Am I Treating God Like a Jack-in-a-Box?

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character, expectations, Fasting, God didn't keep His end of the bargain, God didn't meet my expectations, God's character, managing expectations, prayer, trust, worship

The other day I heard a testimony that hit me to my core.

The visiting pastor at a church where I was also visiting explained how he is sometimes guilty of treating God like a Jack-in-a-Box.

Whoa.

That hit me right between the eyes.

He went on with his sermon, but I stayed right in that moment, right in the question of… “Do I treat God like a Jack-in-a-Box?”

Well, it really wasn’t a question. It was a knowing. I knew immediately that I often do treat God like a Jack-in-a Box.

I pack Him around and set Him in a situation. I wind the handle. Meaning, I pray. I quote Scripture to prove to Him I’m right. I pray some more…and some more…and sometimes a little more, but God doesn’t pop out when I think He should …and I get mad.

So, I change tactics. I try harder. I pray some more. I may even add fasting. I quote Him more Scripture. I use my essential oils. I check every box I can think of…winding, winding, and winding … waiting for God to pop out. Waiting for God to keep His end of a bargain I assume we had made.

The more I wind, the more frustrated I become. The more frantic I grow into being.

The more I wind, the more I expect God to pop out at my request.

The more I wind, the more uptight I become.

1 Kings 18:21-29 describes an amazing account where Elijah has a showdown with Baal worshippers. It’s really worth reading, but what I want you to see now is how the Baal worshippers tried to get Baal’s attention. Here’s what the book of Kings says, “So they took the bull that he gave them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound; no one answered. Then they danced, hobbling around the altar they had made. At noon Elijah mocked them. He said, “Shout loudly, for he’s a god! Maybe he’s thinking it over; maybe he has wandered away; or maybe he’s on the road. Perhaps he’s sleeping and will wake up!” They shouted loudly, and cut themselves with knives and spears, according to their custom, until blood gushed over them. All afternoon they kept on raving until the offering of the evening sacrifice…”

I think this is what I must look like when I am winding the handle on my Jack-in-a Box god. I think I’m right, so I assume I will be able to prove it. I don’t actually cut myself, not on the outside anyway. But, on the inside? On the inside, I torture myself with what-ifs.

What if I had prayed more specifically for my kids as they were growing up? Are the choices they are making now my fault?

What if I had given 5 days a week to church work and not four, would I still have been the subject of gossip?

What if I had tried harder, accomplished more, dug a little deeper… would God have popped up as I expected?

This is what happens when I treat the God of the universe like a Jack-in–a–Box.

I go, go, go instead of being still and knowing that He is God. (Psalm 46:10)

I wind the handle and wind the handle and wind the handle as tears flow wondering how long I can keep this up.

Sounds like I’ve been worshipping an expectation instead of a Savior.

Sounds like I’ve been worshipping a box and not God.

Sounds like I need to breathe and stop winding the handle on the Jack-in-a Box…now.

So…where do I go from here?

How do I stop the obsession with the handle on that stupid contraption that has no place in my life?

First off, I set the box down and remember who God is… who He really is.

Psalm 18 says, “I love You, LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my mountain where I seek refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold… “

Secondly, I quit picking verses out of the Scriptures to suit my own agenda. I read until God places the Word He has for me deep in my soul.

Jeremiah 15:16 says, “Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words became a delight to me and the joy of my heart, for I am called by Your name, Yahweh God of Hosts.”

Third, I quit praying just to get needs met and instead pray simply to be close to Jesus. I pray in order to stay in close connection with my Best Friend. I remember it’s about relationship.

 Fourth, I fast only when I get a direct call from God to do so and not just for financial gain.

I choose to worship instead of wind the box.

I choose to leave the handle alone.

I choose the connection of the Vine (John 15) over the expectation of the pop up.

I’m taking my Jack-in-a Box to Goodwill and leaving it there.

Our God deserves to be worshipped for Who He is and not what we think He should be doing.

Our God deserves complete trust and faith in His plan and the timing of it.

Our God deserves to be adored and loved not accused of not keeping the end of a bargain He never made.

God is not a Jack-in-a Box who comes and goes at the whim of our attentions.

God is God.

He is faithful.

He is true.

He is perfect.

He is love.

He is Savior.

He is Lord.

Let’s worship Him and throw the Jack-in-a-Box in the trash where it belongs.

*image by depositphotos

http://www.seekinghearts.org www.seekinghearts.org

The Mysteries of Christmas

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Christmas, Christmas mysteries, encouragement, mysteries, mystery, ponderings at christmas, questions at christmas, questions of christ

There are so many mysteries surrounding the birth of Christ and oftentimes I simply gloss over them. To sit and examine them seems overwhelming, so I thank Jesus for His birth… and move along with my day.

This year though, I have found myself delving into the wonder of Christ’s birth more. I have allowed myself to plunge into the questions of who, what, how, and why. Scriptures from Philippians, Deuteronomy, Hebrews, and of course, John have jumped out at me over the last few months and shown me a touch of what Christ gave up to become humankind’s sacrifice for sin.

When I think of Jesus’ sacrifice, I usually think of the Cross and Easter, but I am finding that becoming a baby must have been just as hard… if not harder. The trust it took to be that vulnerable? I can’t even imagine.

You and I have no choice about how we enter this world, but our Savior, Jesus, was not just already mature, He was eternal.

He had always been.

He was infinite.

He was all-powerful and well, who knows what else? He’s God! Yet, He placed Himself in His Father’s hands and said, “Your will, not mine be done.” He had known God the Father for all eternity and fully trusted Him. This would have been the perfect time for the Father to kill off the Son if there was any jealousy, or strife in the Godhead, but Jesus had been with the Father for all time and fully trusted Him. Jesus knew the mind and heart of the Father. He knew there was no darkness, or dark shadow in Him (I John 1:5).Our triune Godhead loves with no envy, or strife, and Jesus knew this with every fiber of His being. He trusted with every fiber, holding nothing back. He knew the Father and Spirit would cover Him, protect Him, and help Him reach His designated path.

No worries, only trust.

Hebrews 10:5-7 says, “Therefore, when He [Jesus] comes into the world, He says, ‘Sacrifice and offering Thou hast not desired, but a body Thou hast prepared for Me’; …Then I [Jesus] said, ‘Behold, I have come (In the roll of the book it is written of Me) to do Thy will, O God.’”

Jesus knew from the beginning of time that a body had been prepared for Him to come to this earth for us. He trusted the Godhead enough to be completely sold out to the solution and was willing to endure the extreme vulnerability that would be required of Him. I too often take for granted the miracle of birth, but Jesus intimately knew the complications that could occur. He knew everything, yet still agreed to do the will of the Father.

He trusted Him completely.

The choice of mother, the choice of father, the choice of living conditions, everything was placed in the Father’s hands.

I do wonder if Jesus helped pick Mary to give birth to Him, or did He leave all of the decisions up to the Father? I think He at least realized as she was growing up that this was it, the time had come.

What did He think of Joseph, the man who would be His earthly Father? Did He watch Joseph play as a boy more intensely than He watched other Hebrew boys? Did He smile when Mary first heard Joseph’s name? When the betrothal was formalized was Jesus excited to see the first step in His “parents” life together?

I also wonder if being fully God and fully man, did Jesus know the reality of the womb? Did He want the “full experience” and give up His omniscient side during this uterine experience? Was the baby Christ fully aware even at this time of His humanity? When the birth took place did He remember that He had created this world that He had just entered?

Oh, the mysteries of Christmas!

When Jesus was a child in the synagogue, did He have to work at memorizing the holy canon like other children, or was He a genius who knew everything by heart? After all, He helped write it.

When He was read the words of Deuteronomy 31:8, ‘And the LORD is the One who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear, or be dismayed,’ did He jump up with joy and yell out that He knew this to be true, or did He sit quietly knowing His Father was proving this daily in His own little life?

Oh, the mysteries of Christmas!

Then, we must look at the other side of things. What was it like in heaven with Jesus gone? It had never happened before. Was He missed? Were all of the angels with Him on earth? Were they taking shifts, or volunteering for overtime to be with Him?

The Godhead itself… were the Spirit and Father lonely at times? They were ever-present with Jesus, but not in the same way. Yes, Jesus was fully God, but He was fully present on earth as well. I don’t believe we will fully understand even a fraction of the sacrifice they all made until we are in heaven. To be totally one for all of time and then… suddenly… not to be…the mysteries of Christmas are almost overwhelming at times.

I wonder… when Jesus was full of the Spirit in Luke 4, did He feel almost “normal”? Was the intensity of not being one with the Father still as strong?

As Jesus later in His life would go to a “lonely place” to pray was the communication frustrating, or refreshing?

Did He just want His stint on earth to be over, or was He relishing every moment?

The Word shows us that He grew frustrated with humanity at times, yet still never said that we were not worth it.

What a mystery!

So, this Christmas as you go about your busy days, stop and contemplate some of the mysteries of Christmas. Contemplate how our GOD came down in the form of a human. Think about how He was one of us. Remember He had the same vulnerabilities, the same defenselessness, and the same struggles… and still chose to go through it for us.

He chose to trust all of Himself into the hands of the Father. He knew He would be taken care of. He knew He would be safe in His arms. He knew His Father’s will was worth any struggle.

He trusted fully.

Oh, what a mystery!

Is God Just My Spotter?

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am I living in Christ, christain walk, encouragement, getting stronger, how to live in Christ, how to live in God's strength, living in christs strength, spotters, truly living in Christ's strength, weightlifting or surrender

If you’ve been around me at all, you probably know I’ve been reading a lot of Andrew Murray’s books. The one I’m currently studying is called Absolute Surrender and I highly recommend it.

As I was reading along a few months ago, Mr. Murray took us to Galatians 3:1-3. It says, “You foolish Galatians! Who has hypnotized you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was vividly portrayed as crucified? I only want to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now going to be made complete by the flesh?”

Part of verse three says, “…after beginning with the Spirit, are you now going to be made complete (KJV says “perfect”) by the flesh?”

That really hit me.

Did I receive Christ by the Spirit? Yes.

Am I receiving and acting on that power today? That’s where things get iffy.

Am I depending on Christ’s Spirit in me, or am I depending on my own self will and determination to live the Christian life?

Am I white knuckling the Word, or resting in the completion that Christ has gifted in me?

Again… all of those questions are answered “yes”, or “no” depending on the day.

His Spirit is in us for a purpose and yet I find myself thinking I have to figure out how to get all these “good works” accomplished that He has called me to fulfill. Christ is in me to achieve all He has called me to do, not so He can simply whisper where I’m supposed to go and leave me to it, but also to empower me every step of the way.

I Thessalonians 5:24 says, “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.”

This verse reminds us that not only does God call us to good works, He is the One who accomplishes it in us.

I just found this verse in Proverbs10:22, and I got so excited. Listen to what it says: “The LORD’s blessing enriches, and struggle adds nothing to it.”

I’ve deceived myself into believing that I’m supposed to work out my completion in Christ. I’m supposed to struggle. Each day, I’ve taken Jesus by the hand and powered on in my own ability. Sometimes dragging Him along instead of submitting to His lead.

I’m discovering though that I will never be able to grow in Christ. Only His Spirit can accomplish that in me. My flesh, my will, my determination is not what makes me a mature Christian. Only my absolute dependence on Christ makes me complete.

Look at all the times we have failed Christ when our intentions were good. Look at all the times we made new commitments, renewed vows, or even woke up thinking “Today, I am going to do this, or not do that,  like yesterday”, but lunchtime arrives, and we look at the day and wonder, “What happened? I was so determined to make it work this time.”

I’ll tell you what happened. We tried to do it in our own strength. Philippians 4:13 says, “I am able to do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” We forget this verse is describing Christ’s strength in us.

It’s not describing walking along the path of our Christian life in our own strength and when we need help, Christ giving us a boost. Philippians 4:13 is reminding us that in order to do anything, it’s about Christ’s strength, not just using Him as our spotter.

Are you familiar with who a spotter is? This isn’t something that’s usually in my scope of everyday life, but my oldest is into weightlifting, so I’m learning.

Wikipedia describes the action of spotting in this way, “Spotting in weight or resistance training, is the act of supporting another person during a particular exercise, with an emphasis on allowing the participant to lift or push more than they could normally do safely.”

How often have we treated the Holy Spirit as a spotter when He simply wants us to be the weights in His arms. Picture that…we are the weights, not the weightlifter. That’s a huge difference.

It’s His job to lift us to heights we never realized were possible.

It’s by His strength we are able to join with others in tasks we never imagined.

It’s by His power we can do all things because as a weight in His hand, we are relying on His force, His strength, not ours.

That’s when verses like Psalm 112:7 are possible. It says, “He will not fear bad news; his heart is confident, trusting in the LORD.”

I’ve actually memorized this verse and tried to will myself into the completion of it in my life. In the past, I start to imagine a bad scenario that may, or may not happen soon. I remember this verse and will myself not to fear. That works for a while, but what I’m finding is that I need to go a step further.

When I’m simply a weight in the arms of God, I rest in His strength. I tell Him I can’t accomplish this verse without His muscle, and He lifts me by His strength into the empowerment of this verse.

Then, I really and truly do not fear bad news because I’m living in His strength. He will pack me where I need to go. He will lift me to where I need to be and because I am in absolute surrender to a faithful, trustworthy God, His strength becomes my reality.

“O, foolish Galatians…”

“O, foolish Christians…”

“O, foolish Melissa…”

Our Lord never intended for us to complete our lives on this earth in the power of the flesh. Our God has given us everything we need to live our Christian faith and it’s not by willpower, it’s by His strength alone. Simply and totally Him.

Isaiah 40:28-31 says, “Do you not know? Have you not heard? Yahweh is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never grows faint or weary; there is no limit to His understanding. He gives strength to the weary and strengthens the powerless.
Youths may faint and grow weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who trust in the LORD will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.”

That’s His desire for you. Rest in His arms today and let Him lift you higher than you ever thought possible.

*image by fitness19.com

Seeking Hearts Ministries

Fruit in the Lowlands

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bearing fruit, being in the valley, Christian growth, christian journey, christian walk, encouragement, encouraging word, encouraging words to get you going, fruit, growth, mountain versus valley, quick encouragment

The other day my husband and I were discussing the Biblical account of Zacchaeus. You remember, he’s the “wee, little man” who climbed up in the sycamore tree to see Jesus in Luke 19.

As we were talking, he told me about a discovery that he had made recently. He said the name “sycamore” actually meant “rebirth”. So, when Zacchaeus chose to climb that sycamore tree, he was choosing to be in a place where rebirth could occur.

In those first steps to find Jesus, he was trying to draw nigh to God. We know from James 4:8 that when we draw nigh to God, He will draw nigh to us. He just can’t help Himself. It’s who He is.

This discussion led me to look up every time the word sycamore was used in the Bible.

Take a guess. How many times do you think sycamore occurs in the Bible?

There are eight occurrences in the Bible regarding sycamore trees. Almost every single occurence refers to where they were grown. They were grown in the land of Judah in a place called Shephelah. It just so happens that Shephelah is in the lowlands. It’s actually the term used for the whole region of the lowlands.

Take a minute to read First Kings 10:27. It says, “The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar as abundant as sycamore in the Judean foothills.”

Other references in First Chronicles 27:28, Second Chronicles 1:15, and Second Chronicles 9:27 also talk about where sycamores grew.

The fact that sycamores are grown in the lowlands reminded me that rebirth can only happen when we humble ourselves, when we are willing to seek God’s face in meekness and when we are willing be in the lowlands.

I think Christians and non-Christians alike don’t enjoy being in the lowlands of life. We all enjoy riding high on life. The lowlands? No, thank you. We are fine on the mountain. When we do have a lowland experience, we want to run through it quickly, but we want to meander as slowly as possible when we’re on the mountain. At least, that’s how I am.

In studying the geography of the lowlands, I found this: “the Shephelah was a zone of low, rolling foothills separating the high, rugged hill country of Judah from the flat, open coastal plain. The heavy runoff from the western slopes of the hill country flows into a series of six broad, shallow valleys furrowed into the soft limestone of the Shephelah, each of which is a focal point of rich, agricultural life. Historically, the Shephelah as a whole, and its six valleys in particular, has been a buffer zone between the hill country and the coast…” The Rose Then and Now Bible Map goes on to say that people in the Shephelah were more rural and conservative than on either side, but “the Shephelah, a true land between was desired by both.”

Even though the Shephelah was in the lowlands, it was desired because of the agriculture, because of the fruit it was capable of bearing. I pray that is how we begin to look at our lowlands, as places of rich fruit.

The mountains are beautiful yes, but its climate is not conducive to growing much of anything. Have you ever seen huge fields of wheat, or a massive grove of fruit trees growing on the side of a mountain? Not usually. But, in the lowlands of the Shephelah there is rich agriculture. Everyone wanted the Shephelah region due to the yield that it could produce.

We should desire our lowlands as well knowing that in those places God can till and tend and grow fruit that we never dreamed possible.

John 15:8 says, “My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples.”

Since fruit is in the lowlands, that’s where we want to be, isn’t it?

When we understand the ministry of the lowlands, we find that they are places of replenishment, of rekindling and a place to develop a deeper level of trust in the Lord. The lowlands can be tough, but they are places of rebirth where everything has the possibility of change. The lowlands provide a feeding of our soul that otherwise would be missed if we were only on the mountains. Refinement requires being at peace in the lowlands.

An amazing example of fruit in the lowlands are the early Christians in the book of Acts. The book of Acts doesn’t have to say the word fruit for it to be obvious that a massive harvest was being produced. The Christians in the book of Acts were definitely in the lowlands physically speaking. They were being ridiculed, thrown in jail, beaten, and even killed for the cause of Christ, but the fruit they bore was remarkable. In fact, their lowland experience is still bearing fruit today. They took advantage of their time in the lowlands. They trusted God for the fruit.

Psalm 25:10 says, “All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth to those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.”

Let’s be thankful for every path that He leads us to. Let’s not run through our lowlands as quickly as possible, but absorb every moment, every lesson, and every opportunity to bear fruit. Before you know it, we will be headed to the mountain once again with a bag full of fruit, shallowness of soul gone forever and a richer trust in the Lord than we ever thought possible.

Ask yourself, “Am I in a lowland experience right now?”

If you are, are you thankful?

Why, or why not?

What changes can I make to bear more fruit in my lowland experiences?

Refinement requires being thankful for all the lessons God has for us, even if it means we are in the lowlands.

** Image by ExploreTraveler

A New Perspective

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an encouraging word, being on our knees, christian journey, encouragement, fruit, fruitfulness in the christian life, gaining the right perspective, growth, how to have fruit

Several years ago, my family found a wild blackberry patch growing in the field behind our home. My youngest son and I would go out about every third day and pick all the blackberries that we can find. It was so fun to pick these amazing berries right in our back yard.

One morning as we were out picking, I happened to drop one. I bent to pick it up and ended up on my knees. I looked up and lo and behold there were more beautiful, ripe blackberries in spots I never dreamed. I was amazed that I hadn’t seen them before. If I had still been standing, I would have never realized that they were there. I recognized in that moment that I just needed the right perspective to see all the fruit. I needed to be on my knees, looking up.

Over the years, verses like Matthew 12:33 and John 15:5 and 8 have frustrated me. They say things like, “He who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit.” “By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” “…for the tree is known by its fruits.” Frustrating stuff because I know I’m a disciple of Christ. I think I’m abiding. I think I want God to receive glory, but where’s the fruit?

As I was kneeling on the ground that morning, I realized the fruit is there. When I am abiding in Christ, when His Spirit has invaded every part of me at my request, and when I am seeking His face with every fiber of my being, the fruit is there. I just need the right perspective.

The right perspective is not getting distracted with the overgrowth, the thorns, or what fruit is in someone else’s bowl. The right perspective is acquired when I am on my knees, looking up at my Savior. Then, I am able to see the fruit that He has allowed in my life.

Second Thessalonians 3:13 says, “But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.”

When we don’t readily see the fruit in a situation, we can grow weary. Our tasks become harder when we don’t see results. By having the right perspective though, we are in a position to better see His fruit in our life. When we are on our knees looking to Him, the thorns aren’t so tangled and the nettles aren’t invading our senses quite so much. We can actually see the fruit and be encouraged.

Let’s look up and ask God to show us the fruit that He has allowed to grow in our lives.

Has that teenager in your life decided that they won’t immediately leave when you enter the room?

Will the neighbors let you pray for them now?

Has your spouse decided to give your marriage one more try?

Has your youngest quit complaining about going to church?

There is fruit. We just need to kneel down to see it.

I also love to think about when we get to our heavenly home, we will have the best perspective of all. As we are on our knees before our Father, I have no doubt that He will pull away the branches, the thorns and the weeds that were as big as we were in this life, lift our precious faces and say, “Look at all this fruit, sweet one. Look what you allowed Me to grow in your life.”

As we look up with His gentle prodding, I believe our jaws will drop. I believe our faces will light up, and we will be amazed at all the fruit that grew in our lives without our even realizing it.

We will be assured that every task was worth it. Every opportunity did bear fruit. We just needed the right perspective. We needed His.

*image by fruitgrowersnews.com

Seeking Hearts Ministries

 

Being a Fast Paced Christian

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christian journey, christian walk, encouragement, encouraging others, fast paced, how to love, love big, loving one another, loving people, quick encouraging words, running the christian life, running the race set befroe us, slow plodding

Psalm 119:32 in Young’s Literal Translation says, “The way of Thy commands I run, For Thou dost enlarge my heart!”

So many times when I imagine my Christian life, I picture a slow plodding, a testing of each step to make sure there are no land mines and honestly, a rather slow experience overall. The psalmist in this passage? He describes a Christian life that is filled with running. He is so sure of God’s commands that he is able to run forward because he is sure of the steps that God has before him.

Are we able to run as well?

We are. When we know God’s commands, we are able to not just meander along, but run. We can move faster than we imagined because we can be sure of our steps. We don’t have to second guess everything because our path is clear before us.

So, what are some of our Lord’s commands?

Jesus Himself said that the greatest command is to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength (Matthew 22). So, we can run in that experience with Him. There is no need to be shy in His presence, or to avoid Him. He has called us to love Him and He has made a way in our hearts for that to happen, so we can run into His arms with complete abandon knowing that loving Him with unrestraint is His command.

Another sure command of the Lord is to love our neighbors as ourselves. In fact, Jesus calls this the second greatest commandment (Matthew 22). So, we know that this is another path in which we can run.

We can run towards telling our neighbors about Jesus, because we know that we would want to be told about Jesus. We can run towards forgiveness because we know we want to be forgiven. We can run to help someone who needs encouragement because we know we want encouragement. We can run to our knees for a request for a friend because we know we cherish the prayers of others.

You see? Running is easy when we are running in His commands.

I love the second part of Psalm 119:32. It tells me that when I run in His commands, my heart enlarges. My love can’t help but grow. Maybe I don’t feel like encouraging anyone today, but I know I need encouragement. Instead of waiting and sulking for someone to encourage me, I run in His commands by loving someone as I want to be loved (in this case, a simple word of encouragement) and He enlarges my heart. I end up feeling encouraged myself because He is always faithful to enlarge my heart when I am running in His commands.

I can’t help but think of The Grinch and how “his heart grew three sizes that day.” Maybe that’s why we all love that part of the movie so much (the 1966 version!). Our spirit knows that’s what God does for us when we run in His commands. He enlarges our hearts. He puts a goofy grin on our face and we are able to serve others in genuine love.The truth is, when we are faithful to run in our Lord’s commands, He fulfills His part of the bargain. He empowers us to do things we wouldn’t normally do. He lifts our spirits in ways we can’t imagine. He enlarges out hearts to love as we could never love before, even more than Mr. Grinch.

So, let’s lay down the idea of a quiet, slow Christian life and start running in His commands. Let’s stop looking for land mines and take Him at His Word that He will enlarge our hearts to love our neighbors as ourselves. Let’s stop limping around injured and afraid and run into arms wide open for discovery.

Let’s pick up the pace and run!

My Story    Seeking Heart Ministries

Forgiveness in the Holidays – Part 2

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forgiveness, freedom, getting true piece, how can I forgive that, how can I get past the hurt, how to be free of unforgiveness, how to forgive, how to have peace, love, true peace, trusting God

This week’s blog is part 2 on the subject of forgiving and how to come to a place of forgiveness. If you missed part 1, be sure to click the following link (Part 1) because we are jumping off the deep end into point number three today.

Step Three in how to get to a place of forgiveness is that you know God is going to get ‘em. (I warned you we were jumping off the deep end.)

This is something that we all feel funny thinking, but you need to know that forgiveness is not about letting people off the hook. Forgiveness is actually placing people who have wronged you into the hands of a mighty, powerful God who is in love with you and wants the best for you. He’s a little prejudice when it comes to you and that’s who you want taking care of your situation!

Here are a few examples of what God says about people who have tried to harm you:

Deuteronomy 32:35, “Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay. In time their foot will slip, for their day of disaster is near, and their doom is coming quickly.”

Vengeance means – “infliction of punishment in return for a wrong; retribution.” So,God is not saying people haven’t harmed you. He is just telling us that He will take care of the punishment. You can be free and go on living your life while He remembers the wrong and pursues justice for you.

Psalm 18:47-49 says, “God—He gives me vengeance and subdues peoples under me. He frees me from my enemies. You exalt me above my adversaries; You rescue me from violent men. Therefore I will praise You, Yahweh, among the nations; I will sing about Your name.”

So, again we see that He frees us and allows us to praise Him daily while He is handling those who have wronged us.

Just a quick side note here – Does God expect us to keep our mouths shut and not be able to be heard?

This has almost killed me in some of the circumstances we have been in lately…knowing that God wanted me to be quiet and not “speak my mind”… not because He didn’t want me to be heard, but in order to protect me in ways I didn’t understand at the time. The really awesome thing though is we can ALWAYS pour our heart out to Him even when He is telling us not to “speak our mind”. He is always with us wanting us to tell Him how we feel and what we are struggling with. There is such an amazing release when we lay it all out before Him. Psalm 62:8 says, “Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge.” The God of the universe is saying, “I want to hear from you.”

Several months ago I was in my car travelling replaying a situation over and over again in my mind. Instead of a release, I just kept getting madder and madder and madder. It finally dawned on me that I needed to talk to God and not just myself, so I poured it before Him. Instead of replaying it to myself, I spoke it out loud to Him. It was an incredible experience! You wouldn’t think it would help that much, but it does. So, I encourage you to verbally release it all to Him. Tell Him how mad you are and what people have done to you. Name names! It really does help.

Here is a great example in Scripture where David is pouring his heart out to God: “LORD, God of vengeance— God of vengeance, appear.
Rise up, Judge of the earth; repay the proud what they deserve.
LORD, how long will the wicked— how long will the wicked gloat?
They pour out arrogant words; all the evildoers boast.
LORD, they crush Your people; they afflict Your heritage.
They kill the widow and the foreigner and murder the fatherless. They say, “The LORD doesn’t see it. The God of Jacob doesn’t pay attention.”
Pay attention, you stupid people! Fools, when will you be wise?
Can the One who shaped the ear not hear, the One who formed the eye not see?
The One who instructs nations, the One who teaches man knowledge— does He not discipline?
The LORD knows man’s thoughts; they are meaningless. LORD, happy is the man You discipline and teach from Your law
to give him relief from troubled times until a pit is dug for the wicked.
The LORD will not forsake His people or abandon His heritage,
for justice will again be righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it.
Who stands up for me against the wicked? Who takes a stand for me against evildoers? If the LORD had not been my helper, I would soon rest in the silence ⌊of death⌋.
If I say, “My foot is slipping,” Your faithful love will support me, LORD.
When I am filled with cares, Your comfort brings me joy.” – Psalm 94:1-19

David was genuine in his feelings and in his thoughts, and we know from Scripture that God calls him a man after His own heart. We can know from the example of David that not only is it just acceptable to pour out our hearts to God, but He wants that intensity with us. He wants that honesty.

David was also truthful about the fact that his foot was starting to slip in this matter. I take that to mean his mouth was getting the better of him, or his thoughts were running away from him, but he knew that His God was there supporting him with His faithful love and was not only helping David get through the situation, but was also in the process of taking care of the ones who had hurt him.

Okay, so I hope you see that God does want you to be heard. He just wants to be the One doing the listening.

So, back off the rabbit trail and back on to point three which reminds us that God will get those who try to harm us.

Psalm 94:20-23 says, “Can a corrupt throne— one that creates trouble by law— become Your ally? They band together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. But the LORD is my refuge; my God is the rock of my protection. He will pay them back for their sins and destroy them for their evil. The LORD our God will destroy them.”

Do I know why God doesn’t punish those who have wronged us when we think they should be punished? No, but I do know that our God is worthy of our trust. We can trust His timing because we know He loves us. The Bible assures us that His thoughts are so much higher than our thoughts and His ways are so much better than our ways (Isaiah 55:9), so we know that His timing and His ways are best because He sees the whole picture.

When you think you have to take care of things yourself, that God doesn’t care, or doesn’t see what’s happening in your life, when the devil has made you forget how much your God woos you like we discussed in Session One of God’s Love (YouTube Session), this is your verse to hang on to:

Isaiah 35:4- “Say to them that are of a fearful heart [that’s why we run out and get into trouble a lot of times…because we’re fearful ; we’re afraid that God isn’t seeing what people are doing to us and saying about us], Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; he will come and save you.”

Isaiah 35:5-6 says, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing; for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.”

Sometimes, unforgiveness makes us so hard hearted that we simply can’t see anything around us but how we were wronged. We can’t hear anything but what they said to us. We can’t think about anything but what we should have said back, or what we will do the next time we have to see them, but forgiveness…leaving the situation in God’s capable hands… opens our eyes and allows us to hear. Isaiah 35 says that we will be able to sing and be refreshed. Forgiving people allows the Spirit to pour Living water over our dry, parched places.

 I’m not saying that God doesn’t use the court system, or other people to right a wrong, but I am saying that it’s up to Him, not us, and not the way we can manipulate things.

Forgiveness is not about letting someone off the hook, it’s about being free.

We are not stupid when we forgive. We are super smart because we are allowing the God of the universe to handle things for us. It’s like He steps in front of us and says, “I’ve got this.”

Micah 7:7 says, “But I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.”

Step Four to forgiveness is knowing that your relationship with God is worth more than whatever you have to forgive. Our beautiful Savior who covers you with His wings every day and night is worth anything.

Psalm 18:16-20 says, “He reached down from heaven and took hold of me; He pulled me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my distress, but the LORD was my support. He brought me out to a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me. The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; He repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands.”

Being clean before the Lord is so much better than hanging on to any un-forgiveness. Keeping our Robe of righteousness on (which is Jesus Himself) is so much better than remembering wrongs that seem to be forgotten by everyone but you. Nothing is worth harming our walk with God.

Step Five to forgiveness is trusting our God to be the Judge.

Psalm 75:2 says, “‘When I choose a time, I will judge fairly.’”

Lamentations 3:59-62 says, “LORD, You see the wrong done to me; judge my case. You see all their malice, all their plots against me. LORD, You hear their insults, all their plots against me. The slander and murmuring of my opponents attack me all day long.”

Be assured Your God sees and hears everything! You can rest in His judgment because He already knows all the testimony and all the facts. You don’t have to worry about being heard. He hears you. He wants you to pour your heart out, but not because He doesn’t know what’s going on, it’s because of His love for you. Song of Solomon 2:14 says, “My dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the crevices of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.”

That’s why God wants to hear from you. He just loves the sound of your voice.

Do not think that your God does not know what happened to you. Do not listen to that voice in your head that says God will not repay the person that hurt you. Do not believe that you have to be the one to repay, or punish, but do remember that it is in His hands, in His time and needs to be in His way so that you can be free.

Forgiveness is not about being tricked into letting someone off the hook. It’s about being free.

So, as you are surrounded by people this Holiday Season that you can usually avoid remember that forgiveness is about being free. Forgiveness can only come through the Holy Spirit and He wants us to forgive not to let people off the hook, but to rely on Him and trust Him completely with the outcome knowing that we are loved more than we ever realized. Enjoy this Season knowing that even though forgiveness is not easy it’s always worth it.

Seeking Hearts Ministries

My Story

Image by US Health News

Forgiveness in the Holidays – Part 1

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christian journey, dealing with hurts, encouragement, forgiveness, how do i forgive, how to deal with family, how to deal with hurts, how to forgive, struggles in the holiday season, the reward of forgiving, tough holiday issues, what am i supposed to forgive

As we are all in the middle of this Holiday Season, some of us are having the time of our lives being with family we don’t see as often, neighbors we seldom find at home and friends whom we love dearly, but schedules often don’t match.

Others of us are quite stressed dealing with family, friends and neighbors. We can avoid them during the year, but not at Christmas. Old wounds pop up and the stress mounts. So, as weird as the timing may seem, I feel led to share how God has helped me to deal with unforgiveness in my life.

I want to be very honest and tell you that forgiveness is something that does not come easily for me and I am lots better at forgiving things that have happened to me personally than things that have happened to my husband, or especially to my boys.

Oftentimes, what I struggle with is not the act of forgiving as much as what does forgiveness look like moving forward. I believe that forgiveness does not look the same in every situation. The process usually is, but not necessarily what it looks like afterwards.

For example, if you have been abused as a child, or as an adult, and through the power of the Holy Spirit you are able to release that situation into the hands of our Righteous Judge, know that forgiveness in that situation does not mean that you will stay with a person who abuses you.

If you are being hurt, forgiveness does not mean that you stay and keep getting hurt. If you are being wounded, forgiveness does not mean you stay in a situation that continues to bring you harm.

Forgiveness is being completely free of bitterness, anger and the hurt that was caused. Forgiveness is not about being unwise. It’s about being free.

Forgiveness is not trusting someone who you know will hurt your children just like they hurt you. That is not what God expects when He is calling us to forgive.

Another example of being called to forgive could be if someone lied about you and everyone in your neighborhood believes it. Sometimes, forgiveness requires living your life, doing what God has called you to do each and every day and allowing your character to speak for you. Not cussing people out, not being cruel when that person comes around, but simply being who God is calling you to be. God is calling us to be people of grace, love and mercy shining the light of Jesus. People will notice how you respond to a person who wrongs you. It may take a while, but God makes sure the truth comes out. Here are some great examples of what forgiveness may look like in this kind of situation:

Proverbs 25:21-22 says, “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.”

Proverbs 15:1 says, “A gentle answer turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath.”

So, you see? Forgiveness in one situation may look like getting away, but not allowing the hurt to come with you. Whereas in another situation, forgiveness may look like a person holding their tongue from what they really want to say while allowing God to show others who you are in Him.

Both situations can only be accomplished through the Lord and may seem impossible, but Jesus says in Matthew 19:26, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Jesus readily admitted that certain things were only possible with God and I believe forgiveness is one of them.

There are many other ways God may ask you to show forgiveness. These are just a couple of examples to help us understand that forgiveness may look different for every person reading this depending on what they are called to forgive.

So, how do we come to a place of forgiveness?

Can it be instantaneous?

Can it take a few months, or even a few years?

Simply put…yes. I have had all of the above.

The answer is that it will take as long as you and God need it to take.

Let me just say as well, that even when you have truly forgiven someone, things can still pop back up. A random thought, a word, a look, or even a Facebook message can trigger an issue you thought you had forgiven long ago. Don’t stuff it down. Know that God wants you to deal with it once again with Him. He never tires of helping us get through our struggles.

I think when Jesus told Peter to forgive 70×7, He knew that oftentimes the forgiveness needs to happen every time we remember the offense. Sometimes, people really do wrong us over and over and over when we can’t get out of a situation, but most of the time it’s our remembrance of the event that causes the need for multiple times of forgiveness. Our minds just keep replaying it and replaying it and replaying it and we are called to forgive every single time. Again, we can only do that through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Just so we are on the same wavelength let me tell you how the dictionary defines forgiveness: “To absolve from payment of (a debt, for example); to renounce anger or resentment against”.

Absolve means you do away with it; you cancel it. Do they owe you something? Absolutely, there is a debt involved, but you are choosing to cancel that debt so you are no longer tied to that situation in any way. As long as someone owes you something, you are still connected and tied to one another, but when you release that debt…no more strings…you are absolutely free.

The other part of that definition says, “…to renounce anger, or resentment — to give up, esp. by formal announcement; to reject.”

So, you are rejecting anger and resentment…that’s forgiveness.

Again the question: How do we get to a place of forgiveness? How do we get to the place of rejecting the anger and resentment?

1 – We have got to know that God loves us.

You see how it always comes back to that? That’s your foundation. (If you haven’t been able to see the YouTube session on God’s love, I highly recommend you do so. Knowing how much He loves us is the foundation of our trust in Him and knowing He can be trusted is how we are able to forgive. Here’s the link : God’s Love – Session 1)

Forgiveness is another layer of trusting God and we can’t trust God fully until we know how much He loves us.

Why is that so important?

God is sovereign. Whatever comes into our lives, passes through His hands(remember in John 10:27-29 Jesus says He will never let go of us so, everything must pass through His hands). Whether we view it as good, or bad, whatever He allows is to bring us closer to Him and closer to the people that He has created us to be.

How can you possibly trust the hands of someone you don’t believe loves you? How can you possibly believe that everything (good, or bad) that has passed through those hands is for your ultimate good, if you don’t know He loves you?

The first step to forgiving anyone is knowing God loves you enough to take care of you in any situation.

 2- Second step to forgiveness is focusing on God and not the situation.

You know He loves you and now you are going to stay focused on Him.

You are not looking around at what everyone has done to you. You are focused on Him.

I alluded to this passage a minute ago, but we are going to read it in its entirety now.

Matthew 18:21-33 says, “Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how many times could my brother sin against me and I forgive him? As many as seven times?’ ‘I tell you, not as many as seven,’ Jesus said to him, ‘but 70 times seven. For this reason, the kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began to settle accounts, one who owed 10,000 talents was brought before him. Since he had no way to pay it back, his master commanded that he, his wife, his children, and everything he had be sold to pay the debt. At this, the slave fell facedown before him and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything!’ Then the master of that slave had compassion, released him, and forgave him the loan. But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him 100 denarii. He grabbed him, started choking him, and said, ‘Pay what you owe!’ At this, his fellow slave fell down and began begging him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he wasn’t willing. On the contrary, he went and threw him into prison until he could pay what was owed. When the other slaves saw what had taken place, they were deeply distressed and went and reported to their master everything that had happened. Then, after he had summoned him, his master said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’”

This is an amazing illustration of Jesus reminding us to not focus on what people have done to us, but rather focus on how much we have been forgiven ourselves.

That’s so hard. I know it’s hard, but it’s a great way to be able to forgive people. We must remember that we had such a huge sin debt and our beautiful, merciful, Prince Charming of a God has forgiven every bit of it.

We will be too busy being thankful to worry about what someone has done to us because our focus is on Him.

Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep the mind ⌊that is⌋ dependent ⌊on You⌋ in perfect peace, for it is trusting in You.”

So, we can remain secure in our forgiveness of others by our minds being dependent on our God and remembering who He is and being focused on His love for us.

 Forgiveness is about what God did for us and not what someone did to us.

It’s not about comparing whose sin is bigger, it’s remembering to be thankful for how much God has forgiven us.

That’s where I’m going to cut off today’s blog, but know there are 3 more points on how to forgive coming in the next blog. When you are trying to forgive, I pray that you will be honest with God about the difficulty you are having and trust Him to give you the power to forgive every time you see the person, read a Facebook message, or remember the offense. Pour over the Scripture that He shows you from this blog and other resources knowing that He wants you to be free not just during this Holiday Season, but in the year to come as well.

Seeking Hearts Ministries

My Story

Image by US Health News

 

Getting Distracted in Prayer

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chasing monkeys while praying, disctractions in prayer, do you get distracted while praying, encouragement in prayer, how should i pray, how to be focused in prayer, prayer, prayer time, why do I get distracted in prayer

Ephesians 6:18 says, “Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.”

When I’ve read this verse in the past, I’ve assumed that the perseverance mentioned is referring to making intercession for the saints. What I’m realizing now, at least for me, is that perseverance is referring to staying alert during prayer.

I’ve always chased a few monkeys in prayer time, but lately it’s been ridiculous. I’m starting well, but then all of the sudden I’m thinking about writing, running, yesterday, tomorrow… you get the idea. I’ll startle back to the fact that I’m supposed to be in prayer and hunker down again only to realize a few minutes later my mind has headed in yet another direction.

As I began to think back to a time where I was more focused during prayer, I realized I needed to pray OUT LOUD. I guess I thought I was a “mature enough” Christian to be focused in silent praying, but I’m not.

I also realized that I need a list. I don’t mechanically go through my list every day, but if I’m struggling, it does help me to focus a little easier.

My list also helps me to remember to faithfully pray for family, church, and more. Otherwise, I can go several days without praying for things I truly meant to be in prayer about.

I heard John Ortberg say once that the monkeys that we often chase during prayer time can indicate what God wants us to pray for. I do stay aware of that and ask often whether that’s the case, but praying versus planning is totally different and I need some help praying. I seem to have the planning part down.

So, how am I choosing to stay alert during prayer?

I am definitely implementing praying out loud.

I’m sticking to a set time and I do have a list.

How are you choosing to stay alert in prayer?

If you have something that works for you, I would love to know. Sharing what works for each other is how we grow and I need some growth, people. Help a girl out. 😊

*image by cottonwood.org

Passing the Baton

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ambitions, an encouraging word, being gracious, dreams, encouragement, encouraging others, future focus, future thinking, giving and receiving, giving with grace, goals, hobbies, investing in the next generation, life skills, moving forward, next generation, passing the baton, passing the torch, teaching

First Chronicles 28:1-21 says, “David assembled all the leaders of Israel in Jerusalem: the leaders of the tribes, the leaders of the divisions in the king’s service, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of all the property and cattle of the king and his sons, along with the court officials, the fighting men, and all the brave warriors.
²  Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Listen to me, my brothers and my people. It was in my heart to build a house as a resting place for the ark of the LORD’s covenant and as a footstool for our God. I had made preparations to build,
³  but God said to me, ‘You are not to build a house for My name because you are a man of war and have shed blood.’
⁴  “Yet the LORD God of Israel chose me out of all my father’s household to be king over Israel forever. For He chose Judah as leader, and from the house of Judah, my father’s household, and from my father’s sons, He was pleased to make me king over all Israel.
⁵  And out of all my sons—for the LORD has given me many sons—He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the LORD’s kingdom over Israel.
⁶  He said to me, ‘Your son Solomon is the one who is to build My house and My courts, for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his father.
⁷  I will establish his kingdom forever if he perseveres in keeping My commands and My ordinances as ⌊he is⌋ today.’
⁸  “So now in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God, observe and follow all the commands of the LORD your God so that you may possess this good land and leave it as an inheritance to your descendants forever.
⁹  “As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands the intention of every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.
¹⁰  Realize now that the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong, and do it.”
¹¹  Then David gave his son Solomon the plans …
⌊David concluded,⌋ “By the LORD’s hand on me, He enabled me to understand everything in writing, all the details of the plan.”
²⁰  Then David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He won’t leave you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the LORD’s house is finished.
²¹  Here are the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of God’s house. Every willing man of any skill will be at your disposal for the work, and the leaders and all the people are at your every command.”

I love this passage so much. David was a very willing participant in passing the baton to the next generation. So many times the current generation hangs on to a position, ideas and even dreams without leaving the proper instructions for those coming after them. A vacuum of knowledge, wisdom and sacrifice is left instead of a thoughtful, and loving exchange of resources.

Think of the dreams God has placed in your heart. What are they?

Do you have dreams of writing?

Dreams of photography?

Dreams of scrapbooking?

Dreams of intercession?

Maybe you think of them as more of a goal, or priority? That’s good too.

Go grab a piece of paper and write them down.

(Having trouble? Spend the next few days asking God to reveal the dreams He has for you, then set a time to come back and fill in the space above. You have God-given dreams and goals and He wants to reveal them to you… just ask.)

Now, look at those goals and dreams you have written down.

How can you pass those intentions to the next generation?

Can you come alongside a fellow writer and mentor them? Attend conferences together? Ask to read their work and encourage them?

How about those dreams of photography? Can you teach a class, write an article, or mentor a younger version of yourself? You could take a group of people with a camera and go for a hike. You can make it fun and see if it sparks anyone’s interest.

Can you pass on the scrapbooks to a relative, or better yet, set a time to scrapbook with a friend, or family member talking about all the memories?

Can you meet up with a fellow intercessor for prayer each week? How about being on the lookout for a younger individual who can come alongside and pray with you?

There are so many opportunities to pass the baton, but this requires wisdom and being sure that your dream is worth sharing.

It is! Every dream is worth sharing with someone, but when we cling to “our” dream and leave scars on those around us who have tried to come near it, we lose the ability to pass it on to future generations.

Just to be clear, if you are ten years old you have someone in your life that can be ready and able to receive your baton. We are never too young to get into the habit of inspiring someone else.

In First Chronicles, King David willingly passed on all of the plans and resources for Solomon to build the Temple. Verse eleven tells us he gave Solomon his plans…wow.

It was originally David’s idea, but instead of David becoming bitter about not reaching his lofty goal, he actually worked harder trying to make the task as accessible as possible for the next generation. David did not hoard ideas, resources, or even honor.

He gave freely.

He passed the baton with grace.

Ask yourself, “What am I hoarding from the next generation?”

That’s hard, I know. Sometimes, we think we are “saving” things for future generations, but are we really? Is that secret recipe worth saving until your dead?

Identify two ideas, or resources that you are currently hoarding and list them on a piece of paper.

What steps can you take to change the hoarding into giving?

As we teach others how to reach their goals (even if we’ve not had the opportunity to finish reaching ours), we allow the baton to be passed.

We see the goal getting closer and closer to the desired end as the baton keeps going from person to person.

We see the beauty of life being a relay instead of a marathon.

We are then able to focus on the next baton that is being handed to us by another, or by God Himself, and move into the next area of refinement with arms stretched both ways… receiving the baton and giving the baton… in complete surrender to Him and in openness to those around us.

Seeking Hearts Ministries

*image by myfaithradio.com