What's the Point?

What's the point of all the pain...of all the sorrow...of all the loss...of all the hurt...of all the stress and worry and fear that surround us? What's the point of it all? Don't you just wonder about it? Don't you just want to ask God to answer so at least we'd know that there was a point...a purpose to it?

Often, as Christians we feel bad questioning God. We tend to believe that we need to just be accepting and meek and obedient...and just take it...like good little soldiers of the faith. Complaining is not in our vocabulary...or at least it shouldn't be, right? We are so very blessed. And yet...so we feel bad that we do...and yet...

I don't think we should feel too bad, though. People in the Bible, giants of the faith, have done their fair share of questioning and complaining and of giving grandiose exclamations of the ridiculousness of it all. For instance, look at how the the writer of Ecclesiastes, attributed to King Solomon, opens his book. 

“Meaningless! Meaningless!”

says the Teacher.

“Utterly meaningless!

Everything is meaningless.” Ecclesiastes 1:2

These words might seem unsuitable for those of us who profess our faith in the Almighty. I dare say that not many who seek to memorize encouraging Scripture filled with hope and peace to have them as part of their arsenal so they can defend themselves when the enemy attacks, might count Ecclesiastes 1:2 as one of their go-to...at least I don't. These utterings are a declaration of something fiercely raw. They express vulnerability, a boiling point when there's not much left to do but to admit that what we had thought is not so. 

I don't know about you, but when I read the opening lines of a book exclaiming that "everything is meaningless," I don't particularly feel hopeful, warm and fuzzy inside. This is not the kind of hook that makes me want to grab the book, and curl up with it in front of a cozy fire with a warm blanket and socks in a winter night so I can feel protected and safe. Instead, this opening puts me right outside in sub-zero degree temperature, sinking in the snow, naked.

And these words coming from "the Teacher"? That just adds a deeper sense of doom to the whole thing. 

Why? Why is "the Teacher" sounding so defeated? Why is he saying that everything is meaningless? Maybe because it is...

I read that the word translated "meaningless" or even "vanity" in other versions, means "wisp of vapor." Like vapor, the author is telling us that the things of this world are without much substance. How is that possible? All our toiling under the sun is useless...empty. Really? In a way, yes. These are the words of someone who has found out that the material world is not the end goal. The things of this world belong to this world, and as we know, we do not! This world is not our home. We belong to Heaven. Our focus, therefore, needs to be on the things eternal. Our true realm is the spiritual, and as such, that's where our eyes should be. That's where we transcend. That's where we find meaning and substance. That's where God is. That is our true home.

What's the point then? The point, I believe is that we ought to let the world keep its things. All the pain, sorrow, loss, tears and fears will remain here once we've departed for our final destination. They were part of the refining fire, the furnace that burned all the impurities and allowed the gold to come out. They were part of the cross that everyone must carry along with Jesus as He redeems us through the blood of His sacrifice. While we journey through the emptiness of this world, gratitude for the blessings sees us through, always remembering not to get too attached. 

Therefore, let's live for eternity. Let's not worry too much because this life is but a vapor. God can take our questioning. He is bigger than our complaining and anguish and our neediness. He welcomes it as part of our growing, and He invites us to walk with Him as He shows us how eternity has already begun.

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 1 John 5: 11

What is Success?

 What do you think of when you hear the term "success" being applied to something? To me, success is pretty much always linked to gains or wins. I think I'm successful when I win at something. It usually is a result of hard work and the outcome is that I get something. As a teacher, I tell my students stuff like: work hard, complete all your assignments and turn them in on time and you'll be successful in this class (meaning, they'll pass). Anyway, success to me is a word very much associated with the material. In other words, it is closely linked to the world. But is it? Is there another aspect of success? Does success have another angle? A different face?

I'm currently wresting with a piece of Scripture that is, as all Scripture is, amazingly brilliant but at the same time, seemingly unattainable. The verse is, Romans 12: 2,

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Do you know what I mean by "seemingly unattainable"? How in the world (literally) will I ever renew my mind? How will I ever accomplish such a transformation? How could I successfully complete this daunting assignment and submit it on time so I can pass this class?

Could the impossibility of this task have something to do with a flaw in my interpretation of "success"?

Hard work, effort, completing assignments, winning...did I leave out some important elements? What about prayer? And the Holy Spirit? And Scripture? And seeking Godly guidance? And Jesus being the Way?

I guess I forgot to think about success from a spiritual perspective...sigh...

When I read Romans 12: 2 all I see is my part: I have to stop conforming to the patterns of this world. I have to be transformed. I have to renew my mind. I have to seek, find, see and understand God's will. I, I, I, I...it's all on me. It's no wonder the task seems impossible. Of course I don't think I could ever be successful enough to win. I'm relying on my own abilities...my own strength...I'm going at it alone. Is it because I want the glory at the end? Am I thinking this is all on me, and only me, because I want to be able to say: look at me and what I have accomplished! I was a wreck...but I am now transformed! Or is it confusion? Am I confused as to what my role is in this journey to the deep transformation of my mind?

I believe it might be a bit of both. But mostly, I think I'm just not sure how to go about it and what my responsibility is and where I have to just let God be God. In reality, though, if I am honest with myself, isn't it all in God's hands? Isn't He the Only One who can? Isn't my role to just trust Him and rely on His strength through which I can do all things? I think that's it, isn't it? My job is to give Him my all, which include my feeble efforts at not conforming to this world, at taking every thought captive and not allowing my mind to rule over me, but me rule over my mind...and trust that God will equip me to accomplish this as He works in me through the process of sanctification!

This is a life-long process and it requires my all and my desire to follow Him. It requires me to invoke the Holy Spirit, trust in the Father and follow Jesus as He is the Way, the Truth and the Life...the Only Way, the Only Truth and the Only Life through which I could ever be successful in this journey to a full transformation...a transformation that may not be rewarded until I am in His presence. 

What is success, then?

Success is surrender.

Success is surrendering to God's will for us, whatever it is, trusting His Word which He has given us in Scripture, and walking with Him for as long as He gives us life, knowing that He loves us so much that He will not leave us the same. It doesn't matter if the change did not produce the metamorphosis we envisioned...but nobody would ever stay the same after an encounter with the Living God...for we will all be transfigured in Him. And that's the biggest win of all!

You Are Magnificent!

 Do you believe you're magnificent?

Do you see yourself as radiant?

Do you take people seriously when they say that you are wonderful?

No, nope, nada...

Why do you think some of us struggle to find, believe, accept our worth? Maybe that's not one of your struggles, but I know it is certainly one of mine. I have a hard time finding, believing, accepting that I have something valuable to offer and that I am not just a mistake of my parents...which they didn't say I was...they just called me a "surprise" but in my head that sounded a lot like, "Holy...blip...what a mistake!"

At any rate, sometimes I believe that in the process of trying to become humble and act in humility, often we...me...end up falling for the trap of denying my essence. My insecurity regarding my value comes from a place of darkness that is not of God. It is the enemy's tool to bring me down and to make me feel unworthy of God's enduring, mysterious, unexplainable, never-failing love. 

Why would God love me? I suck! I am totally unlovable! I'm the worst person ever to walk on this earth! Expressions like these are not communicating humility. They are communicating lack of understanding of who we really are. This type of self-destructive talk expresses an internal struggle between believing God's word and falling for the lies of the devil. 

How do we end such an internal battle?

I think, I'm not sure...here's my insecurities acting up again...but the answer is in internalizing the truth! And what is the truth? Well, for one, Jesus died for me. I mean...that's a pretty significant truth that should lift me up any time I feel low, don't you think? God loved me so much that He sent Jesus to be born and be sacrificed for the forgiveness of my sins...yes...mine...not just the sins of others...my sins too. He died for me as well. Over 2,000 years before my birth, Jesus died for me.  Mind blowing, isn't it? But TRUE!

I was created in the image of God. How's that for believing I'm valuable, huh? Not at the image of my earthly Father (which is what I always think since I am so much like him). I was created in the image of God Himself! I'm part of His creation, and all He created has His spark in it. Belittling myself is denying I have God's essence in me. I was fearfully and wonderfully made. And Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well, and that's the truth! I'm not boasting on how wonderful I am. I'm boasting on how wonderful Our Creator is, and on how marvelous His creation is and I praise Him for making me a part of it...a part of His workmanship, created for His good works! And as part of His creation, I look at Him, and He makes me radiant! And that's a FACT!

That's why the enemy works so hard on deceiving us. That's why the devil pushes us with such constancy against the wall of our insecurities. He wants us to believe the lie and forfeit the truth. He wants us to believe the lie of our worthlessness masqueraded in false humility to forfeit the truth that regardless of being completely undeserving, God chose us to be His own and to be a recipient of His Love and the temple of the Holy Spirit for a purpose that fits in His master plan, and through Him, despite all our flaws, we are magnificent!

Thank you, Lord, for reminding us of the truth. May we keep reading Scripture consistently so through its power You protect our hearts from the harmful lies of the enemy as we assimilate the truth of Your Love and of who we are: Yours! In the Precious Name of Jesus, Our Healer, Redeemer, Restorer and Friend. Amen!

Scripture references:

Psalm 34: 5  "Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame."

Ephesians 2: 10 "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works".

Psalm 139: 14 "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well."

2 Corinthians 5: 17  "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

Genesis 1: 27 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."

1 Corinthians 6: 19 "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,"

Genesis 1: 31 "And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day."

It Ends in Victory!

Well, January is underway...2/3rds gone already. A snowy winter with low temps...I guess that's what winters in this neck of the woods are supposed to be like. It's just that we haven't in a few years, so I got used to mild temperatures and dry Januarys. 

Anyway, as I sit here, looking out my window at the snowed covered grounds that surround me, contemplating that a new semester is about to start, feeling the stress of work and the unknown creeping in once again...I remembered my word for this year: PEACE...and how easily I lose it...sigh...

Why is peace so elusive? 

Maybe this is not your struggle, but for me, peace is a most difficult goal to attain. Often, it feels more like a dream...like a fairy tale or fantasy football...like make-believe or lemon drops, rather than an actual, real fruit of the Holy Spirit. Why isn't the Spirit growing this fruit in me?

Yeah, I said it. The question that has been lingering in my heart forever. Why isn't the Spirit growing peace in me?

...long pause...

I wonder if 2 Corinthians 4: 18 might show some light on my conundrum,

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4: 18

Could it possibly be that part of the problem is that I am too focused on what is seen? Could it be be that I see everything through the lenses of this material world, and I forget that I am just passing through...that this is not home? 

Forgetting about the eternal could rob us from our stability.

Keeping our eyes on the things of this world could cause us to believe this is it.

Obsessing over our circumstances could steal our peace.

Like Pastor Dan said in his sermon yesterday, the thing we have to keep in mind and try to assimilate is that regardless of all the suffering, sorrow, problems, issues, hardships we may face in this sphere, for Christians, "it always ends in Victory!"

We have already won because Jesus is already Victorious and in Him we WIN! That is the eternal perspective. That is, I believe, what Paul is telling us. If we put our faith and our efforts in the material realm, we are basing our lives on the temporary. And the temporary, but definition, is not stable. But I think we do it because, at least if you are like me, we need to feel that we have some semblance of control. And we can only control what we see. So we invest our energy trying to make everything in our world just like so. In reality, however, our energy and time would be better spent in cultivating an eternal point of view. This eternal point of view allows us to see that we are part of God's master plan and that the things that happen to us while we are journeying through this earth are not where we find stability. The stability that brings peace is found on the Solid Rock upon which we stand, and as we trust Him, we let go...because we are confident in His promise that Victory is ours as much as it is His.

I know I am not just magically going to be swimming in the deep waters of the river of peace, completely undisturbed any time soon. However, I believe now, that the Holy Spirit IS working in me even if it is ever so quietly that I can hardly perceive it. But He IS because it is not about me. It is about His design, and I'm just a small piece of it, and as He works in others, He works in me as well...one day at a time...until He calls me home. 

My job in the meantime is to trust Him and to put my hope in the wisdom of His perfect will. Think eternal. Be grateful that He chose me to be a part of His plan. And remember we have already Won!

In the Precious name of Jesus our Christ! Amen!