It's a God-thing?

 There's a little catch phrase that has been increasingly heard in Christian circles in the past few years-"it's a God-thing".  I've never used it that I can recall. For some reason, it doesn't sit quite right with me. Not that I'm offended when I hear it.  But as I've thought about the popularity and growing use of this phrase, I've made an interesting observation. I've never heard it used in the context of trial or hardship. It always seems to be said when something extraordinarily good happens, or when good fortune comes along. People whose circumstances seem to come together or work out unexpectedly or coincidentally to their benefit like to say, "it was a God-thing!"
But we know that God works just as much in our suffering...in our bad days, when things don't work out like we wish. Our best growing happens through trial. We learn to depend on Him more when we realize how limited we are in our own strength. So I'm thinking, why don't we ever say, "it's a God-thing" when we've had patience to deal one more day with that intolerable co-worker? Or when a family member is dying and it doesn't seem fair but we have faith in the sovereignty of God anyway? Or when we've lost a job and don't know how our family will survive? Or a friend has betrayed us and we're hurt and confused? Is that a God-thing? Can we separate Him from the uglier days, when things happen that we would never choose? Are we to keep Him compartmentalized over here with the happy moments, the promotions, the "miracles", the joyful chance encounters? Isn't He also in the difficult circumstances? I know He wants to be. That's where He shapes us, if we let Him. That's where He develops perseverance in us. But He can only do His work if we're looking for Him there - in that hardship, that trial that we'd never choose, but that He allows for a reason. Sometimes we learn the reason, and sometimes only He knows. Either way, it's all good, if He's in control.

So...you ran into Cousin Sally in July in terminal C at the Atlanta airport. The same exact terminal in the same airport you saw her in 3 years ago in July! It's a God-thing! Okay. But how about this: you've just gotten a diagnosis, and it's not good. You know you have a long road of suffering ahead. You cry out to God in anguish, not understanding why. But you lean into Him, and you accept the love and support of others, and you ask for more faith.  And you find ways to be grateful. Grateful. How is that possible?

Well, it's a God-thing.

Blessings

I love Laura Story's music. She is a young, christian artist who not only sings and plays piano and guitar, but is also a gifted writer with spiritual wisdom beyond her years. Although her next CD, "Blessings", won't be released until April, I heard her title song from the CD on the radio and then looked it up online and have since listened to it a dozen times. One line continues to play in my head:


"What if my greatest disappointments, or the aching in this life
 is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy?"

The point of the song is this, I think:  we pray and wait for our disappointments and suffering to end, but often times the greatest blessings God gives us come from those very trials. And a very important purpose for our trials is to remind us that we are strangers here and there is something better coming...in fact, something altogether perfect, satisfying, completely fulfilling.

This is not our home. That's why life is so uncomfortable. Or it should be anyway. Though we are to work toward contentment, this life is not supposed to be satisfying. If God would have His way, life should leave us wanting. Wanting more of Him. Wanting Heaven. So where is the line between being content as Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians, and yearning for something more than what this world can give us? Or does He intend for us to blend the two? Does true contentment only come when we are desperately seeking Him?
1 Timothy 6:6 says "there is great gain in godliness with contentment." That seems to suggest that you can try to be godly while being discontent, but you're not going to gain much spiritually. But seek God with all your heart and strive to be content with a simple life, and you will gain much.

Part of contentment in this life is being okay with trials. Easier said than done, but then God never said it would be easy. But He did promise He would give all the strength we would need for every trial, and better yet, He promises that one day all our trials and suffering will be over and Heaven will be our home. But until then, He wants us to take one day at a time, desperately seeking Him and finding blessings even in our disappointments. And not overlooking the blessing that our pain reminds us that this is not our home. There's a better home awaiting us.

 What a glorious thought.

The Parable of the Lost Games

My friend's nine-year old grandson got a hand-held gaming device for Christmas, along with some games. On a trip to visit other relatives over the holidays, he lost track of three of the games and realized they were missing when he got home. Being an exceptionally sweet and sensitive boy, he was completely distraught and heartbroken, not just because he didn't have the games, but because he felt responsible for them. My friend told me he was so upset that he wept and wept in the arms of his mother till he fell asleep, only to wake up distraught again.

I'm reminded of a parable Jesus told when the Pharisees were passing judgment on Him for attracting sinners. The parable was about a woman who lost something valuable and was so distraught over it that she turned her house upside down and wouldn't rest until she found it. When she finally did find it, she was so elated that she invited people over and threw a party to celebrate.

What was Jesus' point? (He always has a point.) The reason he associated with sinners was because they're lost! And that bothered Him. So much so that He was always looking for an opportunity to turn men toward the Father. Their lost state was distressing to Him. And when one turned to God, there was nothing more satisfying to Him.

Another thing Jesus taught repeatedly was how we are to be like children in our innocence and faith. My friend's grandson could think of nothing else but finding his lost games. It weighed heavily on his tender heart. As he gets older he's going to grow and mature and realize that people are the most important things. And that was Jesus' point. People all around us are lost without Him; some are our family and friends. As adults striving to have childlike faith, how distraught are we over the lost? Do we weep? How important is it to us that they be "found"? Jesus' parable made it clear that nothing on this earth should be more important.

Today the lost games were found in a relative's home. I don't know if the little boy has received this happy news. I suppose he'll find out when he gets home from school. And I bet he's going to want to celebrate.
That's what happens when what's lost has been found.

Eat Pray Love (Only If It Makes Me Happy)

I recently saw the movie Eat Pray Love. I had a preconceived idea of what it was going to be like based on the trailer and a description of the movie. I sensed that there was going to be a lot of hogwash about how you need to "find yourself" and take any and all necessary steps to find your own happiness. I had hoped that I would be pleasantly surprised and the movie would offer some depiction of the main character discovering joy in life through giving of herself to help others, or better yet, by reaching out to God Himself and desiring to please Him rather than herself.
But sadly, Eat Pray Love turned out to be just what I was afraid it would be: a story of an unfulfilled, young woman who decides she doesn't want to be unfulfilled anymore. So she does what any selfish, misguided person would do; she sets out to satisfy her longings and "empty places". It's all about her. Ironically, toward the beginning of the movie, she does cry out to God. It's quite a moving scene, actually. It's the middle of the night and she asks God for His help and begs Him to tell her what to do. Then she promptly climbs back into bed and tells her husband she's leaving him. And we're supposed to be thinking that that was God's answer to her.
From there, the character moves on from one self-focused decision to another. I couldn't help but think how many women this movie will influence. How many selfish attitudes will be perpetuated by the message that happiness is attained by doing "whatever feels good" and putting one's own wants and needs first? What a sad, narcissistic way of thinking.

What a silly, shallow movie.

Practice Makes...Peace

I want more peace in my life. I think we all do. There are plenty of deterrents in our lives, though, that would keep true peace just out of our grasp. But they are just that-deterrents. Not insurmountable circumstances, but challenges to be faced head-on. In fact, the very definition of deterrent suggests "a way around":

deterrent: something that makes movement or progress difficult

Not impossible, but difficult.


There is a passage in Philippians 4:7-9 that gives us a prescription for peace. Within three verses we read two phrases that sing to my soul: the peace of God and the God of peace. These  verses are within the context of our thought patterns and what we choose to do mentally with our concerns. Paul tells us to think about eight things regularly, as we go from day to day, some days good and some days that bring challenges. He says to think about things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, worthy of praise. 
Hmm, a lot of things I think about don't really fall under any of those categories. How about you?


Then Paul goes on to say that we have to practice these things. Practice. That sounds intentional. Deliberate. 


So if I had to sum up Philippians 4:7-9, I think Paul was telling us this:


The peace of God will guard your mind as you deliberately think about positive, God-honoring things. And as you practice this kind of thinking, the God of peace Himself will live in you and through you.


I want that kind of peace!

The Joy of Service

I worked with a group of women tonight preparing for our Ladies' Retreat at The Creek which starts tomorrow night. I came home with a smile on my face thinking about the evening and what fun we had. Those women were a pleasure to work with because of the joy they had while serving. We were all tired, none of us had eaten supper, and one had come straight from work where she'd been since 7:00 that morning! But the sheer joy of service and Christian fellowship won out over hunger and fatigue. At one point we even took a break and danced to the music that was playing. I came home thinking, "This is how it's supposed to be; using your gifts in service to others, and finding joy and fulfillment working together for a common purpose. And having a blast doing it!"
God is good. He didn't have to allow us to have fun serving Him. But that's the kind of God He is!

Why do you call me Lord?

 I love the drama group "One Time Blind". They say so much in a very short time and each message is right on target concerning an area in which we tend to be hypocritical. This one is based on Luke 6:46: " Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIf9t8w5NoY

How often do we ask things of Him because He is our "Lord", but we don't bother doing things He's asked of us?