Insight from Hard Times

I appreciated the July production of Christianity Today’s article entitled Reflections on Hard Times. The next few days I’d like to share some quick quotes with you. The first is by Phillip Yancey.
“If I pray with the intent to listen as well as talk, I can enter into a …state, that of meditation and reflection. Okay, my life savings has virtually disappeared. What am I learn from this seeming catastorophe.”

I love that concept. It can be taken from James 1:2-5. Be grateful for the tough times, because if you walk through them with a joyful spirit, character qualities mature beautifully. However verse five indicates that if we lack wisdom we are to ask God for it and He will give it to us liberally.

“Okay God,” I might say. “I know that if I have the right attitude about this hard time I’m experiencing, my character grows. But what else do you have in mind for me. If you’re the sovereign God – all powerful, you could have prevented this. How do you want this to be for my best? What am I to learn from this? How am I to grow through this? Thank you that you are my loving Abba Papa.”

Further Value in Suffering

Stephen Saint, son of Nate Saint who was murdered by the Aucas, has this to say about God’s purpose in suffering. People who suffer want people who have suffered to tell them there is hope. They are justifiablly suspicious of people who appear to have lived lives of ease. There is no doubt in my mind that this is the reason that Jesus suffered in every way that we do, while he was ture. 1 Peter 2:21 This (your) suffering is all part of what God has called you to. Christ, who suffered for you, is your esample. Follow in his steps.

Saint’s view of suffering:
1. God uses suffering as a punishment.. Various Biblical passages refer to God using adversity as punishment. In our desire to see God as a God of love, mercy and grace, we at times forget that He is also a God of justice.

2. The blind man of John 9 was made blind by God to demonstrate His power when the man was healed.

3. James 1:2-4 indicates that suffering can build perseverance and strength of character to those who cooerate with God in their trauma.

4. Humility. God wouldn’t take away Paul’s thorn in the flesh, according to 2 Cor.12:7, to keep Paul from becoming prideful.

It is normal to want to avoid suffering. However life at times is tough. I like the following verse after James 1:2-4. “If you lack wisdom, ask God for it.” In context it appears that God wants to be asked what the value of the suffering is for the person at the time. Is it for character growth? Is it to nurture humility instead of self centered pride? To demonstrate God’s power? Punishment?

If “all things work together for good to those who love God and are committed to Him” then we need to ask Him how the current struggle is a good thing. Sometimes the answer is supremely clear. At other times, obscured. My children had to ask themselves why they lost their mother “prematurely”. The answers haven’t been real clear and the full good of it may never be known. But the point is, when going through a rough time it is best to ask God “how” or “what” instead of “why me, God?”

I personally think that God uses suffering in my life most of all to depend on Him. I tend toward self-sufficiency. But all self-sufficiency can do it produce my best. Where dependency on God produces “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” or, “Glory be to God who by His mighty power at work in me is able to do far more than what I could ask or dream of…”Eph.3:20.

Value of Tough Times

Os Hillman challenges us to take a God-view of experiencing hard places.
"So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you." 2 Corinthians 4:12

Being forced into hard places gives us a whole new perspective on life. Things we once valued no longer hold the same value. Small things become big things, and what we once thought big no longer holds such importance.

These hard places allow us to identify with the sufferings of others. It keeps us from having a shallow view of the hardships of others and allows us to truly identify with them. Those who speak of such trials from no experience often judge others who have had such hardship. It is a superficiality of Christian experience that often permeates shallow believers.

Those who have walked in hard places immediately have a kinship with others who have walked there also. They do not need to explain; they merely look at one another with mutual respect and admiration for their common experience. They know that death has worked a special thing in them. This death leads to life in others because of the hard places God has taken them through.

It is impossible to appreciate any valley experience while you are in it. However, once you have reached the top of the mountain, you are able to appreciate what terrain you have passed through. You marvel at what you were able to walk through. The valley of the shadow of death has yielded more than you ever thought possible. You are able to appreciate the beauty of the experience and lay aside the sorrow and pain it may have produced.

Death works in you for a greater purpose. If you are there today, be assured that God is producing something of much greater value than you will ever know.

Mission

Tome, in his book “Revolution” lists four attributes of a growing follower of Jesus: Bible, prayer, community and now we look at the fourth – mission. He says that when God gets a hold on our lives we become giant love machines – men and women on a mission. “God has called us to live the Kingdom right here. He’s asked us to take on the sinful ways of the world and love the hell out of it. To ignore that call to action is to miss an incredible opportunity. Prayer, the Bible and community exist to support the mission of the Kingdom of God.

My church is unique. It is just a couple years away from being 100 years old. Most “First Churches” are either dying or stagnant. Our mission is not only Scripture’s Great Commission, but take the church to the neighborhood. Across the street is a very low income elementary school. Its academic performance was abysmally low. Just a couple months ago, we found out that the school won a national honor in the upgrading of academic test scores. The principal indicated that one of the major reasons was the involvement of our church in tutoring and gifting. (We put together 1200 shoe boxes with $20 each for Christmas gifts for children of three neighboring school.)

The church’s neighborhood mission includes a biker ministry, basketball, soccer and cheerleading competition, divorce recovery, addictions ministry, plus other more “normal” outreaches. To say the least, the mission is keeping it alive and healthy.

That is one church’s corporate mission. But how about your personal mission? WE can know the Bible, pray regularly and enjoy community but not have a compelling sense of mission. If that is the case, you and I are missing out on a real source of joy and fulfillment. “Mission is the platform upon which we stand. Mission is the thing that gives purpose and excittement to reading the Bible, praying and experiencing community. You weren’t put on the planet just to sit in little solemn circles and sing ‘Jesus Love Me. Your were put here for a purpose – to work a mission.”

How has God gifted you? Is God giving you a little push, a little drive toward some mission? Something miraculous happens when gifted people bring their energy to fields of engagement that God cares about. – Your work. Your school. Your family.

A close friend of mine has as part of his mission to “leave a personal contact with someone such that they feel better about themselves and life. When I leave the presence of a person, I want them to have been touched with a little bit of God’s love, increasing their estimation of themselves.”

Another friend’s mission is to find investments and bring in friends on the deals so that they can increase their purse and in turn give away more.

Until she retired this past year from her work as a special education teacher, my wife Theresa’s mission was the living out of Proverbs 31:8-9 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice. Scores of young people who were looked down upon by a segment of society gained self respect and skills to enter the adult world because of the advocacy of one teacher – for over a quarter of a century.

Much of my vocational life was engaged in personal and family counseling. That mission came out of Isaiah 61. The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon me, for the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor (in spirit). He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the LORD’s favor has come…. To all who mourn … he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. 7 Instead of shame and dishonor, you will enjoy a double share of honor. You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.

Counseling provided a real source of fulfillment and joy for me as God used me in people’s lives to set them free from emotional bondage. Now my mission is to just be available to love on and encourage others that God brings across my path. To mentor younger men is a real joy.
Our challenge on our personal mission is to be authentic, demonstrating self-discipline and allowing God to work in our lives, molding us into a more Christ-like character. We are especially sensitive to people who are experiencing crisis or unusual questioning times. Not quick to jump in and fix them, but to be available to come along beside to pray for and encourage

Do you have a mission? Are you involved in community? How are you doing with consistent time with God in prayer and Bible? The four characteristics of a growing follower of Jesus Christ: Bible, prayer, community and mission.

Community

We’ve examined Brian Tome’s first two suggestions he considers are the essentials of the Christ-follower’s life: Bible and prayer. We now observe the third: “community.” Tome defines it as “people you love and who love you back – people you serve, deeply know, and celebrate… and people who give you all those things in return.

The most dynamic community I’ve ever experienced was in Dayton, Tennessee. My first wife, Ann, and I had moved there August of 1999. In three short months I lost her to a brain anuerysm. The small hospital in that little town didn’t have the wherewithal to treat her, so they placed her in an ambulance and raced to Chattanooga. When I arrived with my friend Dave, I was told by the neurosurgeon that I had a choice – do nothing and she’d be gone when they took her off life-support; or, do brain surgery and chances would be high that if she lived she would be a vegetable the rest of her life.

I checked with our children. We concurred that she wouldn’t want to live as a vegetable and that she was ready to meet her Creator. The decision was made. Life support until two of the children could get there. Dave and I sat in the waiting room and before long it seemed as though half the town of Dayton was there. No advice, just support. I think back with tears in my eyes to that event 10 years ago. I didn’t expect anything like I received – and after living there only 3 months.

Community. Romans 12 highllights the importance of community. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection,[e] and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

Besides family, the basic community for the follower of Jesus is the church. The Bible says to “not forsake the assembling together, as is the habit of some, but to meet with one another and encourage one another (Hebrews 10:23-25). And the basic community within the church is small groups. Four to twelve people who meet regularly, sharing, praying for and encouraging each other. Possibly studying Scripture together. Living life authentically with each other. That is where church really happens.

Tome says the characteristics of a healthy church are: teaching of the Bible, belief in the power of prayer, doing life with one another, has a good reputation in the community, and grows numerically. As we invest our lives in our churches, contributing and receiving, we then look to building individual relationships.

It has been said that we become like the books we read and the people with whom we associate. Friendships will either increase or decrease our passion for living godly lives.

One way to evaluate friendships is to be aware of very draining people (VDPs). Tome lists these qualities of a VDP and asks the question, “Are you a VDP?
 Do people regularly abandon me as a friend?
 Do I find that people quite often don’t return my phone calls promptly – or don’t return them at all?
 Do I speak more than I listen?
 Do my conversations tend to drift toward what is wrong with the world, life, and other people?
 Do I consider conversations “wasted” unless my agenda or I myself am the main topic of the conversation?
 Is it rare for me to laugh in my conversations with people?

These are important questions to ask yourself within the context of community – for your own evaluation and for insight into friendships.
I’ve lived in every section of the USA except the northeast. Every part of the country has strong qualities – positive and negative. However, one constant that has made each location special is people. A loving community.

Tomorrow's post wraps it up with the word "mission."

YIeld

Prayer. We have “P” (praised). Then “R” (repented). “A” (asked). Today we look at “Y” for YIELD.
Brian Tome describes it:“Yielding is when you put your hands in the air and say, ‘Yeah, I surrrender.’ Putting yourself under God, doing what He wants you to do, and receiving what He has for you. This position is where you’ll be closest to God, find spiritual growth and get the most of God’s power in your life. When we are in a posture of submission, we can do nothing but wait for the One in authority to tell us what to do.”

A Psalm challenges us to “Be still and know that I am God.” In our communication with God, there is a time to be quiet and listen. That’s hard. Our thoughts tend to wander. But in the wandering thought life, the all-powerful Creator of the Universe can get through and make known to us what He wants us to do or who He wants us to become. Yielded to His will for us.

I like the Romans six quadrant. Verse 6 – KNOW. Verse 11 – Remind (RECKON). Verse 13 – YIELD. Verse 16 – OBEY.

Know who we really from God’s perspective – dead to the old person and alive in the new. Not just know it but remind ourselves throughout the day when we’re tempted to think or do contrary to our position as God’s child. All this from a yielded position. Like Christ in Gethsemane praying, “Father, I’d prefer not going through this crucifixion plan; nevertheless, not my will but yours.” Yielded to the Father’s will for us. The result of know, remind, yield is obedience. And Scripture tells us that obedience to God’s will brings prosperity and success – the greatest prosperity in my opinion is having peace of mind and a joyful spirit.

It is reasssuring to know that when we pray, there is movement taking place in the heavenlies. We don’t have to worry about whether we’re praying the “right thing.” Let Romans 8:26-27 describe it. 26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.
The Holy Spirit is interceding on our behalf. That is how much you and I matter to God. Wow!

For the growing, fruitful follower of Jesus Christ, we're into the Bible consistently. We are people of prayer and next we'll examine: "community."

Agree With God

My good friend, Montana Gary, responded so elequently to yesterday's post with these words. Slowness of speech would be a gift to those of us who say too much too quickly. Whether talking to man or God, our speech should be deliberate, considered, directed and not meaningless chatter. When we pray (speak with God) or speak (speak before God), our words need to be in agreement with His heart if He is to act in agreement with the prayer. Agreement may not come quickly in our hearts but come it must.
That is sufficient meat to chew on for today. However Gary's words segwue masterfully into our next topic - yield, the fourth consideration in the acronym PRAY. Tomorrow's post will be the topic of yielded to God.