A Case of the Blahs

 

 

Missey Butler, author, cbn.com

Did you know that the word “blah” is actually listed in the dictionary? Webster defines it as “a feeling of dullness, boredom, lethargy, likened to a winter’s day.”

I guess that sums up the way I’ve been feeling lately. I couldn’t quite put my finger on what the problem was. I just knew that I wasn’t my usual good-to-go self.

I have to admit: sometimes the blahs just seem to creep into my life unannounced. I’ll be going

along just fine when, all of a sudden, it feels like my engine begins to run on three cylinders instead of the usual eight.

I’ve come to believe that the blahs are simply characteristic of the human condition and not to be heralded as anything more. I even had a good talk to God about them, but before I could apologize for the way that I felt, He simply hushed my lips, nodded, and said, I know.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in everyway, just as we are — yet he did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15 NIV).

I know the Lord has brought me a long way from where I used to be. In the past, I would have analyzed myself right smack into the diagnosis of having a serious backslidden condition, and that if I was ever going to snap out of it, I had better crank up my spirituality a few more notches by praying more, fasting more, or buying that 16 lesson series on “How to be a better Christian.”

Talk about your super-charged, hyper-driven, got to get it done Christian! In reality, all that had happened was I had fallen back into a works mentality, and that little elusive five-letter word known as Grace had once again become the name of my favorite Aunt, instead of the needed virtue that would carry me beyond my current dilemma and into the wonderful rest God was calling me to. What started out as a simple case of the blahs turned into a major emotional hurdle of my own making.

Just in time, God rescued me from the gauntlet of condemnation and guilt. He delivered me by quieting down my restless spirit and telling me, Daughter, I am the same yesterday, today, and forever. Come now and sit at My feet. Let Me bring peace to your heart once again by reminding you that My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Come and lay your head on My shoulder and let Me whisper that all is fine.

“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one, and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations.” (Ephesians 2:14-15 NIV).

No Matter What, God Is Still on the Throne

 

By Debbie McDaniel, author, crosswalk.com

“The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all.” Psalm 103:19

He came home from school wearing his "I voted" sticker and slumped into the chair.

My 6-year-old son, lover of all things sports-related, had just “voted” for the first time in his elementary school’s mock election - vote for your favorite team sport. Apparently, his choice was not the most popular.

"Hey Noah, did you get to vote today?" I asked.

"Yeah, I but didn't win," he answered with a defeated voice.

"Well, did you vote for what you believed in?"

Quietly and slowly, still thinking it through, he responded, "Yes."

"Were you willing to take a risk to stand up for what mattered most to you?"

He pulled off the round sticker from his shirt and examined it from all sides, "Yes. (long, dramatic sigh) But, I still don't like losing."

And today, close to half of our nation may relate to those feelings. It’s never easy to lose. It's discouraging. Disappointing. You may feel defeated and wonder why it all didn't go your way. Or why others didn’t see things the way you did.

Many will celebrate election results this evening. And, many others will not. Yet no matter which side of the race you’ve been on over these long months, this truth remains... every time we’re willing to have a voice, to take a stand for what we believe in, we “Win.” And we can trust God with the results.

The enemy is at work more than ever during these times. He will seek to divide believers and stir up strife and hate.

Don’t fall for that trap.

Whether it’s in election season or just daily life, we win when we do what God asks us to do. We win when we’re willing to live wisely. We win every time we choose to obey His word to the very best of our ability.

There’s great freedom there. Freedom from fear. Freedom from worry. Freedom from defeat. Freedom from anger and hate.

Nothing has taken God by surprise. Not ever. He’s on the throne and Sovereign over all. He has a plan and is at work on behalf of His people, “for such a time as this.” Esther 4:14

Our prayers matter, our voice matters. We can choose to move forward from here with grace. We can choose to stay involved, to have a voice, to be engaged, and maybe more than ever before, to make a difference in our nation.

May we be ever faithful to pray for all those in authority, for the leaders of this land. May we be brave to speak with wisdom and discernment, and to live these days with hearts of compassion and love. May we be strong to follow God’s voice, even when it’s not the most popular choice in our culture.

I was reminded this morning, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases.” Proverbs 21:1

God’s got this. He’s got us. He is powerful and able to do far more than we could ever imagine.

Grace and peace.

 

Always Thankful

 

By: Steven Halter, cbn.com

In the stressful and troubled world in which we live, it can seem difficult for us to find something to be thankful for. When we listen to or read the news, it is mostly bad news that is reported. We hear of crime, terrorism, tragedies, and disasters. We rush about at a hectic pace day after day, trying to keep up with the demands of modern life. And the list of problems could go on and on.

Yet, it is precisely because of the problems around us that we need to devote ourselves to giving thanks. When darkness grows around us, we cannot afford to become neglectful in this spiritual practice. Instead, we need to renew our commitment to thankfulness. In fact, being thankful can be therapeutic. It can bring healing to a troubled heart. On the other hand, a lack of thankfulness can lead to depression as we focus on negative things. However, Paul the apostle wrote that we should not let our minds dwell on negative thoughts. Instead, we should dwell on those things that are pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). When we make a practice of thanking God for His many blessings, we will be focusing on the good things He has given us, and He can begin to bring healing and strength to us.

Always Being Thankful

There are some key points to keep in mind concerning giving thanks. The first is that we should always be thankful. We should be thankful every day, not just when we attend a church service or observe a special day of thanks. This is because there is always something to be grateful for.

We always have our spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. For example, we have been forgiven of our sins through Jesus’ death on the cross (Matthew 26:28). Despite our present imperfections, God has declared us to have right standing before Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). By God’s grace and mercy, we have been adopted as children of God (Romans 8:15). We are unconditionally loved by the Father, the Maker of heaven and earth (Romans 5:8).

In Old Testament times, the people of God would often sing something like this:

O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. 1 Chronicles 16:34 (NASB)

There are also the temporal blessings we receive from God. He sends us rain, sunshine, and provides us with natural resources. Many of us have abundant food and more than adequate shelter. These and many other blessings are often taken for granted, but we need to have hearts full of gratitude for all of the wonderful things he has given us, whether great or small.

In All Circumstances

As mentioned above, we live in a troubled world that can threaten to overwhelm us with the pervasiveness and magnitude of its troubles. It can affect us not just in our global outlook, but also in our individual lives. But no matter how bad our circumstances may be, we can always be thankful to God. Our circumstances themselves may not always inspire thankfulness, but if we turn our thoughts to God’s many blessings, both spiritual and temporal, our hearts will again be filled with thankfulness to Him. The Apostle Paul said:

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NRSV)

Even in difficult circumstances, we should continually keep in mind that God desires to bring good out of the situation that we are in.

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 (NIV)

This does not mean that every situation is good in and of itself, or that every situation leads to something good by itself. On the contrary, it is when God actively works in a situation that good can come out of it — even in the darkest of situations.

Often the good that comes out of a situation may not be readily apparent. We shouldn’t expect God to turn every outward circumstance in our favor. Instead, God often works in situations to strengthen us inwardly by His Spirit and to mold us into the image of Christ. This is brought out clearly by the context in the following verse.

“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” Romans 8:29 (NIV)

However, we need to be cooperative with what God desires to do in our hearts for the molding process to be the most effective.

A Predestined Present

 

 

 

 

Natalie Ragland, author, cbn.com

 

During my morning prayer time, God pressed upon my heart to recite the Lord’s Prayer daily over the past month that is found in Matthew 6:9-13. Although I have recited this previously over and over again, a few words jumped out at me like a flashing neon billboard this morning: “thy will be done”. Those four words ministered to my spirit, quieted my soul, and confirmed to me who is truly in control. As I questioned what is happening in our world today — a time of great chaos, divisiveness, strife, and uncertainty, God reminded me who sits on the throne and who truly reigns over everything seen and unseen: Him.

I realized that I had begun to allow my carnal side to emerge, which created emotions within me that led me to focus on the world instead of what He says in His Word. I had to truly lean not on my own understanding because my view is limited in the grand scheme of life and I had to simply trust my King who governs over every nation. This may be a tall order to consider, but isn’t that what the life of a “true believer” requires? Faith, trust, and belief in Him even when everything around us does not make sense. And I admit it too, this year has been full of senseless activities that have been man-made and devised by the enemy.

But when we look to God and focus on what He says, we know that all things, not some things, all things are working “according to the counsel of His will.”

"In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will." (Ephesians 1:11 ESV)

"For kingship belongs to the Lord, and He rules over the nations." (Psalm 22:28 ESV)

When I read these two verses over and over again and sat with God during our fellowship time together, He positioned me to accept what I cannot control and remember that He predetermined everything. Of course, He knows the end from the beginning and of course, He is the Alpha and Omega; whether we understand what is occurring around us or not. This convicted me in a way that I had to ask for forgiveness if I had become too controlled in my thinking instead of being led by the Spirit.

As we continue to work our way through these tumultuous times, let us not forget the God we serve. He predestined this present time. We may not agree with all of His decisions, but He knows best and if we are being challenged, we may need to ask ourselves if we are allowing the world to control our words, thoughts, and actions over our heavenly Father who sees every reaction and who rules over every nation.

Ancient America

 

 

Peter Lundell,  author,  cbn.com

I’m standing on the ruins of an ancient civilization. In northeast Arizona.

Artifacts found at more than 1,000 sites in the surrounding area demonstrate that people lived here for more than 13,000 years. Archeologists call it a “persistent place,” a location where repeated human activity continues through time. But today no one lives here. It is a desolate grassland.

The village stood next to the Puerco River that at the time served as a travel corridor to many people living all along the river. Surrounding the village would have been fields of corn, beans, and squash. The people scratched petroglyphs on the rocks, including an exact marker of the summer and winter solstices.

I imagine a boy and girl playing, a man trudging in from the fields, another carrying fish from the river, women weaving baskets and stirring pots. Normal daily life for them. I close my eyes and can almost hear them calling to one another, laughing, and talking around fires in the evening. All on this very spot. Why did they leave—or die out? What calamity befell them that they couldn’t see coming? How could they have lived here for more than 13,000 years and then disappear?

All gone. Thirteen thousand years of living here. Only ruins left behind.

I wonder at the gravity of it all: Are we so different?

Who do we think we are as a civilization? What do we live for? Our own civilization hasn’t been around for a fraction as long as theirs. And we seem to be on a fast track for wearing out the entire earth.

It makes me think of how temporary we are. And how important it is to live for something beyond ourselves, something eternal. Anything physical will someday be laid waste.

Psalm 103:15-17 (ESV) tells us:

“As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, …”

We may flourish and have impressive lives, or impressive civilizations. But eventually, we’ll all be gone. And we’ll be forgotten. So the most important thing we can do is have a strong relationship with God. Because we were not put on earth to be remembered. We were put here to prepare for eternity.

Isaiah 40:6 (ESV) echoes the same message:

“… All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”

The things we humans have done and made seem so great to us—and in our perspective they are. But as Psalm 103 indicates that our souls live forever, Isaiah 40 indicates that God’s word is the only other thing on earth that lasts forever. Everything else passes away. Everything.

You can’t determine how your civilization lives, but you can decide how you live.

May you firmly grasp how temporary your life is and how essential it is to connect well with God. As you do, may you live well in the face of eternity.

God Calling

 

 

Allison Johnson, author, cbn.com

“Mom, you’re different.” Kayla sat on the edge of her bed carefully arranging her stuffed animals as she prepared to snuggle into her blankets for the night.

Smiling, I reached out and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, “Sweetie, what do you mean I’m different, different how?”

She paused thoughtfully and then surprised me by throwing her arms around my neck and whispered in her 8-year-old voice, “Mom, you’re still the same Mom I’ve always had … you’re just different. But, it’s okay; you’re still the best Mom ever.” Kissing my cheek as she released my neck, sinking into her pillows she motioned for me to finish tucking her in.

As I turned out her light, her words echoed in my mind. I knew I was different, definitely. God had been working on my heart for a long time. I liked who I was becoming with my new outlook and felt excited about where God was leading. Walking through the rest of the house locking doors and closing blinds, I reflected on how God was moving in me. New truths about my values, and my passion had pointed me to a new way of being that ushered in a fresh feeling of freedom and contentment.

What are your values?

God created each of us with our own God-given design. These values are the foundation upon which we build our lives. Things like, living with integrity, honesty, respect, and loyalty are the basis of a value system that serves to empower us to steward our lives well. Recognizing the values He instills within us allows us to live with clarity and purpose. Knowing our values gives us the ability to partner with the promise of Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV),

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

By trusting in this promise and standing firmly upon our values, we can release ourselves from the world’s expectations of being someone we are not and instead believe the truth of who we are in Christ.

What is your passion?

Discovering our passion begins with God and it’s through this relationship that we can become a person of influence. Operating in our passion makes everything bright, meaningful, and filled with purpose. Passion is what gives us the energy to dream the impossible, believing it is possible. My passion is to encourage others to be who God intended, helping others to fulfill their potential for greatness. This passion was placed in my heart by God, just like your passion is waiting to be unlocked. Ask yourself, “Who is God calling me to serve?” And then ask God to break through the lie that says you can’t do it and instead embrace the truth of Philippians 4:13 that states so clearly that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength.

A new way of being…

It takes courage to admit when we aren’t content and it feels risky to appeal to God for a new way of being. At the beginning of my own transformation, I was anything but happy and desperately wanted change. I was counseled, coached, mentored, and studied the word searching for the truth of who I was and who God intended me to be. I discovered that Christ calls each of us to seek Him because He wants to be our new way of being. Scripture says in 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT),

“Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun.”

Now, the words “You’re different Mom,” are words that fill me with the affirming truth of being in a transformational relationship with Jesus. The old has gone, the new has come. Will you let Him transform you?

The Top of the Waterfall

 

by Katherine Britton, crosswalk.com

“My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you.” – Isaiah 26:9

As I looked up the path – and up, and up – I couldn’t even see the head of the waterfall. The last cataract foamed in front of me, but the first was far up on mountain, where the sunlight hit the summit. I wanted to see more.

The trail was relatively easy, but I was huffing and puffing before long thanks to the incline. The trail snaked back and forth across the mountain, taking us up a fifty feet with each turn. The second, third, and fourth cataracts appeared, and we clambered onward after each one, still intent on seeing that first drop. In the words of C. S. Lewis, the lure of “further in and further up” kept us going, as beauty upon beauty made us eager to see even more.

The view didn’t disappoint us. The autumn panorama spread over the surrounding hills, contrasted in highlight and shadows from the afternoon sun. Everyone at the summit was smiling and taking pictures. Nobody sat with their back against the view. To our right, the head of the waterfall rushed on, flowing over the first drop. Nothing in the suburbs compares with what we saw.

What is it about a waterfall – or anything natural wonder – that makes us stop and stare? What is it about a rainbow that keeps us looking for the next one? Why is Niagara Falls so famous? Why does the human soul dream of places so far from what we normally experience? Why do we keep following the path until we see the greatest beauty of all?

I think such scenes are part of God’s mercy to the whole world, because they teach us what it means to hunger for more. They give us a glimpse of the time when we can drink so deeply that our thirst will be quenched. Like in the Narnia books, they shadow the real thing, when we will be in God’s eternal presence. Do we hunger for that?

Scripture is full of references to this kind of longing. In 1 Corinthians 13:12, Paul writes of “seeing dimly, as in a mirror,” as he waits to see the true nature of love revealed. Roman 8:18-27 empathizes with all of creation’s “groaning” as it waits to see the full glory of God revealed. After all, “who hopes for what he already has?”

As I remember that panorama – and how I want to go back – I consider those verses of longing after God. The more I know and see of God’s character, the more I should be amazed and want to see even more. Someday, every Christian will experience the joy of seeing the fullness of the Lord displayed, but until then, we see one beauty at a time as we keep going. Are you satisfied with the small glimpses, or does the summit beckon you?