A Beautiful Disaster

Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
Mark 14:38 NIV

I haven’t arrived. I don’t have all the answers. My life isn’t all rainbows and unicorns and 24 hours of sunshine. I am not equipped with a force field that intuitively repels struggle and hardship. I am not a fortress. I am not a rock. I am not strong.

Ever do this? Ever create a list of things that you’re NOT? It’s a good reality check. Sometimes when things seem to be going my way, when victories are regularly celebrated, when my outlook on life can’t be shaken (or at least appears this way), it’s easy to start believing I’ve got it all figured out.

STOP!

Jesus warned against this. He didn’t say, “…in case you’re ever tempted;” as if temptation would somehow cease or take a break. No. He warns us to WATCH and PRAY to combat temptation. I use the word ‘combat’ because it’s a fight. You’ve got to be spiritually fit. You’ve got to be able to go five rounds.

How’s your attitude today? What does your recent pattern of behavior look like? Who are you hanging with? WATCH! Keep track of your daily life. Temptation will swing a 2x4 at your head when you least expect it. Journal. Form a network of accountability.

When was the last time you truly put yourself in the presence of God? When was the last time you prayed expecting to see His face? When was the last time you prayed in anticipation of His answer? You need to open a dialogue with God. Converse with Him! Don’t treat your prayer life like a text, “god i need ur help k thx ttl”

Here’s what I am…

Prone to wander, but He searches me out. Easily distracted, but He grabs my attention. Weak, but He is strong. Dissatisfied, but He’s met EVERY need. Forgiven through His sacrifice. Loved by a King. Grateful for the work He started within me and will see to the very end. Excited about the potential I see within you—IN Christ.

I’m a mess. But in Christ it’s a beautiful mess. My spirit is willing. My spirit wants to follow Christ at all costs, but I don’t even know what it means to follow him. I’m still learning. He’s still working in me.

You’re going to face struggles. You’re going to experience pain. You’re going to be tempted with shortcuts and momentary escapes. Watch and pray. Fight temptation.

Problems with Growing Up

It’s snowing outside. This could be, actually I believe it IS, the first time I’ve seen snow in October. It’s not quite cold enough to accumulate on the street (thank You, God!), yet it’s cold enough to stow away my t-shirt. There are a few inches in my yard, yet it’s slushy and muddy below the fluffy white powdery surface. I discovered this when I fell backwards off the sled and landed in a subterranean river of melting slushy snow.

That brought a close to daddy’s outdoors adventure.

I was wet.

I was muddy.

I was cold.

I was struggling to count anything as joy.

My kids, on the other hand, were having an AWESOME time. My oldest was rolling giant balls of snow around the yard—too big and too heavy to lift and create a snowman. My daughter was engrossed by the ever-increasing puddle of mud at the bottom of the slide. My youngest was running around determined to smash someone in the face with a clump of snow.

They were wet.

They were muddy.

They were cold.

They were counting it all joy.

What’s up? How’s that work? Complete opposites. I was done. They were just beginning. I was ready to get inside my house and warm up. They were ready to get frostbite.

There’s something radically different about the mind of a child and that of an adult. At some point in time we are RUINED by common sense.

Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter.”

Mark 10:15 NIV

Common sense told me to get out of the cold and get into the comfort of a warm house. Common sense told me to get out of my wet clothes and get into something dry. Common sense told me I was going to get sick. Common sense ruined my fun. Common sense brought an end to my day.

I think this is what Jesus was warning us about. There’s some serious wisdom locked away in those red letters. He knew there would come a day when we simply complicate things. Instead of playing in the snow, instead of sledding down the hill, instead of building a snowman, instead of enjoying the moment, we choose to go inside governed by fear.

OR put it this way…

Instead of believing that Jesus died on the cross for us, instead of placing our faith in the Savior King, instead of trusting God to provide, we wrestle with doubt governed by fear.

What are you complicating? It’s time to Simplify. Think the best in people. Take something at face value. Read the lines (not between them).

Have faith.

How to Work Yourself Out of a Job

This made Saul very angry. “What’s this?” he said. “They credit David with ten thousands and me with only thousands. Next they’ll be making him their king!” So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.

1 Samuel 18:8-9 NLT

Leaders, what is your purpose? What are your goals? Do intend on remaining where you are, as you are, from now until the return of the King (and no I’m not referring to Aragorn)? 

When you hear words like:

unshakeable,

unmovable,

security,

eternity,

…do you find a correlation with your position?

I believe this was a struggle for Saul. Saul, in many ways, is the antithesis of how a leader should, well, lead. He was ME-centered. It was all about HIM. He ruled as if he was the head of Burger King; his way, right away. Don’t get me wrong, he had a lot going for him. He was head andshoulders above the rest. He was the most handsome man in all of Israel. He was fly. Saul was THE man, chosen BY God to save His people from the Philistines. THEN…

Out of nowhere comes this little kid, the youngest of Jesse’s sons, a mere sheepherder, and BAM! everything started to change. He was an immediate favorite among the people. He earned the respect of the soldiers. God was WITH him. He had it going on, more so than Saul. Saul felt threatened. Saul felt his power, his influence waning. Saul grew bitter. Saul was consumed with resentment.

Instead of seeing opportunity, instead of reaching out to grow a young leader, Saul looked inward and fell prey to fear. Jealousy is a dangerous foe. Leaders, where is your focus? Is your security found in the position you hold or the tomb that lies empty? We, like Saul, should be trying to work ourselves OUT of a job. Your eyes should be constantly scanning the crowd for the next you, but BETTER.

You are not the position you hold. And if you believe you are, then know this, your grip won’t last. It can’t last. It’s temporary. It’s ALL temporary. It’s up to you; it’s up to us, to make the most of it. Embrace it. Let it drive you. It’s not a matter of reproducing yourself as much as it is a matter of passing along what you know, your experience.

Andy Stanley makes reference to a cup. The struggle for most leaders is that we feel it’s our responsibility, our duty to FILL others' cups, but we can't. We can’t fill someone’s cup. We can only EMPTY our own. And we can do this over and over and over again.

I’ve only just started in this ministry thing. It’s ALL new to me. I learn something EVERY day. I don’t claim to know it all, but I can definitely claim that I’m trying to learn it all. But I know SOMETHING. I don’t want to end up like Saul. I don’t want to believe it’s MY position, MY job, MY ministry, MY anything. Whatever I have, all that I have, I want to give it away. I want to build up leaders. I want to teach and guide. I want to LEARN. I want to empty my cup. I want you to pour into mine.

I’m looking for David. It could be you.

The Greatest Relationship

If someone sins against another person, God can mediate for the guilty party. But if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede?” But Eli’s sons wouldn’t listen to their father, for the LORD was already planning to put them to death.

1 Samuel 2:25 NLT

It all comes down to a degree of personal accountability. You might be asking, “What is ‘it’? And for that matter, what is ‘it all’?” Let me tell you. IT is your personal responsibility for your actions, for the words you speak, for things you DON’T do but know you should, for your offenses against yourself, others, and to God.

Most of the time people have no clue if you’ve done something wrong. We’re blind. We want to see the world as good and the people we know as better than good. We don’t want to know that you’re struggling. We don’t want to know that you have weaknesses. We want to be encouraged by stories of how good your life is. Nobody can read your thoughts. I have yet to meet a person that can intuitively know your motives. We hope for the best. We pray for the best.

This is why accountability can be so tough to find. You reach out to a close friend, share a goal, ask for encouraging texts, tweets, wall posts, and FOR A TIME it happens. But what happens? What was daily becomes occasional. What was encouraging becomes snide. What was accountability becomes enabling.

We get busy. We allow for so many others to sneak in and at least appear more important.

Aren’t you glad to know that God can intercede on your behalf? In those moments that you have let someone down, during those times when you struggled to focus on anyone but yourself, God was there FOR them. God steps in as your mediator.

God reconciles.

But what happens when we offend God? What happens when we sin against the Creator the universe? Who intercedes then? Who mediates that one? Eli’s sons had no hope, what about me?

Here’s the scoop: roughly 2,000 years ago a dude named Jesus did something OUTRAGEOUS, something CRAZY, something RIDICULOUS—he died on the cross in my place. He interceded and continues to intercede on my behalf. He is my mediator. He is your mediator (1 Timothy 2:5).

If you don’t know him, get a clue, Jesus is where it’s at.

So, people might not know what’s going on in your life, most likely because you haven’t enough courage or wisdom to open up, someone does know and that someone is crazy IN LOVE with you and wants to intercede on your behalf.

Personal accountability. It’s entirely up to you. You must choose. You must decide. You must take that first step and each subsequent one that follows. Reach out. Speak up.

FOLLOW-UP: Daily Inventory

Flying Solo

Thank you, God that you made us all different. Thank you, God that you made us all unique. Thank you, God that you created and designed and intertwined us to NEED one another. You fashioned us in such a way that we are at our BEST when we’re in the midst of company, working together for a common purpose, to fulfill a common goal.

You are capable of doing something on your own. I can accomplish something by myself. But what happens when we come together? What happens when our creativity collides? What happens when our likes and dislikes converge on some commonality?

What happens as we SWEAT together?

As we CRY together?

As we FIGHT one another?

As we PUSH each other?

I believe we grow. We cook. Our rawness, our emotions and ideas, simmer until just right. It’s a time of preparation. We add seasoning. We turn it over. We check the temperature. We taste it until it’s just right. A good raw idea that may have led to short-lived immediate change transforms into a well-thought well-prepared idea that will have a lasting impact.

Work together.

The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with in, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.

1 Corinthians 12:12, 26-27 NLT

Look at Jesus. Here was God, in the flesh, present on earth. What could he NOT do? Jesus very well could have been a one man show. Yet, he chose to work WITH others. He chose twelve individuals to come together, to work alongside, to share life. Parts pieced together to make the whole.

How much of your day is spent in the company of others? How much of your workload is shared? Do you have anyone challenging your ideas? Do you have anyone pushing you to improve, to strive for excellence?

You are your own limiting factor. You don’t know it all. You can’t do it all. Find someone. Then find someone else. Build a team. Change the world.

We Need Each Other

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

James 5:16a NLT

I’ve read this verse numerous times. I’ve heard more times than I’ve read. I’ve seen it cited time and time again. Regardless of how many times I’ve read it, regardless of how many times I’ve heard it, regardless of how many times I’ve seen it cited, it took a LONG time for me to really process it. It took a LONG time for me to understand it. It took a LONG time for it to become real in my life.

And that’s the key, for Scripture to become effective in your life it must first become REAL.

You’ve got to find a way to apply it. You’ve got to find a way to live it out. God’s word is ALIVE. It’s NEW every morning. I get it now, but it took a while.

My quiet time, the time I commonly set aside for prayer and study, has typically been the first aspect of my spiritual journey I neglect. I get distracted. In that particular moment I allow something ELSE to take priority. I set God aside like an umbrella because the rain has ceased…momentarily.

Sometimes it won’t rain for a while and I forget that I NEED an umbrella. Other times it seems to rain immediately; soaking wet, I run back to grab my umbrella.

I need accountability.

I need Jesus.

I need you.

So this verse, this idea of confessing my sins, my faults, my shortcomings, my hurts, my hang-ups, my habits, to ANOTHER, to EACH OTHER was foreign to me. I can’t let people know the real me. I can’t afford to have people know my past. There’s no room for honesty! Lies. All lies.

Lies I believed.

Lies that held me down.

Lies that locked me in place.

Lies that kept me trapped.

I’ve heard Rick Warren say, “You’re only as sick as your secrets,” and I believe that 100%. You’ve gotta get it out. You’ve gotta let it go. Until you’ve shared your deepest, darkest secrets, your struggles, your sins, your foot will remain on the spiritual brake for your life.

Pray for God to reveal someone you can trust. Pray for God to put someone in your life that you can share all your hurts with. Pray.

The verse doesn’t end with healing. This is not the verse in its entirety. There’s MORE.

The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

James 5:16b NLT

He’ll hear you. He’ll answer you. He’ll come through in a big BIG way!

Makes no Sense

This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength. Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important.

1 Corinthians 1:25-28 NLT

It doesn’t make sense. By today’s standards, God made (and continues to make) poor leadership decisions. He doesn’t quite grasp the concept of seeking after the gifted, the talented, the best of the best. He isn’t shopping for the next big thing. He’s not concerned with popular trends. God isn’t interested in who is creating and defining culture. He doesn’t care if you’re speaking at Catalyst. God isn’t concerned with the size of your church. He’s not following you on Twitter.

He wants the foolish.

He wants the powerless.

He wants the despised.

Our worth is not measured against the accomplishments of the people we look up to. Our worth isn’t even measured against our OWN accomplishments. Our worth, your worth, my worth, is found in Christ.

God has you in mind to fulfill a specific purpose. He’s willing to guide you, lead you, equip you. We defeat ourselves. You see your shortcomings. I see my weaknesses. God sees great opportunity. He sees the vast potential in our lives to be world changers, if only we’d trust in Him. If only we’d seek after Him. If only we’d prioritize.

This has been me. This is me. I don’t want to admit my weakness. I don’t want to acknowledge my foolishness. I don’t want to accept my need…

I’m ready to jump in. I’m ready to let go and accept my powerlessness. I’m ready for God to radically transform my heart, my mind, my life. I’m ready.

Will you join me?

Inspiration over Relaxation

It’s Friday. It’s that day of the week when most of us cry out “Thank God! It’s…” Fridays typically bring a close to the week, some finality to the busyness of the workweek. Anticipation rises. Stress decreases. We get pumped; we get excited at the thought of a break, however slight it might be.

I too get excited for Fridays, but it’s for an entirely different reason. I get excited at the possibility of witnessing lives change and transform at Celebrate Recovery—a Christ-centered 12 Step recovery program.

My heart is moved by stories of victory over struggles.

My emotions are stirred by stories of overcoming obstacles.

I am inspired by the movement of God that takes place each and every Friday night.

I get a sense of what church must have been like for the early followers of Christ as detailed in the book of Acts. People come together to share their hurts, share their victories, to build an open, honest, and authentic community. I’m so grateful that I’m allowed to be a part of this.

Eventually the night comes to a close. Chairs are put away. Hallways are emptied. Lights are turned off. Doors are shut and locked. Burdens are left behind.

It’s at this time I join the general consensus and cry out “Thank God! It’s Friday!” I allow myself to relax. My mind slows down. I focus on rest. It’s almost as if my body shuts down. I feel sore. Sometimes I ache. I lie down in bed and truly sleep.

The busyness has passed.

A break is within reach.

I dread the weekend.

When I say that my body “shuts down” I speak of my ENTIRE being—mind, body, heart, and soul. Discipline is thrown out as I opt to “chill” instead of pray, get in God’s word, pray, study, pray, write, pray. It’s as if I take a Sabbath from being a follower of Christ. I push the PAUSE button on my relationship with Jesus. I worship rest.

Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.

Joshua 1:7 NLT

I don’t know about you, but I want to PROSPER, I want to experience SUCCESS in all I do. Rest plays an integral part in my health and well-being; however, it cannot become an idol. I cannot seat rest on God’s throne for a day. I need Him every day. I need Him every moment. I WANT Him.

Is this just me? Am I the only one struggling with this?

Join me. Join me in making a difference in my life, in your life, in the lives of those around us. I need to be reminded that His grace is sufficient. He needs to be Lord of my life, not a hobby that momentarily holds my attention.

Like I said in the beginning, “It’s Friday”; tomorrow presents the first opportunity to celebrate a victory. Will you join me?

Still a Child

This morning, as I prepared to sit down and have some one-on-one time with God—you know, pray, read Scripture, pray—I felt like God was really pointing His spiritual finger at my parenting. It was as if He knew (duh! He IS sovereign) I was going to be tested this morning by my children.

He knew my nerves would be trampled.

He knew my patience would wane.

He knew my frustration would rise.

He knew my children would suffer.

It seemed like EVERY verse I read, EVERY bit of Scripture that leapt from the pages of my Bible was directed at my relationship with my children. Today was going to be different. Somehow, something was going to blindside me. God was preparing me. God was reaching out to me. God was offering up some help, “Nick, I’ll drive.”

Each word I spoke was met with deaf ears.

Each plea I made was ignored.

Each action I took was lost in the hustle of the morning routine.

I found myself lost. I felt helpless. Instead of building my children up, instead of sharing a word of encouragement, I decided it was best (at least in that moment) to raise my voice and take an authoritative stance. Why won’t my children listen to me? Why won’t my children do as I ask?

“Nick, you are My child.”

Wow! Talk about a lesson in perspective! How could I possibly EXPECT my children to listen and obey, especially at such young ages, when I, as an adult, am rebelling right beside them?

I was looking inward for strength. I’m a good parent! I can handle this! I was the one with the deaf ears. I was the one ignoring instruction. God warns against this very thing in the book of Jeremiah:

This is what the LORD says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the LORD. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land. “But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.

Jeremiah 17:5-8 NLT

This is a daily struggle. I convince myself that I somehow know best. I’m ready to tackle whatever the day has for me. The problem is that I get caught up in the “I” and neglect to acknowledge my source of strength. Alone I can do nothing and EVERYONE pays for it.

So, maybe today is the day you need to realize your powerlessness. Maybe today is the day you need to confess your inability to control your words, your temper, your spouse, your children, your job…your anything.

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord.

The Codependent Leader

When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. “Come on,” they said, “make us some gods who can lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.”

Exodus 32:1 NLT

I appreciate this scenario. I can relate. I can easily substitute my name for Aaron’s and read it as if God is speaking directly to me. I can feel the stress. I can feel the tension. I can see him looking around for an answer, a way out, a quick exit—all because he didn’t know how to handle the felt needs of his people.

He believed he could MEET their needs.

Faced with seemingly insurmountable doubt, Aaron attempted to create, to manufacture comfort. He panicked. He tried to fix the problem. He believed he had the answer.

Leaders, you’re not going to be able to meet the all the needs of all your people. You cannot simultaneously be an effective leader and a people pleaser. Who is the leader? You’ve got to realize that God has gifted you to lead His people. These moments are not designed to break you down, to destroy your confidence—NO, these moments are intended to grow you as a leader, to give you experience.

If you allow yourself to be wrapped up in emotion, if you’re convinced that you’re in control of how people feel, than you’re going to be hesitant, indecisive, and lack any confidence. How do you fight this? How do you get around this? You get in His word. You pray your face off. You allow God to lead your life.

You realize it’s not your ability, it’s His gift.

You realize it’s not your ministry, it’s His.

You realize it’s not your job, it’s His calling.

Let God speak into your life. He will give you direction. He will guide you. Unlike Aaron, you’ll realize that you CANNOT meet the needs of people, but you CAN honor God by acting on His direction.

For Aaron this was a great opportunity for growth, not only for him but for the Hebrews, but it was a missed opportunity. Don’t allow these opportunities to pass you by out of fear. Stand up and lead. It’s you AND God; what’s to fear?

Your Story Matters

“I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband.

John 4:17 NIV

I’ve had these words rolling around in my head this past week and, as you can probably tell by this post, they remain in my thoughts. I can’t escape this passage. I can’t get over the implications. I’m captivated by Jesus’ words and the woman’s response.

We ARE the Samaritan woman at the well.

I am the Samaritan woman at the well.

YOU are the Samaritan woman at the well.

Jesus stepped down into our world, our lives, to radically alter the course of history. It was such an important point in our history that time stopped and restarted. Everything led up to the life of Jesus and everything else has followed. I’m speaking of the calendar of course (as well as redemptive history).

He came for the broken. He came for the sick. He came for the weary. He came for the defenseless. He came for the hurting. He came for you. He came for me.

And here, at this well, I see the perfect picture of my relationship with him. I was this broken person that lacked any sense of self-worth. I was convinced that my life was over, that my ability to make a difference was thrown out the door because of my past, because of the choices I had made. But Jesus saw through my struggles, as he did with the woman at the well, and instead he saw what COULD be.

He saw what WOULD be.

Jesus invites us to be identified as his, not as our struggles, not as our past. You say, “I can’t do this because…” God says, “I can use you BECAUSE…” Someone out there right now, someone you know, someone you’re close to, believes this lie. Who knows, maybe it’s still you. Maybe you’ve never really grasped this idea that God can, will, and wants to use you for His glory.

God will use your story to change someone’s life. God will use your story to change the world.

As you step out today, as you take that one step, follow it up with your story. What has God done in your life? How have you experienced God’s grace?

Someone needs to hear your story.

Step One = One Step

When it comes to evangelizing, when it comes to sharing the redemptive story of Jesus Christ, when it comes to sharing our story, we look for an easy 1-2-3 process to guide us. Can you blame us? Every new appliance or electronic device has an easy to use process to get it started. Fast food chains have step-by-step processes for placing your order. We’re saturated with guides and directions, structure and process.

Why should sharing our story be any different?

You could probably map out your own strategy for sharing your story. You could probably detail your every step, your every move, your every word. But, people are different. What works for you may not work for someone else. There is, however, one step that we must all take.

This one step, this universal, everybody’s gotta do it step, is just that, a step. It’s that first step out of your comfort zone. It’s that first step away from what’s familiar. It’s that awkward, challenging step towards the unknown.

What will they think?

How will they respond?

You’re not alone in this process. Remember, it’s a step that everyone must take. As long as you remain silent, you remain an advocate for nothing. The moment you decide to take that step, the moment you decide to speak up, the moment you realize someone else’s future is more important than your present, you become an advocate for Christ.

Be brave.

Take that first step.

Do it today.

Life is filled with moments, with possibilities, will you make the most of them?

Transparency

Then Joseph looked at his brother Benjamin, the son of his own mother. “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” Joseph asked. “May God be gracious to you, my son.” Then Joseph hurried from the room because he was overcome with emotion for his brother. He went into his private room, where he broke down and wept. After washing his face, he came back out, keeping himself under control. Then he ordered, “Bring out the food!”

Genesis 43:29-31 NLT

Whether or not you’re familiar with this story, the scenario should create an almost déjà vu moment. Someone, overcome by sadness, overwhelmed by emotion, flees the scene to cry, to weep, to sob in seclusion. Afraid to allow others to see a stirring of emotion, we isolate, we run away and hide due to this fear that someone might improperly perceive us as weak. Isn’t that the opposite of what we intend?

We run away, we hide; we push others away believing it will show how strong we are? This doesn’t make sense. Instead of fostering an open and honest relationship, we close doors. We allow ourselves to be governed by fear, not strength. We choose to hide, not face the situation. We put on a mask, not allow others in.

Granted, Joseph had a plan. He was performing. He didn’t want his brothers to know who he was. Because of this, he left in order to regroup so he could resume his performance, so he could go back to pretending.

Pretending.

Performing.

This seems to be the norm. We feel the need to throw on a smile, wave, shake hands, give a little side hug, and act like everything is OK. We lie to our friends. We lie to our spouses. We lie to our children. We even lie to God—praying as if we’ve got it under control.

Until you tear down the walls of denial, until you open up and allow others to see you for who you are, you’ll never experience freedom. Freedom comes the moment you lose your last secret. That’s right; you’ve got to lose in order to gain.

If you’ve got a secret that you’ve been holding on to, one that will go with you to the grave, then you might as well sit down because you’re not going anywhere. Secrets make you sick. Secrets leave you stuck.

Joseph eventually revealed his true identity to his brothers. Pains from past hurts were superseded by the joy of restored relationships. Joseph lost his façade and gained the family he believed was long gone. He had to lose something in order to gain.

Stop running away.

Stop washing your face.

Stop trying to keep things under control.

Find someone you can trust and pour out your heart. Let it go. Let it out. Open up some space in your heart and allow healing to move in.

Something Else

This is what the LORD says: “Do not act like the other nations, who try to read their future in the stars. Do not be afraid of their predictions, even though other nations are terrified by them. Their ways are futile and foolish. They cut down a tree, and a craftsman carves an idol. They decorate it with gold and silver and then fasten it securely with hammer and nails so it won’t fall over. Their gods are like helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field! They cannot speak, and they need to be carried because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of such gods, for they can neither harm you nor do you any good.”

Jeremiah 10:2-5 NLT

Idolatry is a word that isn’t used much anymore. It sounds churchy. It sounds almost archaic. It rings of religiosity. It’s found all throughout the Old Testament. Time after time again God’s people turned away from Him looking elsewhere for answers, for provision, for security. It can be difficult and sometimes even seem absurd to place your faith in something you can’t see or touch. Our brain tells us it’s nonsense. We yearn for something tangible.

We want to taste.

We want to touch.

We want to smell.

We want to hear.

We want to see.

This is me. I find myself searching for happiness, for assurance, for security in things like TV, food, and money. I have diminishing faith. It sucks to read that, but I can’t escape the truth. Instead of a faith that grows with each passing moment or day, I have a faith that gradually decreases and fades with each breath I take. I look to refill what’s been lost, to replenish this ever increasing void with momentary glimpses of satisfaction—illusions.

I get so absorbed in my day, in my routine, in the busyness of life that I neglect to acknowledge the power and presence of Jesus in and around me. I’ll sit at my desk. I’ll work all day. I’ll plan. I’ll make decisions. I’ll prepare. I’ll do it all and take pride in my self-reliance. Maybe you can relate. Maybe you’ve found yourself in a similar situation. Idols.

We live in a time and age when information is merely a click away. Resources are limitless. We can do it all. We can have it all. Who needs God? When everything you need is at your fingertips, or rather, when everything you perceive to need is at your fingertips at what point do we need God? This is the crippling nature of idolatry. It actually convinces you that something else can take the place of God; that something else can actually fill a need that only God can.

Instead of searching in futility for something to be your everything, know that without God you have nothing. Don’t be like me. Don’t call yourself a follower of Christ, yet be fully-devoted to something else. Take a stand. Make a difference. Start with your life so that God can use you to change the world.

If something else is resting in God’s seat grab it as fast as you can and throw it as far as you can. Let God be your everything.

Stop searching. Look no further.

Gives Us New Eyes

“Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor, which I have always been eager to do.”

Galatians 2:10 NLT

In his earlier days, prior to his encounter with Jesus, Paul had a heart that burned for the Jewish traditions. He was driven. He was zealous. If there was a Pharisees against Sadducees basketball game, Paul would have been picked first. He was that good.

Then outta nowhere he undergoes a radical life change. He’s transformed from the inside out. God had a greater plan. The world would never be the same.

His life was flipped upside down. Everything he once knew, everything he once believed, everything that instilled purpose in his life was viewed from a new perspective. God took away Paul’s sight and gave him new eyes. God equipped Paul with everything he would need: the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Filled with a new purpose, consumed with a new fire, Paul set out to preach the gospel.

After meeting with James, Peter, and John, individuals Paul refers to as “pillars of the church,” they concluded there was nothing to teach Paul. There was nothing to add. Nothing to change. When Jesus is the centerpiece of your teaching there’s nothing else to add.

I find it interesting that the one thing, the one item that they did encourage Paul to do, was to continue helping, continue reaching out to the poor. Preach the gospel. Help the poor and needy. Don’t get caught up in the busyness of your day, don’t allow yourself to be distracted by trivial problems, be the hands and feet of Christ.

People are homeless. People are starving. People are in desperate need. Pray for God to place a burden in your heart for the poor. Pray for God to ruin you, to break your heart for those desperate to find hope.

Pray for God to open your eyes as He once opened Paul’s.