NOTE: I wrote this last night when I got home. The title is simply a reflection of the fact that I never want to forget how I saw God’s hand at work in this situation. But I also never want to forget what I learned:
I got into an accident tonight. I missed my normal exit and was forced to take a different one. But at that one, everyone suddenly slammed on their brakes and the next thing I knew, poor Frankie’s face had been smashed into the back of a Jimmy… But here’s what went right tonight:
1) The guy I hit was amazingly understanding and even kind.
2) His 4-year-old son, once he stopped being scared, made us laugh by how insistent he was that he get to say hi to the trooper who showed up. In other words, no one was hurt!
3) The guy I hit recommended a body shop near my house and after I got there, I was told that the shop is one of the partner shops of my insurance company.
4) Someone didn’t show up at the shop today to pick up the car they were going to borrow, so the guy at the shop gave it to me. In other words, I can still get to work tomorrow.
5) I was reminded that I have really good friends up here and that I’m not as alone as I often feel I am. (Thank you, Tiff, Riley, Kari, Lindsey, Shannon & Karen!!)
6) I got to talk to my brother, sister-in-law and nieces for the first time in months because I had to call to tell them I was ok after my mom called them to tell them I’d been in an accident.
7) The guy who answered the phone when I called my insurance company was incredibly kind, compassionate and reassuring.
God is amazingly good. He is faithful. He has been all along.
Therefore…
I have no reason to think that He won’t continue to take care of me. I have no reason to think that He won’t provide the money I need for my deductable. I have no reason to think that this is too big for Him or too far out of His control. He knew this was going to happen and I am at peace in Him. To God be the glory!
UPDATE: Tonight, a friend called to tell me that he and his wife are paying my deductable, no arguments. Over and over again over the last 2 years, God has told me that He will provide and that He is faithful. I think I finally believe Him
At its heart, the plan of salvation is really quite simple: I am a sinner and I am separated from God. God, in His great love, sent Jesus to earth to live a sinless life and to take the punishment for my sin. He died and then God brought Him back to life. Because Jesus was brought back to life, He conquered not only sin, but death. If I believe all of this, and accept Jesus’ death and resurrection as payment for my sin, I will live forever in Heaven with God.
Simple, right? If you’re anything like me, you’ve been hearing this for most of your life, you’ve probably prayed some version of the “Sinners Prayer” and in your mind, you’re all set. And if you’re anything like me, you went to church yesterday, and you took Communion. You remembered Jesus’ death and you thanked Him for saving you and taking care of your sins. You thanked Him for the gift of eternal life, and then you went on with the rest of the service like you do every Sunday.
Our salvation through Christ ensures that we will live and reign forever with Him. Our salvation gives us a future and a hope. Our salvation gives us a Someday.
But as I sat in church yesterday with a little piece of Matzah in the palm of my hand and a sip of juice in a tiny plastic cup, I was reminded of this truth: My salvation gives me more than a Someday. My salvation gives me a Today. Today, because Jesus’ blood paid for my sin and removed the separation, I can rely on God for every moment. Today, I can trust that He loves me and knows my every need.
Today, because God sent His only Son to die for my sins and come back to life, I have a personal, intimate relationship with the God of the universe who hears every prayer I pray and who guides and ordains every moment of my life. Because Jesus died for me, I have Today.
Someday seems so far away, and in fact, the idea of “forever” hurts my brain, so I tend not to think about it much. If I’m really honest, most of the time, I’m just not that excited about Heaven. It’s such an abstract concept and I know so little about it, so I have a hard time giving it a lot of thought. On the other hand, I think about Today an awful lot.
But the same Savior who gives us Someday gives us Today. The same plan of salvation that seals our future, carries us through every moment of every day until we get to our Someday. And for that I am eternally grateful!
How often do you think about Heaven? What does your salvation make possible for you today?
I got a letter in the mail the yesterday. Let me stop right there and dwell on that for just a moment: A friend of mine had something she wanted to tell me so she wrote it down, put it in an envelope, put a stamp on it and put it in the mail. She didn’t text me. She didn’t post on my Facebook page. She actually sent me mail.
I don’t do that for other people nearly enough…
Anyway, the point of the letter she sent was to share with me the following quote:
God’s plan for you is not past tense or hidden in the obscurity of the future. It is continuous. God’s will is always current. It is for this you have been brought into the kingdom: to live this day, within its circumstances, in obedience. ~Jeannette Clift George
That hit me pretty hard. I had to think about it and mull it over for a while, but yeah, that got me.
So often we spend a lot of time and energy trying to “discover” God’s will for our lives. But what if, instead of using our time and energy on that, we used our time and energy in our current situation? What if instead of waiting for our future to begin, we dedicated ourselves to living as if today is all we get?
What if we really believed that God planned out every last one of our days before we were even born? (Psalm 139:16)
Perhaps we would be more content and at peace with our present circumstances. Perhaps we would make the most of every day we have (and I don’t mean stuff as much into every day as possible and be completely exhausted at the end of the day…)
I don’t know what this would look like for you. For me, I think it means that I need to stop wondering if I’m really where I’m supposed to be right now. It doesn’t mean I’m just going to sit here until the next thing comes along. I’m still going to plan for my future and I’m still going to look for opportunities.
But I will stop resenting my current circumstances. I will trust that God knows what He’s doing with my life. I will rest in the knowledge that nothing I can do will ever sidetrack God’s plan for me because nothing I can do will ever take Him by surprise.
It means that I will decide “to live this day, in its circumstances, in obedience”, because when I do that, then I will be living in the center of God’s will.
So what does living in the present look like for you? What benefits do you see in choosing to believe that you are exactly where God wants you right now?
I got a letter in the mail the other day regarding a bill I can’t pay. Just another item on the list of things that have threatened to drown me lately. The letter listed a deadline I can’t possibly meet – 3 days from now. The money just isn’t there, but if I don’t pay the bill, the cost will be even higher.
My inner monologue since opening the letter has run along the lines of wondering why God hasn’t answered my prayers for provision. And then reminding myself that He has provided. Over and over again. In two years of unemployment and underemployment, I have, through one way or another, had all of my needs met.
And then I’ve gone back to wondering what I’ve done to offend God lately so that what I have is less than what I want and what I think I need. But then a song comes on the radio and I’m reminded that He is faithful and He is sovereign and He always provides for His children.
And I’ve asked Him why He’s worked miracles for other people like providing exactly what they’ve needed exactly when they’ve needed it. Then I remember the many, many times He’s done that for me these past two years.
All of my arguments are destroyed by His faithfulness. All of my needs are met by His goodness. All of my tears are dried by His grace. Why do I keep arguing and worrying and crying?
So how does this story end? Tonight I got a phone call. The deadline listed in the letter was wrong. I don’t have 3 days. I have 3 weeks. No, I didn’t get a check in the mail for the exact amount I needed. No one knocked on my door with a wad of cash they felt God telling them to give me. But in 3 weeks, I’m really pretty sure that bill will get paid because my God is my Provider.
“As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.” Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain on the land.’” She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah. (1 Kings 17:12-16)
When the oil and flour were almost gone, when the woman was ready to make one last meal, God stepped in. When the last seconds are on your clock, when the last dollar is in your wallet, when your strength and courage are moments away from being gone, God steps in. He always has. He always will. Of this, I am convinced.
To God be the glory. Great things He has done. Great things He has taught us. Great things He has done. Give Him the glory. Great things He has done.
P.S. This blog post from Nate Edmondson (reposted by his dad) rocked my world tonight and set me on the path that led to my post. Exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed it.
From beginning to end, the Bible is, at the core, the story of grace. Even before Adam and Eve gave into the serpent’s lies, God’s plan for humanity centered on grace. And contrary to what many believe, Andy Stanley asserts, the Law is not the opposite of grace. The two complete each other. Without one, the other can not exist. By taking a stroll through the Bible, from Old Testament to New, The Grace of God outlines the story of grace, and explains it in Stanley’s trademark simple, yet profound way.
I found this book to be a huge piece of a puzzle I’ve been trying to solve for most of my life. In spite of growing up in a Christian home and a Bible-teaching church, I’ve never really understood the concept of grace. I’ve always believed, in part, that it was something I had to earn, while at the same time, knowing the Bible taught that grace was a gift. Throughout the book, Stanley uses the stories of some of the most beloved (and often misunderstood) characters to explain the true meaning of grace and to debunk its most popular myths.
If you’ve ever heard Stanley preach, you’ll hear his voice on every page. His easy-going preaching style translates nicely onto the written page. And as always, his commitment to teaching the truth in love is met in an uncompromising, yet “un-preachy” way.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who thinks they understand grace because it will only deepen that understanding. And for the person who, like me, has been trying to grasp the meaning of grace in some way, this book will bring understanding within reach.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I’ve been feeling a bit sorry for myself lately. People around me have told me that they don’t really blame me. At first, this was a comfort – it’s not all in my head, this really is happening. But in the last few days, that comfort has turned into an excuse to bathe myself in pity.
On Friday, that changed. I made a statement in my post about the campaign at http://stuffchristianslike.net/ to protect people in Uganda from contracting Malaria, and it was like I slapped myself upside the head. My statement was this:
If you’ve ever been bitten by a mosquito and not gotten Malaria, you’re blessed enough to help someone else.
It occurred to me a little later as I ate lunch that because I had gotten to eat lunch, I’m blessed. I started looking at other events of my day, and those two words popped into my head over and over again.
The heat in my house turned on. I’m blessed.
I’m reading Andy Stanley’s new book which means I know how to read. I’m blessed. (Btw, stay tuned tomorrow for my review…and then go get the book!)
I have parents, friends and a church family who continue to support me in every way possible. I’m blessed.
I am blessed. There have been many days in recent weeks when I’ve felt more that I’m cursed, but Truth will always win, and the truth is, I’m blessed.
And so are you. No matter where you are right now, no matter how bad today has been (or yesterday, for that matter), you’re blessed. I know I probably have no idea what you’re going through today, but I know that you’re blessed. Don’t believe me? 2 Peter 1:3 puts it this way:
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
See? God has given us everything we need. But not just for our benefit. He does it for His own glory and because He is good. He has blessed you and me so that our lives will bring Him glory. He has blessed you and me so that our lives will show His goodness to a broken world.
That thing in your life that is causing you so much pain/confusion/anxiety? Perhaps it’s there to amplify God’s blessing in other areas of your life. Perhaps it’s there to strengthen the relationship you’re blessed to have with Him. Perhaps it’s there as a gateway to future blessing. Perhaps it’s there so that one day, you will be able to bless someone else through your expereince.
Knowing this, knowing that as God’s children we are blessed and that everything He does and allows is because He’s good, how can our response continue to be anything other than, “Thank You!”?
It won’t always be easy to see God’s blessing in our lives. Tragedies will continue to strike. Disappointments will continue to plague us. Pain, sorrow and loss will continue to play a role in our lives. But the blessed Christian can rob those things of their power. By reminding ourselves constantly that we are blessed – in every circumstance and at all times – I think we’ll find that life really isn’t all that bad after all.
And when we’re no longer wasting our energies on feeling sorry for ourselves, we can get out there and be a blessing in someone else’s life. All for His glory!
In what way have you recently realized God’s blessing in your life? What’s your suggestion for being a blessing to someone else today?
I apologize for going MIA for a little while there. I have “good” reasons. To be honest, everything I’ve thought to write about the last couple of weeks just felt so hypocritical. I’m having a hard time with some things and I couldn’t bring myself to write an encouraging blog post when I was so discouraged. I’m getting better. The Truth is starting to penetrate my heart again and I’ll be writing about that more next week. But my heart is still a little raw and sore, so I’m going to give it a few more days.
In the meantime, I can offer a different kind of encouragement: As you sit in your office or in your solid, four-walled-with-a-real-roof house, you have the power to save a life today. Check out this post from Jon Acuff at Stuff Christians Like (a.k.a. the blog that has forever ruined my ability to sit in church and not laugh). Through his readers, God did some amazing things last year and He’s at it again.
So here’s my encouragement to you: If you’ve ever been bitten by a mosqito and not gotten Malaria, you are blessed enough to help someone else. Go do it!
In case you weren’t aware, there are A LOT of books on the market. And in case you weren’t aware, there are A LOT of Christian books on the market. And I mean A LOT (which is why I keep putting A LOT in all caps). There are books about theology, evangelism, raising godly kids, Church history, Christian-themed cookbooks, books about God, books about Jesus, books about the Holy Spirit, books about the apostles, David, Paul, Mary… I could go on, and on (and on), but you get the idea (in case you didn’t already have it).
Now I don’t know about you, but I’ve read quite a few books this year: Authors like Phillip Yancey, John MacArthur, Beth Moore, and Kelly Minter, to name a few. And I’ve learned so much. I’ve learned more about who God is, who I am, who Jesus is, what the church is, who Esther was, who Ruth was. I’ve learned about prayer, world religions, Christian denominations, various theological approaches, and, thanks to Donald Miller, how Romeo and Juliet is really the story of Mankind and God. (Where was he when I was in high school trying to figure that out?)
Needless to say, I’ve acquired a lot of knowledge, I’ve changed the way I think about some things, I’ve confirmed the way I think about some things and I’ve decided that there are some things I just will never care about.
But today, I came to a potentially scary revelation: I’ve read a lot of books about the Bible, but do you know what I haven’t read a lot of lately? The Bible. Sure, I’ve done my daily reading (well, ok, semi-daily) and I’ve gained a lot of knowledge about the Bible, but if I add up how much time I’ve spent reading about the Bible and compare it with how much time I’ve spent actually reading the Bible itself, it’s a pretty shameful comparison.
I can’t say that I haven’t grown in my faith through all of my reading of outside sources – I definitely have. But I have to wonder if God is pleased with my reading habits of late? I really don’t know. He may be perfectly fine with the amount of time I’ve spent in His Word vs. the amount of time I’ve spent reading about His Word. But I have to think that this thought has popped into my head for a reason.
This reminds me of a quote by T.S. Elliot”
We had the experience, but missed the meaning.
Granted, Elliot was not talking about my Bible reading habits or the lack thereof, but the sentiment still rings true somehow. It’s like I’ve exchanged a valuable painting for a brochure about the valuable painting. Yes, the brochure gives me information that I probably wouldn’t pick up on own if I were to just stand there and stare at an incredible work of art. But the brochure is worthless if I don’t own the painting itself. In the same way, all the books I’ve been reading have given me information and ideas that I’d probably never come up with on my own and there is great value in that. But if all I do is read the “brochures”, I think I’ve missed the point.
Do you think God cares how much we read the actual Bible if we’re still learning and growing from other sources?
NOTE: Today’s post is kind of between me and God, but since at some point or another, we all go through the same pain, I’m posting it to let that one person know she’s not the only one who feels hopeless today.
It’s time to admit that I’m just not doing well. I thought I reached my limit months ago, but the pain just keeps coming. Disappointment after disappointment is taking its toll. Watching as the people around me get the very things I’ve been asking for – begging for – while I continue to be denied the privilege of good news. Jobs, weddings, babies, moves, vacations… I’ve told myself that I can’t compare myself to others, but it’s what humans do. It’s what I’ve been doing for as long as I can remember.
This week I asked You to give me just a glimpse of hope – just a little encouragement for my discouraged heart – that life won’t always hurt this much and that it will turn around eventually. Instead, I was slapped over and over again with bad news, disappointment, frustration and further losses of hope. The Bible tells me that You give good gifts to Your children. The Bible tells me that You know what’s best for me. It tells me that You are good, loving, merciful, gracious, kind. It says that I’m Your child, dearly loved, chosen before the foundations of the earth.
You knew before You created a single molecule that I would exist, that I would choose You and You would choose me. You’ve planned out every one of my days. You saw this week coming centuries ago.
The human, hurting, confused, and yes, angry part of me wants to know why You couldn’t have stopped it. It wants to know why my week was so bad and so full of hopelessness and despair while others around me got to celebrate new jobs, new life and new blessings. It wants to know when it will be my turn.
The spiritual, trusting, Bible-believing part of me wants to believe that You know what You’re doing, that You have a plan, that You’re working on it and You’re coming to my rescue. That part of me tells the other part of me that relief is right around the corner: “Just hang on, He’s got it under control. He sees your tears, He understands your hurt. The promises in His Word really are true and really are for you too, not just everyone around you.”
At night, I lay in bed and wonder what I’ve done wrong? How I have I offended You? What sin have I committed that makes all of this make sense? Am I praying wrong? Am I not reading the Bible enough? Am I ungrateful or impatient or am I not trusting enough? I read Job’s story and relate so much to all of his losses and I wonder if that’s what’s going on. Am I just a pawn in some game You’re playing?
Or is this not even about me at all?
I look at people who are watching their children fight and lose the battle with cancer, kids who are taking their lives because they’re being bullied at school, people on the other side of the world who are being murdered just because they were born into a certain tribe. I look at them and realize that in the grand scheme of things, my problems are so small and superficial. And I feel guilty. But this is my reality. This is what I’m waking up to every day, and while it’s not “as bad” as what so many others are going through, it’s still pretty bad.
In an effort the take my focus off me, I’ve thrown my energy into serving others and investing in their lives and when I’m doing that, it helps. But I can’t do that 24-7. Eventually, I have to go home and face my reality again.
I don’t know how to respond to all of this. Praying feels so completely pointless today because I’ve been praying for years, seemingly in vain. Looking for another solution feels so completely pointless today because I’ve been searching for years, seemingly in vain. Coming up with a way to fix it feels so completely pointless today because every solution I’ve come up with lately, everything I’ve tried has failed. I feel like I’m being sabotaged. And I feel like I’m being overly-dramatic and self-centered.
A few weeks ago, I asked my mom what she thought I should do. She said, “I feel like it doesn’t matter because whatever choice you make will be the wrong one.” It’s pretty bad when the people who love me the most and have been praying the hardest for me throw up their hands in hopeless frustration right along with me.
And so I’m left with this: If You are for me, who can be against me? Nothing can separate me from Your love. You work everything out for the good of those who love Your and who are called according to Your purpose. You are the God of hope, the God of peace, the God of joy. I just have to keep waiting, keep trusting, keep holding on…I have to.
I got into an accident tonight. I missed my normal exit and was forced to take a different one. But at that one, everyone suddenly slammed on their brakes and the next thing I knew, poor Frankie’s face had been smashed into the back of a Jimmy… But here’s what went right tonight:
I have no reason to think that He won’t continue to take care of me. I have no reason to think that He won’t provide the money I need for my deductable. I have no reason to think that this is too big for Him or too far out of His control. He knew this was going to happen and I am at peace in Him. To God be the glory!
