Encouragement 4 The Day: "Dare God to Show Up!"

“Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord…”

Why are we so afraid of talking to God when we hurt? I mean truly talking to Him. I’ve heard statements like: “Oh He has more to think about than my little troubles” or “He is the God of the universe, how dare a mere mortal question Him?” Yet in our hearts, the questions and the pain whirl around like clothes in an unbalanced washing machine and we totter around with a smile on our faces barely keeping balanced.

·         God made us with a mind to think and the ability to reason-questions are inevitable.

·         He is not a God who likes lip service-He enjoys action and interaction

·         Yes indeed He keeps the entire universe in its place, but in making man He didn’t speak him into existence, He took the time to form him in His image. You are important.

·         He knows your heart already, so if you’re in church praising Him and in your heart you’re angry with Him-you still get no brownie points. “…for the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

Just be real with God! If you’re angry tell Him. If you’re disappointed or hurt- tell Him.

Job did…he challenged God and God showed up! I could only imagine that Job didn’t care as much with what God said- than with the fact that God cared enough to show up.

Jacob wrestled with God and at sunrise God struck his hip and put it out of joint asking Jacob to let Him go. Jacob responded: “Not until you bless me!” God then changed his name to Israel because he dared to wrestle with God and would not give up.

Moses had a temper and killed a man yet God would have no other lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. And when Moses’ temper got the best of him and as a result he was denied entrance into the Promised Land, God instead allowed him entrance into the kingdom of heaven.

Peter (bless his heart) was as impetuous and hot tempered as they come but he was a beloved disciple of Jesus.

Paul when he was Saul slaughtered thousands of Christians until He met up with God and God turned that passion for killing into a passion for saving souls.

Passion!  

Bring to God the good, the bad and the ugly. Engage Him in your life and dare Him to show up!

Encouragement 4 The Day :“Strong At the Broken Places”

In reading an article by Martha Beck I came across a quote by Hemingway “The world breaks everyone, and afterward many are strong at the broken places.” Oh I love the power and the lyrical beauty of a well spoken thought!

In going through struggles and in fighting depression, we tend to adopt an almost a fatalist point of view. We literally cannot see the forest for the trees but remember: NOTHING lasts forever!

I’m also learning to put things in perspective (one of my favorite words). When I consider the fact that one day this world will end a weird thing happens. It then makes no sense for me to get upset about bills, failures, and disappointments…you think I’m joking but it really works. Try it when you’re late for an appointment or you’re embarrassed about a mistake. Remind yourself that this world is only temporary and see what happens. Trivial things no longer become inflated disasters.

I don’t care what it is that you’re going through- at some point, it will end and if you endure, you will discover that you are indeed stronger at those broken places.

Encouragement 4 The Day: "Christianity and the Heart of God"

So I’m reading another book by Philip Yancey “The Bible Jesus Read” and in there was a passage which read:

“God has it out with loud complainers like Job, Jeremiah and Jonah. He engages Abraham and Moses in lengthy arguments- and sometimes lets them win! In his wrestling match with Jacob, God waits until daybreak to inflict the wound; till then, Jacob holds his own. Quite obviously, God prefers honest disagreement to dishonest submission.”

Honest disagreement to dishonest submission…how absolutely profound and contradictory to what’s being taught in many churches today. Questioning God is still taboo. Being a witness in the midst of struggles is paramount to sainthood. Please don’t misunderstand me here. I agree that God is all powerful and for His brilliance alone, He deserves our respect. Maintaining a cheerful demeanor in the midst of trials is certainly a means of witnessing and of being an inspiration to others.

Here’s my divide: Where do you place Christians who desire to love God but in the midst of pain find it hard to do so? Should they keep up the cheerful façade or honestly take their issues up with God?

My conclusion:

·         I agree with Yancey-God knows the heart anyway so the smile on your face, the song on your lips and the anger in your heart does not fool Him.

·         As with a lover, a relationship only lasts when you can truly believe in the other person’s heart.

·         Ergo, if you find yourself struggling with God, you’re having an issue with His heart and quite frankly, it’s pointless and fake going through the motions just because it’s expected of you.

·         Wrestle with God-it fosters an engaging rather than a passive Christian experience. Wrestle with Him until you can grab hold of His heart.

·         It is only then when in the midst of the storm will you TRULY be able to say and feel the words: “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him…” Job 13:15

No one can do this for you just as no one can love someone else for you. Your church, your pastor, those praying sisters cannot latch on to the heart of God for you. And so, each person’s journey, each person’s relationship, each person’s faith will be different.

Find God for yourself…

Encouragement 4 The Day: "Perspective"

I am fascinated by how perspective alters the mind and can subsequently change the course of a life. How it is, that in looking at a glass as being half empty, results in different emotions than when you look at the same glass as being half full-Perspective.

I am prone to melancholic tendencies and therefore I’ll admit it- I do hold on to a rather jaded view of this life and the world in which we exist. However, I recently came across the question:

“If this world were perfect, would we long for heaven?” WOW

We were not meant to get comfortable on this sin cursed earth and in the same token-how would we know joy without experiencing pain?

Words are powerful! That simple question positively altered my mindset.

May we always strive to encourage, educate and uplift our fellow men by our words.