So What?

"Then the LORD turned to him and said,

'Go with the strength you have,

and rescue Israel from the Midianites.

I am sending you!'

'But Lord,' Gideon replied, 'How can I rescue Israel?

My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh,

and I am the least in my entire family!'

The LORD said to him,

'I will be with you.  

And you will destroy the Midianites

as if you were fighting against one man.'"

Judges 6:14-16 NLT

My dog ate my homework.

The sun was in my eyes.

I forgot.

I ran out of time.

These are common excuses I've heard throughout my life.  While it is tempting for me to use excuses to justify my failures, it doesn't do anything toward solving the problem my sin has created.  It takes humility and spiritual maturity to be able to own up to my weaknesses and wrongdoing.

As if it wasn't bad enough for me to try to explain away my failure to do right when dealing with humans, it simply isn't a good idea to try this same tactic when it comes to God.  Still, it doesn't keep me from trying.  Usually, my insecurities and fears drive me to such a point.

When God calls, I have a million excuses:  I'm ill-equipped, not well-suited, afraid, inexperienced.  What I must remember is that God calls the weak to shame the strong in order to receive all the glory for what is done and to keep me humble (1 Corinthians 1:27-29).  Therefore, I must trust Him and remember the only thing that matters; He is with me!

Wisdom

The world says that wisdom comes with experience and age, honed over the years when one has gone through difficult circumstances and come out on the other side with lessons learned and understanding gained.  God, however, says something different.

He says that He is the source of all wisdom.  When I need to know what to do, how to handle a situation or how to best use the resources God has given me, He will show me if I trust Him fully.  I must believe with all of my heart that He holds the answer to every question, the solution to all problems and the key to every locked door (James 1:2-8).  If I'm not completely confident in His ability to supply the know-how and understanding I need, He will withhold wisdom from me.

When I don't respect God as the giver of all good things and the dispenser of all that I need, I will doubt, thinking I may need to consult a wise friend to confirm His answer (Psalm 111:10).  Other times I may think it foolish to only depend on God to show me the way, wondering, what if He's busy or what if I miss His cues?  I could even prefer to listen to "an expert" since his advice sounds so practical and common-sense.  Whatever my excuse for not seeking God, it will only result in missing His guidance. 

When I seek the world's brand of "wisdom" I will find myself going after that which does not honor God.  My mission will become to elevate my own agenda and to win at all costs.  I'll look out for my own best interests and forget about others, figuring they can fend for themselves.  Jealousy will rear it's ugly head and I'll find myself miserable.

The wisdom God dispenses liberally, however, is wholly intent on honoring Him and furthering His purpose.  It doesn't promote the common practice of using others to get what I want but sees all people as bearers of God's holy image.  Peace will follow as God gets the glory for what He is doing in my life (James 3:13-18).

When I trust God enough to answer His call on my life, He will give me wisdom to know how to live.

Strength

I am weak.  As someone who has been given physical strength, however, this admission does not come easily.  While it may be natural for me to lift a heavy box, take two steps at a time, or open a tightly-closed jar, it's not so easy for me to do what is outside of my comfort zone.  For this, I need the strength of the Lord.

God is faithful to provide the power I need to love those who treat me with contempt.  It takes His strength to show kindness and compassion to someone who constantly throws sharp barbs at me.  Often, though, the harshest among us are the ones who are hurting the most.  God's love could break through the hard shell they've erected for protection.  

He is also the only One who can lift me up out of the pit of despair.  When my feelings tell me I'm no good and my life is without hope, the Lord is the One who can give me the strength to stand up and receive His mercy (Psalm 40:1-3).

In addition, the Lord can give me the ability to stand firm in times of confusion, speaking the truth in love.  When it seems to me that others are more equipped to stand up for what is right, if I'm the one who notices the wrong-teaching, it is up to me to set the record straight.  He will give me the strength to do my part so the body of Christ will be edified (Ephesians 4:14-16).

When I trust God enough to answer His call on my life, He will give me the strength to do what He's called me to do.  

Favor

I didn't know what to do.  I finished all the work, but was unsure of how to complete the job.  Since I didn't feel comfortable with the final stages, I let the project sit dormant for years.  As my friend is fond of saying, I failed to run through the finish line.

God is a strong finisher.  When He set out to create the world, He didn't stop until the task was done, looking at His work and declaring it good (Genesis 1).  I, on the other hand, tend to work with gusto in the areas where I feel comfortable and neglect what is not.  For instance, I have no problem cooking up a great meal, but would rather leave the clean-up to someone else.

When I buck my feelings, however, and instead trust God enough to plunge ahead, I will find that He sets all the pieces in place so that the job is not as bad as I thought it would be.  Before I know it, I'm doing what I thought I could never do because the Lord is making it all work out.  

If I don't feel comfortable speaking in public, for example, I can trust Him to give me the words I need to deliver the message He has for others to hear.  Or, when I answer His call to adopt a child even though I've never thought of myself as the motherly type, I will find my heart drawn to the little one who so desperately needs a home.  Even if I don't mind praying with my family but could never imagine leading a prayer in a group, trusting God enough to obey His gentle prods will result in words freely flowing from my mouth in a song of praise.

Not only will God equip me, but He has gone before me to set all the pieces in place in preparation for my arrival.  When I resist the urge to hold back but instead walk forward in faith, I will find doors opening up to allow my passage, people offering to help, and resources appearing as if from nowhere.  I'll only witness this kind of favor, however, when I trust God enough to take a step into the darkness where He is waiting for me.

When I trust God enough to answer His call in my life, His favor will enable me to finish the mission.

I have a million excuses as to why I can't do something to which God is calling me.  God's answer, however, is "So what?"  If He is with me, what is there I cannot do?  His presence gives me the wisdom I need to know what to do, the strength required to do the work, and the favor that is necessary to finish the job.  In other words, I have no excuse!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can stop using excuses and start trusting God.

When do I feel weak but forget that He is strong?

How am I trying to make things happen instead of following God's lead?   


Originally published on March 18, 2014 

He Has an App For That!

"Now go,

for I am sending you to Pharaoh.

You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt."

Exodus 3:10 NLT

"There's an app for that."

Remember Apple's popular catchphrase that set the world on fire?  They were promoting their iPhone in 2009 when this memorable advertising campaign first hit the airwaves.  The idea was that any need or issue a user had could be solved or fulfilled with one of their nifty software applications.

While a computer company is stretching it a bit in making the claim that they can answer any question or satisfy any thirst, but God can easily declare that truth.  No matter what He calls me to, He always has a comeback for any excuse I can make.

Identity Crisis

"Who am I?"  Moses asked.  "I'm not cut out for a job like this!  I'm not a leader!  I can't do what you're asking!" (paraphrased from Exodus 3:11)

Can you relate?  When God gently introduces an idea into my mind, I often balk at the very thought.  I try to picture myself doing what He has suggested and I just can't see it.  Instead, I remember all the times I've failed in the past or I think of all the people who would be better suited or I rely on my own lenses through which to see myself.

God, however, calls me not because I am well-suited or completely prepared.  He knows perfectly well that I can't do what He has asked of me.  What He wants to know is if I know it.  He wants me to get to the point where I say to Him, "I know I am completely unable to accomplish this task, but I know who You are, and I have complete faith that You can achieve this mission through me.  I trust You enough to accept this calling."

The answer to the question "Who am I?" is this:  "I am a sinner saved by grace so even though I can't, I choose to believe that God can."

Knowledge Deficit

"I don't know enough about You and Your ways.  What if the people ask a question I can't answer?"  (paraphrased from v 11-12)  It seems Moses was picturing himself standing before the people of Israel, telling them of God's plan when all they could do is protest.  He could hear the voices of dissent, asking him all sorts of questions to which he had no answers.

I can relate.  It seems I often use this excuse to reject God's calling on my life.  Teach Sunday School?  Lead a Bible study?  Write a blog?  I don't have all the answers.  In fact, I don't know much at all.  What if I fail?

What I must always remember is that God can't fail!  If I take a look at Isaiah 55:10-11, I am reassured that God always accomplishes what He wants to with His Word.  It never returns empty but always produces fruit.  Therefore, if I am faithful to read His Word, use it to encourage, apply it and talk about it wherever I go, God will make sure it brings forth a harvest.

The answer to the question, "What if I fail?" is this: "I may not know enough, but my success or failure is not dependent upon my readiness but on God's faithfulness."

Credibility Issues

"What if they don't believe me?  What if they think I'm making the whole thing up?  What if I turn to go and no one follows?" (Exodus 4:1-9)

As one who has worked with youth, I can truly relate to this fear.  There are many times when I am speaking and it seems no one is listening.  Or I am searching for an attentive countenance among a sea of deadpan looks or faces that are clearly saying, I don't care.  When is this gonna be over so I can get on with my life?

Teenagers can be a tough crowd, but what I have to remember is this:  If God calls me to deliver a certain message, I can be confident that His power will draw those people who need to hear what I have to say.  

So when I'm afraid to talk to my coworker because we have never really gotten along, I can remember that the favor of the Lord will be upon me and will incline her heart toward the message she needs so desperately.  Or when I fear rejection as I answer God's call to reach out to the homeless, I can be sure that He'll open the ears of those who were meant to hear.  Or when I answer His summons to enter into prison ministry but I'm afraid no one will listen to me because I come from a different background, I can walk forward in confidence knowing that the favor of the One who is in me will make the words I say strike a chord with someone.

The answer to the question,"What if no one listens?" is this: The power of God will prepare the hearts of those who need the message.

Matters of Insecurity

"Okay, let's get real.  You know full well that I've never been good at speaking.  I can hear what You're saying, but if I try to do what You are proposing, the words will never get out.  My tongue will get tied and I'll end up looking like a fool as I stand there with my mouth open."  (paraphrased from Exodus 4:10-12)

Everyone has insecurities and Moses was no exception.  He was like most humans and held a deep fear of speaking in public.  In fact, it sounds like he suffered from some kind of speech impediment.  The task God had asked Him to accomplish was probably a manifestation of his worst nightmare come true.

Many times God does call us to face our deepest fears.  He doesn't want us to hold anything back from Him and often He helps us get over these insecurities by calling us on the very thing we dread the most.  

It could be I say I would never go somewhere that had creepy crawlies but then He calls me to the mission field of a remote, underdeveloped country that is known for its wide array of insects.  Or maybe I think I could never get over my fear of heights.  Then I am suddenly offered a job on the top floor of a skyscraper and given an office covered in windows.  Or I may tell myself I could never in a million years get over the panic that seizes my heart at the thought of living alone.  Before I know it, I find God placing me in a solitary existence.

There is nothing that is impossible with God.  Therefore, the only thing holding me back is my own doubt in what God can do with His own creation.  

The answer to the excuse, "I'm afraid," is this:  All responsibility for accomplishing the task before me lies in the hands of God.

Whatever I can dish out, God can take it.  When I forget who I am, He reminds me it is not my identity I must focus on, but His.  When I think success or failure depends on me, He reminds me it is a question of His faithfulness and it is impossible for Him to fail.  When I'm afraid no one will listen, He reminds me it is His job to open the hearts of those who need to hear.  And when I doubt that I can do what God has called me to, He reminds me that all responsibility lies on His shoulders.  No matter what my excuse, God has an app for that!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to take Him at His word.

When do I falsely think the success of a mission lies in my hands?

How am I forgetting the power of God in the way I respond to His calling on my life?