Strength for the Long Road

We just finished a period ot time where we were very busy in the deputation mode. We visited 27 churches in 6 states within 6 months. It was a time of good fellowship and meeting new friends in the body of Christ but it was also exhausting. Several weekends would approach and I had no idea how I was going to make it through. I was tired of meeting new people, going new places. There was a level of physical exhaustion that I experienced as well.

Through this experience, I discovered that God provided me with the strength and energy I needed each week. I felt like throwing in the towel on Friday night and by the time we arrived at the church, I would have the strength to greet, preach and present. There are still some homebound trips in the Flex that I do not remember due to being so tired! Again, a display of 2 Corinthians 12:9, "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

It was through those long weeks God began the process of teaching me what it meant to experience His Grace as I served Him. This is not a lesson learned though. I am still in the process of truly grasping God's love and grace, as we all are. Remembering those hardest of times where I felt like giving up and not going to the next church and how God provided what I needed for that weekend (not the next weekend) will always be a source of confidence moving forward.

I look forward to how God will use this busy time and am thankful that He used it to show me what it truly means to allow His strength to work through me!

Staring down a Black Hole

In Space, there are areas that have been discovered via telescope that seem to be completely void of any light or matter. Astronomers tend to call these "Black Holes". It seems to be a place where we can stare right into...well...nothing. It's like staring into the unknown. We have no idea what is really happening. All we know is that it is void of everything we as humans expect.

In life, we often find ourselves staring into what looks to be a "black hole" in life. We find ourselves in a difficult period of life where we are dealing with financial or health issues, maybe struggles with work or family. We have no idea what is happening or nothing seems to be happening at all. We are staring into the unknown. God SEEMS to be sitting on the situation instead of moving. We feel like we are staring a blank future in the face.

When these times come, It is easy to fall into the habit of looking at those around us that seem to be having a great life and become discontent in addition to discouraged. It's easy to fall into the "focus on me" mode. How should we respond to these challenges we face? In my experience with infection in my right lower leg for the past 8 months, God has (and still is) been teaching me a few truths that may not be altogether unfamiliar but when applied together to these black holes in life become profound. Here's the jist of it...

Find your joy - James 1:2-4
We are called to welcome trials in life as a friend, knowing that it is going to produce patience and spiritual maturity in my life. These black holes are opportunities to see God do miraculous things in our lives. Remember though that it may not happen on our timeline. God is at work and He has His own perfect timeline! That is why trials need to produce patience first!

Don't just trust in logic - Proverbs 3:5-6
We tend to lean on "our own understanding" in these times of life. "I can...", "if we just...". We are told in these verses the exact opposite, "trust in the Lord with all thine heart". This often forces us to learn that patience that James 1 speaks of. We have to trust that God is working even in the midst of a black hole where we can't see what is coming. He knows even when it is an unknown to us.

This does not mean that our minds and common sense take a vacation during these trials! We are told not to lean on them. They are not to be our final authority for working through the issues. God has given intellect for a reason. Go to the Doctor, work a few extra hours if possible, work through the struggle with your family member in a God honoring way. We can't place our hope and trust in it. Trust God will use it or other means to resolve it in His time.

Learn to be Content - Philippians 4:11-13

Paul told the Philippians that he had learned to be content (sufficient for one's self, strong enough or possessing enough to need no aid or support, independent of external circumstances) in completely opposite situations: He learned to be content when he had little to nothing as well as when he had more than he needed. The time of plenty is easy to understand but how in the world can we be content in times we can't see the light at the end of the tunnel? Paul addresses this question in verse 13. The only way to be content no matter where I am is with God's strength in my life. This brings us back to trusting in the Lord with all our heart (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Conclusion: Just as science really has know idea what a black hole is or why it's there, we often feel the same way with situations in life. It's not an exhaustive solution but I am learning to find my joy in what God wants to do in my life, fully trust that He is at work even though it does not feel like it all the time, and working to find contentment where I am.

 "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:"

Philippians 1:6