Chink in my Armor

"One day Samson went to Gaza,

where he saw a prostitute.

He went in to spend the night with her.

The people of Gaza were told,

'Samson is here!'

So they surrounded the place

and lay in wait for him all night at the city gate.

They made no move during the night,

saying, 'At dawn we'll kill him.'"

Judges 16:1-2

Samson, like all humans, had many flaws.  One was his weakness for women.  As he succumbed to temptation one day, failing to detect the trap into which he was stepping, he sought out a prostitute.  In so doing, he made himself vulnerable to his enemies who were bent on his destruction.

I, too, have an Enemy who seeks to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10).  His whole mission is to take away the peace that rules my heart through Christ Jesus, to damage my relationship with the Lord so I cease to live the abundant, purposeful life, and to wipe out the confidence I have in the God who will never let me down.

When I give in to the sin which lures me, I open myself up to attack from the Enemy, making myself vulnerable to his schemes (1 Peter 5:8, Genesis 4:6-7).  Even though Satan has no hold on me, I give him a foothold when I yield to the sin that seems so attractive to my flesh (Ephesians 4:27). Then, there is much that I lose.

Peace

As I sat by the river watching the slow-moving water, I could feel the stresses of life melt away.  Birds sang praises to their Maker, lifting up their voices in sweet harmony.  A cooling breeze gently set the trees to swaying, adding to the composition that delighted my senses.  Dappled light painted a beautiful design at my feet as the sunlight filtered through the leaves above my head. This place delivered a sense of peace to my soul.

While its nice to sit and enjoy such a serene setting, its not always possible to take time out of each day to do so. Thankfully, surrendering to the Lord delivers the same effect. When I let go of my desire to work out all the details of my life, fretting over how I will solve all my problems, peace floods my heart (Philippians 4:6-7).

Similarly, knowing that the blood of Jesus has covered all my sins, making me right with God, sets my mind at ease (Romans 5:1). I don't have to be perfect to enjoy the presence of my Father who loves me perfectly (Hebrews 4:16)! Guilt is not an issue when I know the depth of His love (1 John 4:16-18). 

Unfortunately for me, this peace is often fleeting even though it is mine to keep. Satan knows how to push my buttons, drawing me into a state of worry or planting seeds of doubt about the security of my salvation. Once the thought is there, I easily glom onto it, letting the destructive thought pattern take me where it wants to go.  Soon the calm I once enjoyed is gone, leaving behind nothing but trouble.

If I want to protect the peace that comes from trusting in Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I must not give Satan a foothold by giving into temptation.

Purpose

From the time she was a little girl she knew what she wanted to do with her life.  From that point on, everything she did was with that goal in mind.  Nothing could distract her from her God-given purpose.  

Each believer has a specific purpose; a job for which they were created (Ephesians 2:10). When I seek God's will for my life, He reveals that focus that He meant for me, giving me a reason to drive forward each day (Jeremiah 29:11-13). As I accept His calling, everything suddenly begins to make sense.  Suffering is allowed into my life as part of the training necessary to prepare me for His use. I accept the bad along with the good, knowing that it all works together for my good and helps to propel me toward the purpose for which God has made me (Romans 8:28).

When I open myself up to the attacks of my enemy, however, this focus and drive is one of his targets. He aims to kill the plan God has for me, doing whatever he can to divert my attention away from it so I suddenly feel there is no reason for me to live. Or, he throws a wrench in the works with the hope that I will give up and forget about the good God has planned for my life.  

Instead of living with an aim and a purpose, then, I begin to wander aimlessly, going after one pursuit followed by another.  When one goal begins to lose its luster, I move onto another, never settling in for the long haul.  My life takes on the characteristics of an aimless wanderer instead of as a purposeful athlete training for an important competition (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).  Satan has killed my God-given purpose.

Thankfully, my calling is not gone, but I've only been fooled into thinking there is no reason for my pitiful life. Jesus, however, can restore that purpose as I keep my eyes on Him. Staying focused on Him enables me to run my race with purpose as I let go of all that distracts me from that single objective (Hebrews 12:1-2).

If I want to retain the sense of purpose I've been given as a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, I must not give Satan a foothold by giving into temptation.

Faith

Each day was a carbon-copy of the one before.  Pain ruled her life, limiting her ability to care for herself.  She felt as helpless as a newborn baby.  Was this what God meant for her life?  Did He even care about her suffering?  She began to wonder if God even existed.  And if He did, why didn't He do something to help her?

Pain and suffering has a way of destroying faith.  Where once I believed God was capable of anything and I had full confidence in His goodness, sovereignty and power, misery and agony can wipe out that belief.

While God can use hard times like this to grow my faith and proving it as authentic, Satan's goal is to destroy my belief in God as my Helper and Source of comfort (James 1:2-4, Job 1:9-11).  If I begin to question God's goodness, wondering if He really has my best interest at heart, Satan thinks he's won the battle. What he (and I as I'm swept along by his lies) fails to realize , however, is the power of Christ that is within me, giving me the upper hand in this war (1 John 4:4). 

I have been given armor to protect me from the schemes of my enemy.  One of these pieces of protective gear is a shield to ward off the flaming arrows of the devil.  This important safeguard is made up of my faith (Ephesians 6:16). If Satan can destroy my shield, he thinks he's won the battle.

Instead of giving into the temptation that my enemy puts in my path, then, I must act as a soldier and quickly raise up my shield, using it to safeguard against what seduces me away from the path of righteousness.  

When hard times come my way, instead of focusing on the suffering,  I must remember my position as a soldier in a war and refresh my memory of all the good that will come from standing firm in my faith (Romans 5:3-5).

When trouble enters into my life, in the place of blaming God for what is unbearable for me, I can hold fast to the truth that I have been presented with a great opportunity to taste the compassion God has for me as I allow Him to give me comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). 

When I'm faced with the impossible, I must not let down my guard, strengthening my firm stance with the truth that nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37).

If I want to stand firm in the faith I have in Jesus Christ, I must not give Satan a foothold by giving into temptation.

I often forget how vulnerable to attack I am and simply live in a way that pleases me.  When I follow my own flesh, I open myself up to the work of my enemy.  If I want to remain firm in my walk with the Lord, then, it is important that I guard against Satan's schemes.  Taking the way out when temptations come will allow me to retain the peace that guards my heart and mind, protect the purpose God has for my life, and to keep my faith in Him who is able to do more than I could ever imagine.  In these ways, I can avoid developing a chink in my armor.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can stand firm in my faith, keeping aware of my enemy who is constantly on the prowl.

When do I live as if I have no enemy, assuming I am safe from attack?

How do I easily give in to temptation, making myself vulnerable?    


Originally published on March 28, 2014  

Why Life?

"Why is light given to him who is in misery,

and life to the bitter in soul,

who long for death, but it comes not,

and dig for it more than for hidden treasures,

who rejoice exceedingly

and are glad when they find the grave?

Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden,

whom God has hedged in?

For my sighing comes instead of my bread,

and my groanings are poured out like water.

For the thing that I fear comes upon me,

and what I dread befalls me.

I am not at ease, nor am I quiet;

I have no rest, but trouble comes."

Job 3:20-26 ESV

Job was struggling.  He lost everything dear to him, and then the misery extended to his health as sores covered his body, bringing intense physical suffering.  He wondered, What's the point of my life?  Why can't I just die and end this pain?

Why indeed. . .

Purpose.  God is a promise-keeper.  His Word is solid and can be trusted.  He never changes His mind like man often does.  Therefore, when He makes a proclamation of some kind, I can believe without a doubt that He will live up to His Word (Numbers 23:19).

One of God's promises concerns His ability to transform all the ugliness of my life into something beautiful (Isaiah 61:3).  He never allows hard things into my life just for the sake of pain.  No!  As a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ I have the assurance of His purposes being manifested in my life.  Everything, then, that He places His stamp of approval on, will be used to further His plan for my life.  Nothing is random or arbitrary.  On the contrary, it all is deemed as necessary for my development as His child (Romans 8:28).

This means that there is meaning in the suffering.  God could be using it to test my faith to see if it is real.  After all, anyone can profess a confidence in God when everything is going well, but true faith endures through the fire (1 Peter 1:6-7).  The hardships may also be used to grow my faith, strengthening it and driving me closer in relationship with my Father so that I will learn to hang on to Him through any storm (James 1:2-4).  Sometimes, God allows hard times into my life so that He will be glorified through the ugly circumstances (2 Corinthians 12:8-10).  In all, the choice is His to make, not mine (Romans 9:14-16).

God chooses to extend my life through the difficult times because He uses hardships to fulfill His purposes.

Perspective.  Whenever I recover from a cold or the flu, I gain a fresh appreciation for my good health.  Similarly, it's easy for me to get used to the good and fail to appreciate how many ways God has blessed my life.  When I go through trials and tribulation, however, I long for the ordinary which I took for granted.  After the storm, I find myself treasuring every moment as a gift from God.

My perspective is often relative.  For instance, when I compare my life to that of someone I admire, I may feel discontent in contrast.  Or, if I'm used to hot weather and I visit a cooler state, the pleasant summertime temperatures may feel cold in comparison to what I'm used to.  Or, if I usually put hot sauce on my food, it may taste bland without it.

For this reason, I often need a wake-up call of kinds.  I can easily be lulled into a state of apathy, failing to really appreciate all the good I've been given.  Once I make it through hard times, however, my regular life starts to look pretty good.  

God chooses to extend my life through the difficult times because He uses it to give me an appreciation for His goodness woven throughout the ordinary.

Power.  Life hums along according to my plan.  I set a goal then work hard to reach it.  I'm forward-focused, constantly following my strategy for my life.  I feel empowered, like there's nothing I cannot achieve.

Then the unexpected happens.  Out of nowhere, I'm hit with a crisis, then another, until I find myself on my knees in desperation.  Help me, God!  Why is this happening?

It's easy for me to think I've got everything under control, that my life is mine to direct, that there's nothing I can't do if I put my mind to it. I can believe that until I come face-to-face with God and His sovereignty.  I forget that He is the one in control and only He knows the plan he has for my life.  Furthermore, nothing happens apart from His approval.  In other words, I've been lulled into a false sense of power.

There's nothing like a crisis to set things into the proper balance, teaching me how little power I have and how much I need God.  I am helpless without Him.  I can't even take a breathe apart from Him!  I live in the world He created and He is the One who keeps it all humming along.  Therefore, the reality is that I am completely dependent upon Him, whether I realize it or not.

God chooses to extend my life through the difficult times because He uses it to show me my great need for Him.

Life can be hard.  When the difficult times come, it's easy to want to give up, thinking there is no longer a reason to continue living.  God, however, has His reasons for keeping me around a little while longer.  He wants to use the suffering for His purposes, to give me a new appreciation for the life I often take for granted, or to show me how much I need Him.  I have not been placed on this earth to experience a comfortable, pleasant life.  Instead, I've been put here to live in relationship with God, which is where I will experience abundance beyond my wildest imaginations (John 10:10b, Ephesians 3:20)!  

Why am I still here even though I suffer so?  God has His reasons. . . and I can trust Him through it all.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can treasure the life God has given to me, even if it's not turning out the way I want it.

How do I have my own expectations for my life that have nothing to do with God's plan?

When am I failing to depend on God for His power to endure?      

God is for my Good

"There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, 

so that we might humble ourselves before our God

and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children,

with all our possessions.  

I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road,

because we had told the king,

'The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.'

So we fasted and petitioned our God about his,

and he answered our prayer."

Ezra 8:21-23

He had taken his stand, expressed his allegiance, made it clear in Whom he trusted.  Now, when push came to shove, it was time to act on his proclamation.

Ezra knew something I often forget:  God is for my good.  He knew that if God was for him, no enemy could prevail (Romans 8:31).  Even though he may have grown faint at the thought of traveling through enemy territory without a band of soldiers, he chose to follow through with his beliefs and trust God wholly as his protector.

What would happen if I did the same?

Confidence.  I always wondered why some people had so much of it and I had so little.  In Junior High, I admired the girls who sang solos, the boys who made the class crack up at their jokes, or the jocks who led their team to victory.  I wanted to feel as self-assured as these kids obviously did.

I have since grown up and realized that everyone is insecure in one way or another.  In Christ, however, I am complete.  When I have embraced my true identity in Him, my character as a unique masterpiece of a Creator who loves me perfectly (Psalm 139:13-14, 1 John 3:1), I don't have to trust in me but in Him.  Instead of living like that timid, unsure adolescent, I can step boldly forward with the living God to back me up (2 Timothy 1:7).  

When I trust God wholly, fear is a thing of the past and doubt but a fleeting memory.  My confidence comes from what I recognize that God will do through me, because I know God enough to trust that He can work through anyone.  My confidence comes from my awareness of God's greatness.  My confidence comes from my security in His kingdom.

When I trust in the God who is for my good, I acquire a confidence in His ability to equip, protect and enable me.

Purpose.  Becoming stranded without money in the middle of nowhere on a cross-country move. A grease fire in the home we left behind.  Relying on tow-trucks three times in one week to rescue two of our vehicles which suddenly developed mechanical problems.  Major car repair on a strict budget.  The sudden death of our young cat and the expected passing of our longtime feline companion, all within two weeks.  Unfair treatment at work that caused a cut in income.  A car accident that totaled a vehicle.  

These are some of the challenges our family has faced in the past three months.  If I didn't know God and understand that He holds a purpose for every circumstance He allows into my life, I would despair at the struggles of life.  Thankfully, I know God has a plan and that He uses every single heartache, problem and difficulty to grow me into the woman He created me to be (Romans 8:28-29, Jeremiah 29:11).  In Christ, something beneficial comes out of every struggle.  My suffering is not in vain.

When I trust in the God who is for my good, I can walk through the hard times of life with the assurance that God has a purpose for every circumstance.

Peace.  It's easy to become anxious in a world filled with things to worry about.  If my life was dependent upon the president's ability to lead our country unscathed through turmoil, or an agency's fitness for thwarting every single terrorist attack, or the medical profession's power to stop an epidemic, my heart would be wracked with worry.  

Thankfully, I am not dependent upon man to protect me from harm.  Instead, I place my trust in God to keep me safe.  As I position myself in His capable and loving hands, anxiety melts away.  When I believe God will fight my battles for me, the constant quest to find the perfect solution is no longer necessary.  Letting God take the helm of my life means all the "what ifs" that used to keep me up at night suddenly hold no power to hold my attention.

When I trust in the God who is for my good, I will discover a peace as I place my life under His protection.

It's easy to make proclamations of faith like Ezra did, claiming that my God will protect me from all harm.  It's quite another thing altogether to follow through with my declaration of faith and place my trust in Him.  Knowing that God is looking out for my best interest, however, can give me the assurance I need to position myself in His capable hands. When I do, I'll discover a new-found confidence in His ability to work through me, a realization that there is purpose for everything that comes into my life, and a peace I can't explain in the midst of it all.  Only a God that is for my good could accomplish such feats!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to let Him protect me.

When do I feel reckless when I consider abandoning traditional methods of protection in exchange for God's?

How big do I believe God to be?  Big enough to cover me through thick and thin?  Or is His power limited to what I can understand?

Called by God's Will

"Paul,

called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus

by the will of God. . ."

1 Corinthians 1:1a

Homeschooling is not for the faint of heart.  That is a thought that crossed my mind many times during the fifteen-year span of time during which I taught our four daughters at home.  There were days when no one seemed to be listening to me and everyone was bent on doing their own thing.  Other times I could detect very little progress in the way of academics and even less in the realm of my girls' spiritual development.  It was then that I asked myself, Why am I putting myself and my family through this torture?

Of course, homeschooling is not really torturous, it only seems so during the difficult times.  But the thing that kept me going, the fuel that fired my engine and the shield that protected my sanity was my calling.  I knew it was God's will for me to teach our family at home, and it was this calling that encouraged me to stick with it when I felt like giving up.

Life is equally as difficult, especially when I'm living for Jesus.  Knowing that I am called by God, however, changes my perception and gives me new reasons for carrying on.

Purpose

What is my purpose?  Why am I here?  These age-old questions have haunted philosophers for hundreds of years.  While most realize there is a specific reason for each persons' existence, most do not acknowledge the Creator behind the blueprint for my life.  If there is a plan, however, it logically follows that there must be a Planner.

Recognizing that I have been placed here for God and that He is using me to fulfill His design for my life gives me a strong sense of purpose.  Then, when a door of opportunity opens up, instead of dismissing it as an impossibility, I consider that God is moving me in a new direction.  

Or, when everything seems to be going wrong, I can trust in the plan God has for me that deviates from the methods I use to gain success.  

Or, when I feel restless and ill-at-ease, I can recognize this as a symptom that I am straying away from His shepherding that results in peace.  (Psalm 23:1-4)

Knowing that I am called by the will of God gives me a sense of purpose that drives my life forward.

Perspective

I remember sitting on my neighbor's front porch and marveling at how the change in point of view altered my perception of the neighborhood.  Not only could I see my own home better from this vantage point, but I enjoyed the different angle from which to view the houses around me.  My visit with my friend, however, added to my list of things-to-do as I noticed that my shutters needed a coat of paint and that the bushes in front of the porch needed a good trimming.  A change in perspective can be helpful.

It is the same with my spiritual life.  I am used to seeing things from my own point-of-view where the late delivery of the mail is an inconvenience, the noise of teenage boys playing football in the cul-de-sac is an irritant and the elderly woman in front of me in the grocery check-out is an hindrance.

I am desperately in need of God's perspective.  Realizing my very existence is by the hand of God, though, does work to change the way I see things.  Instead of a bother, I understand the pressures placed on my mail carrier and offer her a word of encouragement.

In the place of annoyance, I see the young men blowing off steam in front of my house as boys who are finding ways to live a more focused life and who just need time to be kids.

As a substitute for impatience, I offer a helping hand to the aged woman who is desperately in need of a little love and care.

Knowing that I am called by the will of God gives me a different perspective as I begin to see others through His lens.

Perseverance

Hitting the wall.  Every long-distance runner has experienced this at one point or another where muscle glycogen stores are depleted and energy is gone.  It feels like either my legs have stopped working or my brain has ceased to send commands.  Either way, it seems I can't go on. 

While consuming some carbohydrate-loaded fuel during a workout can prevent this phenomena, the same cure does nothing for running out of steam in my walk with God.  Maybe I'm tired of the physical pain and don't see how I can persist.  Or, I am burned out in my struggles: Will I ever get past the difficulties and enter smooth waters?  Or, I may wonder why I get all the grief while my friend seems to have it so easy.

During these breaking points, keeping in mind that I am called by God, no matter how big or small this purpose may seem will help me to persevere.  Knowing there is a greater purpose behind the complexity of life helps me to continue placing one step in front of the other.

It is then that the pain is seen as a tool used to humble me, the trials work to build my faith and the heartaches cultivate compassion.  I never like hurting, struggling or suffering.  In fact, I love to be exalted or praised for a job well done.  Many times, however, God has other plans:  How often am I willing to place myself in God's hands for whatever purpose He desires?

Oswald Chambers challenges believers with the thought of being offered as a living sacrifice.  He said, "It is one thing to go on the lonely way with dignified heroism, but quite another thing if the line mapped out for you by God means being a door-mat under other people's feet."  If it is God's purpose for me to do small things for Him and never receive a word of thanks, I will only be able to persevere through that kind of treatment if I'm living for God.

If I'm living for my own comfort, feeling of self-worth or fulfillment, then I will never get past the hard times.  Instead, I will only see them as a burden to weigh me down.

But, If I'm living for God's glory, constantly seeking His will and understanding that He is the One with the master-plan, then every circumstance is a tool for His use and an opportunity to trust Him.

As one who has given my life to Jesus, it is vital for me to understand from where my calling comes.  Once I accept that God is the One who holds the blueprint for my life, then I will obtain a sense of purpose, gain a new perspective, and receive the power to persevere through difficulties.  As I step into this new way of living, I, like Paul, can say I am called by the will of God.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God completely, even when things look out of control.

How do I see things only from my perspective?

When am I stuck in my pain, failing to see its purpose in my Father's hands? 

Connected

"One of those days Jesus went out to

a mountainside to pray,

and spent the night praying to God.

When morning came,

he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them,

whom he also designated apostles:

Simon (whom he named Peter), 

his brother Andrew,

James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas,

James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot,

Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot,

who became a traitor."

Luke 6:12-16

Here is a simple quiz you can take to help determine whether you are at risk for burning out on the job or in your ministry:

1.  Do you feel run down and drained of physical or emotional energy?

2.  Do you find that you are prone to negative thinking about your job or ministry?

3.  Do you find that you are harder and less sympathetic with people than perhaps they deserve?

4.  Do you find yourself getting easily irritated by small problems, or by your co-workers or team?

5.  Do you feel misunderstood or unappreciated by your co-workers or team members?

6.  Do you feel that you have no one to talk to?

7.  Do you feel that you are achieving less than you should?

8.  Do you feel under an unpleasant level of pressure to succeed?

9.  Do you feel that you are not getting what you want out of your job or ministry?

10.Do you feel there is more work than you practically have the ability to do?

Not only is this a great tool to use to determine whether or not I'm susceptible to burnout, but it is also an excellent way to gauge upon whose strength I am relying.

Jesus always stayed connected to His Father.  Consequently, His mind was always focused on His Father's will.  (Luke 2:49)  His habit of getting away from the task at hand and spending time in prayer with His Father kept Him in touch with the Source of all His power and gave Him an advantage when tackling the day to day frustrations that come with being human.

Wisdom

The world says that wisdom, or the power to judge and discern properly what is true and right, comes with age.  Psalm 111:10, however, says that, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom."  Revering and placing God in the highest, most prominent position in my life begins a flow of His wisdom into my mind.  As I get closer to Him, He shows me how to live His way.   

Offering myself as a living sacrifice to God, committing myself to living for Him instead of for me, prompts Him to reveal His will to my transformed mind. (Romans 12:1-2) His way starts to become the preferred way for me.  

So when I'm connected to God and I'm faced with a major decision, my mind will be clear with the option He prepared for me at this time.  

When I'm following His lead and I come to a fork in the road, His preferred route will stand out to me as the clear path to follow.

When I am rightly related to my Father and disaster strikes, my heart will be at peace as He guides me through the steps He has for me.

Staying connected to my Father as Jesus did will give me wisdom to know His will for my life.

Strength

As a young adult, I competed in powerlifting.  As someone who was naturally strong, this sport seemed like a perfect outlet for me.  I ended up going to the Drug-Free Nationals and broke several records for my age group.  I had learned how to gain much physical strength.

But strong muscles do not naturally translate to emotional or spiritual strength.  If I'm physically fit, I am no better prepared to face the stresses and difficulties of life than my out-of-shape counterpart. 

I know a woman who is struggling with the loss of her daughter.  Her child did not die from a terrible disease, or run away from home.  No, this precious 14-year-old girl was abducted from the safety of her own bedroom.  To this day, the mother knows who took her, but not what her fate is.  Even though she is going through every parent's worst nightmare, she has an inner strength few can understand.  Some have called her cold and uncaring, others have assessed that she's in denial, still others wonder if she somehow played a part in this horrible act.  

The truth is, this mother has claimed, "The LORD as my strength and my shield." (Psalm 28:7) She knows from where her help comes (Psalm 121) and Who is the source of that assistance.  (Psalm 46:1-3)

Nineteenth-century clergyman Phillips Brooks put's it all into Kingdom perspective when he advised, "Do not pray for easy lives; pray to be stronger people!  Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers: pray for powers equal to your tasks.  Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle but you shall be a miracle.  Every day you shall wonder at yourself, at the richness of life which has come to you by the grace of God."

Staying connected to my Father as Jesus did will provide an unlimited source of strength to live for Him, no matter what comes my way.

Purpose

John the Baptist never suffered from an identity crisis.  He had been taught from the moment he could understand what his purpose was here on earth: "to make straight the way for the Lord." (John 1:23)  John's purpose was clear and he never wavered from fulfilling that plan until his death by beheading.  (Matthew 14)

Unfortunately, most of us don't know so clearly the plan God has for us.  (Jeremiah 29:11)  Just the fact that a plan exists, however, is enough to give my life meaning.  If, instead, I thought life was a giant cosmic mistake, a series of events that occurred randomly and unintentionally resulted in the complexity that is human life, I would tend to think my life was pretty worthless.  What's the point if there's no greater plan?  

Thankfully, there is a purpose for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1) and God is the author of that plan!  Knowing there is a reason for my life gives me an impression that I possess value and also gives me a sense that I'm a part of a bigger plan that includes more than just me.  My piece fits into all the other parts and helps to create the whole.  (1 Corinthians 12)

When I put my life into the hands of the Master Artist, He creates a masterpiece.  Solomon poetically penned the thought that, "He has made everything beautiful in its time."  (Ecclesiastes 3:11)  Trusting God with my life means He's already done a beautiful thing, it's just a matter of waiting on the appointed time.  The fact that it will happen is a done deal.

As a child of God through faith in Jesus, I can count on the truth that God is transforming me into the image of His Son.  Continuing to walk in faith by obeying His personal guidance and allowing Him to keep up that transformational work means I'll develop godly desires to do what pleases Him. (Philippians 2:13-14)  This all comes through cultivating my relationship with the God who loves me.

Staying connected to my Father as Jesus did gives me a sense of purpose that guides me confidently through life as I follow His plan.

It's easy to burn out when I'm trying to live my life based on worldly wisdom, by working in my own strength and in creating my own plan for my life.  But endurance will come when I instead stay connected to my Father who dispenses His wisdom through me, gives me the strength I need when I need it and colors my entire life with a sense of purpose and design.  Then I will not only be able to avoid suffering from exhaustion and discouragement but will soar on wings like eagles.  (Isaiah 40)

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can stay connected to my source of wisdom, strength and purpose.

How do I try to rely on my own strength?

When do I float through my day, bouncing from one thing to another, instead of intentionally living according to His will?

Know Him

" ' 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 upon 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.' "

Jeremiah 29:11-13

I accepted Christ as my Savior at the age of 12.  For the next 15 years, not much changed in my life.  Don't get me wrong, I went to church every Sunday where I learned what it meant to follow Jesus.  I read the Bible on a regular basis.  I prayed.  But these were all rituals. . . duties I could check off my list once finished.  These were things that were expected for a good Christian to do. Right?

It depends.  The thing about my life is that God was not a part of all these rituals.  Sure, I knew He was there and that He was the main character in this story I was learning as I read the Bible, but I didn't know Him personally, like I knew my sister, or my parents, or my friends.  He was this benevolent Being that was there, but separate from me in some way.

As I grew up, got married and began the job of raising a family of my own, my sister sent me a book called, "Experiencing God" by Henry Blackaby and Claude King.  God used that Bible study to transform my mind and teach me about walking with Him on a personal level.  I learned that God is at work all around me and it is up to me whether I'll be a part of what He's doing, or just watch as a spectator on the sidelines.  I began to choose to participate, and my life has never been the same!

Hope for the Future

The first thing I noticed was that I sensed this excitement within me as I looked for evidence of God working around me.  I was getting to know the One with the plan for my life!  His plan was to give me hope and a future.  As I went through my day, raising my four daughters who were all in diapers at the time, I sensed a meaning in the drudgery.  Being there for my triplet daughters and their older sister was a part of a plan that God had for my life! 

Knowing there is a purpose gives me hope.  It means there is a blueprint that will give rise to a magnificent structure that no man can destroy.  It means every diaper I change, every runny nose I wipe, every shoe that I tie (and retie) is a part of that plan and serves a purpose in the scheme of God's blueprint!  It is not mindless drudgery as I so easily can think.  It is vital, necessary and crucial to the plan God has for me.  As David said in Psalm 39:7, "But now Lord, what do I look for?  My hope is in you." 

Getting to know the God who has the plan for my life gives me a sense of hope for a meaningful future.

Prayers are Heard

After I committed my life to getting to know God in a more intimate way, I noticed my prayers were different.  Instead of an empty habit or practice, it became a two-way conversation.  I knew my prayers were being heard by the Almighty God, and I was sensing His presence in a whole new way.  I had always known He was there, but now it was as if He was sitting beside me and we were talking.  

Jesus described this personal way of talking to God as a relationship between a Father and son.  He said, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8)  He then goes to explain that as much as an earthly father gives good things to his son, our heavenly Father will give so much more to those who ask.

This is not to say that God is a vending machine, but that He is a loving Father who listens to our prayers and responds in a very real way.  David enjoyed a close relationship with God, and he put it this way.  "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4)  As I grow closer to God and take pleasure in getting to know Him, He will transform my heart to be more in tune with His.  

Getting to know God opens up a whole new way to pray as I become more in sync with Him.

Seek His Will

Growing up, I could never understand my parents and why they did the things they did.  When I became a parent, I could appreciate the decisions they made as they did what was best for their children.  It never seemed quite fair as a child, but when I became familiar with the role of parenting, my perspective changed.

This transformation process takes place as I grow closer to God.  I read in Romans 12 that I can either conform to the pattern of this world, or I can choose to "be transformed by the renewing of (my) mind. Then (I) will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." (v2)

As I learn more about God and His ways, I can put those words into action, or I can let them sit on the page.  If I trust God at His Word and allow Him to change me, I will begin to recognize what He is doing all around me.  I will begin to see things with new eyes as I identify His work in the everyday things of life, and my life will take on new meaning.

Getting to know God gives me an opportunity to learn how to recognize His will for my life.  

As a Christian, I can either go through the motions, or I can go deeper.  If I choose the latter, I will discover a sense of hope for a meaningful future, a rich and fruitful prayer life, and a greater awareness of God's will for my life.  Walking with Christ is as significant as I make it.  I want to know Him today even more than I did yesterday!

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will seek God with all of my heart.  Then I know that I will find Him.

How do I go through the motions of what I think I should do without ever going deeper?

Am I in a relationship with a living God or a part of a religion filled with rituals and routines?