July 19, 2018

Focus on Jesus

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. – James 1:12

Some seasons of life are just hard. It might be a wayward child, a divorce, a job loss, an unexpected illness. It could be a wreck, a fire, a season of unexpected bills. It could be the death of someone you love. The storm crashes against us again and again and, some days, our faith seems so weak.

It’s not about whether you will face a storm. We all do. It’s about whether you have prepared your heart for its inevitability.

The Bible tells us to grow our roots deep in faith so that we can withstand life’s trials. Some take heed and do just that. Others merely skate along, with a naïve certainty that they can handle anything. They believe that really bad things only happen to others. They assume a strength that has never been tested.

Until it happens. Then you learn that waiting room chairs are hard and the hours endless while a loved one fights for her life in ICU. You learn the treasure of friends who just let you cry without trying to “fix” what only God can repair. You learn the difference between a necessity and a need. You learn the miracle of small steps forward, an extended hand, friends who show up and help without being asked.

And you learn empathy and grace. You learn that you can do everything right and still have your world fall apart without notice. You learn that nothing on this earth is certain and that our only true anchor is Christ.

You come to understand the camaraderie of strangers bound together by crisis. You learn medical terms and rehab techniques and how to find and accept specialized help. And you learn that pride has no place when you are in desperate need of a kind word or a flicker of hope.

There is no place as lonely as an ICU waiting room in the middle of the night. There is no place as lonely as the first moments, the first hours, in a house void of someone who will never come home again. There is no place as lonely as the days of transition between what was and what now is.

You learn the blessing of presence that some gift so generously. You learn the blessing of faith as long-ago memorized verses come to mind. You learn the truth that fertilized hope will carry you when the darkness threatens to overwhelm you.

You persevere, taking one step and then another, because you really have no choice. People say you are strong but the truth isn’t so pretty. There is nothing to do but go forward because life doesn’t pause for broken hearts, destroyed lives, shattered dreams.

You focus your eyes on Jesus, your anchor in what seems to be the never-ending storm. The world tells you to move on, to forget, to get over the past. Your heart wishes it was that easy. You take another step toward Jesus, toward His patience and compassion.

And one day your heart feels a little lighter. Your grief remains. What was will never be again. But you feel His Presence in a way you never felt before. You smile up at Jesus and take another step toward home.

June 11, 2018

Don’t Be Afraid in the Storm

He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. – Matthew 8:26

Sometimes life throws us a curveball. Just when we think that everything is going along smoothly, something happens that sends everything into a tailspin. It changes you. Forever.

There is comfort in a predictable life. There is security in knowing how each day will unfold. There is an easiness to following a known path. But we don’t grow in the predictable and the easy.

We grow when the diagnosis is hard and we aren’t sure of the outcome. We grow when someone else’s choice takes away what we always thought we could count on. We grow when our world suddenly becomes different than what we’d planned.

We can gain our strength from Christ. Or we can wallow in a hole that can only lead to sin and more heartbreak.

It’s terrifying to face the struggle. Surely, we can just stand still and weather the storm? Except we weren’t made to always stay the same. Our testimony comes when we step out into the unknown, clasping tightly to our Savior’s hand.

Our lives were never meant to be comfortable. We somehow miss that lesson as we go about our days. We forget that Jesus’ early disciples suffered for their faith. It would have been far easier to go along with the world, to remain silent, to stand aside and let others tell them what to do. But they weren’t called to that and neither are we.

That doesn’t mean we all must cast aside our fear and head to a Third World Country and become missionaries. Some people are called to that. Others are not. Some of us are called to serve right where we are. But we are all called to serve. We miss that somehow as we go about our comfortable, self-involved lives.

Until the storm hits. And it always comes. Something happens to change our comfortable journey and we are left struggling. We cry out. He is there. He was always there. We were just too busy holding on to our what we knew to realize how desperately we needed Him.

Can the world see the difference in how we handle situations and how unbelievers handle the same situations? Do they see our faith? Do they see the anchor that calms the boat even in the midst of the storm?

Our lives are meant to direct people to Jesus. We are meant to bring honor and glory to God. The Holy Spirit is our guide but we have a choice as to whether we follow His promptings or go a different way.

Choices. Which treatment is the best? How can we remain silent when the lies surround us? Can we really rebuild a life someone else tore down? And where is Jesus in the midst of it all?

Right beside you. He’s right there. He will never leave you or forsake you. He promised and Jesus always keeps His promises. In the trying moments of this unpredictable world, Jesus is our constant help and strength. He rejoices with us during the good times and He carries us during the bad. Don’t be afraid. He’s got you.