Foundational Truths

"'For I know the plans I have for you,'

declares the LORD,

'plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future.

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me,

and I will listen to you

You will seek me and find me 

when you seek me with all your heart.

I will be found by you,' declares the LORD,

'and will bring you back from captivity.  

I will gather you from all the nations and places 

where I have banished you,'

declares the LORD,

'and will bring you back to the place from which

I carried you into exile.'"

Jeremiah 29:11-14

There are some things I need to know about God and the way He operates, especially when going through the bittersweet time of discipline, hardship and/or trials (James 1:2-4, Hebrews 12:4-11).  These foundational truths will help me to press on.

Temporary.  It may seem the hard times last forever, that there is no end in sight.  It makes it challenging to endure when I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Will I ever emerge again into the sunlight?  Am I destined to dwell in this darkness forever?  I despair.  Then I remember that I'm a child of God, bought by the blood of the Son, securely placed in His arms as His most precious possession (1 John 3:1,1 Peter 1:18-20,James 1:18).  He is testing my faith, refining my character, sanctifying me into the image of Jesus (1 Peter 1:7, Psalm 66:10, Romans 8:29).

Therefore, I can confidently proclaim that it is all for my good and His glory, this trouble I face.  But there is even more good news.  It will not last forever.  There will be an end.  Not only is it for my good, but it is temporary.  Knowing there will be an end, even if I cannot detect it, can help me to carry on.

This difficult time I presently face as a child of God is temporary by nature.

Restoration.  I can feel ripped off.  So many things seem to have been taken away from me.  My health.  My financial security.  My youth.  My loved ones.  I've given up a lot to follow Christ, yes, but sometimes I lose things of which I never intended to let go.  In order to whittle down my life to the necessary and to reveal His best for me, God sometimes takes away that which has become a problem, takes up too much space, or has grown into an idol that overshadows God in importance.

It's easy to lament what is gone, acting like Lot's wife, looking back with longing to what I'm leaving behind.  In reality, though, what I'm gaining is far more valuable.  And like the woman of long ago who failed to see how God was rescuing her from the harmful influence of Sodom, I often mourn for what was my undoing.  I must seek a godly perspective that allows me to see the good that God is giving me to replace what He has merciful removed.

If I'm healthy, I may forget I'm dependent upon God's mercy and instead rely on my regimen of diet, exercise and clean living.  If I'm financially secure I may not depend upon my Father who desires to be my sole Provider, instead relying on my bank account.  When I'm young I feel invincible, failing to treasure each moment as a gift of God and instead take tomorrow for granted while wasting today.  While God may take away what has become an idol in my life, He replaces it with something of far greater value.

As a child of God, I can trust Him to restore all I've lost as I walk the narrow path that leads to life.

Homecoming.  God wanted His people who were enduring 70 years of exile in a foreign country that He would gather them back to the Promised Land.  It must have spurred them on to think that they were not destined to live in such a forsaken place forever.  One day, they would return to their beloved homes, united under His headship once again.  

Today, many of God's beloved people are wandering into foreign lands. He faithfully goes after those lost ones, gathering them unto Himself where they will become part of His family. The picture of Jesus as a Good Shepherd who doesn't rest until all of His sheep are safely in the fold is a powerful reminder of His great love for us (John 10:16, Luke 15:1-7).  He died in order to make it possible for all peoples to be united by faith in Him (John 11:52).  And not only do we have the hope of eternity together, but God designed us to live life together in the hear and now.  He placed us firmly within a network of other believers so we can draw strength from each other, encourage one another and constantly lift each other up in prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:11, James 5:16).  While heaven's homecoming will be a glorious day, I can experience a taste of that simply by living authentically within His Body today.

My heavenly homecoming can spur me on but my present troubles are not mine to bear alone, as God has given me a family with which to share my joys and sorrows (Galatians 6:2, Romans 12:15).

It is not easy to endure hardship as a child of God.  But there are certain truths I can keep in mind as I walk this rocky path.  I can remember that these present difficulties are only temporary, what has been removed will somehow be restored, and I have a family to lean on, both now and when I'm called to my heavenly home.  With these foundational truths laying the groundwork for my faith, I will be able to press on toward the finish line (Philippians 3:14).

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to build my life on His promises.

When do I build upon a different foundation?

How am I discouraged by today's difficulties?        

Spur One Another On

"Let us hold tightly without wavering

to the hope we affirm,

for God can be trusted to keep his promises.

Let us think of ways to motivate one another

to acts of love and good works.

And let us not neglect our meeting together,

as some people do,

but encourage one another,

especially now that the day of his return is drawing near."

Hebrews 10:23-24 NLT

The daily treatment was grueling, sapping her of all her strength and resolve.  

Maintaining a constant state of readiness while waiting for the resolution sent him into a state of exhaustion.

Loving her unsaved husband day after day while she prayed for his salvation seemed like an exercise in futility.

There are many times in life when my faith wavers, my resolve weakens and I wonder if I can carry on.  Everything I believe to be true begins to fade away, as if it were part of some distant dream.  What used to spur me on now sounds like empty words and false promises.  Will God renew my strength?  (Isaiah 40:31)  Is the Lord the God of planning and provision?  (Jeremiah 29:11, Matthew 6:31-33)  Can God truly change a heart?  (Daniel 3:16-20)

When I'm filled with doubt and fear, forgetting who God is and how He is able to save, I need a reminder.  (Zepheniah 3:17)  Other times, those around me are the ones who could stand to hear a word of truth spoken in love as they struggle in their faith.  We all have moments of weakness.  Thankfully, God has designed His family in such a way that we can hold each other up, urge one another on toward the truth, and fill in the gaps my weaknesses leave behind. (1 Corinthians 12:21-26)

Therefore, let us be committed to one another, looking for ways to embolden each other's faith.  When I see my brother or sister waver in their faith, instead of chastising or shaming them, may I make it my mission to encourage them, using the Word of God to spur them on as I remind them of the truth that has grown dim in their heart.  Likewise, when I enter into a period of drought, feeling the strength of my own faith slipping away, may I make the effort to seek out the company of other believers where my hope can be renewed through prayer and support.  We need each other.

It reminds me of a stand of timber that withstood a sudden storm.  The trees that grew in close proximity to one another were better able to survive the onslaught as they leaned on each other and helped to shield each other from the wind and elements.  Those that stood alone, however, sustained much damage.  

In a world where I am encouraged to go it alone, to bear my own burdens and to suck it up and carry on, God reminds me of the contradictory message found in His word.  He created His family with intention, making each member like a piece of a puzzle that fits perfectly together.  He means for us live in community with one another, spurring each other on to live the life God has called us to live, no matter our circumstances.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I can think of ways to give confidence to those who are struggling.

When do I need a boost of confidence?  Do I seek others out or do I keep it to myself?

How am I guilty of trying to go it alone?  

Dependent and Interdependent

I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
   therefore I will wait for him.”

 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
   to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly
   for the salvation of the LORD.

Lamentations 3:24-26

I'm as American as they come.  My husband served 24 years in the US Army, and I was proud of his service to our country and gladly endured long deployments to hostile areas for the sake of freedom.  When I hear the National Anthem played, I always get choked up when I hear, ". . . our flag was still there, " thinking of the resilience, determination and thirst for freedom of my forerunners.  I love this country.

But growing up American, I have many times worshipped at the altar of independence.  I celebrate those who are able to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps, who dig themselves out of homelessness or bankruptcy, or who climb out of the slums and rise to great success.  One of this countries most popular finance motivational speakers, Suze Orman, said, "A big part of financial freedom is having your heart and mind free from worry about the what-ifs of life."

The problem with this spirit of independence the American way has bred, is that I forsake my calling as a child of God to be fully dependent on Him to supply all my needs.  As a follower of Christ, it is dangerous to be American, for her values run counter to those of God's Kingdom.

Dependence on God 

When I think of my relationship with God, I like to imagine I am a rich young girl who is confident that her every need will be met by her wealthy daddy.  She does not wont for anything, and she never worries because she knows she need only mention it to her father, and he will gladly give her what she has asked for.  He shows his love for her in this way, and she is secure in that love.

Many times, though, I am like the typical American, and I think of a back up plan in case God doesn't come through.  I am not intentionally turning away from God, or thinking that He won't provide, but it is in my nature to analyze a situation and come up with solutions.  If God does not immediately provide, I assume I need to step in and act, using my resources to supply my own need.

Jesus taught about the generous nature of God.  “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?  If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:9-11)

Because of His great love for me, He will not fail to give me the good things that I ask for.  The thing is, God is in control of the timing of the gift, and the nature of the gift.  If I don't want to wait and give God a chance to provide, I will never find out how to be dependent on my Father in heaven.

Interdependence of the Body of Christ

It is not in my nature as an American to depend on anyone else for anything.  I take pride in the fact that I can do for myself and many times don't want to put anyone out, bothering them with my problems.

But God wants us to rely on each other as believers.  Just as the whole of creation is interdependent with each other, so His body is designed to work together.  Take, for example, bees and flowers.  They need each other to survive!  The bees need the flowers as a source of food, and the flowers need the bees to facilitate pollination necessary for reproduction by carrying pollen to other flowers as they feed.  God designed all of nature to work together in such a way.

It's no surprise, then, as part of God's creation, that He expects us to rely on each other.  "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. . .there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." (I Corinthians 12:12, 25-26)

When I take care of matters myself instead of relying on my brothers and sisters in Christ, I am denying their position and function in the Body, instead trying to fulfill the purpose of each part myself.  This is the most challenging thing for me as an American.  I have been raised to rely on myself and to not bother others with my problems.  But the Bible teaches that we are stronger together.

If I never give the other parts of the Body of Christ a chance to help me, I will never find out how to be interdependent along with my family.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will learn to think of myself as a follower of Christ first, and an American second.

 

When do I rely on my own resources instead of turning to Him who owns the cattle on a thousand hills?

 

How can I better rely on my church family to help me in times of need?