Cyclists have a special relationship with hills. Mainly, we all hate them, but they are inevitable part of our sport. Some cyclists like to go fast on the flats and downhills, but then they don't have the energy for the climbs, so they put it in the lowest gear and just suffer through it. Others will try to maintain the same effort level all the time, so they slow down on the hills but still work just as hard.
The greats though, they're a different breed. They embrace the hills. They work on the downhills and flats, but at a level that they know can be maintained. Something special happens when they get to the hills - they fight to get over them. All the energy they've saved goes into attacking that hill and reaching the summit before they can relax coming back down the other side... and leaving their competitors way behind and out of breath.
Here's the thing though, attacking the hills makes them easier. Your muscles respond and grow to the training and the more you work hard on them, the easier they are to deal with.
James 1: 2 - 4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that it is the testing of your faith that produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Just like many cyclists, we tend to put a lot of energy into the good times. It's easy to put effort into the times that benefit us and we want to get there quickly. After all it's fun to go fast. Some people are able to maintain the effort level and balance it between the good and bad times. The greats though, they work during times that are easy and fun, but they fight when times get tough.
James reminds us that the trials are coming. He also reminds us that those trials produce the perseverance to continue. The greater our perseverance, the easier those trials are to fight through, even as they get tougher in nature. Don't put so much effort into all the fun stuff in life that you're too exhausted to do anything but struggle during the trials. Work at a level that you know you can maintain and when those trials come, fight to stay in the Word, fight to be faithful in prayer, fight to be faithful to your Savior. It's a guarantee that He is still fighting for you.
Imagine the response in your spouse, children, family, or friends when hard times come and they see you step up your effort and fight for them!
Monday, June 23, 2014
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Living Proof
In Prince Caspian from the Chronicles of Narnia series, we find that the residents of Narnia no longer really believe in Aslan. They've heard the stories, they've seen the historical sites of the battles past down through the generations, but they just don't seem to believe anymore. They're a lot like us, actually. We've got the Bible that is full of evidence that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the stories of His life, and how the early church got started. We even have unfulfilled prophesy of what to look for as the end of times draws near. Like the Narnians though, we're very much a "What have you done for me lately?" Kind of people.
Enter Lucy. Lucy never loses faith in Aslan even though her own brothers and sister consider her quite naive. Some scoff at the idea of Aslan since it has been so long since he has been seen. Others have never heard of him. Peter, Susan, and Edmond, who were there to see him before, are increasingly skeptical that he is still with them. It's an excellent snapshot of our society. Those that have never heard the Truth, those that don't believe it because they haven't seen it themselves, and those that have forgotten the faithfulness of Christ that they had experienced previously.
Little Lucy though never stops believing in Aslan. She reminds herself of his goodness when others would have her doubt. She points others to what he has done along the journey. Even when things point to their imminent destruction, she holds fast to what she knows to be true. She is the constant whisper that keeps others from completely falling away from the belief in Aslan. In a strange twist, when everyone wants to believe that they are on their own, she creates the doubt in their minds that maybe he really is watching and waiting to intervene.
Matthew 5:14 - 16, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to you Father who is in Heaven."
Christian, this is our role in society. In a world that is trying everything it can to remove God from the equation, we are the ones that create doubt in their minds by making them wonder if He really is who He says He is. We point not only to the historical evidence, but also the evidence in our own lives. We tell people about the times when we can reach no other conclusion than that God was working and had His hand in the process. We tell them how He has protected us, guided us, and offered us His tangible grace and mercy. We are the living, breathing, evidence that He is who He says He is and that He is alive and well.
Our story does not end with our salvation, our role changes to become ambassadors for Christ, to point other towards Him. When others reach the end of themselves, we give them hope against hope that He is really who we claim He is. Surely then, it is critical that we conduct ourselves and speak in ways that create that hope instead of skepticism. Being the living proof of God's existence and love is no easy task, and we cannot possibly do it well on our own. We seek Him for and in everything in our lives... and we openly let others see us do it.
Enter Lucy. Lucy never loses faith in Aslan even though her own brothers and sister consider her quite naive. Some scoff at the idea of Aslan since it has been so long since he has been seen. Others have never heard of him. Peter, Susan, and Edmond, who were there to see him before, are increasingly skeptical that he is still with them. It's an excellent snapshot of our society. Those that have never heard the Truth, those that don't believe it because they haven't seen it themselves, and those that have forgotten the faithfulness of Christ that they had experienced previously.
Little Lucy though never stops believing in Aslan. She reminds herself of his goodness when others would have her doubt. She points others to what he has done along the journey. Even when things point to their imminent destruction, she holds fast to what she knows to be true. She is the constant whisper that keeps others from completely falling away from the belief in Aslan. In a strange twist, when everyone wants to believe that they are on their own, she creates the doubt in their minds that maybe he really is watching and waiting to intervene.
Matthew 5:14 - 16, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to you Father who is in Heaven."
Christian, this is our role in society. In a world that is trying everything it can to remove God from the equation, we are the ones that create doubt in their minds by making them wonder if He really is who He says He is. We point not only to the historical evidence, but also the evidence in our own lives. We tell people about the times when we can reach no other conclusion than that God was working and had His hand in the process. We tell them how He has protected us, guided us, and offered us His tangible grace and mercy. We are the living, breathing, evidence that He is who He says He is and that He is alive and well.
Our story does not end with our salvation, our role changes to become ambassadors for Christ, to point other towards Him. When others reach the end of themselves, we give them hope against hope that He is really who we claim He is. Surely then, it is critical that we conduct ourselves and speak in ways that create that hope instead of skepticism. Being the living proof of God's existence and love is no easy task, and we cannot possibly do it well on our own. We seek Him for and in everything in our lives... and we openly let others see us do it.
Friday, June 6, 2014
Hey Jealousy
Remember that song by the Gin Blossoms? Yeah, they might have found a way to turn jealousy into something beneficial for them by making money on it, but for those of us that have been around uncontrollably jealous people, it's not pleasant. I had the honor of having a conversation with the sister of a very special young lady in my life who suggested that I share the thoughts from it with you. I think it's a great idea, so here we go!
In the interest of keeping everyone happy, I took the names out.
One thing to note as you read is that in Galatians 5:16 - 26, Paul lists specific signs that we are living in the flesh and includes jealousy. Note the contrast to the fruits of the Spirit that he tells us about after that.
Your sister and I were talking through your questions about jealousy last night, and while I'm sure she has responded to you, I thought I would follow up as well.
For starters, being jealous can have several possible meanings in this scenario - 1) a suspicion of faithfulness in the relationship, 2) fiercely protecting an object (or in this case, person), or 3) the fear of losing the relationship (which really isn't jealousy, but we'll get there soon enough).
Obviously, the first thing to consider is what is at at the source of those feelings, but there are significant flaws no matter which form he is feeling right now. In the case of suspicion, he doesn't trust you, which is never a good foundation for a relationship. If he's looking at you as an object that he must protect, well, there is the issue that he sees you as an object and not an intelligent, rational individual who, oh by the way, happens to be a daughter of the One True God and is under His protection. If it's a fear of losing the relationship, his hope is misplaced and the relationship itself becomes his idol or god. It places you in an impossible situation where you are on such a high pedestal of expectations, that you will either crumble under the weight of them or he will be in a constant state of disappointment.
Okay, I feel like I'm doing a lot of guy bashing, and while we guys deserve it, there's always hope for redemption. In any of these situations, they come apart because of disappointment, and disappointment always comes from misplaced hope. Whether his hope is in the relationship, the way you make him feel, or in his ability to make it all work from sheer will power, it's not where it needs to be. From talking with your sister, I am certain you know this already, but his hope needs to be placed in Christ.
One thing that we talk about a lot is how difficult it is for people that have not been humbled to the point that they have no choice but to trust God for the next day, step, or even breath to know what it means to be at the end of yourself. That's where God does His best work because we have nothing left to fight against Him with. Then we realize that He'll catch us no matter what ridiculous decisions got us to that place. It's a challenge for folks that do get it, because it's impossible for us to articulate in words how that experience can make the change.
I would encourage you to remember that it's not your job to change him, it's God's. When a person changes to meet the expectations of the guy/gal they want to be with, it builds resentment, but when God changes a heart, if builds gratitude. I would also encourage you to pray specifically for him if you're not already (but I'd bet that you are). Be straight with God and don't worry about sounding eloquent. Some of the most beneficial time in prayer that I've spent are times that I've admitted to God that I don't like what He's doing, but that I still trust Him and will praise Him regardless of the circumstance.
One of the things that your sister and I have done pretty much since our first date is to start our day with prayer. I text her a short prayer for us before I even say good morning. It just gets us focused where we need to be for the day. We also pray when we're together, even if it's just a real short "Thank You for having a couple of hours to spend together." I know that it's not easy to set the expectation that prayer is just simply part of what your relationship is going to include, but I know that for both your sister and I, knowing that relationship is being intentionally focused on Christ calms a lot of fears for both of us.
In the interest of keeping everyone happy, I took the names out.
One thing to note as you read is that in Galatians 5:16 - 26, Paul lists specific signs that we are living in the flesh and includes jealousy. Note the contrast to the fruits of the Spirit that he tells us about after that.
Your sister and I were talking through your questions about jealousy last night, and while I'm sure she has responded to you, I thought I would follow up as well.
For starters, being jealous can have several possible meanings in this scenario - 1) a suspicion of faithfulness in the relationship, 2) fiercely protecting an object (or in this case, person), or 3) the fear of losing the relationship (which really isn't jealousy, but we'll get there soon enough).
Obviously, the first thing to consider is what is at at the source of those feelings, but there are significant flaws no matter which form he is feeling right now. In the case of suspicion, he doesn't trust you, which is never a good foundation for a relationship. If he's looking at you as an object that he must protect, well, there is the issue that he sees you as an object and not an intelligent, rational individual who, oh by the way, happens to be a daughter of the One True God and is under His protection. If it's a fear of losing the relationship, his hope is misplaced and the relationship itself becomes his idol or god. It places you in an impossible situation where you are on such a high pedestal of expectations, that you will either crumble under the weight of them or he will be in a constant state of disappointment.
Okay, I feel like I'm doing a lot of guy bashing, and while we guys deserve it, there's always hope for redemption. In any of these situations, they come apart because of disappointment, and disappointment always comes from misplaced hope. Whether his hope is in the relationship, the way you make him feel, or in his ability to make it all work from sheer will power, it's not where it needs to be. From talking with your sister, I am certain you know this already, but his hope needs to be placed in Christ.
One thing that we talk about a lot is how difficult it is for people that have not been humbled to the point that they have no choice but to trust God for the next day, step, or even breath to know what it means to be at the end of yourself. That's where God does His best work because we have nothing left to fight against Him with. Then we realize that He'll catch us no matter what ridiculous decisions got us to that place. It's a challenge for folks that do get it, because it's impossible for us to articulate in words how that experience can make the change.
I would encourage you to remember that it's not your job to change him, it's God's. When a person changes to meet the expectations of the guy/gal they want to be with, it builds resentment, but when God changes a heart, if builds gratitude. I would also encourage you to pray specifically for him if you're not already (but I'd bet that you are). Be straight with God and don't worry about sounding eloquent. Some of the most beneficial time in prayer that I've spent are times that I've admitted to God that I don't like what He's doing, but that I still trust Him and will praise Him regardless of the circumstance.
One of the things that your sister and I have done pretty much since our first date is to start our day with prayer. I text her a short prayer for us before I even say good morning. It just gets us focused where we need to be for the day. We also pray when we're together, even if it's just a real short "Thank You for having a couple of hours to spend together." I know that it's not easy to set the expectation that prayer is just simply part of what your relationship is going to include, but I know that for both your sister and I, knowing that relationship is being intentionally focused on Christ calms a lot of fears for both of us.
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