Lord, be in me...

Lord, be in me today that thing that I am unable to be myself.

Be Still

"Our lives are like a canvas and God is the artist attempting to paint a perfect picture. Just imagine if while an artist was painting the canvas refused to be still and kept moving about trying to instruct the painter. The project would be a mess; and that is often what happens in our lives. Be still and know that I am God…" - Joyce Meyer


The Next Step:

• Read Psalm 46:10, New King James Version

Going Deeper:

• Read Living Courageously: You Can Face Anything, Just Do It Afraid by Joyce Meyer

The Mark of the Carpenter

Several years ago, we purchased a new home so that my parents, who were missionaries in Mexico, could come and live with us during their golden years. While we were thrilled with the house, as soon as we moved in we realized that we had a problem. We didn’t have nearly enough furniture! My husband, of course, didn't mind this one bit. However, I would prefer my guests have somewhere to sit when they visit!

So, off to the furniture stores we went, hand in hand, to face the vast world of cherry, mahogany, oak and pine. We started off with Ethan Allen dreams and ended up right on target. Oops! Did I say “on target”? I meant “in Target!" I don’t know if you’ve been furniture shopping lately, but let’s face it. Furniture is expensive, and unfortunately, I have Haverty’s taste with an Ikea budget! Nonetheless, on this particular day of furniture shopping, I decided to dream a little...

As we began to navigate our way through the sea of Mission, French Provincial, Old World, Modern and Traditional styles, I found that I just couldn’t decide. They were all beautiful. I tried to find any differences in quality: I looked at the type of wood, the dovetail joints, the finishes, hardware, etc., but all I could find were differences in style. They were all unique – designed by the carpenter to be beautiful, each piece in its own way.

There was one particular piece, however, that really caught my eye.  It was crafted with dark, aged wood, inlaid with punched tin. The hardware looked weathered, and the wood itself looked like it had taken quite a beating. I studied this piece, with its mars and imperfections, and found that it seemed to me the most beautiful piece of all. I found it ironic that a carpenter can take a piece of seemingly perfect wood and “distress it” to make it more beautiful. 

So many times we walk through life feeling like we've been beaten. The bangs, bruises and distress cause us to get discouraged because we don’t understand why the Lord would allow us to go through these things. Sometimes we feel like we want to give up. Sometimes we wonder if it's worth it.

In 2 Corinthians 11 and 12, Paul expressed his "distressing" experiences as an apostle and follower of Christ. He says, "I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches…So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Did you catch that? Paul said he took pleasure in his weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that he suffered!  If we’re honest with one another, I think we’d all admit that would be pretty difficult to do. An ordinary person would probably want to give up. But thank God, you are not an ordinary person! Just like the Apostle Paul, the power of the Holy Spirit enables you to endure extraordinary circumstances and do extraordinary things as a result! Even after all that Paul had gone through, he realized that, through his weakness, God was able to show His strength. When you allow God to use your trials and weaknesses for His glory, He can do the same through you!

The bible says in 2 Samuel 22:7, “But in my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I cried to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry reached his ears.” Friends, if you are in distress today or if you feel like you’ve been a little bruised and battered lately, take heart!  The Lord hears your cries!  Just remember that the Carpenter is at work!  Trust in Him, and the end result will be a beautiful, well-seasoned work of perfection that will glorify our Father!

The Next Step:

• Read 2 Corinthians 11:16-12:10, New Living Translation
• Read 2 Samuel 22:7, New Living Translation

Magnificence

We are marred and wounded. Etched and weathered. Battered and flawed. Yet beautiful. Not in spite of it but because of it. 

Whatever pain you're facing today, whatever the storm or tragedy, know that you will end up a beautiful, polished creation of God. Don't give up. Don't give in. Hope. 

The why becomes obvious when you see His finished product. The when becomes irrelevant. All that matters is the reflection of Him that others will see when they gaze upon your beauty. You are magnificent!

Pain in the Midst of Celebration

As I prepare this morning to spend Thanksgiving with my family, I realize there are many people who feel they have little reason to celebrate today. Perhaps you're one of those people. Perhaps you woke up this morning reeling from the effects of a recent loss or betrayal. Perhaps you're still suffering in the aftermath of a life you never chose for yourself and given the chance, would certainly never choose again. Perhaps you find yourself in a situation that you could have never imagined, in circumstances you never thought were possible. You find yourself alone, without hope and dreading the day.

The expectation is that you show up with a smile on your face and with thankfulness in your heart. Your grief, pain and sorrow are imperceptible to those around you. With each hug, the scream inside of you gets a little louder. With each laugh, you die a little more inside; you feel just a little lonelier. No one can imagine the pain you feel. No one sees. No one understands.

Life is a cycle of celebration and loss, joy and sadness, healing and pain. The human experience is inevitably tied to suffering; we cannot escape its clutches. However, the pain that you're feeling is not yours alone. Through the ages, people have experienced death, loss, betrayal, rejection, pain, humiliation and abuse. It's woven into the fabric of our human tapestry. In fact, Jesus Himself experienced these things while on the earth - the pain, humiliation and rejection that He faced was unthinkable. The fact that He did it for us, unimaginable. Fortunately, because He endured these things, He is able to understand our sufferings. He can understand what we are going through, and more than that, He can help.

Our enemy, the devil, seeks to orchestrate and exploit pain and suffering. His purpose is to kill and destroy. He wishes to steal from us the redemption, healing, peace and joy that Christ died for us to have. He wants you to feel as if you are alone and that no one understands what you are going through. However, the bible is clear that he is a liar and the father of lies. There is no truth in him. The bible says that we can hold firmly to what we believe - Jesus is our High Priest; He intercedes on our behalf; He understands our weakness; He faced the same things that we do, and we can confidently and boldly approach the throne of God to receive His mercy and grace when we need it most. 

Even though today may not be easy, even though you may be hurting, please remember that you are not alone! Psalm 34:18 says that God is close to the brokenhearted, and He rescues those whose spirits are crushed. He loves you; He understands you, and He is there for you. The bible assures you that if you seek Him, you will find Him. Simply reach out, call to Him and He will be there. There is hope!

The Next Step:

• Read Isaiah 53:3-12, New Living Translation
• Read Hebrews 2:18, New Living Translation
• Read 1 Peter 5:8, Amplified Bible
• Read John 10:10, Amplified Bible
• Read John 8:44, New Living Translation
• Read Hebrews 4:14-16, New Living Translation
• Read Psalm 34:18, New Living Translation
• Read Jeremiah 29:13, New Living Translation

The Answer

When I first came to Florida, I didn't think that a month would be very long to have some time away. After about a week, it was pretty apparent that I was missing my family, and they were missing me. Having teenagers in the house can be a lot of fun. It's so gratifying to see your kids grow into their own, but that season can also bring a few challenges when it comes to navigating how much independence they should have - or think they should have. Those of you who have the "been there, done that" t-shirt know exactly what I'm talking about. So, it was a little surprising when I started receiving texts and phone calls telling me that they missed me and when they actually started asking my advise and opinion about some things.

One such occasion happened about two weeks ago when my daughter called me about an issue she was having at work. This wasn't a new issue; it was something we had talked about at various times over the last couple of months. When it first happened, we talked through it and came up with a pretty straightforward, simple solution for her to resolve the problem. We echoed the same basic conversation a couple of times over the next several weeks. Each time, I asked if she had followed through on what we had discussed. Each time her answer was no.

On this particular day, she had texted me expressing her concerns about the yet unresolved problem and was asking what she should do. I once again asked her if she had followed up to resolve her concerns. She once again said no. She always had what seemed to be legitimate reasons for not confronting the issue, but the fact was, she had not taken any action and the problem still remained. While I sympathized with the situation she found herself in, at that moment it became crystal clear that there was nothing more I could do for her.  There was no solution that I could create and no advise that I could give that could help resolve the problem. There was a sense of knowing that I had to take my hands off of the issue. I heard a still, small voice say to me, "She already has the answer." 

Later that day I thought about how this often reflects our relationship with God. How many times do we go to God with a problem or an issue only to find that He's already given us the answers that we need? Most of His answers are found if we simply read the bible. Other times, He will give us answers for specific problems during our prayer times, or maybe He will speak to us through a sermon at church, through something we see, something we read, or even sometimes through a trusted friend. It's not a question of whether God is speaking to us; the bible is clear that the sheep hear the voice of their Shepherd, which implies that He is speaking and that we have the ability to hear Him. The question is whether or not we are listening, understanding and acting on what we've heard.

The Book of James says that we should be doers of the word and not just hearers. We should act on what we hear! Don't get me wrong. I believe most of us have good intentions. We don't want to disobey God, but I believe many of us deceive ourselves into disobedience. Like the serpent in the garden of Eden, we ask, "Did God really say that?" or "Is that really what God is asking me to do?" In addition, I believe one of our biggest enemies is when we tell ourselves we will do it tomorrow. Yes, the big PROCRASTINATION. I always told my kids that delayed obedience is the same as disobedience. We all have good intentions, but like the old adage says, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." Intending to do something will never get you where you need to go.

There are always reasons for not doing what we know we should; we can justify anything. We can tell ourselves we don't have the time, the money, the energy; it will be too hard; I'm not ready; I'm not good enough, talented enough, gifted enough, strong enough…I'm not...enough… Truth is, we're not enough in and of ourselves. That's why we need God. His word says that He thoroughly equips us for every good work. Additionally, Paul tells us in Philippians that God will liberally supply our every need. So in reality, there's no validity in thinking that we are not enough or don't have enough to obey God. On the contrary, He's given us everything we need to obey Him. He will never ask us to do the impossible!

The Parable of the Great Feast in Luke chapter 14 tells us plainly how God feels about our justifications, and from what I read, I can assure you He is not happy about them. Reasons, justifications, excuses - whatever you want to call them - the fact is, when we refuse to act on what God has told us to do, we are robbing ourselves of the peace and joy that comes as a result of living our lives in obedience to Christ.

Take some time to examine yourself today and ask, "Is there something that God has asked me to do that I haven't acted on?" "Do I have something in my life that's unresolved or something that keeps bothering me?" "Is there something that I keep taking to God repeatedly even though He's already given me the solution?" "Do I already have the answer?" If so, please know that you are called, equipped and able to do the thing that He's been asking you to do. Don't delay! When you're on the other side, you won't be sorry and you'll be wondering what took you so long to get there!

The Next Step:

• Read John 10:27, The Amplified Bible (AMP)
• Read James 1:22-24, The Message (MSG)
• Read Genesis 3:1-6, New Living Translation (NLT)
• Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17, The Amplified Bible (AMP)
• Read Philippians 4:19, The Amplified Bible (AMP)
• Read Matthew 19:26, New Living Translation (NLT)
• Read Luke 14:15-24, New Living Translation (NLT)

Going Deeper:

• Absolute Surrender, Andrew Murray
• How to Hear from God: Learn to Know His Voice and Make Right Decisions, Joyce Meyer

"The fisherman know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore." - Vincent Van Gogh

- adapted from the book Never Give Up! by Joyce Meyer