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Dying to Self

(The Everlasting Way) Crucified with Christ – A Life of Surrender

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Have you ever struggled with intending to do something important but never getting to it because it required too much effort. Or, knowing you shouldn’t do this or that, but finding yourself doing it anyway.

I do.

These are signs we’re not fully embracing what it means to be crucified with Christ in His death and made alive with Him in His resurrection. 

But how can we understand what this really means?

I’ve found answers in The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee. [1] 

This classic clearly articulates, from scripture, the normal life a Christian is to live:

  • Knowing our crucifixion with Christ on the cross and how our death frees us from sin [2]
  • Considering (or reckoning) the truth of our death to sin and life in Christ on a regular basis [3] 
  • Presenting the members of our body, not as instruments of unrighteousness, but to God for righteousness [4]

Upon this knowing, considering, and presenting, we live out the following verse, which is a great summary of the gospel:

Galatians 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me. 

This verse states that we died, we’re indwelt with the Holy Spirit, and our life is about depending on Christ, not on our own striving.

I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5).

But how is this possible?

How can we who are living and breathing live a life of death to self?

In his book, Watchman Nee speaks often of his mentor in the faith, Miss Margaret Emma Barber (1866-1930), a British missionary to China. She helped show Mr. Nee and other new believers in China the power of resting in Christ and not living a life of self-motivated activity.

Of Miss Barber, Watchman Nee wrote: “She had but one motive, one desire, and that was for God. Written in the front of her Bible were these words: ‘Lord, I want nothing for myself.’ Yes, she lived for God alone, and where that is the case, you will find that such a one is bathed in light, and that light illuminates others. That is real witness.” [5]

“Lord, I want nothing for myself” – seems to be a significant starting point for understanding the type of surrender required to reckon myself dead to sin, but alive to Christ.

 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:11 NKJV).

Let’s look at each phrase of M.E. Barber’s life’s cry.

Lord

“Lord” – seems to be the most important word of all. Here she recognized God’s nearness and directed her attention to Him.

Godward attention. Recently I had a discussion with friends as to all that’s involved in paying attention. When I spend my resource of attention, I’m paying with my thoughts, my time, my focus, my eyes, and my ears. Attention costs us dearly. Being attentive to God seems to be the one thing which becomes the mainspring of all else in life.

I

“I” In a world of selfies and social media, “I” must be surrendered to Christ in ever-increasing veracity. 

He must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30).

For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).

Want

What do I want? Comfort? Peaceful circumstances? Popularity? Success? Security?

Yes, to all and more, I’m sure.

These “wants” are ever swirling around in my thoughts and distracting my soul. What my heart longs for is the freedom of Godward attention alone, apart from what I want.

Nothing

“Nothing” (“not one” + “thing”)

So, personally, to apply M.E. Barber’s statement, I would surrender:

  • comfort
  • peaceful circumstances
  • caring about what people think
  • the need to succeed
  • riches and worldly security
  • . . .

These seem more like cares to be given freely to God.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you (I Peter 5:6-7).

For

“For” (“to support,” “on behalf of”).

I want not one thing to support me or to be for my behalf.

As long as I live, I will have wants or needs; I must trust them all to the One who loved me and gave Himself up for me. [6]

Myself

“Myself” (“my own person”)

The last phrase really helps me get the gist of what M.E. Barber meant and what I’d love to be the posture of my heart. 

Not wanting anything for myself, but all for Christ.

The many things the Lord has asked me to manage:

  • time
  •  health
  • possessions
  •  talents
  •  vocation
  •  my very self

are all His anyway. Why would I not want to surrender them back to Him for His kingdom’s work?

Prayer 

Father, I come to You in full awareness of Your nearness and my great need for You.

I long to have a heart like Margaret Barber, whose focused desire was to live out her crucifixion in Christ in full surrender of everything to You.

Lord, I surrender all that You have entrusted to me, not for myself, but back to You to be used for the advancement of Your Kingdom. 

Being free of the trappings that bog down my soul, may I ferociously love every person You bring my way.

May I boldly proclaim the wonderful news of the precious blood of Jesus, shed for our redemption, our rescue from death to life.

 Amen.

Reflections

Lord, I want nothing for myself.

Yet God has entrusted me with much.

My response is to get to the point each day where I can truly say.

Lord, of all you’ve asked me to manage, I don’t want it for myself; I want it for You to be used as You will.

I want to surrender it all.

Thinking as a man who has died to what I want, that I might be alive to what God wants.

May this be the cry of my heart every day.

In this way, I believe I will make strides towards living the crucified life.

As I forget my death in Christ along the way and revert to living for what I want, I pray God will quickly show me that I might consider myself dead to sin and alive to God.

Quote

“Our old history ends with the cross; our new history begins with the resurrection.” Watchman Nee.

[1] The Normal Christian Life, by Watchman Nee, Tyndale House Publishers, @ 1977

[2] Romans 6:5-7

[3] Romans 6:10-11

[4] Romans 6:13

[5] The Normal Christian Life, by Watchman Nee, Tyndale House Publishers, @ 1977 pages 240-241

[6] Galatians 2:20

Note: Unless otherwise noted, all referenced Scripture is from the World English Bible (WEB), which is in the public domain.

Also, the cover photo is from the cover of M.E. Barber, A Seed Sown in China, by James Reetzke, Chicago Bibles and Books, @2005

Other posts in our Everlasting Way Series:

Learning How to Overcome Emotional Numbness

Embracing God’s Amazing Love

Are we More Like Batman or Spider-Man

Transforming Awareness: The Power of God’s Love

Minding Your Busyness

Our Deepest Longings Filled

Rules Don’t Rule

Mice in the Sock Drawer

Turning Gainers into Drainers

Until the Darkness Fades

Courage Rising

Recovering

Celebrating with Joy – In Memory of a Friend

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 

Rob Buck

Nonfiction books by the Author:

This collection of devotionals chronicles a heartfelt journey from a life of striving and self-reliance to one of growing surrender and trust in God.

Through personal stories of family struggles, cancer, grief, and unexpected trials, the devotions show that true, unshakeable joy comes not from perfect circumstances, but from the constant, loving presence of Jesus Christ.

It’s an invitation to learn to let go of our burdens and find growing peace in God’s greater story.

Finding Joy in Life’s Moments

Because joy is rooted in God and is eternal, it doesn’t ebb and flow with the waves of circumstances. In fact, as we grow in our understanding of joy, we can even experience it more acutely when life is hard. Why? Because God uses trials to conform us into the image of Christ. With this awareness, which gives us glimpses of God’s greater purposes, we rejoice because of His masterful work to free us from needing anything but Him.

For these reasons, and many others, joy in the Lord is commanded in scripture. It’s not just a good idea, it’s vital to our journey as human beings. Rhythms of Joy

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in an old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowingly set off a series of events which uncovers a plot to wipe out a whole family. Hope Remains

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

Choosing Love over Duty

(The Everlasting Way) Minding your Busyness

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“Rob, you’re always on a tight schedule. Where do I fit in?” Dad asked. “Put me on your priority list somewhere!”

“Dad, you have no idea all I have going on!” I fumed, raising my voice and releasing some pent up pressure.

After the words came out of my mouth, I regretted them. I could see the pain and hurt on my father’s face.

Dad had been though many self inflicted trials the years before and was trying to rebuild his life. He lived in a mobile home and didn’t have a car, so he depended on me.

On this particular Saturday, he needed me to pick up some groceries. I was doing what he asked, but I didn’t do it out of love for him. I did it out of duty.

The growing list of demands on my time was sucking the joy out of my life. As I lifted the bags of groceries from my car, I was already thinking of the other items on my task list.  I had to mow the yard, take the kids to the park, check on a problem at work, prepare to teach Sunday school the next day and … Which should I do first?

I charged into Dad’s home  and plopped the groceries on his kitchen table. When I was done, I told him I was running short on time and would need to be going. He asked me to sit a moment and chat. I agreed, but insisted I was on a tight schedule.

This is what prompted the dialogue above.

Bad Busy

Later, as I reflected on Dad’s words, my heart was pierced. He had nailed me. I had become so busy, people had dropped from my priority list. I was very dutiful, seeing people not as objects of love, but obstacles to my ever growing list of duties.

Looking back on the time now, I see that much of my busyness was self-imposed; adding task after task to earn God’s love and to avoid feeling as if I had failed in my roles as husband, father, brother, employee, friend, and son. Truly I was acting more like a “human doing” than a human being.

Because of this, I marveled that God could be so merciful to me. He’s called me to be an ambassador of His love, yet I was not spreading his love. Even though I was doing things for dad, he was not feeling loved. He felt disrespected by my indifference to him as a person. I suspected my wife and kids and friends felt the same thing. I was doing a lot of things, but was I doing more harm than good?

One Thing is Needed

I thought of Martha in Luke chapter 10, verses 38-42. Jesus was in her house, but she was so preoccupied with her duties she missed Him. Jesus told her she was bothered and worried about so many things. But her sister Mary knew exactly what to do. While Martha was stressing over her tasks, Mary was seated at the Lord’s feet, worshipping Him and listening to His words. Mary chose the one thing that mattered.

But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42) 

Could listening to and worshipping Jesus really be the one focus of my life? As I focus on this one thing, will Jesus lead me into resting in Him and loving the folks He brings my way? As I ask, I know He will.

And because the Holy Spirit indwells me, I can abide in Him for guidance and for the strength needed to carry out what He desires.

Prayer

O Lord, I don’t want to do anything unless You’ve called me to. You want me to love others as You’ve loved me. [1] I’m so sorry for when my need to succeed  overwhelms Your call to love, especially with those who mean the most to me.

From this moment on, please stop me when I become so preoccupied with tasks that those around me suffer. May loving people always be at the top of my “to-do” list. May my duties not be the main thing, but may they be the path you use to lead me to the people You want me to love.

May my life be about receiving Your love and giving it away. I rest in Your love for me. Stop me quickly, I pray, whenever I agree to do anything for the praise of people.

Guard me from being bothered and worried about my tasks. Build in me the rhythm of sitting with You and listening to You, before I work and while I work. I love You, Lord. Keep me settled in Your love.

Amen

Reflections

Now, years later, I’m convinced that if I follow Mary’s example, what needs to get done will get done. I still struggle at times with the Martha syndrome, but I also know that activities, which don’t spring from my dependence upon Christ, accomplish nothing of eternal value.[2]

Living a Mary life in a Martha world can only be accomplish by Christ’s strength within me as I yield to His Holy Spirit at work.

God produces extraordinary accomplishments when we depend upon His Spirit in us.

“The man who remains in the love of Jesus is never a failure” Origin unknown

“Don’t just do something, stand there!” The white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland.

“If the devil can’t make you sin, he’ll make you busy.” Corrie Ten Boom

  “But one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Jesus

[1] John 15:12

[2] John 15:5

Note: Unless otherwise noted, all referenced Scripture is from the NASB 1995 version of the Bible.

Other posts in our Everlasting Way Series:

Learning How to Overcome Emotional Numbness

Embracing God’s Amazing Love

Are we More Like Batman or Spider-Man

Transforming Awareness: The Power of God’s Love

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 

Robby Buck

Nonfiction books by the Author:

This collection of devotionals chronicles a heartfelt journey from a life of striving and self-reliance to one of growing surrender and trust in God.

Through personal stories of family struggles, cancer, grief, and unexpected trials, the devotions show that true, unshakeable joy comes not from perfect circumstances, but from the constant, loving presence of Jesus Christ.

It’s an invitation to learn to let go of our burdens and find growing peace in God’s greater story.

Finding Joy in Life’s Moments

Because joy is rooted in God and is eternal, it doesn’t ebb and flow with the waves of circumstances. In fact, as we grow in our understanding of joy, we can even experience it more acutely when life is hard. Why? Because God uses trials to conform us into the image of Christ. With this awareness, which gives us glimpses of God’s greater purposes, we rejoice because of His masterful work to free us from needing anything but Him.

For these reasons, and many others, joy in the Lord is commanded in scripture. It’s not just a good idea, it’s vital to our journey as human beings. Rhythms of Joy

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in an old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowingly set off a series of events which uncovers a plot to wipe out a whole family. Hope Remains

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

Addicted to Pleasing People

(In the Moments) Done with People Pleasing

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My first year of Little League was a bust. I couldn’t connect with even an eleven-year-old fastball. Though our team won the championship, I felt like a worthless hindrance. By obligation, Coach Goodnight would send me to the plate, once every game or so, to take my three swings and sit down.

I felt like giving up, but I loved baseball. During the offseason, I spent a lot of time working on my eye hand coordination and improving my bat speed.

I imagine seeing me at tryouts the following year didn’t thrill Coach Goodnight. But, to my delight, my training paid off. I could connect on pitches, even from a twelve-year-old. He assigned me the starting second baseman role because I was a decent fielder.

One Saturday morning, as we warmed up for one of our home games, I saw that Pop, my paternal grandfather, had joined my mother in the stands. This delighted me and I especially wanted to play well.

Runners were on first and second when my first at-bat occurred. I can still picture the details in my mind over fifty years later. I swung hard at the first pitch. It was an outside, so being a right-handed batter, the ball lined between the first and second basemen, heading for the fence. As I rounded first base, I kept running past second and headed for third. I slid in ahead of the tag for a triple, driving in two runs.

It wasn’t a Mickey Mantle home run, but I couldn’t have been more excited. When the dust cleared and I stood on third base, I looked up into the crowd and singled out Pop.  He had a huge grin on his face, wildly clapping. He was proud of me.

People Pleasing

There certainly is a place for pleasing those we cherish. As children, parental acceptance and love are important, but we can easily equate our performance with our value. After all, we learn from an early age how our achievements bring us favor. Passing marks in school means we get promoted to the next grade. Doing well during tryouts earns us a part in the play. Obeying our parents keeps us from being punished.

It’s easy to conclude that what we do determines how much we’re loved. But this contradicts the good news of Jesus Christ. Paul rebuked the Galatians sharply concerning their works-righteous “gospel,” particularly their people-pleasing.

As we have said before, even now I say again: if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!

 For am I now seeking the favor of people, or of God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ (Galatians 1:9-10 NASB).

Focused on Christ

We’re to live Godly lives but not to earn affection. Only God’s approval is necessary, and Jesus took care of that for us. Our right standing with God is based on what Christ has done, not on anything we could ever accomplish. [1]

Jesus modeled a life of setting aside His own will and living only to please His Father [2]. This focus freed Him from being bound by the actions and opinions of men. Resting in His Father’s love, Jesus didn’t need to depend on the opinions of men. And neither do we.

But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, because He knew all people, and because He did not need anyone to testify about mankind, for He Himself knew what was in mankind (John 2:24-25 NASB).

Challenge

Do you, like me, sometimes struggle with equating your value with how others see you? Perhaps, like my first year of little league, you feel worthless because of your performance. A counselor once told me that depending on what others think of you is like handing an identity box to someone else, a boss, a spouse, a friend. When we do this, we give them power to assess our value.

God adopted us into His family as His children. Hidden in Christ Jesus [4], united with Him.  In Christ, we already please God.

As believers, we’re left with a fundamental change. We must leave behind our dependence upon others for approval. We live now only to please our Father God. And, as we rest in Christ, His life in us is what pleases God.

Spend some time evaluating how you see yourself. You may be believing lies from long ago that the enemy is using to keep you in bondage and steal your joy. Your value is not in what people think about you. You’re not what you accomplish or the lies you believe about yourself. The truth of the matter is that you are what God thinks about you. As believers in Jesus Christ, we rest in God’s eternal, never changing love for us. 

His perfect love casts out all fear, all of it. [5]

We get to set aside all worries of what people think of us and live every moment for our Audience of One, knowing his love and acceptance knows no bounds.

Prayer

Lord, as I picture Pop smiling and cheering me on that day so many years ago, I remember that You delight in me even more than he did. [6] Help me rest in Your love and acceptance, no matter how folks treat me. I trust in You alone. I release my addiction to worrying about what people think of me, my fear of letting folks down.

Help me never to depend upon any human for my well-being. May I continually trust in You alone.

Please keep me focused on You throughout each day. When I stray from living only for You, please remind me quickly.

Amen.

[1] II Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 2:4-7

[2] John 5:30

[3] Ephesians 1:3-10

[4] Colossians 3:3

[5] I John 4:18

[6] Zephaniah 3:17

Other posts in our series In the Moments:

As Sea Gulls Fly

It is Finished

Behold the Moments

Tranquility

Stop Striving

Simplicity In Christ

What is Good

Yet Will I Rejoice

Sorrowful, Yet Always Rejoicing

Exploring Grace and Joy together

Stay Present My Friends

Quiddity. It Could Change Your Life

The Cake Maker’s Blunder

God at Work (No Trespassing)

Hidden with Christ in God

Finding Joy in Love and Relationships

Escaping the Rat Race

When I don’t Feel God’s Loving Kindness

Experiencing Completeness in Christ

Overcoming Pain Through Faith

Recalibrating Our Hearts

The Joy of Waiting

On the Fifth Day God Created Dog

When Things get Really Hard

A No Lose Situation, Even with Cancer

Hey Pop

Mustering Our Faith

Lord, You’ve Got to this. I Can’t

Better Than Life

Lord, if You are with us, why are all these things happening?

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 

Robby Buck

Nonfiction books by the Author:

Because joy is rooted in God and is eternal, it doesn’t ebb and flow with the waves of circumstances. In fact, as we grow in our understanding of joy, we can even experience it more acutely when life is hard. Why? Because God uses trials to conform us into the image of Christ. With this awareness, which gives us glimpses of God’s greater purposes, we rejoice because of His masterful work to free us from needing anything but Him.

For these reasons, and many others, joy in the Lord is commanded in scripture. It’s not just a good idea, it’s vital to our journey as human beings. Rhythms of Joy

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in an old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

 

Loved by God, Loved in spite of how we feel

(In the Moments) When I Don’t Feel God’s Lovingkindness

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It’s a brisk fall afternoon in the mountains of North Carolina. I’m perched on a bench above the Cove Conference center, enjoying the warmth of the sun on my face as it rises above the mountainous horizon. The fiery reds, burnished oranges, golden yellows, and chocolate browns of the trees ignite my senses and inspire my soul.

Sipping some cool water, I open my Bible and read about God’s lovingkindness toward us.

O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water. Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You. (Psalm 63:1-3)

David was in the wilderness when he penned Psalm 63 and he compared his longing soul to dry, cracked soil. He desperately needed God’s presence, His Rivers of Living Water. (John 7:37-39)

I can relate to David’s desperate longings for God, but what catches my attention is the phrase “lovingkindness.” David says it’s better than life itself.

Lovingkindness. What does it really mean? I’ve heard people say that if you compare love to a piece of freshly baked bread, slathered with butter. Lovingkindness is like adding strawberry preserves to what’s already succulently delicious.

The Hebrew word used here means goodness, faithfulness, and kindness.

Jesus tells us God’s love for us is as great as the Father’s love for Him. (John 15:9) Paul uses words about God’s love for us, which conger images of an ocean of love, beyond our understanding. (Ephesians 3:16-21)

When life is good, I can recognize God’s lovingkindness. However, in hard times, I don’t always feel loved, mostly because I don’t feel lovable.

Two situations come to mind.

  • When I fail
  • When I’m hurt.

When I Fail

I hate failing. I’ve had failures as a husband, as a father, as a son, as a brother, as an employee and an employer, as a friend, etc. Failure can cause me to feel unlovable. How can I be loved, given my many failures?

As I write, the Holy Spirit reminds me:

I am united with Christ in his death and resurrection. Christ raised me and seated me with him in heavenly places. (Ephesians 2:6) Despite my failures, I’m perfectly loved by God hidden with Christ in Him (Colossians 3:3-4) Even though, in this temporal realm, I’m far from perfect, God loves me as much as He loves Jesus (John 15:9).

And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach. (Colossians 1:21-22)

In Christ, I’m holy, blameless and beyond reproach. When I see this, and believe it by faith, I feel God’s lovingkindness, even in my failures. There are truths about me in Christ which can’t change. They’re eternal, beyond the reach of the temporal.

When I’m Hurt

I struggle to embrace God’s lovingkindness when others hurt me. Being hurt can cause deep emotional pain, making me feel rejected and unlovable, even by God.

When I invite God into my pain, I do sense His presence and comfort. I’m learning not to rely on the love of others for my value.

What helps is to realize the surpassing greatness of God’s love compared to even our dearest earthly relationships. All human relationships must be secondary to our relationship with God. In fact, in Luke 14:26 Jesus says, “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”

Compared to God’s great love, human love is like hate. God’s lovingkindness far exceeds all human affection. When I get a grasp of the expanse of His surpassing love for me, I’m filled with joy, even when people are unusually cruel.

More and more I seek love only from Him. This frees me up to love others for their sake, not for what I might get out of the relationship.

Better Than Life

God’s love overshadows everything about us. When life is hardest, His lovingkindness shines even brighter. As a diamond sparkles against a dark background, God’s love is more brilliant in our darkest days.

Challenge

Is there a situation you’re in right now which is threatening to overshadow your awareness of God’s love for you? It could be a pattern of failure, hurt from people you love, or some other situation.

By faith, count as true the words of the Apostle Paul, from Ephesians 3:14-19, concerning God’s surpassing love for us: For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

Soak in His love for you and receive it, even if it does surpass knowledge.

Prayer

Lord, I rest in Your love right now. I desire to walk in Your love throughout the day. Even when I go through hard times, your love shines brighter and brighter. You are faithful. You are good. You are kind.

You love me.

Your lovingkindness is everlasting. (Psalm 136)

Your lovingkindness is better than life.

Please keep me aware of You and Your love every moment of my life.

Amen

Photo generated by AI

Other posts in our series In the Moments:

As Sea Gulls Fly

It is Finished

Behold the Moments

Tranquility

Stop Striving

Simplicity In Christ

What is Good

Yet Will I Rejoice

Sorrowful, Yet Always Rejoicing

Exploring Grace and Joy together

Stay Present My Friends

Quiddity. It Could Change Your Life

The Cake Maker’s Blunder

God at Work (No Trespassing)

Hidden with Christ in God

Finding Joy in Love and Relationships

Escaping the Rat Race

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 

Robby Buck

Nonfiction books by the Author:

Because joy is rooted in God and is eternal, it doesn’t ebb and flow with the waves of circumstances. In fact, as we grow in our understanding of joy, we can even experience it more acutely when life is hard. Why? Because God uses trials to conform us into the image of Christ. With this awareness, which gives us glimpses of God’s greater purposes, we rejoice because of His masterful work to free us from needing anything but Him.

For these reasons, and many others, joy in the Lord is commanded in scripture. It’s not just a good idea, it’s vital to our journey as human beings. Rhythms of Joy

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in an old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

Addiction to Pleasing People

Pleasing Pop (Republished In the Moments)

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My first year of Little League was a bust. I couldn’t connect with even an eleven-year-old fastball. Though our team won the championship, I felt like a worthless hindrance. By obligation, Coach Goodnight would send me to the plate, once every game or so, to take my three swings and sit down.

I felt like giving up, but I loved baseball. During the offseason, I spent a lot of time working on my eye hand coordination and improving my bat speed.

When I showed up for tryouts the following year, I imagine Coach Goodnight couldn’t have been thrilled to see me. But, to my delight, my training paid off. I could connect on pitches, even from a twelve-year-old. And, since I was a decent fielder, I was assigned the role of starting second baseman.

One Saturday morning, as we warmed up for one of our home games, I saw that Pop, my paternal grandfather, had joined my mother in the stands. This delighted me and I especially wanted to play well for him.

There were runners on first and second base when I came to bat for my first plate appearance. I can still picture the details in my mind, over fifty years later. I swung hard at the first pitch. It was a bit outside, so being a righthanded batter, the ball lined between the first and second basemen, heading for the fence. As I rounded first base, I decided to keep running past second and head for third. I slid in ahead of the tag for a triple, driving in two runs.

It wasn’t a Mickey Mantle home run, but I couldn’t have been more excited. When the dust cleared and I stood on third base, I looked up into the crowd and singled out Pop.  He had a huge grin on his face, wildly clapping. He was proud of me.

People Pleasing

As I think back on that moment and others like it, I see how important it is for us to please those we care about. As children, parental acceptance and love is important, but we can easily equate our performance with our value. After all, we learn from an early age how our achievements bring us favor. Passing marks in school mean we get promoted to the next grade. Doing well during tryouts earns us a part in the play. Obeying our parents keeps us from being punished.

It’s easy to conclude that what we do determines how much we’re loved. But this is in direct contradiction to the  good news of Jesus Christ. Paul said some very stern things to the Galatians about their tendencies to follow a “gospel” of works righteousness, especially for the purpose of people pleasing.

As we have said before, even now I say again: if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!

 For am I now seeking the favor of people, or of God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ (Galatians 1:9-10 NASB).

Focused

We’re to live Godly lives but not to earn affection. Only God’s approval is necessary. Our right standing with God is based on what Christ has done, not on anything we could ever accomplish. [1]

Jesus modeled a life of setting aside His own will and living only to please his Father [2]. This focus freed Him from being bound by the actions and opinions of men. Resting in His Father’s love, Jesus freely and lovingly washed Judas and Peter’s feet, men who would betray and deny Him. [3]

Jesus was fully aware of God’s great love for Him, so He didn’t need to depend on the opinions of men. And neither do we.

But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, because He knew all people, and because He did not need anyone to testify about mankind, for He Himself knew what was in mankind (John 2:24-25 NASB).

As Christians, we’ve been adopted into God’s family as His children [4]. Were hidden in Christ Jesus [5], united with Him.  In Christ, we please God already.

and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you (Romans 8:8-9a NASB).

As believers, we’re left with a huge paradigm shift. We must leave behind our dependence upon others for approval. We live now only to please our Father God. And, as we rest in Christ, His life in us is what pleases God.

We get to set aside all worries of what people think of us and live every moment for our Audience of One.

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people,  knowing that it is from the Lord that you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve (Colossians 3:23-24 NASB).

Prayer

Lord, as I picture Pop smiling and cheering me on that day so many years ago, I remember that You delight in me even more than he did. [6] Help me to rest in Your love and acceptance, no matter how folks treat me. I trust in You alone. I release my addiction to worrying about what people think of me.

I know I can’t successfully focus on You without You. Help me never to depend upon any human for my well-being. May I continually trust in You alone.

Please keep me focused on You throughout each day.  When I stray from living only for You, please remind me quickly.

Amen.

One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord
And to]meditate in His temple (Psalm 27:4 NASB)

[1] II Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 2:4-7

[2] John 5:30

[3] John 13

[4] Ephesians 1:3-10

[5] Colossians 3:3

[6] Zephaniah 3:17

Other Posts in our Rhythms of Joy Series:

Joy is Important Because it’s an Experience of God

The Amazing Connection Between Grace and Joy

Moving from Discouraged to Encouraged

Coming to Terms with Hard Things

What About Me?

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 Novels by the Author:

Rob Buck

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains

 

Free from Me

What About Me? (Published in Rhythms of Joy)

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At the turn of the century, our family went on a short term missions trip to Mexico. During some of our down time, we decided to visit the local market. As we entered, we were amazed at the wide variety of colorful local fare, from flowers, to fruits and vegetables, to intricate crafts. 

Immediately, vendors called their products to our attention for purchase. One of us, I can’t remember who, told them we wanted to look around and that we’d come back.

We spent a good bit of time enjoying the massive amount of tables, reaching deeper and deeper into the space, to the point we almost lost our way back to the front. Most of us bought at least one thing.

Suddenly, it dawned upon us how late it was, so we made our way to the front. As we exited, one of the vendors we first encountered yelled in English, “What about me?”

I felt bad and I’m not even sure we responded, but the question, “What about me?” has become a family catch phrase when one of us wants to insert ourselves.

As I continue to walk this journey with Jesus, the more I realize I’m asking the same question in my heart. What about me? Until recently, I didn’t recognize what a consuming quest this really is.

I know I’m not alone in this inward battle. Our Christian lives are a continual challenge, to live in the realities of Galatians 2:20, the great summary of God’s good news. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

Living a life of “I have been crucified” is not easy.

 I see what happened to two of Jesus’ disciples in Mark 9:35-37,  “James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, *came up to Jesus, saying to Him, ‘Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.’ And He said to them, ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’ They said to Him, ‘Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.’”

They were asking, What about me?

What about me? seems to be built into the fabric of our hearts.

What I want to say is what John the Baptist said, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30 NASB)

What about me? is such a restricting, narrowing view. It limits the world and chokes my joy.

It’s You Lord! changes the game from introspection on my little kingdom, into full hope upon the glorious kingdom of God, waiting to explode into eternal ecstasy. [1]  

What about me? requires control and strain to produce circumstances which I hope will maintain my happiness. It puts me where God should be and steals any moments of abiding in His gladness.

It’s You Lord! releases care and trusts in a loving God, who is at work in a greater story of making me more like Jesus. [2]

What about me? longs for the love and approval of others. It produces competitiveness, envy and continual effort to be liked and admired by others.

It’s You Lord! produces gratitude and praise, which keeps me peaceful under the yolk of Jesus’ gentle and humble heart. [3]

I desire this change in my heart, the transformation of John the Baptist, more than anything I can think of. But, I know this kind of work is not a self study class. If I’m to move from What about me? to It’s You Lord! it requires the Lord, not me.

Lord, show me in Your word and empower me by Your Spirit to be less about me and more about You.

He Must Increase, but I Must Decrease.

During our family vacation last year, I was walking on the beach talking with my bride about some deep spiritual matters. This was a convergence of three of our very favorite things to do together: be at the beach, walk, and talk about spiritual things. 

As we walked, she said, “We all have swiss cheese hearts.”

This was a striking image as I pictured it and I’ve thought about it a lot since then. Certainly, God has created our hearts with a void only He can fill.  

Examining my own heart, I’ve identified five major holes which I’ve historically tried to fill myself. I know, with Solomon, that trying to fill my eternal holes with anything of this world is vanity of vanities. [4] Yet, I scream What about me? as I try and plug these holes myself. 

Perhaps others can relate.

The Need to Be Admired

In my heart, I see a deep longing to be admired. When people, especially those important to me, make me feel disliked or even hated,  What about me? screams out. The “desired to be admired hole” aches with a painful feeling of being unloved.

It’s You Lord!  points me to the amazing love God has for me, as revealed in His word and in His actions. Though there are many scriptures about God’s incomprehensible love for us, [5] I’ll focus on what Jesus told His disciples the night before He died, “Just as the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; remain in My love.” (John 15:9)

The eternal love of God is the only thing which can fill my hole to be admired. Expecting this kind of love from others is toxic. It not only binds me to the approval of men, but produces a self-serving love for others, which is not sincere.

Ugh. This is really bad  When What about me? comes to mind about not being admired, I determine to saturated my heart to overflowing with God’s perfect love.

 It’s You Lord!

Lord, You love me with a love I’ll never fully grasp, which fills my heart to overflowing. Please remind me of this when people are mean to me and act hateful.

Resting completely in God’s love

Accepted

In my heart, I see a need to be accepted. When people, especially those important to me, make me feel rejected,  What about me? screams out. The “desired to be accepted hole” aches with a painful feeling of being excluded.

It’s You Lord! points me to what God did for all of His children before the world began:  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:3-6 NASB)

God chose me, to be His child before I was even born. The passage goes on to say that in His love for me, I’ve been lavished with grace, redeemed with His love, and given His Holy Spirit as an installment of my inheritance.

I’ve had some really important people in my life reject me. And the pain does not go away. But it’s a pain of loss, not a loss of value.

No person can define my value, no matter how important. Before I breathed a breath, God called me His own. No person can change that by rejecting me.

It’s You Lord!  

Lord, You’ve accepted me by Your blood. This is what matters. Please help me remember this.

 

Accomplished

In my heart, I see a insatiable need to accomplish things. This drive seems to always be running in the background, to the point that sometimes I have to force myself to relax.

I fight a fear of failure. What about me?  yells that nothing I do is good enough. And there’s the problem in the open. What “I” do.

It’s You Lord! points me to II Corinthians 5:21:  He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Me trying to accomplish some righteousness of my own is the very essence of stupidity. Not only is it impossible, (all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God) [5], but it’s an affront to what Christ has done for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly. (Galatians 2:21 NASB)

Will I fail? Most definitely; every day. But am I a failure? By now means. 

But as for me, I stand on the righteousness of Christ. 

It’s You Lord!

You have given me Your righteousness. You have made me complete, fully accomplished in You. Please help me remember this when  I feel like a failure.

True Value

Affirmed

In my heart, I see a need to be affirmed, to be recognized, to have my achievements pointed out.  What about me? wants my glory to shine.

My, my, my. Me, me me. As I write it’s more than ludicrous. Yet, the temptation rises.

When I think about what Jesus did for me, I realize He wants me to consider myself dead when it comes to my glory. Paul actually wrote this in Colossians 3:3-4: For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

It’s You Lord! helps me realize I’m hidden in Christ. That’s affirmation enough. It’s His life which is to be celebrated, His glory. Why would a dead man need to be recognized and given credit anyway?

Christ is my life. No need to be individually affirmed. One day, I’ll be revealed with Him in glory. His glory, not mine.

Lord, please help me remember this when I feel the need to be recognized and given credit for anything. No need to strive to be affirmed. I rest in You.

Christ our Life

Appeased

In my heart, I recognize the deep need to be satisfied, for my longings to be appeased. As mentioned before, God put longing in every human heart. [6]

Blaise Pascal wrote, “There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of each man which cannot be satisfied by any created thing, but only by God the creator made known by Jesus Christ.”

What about me? believes I must plug these holes myself. But I can’t.  I’ve tried being admired by people, accomplishing many tasks, being pliable to be accepted, and  competing to be affirmed.

I’m realizing that the sum of these searches for lasting joy only leave my wanting all the more.

I hear with Abram, “Do not be afraid, Abram.  I am your shield, your very great reward.” (Genesis 15:1 NIV)

I now agree with Asaph, “But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;” (Psalm 73:28a NASB).

And with David, “You have put gladness in my heart, More than when their grain and new wine abound.” (Psalm 4:7 NASB)

It’s You Lord! is the answer to every hole in my swiss cheese heart.

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” (John 6:35 NASB)

These are some holes in my heart which begin with ‘A’. Lord, show me the whole alphabet. (8^>  

Joy, An Experience of God

Unmasking the Lie

Prayer

Lord, I depend upon me so often; even now, after decades of being Your disciple. But You are teaching me to rest in Your yoke. It’s not up to me anymore. It never was.

It’s Your glory, Lord, never mine. When a thought comes to highlight me, please remind me quickly that it’s You.

Lead me, I pray, to quickly disagree with the lies and agree with the truth that I’m complete in You, filled to the brim and overflowing with You in all areas.

In You, I’m always admired, always accepted, fully accomplished, affirmed in Your glory, and fully satisfied by You, my Bread of life. Your rivers of waters completely saturate my thirst. 

You want me free, really free.

Please continue to show me ways I choose me and not You, my will and not Yours.

I must decrease and You must increase.

I love You Lord.

Amen.

Not my Will

Journal Time

With your journal in hand, write down any What about me? areas in your own life. It could be one or more identified above or different ones.

When is it most often manifested?

Write down ways you think your self focus hampers your life.

What difference would it make if God was your focus and not you?

Write a prayer expressing your desires to make a change and be less self focused and more God focused, recognizing the need for the Holy Spirit to enable you. 

If you’re willing, ask Him to continue to reveal self focused ways in you. He will.

Come back to this journal entry often.

[1] Romans 8:18-23

[2] Romans 8:28-29

[3] Matthew 11:28-30

[4] Ecclesiastes 2:11-22

[5] Romans 3:23

[6] Ecclesiastes 3:11

Other Posts in our Rhythms of Joy Series:

Joy is Important Because it’s an Experience of God

The Amazing Connection Between Grace and Joy

Moving from Discouraged to Encouraged

Coming to Terms with Hard Things

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 Novels by the Author:

Rob Buck

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains

 

Prince of Peace

Stop Searching for Peace

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Our Need for Peace

Inner peace. Own it and you’ll be tranquil, though the world crumbles around you. Without it, nothing you gain will give you contentment.

Peace is defined as freedom from disturbance; serenity, quite, mental calmness and tranquility.

As humans, we need peace and we’ll take all manner of paths searching for it.

Fear Threatens Our Peace

When deadlines looms and stress builds, we fear failure.

When relationships are strained, we fear being unloved.

When we fail, we fear being rejected.

When life gets hard, we fear the pain of our trials.

When debt mounts, we fear insecurity.

When illness strikes, we fear death.

And the list of fears goes on. Fear threatens our peace.

Not as the World Gives It

On the night before He was crucified, Jesus said to His disciples,

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives it do I give to you; Let not your heart be troubled, not let it be fearful.” John 14:27 (NASB)

The world was never supposed to be our source of peace. Jesus is our peace, the peace of His Holy Spirit, which indwells us.

Jesus wants us to give up trying to find and maintain our own peace.

This is extremely freeing, but very hard to do because we’ve been in charge of our own peace our whole lives. Consider how much of our lives have been spent trying to keep our hearts from feeling disturbed and troubled?

Imagine not being responsible for your own peace any more.

Jesus commands us is to not be fearful and to not let our hearts be troubled. He gives us His peace. So, we can rest in Him.

Prince of Peace

Centuries before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah foretold his coming:

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 (NASB)

 Among other titles, Jesus is called our Prince of Peace, but what does this mean?

From the Hebrew words used:

Prince – ruler, leader, chief, captain

Peace – completeness, soundness, welfare, tranquility, contentment

Jesus rules our peace. If we let Him.

We’ve been wearing ourselves out seeking peace, when our only job is to choose Jesus in the midst of every fear.

What a relief!

Prayer

Lord, thank you that You are my peace. You tell me not to have a troubled heart and to not be fearful. This is Your command. I choose You as the Captain of my Peace. I choose You as my Peace. Please guide me, when life’s adventures threaten to steal my peace. In Your strength, help me to choose You over fear. Help me to rest in You as my Peace and to not let my heart be troubled.

Loved by God, Loved in spite of how we feel

When I Don’t Feel God’s Lovingkindness (Republished In the Moments)

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O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly;  My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water.  Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory.  Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You.  Psalm 63:1-3

As the sun warms my face, on a brisk, fall morning in the mountains of North Carolina, I read about God’s lovingkindness toward us.

David was in the wilderness when he penned the Psalm 63 and he compared his longing soul to dry, cracked soil. He was in desperate need of God’s presence, His Rivers of Living Water. (John 7:37-38)

I can relate to David’s desperate longings for God, but what catches my attention is the phrase “lovingkindness.”  David says it’s better than life itself.

Lovingkindness. What does it really mean? I’ve heard it said that if love is compared to a piece of freshly baked bread, slathered with butter. Lovingkindness is like adding strawberry preserves to what’s already succulently delicious.

The Hebrew word used here means goodness, faithfulness and kindness.

Jesus tells us God’s love for us is as great as the Father’s love for Him. (John 15:9) Paul uses words about God’s love for us which conger images of an ocean of love, beyond our understanding. (Ephesians 3:16-21)

When life is good, I can recognize God’s lovingkindness. However, in hard times, I don’t always feel loved, mostly because I don’t feel lovable.

Two situations come to mind.

  • when I fail
  • when I’m hurt.
When I Fail

I hate failing. I’ve had failures as a husband, as a father, as a son, as a brother, as an employee and an employer, as a friend, etc. Failure can cause me to feel unlovable. How can I be loved when I’ve performed so poorly?

As I write, the Holy Spirit reminds me:

I’ve been united with Christ in his death and resurrection. (Romans 6) I’ve been raised with Christ and seated with him in heavenly places. (Ephesians 2:6) In spite of my failures, I’m perfectly loved because my life is hidden with Christ (Colossians 3:3-4) Even though, in this temporal realm, I’m far from perfect, God loves me as much as He loves Jesus (John 15:9).

And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach. Colossians 1:21-22

In Christ, I’m holy, blameless and beyond reproach. When I see this, and believe it by faith, I begin to feel God’s lovingkindness, even in my failures. There are truths about me in Christ which can’t change because they are eternal.

When I’m Hurt

Another time I have a hard time embracing God’s lovingkindness for me is when I’ve been hurt. Being hurt can cause deep emotional pain, making me feel rejected and unlovable, even by God.

When I invite God into my pain, I do sense His presence and comfort.  I’m learning not to rely on the love of others for my value.

What helps is to realize the surpassing greatness of God’s love compared to even our dearest earthly relationships.  All human relationships must be secondary to our relationship with God. In fact, in Luke 14:26 Jesus says, “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”

Compared to God’s great love, human love is like hate. God’s lovingkindness far exceeds all human affection. When I get a grasp of the expanse of His surpassing love for me, I’m filled with Joy, even in the most difficult human hurts.

More and more I seek love only from Him. This frees me up to love others for their sake, not for what I can get out of the relationship.

Better Than Life

God’s love overshadows everything about us. And when life is hardest, His lovingkindness shines even brighter. As a diamond sparkles against a dark background, God’s love is more brilliant in our darkest days.

Prayer: Lord, I rest in your love right now. I desire to walk in your love throughout the day. Even when I go through hard times, your love shines brighter and brighter. You are faithful. You are good. You are kind.

You love me.

Your lovingkindness is everlasting. (Psalm 136)

Your lovingkindness is better than life.

Please keep me aware of you and your love moment by moment.

Amen
 

Choosing Life over work

Taking the Death out of Deadlines

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And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Romans 8:10

 Deadlines create stress even in the most joyous of occasions.  “Deadline” is a negative word which first appeared in a Georgia Confederate prison camp. Confederates built a rail around the stockade where they held the Union soldiers. The deadline loomed twenty feet from that railing. Death awaited any prisoners caught beyond that line.

Though today’s deadlines rarely result in actual death, the word speaks to inner turmoil. A fixed point in time, when all work must be completed, can evoke serious stressful feelings. Nobody wants to fail in any responsibility.

A while back I was the best man in my son’s wedding. Granted, the success of the wedding didn’t depend upon me, but I felt stress as the deadline approached. The house needed cleaning for out of town guests. I had to produce a bride and groom video for the rehearsal dinner. I had to plan the bachelor party. I had to prepare speeches … and …. and ….

The wedding ended up being a joyous occasion, but leading up to it I fought to stay in the present moment and embrace life rather than duty.

As believers, Christ is our life. When we embrace Him as our value and our source, He becomes our lifeline, turning deadlines into joy because of His presence and life.

Value  One reason I dread deadlines is my fear of failure. I struggle seeing my value in what I do. In the wedding I didn’t want to let my son down, but I also didn’t want others to see me as a failure in my roles of best man and father of the groom. Truth: My true value has nothing to do with what I do, but with what Christ has done.[1] It’s by Christ’s life that I’m righteous, not by my own success.[2] My greatest value is being a child of God.[3] Failure has been nailed to the cross. [4]

Source  When I strive to succeed in my own strength, I become very dutiful, and allow my work to steal my joy. I believe the familiar lie that “it is all up to me”. Truth: As a believer, I was crucified with Christ. By His Spirit, He now indwells me. My life is now a moment by moment dependence upon His life in me. Apart from this yielding to Him, I can produce nothing of eternal value.[5] [6]

Lord, I’m sorry for seeking value apart from you and striving on my own. You are my value and my source of strength. When I see you as my life, the stress of deadlines are turned into the joy of your life in me. You have done it all, please help me to continue to rest in your finished work.

 Challenge: Think of a deadline you have coming up. Determine to work for God’s glory and not your own. Ask Christ to be your strength by His Indwelling Spirit and rest in His finished work.

 

 

[1] Ephesians 2:8-9

[2] 2nd Corinthians 5:21

[3] Ephesians 1:5

[4] Galatians 2:20

[5] Galatians 2:20

[6] John 15:5

Seated at His Feet; Listening to His words

Minding your Busyness (Republished in Everlasting way)

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..but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Luke 10:42

If Satan can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy.

 I was preoccupied as I pulled up in front of Dad’s trailer. My father had been through a lot of pain and was trying to rebuild his life. He didn’t have a car and he depending upon me. On this particular Saturday, he needed me to pick up some groceries. I was doing what he asked, but it was not out of love for him, it was out of duty.

My task list had grown so large, the joy of life was being sucked out of me. As I was lifting the bags of groceries from my car, I was already thinking of the other items on my task list. I had to mow the yard, take the kids to the park, check on a problem at work, prepare to teach Sunday school the next day and …

I charged into Dad’s trailer and began stacking the groceries on his kitchen table. When I was done, I told him I was running short on time and would need to be going. He asked me to sit a moment and chat. I agreed, but insisted I was on a tight schedule. I could see the disappointment in his eyes, as I sat down.

“Rob, you’re always on a tight schedule. Where do I fit in?” Dad asked. “Put me on your priority list somewhere!”

My immediate reaction was anger. In fact, I think I even raised my voice at him. “Dad, you have no idea all I have going on!” I fumed, releasing some pent up pressure.

Later, as I reflected on Dad’s words, my heart was pierced. He had nailed me. I had become so busy, people had dropped from my priority list. I was very dutiful, seeing people not as objects of love, but obstacles to my ever growing list of duties.

Looking back on the time now, I see that much of my busyness was self-imposed; adding task after task to earn God’s love and to avoid feeling as if I had failed in my roles as husband, father, brother, employee, friend and son. Truly I was acting more like a “human doing” than a human being.

Because of this, I wondered how God could be so merciful to me. He called me to be an ambassador of His love, yet I was not spreading his love. Even though I was doing things for Dad, he was not feeling loved. He felt disrespected by my indifference to him as a person. I suspected my wife and kids and friends were feeling the same thing. I was so busy, yet I was literally doing more harm than good.

I thought of Martha in Luke chapter 10, verses 38-42. Jesus was in her house, but she was so preoccupied with her duties she missed Him. Jesus told her she was bothered and worried about so many things.

But her sister Mary knew exactly what to do. While Martha was stressing over her tasks, Mary was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His words. Mary chose the one thing that was important.

But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42 (NASB)

Now, years later, I’m convinced that if I follow Mary’s example, what needs to be get done will be accomplished. And though I still struggle at times with the Martha syndrome, I also know that activities, which do not spring from my dependence upon Christ, accomplish nothing of eternal value.[1]

Mary was not lazy. After the scene recorded in Luke, she would take a costly vial of perfume and anoint the Lord’s body for burial. This work, done in response to her great love for Jesus, will always be remembered whenever the gospel is preached.[2]

I want to be like Mary; to love and trust Jesus so much that He is the one focus of my life. After all, Jesus lives in me. His love is in my heart. I don’t have to do anything for Him to love me. I’m simply told to remain where He has put me: in His love.

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. John 15:9 (NIV)

Challenge: When you feel yourself getting busy, slow down. Follow Mary’s example of being with Jesus and listening to His words. And don’t stop resting in Him even when your activities begin. Depend upon the Indwelling Spirit of Jesus to love the people He brings your way. Let love be your focus. What needs to get done, will get done.

God produces extraordinary accomplishments when we depend upon His Spirit in us.

Lord, thank you for showing me that focusing on You and listening to You is the key to life.  Please help me trust this fact, even in the midst of life’s responsibilities. Guard me from being bothered and worried about my tasks. Build in me the rhythm of sitting with you and listening to you, before I work and while I work. I love you, Lord. Keep me settled in Your love.

The man who remains in the love of Jesus is never a failure.

[1] John 15:5

[2] Mark 14:9

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

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 Novels by the Author:

Rob Buck

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains