“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  (Galatians 5:22-23, emphasis mine)

One of the most common questions of the Christian life is this: how do I know God’s will for my life? It’s a very important question.  As Christ-followers we want to be obedient.  We know that God has a plan for each of us and we know that His plan is for our good. So why doesn’t God just write out His plan so we can dive in? And what are we supposed to do until He reveals His plan?

It can be easy to slip into a never-ending holding pattern thinking, “I’ll just stay right here until I get a very clear direction from God.  Preferably in writing.  In triplicate if possible.” When we stand still, at least when I stand still, it’s often out of fear more than piety.  (Or if I’m being really honest, I stand still because I’ve heard something I don’t like the sound of so what I’m really doing is waiting to hear God say something else.)  But time and again in the Bible we see God telling people to start moving and His plan is revealed along the way.  When God calls Abram in Genesis 12 He says, “go to the land that I will show you.” He doesn’t tell him his destination until later.

So how do we start walking? The other night at small group we were talking about this very topic and our leader told us that the when they launch the space shuttle the navigation system doesn’t kick in until it leaves Earth’s atmosphere.  Why? Because there’s nowhere to go but up.  Until the space shuttle enters orbit they don’t need to direct it because there is only one way it can go.

It’s the same for us.  If we do the basic things God has asked us to do, we can be sure we’re headed in a good direction. Galatians 5:22-23 lists the fruit of the spirit and then ends with this phrase, “against such things there is no law.”  If you are actively pursuing love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control and asking God to develop these things in your life, you can’t go wrong.  You will be headed in the right direction. As you are walking God will continue to reveal His plans for you.

In that same small group meeting our leader quoted another pastor who said that “God uses what’s in your hands to get to what’s in your heart.”  So if you are wondering what God’s will for your life is, look at what you have in your hands. Are you an excellent financial planner? Do you love horses? Are you really good at making people feel welcome? Do you have a great voice? Take the things that are in your hands and look for a way to use them for God.

God created each of us specifically for the good works he planned in advance for us to do.  (Ephesians 2:10) Ask God to show you how to use what you have.  Pursue the fruit of the spirit in your life and you can rest assured that you are pursuing God’s will for your life. Walk forward in confidence, abiding in prayer. There’s nowhere to go but up.

Father, Give me the courage to start walking.  Remind me that You will come with me and that You know the way, even when I can’t see it.  Amen.

Question: What holds you back when God tells you to start walking? Have there been times when you stepped out in faith? What happened?

Are you struggling with feelings of sadness, loneliness or despair. Need someone to listen… talk to a mentor

“Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins . . . Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, LORD, is in you.” (Psalm 25:16-18, 20-21)

Finding hope in the midst of an unbearable affliction may seem impossible. It feels like no matter what you do, or how fervently you pray, sadness, and hopelessness remain. It feels like being on a ship that is slowly sinking with no help in sight. You ask God to breathe new life into your tattered sails, hoping to maneuver out of the sea of despair, but find yourself stuck in the storm. An ounce of hope, a smidgeon of joy, would be enough so long as it arrived before the next crushing wave.

Some might say, “This cannot happen to a child of God. How can such a dreadful thing happen to a believer?” Truthfully, it can. In fact, for some of you reading this today, what I’m describing might sound all too familiar.

Years ago, I experienced a disheartening season of despair. During this wretched season of life, I fervently sought God, but my anguish would not cease. I longed to be in the house of God, but numerous times, I failed to get there. I knew healing awaited, yet my heart-wrenching affliction continued to pull me down. Many times, I mustered up the energy and drove to church, regardless. However, crippling fear, torment, and dismay prevented me from going in. Parked outside, I sat in my car reading the bible, crying out to God for deliverance.

One Sunday morning as I prepared for church the attack on my soul was atrocious. I knew healing waited beyond the church doors, but indescribable distress prohibited me from going. In lieu of sitting home in despair, I decided to go to the beach for a Sunday morning walk. To my surprise, as I walked the shores, a beautiful floating church passed by. Immediately, my heart fluttered as I looked up to say, “thank you” to God. His joy flooded my sullen heart as I professed with a huge smile on my face, “I couldn’t make it to church, but God you arranged to have one float by.” As I drove home, hope returned. I recognized God was with me, no matter how bleak my situation was.

After this divine encounter, God rescued me from the dreadful affliction and delivered me back into the house of the Lord. God breathed new life into my tattered sail and you have to believe He will breathe mightily into your sail, too.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)

Prayer:  Father, would You breathe renewed hope, joy, peace, and healing into my anguished soul? Give me inner strength to arise. Help me place my hope in You. I choose to praise You along the way and watch as You restore my soul for Your wonderful purposes.      

Questions: How has God restored your soul today? Are you in the middle of a storm and in need of hope?

“People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7b)

Recently, I decided to reverse the usual route of my two-mile walk. Bored with walking down the hill to a traffic light, turning right and circling back, I turned at the first street instead. From the opposite direction, the yards looked different. A tree-fort that was well hidden from the direction I usually walked stood out now. I noticed swimming pools I’d never seen before.

It made me wonder how different my circumstances would appear if I looked at them from the other direction too. Instead of seeing the world through my human filters, I decided to make a concerted effort to see it through God’s perspective. God looks at us with His unconditional, loving eyes. He looks past our physical appearance. What if I were to view my annoyances through the eyes of God? Would they be molehills instead of mountains? Better yet, would they turn into anthills?

I decided to experiment for a day. When I drove to work, instead of grumbling about a driver who cut in front of me, I saw the person as a distracted sister in Christ. Was her mother terminally ill in a nursing home down the street? Perhaps her child lay in the hospital with an illness. I said a prayer for her, knowing God had her life in His hands.

At a store counter, a college-age youth gave me no smile, no sign he wanted to assist me despite the name tag that asked, “How can I help you today?” I wondered if he struggled with grades in school, had a load of homework and worked full time to financially help his single mother. I’ll never know, but God does. He knew the reasons the clerk’s attitude needed a lift. As I walked away, I prayed God would bring him relief from the challenges he faced.

Usually slow service at lunch irritates me. The one-day experiment made me look at the waiter through God’s eyes. He juggled many tables. Some customers growled at him for the slowness of the food. There was a wedding ring on his hand. He dealt with complaining customers and worked on his feet provide for his family. I prayed that the kitchen would run smoother, make his job less stressful and then prayed for his family. Once again, God knew their needs and issues. I could only pray and tip enough to compensate for light tips from complainers at other tables.

God chose to place these individuals before me on my experimental day. Seeing each of them through His eyes not only made my day pleasant, it kept my focus on His kingdom rather than the little annoyances.

In Samuel 16:7 we see that God graciously looks at our hearts, not our outward appearance. I must do the same to keep in alignment with His commandments. Now, when I’m cut off in traffic or scowled at by a service person, I look beyond the outward appearance. Each day presents me with opportunities to show God’s grace. A one-day experiment changed me for a lifetime.

Questions:  Who has God placed on your path this day that needs His grace? How does God see these people compared to our limited view?

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)

I walked into the spacious church library, a room filled with books by some of Christianity’s greatest authors. The volunteer librarian that day was a woman of mature years, a Christian committed to Christ and to the church. At the moment of my visit, she was munching on her lunchtime sandwich but still totally available to visitors.

But what was that voice I heard in the background? An angry voice derided what he considered to be the “wrong” people currently in office. I spied a small radio that the volunteer had turned down low. She was listening to a talk show host during her lunch hour. With millions of words surrounding her, words that could instruct, encourage, turn her more fully to the face of Christ, she was listening to the angry words of one man.

In his book, Good to Great in God’s Eyes, author Chip Ingram relates the results of research on the effects of media on how people think:

One of (the) studies attempted to determine the impact of a five-minute radio program that was filled with negative news stories… After evaluating the listeners who were daily exposed to five minutes of bad news…four discernible effects were shown: (1) they were more depressed than before; (2) they believed the world was a negative place; (3) they were less likely to help others; and (4) they began to believe that what they heard would soon happen to them.

After the Apostle Paul encourages Christians to think about “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy,” he goes on to give the outcome of such determined focus: “And the God of peace will be with you.”

Radical opinions—on any side of the spectrum—can disturb our peace. God’s plan for our thinking brings peace.

Father, I want to fill my mind and heart with Your words and Your thoughts. Teach me to be a careful consumer. May I often speak of You. Amen

Question: Whose words are you listening to?

Busy or fruitful – can you tell the difference?

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42)

Recently, we celebrated Easter. Most of us likely spent it with family. Some families get along great while others can’t go a holiday without bickering and showing some impressive differences in personality. Luke tells a story of a typical family with two sisters who couldn’t have been more different: Mary and Martha. (Their brother Lazarus is the one who Jesus raised from the dead.)

Luke 10 gives a little glimpse into their lives. Martha was the “responsible” sister, who was on the ball and worked her tail off to make sure everything was ready when Jesus came to stay. I totally get Martha. I relate to her. She and I would’ve been good friends if I’d lived 2,000 years ago.

And then there’s Mary: the free spirit. The lover/peacemaker. The one who might be prone to wandering off because she’s marveling at nature. She’s the one I don’t understand one bit, because to me—at first glance—she was lazy.

I mean, hello! There were things to be done and all she was doing was sitting “at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said”. (Luke 10:39b) Meanwhile, Martha was running around like a chicken with her head cut off. In my mind, I can see the feathers flapping and flying as she races around the kitchen.

But here’s the thing. Even though Martha’s intentions were good, even though she was taking care of others and serving them, Jesus told her that “Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:42b)

Uh…what?

That’s right. Mary chose what was better. Jesus also told Martha these wise words, “[Y]ou are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one.” (Luke 10:41b-42a) That “one” thing that’s needed is Jesus.

It’s so, so easy for us to get wrapped up in all that we have to do. Our lives are full of “doing.” Much of the time, the activities that fill our day are intended to lift others up and serve the Lord. And that, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. What is bad is when the “doing” outweighs—or altogether obliterates—the time spent praying, seeking God’s face, listening to what He has to say.

Father, Remind me that time with you is not a duty or even an item to be checked of my to do list.  Time with you is a gift. Help me to honor that and to come and be still before You.  I want to hear what You have to say.

Question: Have you ever struggled with being a Martha? If so, what could you do to be more like Mary in your everyday life?

“I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.” (Psalm 37:25)

An effective teacher always ends a lesson with a summary to reinforce the concepts. Often we are eager to look ahead, set goals, and plan for the future. This is good to do, but how often do we take the time to think on what has passed?

A while ago, my pastor’s wife was talking about the changing season– how summer had passed and fall had arrived. She went on to say that at the end of each season it was her habit to reflect on what has happened, and in her prayers she spends some time “wrapping that season up” – like a gift, then presenting everything that transpired during those days back to God with thankfulness.

I liked that idea. I thought about why it’s so important to stop and make a summary of the different seasons that our lives pass through before setting goals.  It’s rather like house cleaning for the soul. We can give God any resentful feelings, disappointments and failures. We can ask Him to take them from us and leave us with a clean slate to move forward.

Taking time to reflect on God and His past faithfulness re-affirms our assurance of His continued presence. As we reflect on God’s goodness we begin to overflow with thankfulness. We are renewed. Then, we can offer ourselves again as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. (Romans 12:1)

I recently read a book by Marie Chapian called The Emancipation of Robert Sadler.  It is a powerful true story of a twentieth-century plantation slave. At the close of the book Sadler summarizes his life through Chapian’s words. His wife has passed on and he’s alone with his feelings. All his memories, songs, and melodies have woven themselves into one cry …Jesus.

Summaries are good. If you take inventory of your life today and you find you’ve failed and you’re lacking peace it could be that you’ve been carrying an added load of baggage for way too long. Jesus said, “my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) God longs to write on the slate of your life today—He wants to write something new.

Thank you God that you take delight in us. Teach us to handle the seasons of our lives with care. With the power of Your Holy Spirit remind us to summarize our seasons yielding all that has been before, and all that will come, into Your hands.   Amen

Question: When you reflect on your past, where do you see assurance of God’s faithfulness?

Ten reasons to hope.

“Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed….” (Romans 4:18a)

I’m thankful that hope is so stubborn. If it wasn’t, I think I’d be a goner. Many times my circumstances have tempted me to throw in the towel, but each time I find hope popping to the surface and eventually taking over.

Oh, I’ve tried to resist. I’ve let discouraging thoughts smother the “noble, lovely and praiseworthy.” I’ve listened to the whispers of failure more times than I care to remember. I’ve allowed the voice of disappointment to become louder than a scream. But with the predictability of a Hallmark movie, I find that after all my rants and raves, hope stands there quietly waiting. She penetrates my protests with the undeniable assurance that it’s gonna be okay.

It’s a God thing, of course. Scripture compares hope to an anchor (Hebrews 6:19). It attaches us to what is really real, to what is solid. It causes hearts that would otherwise go adrift to dig in to the truth.

Abraham learned this truth about hope. Although he didn’t start out that way, he arrived at that place which required him to “hope against hope.” He had been given big promises — promises accompanied by big delays. These delays stretched him, pushed him to the edge, and disheartened him.  Proverbs 13:12 reminds us that, “hope deferred makes the heart sick.” But in spite of all the waffling doubts he kept hoping.

The stubborn nature of hope arose every time he looked at the brilliance of the night.  He must have seen God’s promise echoed in the sky. When he walked in the endless desert sand he was reminded that God said, “I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.” (Genesis 13:16) Whenever he heard his new name, “Abraham,” hope took him back to the time when God told him he would be the “father of many nations”. (Genesis 17:5) Hope bound him so tightly to the word of God that it yielded the indomitable substance we call faith.

It will do the same for us. So go ahead. Give in to the stubbornness of hope.

Father, Remind me that it is safe to hope in You. Your word is strong and Your promises are forever.  My only hope is in You.  Amen

Question: How does Abraham’s stubborn hope impact you today?

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

If you knew that your house was going to burn down and you could only get one thing, what would it be?   Family pictures?  The car? Your Bible? Do you find yourself struggling with that question because you can’t decide what one thing you would take? Are too many things to pick just one?  Or maybe you think that there isn’t anything important in your house – just your family members.

My husband’s brother and his wife had their house catch fire a few years ago.   It was early morning and everyone was sleeping.  Praise God they all woke up and the whole family got out of the house.  When the volunteer fire department got there they asked them, “What do you want us to rescue?”  They wanted their family photo albums, something they knew they couldn’t replace.

After losing pretty much everything they owned my brother-in-law and sister-in-law realized that what they had on this earth wasn’t nearly as important as what they were laying up in heaven.  They left a well paying job, family members and their church family to go and serve God in Wyoming.

In the movie, Schindler’s List, Oskar Schindler, a wealthy German businessman employs Jewish people to work in his factories during the Holocaust.  At first he is only concerned about making money and being successful but as time goes on he begins to realize that when he requests someone to work for him he is literally saving their life.  By the end of the movie his whole focus has turned from being successful to saving as many Jews as he can.

There is a scene in the movie where he gathers all of his Jewish employees together and tells them that the war is over and they are free to go.  Then he looks down at a pin on his jacket and yanks it off, with tears pouring down his cheeks he says, “Would this have bought one more person?” and he falls to the ground racked with agony because he chose his pin over a fellow human being.

I can’t help but wonder, when I get to heaven will I feel the same way? Will the money spent on a sweater I just had to have or the time I felt prompted by God to speak to a friend about Jesus and didn’t, still seem like the right decision? Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will be also.

I don’t want to get to the end of my life and regret that I lost sight of what was truly important – the Kingdom of Heaven!

Lord, teach us to set our affection on things above and not on things of this earth.  Show us how to treasure what You treasure.  May we never lose sight of what is truly important – loving You and loving other people.  Amen

Questions: What do you treasure?  Where do you spend your time, your thoughts, your energy – is it on yourself, the things you own, your own comfort? There’s only one thing you can take with you to heaven – other people.

Is it time to take a step of faith?

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. (Isaiah 60:1)  

My beloved daughter, it is time for you to arise and take your stance in the light of my Son. I, your heavenly Father, am calling you out of darkness. Arise from your affliction for my power within you is greater than your despondency. Healing, restoration, and freedom await but you must have faith. I beckon you to arise to the new things I seek to do within, for, and through you.

Cleary, you do not perceive that your prison sentence, inner turmoil and suffering, is over. I, the Lord, have removed the chains that bound you. Your shackles are loose, and your prison doors are open. In your darkness, I heard your weeping and now I offer you my joy. Freedom and new life awaits but you must choose to come out of captivity. My precious one, it is time for you to step forward and partake in the new things I set before you.

Stop mulling over old wounds, hurts, and grudges. Abandon victimization, self-pity, and the lies of the enemy. He has stolen from you long enough. I will not tolerate it any longer! You are my child, a daughter of the King. I want you to fight and recapture that which he has stolen. Reclaim your life, family, joy, and peace. Reclaim the freedom to live for me, the One who brings you out of darkness and into the Light.

With your head held high, step forward into the higher ground I bequeath unto you. I have wonderful plans to use you in unimaginable ways, if you are willing to abandon your poverty-ridden condition. You are an heir to the King of kings. I seek to robe you with a garment of honor and virtue, to crown you with beauty and joy as you arise from the ashes.

Awake! Your liberty bell is ringing. Do you not hear it? My Light is shining upon you. Do you not see it? My power is within you. Do you not sense it? The enemy has no claim on you any longer. My beloved Son paid a great price for your release. You are mine! Grab hold, claim, and embrace your new life and freedom in Christ. My Word says, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

At times it may seem scary, but do not fear for I am with you. You may try to retreat back to your old familiar grounds, but this is unwise. You will have questions and doubt, but remember morning, noon, and night I am with you. Talk to me as we breathe, live, and work together. Let us walk closely together in the new plan, life, and future I have prepared for you. Arise my daughter…step out in faith…abiding, leaning, and trusting in Me daily. Love, Your Heavenly Father

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to proper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Question: How does this prayer resonate with you?

It can be hard to hear God in the busyness of life. Take today’s lesson to hear how to listen better.  

“And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” (1 Kings 19:12b)

There’s a moment just before the performance begins where the lights go down and the symphony tunes.  It’s a strange, cacophonous sound, nothing at all like the music that will start a few minutes later.  I love that sound.  It sounds like anticipation.  It’s a sound that tells you that something wonderful is about to happen.

Tuning is not a warning bell; it’s an alignment.  One musician plays a single note, always the same note, and each of the instruments joins in.  They play, they listen, and they adjust and play again.  They keep going until all the sounds blend together, until there are united and aligned, in tune.

I love the line in the old hymn “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” that says, “tune my heart”. I want that.  I want my heart to sound like God’s.  Did you know that if you put two grand pianos in a room and play a note on one of them the corresponding string in the other piano will start to vibrate? I want the note God is playing to resonate in my heart.

In 1 Kings, God tells Elijah to go and stand on a mountain where He will pass by.  There is wind and fire, even an earthquake, but God is not in the wind or the fire or the earthquake.  God comes in a gentle whisper.  I need to be still and hear that whisper; I need to tune my heart to it.

I cannot do the things God has planned for me if my heart is out of tune. No matter how carefully I try to serve God, if my heart is out of tune it’s all just garbage. I think it’s so interesting that even professional musicians have to tune and they tune every single time they play.  I want my life to be like that, to begin every day by listening for the voice of God and moving my heart – dragging it along sometimes – until my heart, my attitude sounds like God’s.  I want to go through my days in tune with Him.

Father,

As the hymn says, “Come, thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace”. Teach me to stop and listen for your whisper.   Keep me still until the song of my heart sounds like You.  Mold me so that when people hear my words and see my actions they think of You.  Thank you for being patient with me.  Tune my heart. I’m listening.  Amen.

Question: When is it hard to hear God? Where do you find it easiest to hear His gentle whisper?