Our Good, His Glory

I'm too busy/brainfried/uninspired to write an in-depth post right now, but wanted to share with you the following passage from a book I just started reading, Trusting God by Jerry Bridges:

"God never pursues His glory at the expense of the good of His people, nor does He ever seek our good at the expense of His glory. He has designed His eternal purpose so that His glory and our good are inextricably bound together. What comfort and encouragement this should be to us. If we are going to learn to trust God in adversity, we must believe that just as certainly as God will allow nothing to subvert His glory, so He will allow nothing to spoil the good He is working out in us and for us." (pg. 25-26)

Lots of Links

A few links to check out:

-After several months' hiatus, my friend Rhonda is blogging again. I've always admired her writing because she expresses so much of what she's feeling, whether joy or pain. Take time to check out her musings.

-I enjoyed this post on Jim Martin's blog, A Place for the God Hungry, about taking the time to review our week, not just from a scheduling standpoint, but from a spiritual standpoint as well. It's all too easy to let activity rule our lives, and we often fail to stop and evaluate how what we're doing is drawing us closer to God (or, in contrast, how it's marring our relationship with Him).

-I'm in a Thursday night Bible study that recently began studying a book about the prophets and kings of Israel, and how their reaction to the culture around them impacted Israel, and also how we can impact or be impacted by today's culture. The study teaches much about the Jewish culture and traditions. The author has a website, Follow the Rabbi, that provides a wealth of archaelogical, historical and cultural information that helps put passages in a whole new light.

As the website says, "For us to know Jesus—and thus God the Father and the Holy Spirit—more intimately, we must carefully assess our 21st-century culture and Western attitudes in relation to and in light of the 1st-century world of Jesus. We must immerse ourselves in the culture of Scripture and Jesus of Nazareth. And we must learn to 'think Hebrew'—in the way that the original writers of the Text thought."

If you appreciate Biblical history and archaelogy, and would like to know how to "think Hebrew" when you're reading the Bible, you'll appreciate this site.

-Finally, another plug for my friend Aleah's photography site. She's added a lot more photos (including some of yours truly!) since I first mentioned her site. She is extremely talented and I'm glad that I can say I knew her before she becomes a world-famous photographer.

Am I the Only One?

Sometimes when I read or hear about miraculous stories of healing or reconciliation, I am greatly encouraged. When I hear about a couple who has struggled for years with infertility finally having a baby, or stories of God bringing two people together in marriage in such an incredible, undeniably God-way, or of other dreams finally coming true, it often gives me hope for the future.

But other times, I find myself thinking, "That's great for them, but that would never happen to ME."

I do believe that God can work any miracle that He so chooses. But sometimes I struggle to wholeheartedly believe without a doubt that He wants to work miracles in my life. I don't know why my faith is so weak at times.

When I see people whose dreams have been realized far beyond what they hoped for, it should strengthen my hope that my dreams can also come true. But honestly, I don't always feel that way. It's very frustrating to go through cycles of feeling extremely hopeful and trustful, and then times of doubt.

I suppose that I should be thankful that these are just cycles and not constant doubts. I'm not the only one who goes through this, right?


O, for a faith that will not shrink,
Though pressed by every foe,
That will not tremble on the brink
Of any earthly woe!

That will not murmur nor complain
Beneath the chastening rod,
But, in the hour of grief or pain,
Will lean upon its God.

A faith that shines more bright and clear
When tempests rage without;
That when in danger knows no fear,
In darkness feels no doubt.

That bears, unmoved, the world’s dread frown
Nor heeds its scornful smile;
That seas of trouble cannot drown,
Nor Satan’s arts beguile.

A faith that keeps the narrow way
Till life’s last hour is fled,
And with a pure and heavenly ray
Lights up a dying bed.

Lord, give me such a faith as this,
And then, whate’er may come,
I’ll taste, e’en here, the hallowed bliss
Of an eternal home.
("O for a Faith That Will Not Shrink"; Lyrics: William H. Bathurst, 1831)

Encourage One Another

See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. (Hebrews 3:12-13)

When we're working toward a goal, whether it's weight loss or a work project or a new level of spiritual maturity, it's important to have encouragement and feedback from those around us. Often we start off with gangbusters on our journey, but can quickly lose that enthusiasm if we don't feel or see that we are making progress.

Encouraging words, whether written or spoken, have always meant a great deal to me. They are definitely one of my "love languages." When I'm going through a hard time, I need to hear those encouraging words more than ever.

The Hebrew writer said that we were to encourage one another in order that we not be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. When it comes down to it, we are all listening to someone--either God's truth, or Satan's lies. Encouraging, truthful words from fellow believers is crucial to keep us from becoming discouraged and buying into Satan's lies.

If you know someone who is struggling through some circumstance, reach out to them today with encouragement. A simple "I love you and I'm praying for you" will do wonders. Point out ways that you see that they are making progress in their faith during this difficult time or how their faith has encouraged you and others. So often we feel like we are trudging through difficulties all alone and are unaware of the impact that our faith in the midst of suffering is having on someone else.

Series on Waiting

This week, Dr. Charles Stanley has produced a great devotional series on Waiting on God. You can read them here.

Waiting is not generally something I do well. I get impatient waiting in line at the grocery store. I'm trying not to become too impatient right now as I wonder why my order from Amazon has not shipped yet even though it was ordered five whole days ago (but who's counting?).

Earlier this week, I did something that was not sinful but was not particularly wise. Later, I began to feel convicted that I should have waited on God in that particular matter rather than try to work things out on my own. As if I needed further conviction, when I got home I had this email about when it's wise to wait on God in my inbox.

Needless to say, this series has really has certainly reminded me of the value in waiting on God's timing and not rushing ahead.

This ties in well to my fast from complaining that I mentioned in an earlier post. I'd say I had a fairly successful day today in being more conscious of what I thought and said in relation to complaining. There were a couple of times when I caught myself on the verge of complaining and bit my tongue and quickly shifted my thoughts. I'm sure there were other times when I did complain and didn't realize it. I did ask a co-worker to help hold me accountable and call me on it if he catches me griping.

It can be tempting to complain about waiting, whether it's waiting in line at a store or waiting on God to act in a particular matter. I think that the more I experience the benefits of waiting on God, and see that every minute of my day is ordained by Him, the less likely I'll be to complain.

Refraining from Complaining

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. (Philippians 2:14-16)

Earlier in the week a friend sent me an email that discussed the merits of fasting. While we often think of fasting from tangible things--food, television, etc.--this email mentioned fasting from intangibles, such as complaining and worry.

I felt convicted that I engage in complaining too much. (Although I guess even a little complaining is "too much" by God's standards.) It's all too easy for me to let my guard down and get caught up in complaining, particularly when I'm surrounded by other complainers.

So today I am beginning a fast from complaining. Given that I have a lot to do at work--including a meeting today and a publication deadline looming--not to mention that I'll be teaching a bunch of hyperactive four year-olds tonight at church, I'm sure I'll have plenty of opportunities to utter complaints. But I'm going to make a steadfast effort to curb my tongue.

Of course, it's more than simply a matter of keeping my mouth shut. Complaining really starts in the mind, so I need to especially guard my thoughts as I strive to put a lid on the complaining. Instead of dwelling on the situations or people that get under my skin, I will try to focus on reasons to be thankful. It's hard to complain when you're in a thankful frame of mind!

I'll let you know how the fast goes. Of course, I intend to make it a permanent change, not just a one day switcheroo. But one day at a time...

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

God's Working

One of the benefits of keeping a journal is being able to go back and read past entries. It can be amusing at times to read about the things that I worried about at the time I wrote about them and realize how trivial they now seem. More importantly, re-reading old entries helps me recognize God's sovreignty and how divinely He is working things out in my life. It also helps me gauge the progression and maturing of my faith, especially in times of suffering or trouble.

On November 14, I wrote out a prayer asking God for several things in relation to my broken heart. They were:

1. That God would be glorified through my suffering.
2. That He would reveal more of Himself to me at this time.
3. That I would wait patiently but expectantly for Him to act.
4. That I would honor God with my attitude and reactions.
5. That He would help me to choose to be joyful in spite of the circumstances.
6. That I would learn the things that God was trying to teach me through this.

So, how are those prayer requests coming along? God has definitely answered those in many ways. I can't say that my attitude has been honoring to Him 100 percent of the time--probably not even 50 percent of the time. But day by day it's getting better. I've had opportunities to share how God is working in my life and glorify Him in some unexpected ways.

I feel closer to God now than I have in a long time. He is revealing more and more of Himself to me--not that He wasn't willing to reveal Himself in these ways earlier, but I suppose that I am more hungry for Him.

God has given me many moments of laughter and joy, even in the midst of tears. I have been so blessed with friends and family who have shared encouragement, funny emails, or just provided a listening ear.

He is certainly teaching me a lot of things--mainly, a lot of things about myself that I didn't realize, and in some cases, things that I didn't want to face. He has brought a lot of issues with pride and selfishness to the forefront, issues that are painful to confront but that are necessary for me to deal with if I want to grow.

Suffering is still hard, and a broken heart is still painful. I'd be lying if I said otherwise. Still, I'm genuinely thankful for the many things (even the hard lessons) that I'm learning through this. I know that God is using this time for good--for me, and for His kingdom.

Psalm 71:19-21 (NLT)

Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the highest heavens. You have done such wonderful things. Who can compare with you, O God?

You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth.

You will restore me to even greater honor and comfort me once again.

The Red Suitcase

In the summer of 2005, my then-boyfriend borrowed my big black suitcase for a trip to Florida, where he would be working as a counselor at a summer youth camp. I drove him to the airport, and upon our arrival there, we discovered that the suitcase had a big rip in the back that was in danger of getting bigger. At that point it was too late to go out and get a new suitcase, so I sent my boyfriend on his way, with both of us keeping our fingers crossed that he would not be greeted at the baggage claim by a busted suitcase with his clothes spilling all over the carousel.

The suitcase was hanging on by a thread when my boyfriend arrived in Florida, and he promptly went shopping for a replacement suitcase. He called me from Walmart to let me know that he'd found a reasonably priced set, and asked if I had a preference in color. I'd long thought that my next set of luggage would be red because (a) red is my favorite color and (b) everyone else has black luggage, so red would, in theory, be easier to spot at the baggage claim. So my boyfriend proceeded to purchase new red luggage and threw the old black suitcase away.

Fast forward to the end of the trip. After arriving at the airport, my boyfriend found out that his return flight was delayed by several hours. Thankfully, the airline was able to find him a seat on another flight that was leaving very soon.

Now there was the matter of finding his luggage, which had already gone through security and had been tagged for the original flight. An airline worker asked my boyfriend to describe the suitcase so they could pull it from the original flight and put it on the new flight. The baggage claim folks were able to find the bright red suitcase right away and managed to get it on the flight just in time for departure. If my boyfriend had still been using my black suitcase, I'm not sure that it would have been found among a sea of other black suitcases in time to make it onto his flight.

Whenever I see my red suitcase I'm reminded of God's providence. Granted, this was not some life-or-death situation; rather, it was a matter of inconvenience. Nevertheless, God took what seemed to be a bad situation (a broken suitcase) and used it for good.

Even more importantly, this story strengthens my trust in God to work ALL things out for good, no matter how bad the situation may seem. I have especially needed this reminder in the last few months, when it's not always been easy to see how God is using some bad situations for good. Still, I remind myself, if God cares enough to show Himself so clearly in the seemingly insignificant situations, how much more is working in the matters that so deeply touch my heart?

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

Advice for Goal Setting

I thought this was good advice for setting goals offered by Dr. Charles Stanley:

"Remember, the Lord is much more interested in your long-term development than in your short-term comfort. If your goals don’t increase your spiritual maturity, then you must question whether or not they are truly of God. And if they are not, then be wise, and ask Him for the strength to let them go."

Elective Surgery

I have a couple of friends who have elected to undergo surgery to correct a deviated septum. The recovery was pretty tough, and they've admitted that there were times when they wondered if it had been wise to have the surgery and endure the suffering. But in the long run, their quality of life afterward (particularly their ability to breathe easier) made the pain worthwhile. They've said that they would have the surgery again if they had to, because they know the end result.

Asking God to change my heart is somewhat akin to having elective surgery. Certainly, I can live without the changes; I can even have what most would deem to be a good life. But even while some of the "surgery" that God is performing on me is painful, I know that I am exchanging a good life for a better one.

Only God knows the end result of this transformation. He sees the big picture and knows how it will all turn out. From time to time He's giving me little snapshots of how He's working in my life and the changes He's bringing about, and that's very exciting and encouraging to me. I am beginning to see how this recent heartbreak, painful as it has been, is a good thing for me.

I know that one day I will be able to see from God's perspective and recognize how truly awesome His timing and His plans for my life are. Until then, I am delighting in days when I feel strong and confident in His work in me. On days when I feel weak and weepy, I'm reminding myself that it's all going to be worth it.

I praise You, Lord, for knowing my heart's desires and my heart's needs! You are truly awesome in Your sovreignty and grace. Thank You for showering me with your incredible love, and for bringing others alongside me to comfort and encourage me when I need it most. I can't wait to see the results of this "extreme makeover" that You're doing in me! I know that all the pain is worth the end results.

Excuses, Excuses

"That's just the way I am."

"That's just my personality."

"That's just how God made me."

"That's just my family history."

How many times have I uttered these excuses to rationalize my behavior? When I find myself challenged in some area, it's tempting to label myself: "I'm just shy. I'm a procrastinator. I'm not a good communicator. I'm not good with finances...etc., etc."

The older I get, the more I've come to "know" myself, and that's a good thing. But it's one thing to know my inherent talents as well as my limitations--for instance, I will never be the "American Idol" (even if they raise the age limit). It's another thing to slap a label on myself and not allow myself to be changed.

I've known people who have resigned themselves to being overweight, or having a temper, or closing themselves off from other people by making excuses that that's just how they are. In reality, I think it's a fear of change that is keeping them stuck in those same roles. It's easy to stay where we are, even if we hate being where we are in life. There's a comfort level there.

Change is very scary. So many people would rather stick to the known--painful as it may be--rather than take a chance on the unknown. And Satan is quick to speak lies of doubt into our heads whenever we try to change. He wants us to believe the lie that just because we've always behaved a certain way, or just because that's how our family behaves, then we'll never be able to change.

As I submit to God's will and allow Him to change me, I am realizing that it's not a piece of cake. There are certain areas of my life that I have made excuses about for years. I have bought into Satan's lies that I'm not going to be able to change. There have been times when I've tried to make changes, but when doubt and discouragement creep in, I find myself falling into the same old behavior patterns again.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, when we're trying to make changes in our life, or trying to accomplish new things, it's vital that we have the support of people who truly believe in us, who can help combat Satan's lies.

It's also important that we stay in God's Word on a daily basis to be reminded that God can indeed transform us. The Bible is chock full of examples of people who God gave opportunities for greatness to, people who were just as flawed and messed up as you and I. But when they stopped making excuses and accepted God's power in their lives, then the transformation truly began.

I want to stop making excuses. I want to stop letting my past dictate my future. Things are going to be different.

Recommended Links

A few quick recommendations to check out at your leisure...

• I'm catching up on various ministry podcasts, trying to listen in the car and as I get ready for work in the morning. This week I listened to an excellent two-part radio broadcast by Dr. Charles Stanley on Defeating Discouragement. Part B was especially encouraging for me. This is definitely one I'll archive and listen to again. (To access it, click here, then select 2006 and December in the pull-down menus and scroll down to find the program on Defeating Discouragement--it aired December 26 and 27, 2006.)

• My friend (and fellow blogger) Aleah has launched her new photography website. As you can see from the site, she is incredibly talented and is using her God-given talents to show off His beautiful world and the people in it! If you need a photographer, keep her in mind!

• Another friend and fellow blogger, Jon Owen, has posted a great article on the importance of being there for people in their time of grief. Just this week alone, I've been confronted with the opportunity to minister to grieving people--first, with the death of a friend's father, and today with the death of a co-worker's mother. Both people had been ill for a while, so their deaths were expected, but it's still incredibly painful for the families left behind. Although we often struggle with wanting to say the "right thing" to people who are hurting, sometimes the best thing to do is give them a hug and let them know you're sorry and are praying for them. That really applies to anyone who's hurting, whether grieving a death or some other loss or disappointment.

Stormy Weather

I awoke this morning to the melodic sounds of the tornado siren. I lay in bed a while, debating over whether I should take shelter in the bathroom or take my chances and stay in my warm comfy bed. (The bed won out.)

I'm not afraid of storms, but I'm not a big fan either. Mainly I find them inconveniencing. But this morning as I witnessed fierce wind and rain, and listened to some loud thunderclaps, I recognized God's awesome power on display.

Likewise, in the storms of life, that is often where God's power is best put on display. Sometimes we need these stormy days to remind us that God is indeed in control.

I know that the Lord is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods. The Lord does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses. (Psalm 135:5-7)

Lord, Change Me

Over the past couple of days I've been convicted about the need to let God change me. I'm reading a couple of books (one of which is titled, appropriately enough, Lord, Change Me), and both have a similar message of seeking God's change in my life rather than asking Him to change other people.

Too often I've been quick to ask God to change someone else's behavior or heart, but not so quick to be willing to undergo change myself. God's definitely speaking to me about this and showing me that I need to let Him work on me first.

As I mentioned before, I want my focus for the year (or rather, for the rest of my life) to be total surrender to God, in every area of my life. And I'm realizing that much of this surrender not only involves giving up control, but also letting God change me in ways that are challenging and, at times, painful.

I am excited about the changes ahead, and apprehensive at the same time. Change is not easy. It's not an overnight transformation, but a lengthy, ever-evolving process. God has been doing some big-time heart surgery on me in several areas of my life, and I have a feeling that that will continue indefinitely.

I look forward to sharing these changes with you in the coming weeks and months.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (II Cor. 3:17-18)