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You changed my sorrow into dancing. You took away my clothes of sadness, and clothed me in happiness. Psalm 30:11 NCV
“I can do it myself!”
The battle cry of the four-year-old! It may be trying to tie a pair of shoes, or putting a shirt, or any number of things. When met with that challenge you have basically two options, perhaps three. It depends on the task at hand and if any personal injury is possible.
You could try to talk the ‘expert in life’ through the options and, by so doing, work your way into the solution. Rarely works, but young parents usually try this approach…once.
You could strong arm the situation. Rip the task right out of the hands of the over-confident zealot. It will get the job done better and faster on your part. However the child will be frustrated, angry and, if you strong-arm enough times, will lose the self-confidence to try new things. The result? Fear of failure and the loss of joy that comes from accomplishing something.
A third option is often the best for the child and hardest for the parent. Option three involves standing idly by and watching and waiting to be needed. The key to this option is that you are always there to provide protection when needed, advice when asked and encouragement in the process. You are ready and willing to step in when needed to assist with the completion of the task.
The risk with this option is that the job may indeed be accomplished but not nearly as well as you could have done. It may be completed satisfactorily, but in a much longer time frame. The benefits are that the child will learn his limitations, and also learn that you can be trusted to come to their aid when needed.
Our heavenly Father is an option three kind of guy. Did you notice that the options for dealing with a four year old apply to every age? We all have the ‘four-year-old’ mentality that screams that we can manage life in our own ways, our own power, and our own time.
Frustration, anger and bitterness come in when we realize we can’t do ‘it’ alone. We can’t hold this marriage together one more day. We can’t carry the responsibilities of our co-workers and our own. They need to chip in some energy. We can’t do it by ourselves. We can’t risk our entire lives with this child that seems intent on destroying our family reputation. We simply can’t do it anymore.
When you come to the point in life when you realize you are out of options. When you realize your strength is gone and your resolve to succeed is dwindling, the first thing to leave is your joy.
Life doesn’t hold the same excitement. Your relationships seem to be more of a chore than a blessing. The pastor’s sermons are dry, the church becomes irrelevant, the Christian life seems impossible.
When our joy is taken from us it robs us of our will to go on. That’s when our Heavenly Father steps in. He’ll never intrude without our asking. He’ll never abandon us when we seek him out.
Jesus came to earth to show us the way of joy. He can take the clouds of sadness and replace them with joy if you will let him in.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, you know the burden I’m bearing right now. You know the frustration and fatigue that are destroying my will to move forward. Thank you that the things I struggle with today can be turned over to you and you will walk me through the challenges of life. I praise your holy name. Amen.
God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world guilty, but to save the world through him. John 3:17 (NCV)
A friend of mine is a car salesman. I trust him completely. When I need a good used car I’ll go to him and ask him to find a car that is a particular style, within a particular price range, and is from his opinion, a good reliable car. Because of my trust in him I’m pretty confident that when I drive off the lot with my ‘new’ car I can trust it. I don’t know its complete history, but I know my friend.
When we seek to purchase a car, some electronic item or a new home we want to know as much about it as possible before we spend the money. We don’t want any surprises.
That’s what makes Jesus’ coming to earth for us even more amazing. Imagine if I were to go to my friend and ask him to find me a car. A few days later he calls and says he found one for me and asks me to come down to the shop to see it.
When I arrive I see a car that’s 20 years old, has three different colored fenders, and the fourth fender is rusted through. One tire is flat, the other three are bald. There is a crack in the windshield and, he informs me, the Air Conditioning doesn’t work and the windows won’t open. Would I buy the car? You say, “Of course not! A person would be stupid to buy something like that and,” you’d continue, “your friend isn’t much of a friend. I’d never trust him again!”
You’d be right of course. No one would buy something like that for any price. But that is exactly what Jesus did! When Jesus was born in that manger over 2,000 years ago he and his Father knew exactly what he was getting into. He knew he was going into a world full of anger, rebellion, abuse and greed. He knew he’d be scoffed at, rejected by he closest friends and innocently murdered. But knowing all this, he came anyway.
If that wasn’t enough, he didn’t come to scold us. He didn’t come to tell us how bad we were. He didn’t come to criticize us for our weaknesses, or condemn us for our rebellion or send us on some guilt trip. He came to save us. He came to forgive us. He came to free us from guilt, shame, anger and bitterness! Jesus didn’t come to earth because of what we were like, he came to earth because of what we needed.
There will be plenty of people who will point out your faults, tell you what you are doing wrong and judge you for your past or present addictions. Jesus didn’t come to make you feel guilty. He came to show you his love.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I thank you for coming to earth to give me freedom. I struggle so much with feelings of guilt, anger and fear. It’s so easy to go my own way and seek my own desires. I praise you for accepting me, for purchasing me even though you knew all my flaws. Amen.
Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Psalm 32:5 (NLT)
Finally. It’s a little word filled with relief when the fever of a small child finally breaks. It’s a word filled with hope when the gentle, prolonged rain falls on drought stricken land. It’s a word filled with comfort when a loved one returns home from battle or a long journey. Finally means many things to each of us and usually those feelings are feelings that bring a sigh to our hearts.
When David wrote this Psalm he recounts the agony he endured as he lived a life of sin. The double standard that he followed robbed him of his sleep, took away his appetite, and even caused physical pain and agony deep inside his joints. He was a hurting man in need of relief…finally.
Finally he finds the relief he sought. Finally-after holding it in for so long; after all the pain he endured; after living with the fear of being ‘caught’; after the sleepless nights. Finally he found relief.
Isn’t that the way it is with sin, especially for those of us that are Christ-followers? We visit the websites we know are displeasing to our Lord Jesus. We harbor the bitterness and anger of wrongs done to us. We relive the past mistakes we’ve made. We continue to live the lie in order to hide our sin.
Finally, King David got honest with himself, and God. Notice his confession wasn’t to people, not at first anyway. His sin was first and foremost against his God and that is where his confession was directed. He stopped the lies. He admitted his open rebellion, and, as a result found release from the guild he’d been harboring for a long, long time.
When he finally came to the point of confession David didn’t find a God who was intent on punishment, rage or anger. He found a God of forgiveness, grace and mercy. He found a God that was more than willing to remove the guilt he bore for so long. The guilt that caused the feelings of failure in his life. The guilt that fueled the feelings of remorse, anger and frustration. This God of love and grace didn’t just remove the penalty for his sin. He wiped out the guilt.
Many of us still deal with guilt in our lives. Getting rid of guilt simply requires confession on our part to a loving, gracious God. The enemy of your soul will tell you there is more, but you simply need to point to the cross and claim the promise of forgiveness though Jesus. His death and resurrection wipes out your guilt once and for all…finally.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I’ve been enduring the pain of guilt of a long time. I’m tired of the pain, the sleepless nights, the fear of being ‘found out’. I confess my sin to you right now. Cleanse me of my guilt and empower me to do what needs to be done to resolve any wrongs I’ve done to others. Thank you for your mercy, grace and forgiveness. Amen.
If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. Matthew 24:46 (NLT)
Who are your heroes in life? Chances are your response to the question brings up the names of athletes, powerful preachers, award winning authors or political figures. Those that are not likely to be on your list? The barista at the local coffee shop (because she makes great latte’s, the guy who changes the oil in your car, the garbage man, the people who service your hotel room, the person in bankruptcy court or the people cleaning up the mess you made at the ball park.
A few years back the Chicago Bulls played the Minnesota Timberwolves inMinneapolis.Chicagowas at the top of their game behind the play of Michael Jordan (and others). The ‘Wolves were brand new to the league. Everyone knew there was no way the home town team would win. However, the arena was full to capacity. Why? To see Michael Jordan. The score didn’t matter. The competition level was low. They came to see one person perform. A local paper covering the game gave this headline, “We all want to be like Mike.”
In this Kingdom awards and accolades are given out to those who are the best or to those who have succeeded in life. Only those who are at the top of their game get the award. Number two may try harder, but in reality they live in the shadows. Only champions are remembered.
In God’s Kingdom ALL who persevere are rewarded. These ‘champions’ are the ones who give of their time to help those in need. These champions realize that personal wealth here on earth is nothing to be sought after, that true wealth is laid up for them in heaven. These champions are the ones who live life with the understanding that they are no better and no worse than the person next to them. These champions realize that nothing they accomplish without Christ is of any value.
Jesus doesn’t demand that we BE best. He asks us to do our best. Then he sends his Holy Spirit into our lives to help us be the person he wants us to be. The greatest things we can accomplish here on earth will have eternal results and be largely unseen by others.
You may feel your labors for Christ are in vain because no one notices, but Jesus notices and your reward will be great. Don’t give up doing good. Don’t get sucked into the lie that what you have physically (wealth, status, career, etc) is the most important thing. In God’s kingdom the true champions are those who serve in the shadows.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I try so hard to serve you, but now I realize that I’m really trying to impress men and build my own wealth according to this kingdom and not your kingdom. Thank you for the opportunities I have to serve today. Help me do it with gladness so others can see you in me. Amen.
A king is pleased with a wise servant, but he will become angry with one who causes him shame. Proverbs 14:35 (NCV)
I’ve always wanted to play piano. My mom played piano. She read music…a little. But she also had the ability to hear a song and then sit down at the piano an in a few minutes be able to play a simple version of the song. God’s given me a love for music. He gave me a mom that was more than willing to teach me to play. I can’t play the piano. Never found the time to practice.
My inability to play the piano is a small example of something we all struggle with and that’s taking the time to do the small things that lead to greater achievement later on in life. When I was a boy, practicing the piano for a half hour a day seemed like a huge investment of time. But that small investment would have produced greater results later in life.
Sometimes neglecting the little things in life have relatively unimportant results. For example, I can’t play the piano, but I can enjoy the ability others have to do so. But sometimes neglecting the little things in life have life-changing effects.
My wife calls them the ‘I’m Gonna’s’. All those little things we say we are going to do…someday. “I’m gonna write a book”; “I’m gonna start to exercise”; “I’m gonna help more around the house”. You can add to that list.
Sometimes we may realize that our “I’m gonna’s’ are lofty dreams, such as the child-hood dream of “Someday I’m going to be president!” Other times the failure to do the “I’m gonna’s’ lead to disaster.
It’s sad to say, but there are many marriages that have failed because one or both (usually both) people in the relationship have overlooked the little things. Things like helping with housework or putting household duties aside to sit with the kids or spend time together. Relationships aren’t destroyed by the big things in life. Many families have worked through affairs and illness and financial disaster. I believe it’s because those families have done the little things that create a bond that nothing can sever.
The proverbs say, “A King is pleased with a wise servant.” Servant’s had a pretty menial existence. They were the ones that cleaned the palace and cooked the food. They built the buildings and tended to the gardens and the livestock. Their actions were small, but when done right, were noticed by the king.
God doesn’t expect us to accomplish huge results in life. He doesn’t ask for perfection. Your Heavenly Father is far more interested in what you are doing than what you hope to accomplish.
If you are a minister he’s far more excited about how your family is than he is how large your church is. If you are a business owner he’s far more pleased with how your customers are treated than he is the black ink in your ledger. As a husband he’s far more impressed with your attitude when your wife asks you to hold her purse in the mall, or your child asks you to sit with them and read when the big ball game is on.
What ‘I’m gonna’s’ are on your list? Choose one thing today to work on and DO IT! It’s the little things that make a big difference.
PRAYER: Lord, I’m so frustrated right now with my inability to do the small things in life. There is so much I want to accomplish, yet I struggle to do the little things. Help me to start today to tackle the ‘I’m gonna’s in my life. Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 