Tuesday Thoughts

Places I love:

1. Libraries
2. Coffeeshops
3. Museums
4. Aquariums
5. Playgrounds
6. Serene Beaches
7. Flowering Meadows
8. Shady Groves

A Lesson in Godiva

The Lord just used a bowl of Godiva chocolate to teach me a lesson.  Isn't He awesome.   I came home after a long and wonderful day, concluded with some authentic and powerful worship with dear friends.  The Lord was so present.  It was amazing.  

Anyway,  I came home to see this beautiful bowl of candy.  I reached for a tantalizing Godiva caramel-filled milk chocolate candy, and then I remembered....

Today, I chose to indulge in a tootsie roll and a tootsie pop while at work. I wanted to satisfy my present desire.  The Tootsie Roll was easily accessible, it was right there in the library, while the Godiva was further away, in my dorm, on the other side of campus.  The back of my mind knew full well that this beautiful bowl of Godiva awaited, but I chose to exchange the valuable for the cheap.  

I realized how many times in my spiritual life I trade Godiva chocolate for Tootsie Rolls. Both have the same amount of calories, the same effect on my waistline; the quantity is the same, but the quality is FAR different.  So often I opt for second-best: an all right worship service, a mediocre devotional time, a satsifactory prayer life.  So often I turn to these earthly things to satisfy me, to fill me up.   As if watching a movie will actually make my life change.

"They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator - who is forever praised." - Romans 1:25

"Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs." - Jonah 2:8

"As a deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God." -Psalm 42:1

 

and sometimes you just need to watch a funny youtube video

shoot christians say

#happylist

I have so much to be thankful for: 

• the obscene amount of incredible people I have in my life
• sunrises
• nature
• coffee
• peanut butter
• scholarships to college
• home
• family
• friends
• camp
• weekends
• beach retreat
• birds
• butterflies
• water
• dorm
• car
• joy that transcends circumstances
• hope as an anchor for the soul
• JESUS
• memory
• language
• taste buds
• hearing
• vision
• touch
• health
• legs
• feet
• pinkys
• Watson Odyssey
• conscience 
• brain
• kidney
• creation
• Sasha
• dogs
• squirrels
• cats
• books
• trampolines
• swing sets
• the Bible
• conversation
• long walks
•  ocean
• worship
• music
• lotion
• writing
• color
• VPC
• clarity
• sanctification
• pain
• anxiety
• depression
• medications
• lessons learned
• freedom
• education
• passion
• rest
• Sabbath
• InterVarsity
• Christ's righteousness 
•  time
• experience
• God's sovereignty 
• iphone
• singing
• piano
• laptop
• gps
• ipad 
• facetime
• texting
• letter-writing
• index cards
• organization
• peace
• post-prayer-peace
• small group
• healing
• prayer
• truth
• love
• faith
• photos
• art
• comfy beds
• cozy couches 
• homes
• God's economy
• sunshine
• rainstorms
• snow 
• lightening
• thunder
• rainbows
• sunsets
• God's provision
• wisdom
• discernment
• perspective
• friends of the heart
• friends of the road
• thankfulness

Unexpected Answers

I have been praying for a heart that will love and trust God no matter what the circumstances are -- a heart that will "extol* the Lord at all times" (Psalm 34:1 NIV).  When speaking on the phone with a dear friend of the heart, I realized that the Lord is providing me with an opportunity to do that today.  

*extol: to lift up, raise or elevate (OED)

This morning, I inscribed this prayer in my journal:

"Jesus, I want you to call me out of my comfort zone & give me an opportunity to RADICALLY depend upon you." 

  

Little did I expect this opportunity to manifest itself through waves of emotion, apathy, and listlessness.  But, the enemy knows how to attack.  He knows where we are vulnerable and targets each of our "Achilles' heels".   

But Jesus takes those pain points and transforms them into sanctification.  As Scripture says, "All things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28 HCSB).  He takes the challenges, however those manifest themselves, and uses them to shape us into the people He wants us to be.  That is why James can write "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds, knowing that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing" (James 1:2-4 NIV).  

I learned this weekend that sanctification (the process of becoming more like Jesus) is not something that I can muscle my way through.  It is not about me sanctifying myself, it is about surrendering to the Lord's sanctifying work within me.   God is so good and faithful.   

All this to say that the Lord (through the wisdom of a dear friend) revealed to me how He is using this tumultuous season to shape me into the woman He wants me to be.  He is challenging me to praise Him, to elevate Him, to lift Him up at all times.  Despite how I feel, I am to praise Him.  

SO, my action of the day is to make a #happylist (s/o to http://katemcampbell.wordpress.com/), a "gratitude journal", a list of all of the things I am thankful to the Lord for.  Rather than wallowing, I will praise and extol my Jesus. 

Beautiful People

“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.”   -- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

This quote sprinkles Facebook "About Me" pages and statuses from time to time.  It is poignant in truthfulness, and nods to the inner beauty that our culture so often neglects to recognize.  This quote leads me to think of one particular group of people in my life.  A group who has come face to face with defeat, suffering, struggle, and loss.  A group who, together, is working to find their way out of the depths.  They are beautiful people.  

I was blessed to spend my birthday weekend on a retreat with these wonderful souls, and catch a glimpse into their hearts.  In one group activity late on Saturday night, each of us shared a bit of our journey with the collective through the sharing of an item of significance. What stuck out to me was the abundance of spiritually-significant objects among this group of people.  It lead me to postulate that suffering can produce dependance on the Lord.

Two Responses to Suffering

In truth, suffering, hardship, and trials can lead to two reactions: running into the Lord's arms, or running as far away from them as possible.  As an example from God's Big Story, let's look at the story of Jonah.  (Found in the book of Jonah in the Old Testament -- if you haven't read it, check it out!)  Now, Jonah is a dude, whom God calls to go to this city called Nineveh (aka a den of iniquity), to tell them that they are not living the way they should be living.  He is to tell them to "Repent!" and turn to God.  As you can imagine, this message would likely not be very well received by ... well, anyone -- let alone, a city whose "wickedness has come up before" God (Jonah 1:2)!  Jonah responds to God's call to potential suffering by running from God.  

Literally, he tries to run from God.  As if it's possible to run away from the omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, divine Creator and Sustainer of the Universe.  Anyway, he responds to suffering by turning from God and running.  He hardens his heart toward the Lord, tucks his tail, and flees.  A few boats, storms, and waves later, he ends up in the belly of a whale for three days... But God is gracious and gives Jonah a second chance. 

On the flip side, let's look at an example of running into the gracious arms of the Lord when faced with suffering.  In the Old Testament, there is a book entitled "Job" (pronounced Joe-b, not Jaw-b), which outlines the powerful story of a man whose name was Job.  He is described in the Bible as "blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil" (Job 1:1).  Sounds like a pretty solid dude.  Verses 2-3 explain his great wealth and prosperity, declaring him "the greatest man among oll the people of the East" (Job 1:3).

Basically, what happens is God permits Satan to afflict Job -- his family, possessions, and eventually health -- in an attempt to prove that Job's faithfulness to God was a result of his prosperity.  God declared that Job was faithful because he loved God, but Satan thought otherwise.  As the story unfolds, we see Job experience unimaginable suffering.  In one day, his oxen and donkeys were stolen and servants (except one who came to relay the message) were killed by the Sabeans, lightening struck and killed his sheep and servants (except one), the Chaldeans stole all of his camels and servants (except one), and his seven sons and three daughters were killed when the house they were feasting in collapsed on them due to a giant gust of wind.  Talk about suffering.

Job experienced unimaginable suffering in one day.  And how did he respond?  By running into the arms of God and praising Him.  Scripture says,

"At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head.  Then he fell to the ground in worship and said:

Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart, The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord by praised.

In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing."   - Job 1:20-22

Wow.  What an amazing example of suffering spurring someone to run into the gracious arms of God, rather than away from Him  

Questions to ponder...

How do you respond to suffering in your life?

Do you run to the Lord or away from the Lord in the toughest days?

How can you create patterns of running to the Lord when faced with hardships?

"Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing."   –James 1:2-4 (HCSB)

Facing Your Giants

 
In Max Lucado's book Facing Your Giants, the author brings a fresh perspective to the well-known story of David & Goliath (found in 1 Samuel 17).  He discusses the bold way that young David proclaims victory in the strong name of His God.  While the rest of the Israelites are quaking in their boots, the "runt of the family" is preparing to face the nine and a half foot tall Philistinean brute.

Lucado makes poignant observations about David's perspectives, noting that... David's “God-thoughts outnumber Goliath-thoughts nine to two" (Pg. 9).  He then cuts to the heart of the reader, writing, "How does this ratio compare with yours?  Do you ponder God’s grace four times as much as you ponder your guilt?  Is your list of blessings four times as long as your list of complaints?  Is your mental file of hope four times as thick as your mental file of dread?  Are you four times as likely to describe the strength of God as you are the demands of your day?" (Pg. 9, emphasis added).

Well, goodness.  I can't escape that line of questioning easily.  David's example of mental-dwelling is strong.  He truly dwells and abides in his Lord, this spirit of abiding flows out through his words.  What a wonderful example.


Questions to ponder...
Today, how can you dwell on...
      God's grace?
      The many blessings in your life?
      The hope in Christ that you have?
      God's strength?