Thursday, January 26, 2017

Prayer as a Last Resort

Far too often we use what should be our initial response as a last resort.

Much like building our favorite out-of-the-box furniture, we have a tendency to try to do things on our own, as much as possible, until we find out we have spare parts, or things aren't coming together in the way that we (or the box) pictured them.

So, keeping that in mind...

Why do we pray?

Sometimes it's because we are pouring our hearts out to God in times of trouble or challenge, and then when things are okay, we just don't.

We can figure it out on our own, and then if all else fails, we can return to the directions right?

The biggest problem is prayer isn't just what gives us direction in life in what to do, where to go, or anything else.

It's also a tool.

It's a direct line to the Creator of the project because He cares immensely about the project we have in mind... and the next project... and the next project...

Because He understands it's not just what we are looking to accomplish, and more importantly He has His own project.

Us.

If the only time we try at building our relationship with God is when things get hard, then why do we get surprised when challenges arise?

And even then, more often than not, I think our prayers often try to manipulate God to get us out of our current situation than trying to find out what God is trying to reveal and do in and through us in that situation.

Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 1 Peter 4:12

But that feeling is horrible, isn't it?

You know, the one where you feel completely helpless, and completely out of control?

We were never in control, and we can't afford to lose sight of where our help comes from!

We are told to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, giving thanks in all circumstances. (1 Thessalonians 5:16)

Is it any wonder that when we haven't been spending time with the God who is the lover of our souls, the God who provides, and the God who heals, that we get sick,we feel anxious, we feel alone, and we get stressed out?

When the voices we listen to from the media, from social media, and we speak into each others lives are words of hopelessness, of anger, of hurt, of depression and hatred to the point to where we don't know what to do with the thought of a God who has a vested interest in each and every one of us.

That means God wants to know your hurts, your angers, your fears, your joys, your hopes, your dreams, that thing going on within your family.

He wants it.

All of it.

Cast all your cares upon Him, because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

God cares about our circumstances and what's going on in our lives, but God is ultimately more concerned with the refining of our souls than our momentary circumstance.

God wants us to seek Him and His presence – God wants to be ever-present in our lives, and considered in every decision.

Let me rephrase that. God IS ever-present in our lives. He just wants to for us to include Him in our every-day tasks.

Because He wants you.




Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Perspective Changes Everything

Were you aware that until the 13th century, artists didn't know anything about how to create true perspective? They just made whatever they thought was important bigger than the other objects in the painting. Sometimes they would put things in the foreground or background, but not in a regular or accurate way. It was always skewed and inaccurate.*

I'm on a journey to become a better me, a healthier me, and as part of that journey, I bought a scale. I hadn't weighed myself since November, and I figured it was high time.

Last night, I put the batteries in the new scale, set it down, stepped on it...and reeled.

The number was NOT what I expected and NOT in a good way. 

Honestly, it was only about 5 lbs. different. However, between my 6 week postpartum appointment (when I was actually lower than my pre-pregnancy weight) and my newfound resolve, my complete abandonment of all things related to reasonable eating had done more harm than I thought. Praise God for great supplements or I'd probably be looking at an even bigger challenge.

I hopped off the scale, looked at Josiah, and grappled. "I will not cry." I said. "This is just a number, just a starting point. I will not cry. I will not let this stupid number defeat me."

And then, I did something that, at some points in my life, would have been emotional suicide: I had Josiah take a couple before pictures of me...in just a sports bra and underwear.

I said a quick prayer for strength and then I looked at them...and do you know what I saw??

A body.

That's all.

A body.

I saw an overweight body and an out of shape body, but just a body. It just didn't have the power it once would have, and for that I am GRATEFUL.

This morning, my Bible reading led me to Romans, and this Scripture popped out at me:

For though they knew God,
they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude.
Instead, their thinking became nonsense,
and their senseless minds were darkened.
Claiming to be wise,
they became fools
and exchanged the glory of the immortal God
for images resembling mortal man,
birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.
Romans 1:22-23

Most of the time, I think we have a tendency to look at this scripture as a "them" verse. THOSE PEOPLE who don't love God think they're wise, but THEY are just foolish.

Or maybe, we're wise enough to see that it applies to us (because really, the first part of Romans is just there to show us we're ALL jacked up and need Jesus), but we still kind of skim over it.

Because we're not worshiping idols, right? No golden calves for us!

But then, as I looked at the Greek, one word stuck out to me: fools.

It's the word "moraino," and it's pronounced mo-RAH-ee-no...and obviously, it's where we get the word "moron."

Hehe...God called us morons, I thought.

And then I saw the other meaning of the word: to make flat and tasteless, of salt that has lost its strength and flavor.

OUCH. Can you feel that? The sword that is God's word cutting deep into your heart? I know I did.

This verse then BROKE OPEN for me, and it looked something like this:
They know Me, and they say they love Me,but they don't treat Me like they love Me,putting Me in my rightful place,and they certainly aren't grateful for all they've been given. No.Instead, their thoughts are clouded by a bunch of nonsense and are darkened.They have ceased being salt and light.They claim my wisdom, but they act no different than the people around them:hopeless, worrisome, grumbling, and lost.They have stopped seeing me, and instead,see only the idols they've set up for themselves:physical beauty, success, earthly comforts, and self-loathing.
And in that, I see me...or the me that HAS been. I am convicted, but also, set free!! I see how God has been working to change my perspective and I am so incredibly grateful.

There were certain areas of my life I had raised up as idols and certain areas I had just laid down in defeat.

But let me ask you something: can you physically lie down and walk at the same time? 

No. Not possible.

You cannot walk in the victory of Christ and lie down in defeat at the same time. It's just not possible.

How do you see yourself? Are you claiming the identity of a child of the living God, but also consider yourself:
  • just a person with no self-control?
  • just an alcoholic?
  • just a worrywart?
  • just an addict?
  • just a failure?
You are "just" lying to yourself. You are "just" keeping yourself in chains that Jesus has already unlatched, and you're holding onto them for dear life.

And what does that say to the people around you? Do your words and actions reflect a close walk with Christ or your acceptance of defeat.

It cannot reflect both.

I'm not saying you need to be fake. I'm not saying you won't go through things, HARD things. But might I suggest, if you're constantly stuck in a place of defeat, you've chosen the wrong perspective. 

Like artists before the renaissance, we paint the pictures of our lives with skewed inaccurate perspectives, as though our lives are not enlightened by the light of Christ at all.

Instead of placing ourselves at the feet of God, and seeing only Him - His goodness, love, kindness, grace, mercy, and wisdom - we've placed ourselves on the throne, and we're looking only at the obstacles, discomforts, successes, and failures.

And if that's the case, if that's they place we're operating from, we're no different. We're saved, yes, but our lives are no different. They have no light, and our salt has lost its flavor...and we sit around wondering why the world is falling apart.

The world is no different because WE are no different.

But that's not what I'm claiming today for us, friends. NO.

Because we ARE children of the living God, and we DO have victory through Christ the Son, and we DO have the power of the Holy Spirit living inside of us.

And therefore, according to the riches of God's great love and mercy, I declare we will be empowered, not through ourselves, but through the Spirit of God that lives in us. I declare that we who love Christ would place Him on the throne of our hearts, and we would grow our strength in Him. (Ephesians 3:16-17, highly paraphrased).

I pray we choose a godly perspective in that, we trade being our own gods for seeing ourselves and our circumstances through the eyes of the One true God.

Because perspective is truly everything.


*https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perspective