Strength for Living Archives - Page 2 of 2

Easy But Still Valuable

There was nothing remarkably different or insightful that sparked the thought. It was during a regular time of quiet and devotion that I found myself jotting down the following words: “When something comes easy to us, there is a tendency to overlook its value to others and cause us to minimize its potential for impact, influence, and even income.” Before I could tuck the note away in my “I’ll use this someday” file, I recognized that what I had captured was more than a random thought that had meandered into my mind. Reluctantly, I had to admit that it was, in fact, a message—a reminder to myself of my own poor and often repeated practice of undervaluing those things in my life that I seem able to do with little effort.

I cringe to think how often I have had to consider that some of the knowledge and ability I possess is part of how I have been gifted and crafted. Those things that come easy to each of us display our uniqueness and become our super-power on the earth. The fact that you can do something with your eyes closed does not mean that everyone else knows how to perform the same function with the same sense of ease. What comes as “second nature” to you does not make it of non-importance to someone else. In reality, it is precisely those gifts and talents that we take for granted that impact and influence the world around us. They are part of our “fearfully and wonderfully made” selves.

Although I have not fully arrived, I am committed to the process of a paradigm shift. I want to do a better job of esteeming those things that I do naturally and then continue to seek how God may want to use them for His glory and my good. And now I share that same encouragement with you. Of course, if you are among those who regard every part of yourself, this will undoubtedly make little sense to you. But if you are in the same camp as I find myself, I trust that we will join forces to bring our easy yet valuable gifts to the forefront. After all, one of your income streams may be attached to the talent, gift, knowledge, or skill that you perform effortlessly. So, please think of this as a gentle reminder to appreciate that what may be easy for you is of great value to others.

Why Do You Worry? – Read Matt. 6:25-33

During a recent time of devotion, I came to a familiar passage in Matthew 6:25-33. As I read the text, Jesus’ short but piercing question jumped out at me: “Why do you worry…?” The question gripped my heart and sent me on a quest to find a reasonable answer.

The word translated worry in the NKJV comes from the Greek word merimnao, meaning “to be anxious about; to have care or take thought, through the idea of distraction.” The word suggests that a preoccupation with life’s circumstances and problems will split our attention, divide our focus, and derail our faith.

Picture a beautiful garden infiltrated by weeds. While the soil contains everything for the plants to grow and be healthy, the unattended weeds begin to take root and consume the nourishment and hydration intended to feed the plants. That is how it is with worry. God has given us everything that pertains to life and godliness, but when the cares of this life take root in our hearts, they begin to eat away at the faith and strength designed to nourish our souls and keep us rooted in the plan, peace, and purpose of God. But God’s Word provides some practical truths that help us fight against this enemy that tries to erode our faith.

First, we must remember that worry is unwarranted. If unemployed birds have confidence in the source of their care, we, the crown of God’s creation, must believe that He will provide everything we need. Second, we must realize that worry is unproductive. No matter how much we agonize, it will never change the situation that troubles us. Anxiety only serves to deplete us of the precious energy needed to find God’s solution to the problem. Finally, we must recognize that worry is uncharacteristic. Our worry is a gross misrepresentation of God. When we fret about the issues in our lives, we are unwittingly telling the world that our heavenly Father is not aware of, concerned with, nor able to handle what we are facing.

The fact is that there will always be opportunities to succumb to anxiety, stress, and pressure, but it is what we do with the strain that matters most. When adversity comes and threatens our peace, we must actively employ the benefits that God’s Word provides for us and be diligent to throw every concern into the capable hands of God, having every confidence that He will hold us up (Ps. 55:22). In the face of turmoil and strain, we must hear the gentle voice of the Savior asking, “Why do you worry?” and know that there is no reasonable answer.

Waiting to Take Off – Read Jer. 29:18; Prov. 19:21

As I sat there waiting for my plane to take off, I was reminded of how often we feel like we are perfectly prepared to move forward, yet we seem to be in some holding pattern. Our destination is clear, and by all accounts, we have everything we need to proceed to the next step in our life journey. Indeed, everything may look like we should be on our way, but sometimes one critical element is missing.

In my case, all the travelers were on board and in their assigned seats. The passengers had properly stowed their carry-on luggage in the overhead bins. The cargo crew had secured the checked baggage into the below-deck storage. It looked like we were ready to take flight and travel to our destination post haste. But just as I settled in for takeoff, the captain came over the intercom system to advise us that there had been a last-minute crew change, and we were now awaiting the arrival of his second mate to the cockpit.

As a passenger in this holding pattern, there was no reason to become anxious or overly concerned. Even if I could fly a plane, I was not authorized personnel, and my credentials did not qualify me to lead this flight. While I could notify the person waiting to pick me up at my destination, I could not make the plane get there any sooner. The best that I could do was to use the time to reflect on what I could learn from the situation. In my case, I chose to write this message to encourage you in your delays.

Do all you know to do. Pack appropriately for where you are going, get in the right place, and wait patiently for instructions from the Captain of your life. When He has determined that everyone and everything necessary for safe transport is in place, He will lift you above what you can currently see, give you a birds-eye view of His greatness, and deposit you at the new site for your life’s assignment. Trust that once everything is in place, you will be ready for takeoff.

The Power of Words – Read Col. 4:6

I believe that words are powerful. With words, we communicate the deep sentiments of our hearts. With words, we paint panoramic images on the canvas of peoples’ minds and cause them to catch an intangible vision and bring it to materialization. Words are so powerful that our God framed everything that never was and made it appear just by saying, “Let there be….”

It has always been easier for me to corral my thoughts and bring them into subjection with pen and paper than any other mode of communication. Through words, I can wrestle with debilitating life events and make sense of the unanswerable. It has always been through God’s Word that I have been most able to hear His voice and find His direction for my life. It is through scribing that I worship God. It is how I express His thoughts to me and others, and it is how I seek to bring others into a vibrant relationship with a loving God who is ever-present and ready to listen to our heart’s cry—even when the sentiment is a written word.

A passage that regularly crosses my mind is Proverbs 25:11. The English Standard Version reads, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” Even if the written or spoken word is not your principal method of communication, they remain a required vehicle of expression. As such, we must consider how we are wielding this powerful instrument. Ask yourself, “How am I using my words?” “Am I building or destroying?” “Am I affirming or demeaning?” “Am I dispensing golden apples or rotten fruit?”

We each must be faithful stewards of the words we use. Embrace the admonition to “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person” (ESV). Seek to be a verbal power broker who uses words to elevate, encourage, and enrich those around you.

Prepare Me to Do Good – Read Gal. 6:9-10

Special thanks to Melinda J. Dula, whose leadership on a morning prayer call inspired this writing.

On any number of occasions, I have declared, both privately and publicly, that one of my passions is to disciple women in their life call and purpose. I have a deep sense of calling to walk with women of all ages as they discover a more significant relationship with the Lord and uncover a complete understanding of themselves.

One morning, a dear friend of mine led a prayer call during which she admonished us to remember the words and significance of the apostle Paul’s letter to the church at Galatia: “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially those who are of the household of faith” (Gal. 6:10 NKJV). Within twenty-four hours of that morning prayer call, I received communication from three different women. They had differing circumstances—grief, depression, and offense. They were at different ages and stages of their lives—young and not-so-young. But what they all had in common was a real need for understanding, help, and support.

As I made myself available to these women, I prayed that God would endow me with a grace that far exceeded my experience and wisdom. I needed His grace to fill my heart with compassion and my mouth with kindness. I needed the grace to recognize that I would be the one in need were it not for Him. And, yes, I needed the grace to know that I am not exempt from having to walk the same path at some future point within a moment’s notice. And suddenly, it hit me that I now stood faced with an opportunity to do good.

Doing good does not mean we will have all the answers, nor will we have a solution for each person’s need. Doing good certainly does not mean that we are experts in human psychology. But doing good does mean that we will go out of our way to make room in our day and in our heart to be a listening ear, a thoughtful dispenser of counsel, and a bridge for one to walk from darkness to light.

Today I invite you to join me in praying, “Lord, prepare me to do good today and every day, not just to those within my faith family who make up my spiritual family tree but even to those who may not acknowledge or even want You at present.” Regardless of who they are, we can do good to them and for them. Because, as my dear friend admonished us, quoting the great John Wesley, we should “Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the souls you can, in every place you can, at all the times you can, with all the zeal you can, as long as ever you can.”

Unpacking to Move – Read Heb. 12:1

Several years ago, we seized an opportunity to build a new home. In preparation for this significant undertaking, we put our residence on the market and quickly found ourselves in escrow to sell our home. Over the ten years that we had lived in that house, we were blessed to fill each room with precious treasures. Despite our daily commitment to organization and cleanliness, as well as an exhausting clearing overhaul performed some months prior, my husband and I agreed that there was still quite a bit that we would have to pack for our impending move. So, while the prospect of building our dream home was exhilarating, the thought of trying to pack up ten years of memories and thirteen rooms of material was mind-boggling. But we recognized that there was no other way. If we were going to move from one house to another, we had to pack.

Now you may be wondering why I titled this Unpacking to Move. After all, everyone knows that the requisite effort for any move is to pack, not unpack! If this were solely about moving from one place of residence to another, I would agree with you wholeheartedly. However, the move God seeks to accomplish in most of our lives is not from house to house but from one place in life to another. For that kind of move, it is essential that we first do some unpacking. There must be a putting aside of the weight and sin that encumbers us before we can run our race with patience.

Paul spoke of his dedication to reaching for a preferred future in his letter to the Philippian church. “No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven” (Phil 3:12-14, NLT). Paul recognized that his concentration necessitated a forgetting of the past—an unpacking, if you will. To effectively reach forward, there has to be a letting go of what was behind.

Too often, we try to reach for the new that God is bringing to us while holding doggedly to the past we have experienced. But trying to look in both directions simultaneously always results in stagnation. We must be willing to let go of the past, those things that are both good and bad, so we can focus our energy on obtaining what is ahead. God does not call us to forget our history; that would be a tragic mistake. He does, however, require that we trust Him for our future and not live bound to what we used to be. We must unpack past failures, prior successes, and previous dress sizes. What was—well, it was! It’s time to empty the old so that we can freely move to the new opportunities of faith presented to us.

Don’t be afraid. A good cleaning and reorganization of the heart can be immensely beneficial. You may even find that you have accumulated far more than you need and that discarding those old issues will truly lighten your load. The result will be weightlessness that enables you to take flight and be all God intended and more than you ever dreamed. Go on, start unpacking. It’s time to move!