I love to shock people.
Not in the “I just went and had my body completely pierced and sleeved” kind of way…
More in the “you think you have me totally figured out and you so do not, mister” kind of way.
I’ve been told I am a little high maintenance. A little complicated. A tough nut to crack.
Fine by me.
How boring would life be if we were each a Myers-Briggs ESFP? I enjoy being a complex INTJ. It is, after all, who God made me to be…for a reason. And if you know anything about Myers-Briggs and those 16 personality types, you know that my personality isn’t one known for enjoying shock value.
I am absolutely too straight-laced. Therefore, people don’t think I’m funny, so I love to surprise with an off-the-cuff funny remark.
I am extremely opinionated. I keep those opinions to myself a lot of the time so as not to cause too much eyebrow raising, but sometimes I love to listen long and hard, saying nothing, as though I might not care…or know…only to interject my opinion at the perfect moment backed by cold, hard fact.
I love to be an original and despise being copied. Just when someone thinks they have me figured out, I love to do something completely to the contrary just to keep them guessing. (For this I probably do need counseling, referrals welcome…)
But here’s my favorite: I love to shock people with the truth of Jesus, with the love of Jesus, with the heart of Jesus, and when they least expect it.
I love to shock people by doing things that are so far outside the lines of the secular world in which we live that the non-believer, or even the believer, on the receiving end is so stunned they don’t know how to respond.
Just today I had to call a company about a problem and speak to the customer service rep. I was really concerned about a breech of confidential information and the woman took care of it quickly and put my mind at ease. As we hung up I said, “You have no idea how you have helped me today. I hope God blesses you in return for how you have blessed me.”
Ya cudda heard a pin drop….
“Um, wow…thank you so much, ma’am!” was her response. Clearly she doesn’t get much of that blessing stuff at her job.
Jesus meets customer service…
A few days ago I had to call a credit card company that was trying to send me a card & all I had to do was activate it, except that I didn’t want it. I realized that they had us listed as a pending application, which “Mr. Chad McCool Envelope System” did not want on his credit. Good little Discover Card worker that she was just really wanted me to go ahead and open that account in case I ever needed it…even though I was telling her I didn’t need or want it.
I had no choice but to pull out the shock and awe!
Oh, to have seen her reaction would have been priceless when I said, “Well, we are trying hard to live by the rules of Kingdom Finance and part of that for us is following the methods of Dave Ramsey. We’re working hard to pay off all of our credit card debt and cut up our cards (!), and any other debt, so we can even start to work on the overwhelming task of paying off our mortgage in short order. It’s really going to take a lot of hard work and discipline to do all of that and continue to give like we want to. I know that your job is to extend credit, but I just really feel God laying it on my heart to be strict in this.” She laughed at me. (Hey, it ain’t the first time…and it won’t be the last!) Then she told me that she’s watched Dave Ramsey on TV a couple of times. I thanked her for helping me make sure that card didn’t become active and told her that God would bless her for helping me stay on track. I could feel the shock and awe reverberating through the phone line!
Jesus meets 1-800-discover.
Recently I made a call to a utility company. I explained that I bypassed all of the automated choices because none applied. I had to talk to a real person. I explained that I was calling so that I could pay both the current bill and the overdue bill of a family whom I knew could not pay their own. At first the man on the other end could not even understand what I was trying to do. He kept asking me who I was with, what company I was from. I kept responding with varying versions of “I’m not with any company. I’m one of a really small group of people who likes to go around paying other people’s bills.”
When he still seemed to have a bad case of shock and awe, I finally said, “I’m with Jesus.”
He very slowly answered, “We don’t get a lot of that.”
Jesus meets the utility company guy.
I hope that day that I was the vehicle for God to move for that family. I also hope I was a witness to Jesus being alive and active in this world to the guy on the other end of the phone. Very powerful stuff if I was able to do both.
Now these are some of those stories that I’ve mentioned I hesitate to share, but my dear friend Julie has convinced me that sharing it is where the real leadership is.
But here’s what you absolutely must know:
This is not about me! This is about God. Focus on God. Shock and Awe for God, by God, because of God. And it has nothing to do with me other than the fact that I am daily trying to be His hands and feet out there in my very own community, directly impacting one life at a time.
Jesus will show up anywhere that you take Him.
Oh, I know He can get there on His own, but He’s waiting to see how we’ll pack him up and carry Him with us everywhere we go.
For years I’ve been praying the prayer of Jabez. My territory IS being enlarged. But the world is full of noise and distraction and sometimes it takes more than a whisper to get people’s attention.
Sometimes it takes full-scale warfare.
Sometimes it takes shock and awe to shake the system, to sufficiently rock the boat…
…but WOW, the stories…the power of God in it…the legacy…the eternal significance…
WOW!
Question: Where have you taken Jesus today? How have you shocked and awed in His name?
Friday, September 11, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
In A Fog
A heavy fog hangs in the early morning air as I write this.
It's the kind that we often see on September mornings in central Indiana, except maybe heavier than normal. You can almost see the droplets of precipitation that hover within it, and the air is thick with its presence.
Driving is difficult in fog like this. Every few feet is a new wall of obstruction, and only when you arrive at that wall are the next few feet unveiled.
And then the next.
And then the next.
Fog seems like such an obvious metaphor for faith in life.
Many times things seem foggy. Many times answers are so very far from clear. Many times the path is completely veiled and nothing is revealed in advance.
When we step out in faith sometimes we expect that more will be revealed to us than actually is, but it is like that foggy road with just a few feet exposed at a time. God doesn't promise to show us the whole road of our journey. He asks us to travel with Him...Him leading the way....us relying wholly on Him through His clear sight since our own vision is clouded not only by all of the distractions of life, but also by the sheer and simple fact that it is not to be known by us.
I hope you'll begin to look at fog in a whole new way: as a beautiful reminder of how God calls us to be completely dependent on Him, so much so that without Him we are unable to even order our steps for more than a few feet.
I love what Martin Luther King, Jr. says: "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."
Just take the first step...travel those first few feet...go that first little distance...
That is what faith is...traveling on the road we can not see and trusting that God is guiding us every step of the way.
Question: How do you allow God to guide you on your daily path?
It's the kind that we often see on September mornings in central Indiana, except maybe heavier than normal. You can almost see the droplets of precipitation that hover within it, and the air is thick with its presence.
Driving is difficult in fog like this. Every few feet is a new wall of obstruction, and only when you arrive at that wall are the next few feet unveiled.
And then the next.
And then the next.
Fog seems like such an obvious metaphor for faith in life.
Many times things seem foggy. Many times answers are so very far from clear. Many times the path is completely veiled and nothing is revealed in advance.
When we step out in faith sometimes we expect that more will be revealed to us than actually is, but it is like that foggy road with just a few feet exposed at a time. God doesn't promise to show us the whole road of our journey. He asks us to travel with Him...Him leading the way....us relying wholly on Him through His clear sight since our own vision is clouded not only by all of the distractions of life, but also by the sheer and simple fact that it is not to be known by us.
I hope you'll begin to look at fog in a whole new way: as a beautiful reminder of how God calls us to be completely dependent on Him, so much so that without Him we are unable to even order our steps for more than a few feet.
I love what Martin Luther King, Jr. says: "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."
Just take the first step...travel those first few feet...go that first little distance...
That is what faith is...traveling on the road we can not see and trusting that God is guiding us every step of the way.
Question: How do you allow God to guide you on your daily path?
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Vera
I had to go to the Wal-Mart Vision Center today. I was already not thrilled to be going there because a.) I had a mile-long list of other stuff I needed to do today, and b.) I’d already been there twice and couldn’t get someone to understand what I needed/wanted (or I couldn’t articulate it so that they could).
Already not excited to be going there, my less than stellar attitude collided with complete impatience when my friend and partner in rescuing the poor and down-trodden called to say we should meet for lunch. “I can’t…I’m at the Wal-Mart Vision Center”, I explained. Her response was “that’s a pretty darn good thing, cause I’m on my way to Wal-Mart to buy shampoo right now!”
She’s a spontaneous sort of gal…I have a lot to learn about that…so out the window went the to-do list for today, but based on a sermon a few weeks ago, I thought that God would be proud if I could be a little less rigid in the name of authentic relationships.
Little did either of us know what He had planned for us today…
With no one really understanding my needs yet in the vision center I was forced to wait for no reason, but just listen to what God did during that wait time:
**My friend paid for her stuff and came and sat with me.
**We watched a lady, who maybe wasn’t the most fashion-forward, try on some super-cool and ultra-funky glasses…her whole face lit up. Her confidence grew. She knew her cool factor rose about 50 million points in that moment. We both told her she HAD to get them. Then we eavesdropped while the worker told her the price and we prayed (yes, I do mean literally) that she’d be able to buy them. I was prepared to step in if need be. Every person deserves to feel good about herself.
**Everyone in the whole joint looked grumpy…now I wasn’t too thrilled about being there myself at first, but once you’re there you have a choice to make: suck it up and make the best of it, or wallow in it. I choose the first one…AND I’m pretty much going to make you go to that happy place with me…Your light (or darkness) can absolutely change an entire room. (Google “Fish” by Lundin, Paul, & Christensen if you need a little help with that!!) So….friend and I started talking to the people around us, talking a little louder, talking with a little more animation, talking with a little more laughter. And the whole room changed. (This little light of mine…I’m gonna let it shine…)
**As they called me back I thought, “that wait wasn’t so long”…(because I changed!)
**The doctor, a different one than last time, not only listened, but solved my issue quickly (LOVE that!). Upon leaving, smiling broadly, I said, “Thanks so much for really listening to me! I truly felt heard…and that was the kind of customer service I was looking for.” …Compliments are meant to be spoken…
AND here’s the real kicker:
**My friend struck up a conversation with the “Have A Nice Day” lady on the way out (I don’t think you can call her a greeter when she’s at the exit saying goodbye…). Her name is Vera. We've never met this woman, mind you. She was a sweet, darling, little old thing…maybe in her late 70’s. As we spoke with her, really listening…so she would feel heard…we learned that she loved her job at Wal-Mart. She never wanted to quit, but she might have to quit because she can no longer see to drive. She told us that she loved working, and she had just put her dog of fourteen years down and she cried every day about it (talk about speaking straight to my very own heart!). She told us that if she couldn’t come there to work she’d be so lonely and would probably “sit down and die”.
WOW!
You can argue with me six ways from Sunday on whether or not God hangs out at Wal-Mart, but you can never convince me that the two of us were not supposed to talk to this woman.
In the course of our short conversation with her, we’d arranged transportation to and from work starting next week if it turned out that she really did need it. We’d proved someone cares. We’d validated her work ethic. We’d shown her friendship. We’d let her know that age is just a number and that no one has to “sit down and die” if he or she still has the desire to make a difference & spread a little joy! And we’d witnessed about Jesus in Wal-Mart.
Jesus. In Wal-Mart.
WOW!
And we left with tears in our eye, knowing that He orchestrated the whole darn thing for the good of those that love Him, for the opportunity to be presented, to see what we’d do in response, to make available to Vera His hands and feet.
I have many stories like this. I’ve hesitated to share many, believing that my works should be anonymous. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe if we all talked a little more, supported each other a little more in these kinds of efforts, challenged each other a little more, the world would be a different place.
Keep your eyes and ears open…the Veras are everywhere and God is just waiting to see what we'll do!
Question: What can you do today to witness, to be the hands and feet of Jesus, to an unlikely person in an unlikely place?
Already not excited to be going there, my less than stellar attitude collided with complete impatience when my friend and partner in rescuing the poor and down-trodden called to say we should meet for lunch. “I can’t…I’m at the Wal-Mart Vision Center”, I explained. Her response was “that’s a pretty darn good thing, cause I’m on my way to Wal-Mart to buy shampoo right now!”
She’s a spontaneous sort of gal…I have a lot to learn about that…so out the window went the to-do list for today, but based on a sermon a few weeks ago, I thought that God would be proud if I could be a little less rigid in the name of authentic relationships.
Little did either of us know what He had planned for us today…
With no one really understanding my needs yet in the vision center I was forced to wait for no reason, but just listen to what God did during that wait time:
**My friend paid for her stuff and came and sat with me.
**We watched a lady, who maybe wasn’t the most fashion-forward, try on some super-cool and ultra-funky glasses…her whole face lit up. Her confidence grew. She knew her cool factor rose about 50 million points in that moment. We both told her she HAD to get them. Then we eavesdropped while the worker told her the price and we prayed (yes, I do mean literally) that she’d be able to buy them. I was prepared to step in if need be. Every person deserves to feel good about herself.
**Everyone in the whole joint looked grumpy…now I wasn’t too thrilled about being there myself at first, but once you’re there you have a choice to make: suck it up and make the best of it, or wallow in it. I choose the first one…AND I’m pretty much going to make you go to that happy place with me…Your light (or darkness) can absolutely change an entire room. (Google “Fish” by Lundin, Paul, & Christensen if you need a little help with that!!) So….friend and I started talking to the people around us, talking a little louder, talking with a little more animation, talking with a little more laughter. And the whole room changed. (This little light of mine…I’m gonna let it shine…)
**As they called me back I thought, “that wait wasn’t so long”…(because I changed!)
**The doctor, a different one than last time, not only listened, but solved my issue quickly (LOVE that!). Upon leaving, smiling broadly, I said, “Thanks so much for really listening to me! I truly felt heard…and that was the kind of customer service I was looking for.” …Compliments are meant to be spoken…
AND here’s the real kicker:
**My friend struck up a conversation with the “Have A Nice Day” lady on the way out (I don’t think you can call her a greeter when she’s at the exit saying goodbye…). Her name is Vera. We've never met this woman, mind you. She was a sweet, darling, little old thing…maybe in her late 70’s. As we spoke with her, really listening…so she would feel heard…we learned that she loved her job at Wal-Mart. She never wanted to quit, but she might have to quit because she can no longer see to drive. She told us that she loved working, and she had just put her dog of fourteen years down and she cried every day about it (talk about speaking straight to my very own heart!). She told us that if she couldn’t come there to work she’d be so lonely and would probably “sit down and die”.
WOW!
You can argue with me six ways from Sunday on whether or not God hangs out at Wal-Mart, but you can never convince me that the two of us were not supposed to talk to this woman.
In the course of our short conversation with her, we’d arranged transportation to and from work starting next week if it turned out that she really did need it. We’d proved someone cares. We’d validated her work ethic. We’d shown her friendship. We’d let her know that age is just a number and that no one has to “sit down and die” if he or she still has the desire to make a difference & spread a little joy! And we’d witnessed about Jesus in Wal-Mart.
Jesus. In Wal-Mart.
WOW!
And we left with tears in our eye, knowing that He orchestrated the whole darn thing for the good of those that love Him, for the opportunity to be presented, to see what we’d do in response, to make available to Vera His hands and feet.
I have many stories like this. I’ve hesitated to share many, believing that my works should be anonymous. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe if we all talked a little more, supported each other a little more in these kinds of efforts, challenged each other a little more, the world would be a different place.
Keep your eyes and ears open…the Veras are everywhere and God is just waiting to see what we'll do!
Question: What can you do today to witness, to be the hands and feet of Jesus, to an unlikely person in an unlikely place?
Monday, August 24, 2009
If You'd Quit Buying Shoes...
I really do believe that God speaks to people.
And I believe that His words can take on many forms.
His words can be in the form of a message through another person, like a friend giving you the advice or answer you've been searching for when you hadn't even discussed it with that person. His words can be in the form of a verse of scripture that just jumps off the page at you and nearly knocks you out. Or they can come in the form of a voice that you hear in your head that you know is not your own, telling you something important. And His speaking to you can come in the form of a thought, idea, or solution that just pops into your head (and "sounds" like your own voice or however all of your other thoughts sound to your own self), but is something clearly not of your own thinking.
Now, in my saying that you may be thinking, “This chick is crazy!” But guess what? I don’t really care…I’ve heard His unmistakable voice enough times to have any sort of “proof” I might need, and I use that term loosely since the very essence of faith is operating without hard-core evidence that would stand up in court. All I know is this: countless times in my life when I have had a problem, question, dilemma, etc., if I wait long enough and am quiet enough, at some point the answer shows up in one of those ways I spoke of above.
God also speaks to us when we need a little correction.
We all have vices. We all have callings. And sometimes our vices are the very things that stand in the way of us living out our callings.
Coincidence? I think not.
Hmmm. Interesting that maybe God would make it difficult to overcome the very thing that stands in the way of our living out the purpose that He set for us.
Why? I don’t know.
Maybe it’s our way to prove to Him how serious we are about heeding His call.
Maybe it’s so that we can be just that much more dependent on Him.
Maybe it’s so that our own stories of triumph are that much richer.
Maybe it’s to develop our creativity and perseverance as the obstacles that surely will come begin to surface.
The point is that we’ll have to use some serious resolve if we are to give in to God and not to temptation.
The temptations can be many. For you it may unbelief, substance abuse, unfaithfulness in your marriage, taking what isn’t yours (time, money, attention, resources, etc.), but I encourage you to take a long, hard look at what your temptations might be and what God might be trying to communicate to you in regard to them.
My greatest struggle, my recurring sin, is materialism. And when I ease up on the willpower even one tiny bit, my materialism does get in the way of me living out the very purpose He created me for. Now the Bible speaks not of money as evil, but of the LOVE of money as evil. I don’t love money…I just really, really, really like the stuff it buys (some of it actual tangible stuff, some of it conveniences or services)! And I sometimes get caught up in the material world around me – for it constantly rears its ugly head by way of other people, the media, that shmancy mall around the corner…
Luckily, God speaks our language and when I do hear His still, small voice (even though I know it has the capacity to boom like thunder, it seldom does!), He speaks in a way that’s undeniably clear…no King James version, thank goodness!
Out of all of the messages I’ve gotten over the years, this one that came in the form of a clear thought popping into my head, was one of the most timely and compelling:
“If you’d quit buying shoes, you could feed the poor!”
Dang, He’s good! Cut to the chase, man! Bottom-line it! Wow! Cause how do you argue with that?
So, I am working on it. I am making progress. When I fail, I feel the disciplining, but loving hand of God upon me and Him whispering in my ear ever so softly saying, “Someone needs those shoes so much more than you do, girlfriend!” “Who else needs clothing or food today in your community?” “I know you’ve given, but could you sacrifice and give just a little more instead of buying those?” “Aren’t leopard flats and leopard heels enough?? Do you really need leopard wedges, too? Seriously, put that cash in the plate, sister, or the lightning strikes are coming!” “Your legacy is too important…”
Oh, there are all kinds of ways that I justify my materialism, especially my tendency to be a clothes horse. I rationalize it by the fact that I’ve never loved my body, so good clothes take the attention off of me and put it onto the items I’m wearing. I defend it by saying that good clothes make a good first impression. These and the other ways I excuse it are valid…the point is that while looking our best IS taking care of the temple and while we do have to wear clothes, they do not have to be expensive. God is laying it on my heart to find ways to be savvy in my shopping so that I honor him through my finances and by doing the very best I can with what he gave me in looking the best that I can.
So I try not to even go to DSW anymore…therefore eliminating the temptation altogether. I try to buy nothing on impulse, saving cash for it, and only purchasing after having donated to my church and the other things I love to give to first. But daily it is a struggle. Daily I need help. Daily I need prayer. Daily I have to trade instant gratification for the assurance of “Well done, my good and faithful servant”. Sometimes I fail. Sometimes I blow it. But sometimes I get it right, too, and have God to thank and God to praise.
Even though I love to buy stuff, I love to please God even more.
But you can bet your sweet bippy that I’ll be buried in those leopard heels that I already own and paid cash for!
Question: What is God speaking to you about today? What is He trying to tell you?
And I believe that His words can take on many forms.
His words can be in the form of a message through another person, like a friend giving you the advice or answer you've been searching for when you hadn't even discussed it with that person. His words can be in the form of a verse of scripture that just jumps off the page at you and nearly knocks you out. Or they can come in the form of a voice that you hear in your head that you know is not your own, telling you something important. And His speaking to you can come in the form of a thought, idea, or solution that just pops into your head (and "sounds" like your own voice or however all of your other thoughts sound to your own self), but is something clearly not of your own thinking.
Now, in my saying that you may be thinking, “This chick is crazy!” But guess what? I don’t really care…I’ve heard His unmistakable voice enough times to have any sort of “proof” I might need, and I use that term loosely since the very essence of faith is operating without hard-core evidence that would stand up in court. All I know is this: countless times in my life when I have had a problem, question, dilemma, etc., if I wait long enough and am quiet enough, at some point the answer shows up in one of those ways I spoke of above.
God also speaks to us when we need a little correction.
We all have vices. We all have callings. And sometimes our vices are the very things that stand in the way of us living out our callings.
Coincidence? I think not.
Hmmm. Interesting that maybe God would make it difficult to overcome the very thing that stands in the way of our living out the purpose that He set for us.
Why? I don’t know.
Maybe it’s our way to prove to Him how serious we are about heeding His call.
Maybe it’s so that we can be just that much more dependent on Him.
Maybe it’s so that our own stories of triumph are that much richer.
Maybe it’s to develop our creativity and perseverance as the obstacles that surely will come begin to surface.
The point is that we’ll have to use some serious resolve if we are to give in to God and not to temptation.
The temptations can be many. For you it may unbelief, substance abuse, unfaithfulness in your marriage, taking what isn’t yours (time, money, attention, resources, etc.), but I encourage you to take a long, hard look at what your temptations might be and what God might be trying to communicate to you in regard to them.
My greatest struggle, my recurring sin, is materialism. And when I ease up on the willpower even one tiny bit, my materialism does get in the way of me living out the very purpose He created me for. Now the Bible speaks not of money as evil, but of the LOVE of money as evil. I don’t love money…I just really, really, really like the stuff it buys (some of it actual tangible stuff, some of it conveniences or services)! And I sometimes get caught up in the material world around me – for it constantly rears its ugly head by way of other people, the media, that shmancy mall around the corner…
Luckily, God speaks our language and when I do hear His still, small voice (even though I know it has the capacity to boom like thunder, it seldom does!), He speaks in a way that’s undeniably clear…no King James version, thank goodness!
Out of all of the messages I’ve gotten over the years, this one that came in the form of a clear thought popping into my head, was one of the most timely and compelling:
“If you’d quit buying shoes, you could feed the poor!”
Dang, He’s good! Cut to the chase, man! Bottom-line it! Wow! Cause how do you argue with that?
So, I am working on it. I am making progress. When I fail, I feel the disciplining, but loving hand of God upon me and Him whispering in my ear ever so softly saying, “Someone needs those shoes so much more than you do, girlfriend!” “Who else needs clothing or food today in your community?” “I know you’ve given, but could you sacrifice and give just a little more instead of buying those?” “Aren’t leopard flats and leopard heels enough?? Do you really need leopard wedges, too? Seriously, put that cash in the plate, sister, or the lightning strikes are coming!” “Your legacy is too important…”
Oh, there are all kinds of ways that I justify my materialism, especially my tendency to be a clothes horse. I rationalize it by the fact that I’ve never loved my body, so good clothes take the attention off of me and put it onto the items I’m wearing. I defend it by saying that good clothes make a good first impression. These and the other ways I excuse it are valid…the point is that while looking our best IS taking care of the temple and while we do have to wear clothes, they do not have to be expensive. God is laying it on my heart to find ways to be savvy in my shopping so that I honor him through my finances and by doing the very best I can with what he gave me in looking the best that I can.
So I try not to even go to DSW anymore…therefore eliminating the temptation altogether. I try to buy nothing on impulse, saving cash for it, and only purchasing after having donated to my church and the other things I love to give to first. But daily it is a struggle. Daily I need help. Daily I need prayer. Daily I have to trade instant gratification for the assurance of “Well done, my good and faithful servant”. Sometimes I fail. Sometimes I blow it. But sometimes I get it right, too, and have God to thank and God to praise.
Even though I love to buy stuff, I love to please God even more.
But you can bet your sweet bippy that I’ll be buried in those leopard heels that I already own and paid cash for!
Question: What is God speaking to you about today? What is He trying to tell you?
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Insights
When I began this blog I made one important promise to myself: I will not write/post just to hear myself talk. I will only put something here that I think is important to say. Even if I think only one person on earth will gain something from it, I will only post things that uplift, challenge, comfort people…even make them squirm a little in the name of defining their beliefs about God…but the point of this blog is to help others deepen their faith and tighten their walk with Christ. (…Well, and some funny stuff, too…like hooks and grocery store manners and stuff!)
It’s been a month since I posted anything. If you read my previous post, you are aware that I was struggling that week. Thing is, that was just one week in a roller coaster of what’s really turned out to be a year of some hard lessons, sadness, and disappointment. I kept waiting to get some insights, wanting to come back to put some real “answers” in print. But I kept thinking, “I’ve got nothing to say…”
I certainly don’t have everything figured out, but it’s a few weeks down the road and God has provided me with at least enough calm in the storm to keep me going and a few insights to share.
Just since the last week of April (and MOST of this just during the month of July for Pete’s sake!), all 4 of our parents have had surgeries/health issues, all very concerning and some very involved. After having to put our dog to sleep, I continue to grieve and miss her every minute. Someone dear to us experienced their own loss. We moved my grandmother from her home of 35 years to Assisted Living. I experienced some very difficult things with a couple of work associates, one of which is on-going, has nothing to do with me, but greatly affects me. All of this coupled with several additional smaller disappointments and surprise difficulties during the same time made some days hard to face. And this was just a summer within year of it.
No Debbie Downer here…only illustrating that things haven’t been that great. This way you see that my insights are born out of true suffering and searching… either taught for the first time through all of this junk or I was reminded of them through the experiences.
Here’s what I know to be true:
1. It’s when we’re broken that God is most at work in us.
2. Job did not suffer because he was forgotten. He suffered because he was chosen.
3. Go to the Bible every single time you feel like you need to breathe in a paper bag.
4. I hate cancer! HATE it! God doesn’t “give” it to people, I do know that much. Why some are healed and some are not, I don’t know. What is clear is that we have the opportunity to witness through it, no matter what the outcome is.
5. You have to be still and quiet to hear God’s voice. But when you expect Him to speak to you, wait for Him to, listen for Him to, and eventually He will! If you’re never quiet, you’ll miss it.
6. Worry shows a lack of faith. It takes a lot of self-discipline to re-direct your thinking, but it is a must in living faithfully and God wants to see us do it. You do it by filling your mind with good things like inspirational, spiritual, and motivational books, tapes, etc. I’m not much of a worrier anymore, but during all of our parents’ health issues I found myself slipping back to that. I filled my head with only good things and every time I felt panic coming on, I went straight to the Bible to replace the negative thoughts with the language of faith. Think of it as a meal replacement bar for your head!
7. When people treat you poorly it is often about them, not you. They are acting on years of not trusting others, being hurt, etc. so they have come to expect that from people. The best reaction is to pray for them.
8. I don’t believe that “turn the other cheek” means keep going back for more. This is, in my opinion, a sorely misunderstood Christian concept. I think “turn the other cheek” means to turn away from a toxic person or situation…turning your eyes toward Jesus and His truth. God does not call us to continue to “take it” from those toxic people. Instead he commands that we simply love and forgive.
9. God rewards our faith.
10. We do reap what we sow. But keep in mind that while we plant it, really only God can make it grow. (It's God that provides the sunshine and the rain!)
11. The bible is a living, timely, modern collection of practical advice and commands on how to live well. It is non-fiction at its best! Every answer you need is right there! If you find it hard to read, do two things: 1.) ask God to help you understand it, 2.) buy the version called The Message.
12. There is nothing as satisfying as sacrificial giving.
13. God loves to hear us pray for others. When someone you love is struggling and you pray for them without their knowledge of it, and then they tell you, “Wow! You are not going to believe this but…” and you are able to answer with, “But I prayed for you about that very thing…” there is no purer moment of God at work!
14. Even the Ultimate Type-A Girl can learn to fully surrender to God…and do it with joy!
15. It’s more than just a nice thing to show appreciation. It is a must for the survival of the human heart.
16. Listen to and follow through on it every time you feel God nudging you.
17. When you sacrificially serve through your exhaustion or difficulty or heartache, and “pour out” in the name of God, He will pour back into you and restore you 100-fold.
18. God will gift you to handle whatever challenges and opportunities He places in front of you according to His plan. However, you have to be open to receiving these gifts.
19. God disciplines. This makes you uncomfortable or causes pain in order to get you to stop doing something.
20. God prunes. This is where he cuts away things (or people or activities) in our lives that are no longer needed to make room for things that are bigger, better, and for His Kingdom. Though the process is painful, it is to prepare you for something great.
21. God will reveal secrets to you when you ask Him to.
22. Trust your gut.
23. God promises: “If you seek me, you will find me.” Hold fast to that promise.
24. Prayer absolutely changes things.
25. Trusting God in the hard times, when things are bad, when you are deep in the pit of Hell, is the deepest kind of faith there is! And when He hears you crying out, He will meet you there and scoop you up.
26. Unforgiveness creates bondage.
27. One of the most important things you can do is work on your personal growth – who you are as a person (more than skills, more than knowledge, more than anything). You can only have relationships, finances, opportunities that are worthy of who you are. Life will rise up to meet you where you are every time. If you want more, you must become more. It’s just that simple.
28. Use what you’ve been given and it will grow. Ignore what you’ve been given and it will die.
29. You must find a way to be grateful in every situation. Praising through the worst circumstance is the ultimate sacrifice.
30. God loves to hear from us…when we are praising, singing, happy, confused, questioning, just sitting with him, reflecting, and even crying out in anger! It doesn’t make Him upset when we question and show negative emotion toward Him. He can see that in us anyway, so when we show it outright, but it’s in the context of a deep and loving relationship with Him, it’s us being authentic with Him in that moment, which is what true relationships are built on.
And that’s what He most wants with each of us: true, deep, loving, authentic relationship in which we are dependent on Him to meet our every need, and we believe with every ounce of who we are that He will.
Question: What insights do you have or what insights are you looking for?
It’s been a month since I posted anything. If you read my previous post, you are aware that I was struggling that week. Thing is, that was just one week in a roller coaster of what’s really turned out to be a year of some hard lessons, sadness, and disappointment. I kept waiting to get some insights, wanting to come back to put some real “answers” in print. But I kept thinking, “I’ve got nothing to say…”
I certainly don’t have everything figured out, but it’s a few weeks down the road and God has provided me with at least enough calm in the storm to keep me going and a few insights to share.
Just since the last week of April (and MOST of this just during the month of July for Pete’s sake!), all 4 of our parents have had surgeries/health issues, all very concerning and some very involved. After having to put our dog to sleep, I continue to grieve and miss her every minute. Someone dear to us experienced their own loss. We moved my grandmother from her home of 35 years to Assisted Living. I experienced some very difficult things with a couple of work associates, one of which is on-going, has nothing to do with me, but greatly affects me. All of this coupled with several additional smaller disappointments and surprise difficulties during the same time made some days hard to face. And this was just a summer within year of it.
No Debbie Downer here…only illustrating that things haven’t been that great. This way you see that my insights are born out of true suffering and searching… either taught for the first time through all of this junk or I was reminded of them through the experiences.
Here’s what I know to be true:
1. It’s when we’re broken that God is most at work in us.
2. Job did not suffer because he was forgotten. He suffered because he was chosen.
3. Go to the Bible every single time you feel like you need to breathe in a paper bag.
4. I hate cancer! HATE it! God doesn’t “give” it to people, I do know that much. Why some are healed and some are not, I don’t know. What is clear is that we have the opportunity to witness through it, no matter what the outcome is.
5. You have to be still and quiet to hear God’s voice. But when you expect Him to speak to you, wait for Him to, listen for Him to, and eventually He will! If you’re never quiet, you’ll miss it.
6. Worry shows a lack of faith. It takes a lot of self-discipline to re-direct your thinking, but it is a must in living faithfully and God wants to see us do it. You do it by filling your mind with good things like inspirational, spiritual, and motivational books, tapes, etc. I’m not much of a worrier anymore, but during all of our parents’ health issues I found myself slipping back to that. I filled my head with only good things and every time I felt panic coming on, I went straight to the Bible to replace the negative thoughts with the language of faith. Think of it as a meal replacement bar for your head!
7. When people treat you poorly it is often about them, not you. They are acting on years of not trusting others, being hurt, etc. so they have come to expect that from people. The best reaction is to pray for them.
8. I don’t believe that “turn the other cheek” means keep going back for more. This is, in my opinion, a sorely misunderstood Christian concept. I think “turn the other cheek” means to turn away from a toxic person or situation…turning your eyes toward Jesus and His truth. God does not call us to continue to “take it” from those toxic people. Instead he commands that we simply love and forgive.
9. God rewards our faith.
10. We do reap what we sow. But keep in mind that while we plant it, really only God can make it grow. (It's God that provides the sunshine and the rain!)
11. The bible is a living, timely, modern collection of practical advice and commands on how to live well. It is non-fiction at its best! Every answer you need is right there! If you find it hard to read, do two things: 1.) ask God to help you understand it, 2.) buy the version called The Message.
12. There is nothing as satisfying as sacrificial giving.
13. God loves to hear us pray for others. When someone you love is struggling and you pray for them without their knowledge of it, and then they tell you, “Wow! You are not going to believe this but…” and you are able to answer with, “But I prayed for you about that very thing…” there is no purer moment of God at work!
14. Even the Ultimate Type-A Girl can learn to fully surrender to God…and do it with joy!
15. It’s more than just a nice thing to show appreciation. It is a must for the survival of the human heart.
16. Listen to and follow through on it every time you feel God nudging you.
17. When you sacrificially serve through your exhaustion or difficulty or heartache, and “pour out” in the name of God, He will pour back into you and restore you 100-fold.
18. God will gift you to handle whatever challenges and opportunities He places in front of you according to His plan. However, you have to be open to receiving these gifts.
19. God disciplines. This makes you uncomfortable or causes pain in order to get you to stop doing something.
20. God prunes. This is where he cuts away things (or people or activities) in our lives that are no longer needed to make room for things that are bigger, better, and for His Kingdom. Though the process is painful, it is to prepare you for something great.
21. God will reveal secrets to you when you ask Him to.
22. Trust your gut.
23. God promises: “If you seek me, you will find me.” Hold fast to that promise.
24. Prayer absolutely changes things.
25. Trusting God in the hard times, when things are bad, when you are deep in the pit of Hell, is the deepest kind of faith there is! And when He hears you crying out, He will meet you there and scoop you up.
26. Unforgiveness creates bondage.
27. One of the most important things you can do is work on your personal growth – who you are as a person (more than skills, more than knowledge, more than anything). You can only have relationships, finances, opportunities that are worthy of who you are. Life will rise up to meet you where you are every time. If you want more, you must become more. It’s just that simple.
28. Use what you’ve been given and it will grow. Ignore what you’ve been given and it will die.
29. You must find a way to be grateful in every situation. Praising through the worst circumstance is the ultimate sacrifice.
30. God loves to hear from us…when we are praising, singing, happy, confused, questioning, just sitting with him, reflecting, and even crying out in anger! It doesn’t make Him upset when we question and show negative emotion toward Him. He can see that in us anyway, so when we show it outright, but it’s in the context of a deep and loving relationship with Him, it’s us being authentic with Him in that moment, which is what true relationships are built on.
And that’s what He most wants with each of us: true, deep, loving, authentic relationship in which we are dependent on Him to meet our every need, and we believe with every ounce of who we are that He will.
Question: What insights do you have or what insights are you looking for?
Saturday, July 11, 2009
What’s the plan here, Dude?
Dear God,
Since you know the inner-most corners of my heart, I know that you realize that when I ask, “What’s the plan here, Dude?” that I don’t mean it to sound rude. Or flippant. Or mean. Or any of that stuff…it’s just that if I don’t interject a little sarcasm here, I’m gonna fall in a heap and cry. And I realize you know that.
This has been quite the stinky week, Lord, & I just need to vent for a minute. And I love that you’ll let me. Monday was one of the hardest days of my life as we put our beloved dog, my constant companion, to sleep. I know that you felt my sadness, Lord. I felt you grieving right along with me. And we knew we had no other choice if we were to do the selfless, best thing for her. But even though I knew both of those things, it didn’t make my hurt any less.
Later in the week, after having tried my absolute best in a situation, with the purest of intentions to help someone, that person misunderstood my intent and was filled with anger at me and spoke of that anger to me fervently. I forgive her…I realize that she has had a lifetime of hurt, of not being able to trust people, of apparently having to deal with people who had ulterior motives of malice. However, that’s not me, and what an awful experience it was to be on the receiving end of that! Lord, you know my heart, and you know what I was trying to do. Please forgive me for causing that person anguish, but you know the truth in that situation even if no one else does. Thank you for remembering the details some day when I stand before you.
So maybe the week was gonna take a turn for the best…or at least it was gonna end (since it is Saturday & all)…so why did I go check email? Darn it! Why did I? Only to find that something I’ve long been praying about is seemingly turning out with the exact opposite result of my prayers!! Gotta be honest, Lord…I’m angry, frustrated, and disappointed. I am really questioning the people in charge who made this decision…and since you can see the inner-most corners of my heart, you already know that I am questioning why You let this happen, so I might as well admit it. I will try to have an open mind. I will try to believe the best. I will try. But I feel defeated and deflated.
I kinda wanna yell at someone.
I kinda wanna yell at You.
But, I won’t…
I have a lot of questions about this. For starters, “What’s the plan here, Dude”? I know there is one…and I know you’ll reveal it when you’re good & ready. I know that You are always working for the good of those who love you, but I am going on serious blind trust here, Man, cause I am NOT seein’ it!
Somehow I will search for truth in this. Somehow I will emerge from this stinkpot stuff a better, stronger, more tenacious person. Somehow my character will become more defined, my values even stronger. Somehow, even though I don’t want to, I will trust that You have a plan and that it is good, really good. Even if I have to recite the Prayer of Jabez and Jeremiah 29:11 every single day, I will somehow learn to find the good in all of this.
So…
Here I start:
Thank you, God, for teaching me so much this week about how to trust you and your plans for me. Thank you for giving me so many opportunities to lean on you and to grow as a Christian and as a person. Thank you for providing me with many insights about others through the experiences that I have endured this week. You must be preparing me for something important, and I am grateful. Thank you for softening my heart to those who are cruel to me, for they only act out of their previous experience, and I forgive them for that. And finally, thank you for allowing me to question and to be real with you (after all, you see it in me anyway!). Lord, I am yours and you refine me well.
Amen.
(See, even as I type this I am feeling better, more compassionate…and the more I read that, the more I really, really feel it in my heart!)
Ok, I’m gonna be alright, but it’s possible that curling up to an evening of HGTV followed by a little shopping tomorrow would really seal the deal…
Question: Have you ever wondered what the heck the plan was?
Since you know the inner-most corners of my heart, I know that you realize that when I ask, “What’s the plan here, Dude?” that I don’t mean it to sound rude. Or flippant. Or mean. Or any of that stuff…it’s just that if I don’t interject a little sarcasm here, I’m gonna fall in a heap and cry. And I realize you know that.
This has been quite the stinky week, Lord, & I just need to vent for a minute. And I love that you’ll let me. Monday was one of the hardest days of my life as we put our beloved dog, my constant companion, to sleep. I know that you felt my sadness, Lord. I felt you grieving right along with me. And we knew we had no other choice if we were to do the selfless, best thing for her. But even though I knew both of those things, it didn’t make my hurt any less.
Later in the week, after having tried my absolute best in a situation, with the purest of intentions to help someone, that person misunderstood my intent and was filled with anger at me and spoke of that anger to me fervently. I forgive her…I realize that she has had a lifetime of hurt, of not being able to trust people, of apparently having to deal with people who had ulterior motives of malice. However, that’s not me, and what an awful experience it was to be on the receiving end of that! Lord, you know my heart, and you know what I was trying to do. Please forgive me for causing that person anguish, but you know the truth in that situation even if no one else does. Thank you for remembering the details some day when I stand before you.
So maybe the week was gonna take a turn for the best…or at least it was gonna end (since it is Saturday & all)…so why did I go check email? Darn it! Why did I? Only to find that something I’ve long been praying about is seemingly turning out with the exact opposite result of my prayers!! Gotta be honest, Lord…I’m angry, frustrated, and disappointed. I am really questioning the people in charge who made this decision…and since you can see the inner-most corners of my heart, you already know that I am questioning why You let this happen, so I might as well admit it. I will try to have an open mind. I will try to believe the best. I will try. But I feel defeated and deflated.
I kinda wanna yell at someone.
I kinda wanna yell at You.
But, I won’t…
I have a lot of questions about this. For starters, “What’s the plan here, Dude”? I know there is one…and I know you’ll reveal it when you’re good & ready. I know that You are always working for the good of those who love you, but I am going on serious blind trust here, Man, cause I am NOT seein’ it!
Somehow I will search for truth in this. Somehow I will emerge from this stinkpot stuff a better, stronger, more tenacious person. Somehow my character will become more defined, my values even stronger. Somehow, even though I don’t want to, I will trust that You have a plan and that it is good, really good. Even if I have to recite the Prayer of Jabez and Jeremiah 29:11 every single day, I will somehow learn to find the good in all of this.
So…
Here I start:
Thank you, God, for teaching me so much this week about how to trust you and your plans for me. Thank you for giving me so many opportunities to lean on you and to grow as a Christian and as a person. Thank you for providing me with many insights about others through the experiences that I have endured this week. You must be preparing me for something important, and I am grateful. Thank you for softening my heart to those who are cruel to me, for they only act out of their previous experience, and I forgive them for that. And finally, thank you for allowing me to question and to be real with you (after all, you see it in me anyway!). Lord, I am yours and you refine me well.
Amen.
(See, even as I type this I am feeling better, more compassionate…and the more I read that, the more I really, really feel it in my heart!)
Ok, I’m gonna be alright, but it’s possible that curling up to an evening of HGTV followed by a little shopping tomorrow would really seal the deal…
Question: Have you ever wondered what the heck the plan was?
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Our Reward Is Not On Earth
It’s almost freaky how over the last several months I’ve had this recurring conversation with people. Each exchange has been due to its own special set of circumstances, and each has involved different people, but the overall theme remains the same.
The over-riding question that has prevailed is this:
Why do things always work out for people who stink? Cheat? Lie? Steal (company time & resources)? Do the wrong thing? Take the shortcuts? Take advantage? Are lazy? Why…yet it always seems to work out so well for them…why?
Why? WHY??? And why then especially when there are those of us out there bustin’ our hineys every day, doing the right thing, working our fingers to the bone, telling the truth, playing by the rules, paying our taxes, helping others, trying to make a real difference, giving to church, going to church, living right and yet we can’t seem to catch a break?
WHY?
The flippant, easy answer is this: Life ain’t fair, sister! So suck it up and deal with it.
But I think we do ourselves, our friends and colleagues, and especially our children, a real disservice when we reduce it to that.
I think the answer lies much deeper than that…I’m willing to bet my every worldly possession that it is because our reward is not on earth. It’s not like I’ve known this or been as sure as I am today about this for my whole life. In fact, it has taken lots of reading of scripture and praying and thinking over the last 39.999999 years to fully grow into it, but I am really, really sure now.
There are plenty of instances in which to contemplate the concept:
(And I don’t mean for these examples to sound judgmental…I’m just sure we’ve all witnessed at least one of these where it wasn’t based on judgment, but on cold, hard fact that this is what was happening.)
Why does the person at work seem to get rewarded over and over even though she doesn’t play by the rules?
Why am I working so hard with such little gain, while I watch her get ahead by cheating and lying?
Why did I do the work, but she got the credit?
Why is she favored when she so blatantly lacks integrity by cheating the company?
…and of course there are the obvious ones…
Why did he die young when he was such a good person?
Why does one neighbor’s family struggle financially when they always do the right thing, but another neighbor’s family has everything they need and more, yet they are so nasty to others?
Why does she, of all people, have to suffer with cancer?
From being passed up for things I worked hard for in school all the way to a very specific instance with a co-worker a couple of weeks ago, this question has come up in my life over and over again. So maybe I write this now as much to remind myself as anyone else…
The only answer I’ve got is that our reward is not on earth. Our reward will be in Heaven. And while the here and now sometimes FEELS like an eternity, it is merely a blip on the screen. But what we do now, during that “blip”, determines where we get to live…with whom we get to live…for what really will be eternity.
I wish I had more…but these are my insights and totally my personal takes on it:
**The phrase “we reap what we sow” has eternal implications!
**Satan likes people who don’t live right, who don’t play by the “rules”, so he makes sure that he sets them up well to live the following lie: there are no negative consequences for your actions. (This helps lure more people to him.)
**God doesn’t actually promise that life will be sweet and rosy because we believe in Him. He promises that with a new life in Christ we will have eternal life and will never be without Him. He promises that eternal life with Him will be paradise and it is worth waiting for.
**God is hoping to see that we’ll hang in there, that we’ll stick with Him, that we’ll believe His promises, no matter what. He wants to see if we are easily dissuaded or if our words (claiming we follow Him) and our actions (actually following Him) match. He wants to see how easily we give up and throw in the towel.
**God is testing our integrity and our worldliness…testing us to see if we’ll “sell out” to instant gratification at some point.
**Adversity can, if we choose to let it, cause us to become better, stronger people. God also hopes we’ll use what we learn from our experiences to help others, especially our children who are looking to us to see why they should remain on the straight and narrow.
**God will reward us greatly in eternity when time after time he sees us choosing the right actions and the right attitudes when we know there is no earthly gain.
**He is keeping a record, a “report card” of sorts, and He will have a student-teacher conference with us about it someday. On that day all justice will be served for the many things we did right…and the many times we fell short of His glory.
**Every single thing…yes, every last little thing, no matter how small it may seem…that you do in His name is adding to YOUR cache of treasure in Heaven.
**God sees all of the works that you do, the true intent behind each one, and the depth of the core of your belief in Him and love for Him.
Luke 6:23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in
heaven.”
Matthew 16:27 “He will reward each according to his works.”
Matthew 19:21 “You will have treasure in heaven.”
Luke 14:14 “You will be blessed…for you shall be repaid at the resurrection.”
I can often be found saying the following two statements aloud to myself (apparently I need a lot of reminders):
1. The high road is a lonely road, but it is the one I choose to take.
2. My reward is not on earth.
That’s all I’ve got…no other answers…but I’m really sure that I’m right. And I’m really sure that it’ll be worth it.
If you only read one more book in your lifetime, read A Life God Rewards by Bruce Wilkinson. One of the most poignant things he says (and there are many) is this, “Our eternal destination is the consequence of what we believe on earth. Our eternal compensation is the consequence of how we behave on earth.”
Personally, I’d rather “suck it up and deal with it” even though “life ain’t fair”, trusting in God’s every move, choosing the lonely high road over and over again, believing in a wonderful loving Savior, so that I can secure my rightful place at the Feet of the Throne.
Of course when I get there, one of my very first questions to Jesus will be, “Remember X at work (can’t type the names or the situation here…)? What the heck was up with that? Cause, man, did I get the short end of the stick on that one!!”
I sincerely hope He’ll explain and follow up with, “Hey, girl…how you handled that…well done, my good and faithful servant! I knew your heart then and I remember it now, and it contributed to your storehouse of treasure.”
My prayer for all of us:
Dear God, help us stay on the straight and narrow even when it seems like the tougher path. Help us hold fast to Biblical truths, and help us find strength in Christian friends who will encourage us to keep running toward you even when that’s not the easiest or most convenient thing. Give us the stamina we need to cling to you instead of being wooed by the instant gratification of this world. Help us to be patient now so that we may spend a beautiful eternity with you in Heaven. And most importantly, give us the insight and the honesty to use our life experiences to teach our children to do the same. Amen.
Question: Do you believe your reward is in Heaven…I mean really believe?
The over-riding question that has prevailed is this:
Why do things always work out for people who stink? Cheat? Lie? Steal (company time & resources)? Do the wrong thing? Take the shortcuts? Take advantage? Are lazy? Why…yet it always seems to work out so well for them…why?
Why? WHY??? And why then especially when there are those of us out there bustin’ our hineys every day, doing the right thing, working our fingers to the bone, telling the truth, playing by the rules, paying our taxes, helping others, trying to make a real difference, giving to church, going to church, living right and yet we can’t seem to catch a break?
WHY?
The flippant, easy answer is this: Life ain’t fair, sister! So suck it up and deal with it.
But I think we do ourselves, our friends and colleagues, and especially our children, a real disservice when we reduce it to that.
I think the answer lies much deeper than that…I’m willing to bet my every worldly possession that it is because our reward is not on earth. It’s not like I’ve known this or been as sure as I am today about this for my whole life. In fact, it has taken lots of reading of scripture and praying and thinking over the last 39.999999 years to fully grow into it, but I am really, really sure now.
There are plenty of instances in which to contemplate the concept:
(And I don’t mean for these examples to sound judgmental…I’m just sure we’ve all witnessed at least one of these where it wasn’t based on judgment, but on cold, hard fact that this is what was happening.)
Why does the person at work seem to get rewarded over and over even though she doesn’t play by the rules?
Why am I working so hard with such little gain, while I watch her get ahead by cheating and lying?
Why did I do the work, but she got the credit?
Why is she favored when she so blatantly lacks integrity by cheating the company?
…and of course there are the obvious ones…
Why did he die young when he was such a good person?
Why does one neighbor’s family struggle financially when they always do the right thing, but another neighbor’s family has everything they need and more, yet they are so nasty to others?
Why does she, of all people, have to suffer with cancer?
From being passed up for things I worked hard for in school all the way to a very specific instance with a co-worker a couple of weeks ago, this question has come up in my life over and over again. So maybe I write this now as much to remind myself as anyone else…
The only answer I’ve got is that our reward is not on earth. Our reward will be in Heaven. And while the here and now sometimes FEELS like an eternity, it is merely a blip on the screen. But what we do now, during that “blip”, determines where we get to live…with whom we get to live…for what really will be eternity.
I wish I had more…but these are my insights and totally my personal takes on it:
**The phrase “we reap what we sow” has eternal implications!
**Satan likes people who don’t live right, who don’t play by the “rules”, so he makes sure that he sets them up well to live the following lie: there are no negative consequences for your actions. (This helps lure more people to him.)
**God doesn’t actually promise that life will be sweet and rosy because we believe in Him. He promises that with a new life in Christ we will have eternal life and will never be without Him. He promises that eternal life with Him will be paradise and it is worth waiting for.
**God is hoping to see that we’ll hang in there, that we’ll stick with Him, that we’ll believe His promises, no matter what. He wants to see if we are easily dissuaded or if our words (claiming we follow Him) and our actions (actually following Him) match. He wants to see how easily we give up and throw in the towel.
**God is testing our integrity and our worldliness…testing us to see if we’ll “sell out” to instant gratification at some point.
**Adversity can, if we choose to let it, cause us to become better, stronger people. God also hopes we’ll use what we learn from our experiences to help others, especially our children who are looking to us to see why they should remain on the straight and narrow.
**God will reward us greatly in eternity when time after time he sees us choosing the right actions and the right attitudes when we know there is no earthly gain.
**He is keeping a record, a “report card” of sorts, and He will have a student-teacher conference with us about it someday. On that day all justice will be served for the many things we did right…and the many times we fell short of His glory.
**Every single thing…yes, every last little thing, no matter how small it may seem…that you do in His name is adding to YOUR cache of treasure in Heaven.
**God sees all of the works that you do, the true intent behind each one, and the depth of the core of your belief in Him and love for Him.
Luke 6:23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in
heaven.”
Matthew 16:27 “He will reward each according to his works.”
Matthew 19:21 “You will have treasure in heaven.”
Luke 14:14 “You will be blessed…for you shall be repaid at the resurrection.”
I can often be found saying the following two statements aloud to myself (apparently I need a lot of reminders):
1. The high road is a lonely road, but it is the one I choose to take.
2. My reward is not on earth.
That’s all I’ve got…no other answers…but I’m really sure that I’m right. And I’m really sure that it’ll be worth it.
If you only read one more book in your lifetime, read A Life God Rewards by Bruce Wilkinson. One of the most poignant things he says (and there are many) is this, “Our eternal destination is the consequence of what we believe on earth. Our eternal compensation is the consequence of how we behave on earth.”
Personally, I’d rather “suck it up and deal with it” even though “life ain’t fair”, trusting in God’s every move, choosing the lonely high road over and over again, believing in a wonderful loving Savior, so that I can secure my rightful place at the Feet of the Throne.
Of course when I get there, one of my very first questions to Jesus will be, “Remember X at work (can’t type the names or the situation here…)? What the heck was up with that? Cause, man, did I get the short end of the stick on that one!!”
I sincerely hope He’ll explain and follow up with, “Hey, girl…how you handled that…well done, my good and faithful servant! I knew your heart then and I remember it now, and it contributed to your storehouse of treasure.”
My prayer for all of us:
Dear God, help us stay on the straight and narrow even when it seems like the tougher path. Help us hold fast to Biblical truths, and help us find strength in Christian friends who will encourage us to keep running toward you even when that’s not the easiest or most convenient thing. Give us the stamina we need to cling to you instead of being wooed by the instant gratification of this world. Help us to be patient now so that we may spend a beautiful eternity with you in Heaven. And most importantly, give us the insight and the honesty to use our life experiences to teach our children to do the same. Amen.
Question: Do you believe your reward is in Heaven…I mean really believe?
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