“Do it… by myself!” I have heard those cantankerous words many times from my children, as toddlers. It is somehow adorable and aggravating at the same time, huh? Those words make an attempt at independence from my help. My kids have actually pushed my hands away as I have tried to help them: pull up their pants, tie a shoe, wipe their nose, etc. Some natural independence that comes with maturing I understand, but under the basic desire has a whiff of that familiar rebellion that my heart knows oh so well…. it smells like my own life long attitude to God–“Do it by myself”.
I am zooming in on what I call Godless Independence. It’s Godless because it denounces consciously or unconsciously the presence of God in our lives. Godless because it says to God, “ I got this one, thank you very much.”
One could blame this human independence issue on our culture, thriving on accomplishments and performance. One could decide to blame it on: apathetic communities that turn their backs on poverty–which can produce some independent, bitter people vowing never to burden society again, poor parenting, absent family members, bullies who slap you around, feminist philosophies meant to drain you of the Biblical confidence in God’s design for our roles, and/ or the buffet of worldly ideas that build your “self concept.” Our world loves independence! We praise you for “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps”, proud of your ability to shine while you did it all alone.
Actually, the blame.. the Core of the issue doesn’t lie within these circles outside ourselves. They are noteworthy influences, that is true. However, the real problem lies in our own hearts. You, and me babe. We are born with a resistance to God’s help. That urge to go it alone is a battle within our heart. It is in opposition to God’s loving enabling grace for us.
God lovingly and sovereignly created us in His image. We belong to him and are made for His Glory. Since the Fall, God’s beloved kids have foolishly claimed, “Do it by myself!” To –God! How wretched! From our career building to spouse selection, we know best? What? Especially with the little things: our schedules, our friendships, our tasks; do we believe that God cares and is paying attention to the details of our lives? Do we really believe that we can chart our own course?
I have been an Independence Queen. I shudder looking back on the foolish and prideful beliefs that I have acted on. A few years ago, I had this helpful image in mind when describing this Godless Independence. The picture was of me walking along: focused, driven, and Jesus is holding my hand, enabling each event, relationship, and task. In my independence, I shake his hand away. At first casually I shrug him off. I think. Then, my desires and my own ambition shakes him off a little harder. My sinful desires want to pridefully accomplish life and deny the supernatural enabling grace of the Holy Spirit. Thankfully, that isn’t the whole picture. He doesn’t let me shake him away!
With repentence is the gentle reminder that God never left me, even as I try to shake his hand off. The only difference is my perception of his presence. He is always present, even if my self-sufficient heart believes he isn’t with me. God faithfully purses me personally while I stubbornly resist his help.
It is his grace at work helping me to declare war with this version of Independence. This sin, when carried out to its fullest is the horrific belief that I could actually pay the price for my sin. Godless Independence says, “I will die for myself.”
The Cross of Jesus shows me the miraculous grace that transforms this independent queen into a joyful dependent servant for God’s glory. Jesus has already won every battle that I am fighting or will fight. His righteous blood shed for me has paid the price for my sin. Christ Jesus is my Savior and I celebrate His saving grace and transforming grace that continues to change my heart.
Dependence on God is only as the Holy Spirit works to redeem me. I am asking for help a lot more often from God and others. Feeling tender-hearted and heavy with the weight of various responsibilities characterizes my thoughts. Fear of God and Prayer are Biblical categories that have given me rich truths to cling to. I am still running fast and with passion, but I am finding more joy in worship along the way: seeing my strength, identity, and all love from my Jesus.
March is flying by. This month we put our home of 7 years on the market. My dear husband has finished his book. It has been stressful, burdensome, and quite an opportunity to see Jesus more clearly in our lives. I can sense how God is carrying us through it for His glory.
March is also the month that I enjoy taking more time to reflect on the Cross of Jesus and the amazing gifts of his death, life, and grace. So, instead of blogging, I am studying, reading, and journaling.
God has been so faithful to sustain us. The book project is done. The house is on the market, so we could be moving soon. I am researching, planning, and preparing to homeschool my four children next year. There is much to be praying about and I am fighting to stay close to Jesus in the midst of seeming chaos.
In the meantime, I am writing for the Mars Hill Blog and keeping my home and family running the best I can. Worship. Worship. Repentance. Worship. Writing. Praying. Dependence on Jesus. More repentance. Worship. All of life is worship!
I’m pulling out my Easter books today. Each year, I lay all the Easter Childrens’ books out for the kids to read and I grab a couple that I use as my daily devotionals.
Recently, I set down with my 6 year old son. We talked about his room and how he might “steward” his stuff better. He confessed he doesn’t like to throw stuff away and likes to keep it all under his bed. As I have watched him hoard things from small little papers to candy from previous holidays; I have noticed the boy needs some patient and firm training in organization.
Organization naturally flows in you or not. Those that have it see life in orderly categories and “stuff” as a positive challenge to organize. Others, don’t get it, are frustrated by it, and or resist it. Many learn the skill and have to discipline themselves to stay on top of organization, or the chaos is overwhelming. Organized or not, we are image bearers of God, meant for reflecting Jesus. We can all learn from one another and worship in our strengths and our weaknesses.
Practical project: My second son needed some guidance. We brought 3 opened paper bags into his room. We pulled all the stuff off his shelf, under his bed, and in his drawer. Facing a mountain of items to process, I helped him see how to approach it. I showed him to consider each item quickly. Then- place it in one of the 3 bags. 1: trash (obvious junk- don’t need to keep). 2: Not sure (ask mom about) 3. Keep (and find a home to put it) He processed the pile and asked me to come back in the room. It took him about 30 minutes and he had successfully filled the trash bag. We discussed the 2nd bag and found homes for the 3rd bag’s items. He saw the order in the project and seems delighted to do it. I complemented him on being “teachable” and willing to learn from momma, we exchanged warm affection at the job we did together, and I believe he felt loved by the learned skill. I talked to him about stewardship and how when we take care of God’s stuff, we are showing him a thankful heart.
Heart lesson for me from little lesson with my son: Motherhood sanctifies me. It takes God’s strength to lovingly and patiently teach my children. They are gifts from God and I have the immense responsibility to steward them. As I was setting on my son’s bed with him chatting about organization and stewardship, I had a beautiful moment of practical love from the Lord. As I teach my children how to steward God’s varied grace, I am stewarding the child (a gift from the Lord). I tremble with the weight of this responsibility and praise God that I get to love and steward these children.
this prayer is taken from the _Valley of Vison: A Collection of Purtian Prayers and Devotions_
Heavenly Father,
If I should suffer need, and go unclothed, and be in poverty, make my heart prize thy love, know it, be constrained by it, though I be denied all blessings. It is thy mercy to afflict and try me with wants, for by these trials I see my sins, and desire severance from them. Let me willingly accept misery, sorrows, temptations, if I can thereby feel sin as the greatest evil, and be delivered from it with gratitude to thee, acknowledging this as the highest testimony of thy love. When thy Son, Jesus, came into my soul instead of sin he became more dear to me than sin had formerly been; his kindly rule replaced sin’s tyranny. Teach me to believe that if ever I would have any sin subdued I must not only labour to overcome it, but must invited Christ to abide in the place of it, and he must become to me more than vile lust had been; that his sweetness, power, life may be there.
Thus I must seek a grace from contrary to sin, but must not claim it apart from himself. When I am afraid of evils to come, comfort me by showing me that in myself I am dying, condemned wretch, but in Christ I am reconciled and live; that in myserlf I find insufficiency and no rest, but in Christ there is satisfaction and peace; that in myself I am feeble and unable to do good, but in Christ I have the ability to do all things. Though now I have his graces in part, I shall shortly have them perfectly in that state where thou wilt show thyself fully reconciled, and alone sufficient, efficient, loving me completely, with sin abolished.
Hebrews 6:11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
My two year old daughter has observed, enjoyed, and copied my 4 year old daughter’s every move the last few weeks. Lydia (the 2 year old) has learned the skill of imitation. More than funny, it is a ironic picture of my own imitating heart. She wants to wear Abi’s clothes, say what she says, prays what she prays, and even throw the same fits she throws. As I watch Lydia imitate, I am recognizing where I imitate those around me.
Sinful imitation for me is to think and act the way the world does about material possessions, beauty, relationships and roles. I easily slip into the sinful teen magazine foolish view of beauty and my body. Instead of seeing beauty through biblical lenses, I see it by imitating the false or sinful ideas from the world. Like Lydia, I watch and imitate with my behavior.
3 John 1:11 Beloved, do not imitateevil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.
Lydia wants to be like Abigail. She admires her, she loves her. Whatever Abi does, in Lydia’s mind– is the best option. Her affection and adoration of Abigail controls her actions. Lydia’s imitation is worship. Over time, little Lydi’s heart will mature, her desires will change and our prayers are that her allegiance will be to God. Abi will continue to be a good example, as Abi’s life points to Jesus.
So I ask you, who do you imitate? As Paul and John in these scriptures (enabled by the Holy Spirit) urge us to- imitate Godly people- for the fruit of their life is worth imitating. They don’t mean imitate like Lydia does. When we merely copy someone, we are making a God out of them, worshipping them. But– if imitating someone is seeing their life lived in humility and worship, we can: learn from, be sharpened by, and enjoy the example that the Godly set By pointing us to Jesus. The purpose of imitating anyone is to draw us closer to Jesus.
Philippians 3:17 Brothers,join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walkaccording to the example you have in us.
My prayer is that the Godly people in my life would continue to be examples that continue to point me to my Jesus. And that I would humble myself to learn from them and be sharpened by them. I can imitate with the confidence that God is at work in my heart and HE is who I worship. I am thankful for the encouragement from God to bless me with people in my life to learn from and grow with.
We looked at the Sloth in a previous post. The sloth, a consistent couch potato and friend with apathy. Always looking for a way out of hard work, the sloth doesn’t feel deeply or live life under discipline or passion. The Sloth is content with life as it comes, whatever…
In extreme contrast, the Controller is obsessive, busy, and demonstrates a rigid lack of flexibility. Controllers can appear to be disciplined, productive, and virtuous. Often leaders, their lives are characterized by multitasking, vision, lists, and accomplishment. They see life as orderly chaos and their job is to orchestrate the order.
Well, you guessed it. If you know me personally or through this blog– you’ve guessed which extreme I am the closest to. Yep– the Controller. My sin with control is mostly subtle but occasionally the desire to control my environment leaks anger and anxiety like a deadly poison– affecting my family, friends, and anyone who is the obstacle to my completed task. Control hardens my heart to hear the guidance of the Holy Spirit in my day.
Ellen Vaughn, in the book, Time Peace has covered this in greater detail and has confronted me Biblically. With her prodding, I am face to face with my sin of controlling. Don’t get me wrong, a competent and organized life lived in humility is a precious opportunity to reflect Jesus. However, the more I am redeemed by the blood of Jesus, I am realizing my deep need for sanctification in even the best areas of my life. The Controller sin, in my heart is forgiveable, thankfully.
Our dear sister, Martha in Luke, chapter 10, was a controller. She lost sight of her aim to worship Jesus, and instead her goal became the task, her work, the preparation of the meal. Jesus loved her and spoke truth to her that I can only imagine humbled her competence (her ability to accomplish much) until she died. I wish that I could spend the day with Martha and ask her questions about her heart that day. I am grieved that I can relate so so much, to the distraction of being more concerned with tasks than worship so often. I can relate to the tattle telling heart that resents when others experience a freedom to engage and flex on tasks.
The Controller can eventually relax. Only by submission (yes, submission) to Christ. He can redeem to ambitious heart that seeks to get things done. As this heart transaction happens (almost daily) for me, I see how precious grace actually is and how near my Heavenly Father is to me. I can calm down, enjoy the freedom to be flexible, and worship Jesus in and through my work more quickly.
I can trust Jesus to Lord over my life, arrange it all. He has it all under control. Martha had God in the flesh pointing out her sin of controlling and her misplaced worship. Jesus was gracious to her and is the same Lord being gracious to me. In his grace, I find my hope that he can change my heart. I stand in joy and belief that as my heart is broken over sin, Jesus’ death and resurrection– I can trust Jesus to sanctify me.
I probably will always (given my personality) tend towards selfish ambition and the desire to control my environment. Jesus is changing me. And no, the opposite of who I am isn’t repentance, necessarily. I can be controlled by the Love of Jesus, rather than Me being the controller.
For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).
For more on Martha and Mary, see more of my articles here. Just search “Martha” in the search box, if this link doesn’t work for you.
God is our refuge and is not far away from us. Lacrae’s new song written to benefit the relief effort to Haiti, is so true. God is not far away. We need to keep praying, sending money, and helping in any way possible for these hurting image bearers of God to receive help in their time of great need.
The idea of Biblical Stewardship is old school. No one in our culture actually thinks that everything that they have–from: resources, health, gifts, children to- time, money, and relationships– aren’t their possessions! And the truth is–all is from our Creator God. The notion that we are “managers” of God’s stuff is laughable to most people.
Yet, the Bible calls us to Stewardship. The responsibility to care for everything is to reflect God’s goodness. What a joy to be able to see Christ in everything and respond with worshipful stewardship!
Reading through scripture, we find that few actually are Godly stewards. We squander, hide, resent, ignore, obsess, control, and basically rebel against God’s lavish gifts. He calls us to worship Him. Stewardship is an avenue in which we can express to him our gratitude for realizing his provision.
There are several categories where sin shows up in the way we engage with stewardship. Firstly, the Sluggard or the Sloth. Throughout God’s word, we see these people rebuked for their idle behavior.
The sin of sloth can invade even the busiest life. In fact, it tends to infect lives that are too busy, full of too many things. Though we tend to lump sloth with laziness, it isn’t necessarily physical idleness. It’s more of an attitude, a spiritual idleness. The Latin term for it was acedia, which means “not caring.” Slothful people might well run around doing everything or lie around doing nothing. The core problem, either way, is that they feel nothing. Down deep, they don’t care. Sloth can be expressed both as do-nothingness– or extreme busyness that covers up the apathy within so that person doesn’t have to face its core cause. -Ellen Vaughn
The soul of a sluggard craves and get nothing while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied. Proverbs 13:4
As you read this, are you asking yourself, “Huh–Am I dadgumb sloth?” or maybe you already know that you are tempted in these ways. The sloth is apathetic and sometimes masks it with busyness so we don’t catch on to the idleness in his/her heart.
The sloth can repent! However, behavior may change, but the heart is what matters most. Pray that as God sees your (our) hearts, he would see a heart that is diligent and responding in worship with work. The good news is that Jesus can redeem these sloth-like tendencies and as we are being conformed to His image, we are rescued by His grace.
In the 1990’s, my Bible college English professor and Advisor soon became a cherished woman of God’s grace to me. I had few Godly examples in my life at the time, and Jackina, was one of the few. A natural story-teller, she captured our hearts with her humor and her passion for God’s word. I admired her life and appreciated her maturity. She inspired me to love literature and to challenge myself in creative writing. Jackina is most certainly one of my bricks, God has used to build a foundation of knowing Him. A brick that always pointed to Jesus and asked how I could best reflect Him in my life. I am truly grateful for God’s “tender grace” in letting me know Jackina.
It is with great pleasure, that I reconnected with her, after many years and found out she was working on her first fiction project. Bethany House has published two of Jackina’s novels. First, Tender Grace. Second,Things Worth Remembering.
A novel written by Mrs. Jackina Stark, Tender Grace was a timely read for me. The main character in the book is Audrey who is in her fifties and has just lost her husband.
“Determined to find healing, Audrey Eaton embarks on a trip to the one place she and her husband always intended to visit but never did. When things don’t go as planned, will she embrace the unexpected graces that guide her journey?”
Jackina weaves together many topics in this novel that are often ignored: widows, loneliness, despair, emptiness, and longings. I became friends with this lovable character, Audrey. I felt her loss and walked with her– in her story of becoming an individual again after the loss of her husband. As Jesus was her comfort, she experienced the natural ebb and flow of pain. Pressing through loneliness, Audrey found joy and grace in the journey. God lovingly provided gifts of grace through new and old relationships along the way and healing in her heart. I loved this book and literally stayed up all night (which I have never done for a book) to finish it.
You will definitely catch on to Jackina’s sense of humor, wit, and joy in the face of sorrow and suffering. With laugh out loud moments and tearful compassion, this book is a must read! NOT at all cheesy or in your face- evangelism. Jackina tells a story of a woman lost in the midst of grief and finds God and herself again.
Just as Audrey drew nearer to God in the face of her pain, I pray that each of us can boldly offer our pain to God as he lovingly redeems our pain– in Christ. The tender grace of Tender Grace is that it reminded me of how loss can reveal our need for a savior, gripped by our pain– we run to the only lasting comfort.
Often, I am consumed with my work, working out my faith, working on my home, family, tasks, whatever. My eyes are easily looking at what my job is and I lose sight of God’s work.
God is paying attention to me and is working on ME.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Growing up without a father, my view of “dad” was full of uncertain and painful experiences with men who pledged short term love to my mother, me and my sister. I grew cold to the desire. As I grew “in Christ”, my understanding of God the Father became more theological– than a realization of my heart’s plea. The thoughts of God being a dad paying attention to the details of my heart seemed amazingly unreal. Yet, over time, I have started to cling to Him like a toddler pulling on her daddy’s leg.
God is lovingly correcting my view of “Father” not by redeeming my earthly experience first, but by teaching me that my understanding of him as Father should be a biblical view.
He is a Faithful Dad and delights in His kids.
Philippians 2:12-14 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now not only as in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
I work out salvation with fear of the Lord, as he delights in me. I delight in God as I grow in worship. As I do my work, I am often nearsighted and only see it as tasks and duties, yet God is showing me that I do not do my work on my own, it is God willing and working with His magnificent power and attention to details of my heart. I can cry, “Abba,” and he never forsakes my need.
His steadfast love never leaves me- even when I sin– he is with me.
Psalm 147:11 The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love
As I repent of independence from Him and instead walk in dependence, God is softening the hard edges of my heart. I tremble with belief that He is more holy than I could ever imagine as a Father. My heart is hoping in steadfast love and rejoices that I am his daughter.
1 Corinthians 9:7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
“Devastation of Biblical Proportions”, some are calling the earthquake in Haiti. As we watch the footage and stare at the pictures –we are confronted head on with the contrast of our country verses theirs.
Their suffering and desperate need for aide brings tears of compassion and response that begs: donations, time, prayers, and service in as many ways as possible. We watch the events from a far and experience mercy, compassion, and sadness.
Often, as the needs are described, we scramble for resources to give, emptying out our pockets for any way to help. We are all (every person that has ever lived) image bearers of God. When, one part of us suffers, we all suffer. There is a God-given urge in our hearts to respond. But–almost as quickly as we are motivated to respond cheerfully fueled by compassion– there is often a desire to give– out of guilt.
You know what I am talking about. Guilt hits us and motivates us rather than cheerful and sacrificial giving. Or, maybe you aren’t aware. Let’s dig a little deeper to see maybe– a distinction.
Yesterday, I spoke with my children about the specific needs that the people in Haiti have. We desire to shepherd their hearts as we filter what information they get at these young ages. It is a beautiful opportunity to help them see the goodness of God, even in suffering. Anyway, our oldest, while biting down on a cheeseburger said, “I feel bad for eating this cheeseburger.” There, you see!! I didn’t teach my son to respond that way. Part of his experience with seeing need– is a “bad” feeling when you realize you are the recipient of blessing- from a cheeseburger to any other provision. Why is it so common to have a feeling of guilt for having good things, from a good God?
I told him that he need not feel bad for what he has, but instead feel grateful for every little thing, and see the giver as God. He doesn’t need to feel guilt and from that place hand over his cheeseburger. He can both feel gratitude for God’s blessings and respond in compassionate joy to give to others in need. To share with people, with a heart to serve- excited to give as a worshipful response.
Guilt sometimes is a mask for loving compassion. We do penance instead of giving with overflowing gratitude. Humble gratitude is replaced with “bad” feelings. When we feel guilt instead of gratitude, we can pray. We can pray that God would increase our worship. Our worship opportunity here– is to see God as our Father– A good dad who gives good things to His kids. He wants us to be thankful and share. Not compelled by comparison of resources, but out of an overflow of generosity. He wants us to share generously because HE is Generous. He delights is us, as He gives. Prayerfully, we can extend that love to others.
“The beauty of the gospel is that God supplies the grace to achieve in us the very thing that He loves. God provides grace to us that we might give cheerfully, feeling His pleasure.” – James Harvey
Seeing need and seeing plenty are both opportunities for us to see God in them. Not to just compare blessings and abundance with poverty and need. We should be responding with generosity and gratitude, NOT guilt driven religious penance.
James Harvey has this article that speaks to cheerful giving…good stuff!
The footage and photos were taken just a few days after the earthquake as Pastor Mark (Mars Hill Church) and James MacDonald were able to go to help. We have a better idea now as to what is needed. The needs are beyond our comprehension.
Please REPOST this, copy it, play it at your church, etc. Please give generously, as the name of Jesus can be revealed by our love.
What “season” are you in?
As a young girl, I wanted to be an adult. When I was single I wanted to be married. When my kids were babies, I wanted them to be preschoolers… As each season changed, my ambitious heart would often covet the next season. Even in my current season, I am tempted to grumble in it, and look forward to a future time in the life of our family.
Each season that I am given is an opportunity for worship. Yet, deep under the sporatic complaints and restless discontentment for my season, lies a dissatisfied heart with what God has given me.
As God calls me to my season, He is calling me to steward His grace in it.
1 Peter 4: 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards, of God’s varied grace.
Ephesians 3:2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you.
Stewardship of God’s grace is more expansive than the stewardship of money. Christians have experienced miraculous grace and are called to be the agent of grace in many ways. We are called to manage God’s stuff (which is everything) and furthermore represent His grace.
Paul (the author of the above verses) was called and equipped by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit which was a season that lasted from conversion until his death. God calls all of us to a particular season and the purpose of it is worship.
My calling shapes my season today. Serving Jesus by serving my family is my daily stewardship of God’s grace. My season is packed with overwhelming dependence on the Holy Spirit to keep my family and home running. More than checking things off a list, I am called to steward the love and grace of God.
Managing God’s grace in my season calls me to humble service without grumbling. Being led moment by moment by God replaces going through the motions of my day. As God lovingly directs my work; I am more gracious and flexible with my duties. As four children experience their mother, they are seeing glimpses of God’s grace for them. The gift and weight of this calling is intense and beautiful. And it is His grace that allows me to extend it to others. I am truly grateful that I am in this season. I long to steward it with repentance and continual and contagious worship.
What is your season? How can you more faithfully steward God’s grace in it?
This month marks TWO YEARS of blogging. What a journey! As God has pursued me to share my repentance and redemption “in the light”, my heart is full of joy as I remember why I started blogging and why I continue.
Why I started: I came to a place in my heart where idolatrous desires were exposed. Confessing my pride and selfish ambition in my work; I began repenting and turning from empty labor to desiring Worshiping Jesus in my work. Work has slowly become more worshipful. My independent nature is slowly being replaced with dependence on my King. Blogging has spotlighted these changes and been about pointing myself and others to Jesus, who is the only savior to replace idols with True Worship. Blogging has been an outlet for me share what God is teaching me about both work and worship. I enjoy writing and want to grow as a writer, so it has been great practice!
Why I keep going: I love learning and teaching. God has humbled me in many “heart” places along the way and I am confident in His future grace to continue in His steadfast love. Jesus has saved me from my sin and is continuing to save me from my sin. His cross is my only hope. I can’t help but share how GREAT Jesus is and how He has changed my heart. I keep writing to sharpen my skill and strengthen content.
What I need from you: Most of the time, I don’t hear from my readers. But, I know that there are many of you! If you read this, could you let me know in email or comments? I am curious who reads, how long you’ve read, and what you have learned. Also, as I move forward on other writing projects, I need women to interview. I need lots of volunteers to fill out surveys and in person interviews. I will be asking lots of questions about work, sin, strengths, weaknesses, worship, maturity, immaturity, etc. I would love to hear what God is teaching you in your current struggle and how Jesus is pursuing your heart.
I am grateful to Jesus for showing me my idols and giving me grace along the way. God has taken me on a journey. Thanks for letting me pause to reflect… now on to more work…
Busy Body. That word is power packed with negative emotions and disgust, right? This “town gossip lady” image in my head is not the “busy at home lady”, but instead is the lady that chooses to be in other people’s business. I certainly never thought I was idle, lazy, or pointlessly or wandering about my day, looking for some one or something– to scratch an itch–in my heart….
When is the last time you found yourself going around from house to house being idle? Or, perhaps calling too many friends in one day? Concerned or thinking about other people more than what you are called by God specifically to be mindful of?
I haven’t identified much with this particular sin until– I realized that the Internet is my “town” to meander. I have found myself “going from “house to house” rather “website to website” seeking something: information, research, book reviews, blogs, facebook, or email all potentially sucking in my time and seducing my attention.
1 Timothy 5: 13 Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to.
To ignore this comparison is for me– choosing blindness. I have been blind to the fact that I am tempted to ignore greater blessings that God has called me to. Sin is giving in to the temptation to busy body with my eyes and heart focused on worthless and sometimes meaningless information that swirls around in my head taking up the mental space that should be occupied by meaningful thoughts and purpose.
Repentance is not always the opposite behavior. It doesn’t mean social networking is bad and email, internet, and helpful websites are now of the devil. As much as legalism lures me; I believe that repentance isn’t rule making here, but instead it is being tender to the Holy Spirit, moment by moment, day by day with my time and attention. There is remarkable joy and satisfaction in this discipline, as I depend on Jesus’ strength to walk with the submission to God enabled by the Holy Spirit in this area.
Practically, it means that I set thoughtful boundaries on time spent on websites. I choose appropriate times to give attention to it. It needs to be at times that relationships aren’t ignored or neglected. Stewarding my time, means seeing internet time as a resource to be used with wisdom –as worship.
Internet Busy Bodying is really just another form of laziness and escapism, not worship. Worship is living our lives in such a way that honors and glorifies God.
By God’s grace, my slices of time for Internet will be stewarded more wisely.
Christmas, with all its glitter and joy, is for many a season to get through as quickly as possible… Though I am a wife an a mom with a full house, I am humbled by the fact that many around me are lonely. Loneliness is not a sin. Feeling the desire for companionship and intimacy with someone is a beautiful reflection of being made in the image of God.
I struggle with loneliness occasionally and wonder if what I experience is just a taste of the daily desires that so many people live with. The desire to be with someone can tempt us to “wander in the desert” searching for anything to satisfy. Other comforts, relationships, whet our appetite but are not truly satisfying. Searching for intimacy, we settle for idolatry.
God has been reclaiming His place in my heart, my view of what “Father” looks like. I have been growing in a richer understanding of the presence of God, and feeling a deep joy of seeing Father God as my precious dad. Clinging to my Dad’s leg, like a toddler, my heart is starting to comprehend the intimacy I can have with Abba.
Psalm 121 is great comfort for the lonely heart. As our shadows are always with us, so is our God. In the details and empty spaces of our days, God is present.
1I lift up my eyes tothe hills.
From where does my help come? 2My help comes from the LORD,
whomade heaven and earth.
3He will notlet your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber. 4Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5The LORD is your keeper;
the LORD is your shade on your right hand. 6The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7The LORD willkeep you from all evil;
he will keep your life. 8The LORD will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.
He is our Companion, Keeper, Help, and Comfort. If you are feeling lonely and empty, know that the Lord is with you.
How many strangers have walked up to your kids, “What do you want for Christmas?” Or even well-meaning family members…We can easily think that Christmas is mostly about gifts. Especially, in America. Commercialism can over–ride the meaningfulness of it. Our hearts can be so captured by the season that it the “joy of the season” actually can eclipse Jesus all together. The hoopla can become an idol that we stroke, full of our expectations and lists.
As with many things, God teaches me through the calling of motherhood. The fog of Christmas gets clearer as I am compelled to give my children an appetite for worship. As I check toys off the list, I should all the more be looking at my list for their hearts. Do I have a list of each child’s heart needs, where they are at with Jesus and how I can love them? It is more valuable eternally for me to pay attention to that list. Pointing them to Jesus is the greatest gift I can give.
Have you ever made a list of free things you can do with and for your family and children that exhibits service, humility, training in Godliness? A list that– is a worshipful response to God, stewarding relationships not with things but with heart? Make time think and pray about your family and seriously write down how you can love them more this year. With each item, ask yourself, “is this free, sacrificial, will they feel loved, does this point them to Jesus, does this cultivate our relationship unselfishly?”
Christmas is a beautiful season, but it is also a season to reflect on various areas of our hearts that God is moving in. Drawing nearer to the Savior is such joy! WE do that through worship! Just as he sent the greatest gift to us, Jesus, we are called to recognize and respond in worship all year round. The busyness of of the season distracts us all from treasuring Jesus.
As Mary with her new baby– king Jesus, treasured the events in her heart, let us respond to Christmas in our hearts.
Luke 2:16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
I have felt urged to remember – how is God revealing Himself to you this Christmas? Are you worshiping Jesus in what you are doing? Are you distracted with much? Who are you trying to please? When you go about your activities, what are you motivated by? Do you feel the weight and joy of the task of shepherding your children?
Is your heart tender to Jesus? Are you hurried, distracted, thinking about tasks and purchases?
If those same strangers, asked YOU, “What do you want for Christmas?” What would you say?
God became a man, Jesus. The Incarnation is unfathomable. Let’s not miss Jesus in Christmas.
Once upon a time there was a very wise old man named Job. In his old age God gave to him a daughter whom he named Jemima, which means little dove. He loved his little girl and she loved her daddy.
One day Job decided to go on journey and asked Jemima if she would like to go along. “Oh, yes,” Jemima said. “I would love to go along.”
But Job said, “It will be a journey that takes us several days. So we will be staying each night wherever people will have us. So I can’t promise it will be nice. But God will take care of us. He always does what is right. He always meets the needs of those who trust him.”
Jemima smiled and said, “And even if things go bad, God makes them turn for good. Right, Daddy? Just like the little poem that you taught us:
When things don’t go the way they should
God always makes them turn for good.”
“That’s right, Jemima,” Daddy said, “and there’s another little poem you need to learn. It goes like this:
When things go better than they should
For people who are bad,
Remember, if they stay that way,
At last they will be sad.”
And so they started off on their journey and walked all day. At sundown they saw a little cottage and knocked on the door. A very poor man and his wife and baby lived there. Job asked if he and Jemima could spend the night there before they continued on their journey in the morning.
The poor man and his wife were very happy to let them stay. They gave Job and Jemima their own room and made them a simple supper. The special treat was fresh milk from their only cow. This was how the poor couple made a living. Their cow gave good milk and they sold it for enough to live on.
In the morning when Job and Jemima got up they heard crying. The cow had died during the night. The poor man’s wife was crying, “What will we do? What will we do?” she sobbed. The poor man was about to cut the cow into pieces and sell the meat before it spoiled. But Job said, “I think you should not cut the cow in pieces but bury him by your back wall under the olive tree. The meat may not be good to sell. Trust God, and he will take care of you.”
Then Job and Jemima went on their way. They walked all day again and were very tired when they came to the next town and noticed a fine home. They knocked on the door. A very wealthy man lived in this house and they hoped that they would not be an inconvenience to one so wealthy.
But the man was very gruff with them and said they could stay in the barn. He gave them water and bread for supper and let them eat it by themselves in the barn. Job was very thankful for the barn and the bread and water and said to the wealthy man, “Thank you very much for the bread and water and for letting us stay in your barn.”
In the morning Job noticed that one of the walls of the house was crumbling. So he went and bought bricks and mortar and repaired the hole in the wall for the wealthy man. Then Job and Jemima went on their way and came to their destination.
As they sat by the fire that night Jemima said, “Daddy, I don’t understand the ways of God. It doesn’t seem right that the poor man’s cow should die when he was so good to us, and that you should fix the rich man’s wall when he was so bad to us.”
“Well, Jemima,” Job said, “many things are not the way they seem. Perhaps this once I will tell you why. But after this you will have to trust God.”
“The poor man’s cow was very sick, but he didn’t know it. I could taste it in the milk. Soon he would have sold bad milk and the people would have gotten sick and died, and they would have stoned him. So I told him not to sell the meat, but to bury the cow under the olive tree by his back wall because the Lord showed me that, if he dug the grave there he would find a silver cup buried from long ago, and sell it for enough money to buy two good cows. And in the end things would be better for him and his wife and child.”
“When we spent the night at the rich man’s house, I saw the hole in the wall and I saw more than that. I saw that hidden in the wall from generations ago was a chest full of gold. If the rich man had repaired the wall himself, he would have found it and continued in his pride and cruelty. So I bought brick and closed the wall so that the man would never find this treasure.”
“Do you see, Jemima?”
“Yes, Daddy, I see.”
“So never forget, Jemima, many things are not what they seem. But if we trust in God,
When things don’t go the way they should
God always makes them turn for good.”
But if we turn away from God and are unkind and selfish, then the other saying will come true:
When things go better than they should
For people who are bad,
Remember, if they stay that way,
At last they will be sad.”
And that’s the way it was with Jesus. It seemed like he was unimportant because he was born in a small unimportant town, not a big city. He was born in a stable, not a palace. He was laid in a manger, not a fine bed. He was a carpenter not a famous statesman. He had a small group of friends, not a great army. And worst of all, he was killed like a common criminal on a cross.
But many things are not what they seem. He was the Son of God, the Savior of the world. He rose from the dead. He is alive today and rules over the world and King of kings and Lord of lords. And everyone who trusts in him will have all their sins forgiven, and will be able to say,
When things don’t go the way they should
God always makes them turn for good.”
1. What’s the most common mistake people make in trying to develop a system for productivity?
There are a lot of wrong turns that people make here, but I think the biggest one is that they simply seek to make their system capture and organize their existing work. We shouldn’t first ask “what things are vying for my attention and how do I organize them?” Instead, we should first ask “what things are most important for me to be doing and how do I make sure that I am able to move ahead on them?” The former is reactive and the later is proactive.
2. In the last three months, what has been the most helpful insight that has helped you be more productive?
Peter Drucker’s comment that “effective executives put first things first and do one thing at a time.” My workload has been larger than normal the last few months, and that makes it tempting to splinter myself and move on too many fronts at once. Drucker reminds me to avoid this trap. First, you don’t have to do everything. Instead, identify what is most important, and start there. Second, build momentum by doing one thing at a time, bringing it to completion, and then moving on to the next thing (what’s best next). You might think this makes it take longer to do things, but it actually saves time. The scarcity of time is precisely the reason we need to do one thing at a time.
3. In a nutshell, what is the most important and fundamental principle for being productive?
I would actually say: realize that you don’t have to be productive. By this I mean: your significance does not come from your productivity. It comes from Christ, who obeyed God perfectly on our behalf such that our significance and standing before God comes from him, not anything we do. Then, on that basis, we pursue good works (which is what productivity is) and do so eagerly, as it says in Titus 2:14.
When it comes to day-to-day application, the main principle is this: The key denominator of effectiveness is not intelligence or even hard work, as important as those are. It is the discipline to put first things first. You need to operate from a center of sound principles and organize and execute around priorities. This means that instead of prioritizing your schedule, you schedule your priorities.
“Do it… by myself!” I have heard those cantankerous words many times from my children, as toddlers. It is somehow adorable and aggravating at the same time, huh? Those words make an attempt at independence from my help. My kids have actually pushed my hands away as I have tried to help them: pull up their pants, tie a shoe, wipe their nose, etc. Some natural independence that comes with maturing I understand, but under the basic desire has a whiff of that familiar rebellion that my heart knows oh so well…. it smells like my own life long attitude to God–“Do it by myself”.
Busy Body. That word is power packed with negative emotions and disgust, right? This “town gossip lady” image in my head is not the “busy at home lady”, but instead is the lady that chooses to be in other people’s business. I certainly never thought I was idle, lazy, or pointlessly or wandering about my day, looking for some one or something– to scratch an itch–in my heart….