I was teaching a two week interim class at the Governor’s School of Science and Mathematics in Hartsville, South Carolina. My mom had been complaining of abdominal pain for a few weeks. We hoped it was her diverticulitis, but when antibiotics didn’t clear it up, the doctor talked about something more serious. They scheduled exploratory surgery the day I was finishing up class.
I hadn’t heard anything when the class ended. So I headed home along a dark rural road. Suddenly my car lost all power. I clutched the steering wheel and navigated to the narrow shoulder of the road, as a massive eighteen wheeler whizzed by, shaking the car. Later, I discovered that my oil pump had failed, causing the engine to seize.
Almost simultaneously, my cell phone rang. It was my wife. Mom was out of surgery. She had stage three primary peritoneal cancer. I stumbled through a couple of questions, and ended the call.
I called a tow truck and settled in the darkness for them to arrive. The two events had happened so closely together, I could barely take them in. It all felt surreal. I was numb.
As I waited, I began to feel God’s presence. Slowly, but ever so steadily, I sensed the warmth of His peace. The feeling intensified to something I can only describe as joy. Not the kind which would cause exuberant celebration, but the deep joy of God being near, closer than a breath.
In spite of what had just happened, there was a strange understanding that everything was okay, no matter how things would turn out.
In His Presence is fullness of Joy. (Psalm 16:11b)
I learned from this experience that being okay is not a matter of my circumstances always working out, it’s about my being with God.
Redeemed
About a month later, my wife and I had church at Mom’s house one Sunday.
After singing a hymn, we read portions of Isaiah 43.
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine (Isaiah 43:1b NASB).
When we finished reading, Mom said, “redeemed” in a way which made us think she had a new understanding of the word in this context.
Looking back I wonder if she’d first heard the word as a little girl, returning pop bottles at Coopers Grocery. I wish I’d asked her then.
Before that Sunday morning, she’d often ask me if she’d lived a good enough life to go to heaven. No matter how many times I reminded her that our “good life” doesn’t get us to heaven, she’d ask me the same thing later.
Seven months later, mom would be gone. Surgery and chemo left her weak and despondent. About a day before she died, my brother, sister and I showed up, unplanned, at her care facility. We were surprised we all picked the same time. We watched her unconscious breathing for a while. Each said our goodbyes, and walked out together. She would die before any of us would see her again.
After that Sunday morning, right after her diagnosis, she told me she was no longer afraid to die. Isaiah 43, and the presence of God’s Spirit, transformed her fear.
She believed that Jesus had lived that “good life” for her and that His death on the cross had redeemed her soul for eternity.
Even now, over twelve years later, this brings me indescribable joy.
Mom
Challenge
No matter what you’re going through right this moment, peace and the joy of the Lord’s presence are available.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7 NASB)
We can’t look for sustaining joy in our circumstances. The world offers much sorrow. Look instead to Jesus, the Sustainer of our souls.
The follow verse reminds us that God’s nearness is our ultimate good: But as for me, the nearness of God is my good. (Psalm 73:28b NASB 1995).
The juxtaposition of sorrow and rejoicing, in Paul’s life and in ours, captures the essence of faith
Prayer
Lord, thank You. You make me aware of Your joyful presence no matter what I face. It’s so easy for me to try and find joy in how I’m doing. Thank You that You want more for me than that. You give me deep, solid peace and joy which is unaffected by anything I face. Please keep me aware that You are my Delight, my Joy, my Life, my King. Amen.
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:
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
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.
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 loveHe 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.
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.
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.
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^>
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.
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.
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
Why do difficult things happen to us even, in the midst of God’s presence?
Many an unbeliever has considered themselves on firm ground with this question. And they like to stoke up others into agreement. It’s a perplexing dilemma which gives pause to even the most faithful follower of Jesus.
John the Baptist, sitting in a dungy cell, went from pointing out Jesus as the Lamb of God, to wondering if another should be expected.
Now when John, while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciplesand said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” (Matthew 11:2-3 NASB).
Jesus responded, telling John’s disciples to report to him that blind folks were seeing, the lame were walking, lepers were being cleansed, the dead were being raised, and the good news of the gospel was being preached to the poor. [1]
Then He said, “And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me” (Matthew 11:6 NASB).
Offense. From the Greek – to put a stumbling block or impediment in the way, to entice to sin, to cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and obey, to cause to fall away.
Jesus goes on to praise John and to say, Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he (Matthew 11:11 NASB).
Jesus calls John the greatest among those born of women, yet He realized offense can be taken when circumstances don’t turn out as expected.
Others have had similar confusion.
After the angel of the Lord said to Gideon, “The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior.”[2] He asked, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us?” (Judges 6:13b NASB)
Since God is good and powerful, it seems natural to expect His presence to produce pleasant times. Like John and Gideon we can become disillusioned by how difficult our lives become, especially when we believe the Lord has the power to work things out.
In the midst of our hard times, how do we keep from stumbling and keep on trusting? How do keep on obeying and not become discouraged?
Jesus’ early disciples, who lived lives which were anything but smooth, had to learn to look at life from a higher perspective in order to begin to understand this dilemma.
And so do we.
What can keep us from taking offense when our lives get hard?
Blessed Are Those Who Don’t Take Offense.
Jesus’ message to John the Baptist about folks being blessed when they don’t take offense at Him, let’s us know it’s possible to see things in a different way.
But how?
We get some ideas by reading what a couple of Jesus’ disciples wrote after years of following Him.
Peter
The early life of Peter is widely known. Most have heard about how he denied Christ three times, even with a curse. [3] At that point in his life, though he was one of Jesus’ closest disciples, he hadn’t grasped how God can use hard times to achieve something far greater than carefree days. He was afraid that being truthful about knowing Jesus would be very dangerous to him.
Later, scholars think between 35 to 40 years after his denial, he wrote the following verses: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,obtaining as the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls (I Peter 1:3-9 NASB).
Through these years, God had been at work, through Peter’s own trials, to give him a view of God’s eternal ways.
Here’s what he learned about God’s children:.
We will eventually earn an imperishable inheritance
We are being protected by the power of Christ for a salvation yet to be revealed
Various trials may be required to prove our faith, and deepen our trust in God.
Eventually these trials will result in praise, glory and honor
Even in the midst of trials, there’s great reason for us to rejoice and have expressible joy
Peter’s transformation is a miracle. And God is at work in us to achieve something similar.
What we learn through trials is better than life itself.
Paul
Paul’s early years are also well known. Until Jesus radically called him, he thought he was doing God’s bidding by killing Christians. He was on the wrong team.
But, like Peter, years of walking with Christ taught him how hard times can deepen his trust and build his relationship with God.
Take a look at some of the difficulties he faced for the sake of Christ recorded in 2nd Corinthians 11:23-28:
labors
imprisonments
beaten times without number
often in danger of death
five times he received thirty-nine lashes
three times beaten with rods
stoned
three times shipwrecked
spent a night and a day in the deep
dangers from rivers and robbers
many sleepless nights
in hunger and thirst, often without food
in cold and exposure
He knew personally what Jesus meant when He wrote, “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 NASB)
Like Peter, Paul learned to see things from a much larger perspective. See his personal testimony, written for us:
“For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction which occurred in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life.Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead (II Corinthians 1:8-9 NASB).
It’s not easy to see the good when things are really hard, but Paul saw that it took utter despair for him to learn to stop trusting in himself. The situation was so dire, he could only cry out to God. And, in the process, his faith grew.
The Greater Story
Like John the Baptizer, Gideon, Peter and Paul, we have and will face circumstances which are beyond our abilities to endure. During these times, we need to be aware of God’s greater purpose for us.
God wants more for us than happy circumstances. When Paul tells us that God is working in all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes, he’s referring to something better than an easy life. God’s purposes are to give us the freedom and joy of being conformed into the image of Christ. [4]
There are profoundly sanctifying forces at work when we cling to Jesus in the midst of our pain. In our trials, our grip on lesser loves is loosened, freeing us to fully enjoy Jesus.
See what James wrote about the redeeming qualities of our afflictions and trials:
Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials,knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:2-4 NASB).
Trials can bring us joy because they develop endurance which lead us to becoming complete, lacking nothing. Nothing means nothing. Trials can show us we don’t need a life of ease to be joyful.
Prayer
Lord, I’m sorry for ever assuming that being with You meant my life would be easy.
With Aspaph, I cry, “For me, the nearness of God is my good.” (Psalm 73:28)
You and You alone are my good, the source of all my joy [5] and my very great reward. [6]
I know You love me and that You want me to enjoy the moments of my life with You. But I also know, like Paul, from first hand experience, that You’ve used some really hard things to show me that I can’t depend upon anything in this world for my “okayness.”
Though I would have never chosen these particular trials in my life, I’m amazed at how I love you with greater ferocity because You use them to dislodge idols from my heart.
Please continue to show me anything and anyone I’ve chosen instead of You. Free me of these I pray.
I love you.
Amen
Journal Time
With your journal in hand, write about a hard situation in your life or in the life of someone you love. You may have more than one.
Write a prayer to God honestly telling Him how you are doing, in light of what’s going on. Don’t be afraid to express anger and disappointment, if that’s what you’re feeling. God can handle it. He wants us to come to Him in honesty. The real us coming before the God of all truth.
Consider ways He might have already been at work in these trials to conform you into the image of Christ. Write these things down.
Ask Him to give you the courage of His presence as you face life’s challenges.
Write about your willingness to face God’s will, even if it’s not what you might want.
If you were around when Gideon asked, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us?” (Judges 6:13b NASB)
Do you have a response to his question? If so, write it out.
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
Growing up, I had an idealistic scenario of what I hoped my future would be like. My aim was a life of peace and circumstantial happiness. But it didn’t take long to realize reality is far different.
When I gave my life to Jesus Christ, I figured it would be much better since I’d chosen the right path. What I didn’t factor in is true life is about something far greater than comfort and smooth circumstances.
God is working for my good, but He alone knows what that is. Sometimes we face hard, confusing situations. Jesus tells us we’ll experience troubles , but we wonder why since all they seem to produce is pain. [1]
In a broken relationship my wife and I are facing with a close family member, God seems to have erected a ‘God at Work – No Trespassing’ sign. We’ve done all we know to do.
We pray ferociously. We cry out. We wait.
The following steps help:
Don’t Pretend
Don’t pretend all is well. Acknowledge life is different than you had hoped. Accept the loss and feel the pain.
Lord, I call You near in the depths of my grief. You’re the God of all Comfort. Sooth my pain with the Joy of Your presence.[2]
Celebrate God’s Faithfulness
Celebrate the fact that God has seen you through tough times before and trust He will do it again in this situation.
Lord, You’ve been so faithful through so many difficulties. Looking back, I certainly see how You’ve used these trials for me to give up trying to live life on my own and to trust You.[3] The eternal work You’ve done in my soul makes this very hard situation worth it. It has strengthened me emotionally and spiritually. It has drawn me closer to my bride.
Stop Fretting
Fret – to be worried or anxious.
Catch yourself in the act of fretting about what you can’t change. This is in the Lord’s hands. Decide to stop trying to figure things out.
Lord, I trust You to invite me into this difficulty when You’re ready. I don’t want to thwart what You’re doing. In the meantime, I trust You’re at work in the lives of all involved in ways I may never understand.
Focus on What’s Beautiful
Focus on the beautiful things on this side of the ‘God at Work’ sign.
With the birds, celebrate the waking of the new day. Look your loved ones in the face and take in every precious moment. Stay present. Engage your senses in all of God’s moments. Savor. Acknowledge God’s nearness in every detail of His creation.
Though we may feel as if we’ve failed, in Christ, we believers are complete. [4] and no situation can change that. We died, and our lives are now hidden with Christ in God.[5]
Lord, in You I’m okay, even if this situation is never resolved. I’m free to enjoy life’s moments with You, in spite of any unexpected situation.
Take Time to Draw Near
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; (Psalm 73:28a NASB)
Lord, my heart is ready to be glad. In you, I rejoice always, even when life takes a turn which threatens my sense of well being. Through it all, my eyes are on You. My faith is growing because of this hard reality in ways I would have never thought possible. I draw closer to You every day because of it. I don’t need this situation to work out to be okay.
You are enough.
My life is oriented from things above where I’m seated with You. My comfort is not the most important thing. Please continue Your work while I wait.
Yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. (Isaiah 40:31 NASB)
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:
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
Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10 NASB)
It doesn’t take a pandemic and a nation marred in disunity to render us faint at heart. Life can be discouraging even without that stuff.
And when we get a full dose and need to pause to catch our breath, life keeps on coming at us. To remain courageous, we must muster our faith.
Muster – to assemble troops as for a battle, to gather, to summon, to rouse
On a regular basis, we have repeated opportunities to gather and summon our faith. Like workouts in the gym, rousing our trust, when things aren’t smooth, builds muscle memory and strengthens our faith.
How do we muster our faith when we feel weak and God seems distant? Following are a few musts.
We Must Remember God’s Sovereignty
God is always in control. His purposes can’t be thwarted. He’s able to work all things together for His greater purposes.[1] Even the very hard situations we face are no surprise to God. In His omnipotence, the sinful choices by men, the state of this fallen world and the schemes of the enemy can not change what God is doing.
Joseph told his brothers, “Andas for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”[2]
God used Jonah’s disobedience to illicit praise from the folks on the ship to Tarashish.[3]
The evil intent of the Jewish leaders to kill Jesus led to the salvation of all men.
God has entrusted us with each circumstance we’re in and desires us to trust Him and not our own understanding of our situations.[4]
We Must Orient Our Lives from God’s Greater Story
Paul tells believers that since we have been raised up with Christ, we’re to set our minds on things above, not on things of the earth.[5]
We need to see our lives from an eternal perspective, knowing God is at work for our greater good. He’s working all things for the purpose of conforming us into the image of Christ, not for us to experience a smooth ride.[6] It’s vital for us to understand this. If not, we can view God as a distant dictator, out to destroy our hopes and dreams.
We need to live now with the end in mind. Being more like Christ is what this life is about, not temporal happiness. For we died and our life is now hidden in Christ.[7]
We Must Realize Being with God is Our Highest Joy
The Bible has an overarching theme, woven into the fabric from Genesis to Revelation. Us being with God. We were created for fellowship with Him.
David, wrote that even in the shadow of death, he would not be afraid because He knew God was with him.[8] He also wrote that in God’s presence, joy is full.[9]
After crying out to God concerning the unfairness of life, Asaph concluded that God’s nearness was his good, not his lot in life.[10]
From a Roman prison Paul repeatedly instructed us to be full of joy in the Lord. Not just when we feel like it, but at all times.[11]
We Must Remember God’s Love for us Never Fails
No matter how often we fall short in actions and faith, God’s love for us never fails, it’s everlasting.[12] His lovingkindness never ceases. His mercies are new every morning.[13]
As believers, we are His children, a fact established before the world began.[14] Nothing can separate us from His great love.[15] His love for us can be described as deeper and wider and longer than an ocean and higher than the heavens. It surpasses our ability to comprehend.[16]
Prayer
Lord, we come to You now. You know the place we’re in. You’re not surprised by any of it. You’re with us and have allowed it for our greater good. Help us not to doubt Your ways. May we draw near to You and walk in utter dependence upon You. We were never to face these things alone. We depend upon Your strength in our weakness. Amen.
“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”[17]The Apostle Paul
All the days of the afflicted are bad, But a cheerful heart has a continual feast. (Proverbs 15:15 NASB).
Solomon wrote that all the days of the afflicted are bad. Afflicted – poor, humble, wretched, needy and lowly. Though this might not describe all our days, most of us have experienced times of affliction. But, in his wisdom, Solomon gave us a remedy. We need a cheerful heart. If we have that, he says we’ll have a continual feast, the longings of our hearts will stay satisfied. No more searching for someone or somebody to fill our deep desires. A cheerful heart will fill us up to overflowing joy.
This sounds exciting, but how does it play out in the moments of our lives? Sometimes the condition of our hearts hang in the balance, based on how we’re feeling or what’s going on around us. What’s the secret of having and maintaining a cheerful heart and how do we walk in continual spiritual nourishment?
What is a Cheerful Heart?
The Hebrew word translated as “cheerful” in the above verse has a wide variety of meanings. Agreeable to the senses, such as fair to the sight, sweet to the taste, fragrant to the smell and as a cooling shadow of a tree. This brings the word into a context we can relate to in our experience, but it also encompasses terms of a broader, higher nature such as beautiful, pleasant, excellent, fruitful, fertile, advantageous, choice, fine, pure, goodly, valuable, better, merry, glad.
As I read these descriptions of the word Solomon used, I sense its magnitude and “out of this world” richness. It congers up thoughts and feelings of complete peace and bliss, like being nurtured under the mighty wings of God.
He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings you may take refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and wall (Psalm 91:4 NASB).
I think of what David declared in Psalm 4:7 You have put gladness in my heart, more than when their grain and new wine abound (NASB).
And verses like: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward” (Genesis 15:1b NIV)
and
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good (Psalms 73:28a NASB)
The bottom line is that God Himself is the true source of our joy. As David wrote, In your presence is fullness of Joy” (Psalms 16:11b NASB).
Though our hearts are cheered by the beauties of His creation, only God Himself can give us the kind of continual gladness which produces an ongoing buffet of spiritual nourishment.
Maintaining a Cheerful Heart.
It doesn’t have to take a difficult trial or sadness to get me off track. On any normal day I can easily rely on what’s around me to keep my heart encouraged. But eventually, this always leaves me empty. In my experience, it’s not what’s going on around me or even how I’m feeling which strengthens my heart and gives me courage. Maintaining a joyful, cheerful heart has everything to with the focus of my worship.
Worship – to give worth or worthiness.
We all have an ongoing decision to make. Are we going to choose, as David did in the following verse, to worship God as our one desire? 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).
Or, are we going to put greater worth on our circumstances and how we feel?
This is not a one and done decision for the day. Delighting in the Lord, and not in how we’re doing, is a moment by moment choice.
Over time, in countess turnings of our gaze back to Him, we begin to understand.
God Himself is not only the reason for our cheerful hearts but also the source of nourishment which fully satiates our souls with the bounties of His goodness.
Prayer
Lord, You fill my heart to overflowing with the beauties of Your magnificence. Please keep me focused on You. I want You to always by my one true worship. I depend upon You and Your Indwelling Spirit to keep me in the shadow of Your wings. Show me quickly when my hearts shifts to worshipping my own comfort. Teach me to trust in Your love and Your greater purposes. I lay my life and my story at Your feet. I delight in the rich, sweetness of Your goodness.
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! (Psalm 34:8 NKJV)
.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:
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
Recently a missionary dear to our hearts made a statement which is rocking my world. She said when invited by God to serve and love someone, she has a choice. She can step into what God wants for her or choose to just have a good day.
Over the last few years she’s learned a deep level of dependence upon God for provision and direction. She doesn’t always have the luxury of knowing how the next bill will be paid or what she’ll be doing six months from now.
She’s sensed the Lord’s calling to go wherever He sends her – Jesus’ nomad. She’s learning to listen to her Savior’s voice and follow where He leads.
She’s been on several ministry trips speaking the name of Jesus boldly and offering His salvation for those who believe. There have been healings and “unlikely” conversions. At times she’s felt foolish, but her desire is to always listen and obey what she believes God is asking her to do.
Wow. I want this kind of heart for Jesus. Aren’t we all called to be missionaries? Didn’t Jesus send us out to our own people to tell what marvelous things the Lord has done for us and how He’s shown us mercy? Aren’t we all to follow Jesus with this same gusto, being His disciples and making disciples?
I want to learn this level of dependence, trust and obedience. Am I allowing my desire for good days to get in the way of something bold Jesus wants to do through me?
A Good Day
What is a good day? Is it accomplishing what needs to be done amid pleasant circumstances, being with the ones we love, doing things we enjoy? I like days like that, but does my desire for ease keep me from stepping into what God wants for me?
Unlike our missionary, I’ve settled into the comfort of predictability. There’s nothing wrong with planning, but do I allow my plans to cloud what God may want me to do? I pray not. Smooth days are nice, but they can feel empty. Good days are pointers to what’s is wonderfully, joyfully, eternally good – God Himself.
Asaph wrote after he entered the sanctuary of the Lord, But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; (Psalm 73:28a)
God is what’s really good, no matter what our circumstances are. He’s at work in us to help us know this, sometimes through difficulties. He doesn’t want us to settle for less than Him as our heart’s desire.
“Do not be afraid, Abram.I am your shield,your very great reward.”(Genesis 15:1b NIV)
Prayer
Lord, I surrender my longings for a smooth, comfortable life. Like our missionary, I want to choose you over a good day. I know You are my Good. No matter what happens, You are with me. In Your presence is fullness of Joy. Lead me into a deeper surrender of those comforts I hold on to.
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. (John 10:27-28)
Lord, help me learn to hear Your voice. Guide me into the adventures You have for me each day. I want to speak Your name boldly and offer Your Salvation to those You bring my way. You are my Life.
Amen
[1] Unless otherwise noted, the Scriptures quoted are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB)
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 once a week. Thank you for reading.
But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me. (Philippians 2:17-18)
I wish I always considered others first, but when I looked under the hood there’s still a whole lot of me going on. God has been working for a while now to pry my heartstrings free from putting my interests first. It’s taken very hard circumstances to realize life is not all about things working out nicely for me. God’s is showing me that His nearness is my good.[1] My job is to consider the needs of others and to love sacrificially.[2]
It’s a steamy summer mid-August morning. My glasses fog up as I walk out to our screened porch. Surprisingly, dried leaves already scatter the barnyard covering the scorched remains of winter rye. A hummingbird whizzes in for a drink and speeds away. As I write, a fan refreshes my face and blows across my hairless head.
All week the truths of Philippians two have rolled over and over in my heart. This chapter contradicts prevailing entitlement sentiments which promise fulfilment and happiness from seeking what’s best for us. It calls us to a trusting, selfless attitude which frees us up to truly love others as Christ has loved us. I see four examples of this self-less love in the chapter.
Jesus demonstrated this attitude first for all of us to follow. Though He existed as God, He emptied Himself, becoming void, serving us by dying to set us free.[3]
Paul writes of his own desire to follow this sacrificial attitude of Christ. He says that even if his own life was being poured out as a drink offering for the Philippians, it would give him great joy.[4]
Timothy is genuinely concerned for the welfare of the Philippians, living out Christ’s desire to seek the interest of others.[5]
Epaphroditus didn’t want the Philippians worried about his illness. He poured himself out to the point of death in service to them.[6]
I fry bacon and make BT toast (we’re out of lettuce) using a plumb ripe tomato from our friend’s garden. I drink milk out of a mug our daughter gave us, engraved with the word ‘Joy’.
I have a long way to go to follow in the steps of these four. But I’m seeing there’s freedom in selfless living. If I truly trust God has my best interest in mind, I’m less and less concerned about me and how life is working out.
I taste a savory bite of toast, slathered in mayonnaise. I feel very in the moment. I sense Christ’s nearness. He indwells me by His Holy Spirit. He’s closer than breathe. As I trust and abide, He’s teaching me the joy of loving others the way He’s loved me.[7]
When the world says ‘me’, ‘me’. The Lord tells us to trust Him. He’s taking care of us. We’re free to enJoy His nearness and to love others as He’s loved us.
Lord, please teach me how to begin each day trusting you have my best interest in mind, no matter what troubles I might face. Remind me of your complete, constant love. As I yield to you, show me how to love others. There’s great freedom and Joy in trusting and loving like You.
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 once a week. Thank you for reading.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB)
When I was younger, I had an idea of how I thought my life would turn out, or at least how I hoped it would. I expected good health, peaceful relationships and smooth circumstances. I figured things might turn out differently, but what I didn’t realize is how much I’d tied my sense of well being to how my life was going. As a result, when the inevitable, unexpected twists occurred, I found myself on shaky ground, searching for something lasting to fill my need for joy. Perhaps you can relate.
It’s a midspring morning. I take a sip of my favorite kind of coffee, strong and dark with a little bit of stevia and cream. I’m beginning to feel the sun’s warmth cutting through the new day coolness, but it’s not high enough to blaze over the leafy green canopy. There’s no break in the constant symphony of birds singing above and in the forest beyond.
I want to celebrate the new day with as much melodious joy as these birds, but I need to be sure I’m still trusting God in these unexpected paths my life has taken. I have no doubt He’s with me, but in one situation He’s erected a ‘God at Work’ sign and He wants me to honor it. He’ll invite me in when He’s ready. In the meantime, my job is ferocious prayer.
A neighbor, walking her dogs, sees me and walks down the driveway to chat. She asks about our new dog, Lily, rescued off the streets on Good Friday.
We talk about shade flowers and how my bride and I plan on adding some color to our water garden next to the porch.
When she leaves, I continue my preparation for the new day. Years ago, I would have denied the gravity of the very painful parts of life, feeling what I could, stuffing the rest and keeping on best I could. But now that I’m learning how to properly steward my feelings, I see how denying emotional pain desensitizes my heart and makes it hard for me to discern God’s nearness.
If I’m to truly rejoice with the birds, I need to rehearse the steps I believe God has given me to help me honor His ‘God at Work’ sign in this very hard situation.
Don’t try to pretend all is well. Acknowledge my life is different than I hoped. Accept the loss and feel the pain. Lord, I call You near in the depths of my grief. You’re the God of all Comfort. Sooth my pain with the Joy of Your presence.[1]Celebrate the fact that God has seen me through tough times and trust He will do it again in this situation. Lord, You’ve been so faithful through so many difficulties. Looking back, I certainly see how You’ve used these trials for me to give up trying to live life on my own and to trust You.[2] The eternal work You’ve done in my soul makes this very hard situation worth it. When it first began, I would have never thought this to be the case, but now my heart tells me it’s true. This very hard situation has strengthened me emotionally and spiritually to the point that it is actually worth it. Thank You Lord.
Catch myself in the act of feeling bad about what I can’t change. This is in the Lord’s hands. Decide to stop trying to figure things out. Lord, I trust You to invite me into this difficulty when You’re ready. I don’t want to thwart what You’re doing. In the meantime, I trust You’re at work in the lives of all involved in ways I may never understand.
Focus on the beautiful things on this side of the ‘God at Work’ sign. Even though this situation is one I never expected, it doesn’t make my life incomplete. It’s easy for me to feel like a failure, but in Christ, I am complete.[3] I died, and my life is now hidden with Christ in God.[4]Lord, in You I’m okay, even if this situation is never resolved. I’m free to enjoy life’s moments with You in spite of, and in the midst of, any unexpected situation.
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; (Psalm 73:28a NASB)
Lord, my heart is ready to be glad. In you, I rejoice always, even when life takes a turn which threatens my sense of well being. Through it all, my eyes are on You. My faith is growing because of this hard reality in ways I would have never thought possible. I draw closer to You every day because of it. I don’t need this situation to work out to be okay.
You are enough.
My life is oriented from things above where I’m seated with You. My comfort is not the most important thing. Please continue Your work while I wait.
Lord, as I walk into this new day, show me who You want to love through me. Complete my joy as I love others as You’ve loved me, abiding always in Your love.[5]
Yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. (Isaiah 40:31 NASB)
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.
Lee and I grew up together on the same street. On summer days we’d hop on our bikes and pedal down to Shaw’s pharmacy and spend our allowance on baseball cards and fire balls. We played countless basketball games at each other’s court, swam at the community pool and played on the same little league team.
We endured our parent’s divorce during our formative years, leaving us both on shaky ground. Neither of our father’s had the capacity to help us navigate manhood, so we did the best we could. We tried to live good lives, but eventually followed our friends into experimenting with smoking and drinking. Once this began, the tide took us deeper into drugs and other misdeeds.
Lee quit high school and joined the army. I went to college.
Searching for Joy
While in college, I pursued worldly pleasures I thought would bring me joy. I almost lost a scholarship my mother worked hard to secure. During fifty cent beer night, I was arrested for DUI. As I sat in jail, before my buddies bailed me out, I realized my life was on a downward trajectory. I knew I needed God, but didn’t know how to approach Him. My experience with ‘born again’ Christians seemed to be a life of joyless rules.
In the meantime, Lee was on a similar downward spiral. He landed in jail for drug possession in California. During the incident, he was introduced to Jesus Christ as a personal Savior, not a rule demanding kill joy. His life was truly changed and he couldn’t wait to tell me.
Lee’s Questions
One day, when Lee was on furlough and I was home for the weekend, he asked me, “Robby, do you think you’re going to heaven?
“Yea,” I replied.
“How do you know?”
“I believe in Jesus, like it says in the Bible,” I replied. “I haven’t killed anybody and I’ve lived a pretty good life.”
“But the Bible says you’ll know them by their fruit,” Lee responded.
This took me back. I certainly wasn’t living a life of good fruit.
“If you want joy.” Lee continued. “Your priorities need to be Jesus first, then others and finally yourself.”
“Lee, I’d need to clean my life up first before I could give my life to Jesus.”
“Do you take a bath before you take a shower?” he asked. “Jesus will accept a person exactly where they are.”
Life in Christ
My conversation with Lee was one of the primary seeds God used to bring me to my knees months later. In late summer of 1977, I admitted to the Lord I’d made a mess of my life. I accepted what He’d done on the cross on my behalf and received His life in exchange for my sin. I had no idea what to do next, but my life in Christ had begun.
Lee and I have remained close for almost 60 years now. We realize how rare our friendship is and we don’t take it for granted. It’s extremely comforting to have a bud who’s been in your life for as long as you can remember, especially when life gets hard.
Lee’s Cancer
I got a call from Lee last month informing me there is a lump on his chest. They’d be doing a biopsy soon to see if it’s cancerous. He seemed to be handling it well, but my heart sank. Not Lee. Lord, please not cancer.
The following week he found out he has breast cancer. He told me the plan is to be determined, but he didn’t want to waste this opportunity to magnify the Lord in this very difficult situation.
Lee’s Courage
Lee is one of my heroes. Not only did he care enough to share God’s good news with me, but he models what it looks like to care more about God’s glory than his own welfare.
Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:18b-21 NASB)
He’s fighting to realize and walk in the fact that his well-being is tied to his closeness to God, not in his circumstances.
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works (Psalm 73:28 NASB).
From Lee’s Journal: 3/5/19 – The early morning awakenings, these are the toughest and yet they bring the most solace. It doesn’t seem I get a lot but I do get a little, and yet I desire more but even then I know not what.
My Prayer
Lord, I thank you for my friend Lee. I cherish his friendship over all these many years. In Christ, I have bold access to your throne. I know You’re able to heal Lee. Will You, please. Also, please honor his request to allow his cancer to glorify You. Use it to bring people closer to You. Draw near to Lee in the early morning hours when he needs to know You’re there. I pray these things in the faithful name of Jesus the Christ.
