“Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand” (Psalm 39:4-5).
So I grab a ruler on my desk—yep, 4 inches. Mt. Everest is 348,348 inches tall. The Empire State Building stands 17,448 inches. And then, there’s the deepest part of the ocean—434,400 inches. If my life is “no longer than the width of my hand,” then my life is but a breeze. Maybe that’s why David continues to write, “My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath” (V. 5). Now, it’s important to understand what David means. He isn’t describing his life as insignificant; rather, he is saying just how small his earthly life is. In other words, David realizes a beautiful concept: “For I am your [God’s] guest—a traveler passing through, as my ancestors were before me” (V. 12). David’s not home quite yet. He knows there’s more to come. God’s children are instructed to live for eternity, not this 4-inch life. Philippians 1:27 says, “Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ…” If life on earth was the end all be all, think about how insignificant you would be. But then, there’s eternity, and it’s infinity inches. Considering the smallness of our earthly lives, struggles are nanometers. In other words, the illness is a nanometer. The financial issue is a nanometer. The shattered relationship is a nanometer. The loneliness is a nanometer. Any hurt, pain, thorn, or thicket is a very insignificant part of our lives. But we live as if the issues mean so much more. We trudge around defeated because of a dreaded responsibility. We hit snooze three times because we despise the stress. We walk through life without joy, forging a fake smile. We give up on our faith, turn against our family, and trust ungodly endeavors to fulfill our broken hearts. All because of little nanometers in our infinite lives. This is a perspective the enemy never wants you to grasp. His goal is to get your mind overly focused on your tiny problem. He wants your eyes to see Mt. Everest instead of your hand. Satan’s goal is to surround you with an insignificant issue and make it seem like it rules your life. As a result, so many people live in bondage—surrounded by fences of hopelessness. After all, the enemy wants you to feel as if there’s no way out of your situation. Because of this limited perspective, people cannot see the true size of their circumstances. True freedom cannot co-exist with Satan’s lies—at least, when you believe them. But God wants you to live a spacious life. “For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17). Life is short…never forget it. Because our lives are only 4 inches, we may as well begin living in the freedom of God’s eternity. Who said Heaven can’t come to earth? “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11).
Chances are, you’ve seen this verse a thousand times. So have I. But over the past couple of days, I’ve seen it with a different perspective. You see, almost every time I hear this verse, it’s the translation that reads “plans” instead of “thoughts.” There’s nothing wrong with either one, but the word “thoughts” has hit me recently. I’ve been struggling with negative thoughts. Against myself. My imperfections. My weaknesses. And as I read this verse, I realize that God thinks positive thoughts about me. In other words, I don’t think of myself the same way God does. And that’s scary! This particular version of Jeremiah 29:11 begins touching me last Friday morning. During this time, I open my prayer journal for the first time in days. Hey, there are times when prayer isn’t merely an option; rather, it’s the only way over a hurdle. And this morning is a prime example. So I begin writing, “I’m struggling, God. With thoughts. And it is wearing me out. You know my heart, God. Yes, I make mistakes—even when I don’t really mean what I do, but you are full of grace. Father, help me think about myself and others like you do.” Have you ever bought a Christian journal—probably one that looks girly—only to find the pages already covered in inspirational scriptures or quotes? Christian publishers have a habit of this—and yes, they also have a habit of making more girl journals than guy journals. But that’s neither here nor there. The page in my guy journal upon which those words are written is a Bible verse. Not just any Bible verse. Jeremiah 29:11. And trust me, I notice it last Friday—so much so that I draw an arrow from the abovementioned prayer to the scripture. Not just any version of that scripture, either. The version alluding to “thoughts.” Coincidence? I think not. The next morning, I open my Bible to Jeremiah. I read some of the verses next door to this one. And I see something else. I realize that the Israelites are being held in Babylonian captivity when God speaks Jeremiah 29:11 to his people. Yes, captivity. And I feel as if I can currently relate. Actually, one of the reasons why I’ve been struggling with negative thoughts is because of stressful circumstances. Jeremiah 29 tells a little story about captivity, and through that captivity, God tells a story about the positive thoughts He has about His people. I find this interesting. Through the strenuous situations of life. The stress, busyness, and trials. When I’m in captivity—the very point in life when negative thoughts try to win, my God lets me know that He’s thinking positive thoughts about my life and future. Maybe that’s why Paul says, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ…” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Hold your thoughts captive before your thoughts hold you captive. God knows our thoughts are vulnerable to negativity during difficulty. But during these times, He reminds us of how positive His thoughts are toward us. In high hopes, I’m sure, that we—His children—think of ourselves the same way He thinks of us. Sin ruins everything.
It’s heartbreaking. But sometimes, my heart needs broken so Christ can fully escape. In moments like these, I don’t struggle with my ego. Instead of reflecting on God’s goodness, I hurl at my own nastiness. My original plan this morning was to write a column. But now, I wonder why I even have the opportunity of doing it. To be honest, I practically told God to find someone else. It’s heartbreaking. I feel so distant from the hand of God because sin ruins everything. I fall into sin knowing how destructive it is, but my enemy makes it seem so appealing. Man, I can’t wait until Satan finally owns-up to his defeat. Trust me when I tell you, I would be much more satisfied had I not given in to sin. But I did. Now, I feel empty, broken, and unworthy of anything good. Including God’s own forgiveness. How could I merely receive such a free, unconditional gift without doing something—anything—to earn it? I mean, I don’t deserve Christ’s forgiveness. How is there not a price for something so priceless? Actually, I’m reminded, there was. But it wasn’t a price I paid. It was a price that Jesus Christ paid for me. Why? Because no matter how hard I try, I could never gather enough, be enough, or do enough to rid my broken heart from all this crud! And God knew that. He understood that I could never get Him to love me. Because God turns His back on sin, He knew there was nothing in this world I could ever do to get him to turn around. So “…He sent his Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving His son as a sacrifice for our sins” (Romans 8:3). Jesus Christ—the perfect Son of God—paid the price for my forgiveness and my relationship with God. Now, sin is defeated. Death has lost its sting. Jesus has the last word, and it is “forgiven.” I still can’t pinpoint a reason for this sacrifice. Why would Jesus go through literal Hell for an unworthy mess-of-a-person like me? The only answer I can muster is love. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). So, yeah. I am forgiven because Jesus died in my place on a cross. And that’s why He is all that matters. That’s why He is my best friend—something I am unashamed of. Now, I live without condemnation (Romans 8:11) and have life more abundantly (John 10:10). Now, I get to be joyful. I get to be free. I get to take advantage of amazing opportunities—like writing a weekly Jesus column—not because I’m awesome, but because Jesus is! The same is true for you. What an amazing life you can live when you are forgiven by Jesus. For some of you, there is a strong sense of conviction in your soul right now. You realize that Jesus paid the price for that sin cluttering your heart and mind. He made a way for you to have a beautiful relationship with your Creator. With the all-powerful God. If that’s you, I encourage you to embark upon the journey you were created for—one with Jesus Christ. To be saved—to be forgiven—the Bible says, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). If you just made the decision to begin a relationship with Jesus, be sure to let someone know! It is the best decision you’ll ever make! But for others, you feel relieved that such a simple article is now complete. I’ve thought like that before, too. But when you feel so dirty, broken, and unworthy like me, it’s hard not to remember. After all, the simplest thing is the most powerful. Jesus died so I could live. I pray I never forget that. My mind can be a friend or an enemy. Recently, the latter seems more realistic.
Every day, there’s a brutal battle in my brain. A battle between feeling and conviction. Obedience and disobedience. Love and hate. Or better yet, allow me to place a generic face on our enemy—Satan himself. “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). This battle ticks me off! Chances are, you can testify. Perhaps you sit in the office, wishing you could focus on the work at hand. Maybe you stay home each day and face a handful of lies. “You’re lazy. Get out and do something.” It could be that you’re retired, fighting hopelessly the obsessive voice in your mind, telling you that the medical condition will never cease. Then again, maybe you’re a teenager. The battle seems to drain you of self-control, rob you of identity, and leave you with nothing but regret. Did I mention this battle ticks me off? Well, it does. And I’m not the only one. “And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me” (Romans 7:18-23). Yes, even the Apostle Paul struggles with a battle in his mind. He goes on to say, “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Christ Jesus our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin” (V. 24-25). It’s aggravating, I know. While Paul is describing the battle in his mind, he mentions the solution—Jesus Christ. But I am reminded of a battle Jesus faces in his own mind. In fact, it occurs during the week we are in the midst of celebrating—Holy Week. “Then, accompanied by his disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. There he told them, ‘Pray that you will not give in to temptation.’ He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.’ Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood” (Luke 22:39-44). Jesus is most certainly the solution to our battle between flesh and spirit. But he also shows us an example. Make no mistake about it, Jesus comes to earth both fully human and fully God. And we know how humans think sometimes. Yet Jesus fights the enemy with prayer. Kneeling before God, he prays fervently—full of enthusiasm and passion—with drops of blood to show his unshakeable focus on God’s will. So how do we fight the enemy in our brains? Pray. But don’t just pray. Pray passionately and frequently. Today, the one who prayed drops of blood takes our prayers of desperation to God. Why? Because Jesus prayed about his battle, received strength, and accomplished God’s will—dying on a cross to intercede on our behalf. I had just invited him to church. He declined my offer. “Why?” I asked.
He looked at me seriously and stated his response, “Because I would get back here [school] and act the same way.” I don’t know about you, but this statement intrigues me. Do we live in a world where people believe they must have a “perfect” life after one church service? Because if so, I was disqualified a long time ago! I tried to sympathize, telling him that he wasn’t going to get better overnight. And then, I spoke the words upon which this column is focused. In a desperate response, I said something along the lines of, “I don’t want you to think that’s what it’s about.” Getting your life together is not what matters. You say, “Isn’t that what Christianity is all about? Aren’t Christians just a group of saints who rarely sin? It seems as if their buttons are always fastened and their shoes always laced—in other words, isn’t Christianity about having one’s life together?” If this thing called Christianity is about the change I create, I’m out. If this thing called Christianity is about living a perfect life, I’m out. And to be honest, if I was in that young man’s shoes with that perspective, I would have said “no” too. So if creating a more perfect life isn’t what matters, what does? “In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us” (Colossians 3:11). Jesus Christ—the risen Son of God—is all that matters! If that’s the case, where does life change come into play? Same answer! Jesus creates the change that so many admire. But you see, like the young man I invited to church, many people look at themselves to change. As a result, they carry around an insurmountable burden—the burden called insufficiency. They say things like, “I could never be good enough. I’ve tried to change before, and I can’t pull it off. Besides, no church would ever let me enter the doors. Christianity just isn’t for me.” You know what, if that’s what you’ve been thinking, forget everything. Forget doctrine. Forget religion. Forget church attendance. Just don’t forget the one who matters—Jesus. “For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). It’s not that those things have no importance. It’s just that compared to Jesus Christ, they are nothing. “Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith” (Philippians 3:8-9). Jesus. He really is all that matters. But wait, there’s one last thing I want to say. A total of 7.3 billion people are currently living this thing called life. Each is struggling in his own, unique way. All of them are imperfect—flawed, broken, and hurting. But despite such a large number of desperate souls, Jesus loves each one personally. That’s right, personally. He wants to have a close relationship with you. As you come to the end of this column, perhaps you feel convicted. Maybe you realize for the first time that Jesus truly loves you unconditionally. Maybe you realize that it’s not about you—your performance, efforts, or successes. Maybe you’re starting to believe that Jesus is enough for you. If that’s so, I pray that you would give your life to Him. You’re not giving your life to religion. You’re not giving your life to church attendance. You’re not giving your life to self-sufficiency. You’re giving it to Jesus. And then watch as the only one who matters changes you one step at a time. He didn’t meet your expectations—that’s okay, now He will exceed them.
I’m learning that I don’t want God to meet my expectations. Maybe that sounds crazy. You know the heartbreak of unmet expectations. The disappointment. The pain. So why on earth would I not want God to meet my expectations? He’s teaching me that He wants to exceed them, instead. This week, I’d like to share with you the story of how I began writing these weekly articles. Typically, this isn’t something I do; however, I feel as if it will help someone. A little over a month ago, I discovered an opportunity to share one of my writings. While scrolling through the newspaper app, I realized that I could submit to the Faith and Family magazine. I was excited. One of my favorite columns was going to be published in a Christian magazine—at least, that was what I expected. But that’s not what God had in store. A few days later, I received the news that my column was too big to be published in the magazine. Sure, it was disappointing. But with the bad news came good news. The next week, my column would be published in the actual newspaper! It wasn’t long, though, before I learned that my column was too big for the newspaper, too. I guess I have a tendency of being gabby with the pen. For a while, I went with the assumption that my column would be published the next week. This was my thought process on March 1st—the day I got out of school early for tornadoes. On this Wednesday, I was told that I needed to send in something around 700 words. Considering that my column was well over a thousand words, I decided to write a new article on the subject “Trust harder than you try.” After sending it in, I was excited to see my article in the Point Pleasant Register. The next day, I received more news. This time, it was news that exceeded my expectations. Until this point, much of the news I’d received didn’t even meet my expectations. But now, I was told that my article would be published in more than just the Point Pleasant Register. Instead, it would be published in all three local newspapers. God also exceeded my expectations in another way. Although I hadn’t comprehended it fully at the time, the newspaper had asked me to write—not just this week—but each week! It went from a one-time deal to a weekly article. From one magazine to three newspapers. Why? It definitely wasn’t because God met all of my expectations. I didn’t expect this. But for some reason in His marvelous grace, God chose to exceed my expectations and give me an amazing opportunity. Now every Friday, my God-inspired articles are published in all three newspapers—all because God refused to meet my expectations in order to exceed them. Today, I want to encourage you. If you find yourself wondering why God never meets your expectations, it could be that He wants to exceed them instead. Maybe you serve a God who wants to take you deeper than yourself. Maybe you serve a God who wants to accomplish more through your life than you’ve ever dreamed. Maybe there’s something better beyond what you see today. According to Ephesians 3:20, you serve such a God. “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” This is one of my favorite Bible verses. If you’d asked me a month ago, I would’ve told you that it’s because I believe it to be true. But if you asked me today, I’d not only tell you that I believe it to be true. I’d tell you that I know it to be true. If you’re finding yourself disappointed with unmet expectations, know that God has something even better. Judas and Peter: two disciples of Jesus, two members of the last supper, two unique sets of characteristics, two failures. We would do well to assume a match to these two characters. As unwanted and heart-breaking as failure is, we cannot escape it—at least, that was the case of these two men.
The book of John tells blankly of each case: “Now Jesus was deeply troubled, and he exclaimed, ‘I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!’ The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean. The disciple Jesus loved was sitting next to Jesus at the table. Simon Peter motioned to him to ask, “Who’s he talking about?” So that disciple leaned over to Jesus and asked, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus responded, “It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl.” And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot” (John 13:21-26, NLT). Then, Peter has his turn, Jesus answered, “Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter—before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me (V. 38).” We know failure is inevitable in the world today; however, failure doesn’t have to become a failed approach. Although both Judas and Peter failed, both of them approached their guilt and sin differently. For Judas, the guilt of failure was evidently far beyond his control. According to Matthew 27:3-5, Judas was so regretful for betraying Jesus that he hanged himself. Judas had the failed approach to solving the failure he had recently recognized. However, Peter had a much different approach to overcoming his failure. In Matthew 26:75, it says how he “went away, weeping bitterly.” But his story continues in John 21 whenever Jesus has risen from the dead. Pay close attention to the way Peter dealt with his failure. Peter came to Jesus on the shore in midst of being in a boat fishing. John says, “Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It’s the Lord!’ When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore” (V. 7). Notice how Peter didn’t try to avoid Jesus because of his sin against the Lord; rather, he was bold and excited to come to Jesus. It wasn’t much longer until more occurred within this approach. Jesus confronted Peter at the end of John 21. “After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him. Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me (V. 15-19).” Through this amazing part of Peter’s approach, we learn how Peter assured Jesus he loved him. We also get to see the amazing way that Jesus commanded and revealed his future will for Peter. Jesus also reminded Peter to follow him. What a marvelous way of discovering true grace! So as you continue walking this thing called life, remember this simple truth. Just as Jesus had open arms of grace for Peter, so He will for you. Remember, failure doesn’t have to become a failed approach! “Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law” (Romans 13:8, NLT).
Thanks, Paul. It’s not like I have a whole list of responsibilities already. My homework needs finished. My messages need prepared. My guitar strings need changed. My eyes need expansion clips. And now, Apostle, you’re telling me that I need to love people. Crazy people. Hurtful people. Selfish people. People who—let’s be honest—get in the way of my day. From 8:05 a.m. to 3:37 in the afternoon, I’m locked within Wahama High School. There’s hardly ever a moment when a responsibility is absent from my grasp. Maybe it’s an assignment. Maybe it’s an agenda. Maybe it’s studying. And the problem isn’t that I hate what I do. I love most of it—in fact, maybe too much! You see, I’m learning that sometimes I love my responsibilities more than I love people. And according to the Bible, loving people is a responsibility in and of itself. Let me take a few more minutes out of your busy day to explain just what I mean. But in order to do this, I must refer to Luke 10:38-42. “As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.’ But the Lord said to her, ‘My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.’” Here’s an instance where the same situation produces two different responses. One rests while another works. Mary worships. Martha is self-reliant. But get this—Mary loves while Martha worries. Which one of these two sisters are you? As you’ve probably gathered from the previous paragraphs, I most closely relate to Martha. I work more than I worship. I worry more than I love. I try harder than I trust (yes, the exact opposite of what I wrote about last week). Like Martha, I’m too busy to love others. While Jesus is waiting for me to give him my burdens, I’m keeping them to myself. While Jesus is standing beside me, I insist on making things happen by my own strength. Although I’m not preparing a dinner like Martha, I’m walking through the hallways of my school with little thought of anyone but me, me, me! As I trudge around with textbook in hand, I’m passing hurting hearts—lost souls who need Jesus. But like Martha, I’ve often considered my responsibilities to be sincere. I mean, doesn’t God want me to accomplish everything to the absolute best of my ability? Sure he does! But I can’t forget to add “love” to my list of responsibilities. Besides, sometimes the people who simply embrace God’s presence go further than those who try to make it happen. Twenty minutes – that’s how long I’ve been sitting in front of a computer screen trying to think of something to write. To be honest, I’m not sure how long my eyes have been fixated on this outdated version of Word. Maybe it’s been fifteen minutes. Maybe thirty. I should have tried harder in keeping track of time. But if I don’t move-on, I’ll be lingering in the abyss of worry until midnight.
I struggle with anxiety. It’s not something I’m proud of. I worry about my diet, my exercise, my homework, my ministry, my responsibilities, my hair – yes, even my hair. Now that you’re done looking at the picture, let me explain. As you can obviously see, I’m not a girl. But when you have a huge cowlick on the top of your forehead, worrying is inevitable. Thanks grandma! In all seriousness, that’s what you think sometimes. And no, I’m not talking about the cowlick you may or may not have! I’m talking about the worries that seem inevitable. Maybe you, like me, are on the verge of becoming content with worrying. But I’ve yet to tell you my biggest worry. It causes the worries that make my hair stand-up look microscopic. My biggest worry is that my efforts won’t be good enough. It sounds stupid. I mean, the Bible says, “There is none righteous, no, not one…” (Romans 3:10). So why do I worry about being good enough when I know I never will be? Well, if you and I are anything like the Israelites in Exodus, there’s an enemy chasing after us. It’s in this book where we find God’s chosen nation leaving their bondage in Egypt. “When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land…” Let me pause here for a moment. Sometimes God doesn’t make sense, so even if the road looks different than you thought it would, keep walking toward the promise. “…God said, ‘If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.’ So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea…” (13:17-18). God always has a purpose behind His direction. Miracles were awaiting the Israelites. One such miracle was the splitting of the sea that God was leading them toward. By the way, God will always lead you in the direction of a miracle. But as we find in Exodus 14, the Israelites almost missed it. With a sea in front of them and an enemy behind them, they were worried to pieces. They go into a long explanation, telling Moses why they should have just stayed in Egypt. Look what you’ve gotten us into, Moses! “But Moses told the people, ‘Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The LORD himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.’ Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving!’” (V. 13-15). You see, the Israelites were all worried about the approaching enemy, but God had it already worked out. The same is true for you. No matter what circumstance you’re struggling through – no matter what obstacle lies ahead, God is in control. You don’t need to worry about it because it’s not yours to handle. And the Red Sea split in two before the Israelites’ eyes! I particularly love the verbs found in this scripture. “Stand still…watch…stay calm…get moving.” Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God…” You get stronger by lifting more. You get faster by running more. You get smarter by studying more. All of this is true, but if you want to go further, you must trust more. Yes, “trust” is a verb too! Without trusting God to meet your needs, you become burnt-out and miss His miracles. I wonder what’s chasing you that wouldn’t be there tomorrow if you only trusted God today? Trust harder than you try. I'm sure you've had your share of conversations involving this question. It's an open-ended question - one whose answer depends solely on the outlook of the person being asked.
And what better time to be asked the question than New Year's Day? Last night, you waved 2016 goodbye. Maybe you did so with tears in your eyes, wishing the year that brought so much joy in your life wasn't over. But then again, maybe you waved away a year that brought more sadness than joy. I guarantee you have no problem leaving anything associated with your past struggles - including the past year! But it's a new day! You woke-up this morning with many of the same situations. Just because it's a new year doesn't mean all of your problems magically dissappear. Surprise! Monday morning is still waiting for you. The unpaid bills are still on the shelf. The relationship is still broken. The pain still seems to rule. So..."How's Life Going?" Maybe the dawn of 2017 didn't seem to bring much change in your life. Maybe today you would answer this question the same way you would have yesterday. "Oh, it's going." "Same ol', same ol'." What's that? You don't respond this way? Maybe that's because you're a part of the 99.9% of people who reply with an empty, unconscious, "Good." My point is this: A new year doesn't mean that your situations are going to automatically change. Instead, it's an opportunity to embrace a new perspective and see eventual change. I know the first part of that statement is obvious. I'm sure you have no problem understanding that change takes time. (Although it would have been nice if I woke-up with huge biceps this morning, it didn't happen.) You have to put time, energy, and effort into those resolutions. But do you have a Godly, faith-filled perspective? Joshua and Caleb did. One year ago today, I posted a video entitled You Don't Have to Settle for Less. It was derived from Numbers 13 - where we find the Children of Israel on the verge of their Promised Land. In the meantime, God sends some Israelite men to scout the land. Among the 12 scouts (one for each of the 12 tribes of Israel) are Joshua and Caleb. Moses sends them into Canaan to explore the land and spy on the people. Moses' eyes must open wide when he hears the scouting report. I can see his hair raising. His mouth drooling. His posture frozen like the artic tundra. "...We even saw GIANTS there, the descendants of Anak!" (V. 28). Let me pause here and ask you a question. You know those people who see things differently than you do? When you see a problem, they see an opportunity. When you see pain, they see healing. When you see heartache, they see peace. When you see doubt, they see faith. Or better yet, let's just put it this way: when you see giants, they see wimps. Well, add Joshua and Caleb to your "they." These two warriors must have stood restless while hearing the other ten scouts describe the Promised Land. I could see them fighting the response with "It's not that bad, Moses!" But I wasn't there, so let's see what Moses recalled as he wrote Numbers. "But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. 'Let's go at once to take the land,' he said. 'We can certainly conquer it!'" (V. 30). "But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. 'We can't go up against them! They are stronger than we are!'" (V. 31). Well, that doesn't give you the full gist of the story. Listen-in to what Numbers 14 says: "Two of the men who had explored the land, Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, tore their clothing. They said to all the people of Israel, 'The land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land! And if the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey. Do not rebel against the Lord, and don't be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don't be afraid of them!'" (Numbers 14: 6-9). Some of the Israelites were so mad at these faithful men that they considered stoning them! (V. 10) But this year, I want to continue the conversation. Because there's more to the story. This year, I want to share with you something that has really tugged my heart. Out of those 12 scouts, Joshua and Caleb were the only ones who ever got to enter the land that God promised. Why? Because they had a different perspective. They had a different attitude. I love what God tells Moses in Numbers 14:24, "But my servant Caleb has a different attitude than the others have..." God didn't just prohibit the doubters from entering the Promised Land, He killed them with a plague! (V. 36-38). Talk about making an exception! But Joshua and Caleb deserved it! The only two scouts who believed the land was possible to inhabit were the only two scouts who ever got to enter it! The ones who had faith received the opportunity of seeing the promise. Because they believed, they saw. Because they recognized God's power, they reached their potential. Because they had a Godly, faith-filled perspective, they walked into God's promise. Could it be that our faith determines what we get to experience? Only those who believe it will see it. Faith will take you to the impossible, but doubt will keep you from the possible. (Think about that.) I want to encourage you this New Year to have faith in a God who is bigger than you. Go into this New Year with fearless faith. Believe that He is working beyond your situation to display His goodness. This is a year where dreams will come true. Goals will be accomplished. Battles will be won. How? Because we have that same Godly, faith-filled perspective that Joshua and Caleb did. "Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us" (Ephesians 3:20). So I have a new way of answering the question, "How's Life Going?" It's going FORWARD. Not backward. I'm not stuck in the past. Not nowhere. I'm not sitting still. I'm not settling for less than God's best for me. I pray that you jump on board with me. Let's have the same perspective and attitude as Joshua and Caleb did. Let's watch as God exceeds our expectations and takes us further than we ever thought possible. Let's not miss-out on the promise because of little faith. God has great things for you to experience! "For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland" (Isaiah 43:19). 2017 is a year of #NewHeights. So #MoveForward. :) |