Who or what is living rent-free in your head?

I recently read a news article about the growing trend of trespassers occupying vacant homes whose owners are away for extended periods. If the trespassers stay long enough, they may be able to claim squatters’ rights, legally known as adverse possession. The ultimate way to live rent-free!

Living rent-free is not limited to physical properties. And no one knows that better than our spiritual enemy, Satan.

Thought Squatters

Satan cannot read our minds. Only God knows our thoughts. But while Satan is not a mind reader, he has the advantage of having studied humanity for thousands of years. As a student of human nature, he often knows us better than we know ourselves, and he tailors temptations to meet our greatest areas of vulnerability.

Temptations often begin in our minds:

A fleeting thought occurs, then disappears as quickly as it came. The next time it occurs, it stays a bit longer as we explore the choice, even though we might still reject the opportunity to sin. But the devil knows the fleshly desires of humanity, and the temptation will keep appearing—and staying longer each time—until we give in and it’s now living rent-free in our heads. Finally, we give in.

Maybe temptations to unforgiveness, envy, or pride have camped out in your thoughts. Perhaps worry, insecurity, and a plethora of what-ifs are living rent-free in your mind. Or maybe regrets of past pain and wrong choices have commandeered your thoughts and emotions. Whatever it might be, you and I are called to be vigilant against a constant onslaught of uninvited guests attempting to claim a rent-free home in our minds.

Evict the Squatters

So how can we begin the eviction process for these freeloading tenants? We start by understanding that we are equipped by the Holy Spirit to “take every thought captive” (2 Cor. 10:5).

How? By examining each thought against God’s standards: is it true, noble, right, pure, lovely, or praiseworthy (Phil. 4:8)? If not, kick it out. Remain alert to slam the door on any new thoughts that fail the test, even before they can enter.

Remember who you belong to. Then rely on the Holy Spirit’s equipping to kick those unwanted squatters to the curb of your mind!

Life can throw us curveballs. Unexpected events. Crises. Natural disasters. Broken pipes. Once-in-a-hundred-year storms. And we do our best to hedge our exposure.

Which leads us to insurance policies. Home, renters’, flood, and auto policies. Life, health, disability, and long-term care policies. Business interruption, liability, malpractice, and umbrella policies.

And one thing they all have in common is that we pay the annual premiums and then forget about them. That is, until the next premium bill arrives or the crisis we’re insured against occurs.

Do we treat our salvation like an insurance policy? In some ways, it might fit that label by offering protection against substantial consequences. However, the differences are significant.

Salvation is Not an Insurance Policy

Let’s compare them:

Insurance offers compensation to reduce or eliminate loss in the event of a possible adverse event. Salvation offers the opportunity to avoid a guaranteed negative outcome. Without salvation found in Jesus Christ, eternal torment and separation from God are guaranteed for us all. Apart from Christ, hell is not an if, it’s a when.

Insurance is something we purchase. We pay our premiums and expect protection in return. Salvation was purchased for us. Ephesians 2:8-9 makes it clear that we’ve done nothing to earn or deserve a right standing before the holy God of the universe. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (ESV).

Insurance is activated by and for a specific future event, whether fire, illness, or natural disasters. While the benefit of salvation provides the joy of eternity with God, it is not limited to the afterlife. Salvation also provides the joy of a restored relationship with our Creator in this earthly life, too. We enjoy the gifts of forgiveness, intimacy with God, peace, and the assurance of being loved and accepted.

Insurance policies are often filed away until they’re needed. But they don’t change who we are. Salvation, through the work of the Holy Spirit, works in us to make us better than we were by making us brand new. We are sanctified—set apart—to live differently as we mature in godly characteristics to become who God intended for us to be, before the brokenness of sin entered humanity. The fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23 describes some of these characteristics, including love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

If you have accepted the salvation from sin purchased for you by Christ, don’t file it away to be brought out on your deathbed. Salvation is so much more than a fire insurance policy against hell. It’s an offer of new life that begins now and extends for eternity.

Have you been treating your salvation like an insurance policy? What needs to change?

Two exciting announcements about Flourish: Grace-Centered Practices to Protect and Grow a Fruitful Life in Christ:

I recently learned that Focus on the Family included Flourish in their website store as a Christian Living book resource!

AND

I’m humbled and happy to announce Flourish won 3^rd place for the Advanced Writers & Speakers Golden Scroll Christian Living Book of the Year!

If you want to know more about nurturing the fruit of the Spirit in your life, check out Flourish: Grace-Centered Practices to Protect and Grow a Fruitful Life in Christ!

“The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Jesus said this to His disciples when they failed to stay awake while He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane prior to His arrest.

Fast forward two thousand years. All too often my own spirit is indeed willing, but my flesh is weak. Which brings me to the topic of habits, and to the realization that it took modern science two thousand years to catch up to the Bible! Here’s why . . .

Habits are formed over two to three months. For those of us who trusted Jesus as Lord and Savior, we may have to break a lifetime of habits formed apart from Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit. Even when we desire to break those habits, it’s not always easy. And then we have to create new habits to replace the old ones.

The apostle Paul addressed this problem in his letter to the early church in Rome when he wrote, “Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness” (Romans 6:19 NIV). This challenge is not new. Thankfully, Paul also provided the solution in that same letter: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1).

Notice, he said “offer your bodies.” This is not limited to the spiritual realm. We live in physical bodies—bodies that are used to having our own way. And our own way usually involves physical comfort and convenience. Now here’s where science is finally catching up to the Bible.

First, Paul urged us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices. Then in the next verse, he tells us how to do it. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).

Transformation comes by the renewing of our minds. Christians begin with faith in Christ. At that moment, the Holy Spirit indwells every believer. This spiritual reality leads us to the transformation of our minds, which in turn results in transformation of our bodies—the way we physically live.

And this is where science has finally caught up with the Bible. Today we call this the science of neuroplasticity: the ability of the brain to change and relearn new ways to approach life. I have a dear friend who has suffered with debilitating pain for more than ten years. After exhausting every possible physical option, he explored neuroplasticity: the science of renewing the way his mind responds to the pain in his body. And he is reaping the benefits today.

So it’s not enough for us to claim that our spirit is willing, but our flesh is weak. We need to ask ourselves:

Am I willing to allow my mind to be transformed and renewed by the Holy Spirit?

Am I then willing to offer myself as a living physical sacrifice as I live for my Savior?

How willing are you and I to follow Jesus, mind and body?

Has God set us up for failure? It might feel that way when we read some of the commands in the Bible.

Some standards seem impossible to attain. Love your enemies. Do good to those who persecute you. Take up your cross. Don’t be anxious for anything. Forgive as God forgives you. And the ultimate “impossible” command to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

Early in my Christian walk, I tried to obey these and other commands . . . and failed miserably. I kept trying harder, determined to do better—to get this Christian walk “right.” And I’d do well for a while. But sooner or later, I’d fail to meet God’s standard. I’d think thoughts I shouldn’t have thought, speak words I wished I hadn’t, and behave in ways that failed to reflect my faith in Christ.

Taught or transformed?

The Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew 5 through 7, contains some of the most famous sayings shared by Jesus during His earthly ministry. Blessings are promised for a life characterized by poverty of spirit, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, extending mercy, and having a pure heart. And failure brings the consequence of judgment.

That’s where many of us become derailed. We’re so concerned with these “good” teachings that we miss the transformation God wants to accomplish in each of His children. Despite what the world tells us, Jesus was more than just a great teacher passing down spiritual instructions. If that were all He was, we would be doomed to a life of constantly falling short of the mark, guilt-ridden and tormented by our failures. Instead, the Holy Spirit indwells us, providing the equipping we need to be and do all He intends for us.

Evangelist Oswald Chambers described it this way in Daily Thoughts for Disciples: “If Jesus Christ came to be an example only, He is the greatest torturer of the human race. But our Lord did not come primarily to teach us and give us an example; He came to lift us into a totally new kingdom and to impart a new life to which His teachings would apply.”

Jesus Christ was not primarily a good teacher. Nor was His ministry merely an example to us. Jesus did not come to make us better. He came to make us brand new by giving us new life. Apart from His indwelling Holy Spirit, we cannot be “perfect.” As the character in one television program put it: “I don’t think He’s waiting for us to be holy. I think He’s here because we can’t be holy without Him.”

As we follow Christ, let’s not settle for being taught mere information. Rather, let’s surrender to the Holy Spirit’s work of transformation.

Being taught or being transformed: how are you approaching life?

================================================

Writing news!

I’m humbled and happy to announce that Flourish won 3^rd place for the Advanced Writers & Speakers Golden Scroll Christian Living Book of the Year!

If you want to know more about nurturing the fruit of the Spirit in your life, check out Flourish: Grace-Centered Practices to Protect and Grow a Fruitful Life in Christ!

Flourish: Grace-Centered Practices to Protect and Grow a Fruitful Life in Christ: Pennington, Ava: 9780825455612: Amazon.com: Books

How many friends do you have? Not the hundreds or even thousands you may have on social media, but real friends you could call on for help if you’re in a jam?

July 30 is International Friend Day. So in light of International Friend Day, I offer these 3 devotional excerpts from Daily Reflections on the Names of God.

Who Calls You “Friend”?

The LORD used to speak to Moses face to face . . . as a man speaks to his friend. (Exodus 33:11)

Who names you as their friend? Are they the same people you consider friends?

Today, we refer to almost everyone as a friend, although many qualify more as acquaintances. We should not take friendship lightly, especially friendship with God.

Moses had such an intimate relationship with God that the Lord spoke to him face-to-face. God named Abraham His “friend” (Isa. 41:8), as well. What made these men friends of God? Was it their good works, their holiness, or their position in the community?

Moses was not holy. He was a killer whose short temper prevented him from entering the Promised Land. Abraham lied about his wife, Sarah. Yet God considered them friends, not because of what they did, but because they took Him at His word, acting in obedience and faith.

God chooses His friends, not for what they can do for Him, but for what He can do through them. When we enter into a relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ, He receives the glory and honor, and we receive the blessing of friendship.

Not That Kind of Friend

Jesus replied, “Friend, do what you came for, friend.”
(Matthew 26:50)

Calling some people “friends” does not guarantee their friendship or that they will always behave as friends should behave.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus watched three types of friends behave in decidedly unfriendly ways. Judas betrayed Him with a kiss. Peter flouted Jesus’s teachings by attacking His enemies. All the disciples abandoned Him to His foes.

Friendship presumes both parties will act in mutual interest and support. We know our friendship with God begins with His choosing us. We also know God always acts for our benefit. Still, what does God expect from us in return? Jesus gave us the answer when He said, “You are My friends if you do what I command you” (John 15:14). God expects His friends to believe Him and obey His commands.

Living by faith and in obedience—that’s how God’s friends behave.

Right Friends

Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
(1 Corinthians 15:33)

Should we continue socializing with unbelievers after we become Christians, or should we replace those friends with Christians?

Unlike neighbors or acquaintances, true friends know us intimately. They tell us the truth when no one else has the courage to do so. True friends want what is best for us, regardless of whether it is best for them. They share our goals and values and encourage us in our spiritual growth.

Jesus said we are to live for Him and be a witness in a world that does not know Him. At the same time, we are to remain separate. We are to influence without being influenced, pointing people to Christ without compromising ourselves with an unrighteous world. James wrote, “Whoever wants to be a friend of this world is an enemy of God” (James 4:4 GW).

God calls us to be salt and light in our relationships with unbelievers. Our most intimate friends, though, should be those who will encourage us to grow in the light and love of the Lord our God, the One who names us friend.

Questions for reflection:

Have I based my friendship with God on what I can do for Him or what He can do through me?

If faith and obedience are tests of friendship with God, would Jesus say I pass the tests? If not, what must change for my life to reflect my friendship with God?

In what relationships have I compromised my spiritual life for the sake of a friendship?

As I talk to singles today, I often wish for a slang dictionary to keep up with their descriptions of our contemporary dating culture. Regardless of age, terms such as pocketing, cookie-jarring, ghosting, breadcrumbing, and stashing describe behaviors littering the dating landscape. I described these in a previous blog post and noted how those same pitfalls have a way of creeping into not just earthly relationships, but also our relationship with Jesus.

Now I’ve learned of two new terms to add to the list: wildflowering and snowmanning. Seriously? If you’re like me, you may be wondering how wildflowers and snowmen relate to dating. Even stranger, how might they be associated with our relationship to Christ? Are we dating God?

Wildflowering

Wildflowering describes a relaxed approach to dating, allowing relationships to grow at their own pace. No pressure, no timelines, no goals. Going with the flow without intentionality. This may sound harmless and perhaps even positive, but is it really?

Applied to our relationship with God, wildflowering sounds good at first. After all, doesn’t the Bible tell us God is the one in control, not us? Still, the result in our spiritual life can be similar to what happens when we plant a garden, then walk away. Just let it grow naturally, without weeding or watering. Whatever happens, happens. Yet the outcome is often far from desirable. Weeds sprout, taking over the garden. Plants wilt from lack of consistent watering. Soil becomes dry and packed, inhospitable to growth.

While the Bible is clear that God is in control, His Word also establishes clear responsibilities on our part in cultivating our relationship with Him. We can be intentional in our love, obedience, and worship, even as we continue to trust God’s sovereignty.

My times of greatest spiritual growth come when I prioritize loving the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mk. 12:30-31). And Jesus said that if we love Him, we will obey Him (Jn. 14:15). The apostle Paul reminds us to be intentional about our thought life, taking our thoughts captive to that obedience (2 Cor. 10:5). He also tells us what we should focus our thoughts on (Phil 4:8).

Snowmanning

Snowmanning is often a theme of Hallmark-type Christmas romantic comedy (rom-com) movies. A single girl and guy agree to pretend to date each other through the winter or the holiday season. A fake partner during the Christmas season puts a stop to nagging relatives eager to help by arranging disastrous blind dates. Then, come January, after everyone returns to their non-holiday routines, the phony relationship is supposed to end. Of course, in a rom-com, the couple realizes they’re actually in love, and everyone lives happily ever after.

What does snowmanning look like in relationships with God? It could show up in the life of a Chreaster: someone who attends church only at Christmas and Easter, then disappears until the next major holiday. Or Christians who make New Year’s resolutions in January, vowing to be more intentional about reading and studying the Bible and going to church, only to stop as cold winter days shift to longer, warm days beckoning us to jump into summer activities. For myself, I know that I am most diligent to stay in God’s Word while I teach a Bible study from September through April. Without the accountability of a formal Bible study during the summer months, it’s easy for me to become distracted as the weather brightens and outdoor activities multiply to fill my days.

Pocketing, cookie-jarring, ghosting, breadcrumbing, stashing, and now wildflowering and snowmanning. Which of these are you vulnerable to?

=============================================================

Announcement: Save the Date!

On July 27 & 28, the Kindle edition of Flourish: Grace-Centered Practices to Protect and Grow a Fruitful Life in Christ will be on an ebook sale for $2.99. Mark your calendar!

Ever hear about a guy named Jabez? He was all the rage 25 years ago, or at least his prayer was all the rage. I’ve been praying a tweaked version of that prayer for years. And it centers around redefined blessings.

Jabez and his now-famous prayer are mentioned in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10. And that prayer, directed to God, began with a request for blessing: “Oh that you would bless me indeed!”

Over the years, I’ve been drawn to pray a different version of that request. “Lord, help me recognize Your blessings as You define them, not as I do.”

And as I look back, I see many examples of how He has done exactly that.

Rejection of a children’s book proposal

I received a lot of good feedback for the idea, but no takers. Still, that disappointment eventually led to co-authoring the project with a prolific author whose rhythm and rhyme made the book sing. Initial rejection was a hidden blessing because the final product was so much better than my original version.

Hip surgery and thyroid cancer

I tried to delay hip replacement for as long as possible. But pre-op testing for this undesired surgery resulted in the discovery of asymptomatic thyroid cancer. Surgery to remove the previously undiagnosed cancer became my blessing in disguise.

Traffic ticket

How could a ticket be a blessing? My first traffic ticket in 30+ years made me realize I had become complacent in my driving habits. It was a wake-up call to be more attentive to my surroundings as I drive. I expect this unexpected blessing will keep me safer as I travel.

Mold

“Mold is a blessing,” said no one ever! Yet the process of discovering mold was indeed just that. Shortly after I ordered a wall bed, I began second-guessing the purchase. Would a sofa-bed have been a wiser—and more economical—choice than buying a piece of furniture that needed to be installed?
Removal of baseboards to nail the bed to the wall revealed hidden mold. Apart from that installation, the mold would have remained undiscovered until it spread enough to result in illness months or years later.

Each experience was a blessing in disguise. Redirection of my focus away from regret or disappointment revealed a hidden or redefined blessing.

Felix Culpa

Ancient church tradition employed a Latin phrase to describe these blessings in disguise: felix culpa. Felix for happy or blessed, and culpa for fault or fall. This phrase described the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, illustrating how God brings good out of something that appears terrible. Consider what we call the day commemorating Jesus’s crucifixion: Good Friday. Crucifixion is one of the cruelest methods of execution, yet we refer to that day as good. Good because of the blessing of salvation resulting from Christ’s substitutionary atonement for our sin.

As the apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:28, “We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Am I willing to consider that my temporary sorrows might be used for someone else’s good, and ultimately for the praise of God’s glory?

Sacrifice of Praise

I’ve often found it odd that the writer of the book of Hebrews associated praise with sacrifice when he wrote, “Through him [Jesus] then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God” (Heb. 13:15).

Yet when I began to consider the concept of blessings in disguise, “sacrifice of praise” made sense. Could I accept difficult or painful circumstances associated with sacrifice as a cause for praise? To see those situations from God’s perspective?

Recognizing God’s higher ways helps me define blessings differently. This radical change of outlook is unrestricted by apparent conditions. This reminds me of what Paul wrote to the Thessalonian church: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:18).

Followers of Christ are blessed “with every spiritual blessing” (Eph. 1:3). Still, it’s easy for me to miss recognizing those blessings if my focus is limited to physical provisions. And that brings me back to my tweaked version of the prayer of Jabez. “Lord, help me recognize Your blessings as You define them, not as I do.”

Will you join me in this prayer?

*All Bible verses quoted from the ESV.

“Different people need a different piece of your brokenness.”*

I read this quote from country music singer Jo Dee Messina several times as the meaning and message sank into my spirit.

A piece of my brokenness. Brokenness is not something I naturally want to advertise—quite the opposite. My instinctive reaction is to hide my brokenness, not draw attention to it. And yet . . .

What if my brokenness is the very thing someone else needs to see? Needs to hear? What if the story of my past brokenness is what they need for encouragement to keep on keepin’ on through their present brokenness?

In our world of superficial relationships, authenticity is not easy to find. Social media subscribers tout lists of thousands of “friends” and “followers,” although these are not friends in the traditional sense of the word. True friends encourage and invest in each other, wanting the best for the other enough to be vulnerable. Authentically sharing their brokenness.

It’s no coincidence that this blog article posted on July 9. This would have been my 48^th wedding anniversary. And yes, I still experience the brokenness of grief associated with this day. I’ve heard that the deeper the love, the deeper the loss. Yet in the years since that loss tore through my life, God has given me the privilege of coming alongside others who have experienced comparable pain. To encourage others through a shared familiarity with grief.

“Different people need a different piece of your brokenness” reminds me of a Bible passage that shares a similar message. In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (ESV), the apostle Paul wrote:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

We have the opportunity to offer comfort from our well of comfort filled by God. He equips us to respond to the trauma around us. The death of a loved one or the strain of employment loss. The distress of a health diagnosis or the pain of a prodigal’s rejection. Heartbreak over a shattered marriage or the ache of a fragmented friendship. In these and other circumstances, we’re able to offer a piece of our own brokenness, allowing God to use our experiences of sorrow to minister to others.

Eagerness to offer portions of my own brokenness does not come naturally. I confess most of the time I’m reluctant. Yet what if God allowed those experiences so He could use them to bless others in their trials? I don’t want to waste what God allowed for ultimate good.

How about you? How might God use your brokenness to minister to those He brings into your life?

*Woman’s World, June 15, 2026, page 22

So many funerals in the past several months. Funerals commemorating the end of physical lives. The end of hopes and dreams. And the end of relationships that leave a hole in our hearts.

Funerals acknowledge that physical death is a painful reality of life. And yet, we frequently overlook a different kind of funeral. One that God is showing me the necessity of attending: my own. But not in the way you might think.

The Gift of Life . . . and Death

When we speak of Jesus Christ, Christians often speak of the gift of life. New birth. Eternal life. Death is conquered. It no longer has the final say.

But followers of Christ understand that Christianity also involves death. Yes, the death of Christ when He died on the cross as our substitute, purchasing our salvation to restore us to the Father. But also our death. The death of our independence. The death of our agendas. And the death of our rights.

The 250^th anniversary of the United States of America is a strange time to speak of the death of rights. But this is not about political rights. It’s not even about moral rights. This is about the death that accompanies life.

In Daily Thoughts for Disciples, (Feb. 22), Oswald Chambers is quoted as saying something that many view as shocking and unreasonable. And yet, this truth is inescapably entwined with faith in Christ.

“‘Present your bodies a living sacrifice’—go to the funeral of your own independence. It is not a question of giving up individual sin, but of giving up my right to myself, my natural independence and self-assertiveness.”

In Matthew 16:24, Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” In biblical times, the cross was more than a piece of jewelry. It represented a painful, humbling, and public death. And Jesus said carrying that representation of death—applying it daily—is a requirement of following Him. We must deny ourselves.

The apostle Paul affirmed this truth in Romans 12:1 when he wrote, “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Physical sacrifices were a regular part of worship in the temple. While the sacrificed animals offered on the altar were dead, Paul exhorts us to be living sacrifices. Sacrifices that remain on the altar because our life is no longer our own. And we can only do that if we sacrifice our rights to our own agendas.

Paul described what this looked like in his own life when he wrote to the Galatian church (2:20), “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Why do we no longer have this right to our own preferences and goals? The apostle Peter gave the answer when he wrote in 1 Peter 1:18-19, “It was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ.” As followers of Christ, we don’t belong to ourselves anymore because we’ve been purchased. Ransomed by the shed blood of Jesus.

So this weekend as we celebrate our nation’s independence, let’s plan to attend the funeral of our own individual independence. Not to be a doormat or a pushover, but to surrender and exchange our plans for the Lord’s plans. Our agendas for His. And our rights for His glory.

Happy Independence Day, America! And happy Surrender Day to every follower of Christ as we attend the funeral of our individual independence to live entirely for Him!

* Bible quotes are from the NIV.

You’re Invited to Join the Monthly Fruit of the Spirit Challenge!

You’re invited to join a private Flourish Facebook group:
a community of Christians encouraging each other to flourish as we cultivate the fruit of the Spirit.

We’ll share encouragement, challenges, contests, and the chance to win prizes.

Planned activities include fun monthly challenges focusing on individual aspects of the Spirit’s fruit, including love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Our monthly challenge for July is the display of the Spirit’s fruit: Goodness.

Here’s the link to join: www.facebook.com/groups/flourishfruitcommunity

We’ve all experienced times when life throws us a curveball. Have you ever adopted the four P’s—pause, pray, ponder, proceed—in those situations?

A friend shared this practice as a biblically wise method of approaching bumps in the road of life. Like many others, I could use all the help I can get. So here’s how I’m learning to apply the four P’s in times of difficulty:

Pause

When I was a kid, my mother practiced counting to ten whenever she was upset. She counted to forestall saying or doing something she would later regret.

When trouble hits, our instinctive response is often to react emotionally or physically. And those reactions are not always wise. They can arise out of fear or other unchecked emotions. Or from past conditioning, motivated by a reflexive desire to protect ourselves from discomfort or inconvenience. Sometimes we may be reacting in defense of our own plans and priorities.

In his epistle, James wrote, “Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” (1:19 ESV). This is where the pause comes in. Pausing provides an opportunity to disengage from riled emotions and allow room for listening to the Holy Spirit’s prompts.

Pray

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve prayed for a difficult situation after exhausting my own effort, only to realize prayer should have been my first choice.

Minister and author Oswald Chambers once said, “Prayer is not a preparation for the battle, it is the battle.”

In the book of James we read, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (1:5 ESV).

And in his letter to the Philippian church, the apostle Paul wrote, “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. 4:6-7 ESV).

Ponder

Another confession: even when I do pray, I need to resist the urge to jump into action before I process what the Lord has shown me. I’m learning to allow time to listen to what the Lord is showing me in response to my prayer. Is He revealing a blind spot I need to acknowledge? Perhaps He’s reminding me of a Scripture passage or a creative option I had not considered. Or maybe I need to process insight He has given me into the causes of the difficulty. Whichever it is, I need to take time in His presence to process how He is ministering to my mind, will, and emotions. I took the time to speak to my heavenly Father. Now am I taking the time to listen to Him as He speaks to my spirit?

Proceed

Yes, there is a time to act—just not in the order my natural response would dictate. After pausing, praying, and pondering, I’m better equipped to proceed under the direction of the Holy Spirit’s leading. Not impulsively, which usually lands me in more hot water. But rather, in a measured way according to my Father’s leading.

The four P’s are not just a practical help. They’re God’s prescription for handling difficulties!

Practice the four P’s the next time you’re faced with a problem.
Then come back to this post and share your experience!

Ugliness surrounds us. As much as we’d like to, we can’t escape it. The apostle Paul called Satan “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2). As we look around, the evidence is overwhelming. Of course, if we could escape the ugliness out there, we’d still have a problem. Even if we found an uninhabited, tropical island, we still couldn’t escape ugliness. And while I have no qualms about calling out the ugly in others, I’m not as eager to call out the ugly in me.

I came face to face with my own ugly last week. And it grieved my heart because I knew it grieved God’s heart.

Difficult circumstances have come in waves over the years. Situations beyond my control. The loss of my husband of 4 decades to terminal cancer. My own surgeries (6 in 11 months!). More recently, selling my home of 25 years and downsizing to an apartment. And after 40 years of having “fur-baby” family members enthusiastically greet me when I came home, rooms are now silent.

Yet none of those major situations unleashed the ugly impatience I experienced when new impact windows were installed last week. A two-day job, they said. A minor blip compared to all those other life experiences. My impatience overflowed as the work proceeded at a slow, yet painfully loud, pace.

They completed the job within three days. Three days, and then I’d be blessed with high-impact hurricane windows. A mere drop in the bucket of time. But instead of focusing on the resulting benefit, I silently fumed over the noise level that required me to wear earplugs. I rolled my eyes at the dirt tracked in by the workers. And I sighed when they said they ran out of caulk and would have to return a third day to finish the work. So much for the two-day assurance.

That’s when the conviction hit me, as the saying goes, “right between the eyes.” When I looked in the mirror and sensed the Lord calling out the ugly . . . in me.

In my quiet time, the Lord reminded me for the umpteenth time of His own patience with me. He reminded me to view the individual workers from His perspective. And He reminded me to look past the temporary inconvenience and look forward to the beautiful views the new windows would allow.

Jesus said, “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Mt. 7:12). And the apostle Paul wrote, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Rom. 12:12). I’m so thankful our heavenly Father is the God of second and third and tenth chances. Because I need every one of them . . . and more.

The new windows allow me to see outside more clearly. Even better is my fresh view of myself from God’s perspective as He reveals and cleanses my “ugly.” So grateful for His patience and grace!

How about you? How have you been disappointed in your own reactions this week?
How did the Holy Spirit meet you in that moment?

Have you ever felt as if searching for God’s will is like a reluctant game of hide and seek as we hunt for elusive answers?

In Part 1 last week, I explored whether we really want to know God’s will. The post closed with this question: Can God trust us with His plans and purposes for us?

Once we determine to seek God’s will, He’ll use a variety of methods to reveal it to us. So let’s explore how God reveals does this:

Prayer

Regular time in prayer is critical for the child of God. Speaking through the psalmist, God said, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you” (Psalm 32:8). Pastor and author James Montgomery Boice once noted, “Clearly, if God is to guide us with His eye, He must first catch our eye. And this means that we must look to Him regularly throughout the day.” Do we?

Prayer is not monologue. An effective prayer life is more than just telling God our plans and expecting him to rubber-stamp them. It is not asking God for direction and then walking away with the expectation that He will direct us as He did the Israelites with a pillar of fire in the desert.

Too often we present God with our requests for direction, top it off with a firm “Amen,” and then go on our way, pleased with our spiritual discipline. We’re out the door and into our day, unmindful of the quiet prompting of the Holy Spirit. We can’t hear Him because our iPods or even our own thoughts are drowning Him out.

God’s Word

We want answers. The Bible has them. But they’re not always spelled out the way we’d like. For example, if you need a car, there is nothing in the Bible to tell you whether to purchase new, used, or lease. The Bible does not tell us whether to buy a Maserati or a Ford. However, there are a variety of passages that address stewardship principles regarding giving, saving, debt, providing for your family, and wise spending.

Still, it’s important to remember that, however else God might direct us, He will never contradict His written word.

Circumstances

Christians often watch for signs to indicate God’s leading. If the door opens, it must be God’s will, right? Maybe. Maybe not. While God may indeed lead by creating opportunities, we should remember that He isn’t the only one who knows how to open a door. Our enemy, Satan, can also open doors or manipulate events because he specializes in deception (John 8:44; 2 Cor. 11:14).

Counsel

Wise advisors can help us discover the gifts God has given us. They might help us identify resources we have or need. Advisors can also help us detect nudges we might be receiving from the Holy Spirit.

Author J. I. Packer warns, “Don’t be a spiritual lone-ranger; when you think you see God’s will, have your perception checked. Draw on the wisdom of those who are wiser than you are: take advice.”

Confirmation

If we are seeking God’s will unreservedly, praying—and listening, reading His word for applicable principles and seeking godly counsel, then God will confirm our steps. He does so by giving us peace through His indwelling Holy Spirit.

Still, don’t confuse God’s peace with the absence of trouble. The times when we’re obedient to God’s leading are often the times of greatest attack by Satan.

God’s will is neither mysterious nor is it a speed bump in the road of life. Teacher and author Oswald Chambers once said, “When you have a right-standing relationship with God, you have a life of freedom, liberty, and delight; you are God’s will….You are free to make decisions in the light of a perfect and delightful friendship with God, knowing that if your decisions are wrong He will lovingly produce that sense of restraint.”

God’s will is not a destination…it’s who we are in relationship to Him. And He will guide us and reveal His will for His glory!

Many people wonder if they can know God’s will for certain. But before we can answer that, the first question we should ask is, Do we really want to know it?

Searching for God’s will can feel like a reluctant game of hide and seek as we hunt for those elusive answers.

We resort to flipping coins—heads or tails? We make decisions based on our feelings or impressions, and then hope it was the Lord’s leading and not the pepperoni pizza we had the night before. We run to a variety of people for advice, often seeking out those who will tell us what we want to hear. We may even follow Gideon’s example and put out a fleece to seek confirmation of God’s leading.

We can know God’s will with a certainty that comes, not from random opinions or flipped coins or even wet fleeces, but directly from His Word. Still, we come back to the foundational question, “Do we really want to know?

Do We Really Want to Know?

Do we really want to know God’s will for our lives? Before you roll your eyes at the absurdity of the question, think about it. What if God’s will is for us to persevere in our goals without achieving them?

Do we really want to know?

If we don’t want to know God’s will, He won’t force us to learn it. Psalm 25 reminds us that God guides the humble (v.9) and instructs those who fear Him (v. 12). Lewis Sperry Chafer, founder of Dallas Theological Seminary, once said, “His leading is only for those who are already committed to do as He may choose.”

One key to discovering God’s will is to seek it wholeheartedly, with an attitude of submission and willingness to line up our lives under God’s authority and direction, even if His will for us differs from our own plans.

Something else to consider is that God’s will is not always the mystery we may think it is. The Bible contains several clear statements about the will of God that apply to everyone.

1. The first thing we can be sure of is that God’s will for us is to glorify Him. In Isaiah 43:7, God tells us we are created to display His glory. Anything that does not bring glory to God cannot possibly be His will for our lives.

So can God trust us to glorify Him with our writing? Or does He know our ego will want to bask in the glory for ourselves?

2. We also know God wants “all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 2:4).

3. Once we have entered into a relationship with our heavenly Father through His Son, God’s will for every believer is to live in a way that reflects this new relationship. The apostle Paul reminds us, “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified….For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life” (I Thess. 4:3-7).

4. This means that God’s will for our lives requires worshipping Him as living sacrifices. Rather than being conformed to the pattern of this world, He calls us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we will know and prove His will in our lives (Rom. 12:1-2).

So are you and I willing to lay our dreams and goals on His altar? To surrender our life to His plans and purposes?

I’m not saying God won’t give us those things. But I am asking, Can He trust us with them?

Next week: Part 2, including methods God uses to reveal His will.

What calling has God placed on your life? It might be to serve in a ministry in your church or start a new ministry in your community. Maybe it’s to teach your children about Christ. Perhaps it’s to write or speak. How do you support this calling on your life? How do you begin?

Consider these seven steps:

1. Nurture Your First Love

The tallest skyscraper is only as solid as its foundation. And the higher you want to glorify God in your calling, the deeper your foundation needs to be. So before we can move forward in our calling, our first step is to examine our foundation. How do we nurture our 1^st love? In addition to spiritual disciplines such as prayer, Bible reading, and Christian fellowship, we begin by nurturing our first love.

Remember how much you are loved by your heavenly Father. First John 3:1 tells us, “See what great love the Father lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” LAVISHED! God doesn’t measure out His love; He lavishes it on us!

2. Find God’s Will

What if God’s will is for us to persevere in our calling without recognition or a large following? What if He wants us to use our calling as a gift in our church’s ministry, or encourage people in a nursing home?

The key to discovering God’s will is to seek it wholeheartedly by releasing our own agendas instead of seeking to confirm them. Let’s hold our plans loosely to make room for His revisions!

3. Guard Against the Enemy’s Lies

The most believable lies are ones mixed with a little bit of truth. The snake’s temptation of Eve in the Garden of Eden is a prime example. Let’s respond to common lies we hear about our calling, such as “You’re not good enough” or “You’ll never achieve your goals.”

The truth is found in the first seven verses of the book of Ephesians. These verses describe how God views us: blessed, chosen, predestined to adoption, redeemed, and forgiven. And God did it all: He blessed us, chose us, redeemed us, and forgave us. The enemy is right: we’re not good enough on our own. But we’re not on our own as we use our gifts, abilities, and talents to fulfill our calling.

4. Persevere Through Dry Times

Since disappointments, difficulties, and the enemy’s attacks are part of life, let’s consider how to persevere through them.

Did you know the lubricant WD-40 got its name because the first 39 experiments failed? WD-40 literally stands for “Water Displacement – 40th Attempt.” Imagine your squeaky doors if the inventors had given up after the 39^th try!

Whether 40 or 140 attempts to fulfill what God is directing you to do, don’t give up. The Holy Spirit will strengthen you to persevere.

5. Time Management vs. Time Stewardship

Change your perspective by shifting from time management to time stewardship.

I no longer use the term time management, because I cannot “manage” time. I can’t create more time and I cannot gift myself more time, as much as I might want to. You see, I don’t own time. It’s entrusted to me by God for His purposes.

We’re stewards of the time allotted to us. A steward is one who takes care of something belonging to someone else. We’ve been entrusted with the gift of time from God. And it’s important to view ourselves as stewards.

6. Step into Your Calling in Faith

To be conscious of our calling is to be aware of the privilege of being used by God to advance His kingdom. But in the New Testament, Jude began his letter by addressing it to those who are called, loved, and kept (Jude 1:1-2).

As we minister God’s love to others in our calling, we may forget we’re also recipients of that love. We’re also kept. Our heavenly Father sustains us and protects us. He seals us by His Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13). We have everything we need in order to do all He has called us to do. More importantly, we have everything we need to be all He has called us to be—chosen, loved, adopted, redeemed, and sealed.

The order is important. Identity comes before service. Being comes before doing. Reveling in His mercy, peace, and love comes before ministry in His name.

7. Trust God’s Timing

In the third chapter of Acts, Peter healed a beggar at the temple gate. This beggar, lame from birth, had been placed at the gate every day to beg from those entering the temple courts. If he was there every day, did you ever wonder why Jesus didn’t heal him? Yet a few verses later in Acts 4:1-4, we learn that after the healing, Peter and John taught the people, proclaiming Jesus. Five thousand who heard the message believed. In God’s perfect timing, this man’s healing ultimately led to the faith of 5,000 people!

My prayer is that these seven steps will help you in support of your God-given calling as you discover how to find God’s will, step out by faith in love, manage your time, and press through the tough times.

Which of these seven steps do you need to focus on cultivating?

======================================

Have you read Flourish?

Ever felt that you needed more of the fruit of the Spirit?
More peace? More patience? More joy?
Consider reading
Flourish: Grace-Centered Practices to Protect and Grow a Fruitful Life in Christ!

*********************************************************************************

Join the Monthly Fruit of the Spirit Challenge!

You’re invited to join a private Flourish Facebook group:
a community of Christians encouraging each other to flourish
as we cultivate the fruit of the Spirit.

We’ll share encouragement, challenges, contests, and the chance to win prizes.

Activities include monthly challenges focusing on individual aspects of
the Spirit’s fruit, including love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Our next monthly challenge will begin June 1 with the Spirit’s fruit: kindness.

Here’s the link to join: www.facebook.com/groups/flourishfruitcommunity

Who are you without your memory? Or without the memory others have of you?

Memory is a mysterious ability. It provides context. History. Connections with family and friends. Yet, memory is one of those abilities we rarely think about . . . until it fails us.

Sometimes forgetfulness is unintentional. Where did I put my keys? What time was that appointment again? Other times forgetfulness is intentional as we avoid revisiting painful experiences or relationships.

Lately, I’ve become aware of how the loss of memory can strip us of our identity. My first experience with dementia occurred when my mother-in-law was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s 30 years ago. Since then, the occurrences have multiplied. Most recently, a peer—a friend I’ve known since 7^th grade—has been moved to the memory care unit of her skilled nursing facility.

We develop ways to help us remember, both privately and corporately. I may leave my car keys in the same place or keep to-do lists of what I need to accomplish. And I’ve become the queen of using Post-it notes! For some, even those small reminders are no longer possible.

Corporately, we attend memorial services for loved ones who have died. And we commemorate holidays, such as Memorial Day, to reconnect with our joint history.

Does God forget?

Have you ever heard, or perhaps said, “God forgets our sin because of Jesus”?

That’s not true! God is not a doddering old man with an impaired memory. Then what about Hebrews 8:12? “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (NIV).

When the Bible speaks of God not remembering, it’s not the same as forgetting. “Not remembering” means He no longer counts our sin against us. Romans 4:8 (NIV) tells us, “Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.” What a relief for those who have placed their faith in Christ, to know God does not keep a record of sins.

Whenever God remembers something in the Bible, the word remember signals that God is about to take action. So when He says He will not remember our sins, He is saying He will not take action against us because of them. That action—judgment—already happened at the Cross when His wrath was poured onto Jesus, a wrath that should have been directed at, and paid for, by you and me.

If God truly forgot our sins, then He’d have to forget the sacrifice that paid for them – a sacrifice that should never, can never, and will never be forgotten!

Our omniscient God doesn’t forget anything. However, thanks to Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, He intentionally chooses not to remember our sin—not to hold it against us. And if He does not remember, neither should we. So stop beating yourself up about past sin, turn from it, and walk in God’s forgiveness!

As we head into Memorial Day weekend, let’s be intentional about remembering the sacrifice of those who gave their lives for their country. And let’s be intentional about remembering the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who gave His life for us.

What tips do you use to help prevent forgetfulness?

Life’s not fair! Any doubts about this truth are quickly dispelled by our own experiences.

There’s no denying life is becoming more difficult with each passing year. Inflation is destroying buying power. Politics is destroying relationships. And lack of exercise and unhealthy habits are shaving years off our life spans.

So how do you respond when trouble knocks on the door of your life? Complain that life is not fair? Live in denial and pretend it’s not happening? Roll with the punches?

The psalmist, King David, offered seven responses to evil people and circumstances in Psalm 37:1-9, taken from the NIV translation. How many do you practice?

1. “Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away” (vv.1-2).

Let’s face it: telling ourselves not to fret is easier said than done. Yet, that’s what David wrote. It’s not a suggestion, it’s a wise declaration. Don’t fret over those who do wrong. And don’t be envious when their material possessions eclipse ours. Why shouldn’t we fret?

The first thought that comes to mind is that fretting (or complaining or whining) won’t change the situation or change the other person. Evil seems to be undefeatable, but appearances can be deceiving. God is a righteous judge who always judges righteously. Even more critical is that fretting indicates a lack of trust in God’s sovereign handling of the situation.

Which brings us to the second response . . .

2. “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture” (v. 3).

Trust flows and grows from intimate relationship. The better we know God as He revealed Himself in His Word, the more we’re able to trust Him. Instead of worrying about tomorrow, we can enjoy today because our heavenly Father holds both us and our future.

3. “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart”
(v. 4).

Do we “take delight in the Lord”? Is God our greatest delight? Our greatest joy? When He is, He then rejoices over us and delights in giving us those very desires. Troubling circumstances and evil people cannot override God’s joy and care for us.

4. “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun” (vv. 5-6).

David circled back to trusting God as the best response to troubles. Judgment of evil is certain, and so is our eternal reward. Suffering in this physical life is less than a drop in the ocean of eternity.

5. “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. Do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes”
(v. 7).

While I’m growing better at waiting patiently on His timing, it’s the “be still” part that still challenges me. Not just wait, but wait silently, without running to find as many people as possible who will listen to my list of frustrations and complaints.

When we are still, resting in our waiting, we are best positioned to hear the prompts of His Holy Spirit when it’s time to proceed through and beyond trying times. These are the times when the best choice in the waiting is to “zip the lip,” or as my friend Lisa is fond of saying, “Zippo the lippo!”

6. “Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.
For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land” (vv. 8-9).

Giving vent to anger and wrath over evil circumstances or people can feel satisfying in the moment. However this response not only fails to offer practical help, it can also make a bad situation worse! That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have righteous anger against evil. But it does mean that we should not take vengeance into our own hands. Regardless of appearances, God is still on His throne!

How many of these 6 responses to trouble do you practice?
Which response are you actively trying to nurture in your life today?

I’ve been preparing for a move for the past 12 months after 25 years in the same home. And by preparation, I mean getting rid of stuff.

I sold stuff.

I gave away stuff.

And I tossed more stuff.

All that eliminating gave me a false sense of security. “I’m ready,” I told myself. “I’ve removed so many things hiding in closets, boxed up in the garage, and yes, even sitting in plain sight. Whatever is left is what I want to take with me when it’s time to move.”

Well, it’s time. The past 2 weeks have been filled with me filling boxes. Little ones and big ones. Light ones and heavy ones. And as I packed each and every box, I discovered more things I don’t need, yet thought I needed for years up to this week.

Problem is, I would clear out unnecessary items from a space, only to return the next day to find what appeared to be as much stuff as there was before. These inanimate objects shouldn’t be able to multiply, but I’m convinced they do. Turn out the light, shut the door, wait 24 hours, and voila! Big stuff has given birth to lots of little stuff.

So much. Too much.

Then I sensed the Lord’s loving and needed conviction. Look in the closets of your own heart, Ava. What unnecessary stuff is not only piled high, but multiplying too?

Ouch. Sigh. And ouch again.

Put Off and Put On

My “putting off” list is longer than I’d like to admit. Pride, selfish desires, self-righteousness, anger, envy . . . the list will continue to grow unless I take a stand against them. These aren’t just unnecessary attitudes; they’re harmful, too. Harmful to my own spiritual growth and harmful to my relationships. And I need to kick them to the curb and replace them, putting on attitudes the Holy Spirit is working to nurture in my life.

The apostle Paul wrote about the importance of this in several of his letters, including:

• “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2 ESV).

• “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires” (Romans 13:14 ESV).

• “Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24 ESV).

• “And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (Colossians 3:10 ESV).

I’m moving into a new home in a few days. And when I do, it’s not just physical stuff I’m committed to leaving behind. There’s spiritual baggage I’m letting go of as well.

Will you join me in getting rid of stuff? Share in the comments what that looks like in your life.

I was recently confronted by a powerful quote:

“Imagine reading a book
with no way to turn back the page.
How carefully would you read that book?
That’s life.”

I’ve been thinking about this observation for more than a week. Sure, I could say this is a busy season: wrapping up teaching a large Bible study, packing for an imminent move, completing a freelance edit project, and prepping for a couple of speaking engagements, to name just a few of the activities vying for my attention this week. But those are really just excuses. The bottom line is that every season is busy.

My days are often filled with activities that allow me to check off items on a to-do list. One down, nine to go. Two down, eight to go. The items get crossed off, but at what cost?

As I’ve been sitting with the above quote at the forefront of my thoughts, I’m very much aware that the important question I need to answer is not how many items I’ve checked off my daily to-do list. The more critical question is, How much do I truly treasure the moments of each day or the relationships I have been gifted with?

Treasuring Relationships

Perhaps I’m more sensitive to the issue of relationships because of the impending move. Friends I’ve interacted with for more than 25 years will no longer be neighbors conveniently located a short walk outside my front door. And now I wish I had taken more time to be intentional about sharing a cuppa one-on-one.

Treasuring Creation

Or taking more walks around the neighborhood to connect with people and appreciate the wildlife throughout our piece of heaven on earth. Sandhill cranes and roseate spoonbills. Mourning doves cooing and mockingbirds singing. Gators and gopher tortoises. Raccoons and squirrels. And even an occasional bobcat hunting for its next meal.

Treasuring an Eternal Perspective

Treasuring relationships cannot be disconnected from an eternal perspective. I’m reminded of a quote from C. S. Lewis in his book, The Weight of Glory, regarding an eternal perspective applied to our relationships:

“It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree helping each other to one or the other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all of our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal.”

This is not about time management. I can’t manage time. I can’t slow it down or speed it up. But I can be a good steward of the time I’ve been gifted. Nurturing relationships, balancing writing at a laptop with healthy physical activity, and enjoying our vibrant creation while also investing in eternal priorities. As the apostle Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 10:31 (ESV), “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

I may not be able to turn back life’s pages. But I can savor each page before it turns, even as I “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14 ESV).

Yes, that’s life. And yes, my goal is a balanced life. I hope you’ll join me!

What are your thoughts?

Has anyone ever let you down? And if you said something about it, did they dismiss your concern with a comment to the effect of, “Hey, nothing personal. That’s just the way it is.”

That comment has always bothered me. The way we interact with each other is personal. Life is personal. And when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, only to be hurt—or worse, betrayed—the last thing we want to hear is, “It’s nothing personal.”

God created you and me to be relational. He created us for personal relationship with Him and with other people. But anything God creates for good, Satan works to corrupt for evil. And he starts with our most important relationship of all.

Has God Let You Down?

Have you ever felt as if God let you down? That if He really loved you, He would not have allowed certain events into your life? That if He really is God, children would not be tortured, adults would not be abused, and Satan wouldn’t appear as victorious as he seems to be?

Then there’s God’s people. How do we achieve intimacy with others? Do we even want to? After all, intimacy carries a price. It involves making ourselves vulnerable and breaking down walls we’ve built for protection, usually because we’ve been hurt in the past.

It’s bad enough when those who don’t claim to be Christians let us down. But when Christians disappoint or betray us, our instinctive response is to retreat into an emotional cave and board up the entrance. Perhaps even vow that we’ll never darken the doorstep of another church again.

Still, you and I were not created to be alone. So why the disconnect?

I’ve always heard that if you want to be close to God, you have to spend time with Him – have a regular time of prayer, read the Bible, obey His Word, and spend time with His people. Is intimacy with God simply a matter of checking off boxes on a to-do list? Too many Christians do these things, and still have a lack of intimacy with the Lord.

It may be because all of these things—prayer, Bible-reading, living a moral life—while good, can become rituals. We go through the motions with our hands, but not our hearts. If you’re a Christian, your relationship with God is based on the salvation He offers in Jesus Christ. Christianity is not a religion about God. It is a relationship with God. But has your relationship stopped there?

Are you the same person you were the day you became a Christian? Are you closer to the Lord than you were last month? Last year? Last decade? If your answer is no, you’re not alone. Why aren’t some Christians as close to God as they want to be? A variety of reasons can include unconfessed sin, lack of spending time in His Word or in prayer, lack of discipleship, lack of accountability in a local church body.

We can add one more possible reason to that list . . .

An Inaccurate Understanding of Who God Is

People can have some strange ideas of who God is: ideas learned from parents, or from various religious traditions, but that’s not necessarily who God says He is. Even if you grew up attending Sunday School every week, you still might have trouble understanding what God has said about Himself. It doesn’t help that the names and attributes of God that brought comfort to countless generations are now often misunderstood in our culture.

Do we really understand the names and attributes God calls Himself? Even when we read familiar descriptions of God, such as God is love, what does that mean? If we want a more personal—a more intimate—relationship with God, it’s important to learn what God says about Himself and to also understand those descriptions in the context of what God intended, rather than what our culture now dictates.

When we learn what God says about Himself, and see how He relates to us is consistent with what He says, then our faith is affirmed and it’s easier for us to trust Him. Growing intimacy with the Lord is based on growing trust.

One reason Christians misunderstand who God is, and are therefore not as intimate with Him as they might desire, is that they often focus on one name or attribute of God to the exclusion of all others. For example, those who focus only on God’s characteristic of being loving, and end up with an anything-goes god who tolerates sin.

Others who focus on God’s holiness to the exclusion of all other characteristics create a fire-and-brimstone god who is unloving, unmerciful, & uncompassionate.

God is love and He is holy. He is merciful and He is just. He is all these things and more. To truly know Him—to be intimate with Him – we must learn ALL that He is – not just one or two characteristics that appeal to who we want Him to be.

You were created to be in personal, intimate fellowship with your Creator. How will you cultivate that intimacy this week?

* Helpful resource to know God better:
Reflections on the Names of God: 180 Devotions to Know God More Fully

Peace is becoming more and more scarce these days. And we probably shouldn’t be surprised, since Jesus warned us that in the end times, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains” (Matthew 24:6-8).

Events unfolding on the world stage fit what Jesus described. And yet, the phrase that jumps out at me is not “wars and rumors of wars,” or even “famines and earthquakes.” No, the phrase that stops me is that all these events are merely the beginning of the end times.

How Would You Describe Peace?

So how would you describe peace? It’s not the absence of the scenes Jesus described. It’s something deeper . . .

A story has been told to illustrate our frequent confusion surrounding the definition of peace:

A king offered a prize to the artist in his kingdom who painted the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king examined all the beautiful pictures and was especially drawn to two. Now he had to select a winner between them.

The first picture was of a calm lake. The lake mirrored the peaceful towering mountains all around it. Overhead, fluffy white clouds dotted a blue sky. All who saw this picture described it as a perfect picture of peace.

The other picture also included mountains. But that’s where the similarity ended. These were rugged and bare. Rain fell from an angry sky as lightning flashed across the mountains. A foaming waterfall tumbled down the side of a cliff. This picture did not appear peaceful at all. However, when the king took a closer look, he noticed a tiny bush growing through a crack in a rock behind the waterfall. And in the bush, a mother bird had built her nest. There, surrounded by a rush of angry water, the bird sat on her nest in perfect peace.

Which picture do you think won the prize? The king chose the second picture.

“Because,” explained the king, “peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace.”⁵

God never promised us a life free of trouble in our broken world. When speaking of His coming death, Jesus told His disciples, “These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Peace despite trouble. All too often we equate peace with the absence of trouble. However, the only way to experience peace in a broken world is to start with the most important relationship of all— the relationship Satan wants us to forget or, at the very least, minimize.

Trust Jesus, the Prince of Peace, in a world that strives to turn our attention away from Him and onto our circumstances. We can’t control world events, but we can control how we respond to them . . . and who we run to!

Adapted from Flourish: Grace-Centered Practices to Protect and Grow a Fruitful Life in Christ.