fear or agony. 1 John 1:9 tells us that "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." That's all it takes--confession and repentence, then we're walking pretty again. Just a pause in my day to tell my Creator, Who already knows, that I have sinned and ask Him to cleanse me and continue to purge sin out of my life. James also encourages us to "confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed" (5:16). That was the hardest for me to grasp--confessing my sins to my husband so he can pray for me. What?? Satan used to tell me If your husband knows the sin in your life, he will not want you any more. He won't want to be married to you. That is a lie straight from the author of lies. God's Word is true. My husband is actually happy when I confess my sins to him, and vice versa, because we love to pray for one another. My sin doesn't cause any feelings to change in him toward me because he confesses his sin to me, too. He has sin, we all do, so he understands, not condemns. That's how Jesus is. He is our high priest Who "is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness" (Hebrews 5:2). Jesus was fully man when He walked the earth, so He was faced with temptation. He knows every feeling and every temptation we experience because He experienced it, too, but "was without sin" (Heb. 4:15). I can approach Him any time with my sin because He knows, cares, and wants to cleanse me from it so that I can live in victory!
Joshua obeys and God leads him step by step across the Jordan and into Jericho. God seems to only give Joshua instructions for each next step of the journey. Joshua is aware of the big picture in the sense that he knows God's promises for the Israelites, but he does not know how God will execute everything to arrive at that destination. He just trusts and obeys each individual step. Then, one day Joshua sends spies into Ai to check out the land. His spies advise him to only send a few troops to overtake the land. Joshua follows their advice, and the people of Ai chase down the Israelites and defeat them. When Joshua discovers that his men have been beat, he tears off his clothes and falls face down on the ground, crying out to God, questioning how God could lead them to this land and then allow them to be defeated. God provides a simple and direct answer to Joshua, "Israel has sinned" (v. 7:11). God tells Joshua that they will not be able to stand up against any enemy until the sin has been destroyed.
Joshua learns that one man from the tribe of Judah, Achan, had stolen items that were devoted to God. When Joshua discovers Achan to be the guilty party, Achan is killed because of his sin. God is serious about our sin. He has big plans for us, victorious plans, but we cannot reach those plans on our own--we must trust Him. If we try to go our own way, we will fail. We are not victorious on our own. God is our victory and if sin is present in our lives, we cannot defeat our enemies. We have to confess our sin, expose it to the light, repent, and continue to chase after God.
In the scenario of Joshua chapter 7, Achan dies because of his sin. We cannot stand in the presence of a holy God with sin present in our lives. We must repent of it. If we have sin in our life, something else will die. The only choices we have are to kill the sin or allow death to enter another area of our lives. If there is sin in my life, then death may come in the form of a relationship, losing a career or job, money, possessions, or something else. We cannot allow sin to have any room in us if we want to be victorious in Jesus.
Confessing our sins to God may be difficult because we don't like to fail. I know I hate admitting defeat to Satan. I hate to admit that he had me for a while. But even the feeling of admitting defeat pales in comparison to the cleansing that comes through Jesus once I confess my sin to Him and allow Him to wash me clean. In Psalm 51:10, the psalmist cries out to God, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." I don't know how many times a day, week, or month I need to pray that prayer, but I pray it as many as necessary because, for me, I would rather live in victory with my Savior than to succumb to Satan's vices and live in fear or agony. 1 John 1:9 tells us that "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." That's all it takes--confession and repentence, then we're walking pretty again. Just a pause in my day to tell my Creator, Who already knows, that I have sinned and ask Him to cleanse me and continue to purge sin out of my life. James also encourages us to "confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed" (5:16). That was the hardest for me to grasp--confessing my sins to my husband so he can pray for me. What?? Satan used to tell me If your husband knows the sin in your life, he will not want you any more. He won't want to be married to you. That is a lie straight from the author of lies. God's Word is true. My husband is actually happy when I confess my sins to him, and vice versa, because we love to pray for one another. My sin doesn't cause any feelings to change in him toward me because he confesses his sin to me, too. He has sin, we all do, so he understands, not condemns. That's how Jesus is. He is our high priest Who "is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness" (Hebrews 5:2). Jesus was fully man when He walked the earth, so He was faced with temptation. He knows every feeling and every temptation we experience because He experienced it, too, but "was without sin" (Heb. 4:15). I can approach Him any time with my sin because He knows, cares, and wants to cleanse me from it so that I can live in victory!
Friday, January 4, 2013
My Response to My Exercise Fast
"I have never heard anyone fast from exercise before" was my friend's reaction when I told her that's what I was doing. I responded by saying something like "well, when it becomes an idol and I have allowed it to take over my life and push Jesus to the side, I think a fast is necessary."
I knew I had insecurities with my body image and a fear of getting fat; I knew it for a long time. It was only recently that I summoned the courage to face it head-on and allow God to take care of the rest. It was time for me to surrender that area of my life to Him and trust Him with the consequences. I thought I had to exercise an hour a day (minimum) to maintain my body weight and still fit in my clothes. I thought if I didn't do that, then I would become overweight or obese. So, exercise consumed my life. I always thought about exercise; it was always hanging over my head, and if I didn't get to exercise, I generally took out my frustrations on my husband, which affected my daughter, too, because my actions, attitudes, and speech don't only affect the person to whom I am speaking in my household, but my entire household. I was finally tired of it. I was tired of feeling defeated in this area. I was tired of allowing Satan's fingers to have a secure grip around my body image; he was winning and I despise being defeated by Satan because God has given me all the weapons I need for victory and I wasn't using them in the area of exercise. I was hanging on to exercise because I thought I could control it best if it was in my hands instead of in the hands of my Creator. I thought that if I surrendered it to God, then He could not lead me to ways to stay healthy without having to beat myself up on the treadmill every day. Boy, was I wrong! I had been listening to Satan's lies about exercise and body image so long, I couldn't even hear God when He was trying to speak the truth.
Surrendering my "exercise time" has been one of the best moves I have made in a long time. This is not for everyone, I am sure, but for me, giving that area over to God has completely turned me around and fixed my eyes where they need to be, on my loving Creator, rather than on His creation, my own body and a number on the scale. When my eyes were fixed on those idols, I was not seeking opportunities to help and serve others, nor was I ready when God put them in front of me.
Okay, so here is what God taught me through my exercise fast:
I knew I had insecurities with my body image and a fear of getting fat; I knew it for a long time. It was only recently that I summoned the courage to face it head-on and allow God to take care of the rest. It was time for me to surrender that area of my life to Him and trust Him with the consequences. I thought I had to exercise an hour a day (minimum) to maintain my body weight and still fit in my clothes. I thought if I didn't do that, then I would become overweight or obese. So, exercise consumed my life. I always thought about exercise; it was always hanging over my head, and if I didn't get to exercise, I generally took out my frustrations on my husband, which affected my daughter, too, because my actions, attitudes, and speech don't only affect the person to whom I am speaking in my household, but my entire household. I was finally tired of it. I was tired of feeling defeated in this area. I was tired of allowing Satan's fingers to have a secure grip around my body image; he was winning and I despise being defeated by Satan because God has given me all the weapons I need for victory and I wasn't using them in the area of exercise. I was hanging on to exercise because I thought I could control it best if it was in my hands instead of in the hands of my Creator. I thought that if I surrendered it to God, then He could not lead me to ways to stay healthy without having to beat myself up on the treadmill every day. Boy, was I wrong! I had been listening to Satan's lies about exercise and body image so long, I couldn't even hear God when He was trying to speak the truth.
Surrendering my "exercise time" has been one of the best moves I have made in a long time. This is not for everyone, I am sure, but for me, giving that area over to God has completely turned me around and fixed my eyes where they need to be, on my loving Creator, rather than on His creation, my own body and a number on the scale. When my eyes were fixed on those idols, I was not seeking opportunities to help and serve others, nor was I ready when God put them in front of me.
Okay, so here is what God taught me through my exercise fast:
- Trust Him. "Seek first His kingdom, and all these things will be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33). When I surrender EVERY area of my life and concentrate on seeking Him before I seek anything else--house, body image, happiness, etc., then He provides everything I need. He wants to provide for me in the best ways; I just have to allow Him to by giving Him complete control.
- I didn't really fast from exercise. I thought I was fasting from exercise, but I really only fasted from the treadmill and a block of time set that was devoted to it. God gave me a new perspective and taught me that exercise comes in different forms other than traditional ways and that I can include my family in exercise and have fun at the same time. Some ways I realized I was getting exercise have been dancing in the living room, kicking beach balls and soccer balls together outside, playing frisbee, playing running games with Nora-Kate, playing outside, doing short segments of exercise (I discovered that Nora-Kate really loves learning activities like jumping jacks, push ups, and fun cardio moves such as marching and jumping), taking walks outside, and basically anything else that releases energy. The key is just to get up and MOVE during the day.
- Don't hold back anything from God. Even when I am scared to let something go and give it up to Him, it really is best if I do. Surrendering areas of my life over to Him allows me to completely trust in Him and I carry around an attitude of gratitude, positivity, and pure joy. I find that I smile more, laugh more, and just enjoy the people and blessings God has placed in my life. I enjoy spending time with family and friends because I am not constantly thinking about when I will be able to exercise--I am less stressed!
I have enjoyed this recent fast from exercise. God never lets me down and always provides in ways I never think or imagine. I love walking with Him daily and learning how to trust Him more and more. :)
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Exercise
Exercise. To some, it is an enemy; to others, it is their best friend. Or, if you are like me, you and exercise share a love/hate relationship. I love the exhiliration and satisfaction, the thrill of victory, that accompanies the completion of an exercise session and I love the positive effects it has on my body and mind, but exercise and I didn't always share a love/hate relationship. We were best friends growing up, somewhat enemies in college (when I gained the notorious "freshman 15"), then best friends again when I took up running and shed the weight. The Bible describes exercise in this way: "For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come" (1 Timothy 4:8). Let's stop there a second and draw some conclusions from that verse. This verse is found in a letter Paul writes to Timothy, whom Paul calls his "true son in the faith" (1 Tim. 1:2). He disciples Timothy by giving suggestions for living a life that pleases God. First, in the sentence prior, Paul encourages Timothy to "have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly" (1 Tim. 4:7). Therefore, he implies that we should put more effort into becoming godly, meaning living a life of love, holiness, and righteousness, than we should in becoming in good physical shape. Secondly, Paul does not say that exercise is bad. There is "some value" in physical exercise, but it must hold its proper place in our lives, and for me, I've recently discovered, there is a fine line that keeps it from becoming an idol. When I allow exercise to cross the line and become a higher priority and focus than God, my family, or others, that's when I experience the most strife. Thirdly, godliness produces eternal results. My looks, health, physical condition, and earthly body will pass away, but my relationship with God and the legacy I leave for my family will last forever. So, on which one should I focus my concentration and effort?
Earlier in my post, I confessed to having a love/hate relationship with exercise. I loved it growing up; I always looked forward to practices and games alike. It was something I was decent at, had fun with, and it offered an escape from my everyday world. However, during the time I gained weight in college, topping the scale at the heaviest poundage in my life, I did not enjoy exercise because it was more difficult, obviously. I didn't look forward to it because I couldn't keep up with the pace I was used to. Then, the last two or three years of college were so stressful for me that I found running to be relaxing, enjoying, and freeing. It was a time when my mind could wonder, I could enjoy the outdoors, and I could pour my heart out to God. Coupled with my daily Bible reading times, I really believe that is where God truly became my best friend. And I shed the 15 pounds, which made me feel great! I was more comfortable with myself, altered my wardrobe to "fit" my new body, and gained more confidence. Then, I graduated college and began to work full time, teaching high school students English. The demands of a new job, especially a teaching job, were great and I definitely needed a release in the afternoons, so I kept running. I still enjoyed it, looked forward to it, and felt great afterward. I never seemed to tire. I felt like I could run forever. However, two short months after I began teaching, God rocked my world with one of the greatest blessings He has ever entrusted me with--He placed the man who would become my husband in my life. That shook up my world. I had lived with a self-centered mentality for so long, this was the next step God had for me, the next step in becoming more like Him. When I got married, I still ran. I made it a point to fit it in my schedule, even if it meant sacrificing time with my new husband. I was addicted to it. Eventually, I "hit a wall." I got burned out. We had bought a house that we planned to flip, so among renovating a house, teaching full-time, coaching part time, running, and my daily devotions with God, where was time for my husband?
I remember telling him I was going out for a run one summer evening. I got dressed, laced up my shoes, put my mp3 player on, and headed out the door, only to turn around a few steps later and return to our bedroom. I sat on the bed and said the words out loud that I didn't enjoy running any more and hadn't for some time. I didn't want to admit that because running had become part of my identity. And if I stopped running, would I gain weight again and become obese? I had an unhealthy obesession and an unhealthy fear. Running was healthy, but the place it held in my life was not. So, I did what any level-headed, strong, independent woman would do--I cried on my husband's shoulder. His response was very clear-cut and straight-forward. He said, "then don't run." He clearly didn't understand; I was confident with my body for the first time in my life and I wanted to hold on to it. I was so determined to not let myself gain weight that I would sacrifice time with my family to go for a run. I think I knew eventually I couldn't keep it up.
However, it was not until recently, just in the past few months, that God has really exposed this weakness and area of idolatry in my life. Exercise is good, yes, but not at the expense of my relationship with Him or my family, or my neighbors and friends for that matter. With all the blessings God has poured on me, my husband, a house, sweet neighbors, a daughter, etc., something must give if I am completely honest with myself and am living according to God's priorities instead of the world's. They deserve the best of me and that means allowing God to pour Himself into my life and then pouring it out on them in return. Some people won't agree, and you might not agree. People say all the time that women have to put themselves first so their health won't lack, but I know that my God, in the book of Matthew, says to "seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." That is contrary to the world's way of thinking, but it's the truth. When I put God first in my life and the values He wants me to put before myself, I don't struggle with my weight. What good does it do for me to wear a size 6 (or smaller), if I am doing nothing for the kingdom of God? The Word also tells me that it is not exercise that prolongs my life, but a reverent fear of God and the pursuit of righteousness and godly wisdom. Based on my own experiences, it doesn't matter how much I try to control my weight and exercise, I can't and even if I could, that is not what matters in this world. I am currently fasting from exercise and will continue to do so as I seek God and until I know that it will not carry a heavier weight than God in my life. I love God's promise in Isaiah when He says, " 'You are my witnesses,' declares the Lord, 'and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior" (Isaiah 43:10-11). The Lord is my God; I will have no other gods before Him. My purpose on this earth is to "know and believe Him and understand that He is" Lord, my everything, my Savior. To that end, I am definitely an advocate for exercise, but I know, for me, that I can easily get entangled in the snares of having a certain body image and giving everything I have toward that goal, instead of toward God.
Earlier in my post, I confessed to having a love/hate relationship with exercise. I loved it growing up; I always looked forward to practices and games alike. It was something I was decent at, had fun with, and it offered an escape from my everyday world. However, during the time I gained weight in college, topping the scale at the heaviest poundage in my life, I did not enjoy exercise because it was more difficult, obviously. I didn't look forward to it because I couldn't keep up with the pace I was used to. Then, the last two or three years of college were so stressful for me that I found running to be relaxing, enjoying, and freeing. It was a time when my mind could wonder, I could enjoy the outdoors, and I could pour my heart out to God. Coupled with my daily Bible reading times, I really believe that is where God truly became my best friend. And I shed the 15 pounds, which made me feel great! I was more comfortable with myself, altered my wardrobe to "fit" my new body, and gained more confidence. Then, I graduated college and began to work full time, teaching high school students English. The demands of a new job, especially a teaching job, were great and I definitely needed a release in the afternoons, so I kept running. I still enjoyed it, looked forward to it, and felt great afterward. I never seemed to tire. I felt like I could run forever. However, two short months after I began teaching, God rocked my world with one of the greatest blessings He has ever entrusted me with--He placed the man who would become my husband in my life. That shook up my world. I had lived with a self-centered mentality for so long, this was the next step God had for me, the next step in becoming more like Him. When I got married, I still ran. I made it a point to fit it in my schedule, even if it meant sacrificing time with my new husband. I was addicted to it. Eventually, I "hit a wall." I got burned out. We had bought a house that we planned to flip, so among renovating a house, teaching full-time, coaching part time, running, and my daily devotions with God, where was time for my husband?
I remember telling him I was going out for a run one summer evening. I got dressed, laced up my shoes, put my mp3 player on, and headed out the door, only to turn around a few steps later and return to our bedroom. I sat on the bed and said the words out loud that I didn't enjoy running any more and hadn't for some time. I didn't want to admit that because running had become part of my identity. And if I stopped running, would I gain weight again and become obese? I had an unhealthy obesession and an unhealthy fear. Running was healthy, but the place it held in my life was not. So, I did what any level-headed, strong, independent woman would do--I cried on my husband's shoulder. His response was very clear-cut and straight-forward. He said, "then don't run." He clearly didn't understand; I was confident with my body for the first time in my life and I wanted to hold on to it. I was so determined to not let myself gain weight that I would sacrifice time with my family to go for a run. I think I knew eventually I couldn't keep it up.
However, it was not until recently, just in the past few months, that God has really exposed this weakness and area of idolatry in my life. Exercise is good, yes, but not at the expense of my relationship with Him or my family, or my neighbors and friends for that matter. With all the blessings God has poured on me, my husband, a house, sweet neighbors, a daughter, etc., something must give if I am completely honest with myself and am living according to God's priorities instead of the world's. They deserve the best of me and that means allowing God to pour Himself into my life and then pouring it out on them in return. Some people won't agree, and you might not agree. People say all the time that women have to put themselves first so their health won't lack, but I know that my God, in the book of Matthew, says to "seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." That is contrary to the world's way of thinking, but it's the truth. When I put God first in my life and the values He wants me to put before myself, I don't struggle with my weight. What good does it do for me to wear a size 6 (or smaller), if I am doing nothing for the kingdom of God? The Word also tells me that it is not exercise that prolongs my life, but a reverent fear of God and the pursuit of righteousness and godly wisdom. Based on my own experiences, it doesn't matter how much I try to control my weight and exercise, I can't and even if I could, that is not what matters in this world. I am currently fasting from exercise and will continue to do so as I seek God and until I know that it will not carry a heavier weight than God in my life. I love God's promise in Isaiah when He says, " 'You are my witnesses,' declares the Lord, 'and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior" (Isaiah 43:10-11). The Lord is my God; I will have no other gods before Him. My purpose on this earth is to "know and believe Him and understand that He is" Lord, my everything, my Savior. To that end, I am definitely an advocate for exercise, but I know, for me, that I can easily get entangled in the snares of having a certain body image and giving everything I have toward that goal, instead of toward God.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Prayer and Trust
Have you ever heard people say, "Well, I guess all we can do now is pray"? It drives me crazy when I hear someone say that. I go crazy because we are so used to relying on ourselves (a false sense of security) that, in one statement, we completely undermine the power, nature, and character of God. God--the Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent Creator of the universe; He has all the power, so why is prayer our last resort? It's like we can't do anything else to better the situation, so we'll just let Him have it, but then we don't really let Him have it. We pray about something, then take it back; we give it to Him, then worry about it again. Do we not really believe 1 Peter 5:7, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you?" The irony in the statement, "well, I guess all we can do now is pray" is the implication that we have done all we can first, as if we were really in control anyway. We are NOT in control. Circumstances, accidents, situations, and trials happen regardless of how careful, watchful, or prepared we think we are. It doesn't matter how much we worry, plan, or try to anticipate life's curveballs; there will always be things out of our control.
Some time before the 2012 Presidential election, a woman who professes to be a Christ-follower shared her worries with me about who would be elected to lead our nation. She listed worry after worry, and when she was finished, I told her she needed to pray for our future President and give her worries to God. She lowered her head and answered, rather dejectedly and with disappointment in her voice, "I have prayed." Then, I knew the reason she was listing all of her worries--she was still holding on to them, as if her worry would stop them from happening. She had "prayed" about it, but did not trust God to carry them for her, nor did she trust His plan. As our conversation continued, I realized more truth about her. She did not trust God's Word when He says in Romans that "in all things, God works for the good of those who love him and are called according to His purpose." She thought that her ways were better than God's and that if her plan did not blossom, then all hope would be lost; her faith in God would diminish because He didn't grant her prayers.
The issue is that the woman never had true faith. Hebrews describes faith as "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." We are certain of what we do NOT see, that is faith. If we see first, then where is our faith? If prayer was our number one plan each day, God could do amazing things through us. If we would sit back, let Him drive, and trust Him to get us to the destination He desires, the blessings and miracles that would occur through us would be limitless.
In John, chapter 10, Jesus describes our relationship with Him, our Shepherd, this way: "The watchman opens the gate for him [Jesus], and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." The problem is that many of us don't know our Shepherd's voice. We don't recognize it because we don't know what we're listening for. We haven't spent time in His Word, in prayer, and in Christian growth with fellow believers to learn His character. We haven't let go and let Jesus Christ romance us. We can't expect to send up a 911 prayer and hear a clear answer. If we don't walk with him on a daily basis, then we're not going to know His voice when He tries to help us. He will be like a stranger to us and we will run away from Him Who is trying to lead us to safer ground. When we do spend time with God each day, digging into His Word and learning from and about Him, we must believe what He says. We must have faith that His Word is true, because it is, and let the truths we learn about His character shape our way of thinking, our attitudes, our speech, and our actions.
Some of us also have sin standing in the way of our prayers. Isaiah, chapter 59, verses 1-2 states that "Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you so that he will not hear." God is perfect, holy, and righteous. He will not hear us if sin is standing between us and God. He wants us to "confess our sins" so that he can "forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). We have no excuse for our prayers not to be heard. If we walk with Him daily, trust in His Word, and confess our sins to Him always (He knows them anyway), we could do powerful things. James says that "the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (James 1:19b).
So, we need to pray FIRST and ALWAYS. We need to pray first in our day and throughout our day, talking to God about everything as we encounter each new situation that comes our way, the little and big things. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 commands us to "pray continually" and James (1:5) directs that "if any of you lack wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." The problem with our prayers shows up in verses 6-7 of the same passage in James. He goes on to say that "but when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." Consequently, not only do we need to pray first and always, but we need to trust and believe that God will do what is best and have faith that His plan is perfect, because it is. Then, if the situation we have been praying about doesn't turn out like we hoped, we should "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Some time before the 2012 Presidential election, a woman who professes to be a Christ-follower shared her worries with me about who would be elected to lead our nation. She listed worry after worry, and when she was finished, I told her she needed to pray for our future President and give her worries to God. She lowered her head and answered, rather dejectedly and with disappointment in her voice, "I have prayed." Then, I knew the reason she was listing all of her worries--she was still holding on to them, as if her worry would stop them from happening. She had "prayed" about it, but did not trust God to carry them for her, nor did she trust His plan. As our conversation continued, I realized more truth about her. She did not trust God's Word when He says in Romans that "in all things, God works for the good of those who love him and are called according to His purpose." She thought that her ways were better than God's and that if her plan did not blossom, then all hope would be lost; her faith in God would diminish because He didn't grant her prayers.
The issue is that the woman never had true faith. Hebrews describes faith as "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." We are certain of what we do NOT see, that is faith. If we see first, then where is our faith? If prayer was our number one plan each day, God could do amazing things through us. If we would sit back, let Him drive, and trust Him to get us to the destination He desires, the blessings and miracles that would occur through us would be limitless.
In John, chapter 10, Jesus describes our relationship with Him, our Shepherd, this way: "The watchman opens the gate for him [Jesus], and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." The problem is that many of us don't know our Shepherd's voice. We don't recognize it because we don't know what we're listening for. We haven't spent time in His Word, in prayer, and in Christian growth with fellow believers to learn His character. We haven't let go and let Jesus Christ romance us. We can't expect to send up a 911 prayer and hear a clear answer. If we don't walk with him on a daily basis, then we're not going to know His voice when He tries to help us. He will be like a stranger to us and we will run away from Him Who is trying to lead us to safer ground. When we do spend time with God each day, digging into His Word and learning from and about Him, we must believe what He says. We must have faith that His Word is true, because it is, and let the truths we learn about His character shape our way of thinking, our attitudes, our speech, and our actions.
Some of us also have sin standing in the way of our prayers. Isaiah, chapter 59, verses 1-2 states that "Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you so that he will not hear." God is perfect, holy, and righteous. He will not hear us if sin is standing between us and God. He wants us to "confess our sins" so that he can "forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). We have no excuse for our prayers not to be heard. If we walk with Him daily, trust in His Word, and confess our sins to Him always (He knows them anyway), we could do powerful things. James says that "the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (James 1:19b).
So, we need to pray FIRST and ALWAYS. We need to pray first in our day and throughout our day, talking to God about everything as we encounter each new situation that comes our way, the little and big things. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 commands us to "pray continually" and James (1:5) directs that "if any of you lack wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." The problem with our prayers shows up in verses 6-7 of the same passage in James. He goes on to say that "but when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." Consequently, not only do we need to pray first and always, but we need to trust and believe that God will do what is best and have faith that His plan is perfect, because it is. Then, if the situation we have been praying about doesn't turn out like we hoped, we should "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Kill 'Em with Kindness
Most people's natural reaction to someone who offends them in some way is to show them hatred. We tend to give them the cold shoulder, say rude or derogatory comments toward them, or do hateful things to the person who offended us. Are any of those things going to cause that person to wake up one morning and think, I am really sorry I hurt that person. I never should have done those things. Look at the way they have been treating me; I must have really messed up. No way! At least not in my experience, and not with most people. I am sure there is an exception somewhere, but most people are going to fight back, or not fight at all, fight or flight. If we are rude or hateful toward someone, they are either going to come out swinging, or run away and neither reaction is the one we truly want to elicit.
Usually, when we are hurt, we want the other person to apologize, to realize and admit they were wrong, and make it right with us. I have often heard the phrase "Kill 'em with kindness" used to illustrate how we should treat others who we consider to be our enemies. While I understand the kindness part, the whole "kill 'em" part doesn't seem so biblical. I don't think Jesus wants us to be kind to someone just so they will realize that they did us wrong and come apologize to us. This life is not about us, so everything we do, as Christ followers, should be about lifting up our Lord, which means we need to react to situations that may get us riled up "in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ" (Philippians 1:27), instead of in a manner that would please our flesh. Jesus commands His followers in John 13:34-35 to "love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another." Nowhere in those statements is a malicious or selfish motive behind loving others. And Jesus made no mistakes--He did not distinguish between loving our enemies and our nonenemies. He said to "love one another"--that means everyone. After all, no one on earth is really our enemy, anyway. Ephesians tells us that "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (6:12). So, then the arguments and fights we experience on earth among ourselves is just a distraction from Satan. Satan would rather us be fighting with one another because then we're not winning the spiritual battles we have the power to win and we're not experiencing victory in our walks with Christ.
This has been a lesson God has had to prove to me over and over again. I must realize that people's paradigms are different from mine, and there is always another side to a story or situation. I must not be so easily angered because the situation that would normally offend me is not one-sided. I must step into the shoes of the other person, understand that though I may not see things from their perspective, that they are probably not acting out of malice. They probably did not do the thing that upset me with the purpose of upsetting me. People usually make decisions based on what they feel is the best decision at that time with the information they have. If they offend me in the process, it was probably accidental, which is why sometimes I am the only one who is upset and it seems the other person has no idea that they even offended me. So, while I am wallowing in hurt and self-pity, the person who caused that pain hasn't thought anything about it because they didn't do it on purpose. So, I must believe that everyone means well, continue loving them in spite of what my flesh wants to do, and give the rest to God. I must trust Him with my feelings, the situation, and the outcome.
Usually, when we are hurt, we want the other person to apologize, to realize and admit they were wrong, and make it right with us. I have often heard the phrase "Kill 'em with kindness" used to illustrate how we should treat others who we consider to be our enemies. While I understand the kindness part, the whole "kill 'em" part doesn't seem so biblical. I don't think Jesus wants us to be kind to someone just so they will realize that they did us wrong and come apologize to us. This life is not about us, so everything we do, as Christ followers, should be about lifting up our Lord, which means we need to react to situations that may get us riled up "in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ" (Philippians 1:27), instead of in a manner that would please our flesh. Jesus commands His followers in John 13:34-35 to "love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another." Nowhere in those statements is a malicious or selfish motive behind loving others. And Jesus made no mistakes--He did not distinguish between loving our enemies and our nonenemies. He said to "love one another"--that means everyone. After all, no one on earth is really our enemy, anyway. Ephesians tells us that "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (6:12). So, then the arguments and fights we experience on earth among ourselves is just a distraction from Satan. Satan would rather us be fighting with one another because then we're not winning the spiritual battles we have the power to win and we're not experiencing victory in our walks with Christ.
This has been a lesson God has had to prove to me over and over again. I must realize that people's paradigms are different from mine, and there is always another side to a story or situation. I must not be so easily angered because the situation that would normally offend me is not one-sided. I must step into the shoes of the other person, understand that though I may not see things from their perspective, that they are probably not acting out of malice. They probably did not do the thing that upset me with the purpose of upsetting me. People usually make decisions based on what they feel is the best decision at that time with the information they have. If they offend me in the process, it was probably accidental, which is why sometimes I am the only one who is upset and it seems the other person has no idea that they even offended me. So, while I am wallowing in hurt and self-pity, the person who caused that pain hasn't thought anything about it because they didn't do it on purpose. So, I must believe that everyone means well, continue loving them in spite of what my flesh wants to do, and give the rest to God. I must trust Him with my feelings, the situation, and the outcome.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)