Month: March 2020

  • Heart Stuff, Knowing God

    God’s Steady Peace

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    Many of us find ourselves in uncharted territory right now. Life as we know it has changed and we are having to quickly adjust to a new normal. When life takes a turn we weren’t expecting, it can leave us feeling like our world is out of control and the chaos of our emotions are threatening to overtake us.

    As humans, we don’t like uncertainty and instability. When our situation seems so unstable and our future feels uncertain, it can be easy to feel afraid and anxious. Right now with the gloom and doom of COVID-19 hanging all around us, it can feel downright overwhelming. How do we find the peace we crave in the midst of our situation?

    One of the phrases that God uses most in Scripture is, “Do not be afraid.” That can feel like a tall order when we are face to face with serious situations that turn life upside down. But when God repeats something in the Bible, it’s worth finding out why.

    Isaiah 41:10 NLT says, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

    I love The Message version too. There’s something about the simple language that cuts through the noise of my anxiety and goes straight to my fragile heart.

    “Don’t panic. I’m with you. There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.” Isaiah 41:10 MSG

    He says this phrase, “Do not be afraid” so many times because He knows that we are going to face difficult and scary times. He wants us to know that we don’t have to give in to our fear because He is there to weather this season with us. He is mighty enough to handle whatever comes our way. He is strong enough to hold us up when we are weary and weak. He is gentle with us, and faithful to comfort us in times of need. His presence is steady; His love unconditional.

    When our hearts are in turmoil, we need to remember the truth of God’s character and lean in on God’s promises. We don’t need to stay in a place of fear or worry about what’s to come, because God promises to be with us and He is in control. He knows the future and will continue to provide for His children. As we lean on God’s character and promises, He gives us the strength to face whatever comes our way, and in doing so, He brings peace to calm our troubled hearts. We can have a peace that comes from trusting in the One who created everything and is Lord of all.

    “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

    Philippians 4:7

    As we turn to God with our worries, fears and anxieties, He faithfully wraps us up in a peace that transcends any circumstance we face–it’s beyond understanding. When we can’t see what’s going to happen next, or we feel overwhelmed by our situation, God’s peace can be accessed in the midst of the storm, and we can begin to see the light shining through the darkness. As we allow God into our situation, He guards and protects our hearts and minds with His peace.

    Almighty God, when we are facing a situation that is beyond our understanding, we need your loving peace to guard our hearts and minds. We lift up to you our circumstances and know that we may not always have the understanding we crave, but you promise to carry us through it because of your great love for us. You are the Mighty God who gives us strength and calms our anxious hearts. We praise you for all that you are in our times of trial and our times of blessing! In Jesus name, Amen.

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  • In The Word, Knowing God

    Everlasting God

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    Wow, what a week. I heard someone joke that they feel like a 4th grader is writing life right now: “and there was this virus and everyone was scared, and then the world ran out of toilet paper…yeah and then there was no school for like a month and then it snowed!”

    In light of recent events, this “new normal” may have you feeling isolated or afraid and wondering where God is. It is hard to see how and where He is working in this when an itty-bitty virus manages to bring our entire world to a grinding halt. 

    It might feel like God is disinterested in our plight, or that He is absent in our time of need. I understand that. You may be feeling torn between alternating waves of faith and fear of the unknown, combined with guilt that the wave of faith didn’t completely wash away the fear. 

    My sweet friend, God is not only present and active in our situation, He is big enough to love us through all our fears and doubts. In Isaiah 40:26-28, God is responding to the Israleites who were feeling weary and afraid too, and they are reminded just how big God really is.

    “Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name. Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing.”

    This scripture paints such a beautiful picture of God’s sovereignty and power, but also His attention to detail. I couldn’t tell you the name of more than five stars, let alone all of them. In fact, I can’t even see all of the stars from my limited perspective. I certainly couldn’t tell each one where to go and how to shine, night after night, without fail. 

    But God can behold the entire universe in one glance. He created each star in every galaxy and knows each one’s name. He pays attention to every single detail. Nothing escapes His notice and care. 

    Scripture then goes on to remind the Israelites that God gives the same close care and attention to the details of their own lives. 

    O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles? O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights? Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth.”

    God sees their troubles. He pays attention to them and cares deeply for their needs. Then He calls them to a deeper understanding of who He is.

    We have exactly the same opportunity that the Israleites did. God sees our troubles now. He pays attention to us and cares deeply for our needs. He is calling us to a deeper understanding of who He is: strong, capable, constant, present, attentive, powerful, creative, caring and just. He is big and strong enough to carry the oceans in the cup of his hand and yet He wants us to know Him and be in a personal relationship with Him.

    He is here now, walking through these bizarre times with us. He holds us when we are lonely and is patient with us when we are unsure and fret. Later in the book of Isaiah, God reminds us that He will give us strength and power when we are weak and weary. 

    So even if we feel isolated or powerless and small in the wake of current events, remember that we are not alone. Our Heavenly Father is right by our side, working powerfully in the world. Look up, keep your eyes on Him. Then look for glimpses of Him working in the world around you. 

    He is working through the person serving their neighbor, and the family putting together free lunches for kids in need. He is working through the kindness shown to the grocery store clerk and gas station attendant. He is working through the creativity and brilliance of the scientists looking for ways to cure this illness. He works through the nurses and doctors caring for their patients, and through parents as they comfort their children. He hears every single prayer of praise and concern, and takes them all to heart. He is present and active this very moment, both in the world and in your life. Because of His great power and incomparable strength, there is not a detail he misses, nor a care that gets overlooked.

    He is the Everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. Before there was anything else, God was there, as He is now, and will be tomorrow. Let’s continue to look up and follow him, so that we may remember His character and experience His peace. May God may work through us to bring joy and hope to those around us, in any circumstance. 

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  • Heart Stuff, Purposeful Living

    Letting Go of Busyness

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    For a long time, I struggled with a feeling of weariness that I just couldn’t shake. No matter how much I slept, I was still tired. No matter how much I tried to create margin in my life, I was still spread too thin. I wasn’t happy and neither was my family. We were perpetually in survival mode. It wasn’t until I read Isaiah 41:26-31 recently, that I realized I had forgotten God’s vastness and sovereignty. I needed to be reminded of His perspective and power and stop trying to survive on my own strength alone. 

    My optimistic nature, which is usually one of my strengths, had become my weakness. I had convinced myself that I could balance working multiple jobs with crazy hours, all while still excelling as a wife, mom, friend, church member, etc. I wanted to believe I could do it all because I felt useless if I couldn’t. I love serving people and being helpful, and that is not a bad thing. But my identity and worth got tied up in that, and my self-esteem started to feed off of the pats on the back and the “atta-girl” compliments. I wouldn’t go skydiving for a million dollars, but I would jam-pack my schedule to get the rush of accomplishment and to hear someone say in admiration, “I don’t know how you do it!”

    This brand of busyness is just as idolatrous as worshipping a beautiful, handcrafted, golden statue of a day-planner. I valued the approval of others more than the approval of God. I put the rush of accomplishment above the priorities that I knew God had called me to first. I was hustling so hard, that I burned out and no one was getting my best. I had placed my identity in being the “Girl who Gets Things Done”, instead of in being the “Daughter of a King.” 

    My misplaced identity had me sidestepping God’s perfect plan and priorities and following my own plan, which was leading nowhere fast. 

    My eyes were opened one day when I almost collapsed from exhaustion. I had been working a long shift and had not taken the time to eat or take a break. Suddenly, the room started to spin and my legs buckled under me. I caught myself on the counter before I fell to the ground, and tried to act like it was nothing, but inside I was scared. My body had never given out like that before. There was always a reserve, I had always been able to push a little further. I clearly remember thinking, “This is not good. It’s time to stop.” 

    I went home and slept for what seemed like days. I spent time resting and recuperating. During that time, I had to be honest with myself. I asked God to forgive me for relying on my own strength, and for not taking better care of myself. I repented of intentionally tuning out His voice, when I knew He was trying to lead me toward a better way. 

    I could not continue the way I had been living. I poured all my hopes and dreams out to God in prayer and started seeking wise counsel. I decided to turn down a big job opportunity that I had been agonizing over. It would have fast tracked my career, but it also would have locked me into the same schedule that had me struggling to take care of myself, my family and my ministry–the very things I felt convicted to better prioritize. 

    I slowly started saying no to other things too. I would block off whole days on my calendar where I wasn’t allowed to plan anything but rest and family time. I started to pray about my commitments before I made them so that I could give my best, or at least have the wisdom to know when saying yes would result in spreading myself too thin.

    It was hard to let go of some things, but in letting go, I was acknowledging God as Lord of my life again-not me. He began to restore my heart, and remind me of the things that were truly important and not just the things that seemed urgent. 

    I took myself off the throne and made room for the Rightful King. And in doing that, blessing was not far behind in the form of peace, clarity of mind and God’s perfect provision. He was not holding good things back from me-I was holding Him back from giving them. 

    Another job opportunity came, and this time the schedule fit perfectly into balance with where God was directing me. He was faithful to provide, and by trusting Him, I did not have to engineer my future. It was secure in His hands.

    I share this in love, in case you are weary from pushing yourself to the limit and running on empty.  I tell you this in case you are like me—too busy, and feeling like you can’t put anything down. It can be done, it must be done. Together we can do it. God loves us too much to stand idly by while we run ourselves ragged on a hamster wheel. Time to hop off, and start experiencing God’s love and abundant life for real. 

    If you are feeling weary and struggling with knowing what to put down, I want to encourage you to take a few minutes today to write down everything you do in a given day. Then pray over each thing on your list. Ask God to give you the right perspective and to soften your heart to His wisdom. Talk with a trusted friend or family member who knows your strengths and weaknesses and can offer helpful insight. It’s hard to lay down our pride and ask for help sometimes, but I’ve found the relief and peace you experience when you finally do is profound.

    I know there are seasons of life that are just busy and sometimes that is truly beyond our control. But if you find yourself saying “things should calm down in a couple more weeks” and years go by without it ever calming down, it might just be time to reevaluate things. 

    Give God your schedule and your weariness and let Him restore your strength and your hope. May he renew you and bring you peace.

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