Year: 2022

Firm Footing

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.
Psalms 143:10 NLT

As I scan social media posts by friends this morning, I am surprised by how many are hurting. Even some who are mentioning joyful events like birthdays and centenary can’t seem to avoid touching on something melancholy as well. For many of us, this season of life has come with very real and very new challenges.

But in each instance, those who are willing to bear there weaknesses transparently, and lean upon faith, and look to the family of others around them who have faith as well seem to come out the other side of the challenge differently than those others.

I’m not saying that their asking for prayers always makes their problems immediately disappear and be replaced by happiness, prosperity and health. But there is something that happens where they continue forward, rather than being caught up stumbling through the past and wasting the present.

There is a firm footing to faith that is easily distinguished by onlookers when troubles fall upon us. It doesn’t mean that the hurt goes away, but it demonstrates something that even the best poets may have trouble putting accurately into words — but we all know it when we see it.

Imagine a mother seeing her baby hurt, knowing there is little she can do to “fix it” in the moment, but knowing that seeking God and calling together her closest to seek God genuinely and with a razor sharp focus is truly important. Imagine a child watching their father’s health failing shortly after having watched their mother die, seeing and experiencing all of the sights and sounds of the ICU that bring painful memories flooding back, but refusing to give up hope and insisting on praising and worshiping God and calling those close to do the same.

Faith does not look like a Sunday morning church attendance as much as it does a family of faith praying for each other throughout the week and showing up to help each other.

God’s will is that we love Him and love one another. So when we say “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God.” — we do well to remember how we can best hurt with others when they are hurting, and centenary with them when they are celebrating.

Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.
Romans 12:15 NLT

For those of us hurting:

For those of us celebrating:

Lord, teach us to come alongside each other with love that shares in burdens and in joy. Help us to declare your strength and our own weaknesses publicly for your honor — and privately for our own humble repentance. We know that you are proving yourself a firm foundation and revealing your children even today. Amen.

Love without Expectations?

“Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.
Luke 6:35 NLT

How contrary is this to the natural, carnal, selfish mind!

I immediately think of politics, where you might easily find some of the loudest people spouting off about “religious values and morality” with judgemental fingers pointing at the sins of others (trying foolishly to try and enforce their own beliefs and values into others who do not agree) — but who also vehemently oppose funding or help or assistance that doesn’t help themselves or further their own agenda. No matter where you sit politically, it is probably easy to see this about others. But are we willing to see it about ourselves, and change?

Are we willing to not only half heartedly ask God to help us with this — but fully surrender and trust Him when an opportunity to love those who are so very different from us? And when I say love them, I’m talking about not with just our thoughts, words and prayers, but with our time, our involvement, and our money.

The Word of God hits at the heart of things. How can we say we love others, but only do for those who we feel are aligned and similar to ourselves! What kind of self worship is it to only love and sort those like ourselves! What kind of mammon worshiping capitalism is it to profit of of those like ourselves and penalize those who are not!

Lord, help us, because these battles are clearly not won by the flesh but by the power of your Holy Spirit. Write upon our hearts your ways so that we are truly willing, discipline us gently into the light, and lead us down that narrow path for your glory and honor. Amen.

Help Others

We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.” Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.
Romans 15:2‭-‬4 NLT

It is easier for me to fall out of consistent application of good and healthy and Godly practices when I think that it is just affecting me. But there is something about engaging and involving and helping others that reminds me of the importance and helps me get things back on track when course correction is necessary.

If I need to start exercising regularly, it is easier when I have an exercise buddy for encouragement and for accountability. When I need to change my eating habits to something more healthy and less indulgent, it helps to have others whose food choices at mealtime are an enchantment and not a temptation. When I need to be more responsible and purposeful with my finances and not wasteful or irresponsible, having people around me with the same mindset is a treasure and not a distraction. And when I need to be closer to God and more faithful in my pursuit of Him, being surrounded by a others who are seeking Him is very helpful.

When I isolate, it is easier for me to make excuses for NOT doing what I know I should because I might think that it is only negatively impacting me, because it is just this once, or a million excuses that pivot on self.

Christ didn’t live to please himself, but to serve others.

We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.

I’m not saying that we should be busy bodies and gossips — but that we need community.

Lord, you know that I have been weak in the area of being a good and faithful friend and community member. And Lord, I fear that this isolation has hurt my growth, my purpose, my impact, and the abundance in my life. Help me to look outward more at how I can better help and serve others. Help me to establish consistent healthy and Godly habits in all areas of my life and to share in my life with the group of wonderful people that you have brought into my community. Not for my honor but for yours, and in spite of my weakness but by your strength. Amen.