“God prodded-” (Ezra. 1:5 MSG)
Most days, my life is a slow-burning wood fire--a small, useful flame that sends out a bit of smoke. Occasionally, I get poked into a turbulent flame. I’m prodded out of my normal state of complacency. I feel the urge to spread like a wild fire.
When God sets us on fire, I’m sure it’s uncomfortable for us and everyone surrounding us. God’s holy fire consumes and cleanses. However, not everything that burns is from God.
I’m never sure if this prodding is from God. Is my agitation caused by the Holy Spirit? Or is this smoldering indignation just my own ego? Or, maybe it’s just a pre-menopausal hot flash. I get hot and bothered about a lot of things. I pray for discernment--to recognize the difference between a holy nudge and self-righteousness.
streams
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Drawing on the Grace of God
“Prayer is the practice of drawing on the grace of God. Don’t say, ‘I will endure this until I can get away and pray.’ Pray NOW-- draw on the grace of God in your moment of need. Prayer is the most normal and useful thing; it is not simply a reflex action of your devotion to God. We are very slow to learn to draw on God’s grace through prayer.” (My Utmost for His Highest-- by Oswald Chambers)
We can draw God’s grace like water from a well. Prayer is the bucket. The Holy Spirit is the pulley that enables us to draw this grace without getting exhausted.
If we are dependent on well water for our daily needs, we wouldn’t skip a day because we are busy. We would have to go to the well and draw water several times a day--whether we are thirsty and need a drink, or dirty and need to wash up; when we need to cook our food, or water our crops or livestock. Similarly, we must draw from God’s unlimited supply of grace several times a day, no matter what else is going on in our lives.
“God’s power is working in us. We use weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us.” ( 2 Cor. 6:7-8 NLT)
When we continually, consistently, draw from God’s power, we have goodness at our disposal. We no longer have to use self-constructed weapons to attack the forces of darkness, or to defend what is right and true; For we are operating under God’s strength, wisdom and grace.
We can draw God’s grace like water from a well. Prayer is the bucket. The Holy Spirit is the pulley that enables us to draw this grace without getting exhausted.
If we are dependent on well water for our daily needs, we wouldn’t skip a day because we are busy. We would have to go to the well and draw water several times a day--whether we are thirsty and need a drink, or dirty and need to wash up; when we need to cook our food, or water our crops or livestock. Similarly, we must draw from God’s unlimited supply of grace several times a day, no matter what else is going on in our lives.
“God’s power is working in us. We use weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us.” ( 2 Cor. 6:7-8 NLT)
When we continually, consistently, draw from God’s power, we have goodness at our disposal. We no longer have to use self-constructed weapons to attack the forces of darkness, or to defend what is right and true; For we are operating under God’s strength, wisdom and grace.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Prioritizing
“Don’t do everything – just do what matters most.” (J.R. Briggs)
Every day I wake up and make a list of all the things I want to do. I usually accomplish only 80% of these things. Which means the next day’s list is even bigger. By the end of the week, I’m overwhelmed and discouraged.
What if I were more selective? What if I only planned to do what mattered most? What if as soon as I made my list, I prioritized my tasks and deleted the 20% that was not essential. My to-do list would actually become doable!
If cleaning our house and cooking a healthy meal help our family feel cared for, then they need to be a priority. A cluttered, disorganized house agitates me, so I need some time daily to bring order to my home. Yet if these tasks are done merely due to societal expectations, then they just become a time drain. Unproductive, toxic relationships can dwindle our energy. Email enables me to communicate with people at times that are convenient for me and them. On the other hand, texting, online chatting, and Facebook are such superficial forms of connecting, that I find them wasteful.
What matters most? Tasks that enrich my mind, body, and soul are the first priority. Prayer, reading scripture, writing, exercising, and connecting with God and my loved ones have a deep impact on the quality of my life. I’m sure everyone has his/her own list of what matters most. If you haven’t taken the time to make up that list, do it now.
Every day I wake up and make a list of all the things I want to do. I usually accomplish only 80% of these things. Which means the next day’s list is even bigger. By the end of the week, I’m overwhelmed and discouraged.
What if I were more selective? What if I only planned to do what mattered most? What if as soon as I made my list, I prioritized my tasks and deleted the 20% that was not essential. My to-do list would actually become doable!
If cleaning our house and cooking a healthy meal help our family feel cared for, then they need to be a priority. A cluttered, disorganized house agitates me, so I need some time daily to bring order to my home. Yet if these tasks are done merely due to societal expectations, then they just become a time drain. Unproductive, toxic relationships can dwindle our energy. Email enables me to communicate with people at times that are convenient for me and them. On the other hand, texting, online chatting, and Facebook are such superficial forms of connecting, that I find them wasteful.
What matters most? Tasks that enrich my mind, body, and soul are the first priority. Prayer, reading scripture, writing, exercising, and connecting with God and my loved ones have a deep impact on the quality of my life. I’m sure everyone has his/her own list of what matters most. If you haven’t taken the time to make up that list, do it now.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Comfort and Security
J.R. Briggs is a pastor from Pennsylvania. I read the following quote on one of his blog posts: “Refuse to default to comfort and security.” (http://www.jrbriggs.com/ )
When in doubt, I always default to comfort and security. Sometimes I feel called to speak up against injustice, take risks that might lead to loss, get into situations that are beyond my sphere of influence. However, I usually talk myself out of these urges during the early planning stages.
How can I move from my default settings and learn to take beneficial risks? How can I accept that discomfort and instability are part of growth?
When I was 15 years old, I learned to drive. I remember being nervous every time I got behind the wheel. I realized that I could get killed or kill someone else, every time I drove. I had to put aside my actuarial tendencies and bravely go where every other 15 year old had been before.
“Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he's the one who will keep you on track.
Don't assume that you know it all.” (Proverbs 3:5-12 MSG)
I must trust God; Listen to God; Lean more toward God than to my own common sense.
When in doubt, I always default to comfort and security. Sometimes I feel called to speak up against injustice, take risks that might lead to loss, get into situations that are beyond my sphere of influence. However, I usually talk myself out of these urges during the early planning stages.
How can I move from my default settings and learn to take beneficial risks? How can I accept that discomfort and instability are part of growth?
When I was 15 years old, I learned to drive. I remember being nervous every time I got behind the wheel. I realized that I could get killed or kill someone else, every time I drove. I had to put aside my actuarial tendencies and bravely go where every other 15 year old had been before.
“Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he's the one who will keep you on track.
Don't assume that you know it all.” (Proverbs 3:5-12 MSG)
I must trust God; Listen to God; Lean more toward God than to my own common sense.
Friday, July 6, 2012
Discontentment
We’ve all heard the story of Goldilocks and the three bears. Goldilocks invades the house of a family of bears and tries out their chairs, their food, and their beds. She declares most of what she finds unsatisfactory, but always finds baby bear’s stuff “just right”.
My Sis told me a wonderful analogy to this story. In a twisted version of this fairy tale, Goldilocks would not find anything to her liking. Nothing would be “just right”. She would restlessly keep searching, unable to satisfy her cravings. She would never be able to find contentment.
“Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.” (1 Tim. 6:6-8 NLT)
Wealth does not bring contentment; contentment in itself is wealth. Remember that everything in our life is from God and not due to our own striving. Gratefulness is the first step toward contentment. We have to find satisfaction in what we have. Today, I am grateful for my God, my faith, my family, my health, my home, my friends, my mind…
God has graciously provided me with everything I need, but maybe not everything I want. It is up to me to curb my desires, if I want to find contentment.
My Sis told me a wonderful analogy to this story. In a twisted version of this fairy tale, Goldilocks would not find anything to her liking. Nothing would be “just right”. She would restlessly keep searching, unable to satisfy her cravings. She would never be able to find contentment.
“Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.” (1 Tim. 6:6-8 NLT)
Wealth does not bring contentment; contentment in itself is wealth. Remember that everything in our life is from God and not due to our own striving. Gratefulness is the first step toward contentment. We have to find satisfaction in what we have. Today, I am grateful for my God, my faith, my family, my health, my home, my friends, my mind…
God has graciously provided me with everything I need, but maybe not everything I want. It is up to me to curb my desires, if I want to find contentment.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Bitterness
I’ve been simmering with negativity. Slow boil. Occasionally someone stirs the pot, which makes it worse. Stewing in critical juice just makes one bitter.
Weeds of bitterness have taken over my flower bed. I neglected to remove them in the early stages, and now they have established roots and invaded the whole garden.
“Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time. Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God's lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God's blessing—but by then it was too late, tears or no tears.”(Heb.12:15-17 MSG)
Esau’s story is told in Genesis, Chapter 25. Esau and Jacob were twin brothers. Esau was older by a few minutes, and thus had the birthright of being the heir. Esau recklessly gave up his birthright to Jacob in exchange for a bowl of stew. The desire for immediate gratification led to loss, which then led to bitterness.
God has granted us the gift of peace and contentment. Yet, like Esau, we trade it in for the satisfaction of anger and self-pity. We think we can go back to peace as we choose. However, once bitterness takes root, it sucks up all the nutrients and prevents peace from growing in your heart. As soon as we see the weeds of bitterness sprouting in our life, we must yank them out by the root.
Weeds of bitterness have taken over my flower bed. I neglected to remove them in the early stages, and now they have established roots and invaded the whole garden.
“Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time. Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God's lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God's blessing—but by then it was too late, tears or no tears.”(Heb.12:15-17 MSG)
Esau’s story is told in Genesis, Chapter 25. Esau and Jacob were twin brothers. Esau was older by a few minutes, and thus had the birthright of being the heir. Esau recklessly gave up his birthright to Jacob in exchange for a bowl of stew. The desire for immediate gratification led to loss, which then led to bitterness.
God has granted us the gift of peace and contentment. Yet, like Esau, we trade it in for the satisfaction of anger and self-pity. We think we can go back to peace as we choose. However, once bitterness takes root, it sucks up all the nutrients and prevents peace from growing in your heart. As soon as we see the weeds of bitterness sprouting in our life, we must yank them out by the root.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
The Luxury of Quiet
I’ve been noticing how hard it is to find quiet these days. As I write this, I’m in a coffee shop that has music playing overhead as well as a TV in the corner tuned to CNN. I’ve noticed that almost every store I walk into these days has music playing overhead. Even in my own home, it’s difficult to find quiet. Someone always has the TV or music going. Now, I’m not opposed to all sound. I absolutely enjoy a good conversation. But, inane noise annoys me! I know, I know… it’s a sure sign of aging. Nowadays, I find myself driving with the radio off and exercising without my mp3. These times when I’m alone, I choose to turn the volume down on all the chaos, so I can think.
How do people manage to think with all this incessant noise? Maybe some people prefer not to think. The superficial, repetitive sound track playing in the background blocks out deep thoughts.
I have tried to carve out quiet spaces. Nooks away from the commotion. I don’t want to isolate myself from my environment. I want to be available to those who want or need me. I hope to find the sweet spot, that peaceful balance between reclusiveness and sociability.
How do people manage to think with all this incessant noise? Maybe some people prefer not to think. The superficial, repetitive sound track playing in the background blocks out deep thoughts.
I have tried to carve out quiet spaces. Nooks away from the commotion. I don’t want to isolate myself from my environment. I want to be available to those who want or need me. I hope to find the sweet spot, that peaceful balance between reclusiveness and sociability.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)