Tag Archives: purpose

Struggling Against the Wind

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Stormy Sea

Scripture Passage: Matthew 14:22-33
Key Verse: Matthew 14:27(ESV) – “Take heart, it is I. Do not be afraid.”

Interviews with lifeguards fascinate me. I find it amazing that most of them say one of the most dangerous aspects of their job is reaching out to a drowning victim. The lifeguard has seconds to calm the victim and start the rescue. It’s puzzling to think panic and fear might be a victim’s first response, especially when the victim risks pulling the lifeguard under water.

The victim, who is full of fear, fails to realize that the lifeguard knows what’s best. He keeps struggling in the water and fighting against the very person there to help.

I think about a lifeguard after I finish reading today’s scripture passage. Most of the messages I hear always concentrate on Peter’s walk on the water. But I stop and think about the disciples who remain inside the boat.

Jesus tells the disciples to go to the other side. When they attempt to follow Jesus’ instructions, they are met with resistance in the form of a strong wind. When Jesus approaches the boat, the disciples can’t recognize Him because of their fear.

Isn’t this the same thing that happens to us?

How many times do we struggle to complete a task? Reach a goal? Follow a dream? What do we do when we face an unexpected problem? What happens when we invest too much time, energy, and effort to quit and turn back? Do we try everything we can think of to finish?

A sudden difficulty could affect our health, our finances, our relationships, or our jobs. No matter what it is, we don’t expect our lives to fall apart just as we make it halfway to our goal.

We are frustrated because we know this sudden and unexpected challenge has the potential to destroy what we have been working towards. Our focus is so intent on getting the job done that we panic or experience fear when help arrives.

Why do we resist Jesus when He sends help? Is it because we are so focused on how we think things should be done? Do we panic at the thought of doing things differently? Have we failed to recognize our lifeline? Are we distraught because help arrives and looks nothing like we imagined?

What is Jesus speaking to you today? Where is He calling you to serve? What is He asking you to do? Will you summon the courage to stop being so rigid about your vision? Will you say, “Yes, Lord,” without telling Him how you expect Him to work in your life?

Going back to our scripture passage, we see that as soon as Jesus steps into the boat, the winds die down. The struggle ceases. They reach the other side.

The disciples are in the same circumstance – in a boat, surrounded by water. The shift is in their focus. They recognize that Jesus is with them.

Likewise, as soon as we welcome the Lord into our circumstances, our focus should also shift to Him, and we must trust Him to complete the work He started in us.

Thought for Today: “The more important a call or action is to our soul’s evolution, the more resistance we will toward pursuing it.” ~Steven Pressfield.

Does Reality TV Bring Out the Envy in You?

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The first time my sisters and I watched The Wizard of Oz, we were amazed. The colors, music, and characters kept us glued to the television. We were fascinated by Dorothy’s journey and rooted for her safe return home.

Emerald City, the answer to all of her problems, was beautiful, sparkling, and energetic. My sisters and I cheered! We just knew that Dorothy’s troubles were over. Then, the unthinkable happened. We discovered Oz was an illusion.

I thought about this movie after I had a conversation with a close friend. She confessed to loving reality TV – especially the “housewives” shows. She went as far as organizing her schedule around her favorite programs. She admitted to having a heated argument with her husband because he believed there was nothing “real” about the shows. He accused her of being addicted to drama.

Their biggest argument? The materialistic nature of the shows.

My friend did acknowledge that she desired the same designer clothes, bags, and shoes that she saw on TV. She kept asking for a nicer home, even though she already lived in an upscale area. She went on to say she wished her husband would take her on more than two exotic trips each year. The shows made her unhappy with her life (Ecclesiastes 5:10-17).

What could I say? I knew I couldn’t judge her or be critical of her. Why not? Because as I listened to her yearn for what someone else had, of coveting the possessions of others, I wondered how many of us, who deal with sickness, are also guilty of envy? How easy is it to let envy overrule our hearts when we struggle with chronic pain and illness on a daily basis?

Maybe we don’t dream about material things. But, what do we think about someone who walks without a limp? Who is pain free? Who has no dietary restrictions? Who never has to take a handful of pills each day?

If we’re not careful, we become angry, depressed, and bitter because of our limitations. What if our wish to have what others have, to desire a “better” life, will eventually lead us to emptiness?

Have we considered the truth of what we’re seeing when we catch a glimpse of the lives of other people? Are we willing to risk the corruption of our hearts by desiring what seems to be a better existence?

It can become easy to question God’s purpose for our pain and suffering.

One of my favorite scriptures is II Corinthians 12:9-10. Paul talks about his suffering and how he pleaded with God for healing. But God reminded Paul of His sustaining power, even in the midst of Paul’s infirmity.

Are we willing to follow Paul’s example and allow God to magnify His power and glory in our lives? Or, will we continue to chase after the lure of things, even the materialistic excesses, we see on TV?

If we seek anything other than what God has for us, we risk becoming weak, frustrated, and ineffective.

God wants us to be filled with His power, love and Spirit. He wants to use us, and our physical condition does not matter (Psalm 73:26; II Corinthians 4:7-16). God does all of the work through us. Living an authentic life is more beautiful and appealing than desiring to impress others.

I hope you realize how much God loves you (Ephesians 3:14-20; I John 4:7-16). If you keep your focus on Him and trust Him, He will lead you and guide you and strengthen you.

Don’t follow the path that leads to disillusionment. Live the life that God has ordained for you and watch Him use you to impact the people in your life.

Prayer: Father, keep us from looking at worthless things (Psalm 119:37). Let us find our purpose in You. Give us the courage to live authentic lives so that Your love, power, and glory will shine through us. Amen.

WHAT IS YOUR EXCUSE?

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Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

I’ll do it tomorrow. I’m tired right now. I don’t think I have the talent or skills to do the job. I’m not smart enough. I don’t have the money. I don’t have enough support. I’m not qualified to do this. What if I make a fool of myself?

If you are like me, you have used an excuse like the ones above. What were we facing? What goal were we trying to reach? Who were we trying to impress? What were we trying to avoid?
All of us have used an excuse to get out of doing something that we thought of as an unpleasant task. Sometimes we might have used excuses to cover up our true feelings or to spare the feelings of someone else. Then, there have been the times that we used excuses to lie to ourselves. Were we doing ourselves a favor? Or were we slowly destroying ourselves? Were we preserving our lives or stunting our growth?

Sometimes, we need to stop and listen to ourselves; to take the time to really pay attention to what we are thinking and saying. If we are to be successful and bring honor and glory to God with our lives, we have to understand that God will stretch us and challenge us to grow. Growth will include times of discomfort, uncertainty, maybe even panic and fear. But we have to stand on His word and know that nothing is too hard for God (Jeremiah 32:27) and that with God all things are possible (Luke 18:27).

What task is God is calling us to do, but we are making excuses as to why we can’t do it? We aren’t the first to make excuses, and we won’t be the last. God understands our doubts and fears. He will answer us just like He answered the great men and women of faith in the Bible:

Moses offered one excuse after another – Pharaoh, the Israelites’ doubt, his speech (Exodus 3 and 4). What was God’s answer? Sending Aaron to speak for Moses and giving Moses specific words to prove to the people that he was God’s messenger and answer to their prayers.

Gideon was afraid and needed reassurance. God didn’t turn his back on Gideon, but assuaged his fears with tangible proof. God’s view of Gideon as a mighty man of valor was in direct opposition to Gideon’s view of himself (Judges 6 and 7).

Rahab and had heard of the fierce power of God. Her people knew that their land was the promised land of Israel. When the spies came to her for help, she needed courage to help them escape (Joshua 2).

Our excuses can hinder us from accomplishing mighty works for God. Will we succumb to fear and doubt, hiding behind excuses so that we won’t have to face our disobedience? Yes, disobedience. It was hard for me to accept the fact that when God requires me to do something for Him and I give an excuse, then I am really walking in disobedience. We may not comprehend why God challenges us, but if we refuse to surrender any area of our lives to Him, we are in fact denying Him lordship over our lives. That’s something to really think about.

Eve used excuses to avoid taking responsibility for her sin. She went against the will of God, yet she refused to see her decision as a conscious choice. When confronted with her actions, she looked for a source to place the blame (Genesis 3).

Rebekah coerced her son, Jacob, to steal his brother’s blessing. When the deceit was uncovered, she made provisions for Jacob to escape by using the excuse of finding a wife. The excuse saved her son’s life, but cost her the privilege of knowing her daughter-in-laws and grandchildren (Genesis 27 and 28).

Martha used the excuse of preparing a large meal for Jesus and the other disciples as a reason to blame her sister, Mary for not helping with the housework. Martha’s decision to place priority on the housework frustrated her when she saw Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus
(Luke 10:38-42).

Quite often, it is hard to own up to our mistakes. It is so much easier to place the blame on others or even on situations that are “outside our control.” Why is it easier to make excuses instead of taking responsibility for our actions and decisions? When we get into the habit of excusing the choices and mistakes that lead to sin, disruption, trouble, or chaos, we set ourselves up for a life of pain. Relying on excuses to make our errors more bearable is just a way of lying to ourselves and leaving the door wide open for the enemy to take control. Do we really want that to happen?

No matter when or why we use an excuse, we have to be careful not to let our comfort levels keep us from doing God’s will or from taking ownership for ourselves. The next time that we feel tempted to offer an excuse, let’s pause to analyze the reason why. Are we trying to avoid something that God is calling us to do? Are we running from our own mistakes, wanting to blame something else for our shortcomings?

We know that we aren’t perfect. God chose each of us and wants us to thrive (John 15:16). Only He can help us to be the men and women that He wants us to be. We have to relax and let Him have His way in us. Only then will we be free from the excuses that hinder us and the work of the Lord.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, thank you for choosing us to be Your representatives. Help us to believe and trust in the transforming power of Jesus Christ in our lives. Give us the courage we need to do the jobs that You are calling us to do. Amen.