Is it Complaining?

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Recent internet posts and conversations have me thinking lately about complaints. A few months ago I was challenged by one post to not complain and to look for the positive in situations and build up others. Great idea! There's so much negativity in the world already, so trying to find the positive in a situation makes sense.

But real life happens and in the course of conversations, someone asks how you are and rather than giving the usual response of, "I'm fine," you share your concerns with someone close to you. Is that considered complaining? 

I've heard it labeled as complaining by some. Others would say no, because they did genuinely want to know and are concerned for your well-being. So which is it?

Someone I know is going through a very difficult time of life. As she relates what's happening in her world she downplays the real story. I don't know the reason why. Maybe she is sparing some of the details. Maybe she doesn't want to worry others. Or maybe she doesn't want to come across as complaining. I honestly don't know. 

As I was pondering these scenarios, I wondered what the difference was between complaining and relating facts about life. The conclusion I came to was it's all about what's in the heart.

For example, I may relate details of a challenging day to a friend in order to share life and to give them a context in which to pray for me, possibly offer help, or give advice. If my motivation for relating these details is to simply relate to those who care about me, it's not complaining--in my opinion. 

Should I be offended or feel uncomfortable if someone close to me wants to tell me about her challenging events of the day? I don't believe so if we have a relationship that lends itself to that sort of conversation and especially if I ask how it's going. Granted, some people politely ask how it's going with no intention of hearing the truth.You can usually tell when someone isn't interested in hearing details and it's best to just move on.
  
By contrast, if I withhold the challenging details of my day from a close friend or a loved one simply because I don't want to appear to be discontent or complaining, how is that benefiting either of us?

I do feel as if there is a fine line between complaining and telling others what's going on in my life. I guess finding that balance is crucial. I should ask myself questions before I speak such as...

      Why do I want to tell this person about my problems? 
     Am I trying to manipulate them into helping me?  
     Do I want to deepen our relationship by sharing my burdens and sincerely 
             look for help or support? 
     If I do need help, why don't I just come right out and ask for help rather 
             than manipulate or guilt others into helping? 


I think the key is often in the relationship and knowing who your audience is. I think our culture--our beliefs, customs, way of life, the people we live around--forms how we handle these types of situations. I grew up in a more superficial culture where people just didn't talk about their feelings and for the most part acted as if everything was fine. After moving away from that culture and into a different one, I've learned that not everyone is that way. I have learned that when one of my friends ask how I'm doing, they truly want to know--every detail, everything good or bad.

I guess my main point in all of this is that we need to be careful not to assume the worst of others when someone shares a concern or a burden. What may seem like a complaint on the surface may simply be someone needing to be heard. If the person speaking is close to you, you should know what's going on in their life so that you can pray for them and offer help, when appropriate. If you are close enough to them, hopefully you know whether their heart and whether what they offer are complaints or concerns. 

And, of course, we should also weigh our words carefully before speaking and ask those questions of ourselves: Is what I'm going to say building up or tearing down? What is my motivation for sharing? 

So what do you think about this topic? I'm curious to know...

 

A Time to Cry and a Time to Laugh

I was driving down the road recently and suddenly remembered that I forgot to take something to alleviate the pain in my foot. Twenty minutes earlier I was in my house and preparing to resume my shopping adventure after I made a stop at home to change shoes. But, as my memory is not quite as good as it used to be, I was distracted and forgot. I was already several miles from my house before I realized that I'd forgotten to take that ibuprofen before I left. {sigh}

I started to reason with myself. Okay, maybe the pain isn't bad enough for me to turn around and go home. I decided to just deal with it and be careful to not overdo it.

That's when a thought popped into my head. The purpose of pain is to warn the body of a problem. I was reminded of stories I'd read in the past people who are born without the ability to feel pain. Sounds wonderful, right? You might think so, but the problem is that they are susceptible to serious injury. The person who is unable to feel pain would not realize it when they grab a too-hot skillet or when they twist an ankle and keep walking on it until it breaks.

As I was processing these thoughts my mind recalled another kind of pain: emotional pain. There are many times I would have given anything to not have to feel grief, heartbreak, or hurt feelings.As I compared emotional pain to physical pain, it seemed to me that there were a lot of similarities. Both types of pains are indicators that something is wrong and requires attention. Just as the pain in my foot reminded me to walk carefully and take it easy, emotional pain should be an indicator to attend to whatever is causing that pain.

The trouble with the emotional pain is that society is uncomfortable with it. So, we're taught to shake it off, dry up the tears, and be tough. Carry on! Be a trooper! As with the physical pain, we seek ways to mask the emotional pain with some sort of pain killer. I won't go into all the ways we (as a society) tend to cover up the emotional pain. I think you get the idea. The point of this is to remind myself and others that emotional pain is a normal part of life.


Ecclesiastes 3:4 reminds us that there is...

A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.

Remember Hannah? She was the childless woman in the Bible who felt years of emotional pain. Being childless in those days was considered a disgrace. It didn't help that her husband had another wife who was able to give him children. Hannah deeply desired to give her husband a child and she prayed about it for years. She cried and she even refused to eat. Each time she went to the temple, she prayed about her heartache. Hannah was so distraught that she became outwardly emotional about it as she talked to God. The priest was observing her from a distance and thought Hannah must have been drinking because she was that upset as she prayed!

The Bible reminds us that...

   The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose
       spirits are crushed. (Ps. 34:18)

   He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds. (Ps. 147:3)

   The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me
        to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted
        and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. (Is. 61:1)

   Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians that "they were crushed and overwhelmed 
        beyond their ability to endure" but they learned to rely on God during this time.
        And he goes on to say in chapter 4, verses 8 and 9 that...

       "We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, 
               but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God.  
               We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed."


To be perfectly honest, my first reaction is not to embrace the pain and allow God to truly heal the emotional pain. More often than not I lean toward feeling overwhelmed and crushed. I want Him to take the pain away. I want it to just go away. God could take it away, but He may want to use the pain as part of the healing process. If I seek ways to mask or avoid the pain I may delay healing.

As I was drafting this post, I read the following quote in Streams in the Desert...

"God seems to use the pressure of pain to trample out the 

fulfillment of His promises and thereby release the sweetest juice 

of His winepress. Only those who have known sorrow can 

fully appreciate the great tenderness of the 'man of sorrows.'"

It's comforting to know that Jesus understands our emotional pain. He wept over the death of his friend Lazarus. He also experienced the pain of rejection. So Jesus can certainly relate to any sort of pain you or I may experience.

Faith: Let's Take a Test Drive

Faith seems to be the theme running through my life during the past few weeks. I've been learning about what simple faith means from a variety of sources. And even in the midst of the academic portion of learning, I'm receiving some hands-on training. It's pretty much like God is saying, "You've got the facts now so let's give this puppy a test drive!"


Consequently, I haven't been blogging lately because of these tests of faith. Processing through these events have taken a lot of my mental energy. I've also been using more of my free time to pour into a lovely group of single women. In return, they have been pouring back into my life. What a blessing! I'll put in a quick plug for the (in)courage community groups. If you aren't part of one, you really should join! 


So I have been pondering some things in my heart much like Mary did after she observed the reaction of the shepherds and heard what the angel said to them following the birth of Jesus. She was quite amazed to hear what these people had to say about her son and wanted to preserve these things in her mind.


The things I'm pondering are not nearly as great. But, as I grapple with this issue of simple faith and apply what I'm learning to present circumstances, it does leave me to wonder at times what is happening. 

I think testing is probably an accurate way to describe what's going on. I've written about testing in previous blog posts, but I have a new level of appreciation for it now. 

You see, I've been sincerely praying for answers to several issues close to my heart. It seems that those issues which are most important to me--translated as I've been praying extra hard--have actually gotten worse. So the more I prayed about them, extended my faith, and trusted God with the outcome, it seems the farther away from an answer I've gotten. 

I think it's no coincidence that the more I dig in and trust God, the harder it's gotten. Satan wants me to become discouraged and give up on God, to think He's not listening. But, as a spiritual mentor of mine pointed out recently...

Faith takes possession 

by anticipation of 

God's provision.

I am believing God will provide an answer. When? How? I don't know. It's His agenda and not mine. I have to be okay with the sovereignty of God. But I will keep praying.

 

Thoughts About Life

Just a few thoughts to share this week...

1.  Life is fleeting.

2.  Love others.

3.  Let God have control.


Point #1:

I mourn with friends this week who lost a loved one—a beloved patriarch of the family. It was a sudden death that came a few days after celebrating his life.

It reminded me of the loss of my own father several years ago. There was no warning. No last-minute goodbye. He was on this earth one moment and in heaven the next. However, I wouldn't have changed a thing in how that transpired in my life.

Even though the deaths I have mentioned were sudden, both lived full lives and were men after God's heart. In His sovereignty, God made the choice of when it was time to bring them home. For that I am personally grateful.

Yes, life is fleeting. We don't always understand God's timing or God's ways. But, I do know that God is still good. He was with me through that time and will be with my friends as they walk through this, too.


Point #2:

I was reminded several times this week through scripture that God is love. He loved us first. And, we should love others, even though they might not love us back. Why should I expect love to be returned? It's easy to love those who love us back, but it's not so easy to love those who resist our attempts at showing care and love. Or worse, what about showing love to those who don't like us or persecute us?

I really like this quote:  "God’s intent is that the people who receive His love will become the conduit of His love to others." —Julie Ackerman Link

I'm asked to be a conduit of love, not simply a receptacle. After a while, a full receptacle will get stagnant. You have to keep pouring the water out and adding fresh water or it gets nasty.


Point #3:
I sat back and watched God go to work this week. There were a couple of situations that came up in which I felt as if I should "do something." But, this is an area of my life in which God has been teaching me a lot. I did do something. I prayed about it first instead of trying to fix it myself. Then I waited on the Lord (because that seemed to be the right thing to do in this instance).

The peace that I had as I surrendered those things to the Lord was incredible. Then as I saw answers to prayers come through, it was so evident that God's hand was in it. That's when things started falling into place.

When I try to do things in my own strength it's a lot like pushing a boulder up a mountain. It's exhausting!

To be fair, this doesn't mean that life and problems will always be effortless if we turn to the Lord first. Scripture already tells us we will have problems, but it also tells us that the Lord help us bear these burdens.


For His glory!

The Week in Review: Faith Testing

I try to stay consistent about posting on this blog even if it's only once a week. Last week was different. It's not that God wasn't teaching me anything--au contraire! Sometimes it's better for me to "Be Still" and just listen rather than write.

The past few weeks have been challenging in many ways. I won't go into all the details, but suffice it to say that we all have seasons in our lives that push us out of our comfort zones and stretch us in the faith department.

This morning I was working on a Bible study about faith and immediately realized that God used some of the events of the past few weeks to stretch me in the faith department. I wish I could say that I got an A+. Not even close! I had good moments and bad moments. There were times when I reacted to circumstances through my flesh by saying or doing things that were not so Christ-like. And then I had some Spirit-filled moments when I desperately prayed for God's help and turned to Scripture.

As I look back over the week, I can see that those moments when I turned to God and the Word were some of the most peace-filled moments of the week. Did my circumstances get better? No. Not really. But, I did feel peace that passed all understanding...

And the peace of God, 

which surpasses all comprehension, 

will guard your hearts 

and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 4:7

...and when I did go to God and Scripture first, I found that things fell into place a little better than if I had tried to do things in my own strength.

Fear not, for I am with you; 

be not dismayed, for I am your God; 

I will strengthen you, I will help you, 

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

There's one other thing I learned this morning about my faith: It's been getting stronger over the years. I can now see how my faith has been shaped by my environment and other people since I was a child. My belief system has been rather limited in the past. My knowledge of Scripture was limited and therefore my knowledge of who God is and what He can do was limited. 

As I've spent more and more time in Scripture, I can see how my perception of who God is has been changing. The God I know right now is not the God I knew 10, 20, or 30 years ago. He's much bigger, He's much more loving, He's much more personal, and He's much more awesome than I would have thought a few decades ago. These are the kinds of things we learn only after spending years getting to know someone.

If you need a faith boost, read the 11th chapter of Hebrews. Faith is the confidence we need when we cannot see anything happening and it is by faith that we trust God, knowing that He is able when we are not.

Your Will Be Done

Are you familiar with King Hezekiah? A number of years ago I recall studying Hezekiah of the Old Testament. He was one of the few good kings who ruled over Judah. The story of Hezekiah made a lasting impression on me. I think about his story occasionally and was once again reminded of Hezekiah's story. 


Hezekiah followed the Lord, but he became ill and was told by a prophet that it was time to set his affairs in order. Hezekiah was told that he would not recover from the illness and would die. Imagine knowing that!  

Hezekiah did something bold--he prayed fervently for his life to be spared. He reminded God of his faithfulness to serve the Lord and how he always tried to please God in everything he did. 

So, Hezekiah was a good guy who loved God. He prayed for something he really wanted, asking God to change his mind and allow him to live. Then he wept bitterly. What Hezekiah was asking for was not really a bad thing (it wasn't against any of God's laws, it wasn't immoral, etc.). In his mind, Hezekiah wasn't ready to die and would like to continue leading Judah on the Lord's behalf.

God heard his prayer and extended Hezekiah's life by 15 years...

‘This is what the Lord, the God of your ancestor David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you, and three days from now you will get out of bed and go to the Temple of the Lord. I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my own honor and for the sake of my servant David’” (2 Kings 20:5).
 
But (wouldn't you know it) during those extra years bad things happened. Hezekiah allowed people from other countries to see all the treasures in Judah (the Babylonians would eventually come back and take all the treasures). This time also ushered in one of the worst kings in their history to take over when Hezekiah finally died--his own son, Manasseh. 

The sovereign God knew that it would be better for Hezekiah to die the first time he became so ill, but God allowed him to live. He answered Hezekiah's big prayer.

I think of this scenario sometimes when I pray those big prayers. In my hurt and suffering, when I ask God to change my circumstances--or those of others--I wonder if having my way will result in relief now, but more pain later? It always gives me pause to ask for God's will to be done.

The thing that I am learning is that it's okay to ask God and pray those big prayers. It's okay to believe God for big things, to have faith in a God who can move mountains and creates life.

God wants me to talk to Him about these big things and the little things that concern me. But, I also understand that when I ask, I should keep in mind what Jesus taught the disciples to pray in Matthew 6:10 says,"Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

What Are You Trusting In?

"What are you trusting in that makes you so confident?"

Those were the words spoken by the Assyrians standing just outside the city of Judah (2 Kings 18:19-24). This may be ancient history, but there is modern day application to this story. The Assyrians had already conquered nearby Samaria. Now they were standing outside the city of Judah politely, but firmly requesting that King Hezekiah surrender.

Typically we think of conquerors as those who storm the gates. They shoot first and ask questions later. But sometimes the enemy stands outside and attempts to use reason to gain control. Why not? If bloodshed can be avoided with a little attack on the mind, give it a try.

King Hezekiah was one of those good guys. He trusted the Lord, obeyed God, and removed pagan shrines in the land. He followed in the footsteps of his ancestor, King David. Consequently, the Lord blessed him. But,the enemy still showed up. Hezekiah tried to smooth over any wrongs his people had done to the Assyrians. He offered reparations of gold and silver. It did no good. The Assyrians weren't interested.

That's when the mind games began. The enemy was standing outside their city walls asking them to surrender. When Hezekiah refused, the Assyrian representative accused them of relying on their own intellect or on another army to rescue them. After Hezekiah refused to surrender, the Assyrian man pulled out all the stops by suggesting that God wanted them to surrender. He implied that God had led them to have Judah surrender because of something they had done.

Here's where the present-day life application comes in. We're cruising along in our lives, trying to follow God's path, being obedient yet not always succeeding. The enemy sneaks up beside us to remind us of those times we've failed and entices us to surrender. He fills our heads with doubt and fear. We try to stand firm in our faith, trusting that the path we're on is the one God want us on. Inside we wonder if he's right...Maybe God did send this circumstance to get me back into His will or to punish me? 

Hezekiah stayed firm in his faith. He prayed rather than responding to those threats (2 Kings 19). The Lord responded by delivering them. In fact, more than 100,000 Assyrians died in their sleep. God stepped in and helped calm their fears and He took care of the enemy. Hezekiah did not trust in his intellect. He did not trust in the strength of his army or Egypt's army. He trusted God.

The enemy seems to be telling me to "throw in the towel," with lies such as: 

The odds of finding a mate at your age are very low. It's time to give up. 

You don't have what it takes to write. There are plenty of writers out there already.

I could go on and on with a laundry list of lies, doubts, and fears. When I hear these, I need to remember to pray and consult the Lord. I need to remember to trust in the God, His promises, and not in anything or anyone else.

What lies are you listening to? Have you consulted the Lord about it?

I'll end with these verses from Psalm 56:1-7.

O God, have mercy on me, for people are hounding me.  

My foes attack me all day long. 

I am constantly hounded by those who slander me, 

and many are boldly attacking me.  

But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. 

I praise God for what he has promised.  

I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?  

What can mere mortals do to me?  

They are always twisting what I say;  

they spend their days plotting to harm me. 

They come together to spy on me— 

watching my every step, eager to kill me.  

Don’t let them get away with their wickedness; 

in your anger, O God, bring them down.

Wordy Wednesday: A Prayer

The past couple of weeks I have seen evil in the world. I have witnessed devastating explosions and fires via television and internet. Death and destruction. Sad doesn't begin to describe it. I have also seen a family's world turned upside down in a moment because of a wreck and injuries. It seems like each day there's more bad news in the world. The bad news won't go away. But, we are not without hope. Like David in this Psalm, we can cry out to God and plead for His mercy and trust Him to be there--our place of refuge--no matter what is happening around us. Hold onto Jesus.


Psalm 142

I cry out to the Lord; I plead for the Lord's mercy.
I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles.
For I am overwhelmed, and you alone know the way I should turn.
Wherever I go, my enemies have set traps for me.
I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought!
No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me.
Then I pray to you, O Lord.
I say, "You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life.
Hear my cry, for I am very low.
Rescue me from my persecutors for they are too strong for me.
Bring me out of prison so I can thank you.
The godly will crowd around me, for you treat me kindly."

I Will Not Be Forsaken

Have you ever prayed and felt as if you're not really getting any answers? It can be a little frustrating, especially if you're accustomed to getting answers.

There seems to be a lot written about the times when God is silent and you can't sense His presence. From what I've read, those are often extreme times in which believers struggle to hear anything from God. One Old Testament example of this is when God was silent for 400 years before the birth of Jesus. Uh, 400 years is pretty extreme. However, I haven't seen a lot written on the those less-extreme times when you can still sense God's presence, but answers seem to be few and far between.

That's sort of where I've been living in the past few weeks--in the dark. There's light just outside my "door" so I can see enough to keep on doing what I'm supposed to do. I just seem to be stuck here. Tried to step out of that darkness briefly and soon realized that wasn't the right place to be. Hmmm. What to do? I guess I'll just keep waiting here. I've heard that if it's not clear what you're supposed to do, then stay put.

The really fascinating thing about this place is that God keeps reassuring me that the dark is the correct place for me to be--for now. He shows me through scripture and by the things I hear godly people say. About the time I need some encouragement, I see or hear some great quotes like this one from Tony Evans which I heard and quickly wrote down on the chalkboard in my kitchen:

I've also seen scripture which reminds me of God's faithfulness...

Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, 

for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. 

He will not fail you or forsake you. Deut. 31:6

For the Lord will not abandon His people,  

nor will He forsake His inheritance. Psalm 94:14

...and heard some great songs, such as After All by Meredith Andrews. I really like the words to this song which remind me that God is constant (never-changing), He is only good, and He is sovereign.


So, God is here and is "speaking to me," but He isn't giving me the answers I'm looking for. I do appreciate the fact that He continues to remind me that He's still here and He won't forsake me even when things are not at all clear. From the things I've read, these dark places seem to be where God is working to conform us to His will and prepare us for what lies ahead.

That gets me to thinking how many seeds are germinated underground, with very little light. That's where the really important growth takes place. One time I was even given seeds which required scoring before it could be planted. Without cutting open that seed, no growth would happen and the seed would just sit there. However, the scoring process allowed the new life to begin coming out of the ground.


Sometimes a little pain, a little dark, and rain is required for new growth. But... the farmer is still there tenderly coaxing that seed into new growth.

Ask. Seek. Knock.

About a week ago, the path that the Lord has had me on for the past year took a left turn. For several weeks I sensed a change coming down the road. I didn't know when it would happen or what would happen when I got to that inevitable fork in the road.

Now that I'm at that fork in the road, I've been asking the Lord to show me which path to take next. The gate's been closed on the path I was on. So now I find myself slowly shuffling down this new path. Frankly, this path looks about the same so far, but I know there will be new sights along the way.

I'm shuffling along this way--not skipping, not running, not even walking at a normal pace--simply because I'm carefully watching to see if God has another course correction ahead. Also, if you think about it, skipping is rather carefree, running sometimes connotes urgency or fear, and a steady walk implies a confidence that one knows where they're headed. None of those really fit me right now. So I shuffle along slowly because I'm looking up at the One who will show me the way and I don't want to trip.

I'm looking up because I've been praying for the Lord to show me what's next. So what's the answer I've been getting all week?

“Keep on asking, and you will receive

what you ask for. Keep on seeking, 

and you will find. Keep on knocking,  

and the door will be opened to you.  

For everyone who asks, receives. 

Everyone who seeks, finds. 

And to everyone who knocks, 

the door will be opened. 

- Matthew 7:7-8

Huh? Interesting answer. This verse came to my attention several times this week from different sources. Scripture answers are always good, but sometimes they leave me with more questions than when I started. Questions like...

Do I keep asking for what I was asking for before? Do I ask for something new? I am supposed to start seeking on my own or wait? I don't see any doors to knock on here on this path, Lord. {sigh}

Well, I didn't let that discourage me too much. I just decided to do some research and listened to a couple of my favorite Bible teachers online. Kay Arthur has been teaching from the Holy Land about the Life of Christ leading up to Easter. I chose one of her programs and it happened to be about Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. Since she was teaching about prayer it fit right into what I was hoping to learn. The lessons I learned is that we are to keep watching and keep praying until we have the victory. We are to keep watching and keep praying until we can actually say, Not my will, but thine be done--and mean it. The flesh will be weak and we'll want to give up, even if the spirit is willing to keep going.

From Charles Stanley I learned that asking God may sometimes mean we'll sit back and watch him work, but seeking may mean God wants us involved in the process of the prayer to be answered. It really depends on what God is telling us to do. But, what we definitely should do is persevere in prayer. Persevere means to continue firmly and don't give up!  We are to keep asking until we have an answer. When God tells us to ask, seek, and knock, that means the answer is coming. So often we want to quit after a few weeks of persistent prayer when it appears nothing is happening or it's not happening on our schedule.

Yes, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Just like those disciples waiting on Jesus in Gethsemane, we're supposed to keep watch but we fall asleep or get bored. I like an example Charles Stanley uses of a farmer who plants seeds in the ground and after two weeks he doesn't see anything sprouting yet. The farmer gives up and digs up all the seeds. If you know anything about gardening, you know that seeds take time--longer than two weeks!

Finally, we know that God loves us if we are His children and wants to give us an answer. Stanley says that sometimes the answer is yes. Sometimes the answer is wait. Sometimes the answer is, "I have something better in mind for you." God's silence means that He is working out all the details for His plan.

The rest of this passage on effective prayer taught by Jesus goes on to say...

“You parents—if your children ask for 

a loaf of bread, do you give them

a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish,

do you give them a snake? Of course not!  

So if you sinful people know how to give

good gifts to your children, how much 

more will your heavenly Father give 

good gifts to those who ask him. 

- Matthew 7:9-11

So, I could start running or jogging down this new path and easily be distracted by the first shiny thing I see.

Or, I could keep shuffling along and wait on God for the best while I...
     Keep on Asking,
          Keep on Seeking, and
               Keep on Knocking.

Be Still and Know Redux

Shortly after I first started this blog (April 2012), I wrote a post called Be Still and Know. During that time I was struggling for answers and upset over a turn of events in my life. As I sought answers from the Lord, He brought up Psalm 46:10 to me, over and over again. Just be still, my daughter, and know that I am God.  The Word provided comfort and peace to my battered soul. It didn't give me the immediate answers I wanted, but apparently answers were not what I needed at the time.

Fast forward to January 2013. The Be Still verses are back. After seeing this same verse pop up several times over the course of a few days, I began to ponder the meaning. My circumstances are much different these days. I'm not distraught or upset. Sure, I can always use a little extra peace in my life--who couldn't!. The Lord has been healing the emotional wounds that I experienced last year. He's also been teaching me much about faith, hope, love, prayer, perseverance, and trust (with an emphasis on the faith and trust portion). So, that left me wondering why I am again seeing these two verses everywhere:

“Be still, and know that I am God!
    I will be honored by every nation.
    I will be honored throughout the world.” 

- Psalm 46:10 (NLT)

"The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." 

- Exodus 14:14 (NIV)

I asked the Lord to help me understand. I'm not sure yet that I know the answer, but I am trying to be still and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. He's the best teacher. I do believe that the Lord is reminding me He's in charge--if I let Him be. God also desires to do good things for His children (Ps. 103:2) and He wants to receive the honor and praise. (Psalm 46:10 goes on to say just that.)

The verse before Exodus 14:14 helps me understand the context:

"Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. 

Stand firm and you will see the deliverance

the Lord will bring you today. 

The Egyptians you see today you will never see again."

-Exodus 14:13

 

The Lord was about to deliver His people. Pharaoh and his army were pursuing the Israelites. God wanted to reassure the people to fear not, to stand firm, and watch Him deliver His people from the hands of their enemy. God was about to do something big! The meaning behind Be Still in the 14th verse here is to cut into or inscribe, like a plow. It seems to be saying to dig in and stand firm!

Although the Hebrew word used in Psalm 46:10 for Be Still is different (to let go, relax, cast down), the theme of this Psalm is similar--God is their Help and Deliverer. God is their refuge and their strength so they need not fear. Let go of the worries and trust that God will have their back.

What it boils down to is that no matter what circumstances I (or you) may be in, these verses are sound advice. How this applies to my life at this time remains to be seen. But it is rather interesting to imagine what God may be up to!

Distractions

dis·trac·tion

[dih-strak-shuh n]

mental distress or derangement; that which distracts, 

divides the attention, or prevents concentration; 

that which amuses, entertains, or diverts

I’ve had my fair share of distractions recently. Some of the distractions were unavoidable and/or the usual day-to-day stuff. Other distractions were like magnets drawing me in. Rather than fight off that magnetic pull, it’s just been easier to give in.  Who wouldn't rather snuggle with a book on a cold, rainy day than reorganize a closet?

Distractions are inevitable. It’s a fork in the road which requires me to choose. Some choices are clear yet not always easy to make. For example, the kitchen clearly needs to be cleaned, but a favorite television show is about to air. On the other hand, some choices are not so clear. An example here might be choosing between helping a sick friend and spending the holiday with family. Who do you disappoint? In each example something or someone distracts from the original plan.

When the plan involves a commitment to another person (or to God), it’s even more difficult to contend with distractions. I’ve had that happen several times in recent months. I made a few commitments in spiritual matters but it wasn’t long before I was met with distractions. To be honest, the distractions were so subtle that I didn’t realize what was happening until I noticed a pattern. Dare I say these particular distractions were tests?  Hmmm. Very possible.

For that man ought not to expect that he will receive 

anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, 

unstable in all his ways (James 1:7-8).

Double-minded? That term sounds curiously like the definition of distraction: divides the attention. I heard this verse in church recently and after I saw it I realized that’s exactly what was happening to me. I’ve been giving these distractions a foot-hold in my life. Becoming aware of this issue has helped some. By no means have I conquered it. I'm still working on that one.

But, these distractions present an opportunity for me to make a choice. My attention can be divided for only so long before something suffers. If these distractions are tests, it gives me an opportunity to choose God's path. When I recognize these moments I can choose to ask God, What would you have me do here?  It only takes a few seconds to ask that question. The easier thing to do is just move right ahead with what we want to do or with whatever is pulling at us harder. It’s a learning process. However, each time I make a choice to follow God's path, it strengthens my relationship with Him and strengthens my own faith. 

If we go back and look at the context of this passage in James, we see that the chapter is about testing our faith. James says in verses 5 and 6, 

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, 

who gives to all generously and without reproach, 

and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith 

without any doubting, for the one who doubts 

is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.

God is ready to give me wisdom to make the right choices. And look! He is generous about giving wisdom. I just have to ask, with faith. (I just need to remember to do it! Hey, maybe I can actually get back to writing on this blog again.)