Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? … No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35, 38-39
As a child, my daughter and some of her little classmates often suffered from separation anxiety. Leaving their moms at the door to preschool became a test of patience and grace. The moms knew they weren’t leaving their children, but the children’s perspective was one of separation.
I saw a quote today on Facebook that read, “Anxiety is the result of envisioning the future without Me.”
As God’s children, we can be comforted to know that He will never leave us or forsake us. He has assured us of that repeatedly (Deut. 31:6, Deut. 31:8, Joshua 1:5, 1 Kings 8:57 and Hebrews 13:5).Nothing can separate us from His love (Rom. 8).
Jesus left His home in heaven to dwell among us. Did He experience separation anxiety? No, Jesus said that He and the Father are one. Though wrapped in flesh and living as a man, He was one with His Father. And He said that we are one with Him.
So if He feels distant, the question is: Who moved?
As far as we might feel from God sometimes, it is only ever one step back into experiencing His presence. “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” Acts 3:19
“You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of Your presence and the pleasures of living with You forever.” Psalm 16:11
Normally, I love to hear the sweet tweets of the birds, but today outside the window of our office their joyful clamor tells me that they are very busy. Each summer, against our wishes, they attempt to build their nest under the eaves. Twig by twig, on and on, they flutter to and fro.
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Do you think they are worried about the economic crisis? the war overseas? the racial divide? what to make for dinner? if they look fat in their outfit? Nope! They’re like Alfred E. Newman from MAD magazine. Remember him? His signature line is “What, me worry?” That was Jesus’ line, too!!
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“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”Matt. 6:25-34
Take note that Jesus compares worrying about these things to being like a pagan! When He says, “Do not worry,” it’s not a suggestion. It’s an instruction. When we choose to worry, we are being disobedient, we are choosing to sin which can have dire consequences. “Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.” 1 Sam. 15:23..
After hearing the birds yesterday, it was my husband who suggested today’s post. Now he is a natural-born worrier, descended from a long line of worriers. Yet, God has shown him the futility of worry. He told his mom once, “Worry is like a rocking chair. You spend a lot of energy, but don’t get anywhere!”..
I think it’s important to note that freedom from worry does not mean sitting back, resting, doing nothing, hoping for God to provide. The birds don’t expect their nest to materialize on its own. They spend countless hours searching and building. It’s just that they don’t fret about it. We can, no we must, take our stand for important issues and work to make them right. But in the end, we must trust God to do the heavy lifting. Trust Him for the outcome, knowing there’s an eternity to look forward to and everything here is temporary. “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 Cor. 4:18 So seek first His kingdom – the eternal things, and trust God for the temporal.
I think it’s time we all became “birdbrains!” What, me worry?
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“Worry is believing God won’t get it right.” -Todd Wagner
On Jan. 1st, I updated my facebook status to read:
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” Is. 43:18-19
Seemed like the perfect verse to usher in the new year along with Paul’s words from Phil 3:13-14 “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Seems like starting a new year gives us opportunity to do a lot of forgetting.
Yet I also recall verses that tell me to do just the opposite – remember!
Repeatedly in Scripture the Lord urges His people to remember – His covenants with them, what He has done for them (and us), what they (and we) had been, how they (and we) angered God, how He forgave.
In fact, Isaiah himself who wrote “forget the former things” also wrote:
“Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.” Isaiah 46:9
So what’s a girl to do?
Forget or remember??
Well – a little of both.
Alas, I find myself remembering things that have little value, hurtful things, foolish things, things that should be long forgotten. These are the things that Isaiah says to forget – “do not dwell in the past.” In Paul’s description of the race of life, these things are weights that drag us down and keep us from pressing on toward the goal.
What we are to dwell on, to remember, is the God that is like no other. The One who redeemed us when we were unworthy, the One who sustained us when we couldn’t go on, the One who grants us peace beyond understanding, the One who helps us to love the unlovable and who loves us unconditionally, the One who made us and REmade us.
So in 2016, what will you remember? And what will you forget?
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” Is. 43:18-19
Isaiah’s words from God seem like the perfect verse to usher in the new year along with Paul’s words from Phil 3:13-14 =
“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Seems like starting a new year gives us opportunity to do a lot of forgetting.
Yet I also recall verses that tell me to do just the opposite – remember!
Repeatedly in Scripture the Lord urges His people to remember – His covenants with them, what He has done for them (and us), what they (and we) had been, how they (and we) angered God, how He forgave.
In fact, Isaiah himself who wrote “forget the former things” also wrote “Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.” Isaiah 46:9
Alas, I find myself remembering things that have little value, hurtful things, foolish things, things that should be long forgotten. These are the things that Isaiah says to forget – “do not dwell in the past.” In Paul’s description of the race of life, these things are weights that drag us down and keep us from pressing on toward the goal.
What we are to dwell on, to remember, is the God that is like no other:
The One who redeemed us when we were unworthy,
the One who sustained us when we couldn’t go on,
the One who grants us peace beyond understanding,
the One who helps us to love the unlovable and who loves us unconditionally,
the One who made us and REmade us.
The lyrics from one of my favorite bands Tenth Ave. North says:
Just like that, driving along, it came to me. Six little words that packed a huge punch.
“Worry robs God of His diety.”
Deity means: “The character or essential nature of God; One exalted or revered as supremely good or powerful.” Got that? Supremely Powerful… When we worry, we are subconsciously saying, “God can’t handle this one.” We lack assurance that He is control. In essence, we’re saying He isn’t Supremely Powerful. We rob God of His deity.
The Christian life is not free of worrisome situations. The Christian life is freedom from worry despite the situation.
A Christian filled with worry is no better off than an atheist.
There, I’ve gone and said it. No “ouch” intended.
For some reason, Christians often allow worry as an acceptable sin. If they’re worrying about a person, they think it indicates love and caring. If they’re worried about finances, they think they’re being a good provider. But worry is not from God.
Worry is meditating on the wrong things. It is allowing the disturbing circumstance to repeat over and over in your mind.
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul wrote from prison that despite his dire circumstances, he chose to rejoice. (Phil. 1:18b) And he encourages us to do the same:
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:4-7
After telling us to choose to rejoice, Paul went on in to describe how. His antidote to worry = “do not be anxious, but..”:
in everything – not in some things, but in all things
by prayer and supplication – conversation with God and sharing your struggle with Him
with thanksgiving – we don’t need to thank God FOR the difficulties, but rather in spite of them, what can we thank God for?
let your requests be made known to God – not that He doesn’t know them already, but voicing them to Him helps give us clarity.
The peace “which surpasses all understanding” is abnormal peace. If it was normal, we’d understand it. God’s peace is the peace that we experience despite difficult situations.
And it is His promise to us.
Paul goes on to tell us when the worry monster rears its ugly head, we ought to meditate on different things about instead – the things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good reputation, excellent, praiseworthy. (Phil 4:8) If we do, “the God of peace will be with you.” (Phil 4:9)
Note that “the peace of God, … will guard your hearts and minds…” preceeds Paul’s instructions on our thought life. And “the God of peace will be with you”follows it.
You might say the “peace of God” and the “God of peace” are bookends surrounding our thought life, and the antidote to worry, putting God back on the throne and restoring His deity.
What worries you, my friend? Can we pray together that you will be able to lay worry aside and think/meditate on Him?
Bringing back a post from 4 years ago – evidently another snowy winter.
Feb. 13, 2014 – and it ain’t over yet!
Today’s post is just stating the obvious – there are lessons to be learned in the storm, any storm.
God never wastes a hurt, a problem, a sorrow when yielded to Him. In every storm, there’s something to be learned, an attribute to be developed, an insight to be gleaned. And once again, today’s snowstorm provided more blog fodder.
I keep hearing the refrain, “This winter just won’t end. I’m ready for spring already.” Well, that makes for pleasant small talk. We can all commiserate, but the truth is that winter will end. It always does. Even if you live in Alaska or Antarctica, there are seasons. Winter will become less fierce in those regions. For us, don’t expect winter to end yet. It officially ends in March, not February, but it will end. In the summer, we’ll be saying, “This summer is so hot, it just won’t end.” But it will end. It always does.
Life has its seasons, too. When my son came back from one of his mission trips, he desperately wanted that spirit-filled mountaintop feeling to continue forever, but with each passing day, he slowly settled into the “ordinaries.” We shared that if all our time were spent on the mountaintop, it too would be come ordinary, not a unique, sacred, set apart time. Also, if all our time was spent on the mountaintop, we’d be useless to those who need us in the valley. We’d miss the lessons that He teaches us in the deep, dark seasons of our souls. Jesus can calm any storm. If He lets the storm rage, He will calm the child.
On the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter was eager to set up tents to remain there on the mountain. But the gospel writers all say that Peter didn’t know what he was talking about (Mt. 17, Mk. 9, Lk. 9). Jesus didn’t spend all His time on the mountaintop, but He did make it a point to have some time there. A season, if you will.
Years ago, when my husband and I honeymooned in Hawaii, we met a guy who told us that he had to fly to California once a month to get away from the sameness. Paradise – sameness? Are you kidding? But he wasn’t kidding.
Here in NJ, I do feel blessed to experience the variety of seasons.
And may it help me to remember that spiritually, there are seasons, too. The chill of winter will end – it always does. The scorch of summer will end – it always does.
And until it does, let’s remember and appreciate that there are lessons to be learned in the season that will make the next season easier to endure.
Some seasonal encouragement:
Be prepared in season and out of season… 2 Tim. 4:2
She is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Psalm 1:3
Have you experienced a storm that yielded a lesson learned?
ps – as I post this, I’m listening to the roar of the snowblower as my husband is outside hard at work in the midst of the storm. This is a lesson to me now – to not wait out our storms doing nothing but fearing or complaining or just being lazy. Let’s do what we can when we can even though it can be difficult at the time. Otherwise, when the snow stops or the issue calms down, the mess left behind will be much harder to deal with.
pps – here are 2 other posts from that snowy year. Enjoy!
The other day, several patients entered our office declaring, “It’s so warm outside!” It was a sunny 34o. After several overcast days of single digit temperatures, it seemed downright balmy.
But the same 34o in August would be frigid.
This thing is – 34 degrees is 34 degrees.
Period.
If it’s been cold, 34o feels like a heat wave, but if it’s been warm, 34o feels chilly.
It only seems to be cold or warm because of our feelings. The temperature is what it is, but we respond to it differently based upon how we feel at any given moment.
And our feelings are subjective. They are influenced by people around us, circumstances that we can or cannot control, health or hormones, the slow driver in front of us, the pants that no longer zipper up, the song that reminds us of something we want to forget.
How we feel about something doesn’t necessarily reveal the truth of a matter.
Today I’m over at Laced With Grace with some thoughts on feelings vs. truth. Join me in the conversation there.
This week, I’m heading to the speaker/writer conference She Speaks, with my book proposal in tow. I’m filled with anticipation of exciting possibilities ~ meeting women from across the country, learning from experts in their fields, and appointments with publishers to present my proposal. And despite the excitement, a measure of fear lurks beneath. And I’m not alone. I see from friends I know and those I will get to know that many are experiencing similar emotions.
Some worry about their families at home. Others about the conference itself and what they’ll say in their presentations.
Worry seems to be a universal tool of the enemy to keep our eyes focused on ourselves instead of God. But thankfully, there’s an antidote to worry.
Jesus knew the disciples would be called to speak publicly and He had this advice for them:
“…don’t worry in advance about what to say. Just say what God tells you at that time, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit.” Mk 13:11
The Holy Spirit inside us, comforting us, guiding us, dispels the worries that plague us.
If we try to fit God into our agenda, we’ll be worried and stressed. When we rest in the knowledge that the Spirit is doing the talking, we’ll experience peace. This is not to say that we shouldn’t be diligently prepared. It is to say that we let God guide our thoughts and actions.
We have no control over many of the things that happen to us each day. Family, health, financial, weather, and job situations press upon us and weigh us down. In any given moment, we could receive bad news, have an argument, be required to do something seemingly beyond our ability.
In that moment, we have a choice.
We can wallow in the gloom of self-pity, worry, fear, or depression. Or we can ask God for His perspective. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul shares the secret to finding joy in troubling times:
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.Phil 4:8
This process is the same whether it’s worship or worry. Worry is life-sucking meditation on the negative. Paul tells us what to meditate on: what’s true, noble, just, pure, lovely, things of good report, virtuous and praise-worthy things.
When a dear friend was going through a terrible time, she started a list. Using this Scripture, she decided to list verses that stated what was true, noble, just, etc. She never got past “true.” Her truth list was comprehensive enough for her to rewire her brain to meditate on the truth of God’s unfailing love, His hope-filled plans for her, His never-ending compassion, His mercy, His trust-worthiness, His peace that passes understanding.
I hate to generalize. Not ALL men are from Mars. Not ALL women are from Venus. But there are enough examples in life to make some truisms even if they don’t always apply to everyone.
Case in point – “they” say:
Men are problem-solvers. They want to fix problems.
Women are talkers & emotional. They want to be heard, not fixed.
This issue raises its ugly head in my marriage, and likely does in yours too. My husband Tony thinks he’s trying to help. I assume he’s trying to fix something in me that I don’t think is broken.
So when Tony found this brilliant, hysterical video on facebook, he shared it – on facebook, in small groups, told our patients, pretty much let his entire corner of the world know it was out there.
If you haven’t seen it, you must.
And then after you watch it, continue reading below:
For over 2 years, Tony and I have been enmeshed in a current day David and Goliath fight. Our opponent looks and acts so much like Mr. Potter from It’s A Wonderful Life that I occasionally inadvertently refer to him as Mr. Potter. Our Mr. Potter is a real estate mogul who bullies people into doing his will rather than obey the town ordinances, and unfortunately our house stands in his way.
This week provided another round of worries as we tried to discern what Mr. Potter and his land-moving equipment were up to. Throughout this ordeal, Tony has tried to solve the problem ~ as men are apt to do. He’s tried to reason what steps we should take or not take as the case may be. There are a few decisions we’ve had to make, but at this point, there’s little we can do but wonder. So this week, Tony did what he’s done before. He took a walk. His walks in our local arboretum have been incredible transformational times where he’s grown closer to God. And this week was no exception. When he returned, Tony shared how he had been caught up in a whirlwind of thoughts ~ what are they doing, is there something I can do about it, who should I talk to, on and on. Then he sensed the Lord saying, “It’s not about the nail: Don’t try to fix it. Just listen to Me.” It goes completely against his problem-solving nature. I’m so darn proud of my man for seeing this truth, for sharing it with me, and for allowing me to share it with you. So let me close with this: Ladies: Sometimes it really IS just about the nail. Don’t be defensive or argue with your husband because his solution to your problem may be all you really need. Men: It isn’t always as obvious as the nail. Situations we deal with can be complex and unsolvable, at least at the moment. There may be other people or issues involved. Sometimes it’s enough to be a compassionate listener without offering advice. And everyone: Don’t try to fix things in your own strength. And always listen to God!
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways My ways,”
declares the Lord.
Isaiah 55:8
Each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself,
and the wife must respect her husband.
Ephesians 5:33
But He said to me,
“My grace is sufficient for you,
for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:9
Who do you identify with more? The fixer or the one who wants to be heard? How do you resolve differences between you and your spouse?
