Stop Trying to Figure it Out

Can you believe it’s almost February? I can’t. I can hardly believe it is 2022 – we are practically two years into this pandemic and while so many things are different, many things stay the same. We are more isolated now and more polarized than ever before. Social media gives us a sense of being together, but social media is a filter for what is real - people only put out what they want to share with others. Whether it is truth or some manipulated version of it, only they truly know. The one thing I can appreciate social media for is as a means to share encouragement and God’s Word. This is true! It is the foundation on which we can build our lives and know that it will stand the test of time. So, why don’t we do a better job of setting our lives on that foundation versus trying to figure things out for ourselves, when the instruction book is already written?

I think I’ve mentioned before that I’m an engineer. I like building things and seeing how things work. I like thinking through designs and figuring out clues. One of my strongest traits is that I’m a problem solver, as are many of the engineers I know. While it is usually a strength, it does sometimes come in conflict with the need for me to follow God’s instruction, which sometimes comes with very little information about potential outcomes. This sometimes makes it a little more difficult for me to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor 5:7). I mean if I knew what the outcome is, surely I could work backwards and come up with a path to get to that destination right? 

Well, I’m coming to realize that is the point. God doesn’t always want me to come up with the path. He wants me to trust Him to do knowing that He always has my best interests at heart. I can trust Him with me. I know I’ve said this before, but it resonated more with me this morning. God wants my love and my dependence on Him. He is my source and He reminds me of that. I don’t have to worry or fret because when I don’t know, He does. In fact with Him it’s already done, I just have to walk it out in faith. Because I have Hope (confident expectation) in Jesus and I trust what He’s already done for me, I can walk boldly into the unknown because I know He has it. If I can trust Him to save me, I can trust Him to order my steps.  

I recently read about Joseph. He went through an awful ordeal at the hands of his brothers. A teenager who’d been kept home by a loving father and hated by his brothers. Can you imagine being sold to strangers because of jealousy within the family (Gen 37:18-36)? As a slave, he was elevated and God gave him wisdom and knowledge (Gen 39:1-11). Because he wouldn’t commit a sin with his master’s wife, he was sent to prison after she lied. He spent years in prison. Through it all God continued to give him leadership experiences for where He was taking Joseph. Could Joseph have given up? Sure. Some would. But Joseph didn’t compromise His character and beliefs even when it got hard. He didn’t quit even though He didn’t know where he was going. He stood firm and took steps as God led him. And, sure enough after years of conditions no one would willingly seek, God made him second in command over all Egypt (Gen 41). From slavery to the palace by the time he was 30. Who does that? God!

That is also the path we must take if we want to fulfill God’s will and purpose for us. No, I don’t mean we need to spend time as a slave or in prison, but I do mean we need to go where God leads us, even if it’s an unpleasant experience. Our job is to keep our eyes on our Father in Heaven and our ears attentive to His instruction, moving when He says to move and being still when He directs it. We have to get out of our own head (Thanks Theresa). We don’t have all the answers. He does. Trust Him and be obedient (Deut 11:1). Do what He says and even if it currently doesn’t appear to be working, He is always working things out for the good of them who are His (Romans 8:28). God loves you and me and He wants the best for us. It’s a waste of time and energy to try figuring everything out. We just need to take the next step. Give him what you have. Show up offering your best. He may just blow your mind. I can’t wait to see what He does next. 

What is Faith?

I hope 2022 is treating you well so far. It’s already been a challenging one for me, but I’m pressing on by the Grace of God. He is keeping me even in the midst of difficult times. My study of the bible is definitely helping me deal on a daily basis. I’m still on track with reading the bible and just started Exodus. So far, I’ve picked up so many details I was unaware of about the patriarchs and the timing of the books of the bible. For instance, it was approx. 400 years between Genesis and Exodus. Four hundred years or more, between God speaking to Jacob and then speaking to Moses, after the children of Israel had grown in such numbers to make the Egyptians uncomfortable, they took steps to kill the Israelite boys to stop the propagation, but God had other ideas and still the nation grew. That is how Moses ended up being raised as an Egyptian prince. What kind of faith and expectation must his mother have had to put Moses in a basket in the Nile when Pharaoh wanted him dead (Ex 2)? 

What is Faith? According to Hebrews 11:1, faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen. What does that mean? When I researched the meaning, the one that really stuck with me was faith is the sense that gives us evidence of the invisible, spiritual world. For those of us who are Christians, our faith looks like confidence in Jesus and his ability to bring us through every circumstance of life even though we can’t see Him. And if we believe that, it means we will step out on God’s Word expecting Him to take care of us.  For example, when I applied for my current job, I had a conversation with the Lord. I didn’t want the job to even be offered to me, if it wasn’t in God’s will. I knew I couldn’t do this job on my own and that I would need His help. It drew me closer to Him. I had to trust Him more. Needless to say, I am in the job, but I still lean on His guidance and wisdom every day to do it. I don’t always get it right, but that’s usually when I listen to myself and not to Him.  

Faith is all about believing God for what He already said and trusting Him to bring if to fruition, even if you don’t get to see it….continuing to walk out what the Bible tells us to do. James put it best, faith without works is dead (James 2:17). Are you believing God for something and just waiting for Him to do it….without you doing your part? If so, that’s not faith. You are holding up your own blessing. God will not bring something to pass in the wrong timing. His timing is perfect, ours is not. If you are trusting Him for something, you need to get up and start walking that thing out as He directs.  

As I was reading about Moses this morning, he was so reluctant to go back to Egypt for a lot of reasons.  He was on the run as a murderer.  He had a speech impediment.  He didn’t feel worthy, etc. But he went because God told Him to. He trusted that God knew best, and he got moving. What are your excuses? What scares you? If you could do or have something on your own, you wouldn’t need faith.  

If God has called you, He has work for you that only He can do through you. He will be with you and He will use you to bring it to pass. It won’t be you in your own strength or knowledge or power. After all, our power is so very limited, even if we think it’s not. Trust God to do what He said. Take the first step and then the next. God will meet you where you are but He won’t do what you can do. Be obedient and move. You may be surprised about where He takes you.

Tell the Truth!

So I mentioned last week that I don’t make resolutions.  For some reason, it feels like resolutions are made to be broken.  I’m sure that’s not true for everyone but it is for me.  That doesn’t mean that I don’t follow through on anything, just New Year’s resolutions.  I don’t know what it is about using that word, but it just doesn’t work.  I did, however, make a commitment to myself – that I would read the entire bible this year.  I hope and pray it is a commitment I keep.  Don’t get me wrong, I read scripture pretty much every day, but I’ve never read the entire bible before to get the full context (not that I would ever get everything there is in scripture).  So, I began on Jan 1 and I’m on track so far.  I’m reading the Daily Bible, an NIV translation and it lays out the scripture in chronological order.  I’m more than 2/3 of the way through Genesis and Isaac just died and was buried.  At this point a lot has happened.  

Abraham has been given the promise from God to be the father of many nations.  Jacob has stolen his brother’s birthright and fled his home.  He’s been tricked by his father-in-law and given the sister of the woman he chose as his bride.  Then he married them both.  Lots of drama and consequences for the actions of the past.  As I was reading through these accounts in God’s inspired Word, I thought of all the times these Patriarchs lied to someone about something because they didn’t trust God to go before them and prepare the way.  Abraham lied on two different occasions about Sarah being His wife in an attempt to protect himself (Gen 12:10-20, 20:1-18).  The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, as Isaac did the same also in an attempt to protect himself (Gen 26: 7-9).  Then Jacob not only blackmailed his brother into giving up his birthright (Gen 25:29-34) but he lied to get his brother’s blessing as well (Gen 27:18-29).  In fact, Jacob’s mother, Rebekah, helped him pull off the last feat. 

In all these cases, the lies were found out and consequences were felt.  In all these cases, the reasons for the lies was the lack of dependence on God.  Instead of seeking direction, each one of these men (and woman) sought their own counsel and didn’t depend on God to provide for them.  Instead of allowing God to take action on their behalf, they intervened and sinned.  

Jacob and Rebekah appear to possibly have suffered the worse for their deception – they are never recorded to have seen each other again.  Can you imagine, helping the son she favored, who was always a home body, to steal from his brother and then she had to send him away to protect his life?  She never met her grandchildren.  She never saw her beloved Jacob again.  She had no idea what happened to him, what he’d been through.  As for Jacob, he had to leave his home, his mother to go to a land he didn’t know and he met someone just like him.  His uncle tricked him into marrying the Leah after Jacob had worked seven years to get Rachel.  He finally got her but had to work an additional seven years.  You reap what you sow (Gal 6:7).  Lies never pan out for good.

If you want to be blessed, tell the truth (Col 3:9), not what you want it to be or your opinion about something. What does God say about a situation?  That is the truth. The truth will make you free (John 8:32). If you tell the truth, people won’t trip you up and you won’t get caught in a falsehood (Prov 10:9).  People can trust you.  Gaining trust is difficult, but once you break it, it can sometimes be impossible to earn again.  More importantly, God detests lying lips (Prov 12:22).  Walk in integrity and trustworthiness.  It will save a lot of headaches in the future.  

Who can Tame the Tongue?

Going into this New Year, it’s been a bit of struggle.  Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen some high numbers of COVID infections and there are political and social strains all around us.  This takes a toll on all of us. I don’t really do New Year’s resolutions, but I am determined to grow and stretch this year.  I don’t know what it looks like yet but I know God has a purpose and a plan for me in 2022.  I’m open to exploring and being obedient to His plan even if it leads me outside my comfort zone.  Whether in my comfort zone or not, God has laid out in scripture a blue print to live our lives.  

With that in mind, one of the things I’m seeking this year is discipline in my tongue (1 Peter 3:10).  If I stand on my own words, they would undoubtedly be unproductive and not life giving (James 3:8).  As I study the bible, I’m working on making sure I’m speaking the truth about my situations this year, no matter what the circumstance looks like.   For example, even if I don’t feel well, my words should be consistent with scripture which is true - by Jesus stripes I’m healed (1 Peter 2:24).  If I’m without something, my words should be that God will supply all my needs according to His riches in Glory (Phil 4:19).  I plan to go to the Word for the truth and confess it.  

So many times, we get caught up in our emotions and feelings about a situation and forget that while our feelings may be real, they are not the truth.  The truth is what God’s Word says.  If I trust God to do what He says, I need to firmly confess the truth to any situation (Heb 10:23).  He is the authority.  If death and life are in the power of the tongue (Prov 18:21), I choose life.  If we believe God’s Word, we have to confess it and move in it.  That’s one of my main goals this year.  I’m sure others will be prioritized during the year, but we’ll start here.  I challenge you to join me – Go to God’s Word and speak the truth no matter what the situation is that you face.  The answers can be found there.

What I Learned in 2021

Happy New Year! I hope and pray the year has kicked off well for you and your families.  My New Year has been quiet so far, but I never know what’s coming.  With that, I’ve been thinking about 2021 and thinking about what I learned throughout what has been a very challenging year.  So here are a few things I picked up along the way:

1. Don’t count your chicks before they hatch, you may not get any (Thanks Carol).  Life is never what we expect.  I was expecting us to get back to some semblance of normalcy when the COVID vaccine was released.  That, in my mind, was a turning point.  But obviously, that was not the case.  In the last few weeks, we’ve seen levels of new cases similar to last year.  Life does not produce based on our expectations.  Sometimes things are great (better than we imagine) and sometimes they will bring us to our knees.  This is a time to turn to the Apostle Paul and learn to be content no matter the state we’re in (Phil 4:11-12). Stand in the now and do whatever you need to in the moment.  Yes, they is work to be done for tomorrow, but you only have today.  Take care of today and tomorrow will take care of itself (Matt 6:34). 
2. We need each other.  I am one who is always good to spend time with myself – I happen to like me.  But, if nothing else the last two years have taught me that I need other people.  Not to take care of me or provide for me – God does that (or He’s empowered me to do it).  But, I mean I need companionship and accountability and to help.  God has placed a need inside of me that I can’t fill on my own (Heb 10:25).  He said when He created Adam that it wasn’t good for man to be alone and He made a help meet (Gen 2:18).  The same thing is true today.  With all the social media in the world and virtual platforms available, it is not the same as human companionship (and I’m not talking about a mate).  It’s good to have friends – people you can depend on when everyone else leaves.  Those people you can pour your heart out to and they will tell you the truth or just sit with you.  We also need those who will hold us accountable.  Sometimes I need to be in the actual presence of others.  
3. I can be wrong and so can you.  So many times, we judge or evaluate others based on our lives and our experiences and our truths.  But there is only one truth – God’s truth.  The creator determines what truth is and since God can not lie – His Word is Truth (John 17:17).  Everything else should be evaluated based on it and not what we think or feel.  When someone says something, check it against the Word of God.  
4. We can have hope and joy in the midst of trying times because God loves us so.  Even though this year has been a challenging one, I’ve had way more joyful days than not.  My journey has led me to understand that I am nothing in and of myself.  Joy, like peace, is found in Jesus.  I can choose to look at everything around me and complain or I can choose to see the good.  It’s up to me.  No matter what happens, I have Jesus in my life and the Holy Spirit empowers me to do the work – way more than I could ever do on my own.  Even when things are bad, they are still good, because God is Good.  He’s in my corner and if He be for me, who can be against me? (Rom 8:31-39)
5. We have a job to do.  Regardless of how much education you have or how much money you make, God has given each of us an assignment.  Go into all the world and tell the Good News (Mark 16:15).  While not all of us can quote scripture or preach a sermon, we are not disqualified from telling the Good News of what Jesus has done for us.  We have an opportunity to share with others every day at work or even in the grocery store.  We don’t have to push Him on others to share Him.  We are to love others as we love ourselves.  We show Christ to others by the way we love (John 13:35).  

These are just a few lessons, I’ve learned.  There are many more.  I challenge you to look back over 2021 and consider what you learned that will help you grow.  May you be so blessed in 2022 that you do not have room enough to receive.