Uncomfortable Work

“So if you find life difficult because you’re doing what God said, take it in stride. Trust him. He knows what he’s doing, and he’ll keep on doing it.” (1 Peter 4:19 MSG)

We had a weekly Bible study in our neighborhood for more than ten years. Then it dissolved, mainly due to some of the members having health issues. I was in charge of organizing the weekly study. When it was thriving, I felt like it was God’s will. However, in the last few years, I sensed that interest had waned as everyone’s schedules got fuller. I didn’t want to be pushy, so I stopped calling people weekly to set it up. I figured that if it was God’s will, He would make it happen.

“Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job.” (1 Peter 4:12 MSG)

Many of us imagine that if we are doing God’s will, everything will go smoothly. In fact, we use this as a measure of how aligned we are with God’s purpose. Sometimes God calls us to do uncomfortable work--challenges that strain our resources, stretch our abilities, and test our resolve. Most likely, we will be less popular than we were when we followed the ways of the world. Accept the discomfort. Some pain is to be expected as we detach from getting our own way to doing things God’s way.

Morning Harvest

“Jesus sent his twelve harvest hands out with this charge: “Don’t begin by traveling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers. And don’t try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood.” (Matthew 10:5-6 MSG)

Harvesting takes time and energy. The crops must be picked, processed, and stored properly. God has sown seeds all around us. These plants have grown and are ready for harvest. Every day, we have the privilege of gathering what God has planted.

I am at my best in the mornings. The house is quiet, my mind is clear and focused, and my energy level is at its highest. Thus, this is the time I commune with God. Through prayer and study, I gather insights. I process everything through writing. I store it up so I can meditate upon it throughout the day. I share it with others who may benefit from it.

You don’t have to go far to reap what God has sown. The spiritual realm is near and accessible to anyone who desires it. You don’t need any special equipment or abilities. BUT, you have to want it. You have to dedicate yourself to the harvest work.

Too Busy to Harvest

“When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. ‘What a huge harvest!’ he said to his disciples. ‘How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!’” (Matthew 9:36-38 MSG)

The growing season is almost over in my garden. Over the last few weeks, I have been too busy to harvest the last of the apples, ground cherries, tomatoes, and peppers. I could make time, but I have allowed myself to be distracted by other things. This has caused so much waste in the garden.

Harvesting is time sensitive. You can’t just do it when you have nothing better to do. The professional farmers around here know this. They put off everything to bring in the harvest on time. Their livelihoods depend on it. Unlike me, they know the seriousness of this task.

“We stay busy at work, while people all around us are ripe and ready to be harvested; we do not reap even one of them, but simply waste our Lord’s time in over-energized activities and programs.” (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest)

All around us, the seeds that God planted are ripe for harvest. Every circumstance has been used as fertilizer for growth. God’s plans have come to fruition. Let there be no waste. Ask God to equip you to gather, process, and make useful all that He has produced. Pray that He sends others to help you in this immense task.

Abide with Me

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5 ESV)

Imagine you are a young adult living at home. All your friends have already moved out on their own and are living independently. You are still living under the watchful eyes of your parents, abiding by their rules, helping out with chores around the house, dependent on them for most things. You are frequently tempted to move out--to live the way you want, to do things that your parents would probably disapprove of, to make decisions without their input or influence. You want to be your own person. You want to assert your rights.

It is natural for us to want a life separate from our earthly parents. However, we are not intended to live apart from our Heavenly Father.

Most of us are tempted to strike out on our own. We attempt to operate under our own power, independent of God. We think we can be productive, that we can fight our own battles, and achieve our ambitions.  The more successful we are, the more confident we become of our abilities, the less we rely on anyone else--including God. We may call on Him, once a week on Sunday--mostly as a formality. And then we get back to our independent life where we are lord and master of our domain.

We were created to always abide with our Heavenly Father. We are not meant to live separately, to make our own decisions, or to follow our own agenda.  Anything we produce, apart from God, is worthless. Our Father asks us to remain  in His presence, stay connected at all times, and hold on to Him no matter what. He promises to take care of us, to direct and guide us, and never abandon us.

Lord, may I abide in You and You in me.

Experience of Grace

“My life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.” (Acts 20:24 NLT)

I appreciate those who share their experiences with others. Some people are willing to tell others what they have learned while going through difficult challenges. Others are embarrassed to share details about their times of weakness, their vulnerability, their shame. We all have these experiences-- times when we fell into traps from which we couldn’t extricate ourselves. Sometimes we are swallowed up by the sinkholes of circumstances beyond our control . Other times we are tripped up by our own mistakes or sucked in because of those around us.

I have been in these pits of darkness. Earthly circumstances and personal weaknesses may have been the causes of my fall. However, my unwillingness to depend completely on the Lord was the reason I remained in hopelessness.  BUT GOD, because of  His wonderful generosity, didn’t leave me there. He rescued me from the gutters. He groomed me. He made me presentable and acceptable. And then He gave me an assignment. He wants me to share my experience of Grace.

Have you experienced God’s Grace--the undeserved. unconditional love and acceptance of the Divine? Look back on your life. Do you think that every time you came out of the pit of despair, you did it on your own?  Don’t be naive. Whether you acknowledge it or not, you too have experienced Grace. Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to express this wonderful, extravagantly generous grace of God.

__

Divine Discernment

“Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own.” (John 7:17 NLT)

Do you feel lost and disoriented? Are you searching for direction, purpose, and meaning? Have you been going down roads that seem promising but lead to nothing?  Are you tired of all this?

Those who follow their own inclinations cannot discern between that which is of God and that which is merely human opinion. Confusion and darkness set in when our wants eclipse HIS will. Our personal ambitions prompt us to figure out our own divergent route.

Divine discernment is granted to those whose primary desire is to please God. The path through God’s sphere of influence is well-lit and clearly marked. When our hearts are aligned with God’s will, when our thoughts and actions reflect His purposes, then we shall have clarity, understanding, and insight.

Lord, may we have the intelligence and discernment to know You personally. May our eyes be focused and clear, so that we can see exactly what it is that You are calling us to do. May we grasp the immensity of your glorious way. Grant us endless energy and boundless strength as we trust in You and live to please You. (Prayer paraphrased from Ephesians 1:18-19 MSG)

Stay Clean

“For God's will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.” (Hebrews 10:10 NLT)

I have a special set of silverware that I use for guests. After every use, I hand wash each piece gently and dry them carefully so there are no water spots. Then I put them away in a special tray.  My everyday silverware is not as shiny or spotless. Daily use wears them out. They often get scratched up in the garbage disposal or bent out of shape in the dishwasher. Sometimes these utensils are even used for purposes that they are not meant for--to pry open paint cans, dislodge nails that are stuck in walls, skewer marshmallows over a flame, etc. Because of this, I have instructed my family members not to use the special silverware for their own agenda.  

We are made holy--set apart for God’s purposes. Yet, we are not put away--only to be used for special occasions. God uses us daily. Thus, we may get scratched up, worn out, dull, and rusty. It is nearly impossible to stay clean and lustrous under these conditions. However, we are sanctified through the sacrifice of Jesus once and for all. That means that God has made provisions for us to stay clean and useful on a daily basis. Yet, we must submit to His daily ministrations--allow Him to wash us gently and dry us carefully.

Many of us get dirty and damaged because of worldly entanglements.  We allow ourselves to be used for purposes that are not of God. We must be careful not to get involved in matters outside of God’s will.  Instead, we need to remain holy, set apart, clean, and ready to be of service to God at all times.  

Will of God

“For God's will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.” (Hebrews 10:10 NLT)

The ‘Will of God’ is what pleases Him, His plans and decisions, His intentions, His purpose, His mission. God is sovereign; thus, what pleases Him is above all in importance. His intentions are excellent, and He is resolute in His mission.

God’s will is where God’s love and human need intersect. We were created from God’s love--to love Him, and to be loved by Him.  Our relationship with God is often limited to asking for what we want--sustenance, comfort, health, safety, etc. We fail to acknowledge that our ultimate need is to be one with God.  This is also what God desires.

Jesus restored our relationship with the Father. He showed humanity how to be at one with God. He was holy, set apart, and uncorrupted by the world in which He lived. How can we follow Jesus’ example? We can rely completely on the Father. We can reject the temptation to pursue our independent agenda. We can stay at one with God.

What If...?

“I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” (Isaiah 46:4 NIV)

I am shackled by fear. I have trouble trusting people. I have major abandonment issues. I have had these hang-ups for a long time. As a child, I didn’t feel like I could depend on the adults in my life. I learned to rely on myself. If I wasn’t in complete control of a situation, I would start feeling anxious. Even now, I torture myself with ‘What if’ questions: What if I have a flat tire? What if my son doesn’t finish college? What if my husband gets sick?

Fear comes from making plans without taking God into account. It stems from trying to figure out how I am going to handle a situation independent of God. I lack trust--not in God’s power or ability--but that He is dependable and caring enough to make time for me, that He will be available, that He will not abandon me.

These days, when my mind conjures up fearful scenarios, I use my active imagination to picture God in the situation. What if such and such happens? I wonder how God is going to handle it?  I remind myself that God has always been with me and will continue to be there in the future. He has carried me thus far. He has rescued me. He will continue to sustain me and my loved ones.

“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you." (Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT)

Prophetic Encounters

“The main thing to keep in mind here is that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of private opinion. And why? Because it’s not something concocted in the human heart. Prophecy resulted when the Holy Spirit prompted men and women to speak God’s Word.” (2 Peter 1:20-21 MSG)

Sorting through the daily stack of mail can be tedious. The colorful flyers can be easily recognized as junk; some envelopes are camouflaged to look authentic, but once we open them, we realize they are merely deceptive forms of solicitation. And then there are the legitimate pieces of mail--personal letters and cards, checks, bills, and packages. We have to be careful not to throw these away with the junk mail.

The capacity to sense truth is inherent in most humans. Yet, we often feel confused and muddled as we sift through daily messages. Every so often, we come across something that we know to be authentic, good, and honest: it may be a word from a friend, something we read or hear, a dream we have, or a sudden thought that pops into our head. Unfortunately, these  prophetic encounters are often disregarded and discounted by our rational minds.

Prophecy is a confirmation of truth. It reinforces what we already know in the deep recesses of our conscious. The Holy Spirit prompts us to remember what God has placed in our hearts. How we respond to these nudges is up to us. We can either ignore God’s voice and remain in the dark, or we can choose to follow the signs that point toward integrity and truth.

The Big Reveal

“But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.” ( 1 Thessalonians 5:8 NLT)

Most of us spend our lives surviving--meeting day-to-day challenges of supplying our needs and wants. We occasionally wonder if there isn’t more to life, but we quickly find ways to distract or numb ourselves from these thoughts. Some individuals break away from the pack and pursue self-actualization--the achievement of one’s full potential through creativity and independence. The discovery and assertion of the Self/ego become their dominant goal. The soul--the meeting place of God’s Spirit and the human spirit--is situated even deeper. Soul access requires submission of the Self.

We hold on to the delusion that we are our own masters--independent from God. This deception causes us to remain in darkness--to seek self-fulfillment, self-satisfaction, self-aggrandizement. Jesus calls us to the light--reminding us that we belong to God, that we have been emancipated, that we are protected and cherished. We are not meant to merely express ourselves but to express God. The unlimited potentiality of the Spirit of God is within us waiting to be discovered and revealed.

Sandcastles

“But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.” (Matt. 7:24 NIV)

Every year, the U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge is held on the beaches of San Diego, California. Sculptors construct elaborate works of art, and spectators gather to watch and cheer them on. The competitors try to outdo each other, vying to be the best at building temporary structures. Meanwhile, a few miles inland, there is real construction going on--buildings that will last for generations.

Most of us spend our lives constructing sandcastles--tangible, palpable, visible manifestations of our abilities. We compete and compare with others on the beach who are erecting similar temporary structures. Meanwhile, we are oblivious to the permanent building projects that are going on nearby in the Spiritual dimension.

The Spirit expresses truth. Yet, as long as we remain consumed by our own sand projects, we cannot practice the truth or build anything solid or lasting. The integrity of our souls depends on turning away from the material world and focusing on what is perpetually meaningful.

Carrying Water

“Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” (Proverbs 11:25 ESV)

When I was a young child, I used to visit my grandma who lived in a house by a river in India. This was their only source of water. Her youngest son, my uncle, was in his early 20’s at the time. Every day, he would make multiple trips to the river, fill up his bucket, and take the water to where it was needed. He filled the holding tanks in the house; he watered all the plants in the back yard; he brought in water for cooking and bathing--and he did all this willingly, without being asked.

We all have various sized buckets--our potential is determined by our opportunities and our abilities. Yet, it is not the size of the bucket that matters--but our willingness to carry the water. We may be blessed with intelligence, talent, freedom, charm, eloquence, and favorable circumstances--but it is our work ethic that will determine our effectiveness.

Be generous with your  gifts. In the beginning, you may feel weak and incompetent. Yet, you shall develop endurance as you proceed. As you share your strengths with the world, take care that your generosity does not handicap those around you. Allow others to develop their own strengths.

“Give in proportion to what you have. Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have. Of course, I don’t mean your giving should make life easy for others and hard for yourselves.” (2 Corinthians 8:11-13 MSG)

Prayer and Fasting

“He told them, ‘This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting.’” (Mark 9:29 ISV)

A smart employee knows when something is above his pay grade, and he needs to call his manager. We may be able to handle everyday issues using our own powers of judgment--with a cursory prayer notifying God of what is going on. However, when we are in over our heads, we have to have the sense to call God in.

Desperate situations call for intense prayer. Do not attempt to solve these types of difficult problems on your own. Acknowledge that your intellect and judgement are inadequate. Pray. Do not let your attention be diverted by the crisis at hand. Fear, panic, confusion, and pride can be highly distracting. As we pray, we must focus on God with every fiber of our being and fast from all distractions. We must keep calling Him until we get through. We must wait for God to show up and take over.

Believing Prayers

“Absolutely everything, ranging from small to large, as you make it a part of your believing prayer, gets included as you lay hold of God.” (Matthew 21:22 NLT)

Why are some prayers answered and not others? Does the efficacy of prayer depend on the faith of the one who is praying? If so, most of us are unqualified. Our confidence in God wavers from moment to moment.

Jesus knew the Heavenly Father intimately and, thus, had a strong bond with Him. Jesus always prayed within the will of the Father. He wanted what the Father wanted. Nothing less. Nothing more. Jesus had absolute faith and full confidence in the Father. Thus, Jesus was able to lay hold of God’s power through prayer.

Lord, through prayer we have access to Your power. Help us overcome  our doubts. May our desires be aligned with Your plans. Pour out your grace on all of us.

What Prayer Isn't

“Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” (Philippians 4:6 NLT)

Many of us spend our prayer time stewing in worried thought. We anxiously examine our problems, rearrange them in different ways, and try to come up with our own solutions that we then suggest to God. We become more absorbed in our troubles than we are in God. This is not prayer.

Prayer is not a list of requests. It isn’t repeating a bunch of words while our minds or hearts are occupied elsewhere. It isn’t formulaic. It is not about getting what you want.  

"To pray, I think, does not mean to think about God in contrast to thinking about other things, or to spend time with God instead of spending time with other people. Rather, it means to think and live in the presence of God." ‪(Henri Nouwen, Clowning in Rome)

Prayer requires us to be vulnerable. We have to relinquish our ego and be completely honest with ourselves. Oftentimes we feel useless and helpless as we express our true feelings in prayer. We remain in God’s presence, surrendered, listening, absorbing. Prayer allows us to open up and be available to God. Eventually our minds and our hearts become aligned with God as we become infused by His Spirit. Then we shall experience the peace that transcends all human understanding.   

Lord, we shall hand over all our anxious thoughts to you. We shall tell you our needs and thank you for all that you have done and all that you are about to do. May our minds and hearts be absorbed in Your purpose as we live in your presence and experience your peace.  

One Bad Decision

“A God-loyal life keeps you on track;  sin dumps the wicked in the ditch.” (Proverbs 13:6 MSG)

I have to restrain myself from checking text messages while I’m driving. I know that looking at my phone while driving could cause an accident. I could hurt myself or others with my carelessness. Taking my eyes off the road for one moment could lead to dire consequences, but it takes continuous focus to stay safe.

Every day we are faced with hundreds of choices. Some of them may seem trivial and not worth much thought. Inattention can lead to destruction. Yielding to temptation even once can change the trajectory of one’s life. One moment of weakness can lead to missed opportunities, relapses in addictions, permanent injuries, damaged reputations, broken marriages, harmful relationships,  or financial ruin.

One bad decision may wreck your life, but it takes a series of good choices to keep you on track. Moment by moment, we have to restrain ourselves from minor distractions. Day after day, we must resist major temptations. And no matter how much self-control and discipline we have, we may eventually slip up and make mistakes. This is why we need grace. We cannot keep ourselves on track by our own merit, but we can depend on God to do so. Godliness allows us to live with integrity, to intentionally make good choices over and over. Independent of God, we fall prey to our weaknesses and end up in the ditch.

The Nonconformist

“So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” (John 2:15-16 NIV)

Religion is often used as a means to herd people and maintain social order. Members often follow a set of regulations and conform to certain rules of conduct. Uniformity is encouraged. Rebels are seen as troublemakers.

Jesus was a nonconformist. He didn’t follow a conventional Jewish lifestyle. He was unconcerned about supporting himself, settling down and starting a family of his own, taking care of his aging mother, or planning for retirement. He associated with outcasts and helped people on the Sabbath. Jesus was disruptive. He called people out on their hypocrisy, criticized social norms, and denounced established religious practices. Yet, Jesus was also compassionate. He reached out to those who were marginalized, spoke to them, fed them, and healed them. Jesus rebelled against convention--not to assert His individuality, but to fully express God’s will.

Jesus cares about others--but NOT about how others perceive Him. Even though He loves us, He will not hesitate to hurt our feelings when necessary.

I pray that we may all emulate Jesus--be able to love others without caring about what they think of us, be willing to be unpopular, and be confrontational when necessary.

Supernatural Grace

“Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder.” (Romans 12:12 MSG)

How can we prevent burnout? How do we keep ourselves fueled when we are continually being drained? I have tried the usual recommendations of exercise, getting enough sleep, eating healthfully, finding  support, setting boundaries, taking breaks, doing something creative, etc. All of these techniques can delay burnout to a certain extent. Unfortunately, we cannot keep ourselves going indefinitely on our own. The world drains us faster than we can replenish ourselves.

Once we realize that we have run out of steam, there are two options: we can either quit, or we can depend on God. When we have exhausted our natural resources and talents, we are ready for the supernatural. We learn to  look expectantly upon God, patiently waiting, transfixed in prayer. Supernatural grace plugs up the holes and pours new energy and wisdom into us. This is the only sustainable way to stay encouraged and motivated when the world is crumbling around us.

Lord, grant us supernatural grace so that we can stay hopeful, patient, and faithful no matter what our circumstances.

Drugged by Grief

"He got up from prayer, went back to the disciples and found them asleep, drugged by grief. " (Luke 22:45 MSG)

When you are overwhelmed with sadness, all you want to do is numb the pain. It is difficult to focus on anything, especially prayer. We show up at God’s doorstep with our grief. We know He has the power to solve our issues. Yet, He delays. This is frustrating!

When the sufferer is unable to pray effectively, this role may fall on his/her loved ones. Let’s say one of your close friends overdosed on a harmful drug.  Would you not take them to the ER--even if you knew there would be a long wait? Those who are overwhelmed by grief may feel like giving up. Yet, they need divine attention. They may not get immediate relief. Their treatment may include even more discomfort and pain. When our loved ones are suffering, it is our job to pray--to take them to God, to wait, to not give up.

Lord, enable us to continue to pray even when we are drugged by grief.

Offerings

“Accept my prayer as incense offered to you, and my upraised hands as an evening offering.” (Psalm 141:2 NLT)

We have much to offer to this world--our talents, our sparkling personalities, our intellect, our time, our energy, etc. We spend much of our lives trading in what we have for what we want in return--love, validation, respect, acquisitions, comfort, security, etc.

What can we offer God? What do we want in return?

We tend to present God with the same things we peddle to the world. This is equivalent to dropping Monopoly money in the church basket. We may feel like we donated something, and those around us may think we have contributed--but this currency is useless to God.    

All we truly have to offer is helplessness. We have nothing to barter. We are beggars, not businessmen. All we can do is surrender our will and extend our arms in supplication. We may not get exactly what we want. Beggars can’t be choosers. We accept whatever we are given with gratitude. We continue to wait in humility, submitting to God’s charity.

Lord, all we have to offer are helpless prayers. We plead that you will accept our requests as we surrender our will to you.

My Rabbi

“She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means "Teacher".)” (John 20:16 NIV)

A rabbi is a Jewish scholar and teacher. But the term is used colloquially to mean an older, wiser person who fulfills the role of patron, mentor, and advisor to others. When I am anxious or confused, I tend to talk to my husband, my sister, or my friends. They rarely have solutions to my problems; mostly, they just listen. I wish I had a rabbi--someone who would counsel me, look out for me, and guide me.

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” (1 Peter 5:7 NLT)

When I am talking to God, I am reluctant to bring up stuff that is bothering me. My earthly problems seem petty, and I feel like my prayers should be spiritual. I forget that the Lord is my master, my teacher, my rabbi. Instead of dumping my worries on fellow human beings, I  can unload them at God’s feet. When I am anxious, I can go to Him for peace. When I’m unsure of how to proceed, I can ask Him for advice.

Rabboni, today I am upset about a lot of things. All the suffering and injustice in this world is getting to me. I don’t know what to do. I’m laying it all out in front of you. Please guide my thoughts, my emotions, and my actions.