Human Insufficiency

“Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” (Ephesians 6:10 NLT)

Our beloved dog has been diagnosed with bone cancer. The vet said she won’t live much longer. The only thing we can do is keep her as comfortable as possible until she dies. Now, I know that a dying pet might not seem like a huge crisis when compared to many other situations. However, it is hard for me--and this blog has always been a place where I share what I am learning in my daily struggles. I could write pages about how wonderful she is and how much we are going to miss her--but that is not the point of this post. I want to confess how I have been dealing with my feelings. 

I found out the news during a period of days when my closest family and friends were occupied with major issues of their own. I couldn’t bare to unload my emotions and add to their burdens. Thus, I tried other coping mechanisms--immersing myself in busyness and distractions, numbing myself with food. None of it worked. My dog was still in pain. I was still a mess.

“When you are yoked to Me, your weary souls will find rest.” (Matthew 11:29 VOICE)

In a crisis, most of us try to cope by depending on human support, distractions, busyness, indulgence, or other worldly resources. We yoke ourselves to human solutions, hoping to find relief. A yoke is a beam that is placed on a pair of oxen so that they may pull a load together. It is often custom-made to fit individual animals. Our weary souls can only find rest when we are harnessed to Jesus, when we collaborate with Him. The word collaborate means to co-labor or to work together. Our burdens can only be made lighter by drawing on the strength of God. Our insufficiencies are precisely shaped to lead us to Christ’s sufficiency. Every other coping mechanism will be ill-fitting and inefficient. Share your burdens with Christ. Be strong and confident in the Lord and in His mighty power.

Queendom

“May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10 NLT)

My queendom is my sphere of influence. It consists of those whom I interact with regularly, those who are within my reach, those whom I can affect. My queendom is limited to my family, friends, and a few others. These are the people whom I serve. They hear what I say, read what I write, and eat what I cook. They are built up by my encouragement and torn down by my criticism. My moods color their emotions, and my attitudes shape their perspectives.

When I work with God, submitting my queendom to His Kingdom, I expand my territory. My reach is no longer limited. I become part of God’s influence, participating in His intentions, distributing His goodness. His purpose and cause become mine. Citizenship in this Kingdom is available to anyone who desires it. It is not merit-based. To apply, one needs only to surrender any illusions of self-sufficiency. God’s Kingdom is not far away. It is near and present. Knowing God allows us to trust Him. Trust enables us to surrender. Surrender breaks down boundaries and enlarges our soul. When we spread this good news to everyone, Heaven comes to earth.

Love

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34 NIV)

Philosopher and writer Dallas Willard describes love as promoting the good of another. Love is often confused with what brings pleasure and comfort. Feeling good around a person is not the same as wanting good for the person. Love, in its truest sense, is not about emotions but about actions. It actively wills the growth of a person over the desire for self-promotion. 

Christ loved sacrificially, unconditionally. As Christians we are called to imitate Christ--to promote the good of others even when it is inconvenient. Our default human setting is to seek self-preservation and self-promotion. However, when we allow the Holy Spirit to work through us, our natural inclinations are transformed. We are empowered to love as Christ did--supernaturally, unconditionally, sacrificially. 

Powered by the Spirit

“When you attempt to live by your own religious plans and projects, you are cut off from Christ, you fall out of grace. Meanwhile we expectantly wait for a satisfying relationship with the Spirit. For in Christ, neither our most conscientious religion nor disregard of religion amounts to anything. What matters is something far more interior: faith expressed in love.” (Galatians 5:4-6 MSG)

I have two laptops that have different operating systems: Windows and Chrome. I keep both of them on my desk and use them interchangeably. Recently, I noticed that the Windows laptop was not charging properly--the cord was malfunctioning. Fortunately, the other laptop’s cord had similar specs, so I started plugging one laptop in while using the other. There was only one problem: I left both chargers plugged into the same outlet and would inadvertently use the broken cord somedays. After a few instances of completely drained batteries, I learned my lesson. I unplugged the glitchy charger and threw it out.

Religion may look similar to a relationship with Christ, but it operates differently. Legalism, rituals, and traditions can work initially, but not in the long run. When we attempt to live by our own religious plans and projects, we are cut off from Christ. Disconnected from the true source of power, we fall out of grace. Meanwhile we expectantly wait for a satisfying relationship with the Spirit, to be recharged, renewed, and filled with strength. Unless we put away the old methods, we will inadvertently reach for the familiar cords of religion, even though they are broken. This leaves us drained and powerless. For in Christ, neither our most conscientious religion nor disregard of religion amounts to anything. What matters is something far more interior: faith expressed in love. In union with Christ, our souls receive power. Trusting Him confidently, we learn to rely on nothing else. Our faith works through love--a desire to yield fully to God, so that He may work His purposes through us. 

Haste

“Willingness and stupidity don't go well together. If you are too eager, you will miss the road.” (Proverbs 19:2 CEV)

Trail running can be more challenging than running on a road. The terrain is often rugged, hilly, and full of twists and turns. During trail races, it’s easy to get off course if you aren’t paying close attention. Turns are often marked only by a single ribbon on a tree limb.  Runners who are eager to do well and are sure of their own navigational abilities fail to look up at the trees. They are so focused on maintaining their speed that they sometimes miss turns and get off track. 

Society teaches us to be confident in our own abilities and to always be in a hurry to get where we are going. This combination of pride and haste leads to poor choices. When we fail to look up, to consult God at every turn--we end up going the wrong way and wasting time and energy. Waiting for revelation knowledge may slow us down. However, it is better to be attentive and on the right path than to waste a single step on the wrong track.

Voice Recognition

“If you really knew God, you would listen, receive, and respond with faith to his words.” (John 8:47 TPT)

A wide range of devices now use computerized voice recognition technology. Amazon’s current voice assistant technology is named Alexa. Alexa devices enable users to dictate commands to power smart devices throughout the home. It can even be trained to tell your voice apart from that of others. By personalizing voice recognition, each member of a household can request their own music, schedules, lists, etc. Training artificial intelligence to recognize one voice over another requires a few steps. First, you have to mute other nearby voices. Then, you have to go to a quiet place and get close to the device. Finally, you have to say ‘Alexa, learn my voice,’ and then just follow the directions. Alexa asks you to repeat several phrases and ask questions. As with any form of communication, it takes a certain amount of time and repetition for the device to develop familiarity and work properly. 

Recognizing God’s voice also requires time, repetition, and familiarity. Find a quiet place and mute all other voices--internal and external. Listen expectantly. Develop sensitive ears. Get acquainted with the still, small voice of the Spirit. Repeat, record, and review everything that comes to you. Ask questions. Follow directions. For it is how we respond to our circumstances that reveals our trust in God. 

Rotten Motives

“I’ll tell you what these false brothers and sisters are counting on: your attention. They are ravenous for it. They are not acting honorably or in your best interests. They want to keep you away from the good news we proclaim so they can have you all to themselves.” (Galatians 4:17 VOICE)

Have you ever wondered why certain people are interested in you? Is it that they find you fascinating or that they want your attention? Do they have your best interests at heart? Or, are they merely trying to feel relevant?

I have learned to be suspicious of people who put up false fronts. They are like those buildings with tall facades that extend beyond their true dimensions. They want to lure you in by appearing to be more than they are--more fun, more wealthy, more friendly, more flattering, more attentive.  What do they hope to get out of all this? They want your attention and validation. They hope you will become dependent on them for approval, seeking their guidance. This makes them feel significant. What’s wrong with this type of relationship? It pulls us away from authentic connections that lead us to growth. Those who are honorable, who will put our best interests over their own, are rare and precious. You can identify these people by the consistency and sincerity of their actions. There is integrity in all their relationships. They find joy in bringing out the best in others, guiding them to Grace.