Don’t send the card?

Sometimes sending a card to the hurting
is the right thing to do.

A card isn’t intrusive. It doesn’t demand a response from the recipient who often has little energy anyway.

It just arrives quietly, tangibly, to whisper, “I care.”

I remind myself monthly to send a note to a friend whose beloved son was murdered last year. I don’t want to bug her with phone calls. I don’t want to put more burdens on her to reply back.

I just want her to know I remember. And I’m praying.

So I send a card. Usually. But it didn’t happen this week. And when I looked for a card today, I couldn’t find the right one.

Sometimes not sending a card is the right thing to do.

So I sent her a Facebook message instead. With similar words that I might have put in a card. “Been praying….You stay on my mind a lot...”

And she responded.

I didn’t expect it. It was a gift. I learned that times are still hard. Grief is still heavy. And new problems don’t stay away just because old ones linger.

So I’m re-armed with up-to-date prayer requests for my friend.

       Renewed by the faith she carries so bravely  
       (even though she can’t always see that herself). 

               Refreshed by the grace of her reply.

Because I didn’t send a card this month.

* * *

When has your Plan B worked better than your Plan A?

Related:

• 5 Ways to Really Sympathize in a Sympathy Card
• The Backup Gift
• Do Your 1 Small Thing

In Trouble

One of the most common and naive sentences in the English language is perhaps the following: “If I can just get through this problem, then everything will be all right.”

There comes a time, and it may well be the birth of maturity, when we realize that once we get through our present problem there will be another one, slightly larger and a little more intense, waiting to take its place.
~ Tim Hansel
You Gotta Keep Dancin’

Jesus never promised his followers a problem-free life. To the contrary, he assured them (and us) that they would have problems. Count on it.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
~ John 16:33

The good news comes on two fronts. 1—Jesus walks each step with us, regardless of our trouble, and 2—He has already overcome our troubles anyway by defeating sin itself.

There is no problem that can defeat us if we’re depending on his strength and not our own. Victory is promised before we even fight the battle.

To make peace with having problems, seek peace in a Person, not in a preferred outcome.

More from Tim Hansel

What now?

Ann Patchett wrote a delightful little book What Now? based upon the graduation speech she delivered at Sarah Lawrence College. There have been many times in my own life when I’ve been faced with “What now?”. And in spite of myself, God has always come through with the answer. Eventually. In his own timing, which, I admit, was usually slower than what I expected or desired. But nonetheless was best.

After accumulating a few years and experiences together, I’m slowly learning to depend on his timing and his mysterious methods of using unexpected people and places and things to teach me what’s next. He’s proven trustworthy thus far, and I anticipate no backsliding anytime soon. He just requires me to keep my eyes open to watch the surprises unfold.

One of Ann’s reflections:
“It was for me the start of a lesson that I never stop having to learn: to pay attention to the things I’ll probably never need to know, to listen carefully to the people who look as if they have nothing to teach me, to see school as something that goes on everywhere, all the time, not just in libraries but in parking lots, in airports, in trees.”

That's what's now. I can do that.

More from What Now?

Asking myself...

Part of making good decisions means asking good questions. Here are a few I’ve been thinking of:

1. Will your decision honor God?
2. Will it bring you closer to Him? Make you more like Him?
3. Is your choice based on biblical truths? Is it right?
4. Would you want other people to know about this decision?
5. How will others be affected?
6. Will this decision lead to greater peace and inner freedom?
7. What is God teaching you while you make the decision?
8. What decision will be made if you make no decision at all?

We often discount # 8, but it is often one of the larger factors. Our hesitancy to decide can result in missed opportunities. Of course, too hastily making a decision can prove equally disastrous. That’s why we need God’s guidance—only his timing is perfect.

Is this the right decision?

How ironic. I’m having trouble making decisions about making decisions.

This scenario happens frequently when I plan to teach something to someone else: my once-clear thoughts become muddled; my answers turn into questions; my “sure-things” turn into “maybe’s”. In this case, preparing a lesson about “making decisions” is leaving me confused.

So I break it down to its core message, which in this case is: why is it important to listen to God when I’m faced with decisions? Because...He will guide me toward choices that honor him...and choices that honor him are always in my best interest, too. As my relationship with God improves, the quality of my life improves, and my relationships with others improve, too. The ripple effects from my decisions go further than I ever foresee.

It’s not just the quality of my own life that is at stake; it’s also the lives of those around me. When we each make better choices, the more blessed we are and the more of a blessing we are to each other. Because my choices affect you and vice versa, we need to help each other make the best God-honoring choices possible.

And that, no doubt, is the right decision.

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

~ Romans 15:5,6

What's next?

The bad news is, well, you know.

But the good news is that the same Good Guy is really still in charge. His sovereignty has outlasted (and trumped) every leader, despot, monarch, pharaoh, dictator, emir, patriarch, king, prime minister, and yes, president that ever ruled or ever will rule.

That’s very good news.

“It’s possible to be so concerned with what has happened in the past, or so caught up in what’s happening in the present, that we pay no attention to what God has for us next.”
~Alex & Brett Harris, “Do Hard Things”

What does God have for us next? Is he rallying the troops? Is he going to unite his believers to work together in ways we haven’t done in the past? Is he wanting to keep us on our knees, not just through an election, but throughout a presidency? Yes!

As he has proven in the past, he’s big enough to use whoever and whatever he wants to accomplish his purposes. Just wait and see.

Lord,
Let us not be troubled by what bad things might happen, but let us be looking forward to whatever new work you'll put in front of us to do. All for your will; all to your glory.
So be it.

Isaiah 25:9
Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

Does God change his mind?

Can I convince God to change His mind?

When I pray, whose mind am I hoping to change? God’s? Or my own? Am I trying to sell Him on my good plan, or am I trying to convince myself to buy into His? Do I really think that I could come up with a better plan than His anyway? Unfortunately, sometimes I do think so. Even though I know how ridiculously stupid that is.

Scot McKnight published the following quote from Peter Kreeft on Scot’s blog Jesus Creed:

“But we cannot change God, can we? No, we cannot. But is that why we pray? To change omniscient Love?”

“Isn’t it [our reason for praying] rather to learn what it [God’s love] is and to fulfill it? Not to change it by our acts, but to change our acts by it.”

No, I do not want to change “omniscient Love”. So, Lord, as I pray, help me get on board more and more with Your program. Change me. And I thank You for being Unchangeable.

A Famine of Word

Amos 3:7
For the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.

God does not sneak up on people to destroy them with no warning. Quite the opposite. He gives opportunity after opportunity, and chance after chance, for us to turn around and choose him. How many times a day does he speak, trying to catch the attention of the world?

Amos 4:12
"Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!"

But when time is up, look out. Can there be a scarier statement than that one—“Prepare to meet your God!”

Amos 8:11-12
"Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord GOD, "when I will send a famine on the land-- not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it.”

The worst kind of famine is the absence of God. Without his presence, all is dark, hopeless, and senseless.

Lord, thank you for letting us live in plenty—plenty of opportunity to see you, plenty of grace to receive from you, plenty of Word to hear from you.

Come to the edge

Come to the edge.
No, we will fall.
Come to the edge.
No, we will fall.
They came to the edge.
He pushed them and they flew.

~ French poet Guillaume Apollinaire

The Lord continues to call me to come to the edge, to step out of the boat. I'm afraid of falling, of sinking. But he doesn't call me to do it by myself; he promises to hold my hand. So why is it still so scary? Lord, please, more faith...take me to the edge.

      But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me."
      Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
      And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

~ Matthew 14:30-33

Many Counselors

11:14 "Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety."

Wisdom doesn’t hide in darkness or alone in quiet corners; don’t expect to find it lurking there. Instead, seek wisdom in bright light and from a plethora of godly sources; victory is there.

11:24 "One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
11:25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered."

Only in God’s economy can we receive more by giving more. He encourages us to be like him--to give and not be stingy—by blessing us when we attempt to bless others. He is most gracious and ever-wise.

Pour on the salt

You wouldn't think there could be so many jewels in 2 Chronicles, but here are just a few I found today...

1 Ch 10:15 "So the king [Rehoboam] did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs [environment, circumstances] brought about by God that the LORD might fulfill his word, which he spoke by Ahijah...."

This made me think of a parenting struggle I have. Sometimes I know the "turn of affairs" is indeed brought about by God and his principles, but I'm still tempted to step in and rescue my child anyway from those consequences. Maybe if I'll remember this verse in those times, it will help me resist.

2Ch 12:7 When the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah: "They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.

2Ch 12:12 And when he humbled himself the wrath of the LORD turned from him, so as not to make a complete destruction. Moreover, conditions were good in Judah.

God obviously honors humility in us. So why is it so hard to be humble?

2Ch 13:5 Ought you not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt?

A covenant of salt? That meant it was a lasting, perpetual covenant, one made through a sacrifice, and sacrifices were always salted, per the Lord's orders. So maybe when Jesus calls US to be the salt of the earth, one meaning is that we are to be continually seasoning the perpetual sacrifice he made/makes for the world.

2Ch 13:12 Behold, God is with us at our head.... O sons of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers, for you cannot succeed."

We truly can never succeed without the Lord. What passes as success in the world's eyes (and often mine) is NOT really success if God is not in it.

2Ch 13:18 ...The men of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the LORD, the God of their fathers.

Trust Him; trust Him; trust Him. How many different times, situations, ways, etc. has God used to help us get that? Lord, help me get it. Help me trust you more.

Who's the boss?

4:6 "Do not forsake [loosen, relinquish, permit] her [wisdom], and she will keep [hedge about, guard, protect] you; love her, and she will guard you."

If we don't let go of wisdom, she won't let go of us. If we follow her around, she automatically puts hedges around us. A 2-way street--delightful.

6:6-8 "Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider [see] her ways [road], and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest."

It's not just that the ant is a worker--she's a worker with no boss. She does what is necessary with no one standing over her prompting her or rewarding her.

Lord, continue to direct my hours as I also have no human overseer directing what I do at home each day. May I be wise on which roads I follow on my daily journey.

Watching...

The lyrics to "Watching Over Me" are a beautiful reminder that we are never alone.

The Lord is..."watching over the way of his saints."
~ Proverbs 2:8

Written by Ken Young & Cole Young
© 2007 Hallal Music



When the valley seems so dark and deep
And the burdens hard to bear
When the storm clouds gather in the east
And it seems that no one cares

CHORUS:
Remember you are not alone
Look closely and you’ll see
The Savior watching over you
And He’s watching over me

When the cross you carry weighs you down
And you fall upon your knees
When it seems that no one is around
Who can hold you tenderly

CHORUS:
Remember you are not alone
Look closely and you’ll see
The Savior watching over you
And He’s watching over me

When you cry out on the stormy sea
Buried by the angry waves
When you soul is troubled and it seems
That your life draws near the grave

CHORUS:
Remember you are not alone
Look closely and you’ll see
The Savior watching over you
And He’s watching over me

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