Like It or Not, Change Will Come - Part 1

One enemy of decision-making is complacency, a quiet contentment or satisfaction with what life has presented. A very wise thinker who lived four hundred years before Christ wrote, “We know what needs to be done, we understand it clearly, but we can’t bring it to fruition.” This attitude gets disguised in excuses that negate empowerment.

I had a conversation with a person who recently changed careers. After earning a Master’s degree, she left where she’d worked since graduating from college. Where did her empowerment come from? Her faith included trusting God’s guidance and provision for the resources to step out of complacency and accept the challenge God made available.

Remember the woman who believed if she could just touch the hem of Jesus’ outer garment, she would be healed? She refused to stay home and suffer hopelessly in silence. Instead she searched for healing and found it. Jesus said Thomas, “Be not faithless but believing.” This is an essential empowerment for change and a contented life.  

Feeling Afraid? Remember Your Faith in God - Part 2

There are unexpected moments in life when a good, positive memory is made that lasts forever. Some memories are so powerful they haunt us in ways that are uncomfortable or even disturbing. These we try to suppress, especially if they’re overlaid with guilt or shame or if they’re associated with anxiety, anger, or resentment.

Memories are stored in our brain like a savings account where they’re held in trust, ready to be examined or relived if a stimulant strong enough ignites and brings them to remembrance. God’s word declares, “All have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.” Sin produces bad, negative memories, but here’s the good news. When we confess our sins and repent, we are forgiven and made right with God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

When negative memories surface, confront these intruders with the fact that God dealt with them by cleansing and washing you clean through confession and forgiveness. The reality of dealing with unwanted memories from this point of view creates new memories that result in peace and joy.  

Resilience: Character Strength for Survival - Part 2

Suffering is inescapable. Most people experience a balance between suffering and pleasure which life generates for each of us. Very few people enjoy suffering or deliberately seek it out, yet there are those who seem to be stuck in its embrace. Resilience is a character attribute that makes it possible to manage suffering.

Listen to Saint Paul from Philippians 3. "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his suffering." This empowered Paul to finish the task Jesus commissioned him to do. Listen to his determination. "I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." Resilience is so ingrained that giving up is unthinkable.

You can be empowered by Christ Jesus to endure hardships and suffering. Regardless of how drastic your situation may be, God will help you reap the benefits of growing stronger in your faith as you mature, grow stronger, become kinder, and learn to care for others. Achieving these strengths of character is a worthy objective.  

Rising Up, Finding Hope - Part 3

Unexpected turns in life add spice to daily routines. However too much spice and rapid change can be disorienting and overwhelming. Imagine the young man in Jesus' parable of the lost son leaving home to find his bliss. He had plans and a pocket full of money. Yet he ended up in poverty, feeding hogs.

He was naive and spent his inheritance on his so-called friends and reckless living. Yet in the depths of personal crisis he demonstrated a sensibility  that allowed him to make a good choice. He stood up to failure and got his life back on track. The sensibility he possessed was faith in his father's compassion, love, and integrity.

If you're arrogant and hold out for everything, you may walk away with nothing. This young man returned home with an attitude of a servant. His arrogance had changed to humility. The right attitude for God to assist you in making effective choices is found in Psalm 29:9. "He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way." This can be your choice.  

False Assumptions vs. Reality - Part 1

The parable of the prodigal son from Luke 15 parallels our lives in interesting ways. It's about a young man who could not compete with his older brother's privileges and power. He assumed that if he left home he could be successful in his own right. The father permitted this young man to follow his dreams. The story is about distinguishing false assumptions from reality.

False assumptions blind a person's ability to correctly perceive reality. Imagine the fantasies this young man possessed. He would separate from his family and find his own way in the world. He evidently assumed that life is a party and his inheritance would sustain him indefinitely.

One other assumption this young man surely held was that his friends would have his back when he needed them. Waking up to the truth takes time, but then choices based on reality can be set in place. Truth based on reality believes that God is at work to save you from yourself. The Lord Jesus Christ will help you sort out false assumptions and give you faith to change.

Surviving a Personal Crisis with God's Help - Part 3

Everyone experiences challenges to what they expect from life. Sometimes these challenges are minor and relatively easy to manage. At other times we're tested to the point where personal survival appears uncertain. Challenges that result in spiritual failure can be so devastating and overwhelming that recovery seems impossible.

Even if you've cratered in the face of a crisis and abandoned everything you believed in, all is not lost. God has not given up on you. Psalm 147:5 reassures you that survival is possible. "Great is our Lord, mighty in power; his understanding has no limits." And that's not all. Listen to Psalm 145:14. "The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down."

Passing through the torrential waters of a crisis opens the door for needed change. Surviving requires resuming faith in Christ Jesus and being vulnerable to the unlimited understanding of the Lord God. He will cleanse and forgive you and provide faith which assures that survival is possible.

Spiritual Integrity: Hope for the Family - Part 1

Every day is a challenge in some way, ranging from minor obstacles that are easily managed to major tasks that require precise focus and concentration to conquer. Financial analysts say we're coming out of the economic recession, but have cautioned against overactive expectations. The biggest challenge might be more personal than finding ways to enjoy prosperity.

At a Bible conference for business men and women, many stated a desire to grow spiritually. To obtain a deeper spirituality, a greater challenge has to be met  and conquered. What is that? The greatest challenge is to hold in check the drive and desire to acquire more "stuff" that we're certain will satisfy our need to be happy and content.

God's desire is for us to mature in order to be realistic. With this attribute we can fulfill our commitment to serve Christ Jesus and overcome the challenges we face. Listen to God's promise to Joshua. "No one will be able to stand against you...I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." That promise is for you.

Allowing Intimacy: Getting Close - Part 2

Recently an elderly woman edging near despair made a startling statement. "I realize my whole life has been a sham!" She never intended to be deceptive, but now in the autumn of her years she's had no friends. Explaining further, she told of never permitting anyone get close. She had spent her whole life keeping others at a distance.

God created the family for each other. In his design, family members relate to one another with love, trust, and respect. This framework makes way for openness and honesty. This is not easy to accomplish, for it takes commitment, but the rewards far outweigh the loneliness and isolation of a life locked away from others and God.

No matter what your age, change is possible and can begin by taking a small step of faith to alter the way you live. The Lord Jesus Christ stands ready to help. Listen to Psalm 118:5-6. "In my anguish, I cried out to the Lord, and he answered me by setting me free. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid." May God bless you today.

Faith and Trust to Grow - Part 3

Children love to explore. Discovery and learning is a never-ending process that begins in infancy. Parents can interfere with the initiative to explore and learn by an overly-protective attitude or by harsh restrictions. Children must have boundaries and safe areas to explore, but as growth and learning take place, more freedom is needed to explore.

Change is anchored around the initiative to explore alternatives to whatever opportunities or problems life presents. Children have a natural, inborn faith to seek out that which is beyond their present knowledge and skills. Learning is the pathway to change. Jesus told the disciples to let the little children come and learn of him.

A child will eagerly take the initiative to come to God because of basic trust. Do you have an eagerness to explore and learn from Jesus? Listen to his invitation. "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Jesus is the firm foundation for building faith, hope and trust. 

Faith and Trust to Grow - Part 2

Children need to believe they are special in ways that make them feel unique, but not totally set apart from others. They need recognition and acceptance that confirm they're loved and appreciated. God created us for a significant purpose so our lives would not linger under a cloud of shame and doubt. Shame and doubt's message is that you're flawed and inadequate.

Dominant feelings of shame and doubt are like shackles and chains that bind us to mediocrity and non-productivity. The opposite of shame and doubt is faith. John Wesley's friend, Peter Buhler, told him to "Live by faith until you have faith." Someone else proclaimed, "Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see."

God has put faith in your heart and soul to give you confidence. So focus on that speck of faith rather than the mountain of shame and doubt. Permit yourself to want faith. Believe that God desires to give you faith enough to change. Be willing to fight the good fight of faith. These decisions produce positive change blessed by God.