When stuck in a rut, it's difficult to initiate the recovery process. We think "it would just be so much work" or "I could never do that...I'm not as good as that person." But that's so not true! Really, we are all equal sinners. Just because one person can write out her issues and the way she deals with them doesn't make her superior in any way. Rather, it is this inability to make ourselves whole that allows us to actually heal!
Don't think that your issues are small, and don't entertain the thought that you cannot recover from whatever you're dealing with. Instead, I challenge you to go against Matthew West's song and do go through the motions. Even if you don't feel like it's going to make a difference, still talk to God. Tell Him what you're going through, explain why you're struggling. He understands, and He listens, even when it feels like He doesn't.
Trust me, I have this problem, too. I pray and pray, but the results still seem unchanged. That's looking at it the wrong way though. We never can pinpoint how God is going to react; to do so would take away His sovereignty. But He does listen, and He ALWAYS answers. Yes, no, or maybe: Growing up, that's how I was told God would answer . But it's so much more than that!
An example: I have been wondering what I should major in when I'm out of high school. The question laid heavily on my mind. Initially, I gravitated towards teaching, but then I thought about the pay and the other options available, like a business degree. I prayed about it, and the way God responded was truly amazing. It's not like the heavens opened up and I was given this great revelation, nor did I suddenly have this supernaturalunderstanding and I knew what I was supposed to do. No, it was more realistic than that. I started hearing stories that pricked my heart. I was realized the need out there, and the love that children in public schools need. I went to my cousins' school and saw one of their friends cling to their daddy because her own had died. I heard about neglected children in public schools, ones whose parents are utterly incapable, neglecting their children to the point of malnutrition.
The most obvious encounter was a speaker at my friend's church. Maybe I've already written about this in a past post, but this guy was a lot like me. He had planned on going into missions, but when his successful uncle in California offered him a position at Verizon, he began to doubt his choice. Finally, he decided: he would finish his obligations and then move out to California to live in his uncle's mansion. But it was that last obligation, that mission trip he couldn't get out of, that changed his perspective. God revealed to him where his heart was needed, the plan He had for Him.
It may seem like He's not there, like He's just pulling the strings and not actively involved in our lives. But really, He speaks in a "still small voice". Sometimes we look for a big sign, but God doesn't work like that. He is supremely capable to eradicate all that's hurting us, all it takes is "God, I'm drifting away; bring me back," which is what I was brought to confess on Good Friday. He is always there. We take Him for granted at times and forget the significance He has in our lives, but He never loosens His grip on us.
Every morning, the sky goes from a
dull, grayish color to an exuberant canvas of light. Pinks, oranges, and
yellows slowly grow up from the horizon like young plants, reaching further and
further until the sun has covered the distance and is peering down upon you
from above. Regardless of the past day, whether it rained or snowed or sunned,
the sun will always rise again. It is a constant, and constants can be relied
on to remain unchanging.
Trying to think of other things
that are constant, the list is short. Matter, energy, light, darkness. These
constants are very broad terms, however. When applying the “unchanging” test,
more tangible things, like love and even hate, translate as constants. I know
that my parents’ love is unchanging; I know that my friends’ love is
unconditional. What more is there?
Dooms-day believers don’t even have
the satisfaction of believing in a consistent sunrise. Every year, they come
out with some explanation of how the world will end sooner or later. There is
only one thing more constant than the sunrise. One thing that is not dependent
on anything that happens, no matter what we do or say or how the world around
us changes. We can screw up worse than ever before; we can launch nuclear missiles; we can look away s as dictators take over continents; we can deny the reality of it existing, but the fact still stands:
God is constant.
There are days, weeks, months, that
I feel a void in my heart. A void that is gaping and selfish, absorbing
everything with a hunger that will not be satisfied. Doubts whisper through my
brain, making me critical of myself and others. A nuance of numbness takes
hold, and it spreads throughout my entire body before I notice. Before long,
what used to be a fulfilled, happy life is nothing more than a shell struggling
to keep a smile pasted on a fake mask.
Once I realize my depravity, I pray
about it. I ask that I will be able to help others and not remain in this
strange feeling of nothingness. I talk about it; maybe someone else will give
me wisdom. My dearest friend suggested perhaps it was stress, my not wanting to
face something, that prompted the slump. However, knowing the cause does not always
initiate the healing.
The only thing that could truly
penetrate the barricade around me was prayer. Still, in my heart, I barely felt
a difference. Only a growing sense of hopelessness and paranoia. Scary how an
invisible thing can have such great affect.
Finally, God must have reached down
and knocked through that self-imposed barrier. It was like He said, “OK, that’s
enough. You need to get back to reality now.” Reality. Such a frightening word,
unless you have a constant to rely on.
He revealed to me that my problem was avoiding Him. Inadvertently, I
allowed my schedule, my busyness,
to place a gap between me and God until I was basically numb. Although I didn't notice it right away, the
danger was real. Apathy is the most dangerous of emotions, worse even than
hate, and the only way out was to admit my fault and to pray for
redemption.
“Science may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all -- the apathy of human beings.”
I want to continue on this topic, but this post has become quite lengthy, so until then...
A note to my readers
Some comments that I receive resemble remarks like "I wish I had your faith." I wish to address these comments briefly.
First of all, really? I'm flattered of course, but you must realize that the whole reason I keep up this blog is because I'm a confused teenager who doesn't know heads nor tails of the world. In every post, I am searching for something constant to hold on to, and then I try to hang onto it once I've found it. It's not that I have great faith, because honestly I don't. Most of the time, I really suck at the whole "trust God with all your heart" thing. I thank God that all He asks is faith like a mustard seed because that's about all I can muster most of the time.
Thank you for your comments, but know that I wrestle with my faith just as much as you do, if not more. It does comfort me to know that there are others who struggle with these same things, though, and I always enjoy your comments. Grasping the truths of the world is the most difficult and most unachievable tasks we shall ever endeavor, but I enjoy embarking on the journey with you all.
Love you!! You are all in my prayers. Keep trading yesterdays.
"I wanna be bigger, stronger drive a faster car..."
(Bigger, Stronger by Coldplay)
My little cousin once had shoelace untied. He fiddled with
it and struggled with it until he was frustrated. Seeing his predicament, I
went over to assist. “No,” he pushed me away. “I can do it.” We both knew he
couldn’t, but he wanted to think he could so that he could “prove” his “independence.”
That’s just how I am with God! When a problem hits me like an ocean wave, I
brace myself against it, preparing to fight the ensuing battle. Really, I’m
missing the point. As a Christian, it’s my job to step aside and allow someone
else to take the wave for me. That “someone”, of course, is Jesus. He decided
to serve me because He loves me, loves me enough to die for me. He has said things like “In this world you will have
trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world” and “Do not let your hearts
be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me.”
I found something interesting in Hebrews a few weeks ago. Isn’t it
funny how a concept you thought you’d mulled over umpteen times in your head
can just suddenly hit you in a whole new way? Well, Hebrews 10: 12 says,
“But when this priest had offered
for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.”
The key words there are “sat down”. After dying on the
cross, Jesus sat down because His
work was fulfilled. His one sacrifice
was complete. He had come to the earth, the most lowly form the God of the
universe could assume, and served us, such useless creatures that we couldn’t
even live without the breath of God within us. And then, it was done. It is done.
Jesus didn’t die because He had nothing better to do one
Friday afternoon. He died because it was His plan to die. Because He had to do something drastic completely separate
from the way us mortals process life. King of the world, Creator of all things?
Dying on the cross? What the heck?? No one knows exactly why God chose to
glorify Himself in this manner. Of course, if we could understand it then that
would defeat the purpose somewhat, but I think part of it has to do with the
fact that our devotion would not be so personal and utterly authentic
otherwise.
Still, I push Him away. Either that, or I forget to ask for
His help. In cases like those, I’m like a person drowning in the sea within
sight of a lifeguard. I’m kicking and frantically waving my arms, but I forget
that my savior is mere meters away. All I have to do is ask.
Sometimes the lifeguard sees someone having issues and jumps
in after them without being asked. Still, sometimes a drowning person can look
at him and doubt. “Can he really save me?” This is the unspoken question in the
back of my mind. “Can God really save me?” I’ve done so many things against
Him, pushing Him away, discarding the plan He has for me, the instruction
manual of life He has given me (the Bible, in case you didn’t get that). Yet,
He really can. He’s stronger than all it, and the power of Jesus’ grace allows
me to stand blameless before Him.
Like the lifeguard, God is underestimated, too. When I look
at the stories in the Bible, like that one about Peter and John, I can’t
believe the unrestrained faith they have. Of course, they had seen Jesus
themselves. Peter had personally experienced the affect of being forgiven by
Jesus. But still, there are others without that benefit who have gone on to
accomplish miracles beyond my realm of thought.
Why can’t I just trust Him? Why must I try to do everything
on my own first, and then, once I’m
all burnt out, go to God? He has told us, “My grace is sufficient for you, for
My power is made perfect in weakness.” (1 Corinthians 12:8). His power is
great, encompassing all, holding all things together. Who am I to doubt its
validity?
“Who has a claim against Me that I must pay? Everything
under heaven belongs to me,” God laughs in Job 41:11. Later, through Isaiah, He
added, “Who has understood the mind of the Lord, or instructed Him as His counselor?
Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten Him, and who taught Him the right way?
Who was it that taught Him knowledge or showed Him the path of understanding?”
God holds me in His hands. Like Job, I am forced to admit “I
spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.”
(42:3). Throughout my days, when I’m drowning or I’m living it up, I need to remember
that “The Lord is righteous in all His ways and loving towards all He has made.
The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.” (Ps
145:17-18)
Today, what’s the big scare when somebody steals your
wallet? Not that your cash is gone, although that is concerning, too. The
biggest issue is identity theft. People steal other people’s place in the
world, simply by taking a few pieces of plastic. On TV, people cry and solemnly
tell of how their lives were turned upside down by this kind of theft. Overall,
the commercial industry is trying to say, “without your I.D., you don’t have a
life.” Well how flimsy is that? I mean, all I have to do is lose my driver’s
license and debit card, and then my life is ruined?
Perhaps it isn’t as dramatic in reality as they portray it
on TV, but there are other parts of life that revolve around this same concept.
What if my house burned down? What if my best friend moved away? What if I lost
my writing arm? What if one of my parents got cancer? What if, what if, what
if. The solution is not in purchasing any kind of insurance that promises to
guard against disaster because disaster always finds a way to strike, no matter
what measures are taken to prevent it. Instead, I should find something else to
vest my person in.
Last night, my youth pastor was talking about identity. He
shed light on the fact that identity is the only thing that we have that is
truly ours. Of course, as Christians we have surrendered our identities to
Christ, but still, we have a say in how we allow our identity to form, even as
Christians. If we do not give it to Jesus, then we continue to hold on to it,
keeping from reaching its ultimate potential. The fashion world vies for our
loyalty. “Come down this path,” they say, without actually saying it at all, “We
will make you feel better about yourself.” And like a blind sheep, I follow the
voices.
Try to describe yourself. For some, this is easy. Jot down a
few conceited remarks and you’re done. But look a little closer. Are these
things really true, or are they the reality that you want? Finding who you are
requires more. Some people may find this hard, like me. I think about the
things I want to do, the things I love. My family, my friends, writing, music.
Still, what a pathetic identity. It appears to be vested in all material
things, and even people can be counted as "material" since, let's face it, people don’t last forever. If you’re a believer,
then all your fellow believers will someday live with you forever, but people
die, people move, people have fights and split apart. Not saying that this will
happen to everyone you know – sheesh, I sure hope not! But there has to be a
deeper identity than just “I love my friends.”
What things are affected by our identities? In short, the
way we look at the world. So examine the way you look at the world. How do you
see things? What colors, what perspectives, filter through your vision? Ask
yourself questions you never thought to ask before. Ask the big question WHY.
Without a reason, there is no purpose. Find your reason for things, and it will
suddenly become so much clearer. Why do I like this song? Why did I buy that
t-shirt? Why don’t I clean my room? Why do I love this person? Why do I worry
what people think about me?
With a transparent purpose and a clearly defined identity,
life is suddenly free. The chains are thrown off, and we are allowed to
actually live life. To appreciate things, and to know why we appreciate them. It isn’t a permanent condition, however.
The process of finding ourselves is always in pursuit because we are always
changing. For a Christian, you should be constantly changing in your relation
to the world in accordance with your relationship with Jesus. For teenagers,
your stances are just forming, so there’s no telling if that one thing you
believed all your life will still influence you in the future. Ask yourself
questions – you may be surprised how little you and yourself talk.
Sources: Obviously, I have an affinity for manga art right now.
Words have the ability to embody everything in the whole world on a single piece of paper. They can express the deepest of emotions without sounding contrived; they can convey the most pure and most honorable of actions without uttering a sound. They can make a girl fall in love without ever being kissed; they can ignite within the soul a rage without an act of instigation. On a page, words can reach into the confounds of the mind and pull out something nobody knew existed. While the tongue is a part of the mouth, sharp and piercing, the pen has a way of softening the bite of thought. Thoughts flow from the brain to the page like a water current swept down the slope of a waterfall. What seems calm and undisturbed becomes a roaring deluge.
In my head, thoughts seem so much clearer. During an argument or discussion, some nugget of wisdom may pop up, and I think to myself, "What a great point!" But sadly, by the time that thought has traveled its way to my tongue, the words are halting and broken. In the end, the point never comes across as clear as I think it was in my head. However, though a longer trip from hand to temple, my thoughts usually manage to cross that distance in one piece.
Why I started writing may be attributed to this fact. Because I have somewhat of a speech impediment, always tripping over my words and stumbling through half-thought cogitations. Where the meaning may suffer in speech, the moral is sure to translate through the pen. Not to mention that my brain flows freer in text than with tone.
People at church, relatives in the family, friends here and there: they all preach the message of use your gifts to glorify God. Do what you can to help others, they say. God beseeches us to carry out his work among men. More often than not, though, I wonder what could I do to that end? What do I have that I could possibly make a difference to somebody else? Accurate though it may be, writing is only effectual when there is a reader. I cannot hand out pamphlets to everyone I meet.
There is a draw-back to this truth that I live, this written world that I perceive. I cannot live my life behind a page, although it is hard to come out from behind it. Words...they are powerful, but they are not mine. I cannot bend them to my will as I can the plot of a story. They have lives of their own, affecting those whom they touch. Each already possesses its own meaning, a meaning I cannot alter. From my mouth, these words seem trite, over-used, banal. Nobody likes the voluble little library girl, spitting out words she has only read in books and knows not how to correctly pronounce them. Who does not know how to intricately arrange them in speech, which has no backspace key.
Life is lived face-to-face, not through an alternative world of writing. By no means am I degrading writing, for indeed it is largely my life. My dilemma remains, however. Knowing how to write is only as effectual as the reader reads. Once interest is hindered, the spell is broken. During that time in between, the writer has only minutes (perhaps less) to weave a reality alternative to this one. From one person to another, this magic has no bond. Beside my friend, she had no knowledge of my love for her besides that which I say. Words on a page may hold meanings in and of themselves, but the actions behind them reinforce their original intent and transpose them into a reality that is living and breathing.
Courageous as writing is, it takes a deal more to make writing meaningful. It takes guts to go outside the dull monotony normalcy, if that is what your writing intends to accomplish, as most writing does. To curve the average road of unswerving redundancy, characterized by lack of feeling and emotion. For writing to have substance it must have heart, and heart is so alive it cannot be created out of nothing.
I must break from this prison of fear, fear of the unknown, of what these words put to use could achieve. A scientist may construct the most astonishing of inventions in blueprints, but without the science to reinforce his idea, the concept is null. What point is there? Without the possibility of being real, whatever is on paper has no purpose.
Isn't this a wonderful, extra day? How cool that every now and then, we are given an extra 24-hours in the year to use as we may. Although it is a little gloomy now where I am, I hope that today will be a productive one.
It's hard to get started when you're so unmotivated. I have been siting at the computer writing for an hour, avoiding the pile of schoolwork that lies to my left. Yes, I know I will have to tackle it eventually, and I am full aware of the fact that the longer I delay the harder it will be. Strangely, though, I'm still not moved to get started. I find it so much more fulfilling to write.
Nobody’s perfect. Everybody’s going to screw up sometime, to
fall into temptation, to get out of line with where they are supposed to be. In
our minds, we uphold great Christian figures, like Paul and St. Augustine and
Billy Graham. Compared to them, our Christian lives seem small and
insignificant. How could I possibly make a difference in the world like Paul?
How could I even attempt to influence people to Christ like Augustine? I’m not
even going to get started on Billy Graham.
Although we seem weak to ourselves, we have muscles that
have the capability to move mountains. In Romans 8, Paul (ha, Paul again!)
points out that “if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living
in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal
bodies through His Spirit who lives in you.” The same power that brought life
back into Jesus’ body is ALIVE IN US! This mere concept should be enough to
encourage us in our daily life. 1 Timothy 4 says to not “let anyone look down
on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech,
in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.”
I am small, but He is big. Like in the Veggie Tales episode
when Little Dave is facing the Giant Pickle. “He’s big, but God’s bigger.” My
insignificance may be magnanimous, but God’s mercy and faithfulness is
immeasurable.
Still, we fall out of being exhilarated by God’s Spirit in
us. We forget how “wide and deep and high and long is the love of Christ”.
Keeping on track isn’t easy, and it takes a genuine effort.There are five concepts that outlined in Susan Boe’s Total Health which, if we stick with
them, will remind us that Christ is living inside of us. He is there, fighting
the urge to give in to temptation and encouraging us to live a life pleasing to
Him. Keeping Him at the front of your mind at all times requires 1) renewing
the mind, 2) growing in values, 3) staying disciplined, and through 4) hopeful
perseverance and 5) ceaseless motivation.
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and
approve what god’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will”.
Romans 12:2
Renewing the Mind
sounds like a complicated process that may instigate images of doctors with
scalpels or perhaps Frankenstein’s monster. In reality, “renewing the mind”
simply means keeping goods thoughts in your head so that there isn’t room for
the bad ones. Yes, bad thoughts are going to slip in (and ,consequently, out),
but if you have a “renewed mind”, then the good thoughts will silence the bad
much quicker.
Attaining this “renewed mind” first requires a heart that is
occupied by Jesus. Without Him, none of the good things which we hope to
achieve in life will come about in our lives. Everything good, everything
right, it all comes from Him, and without Him, there simply isn’t any hope of a
better life.
Channeling our thoughts can prove challenging. In a day, the
average person may think close to 2 million different thoughts! Most likely,
not every one of those thoughts are going to be pure and edifying, but God does
give us clear guidelines as to what He wants our primary thoughts to entail.
“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or
praiseworthy – think about such things.” Philippians 4:8
Additionally, “do not merely listen to the word…Do what it
says. The man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and
continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – He will
be blessed in what He does.” James 1:22, 25. Securing honorable thoughts,
positive thoughts, breeds good character, so says Proverbs 4: “Above all else,
guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” A renewed mind eradicates
“arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God”
and it takes “captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2
Corinthians 10:5)
“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness;
and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to
self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness,
brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these
qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and
unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
2 Peter 1:5-8
Growing in Values
begins with one important value that we can never attain on our own: goodness.
This is why He encourages us to pursue growing in values; because we can never
be good enough on our own. We have to draw upon Him for help. Paul himself
said, “I do not set aside the grace of God, for is righteousness could be
gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” (Galatians 2:21) In Romans
chapter 7, Paul also confesses that “when I want to do good, evil is right
there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another
law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind
and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a
wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God
– through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
Becoming a person of virtue isn’t so much a chore we must accomplish
as it is a relinquishing of the reins to a greater power. Alone, we are
powerless, but “with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)
“Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a
man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away
and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into
the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting
what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does.”
James 1:23-25
Staying Disciplined
is a daunting task. What comes to my mind is intense working-out, complete with
weight-lifts and mile runs. Indeed, this is the hardest part of living a life
pleasing to God. It doesn’t say we can be tentative or lukewarm in our faith;
it calls us to be resolute, firm, unshaken. “I have set the Lord always before
me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” (Psalm 16:8)
The Bible is chockfull of ways for us to stay disciplined.
There are whole books dedicated wholly to instruction and ordinances. Knowing
these things, however, and doing these things are two very different concepts.
It is one thing to know that it is bad to steal, but it is another to actually not steal. Discipline requires
repetition, commitment, and action. First, you must know what it is you should
do. Once you know and understand what is being asked of you, then do it! Jesus
said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his
cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24) He didn’t leave room for people who
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your
own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path
straight.” (Pr 3:5-6) A picture of someone who is disciplined – and because of
this, perfect – comes from Proverbs 31. This woman is indeed the real
Super-Woman. She is invigorant, incorruptible, unstoppable. She “works with
eager hands”, “she sets about her work vigorously; he arms are strong for her
tasks. She is clothed with strength and dignity…and does not eat the bread of
idleness.” For “blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the
wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his
delight is in the Lord and on his law he meditates day and night.” (Psalm 1:1-3)
"The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know Your name will trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You."
Psalm 9:9-10
Hopeful Perseverance keeps
us on our toes. Like discipline, it is a sign of commitment, but like
motivation it gives a reason to keep moving forward. The road may be rough,
you may get hurt along the way, but do not be discouraged! Joshua had to face
an entire nation of dissatisfied people; they all looked to him for guidance,
and he had to lead them in the way of the Lord. Even Billy Graham doesn’t have
that kind of pressure! God knew the task He had set before Joshua, so He said,
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do
not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you where you go.”
God chose you, specifically you, with all your faults and
with all your mistakes, to be a part of Him. Think of God and us as a glass. We were
all one, God and man, until the Fall. When Adam and Eve sinned, that glass
shattered. Now, every one of those pieces of glass that used to be so unified,
so flawless, is scattered. Some of the pieces are hidden before they are picked
up and put where they are supposed to be, some go years and years before
realizing what they truly are. But regardless, the truth remains: together,
they become something more magnificent and more glorious than anything known in
a shattered-glass world. Not until God brings all of the pieces together are they
where they are supposed to be. We are all pieces of glass, shattered, broken,
waiting to be repaired. Jesus took the glass and made it beautiful once more so
that it could be a part of the Kingdom of God.
“You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called
you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9) “Take heart!” No
matter where you are right now, you will not be there forever. Jesus has
“overcome the world” (John 16:33) Remember Jeremiah 19:11-14, “’For I know the
plans I have for you,’ says the Lord, plans to prosper you, and not to harm
you; plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come
and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you
seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you…”
“We…who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait
eagerly for our adoption as son, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope
we were saved.”
Romans 8:23-24
Ceaseless Motivation is
vital to getting out of bed every morning, especially on cold rainy days when
just slipping out from under the covers is enough to send you curled up in a
corner somewhere. It also keeps you studying dry history textbooks for hours
upon end instead of turning on the TV or going out with friends. In these perspectives,
motivation actually seems like a kill-joy. That’s not really what it is.
Instead of giving us what we want when we want it – and that’s never possible
because we are never truly satisfied
by chasing after our lust – motivation gives purpose to the things we do. It gives us a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Given, staying beneath
those covers may give a few fleeting moments of contentment, but in the end the
backed-up schedule you’ll have to face later really isn’t worth it. Motive
instead says, “Once you get all the things done, you can get to bed early and
get some really good sleep.” Or “Finish this up and spend the weekend at the
lake with your friends.” Worth it!
In our spiritual lives, our motivation is God’s kingdom. Why
did Jesus die for us? Why did God care to send His Son to earth? His love for
us is one reason, but to be a bit more specific, the reason is so that we could
someday go to heaven and be with Him.
My view of heaven, like everyone else’s, is tainted.
Sometimes it seems that going to spend eternity anywhere may get dull
eventually. To a mortal with laughable expectations in comparison to God’s,
this is true. We can’t comprehend its glory. We can imagine what it would be
like, having no pain or suffering, needs or wants, being always fulfilled and
always joyful. My mother told me to imagine the best day I’ve ever had and
multiply it by a hundred. “That’s a little like what heaven will be like,” she
told me.
Still, my perception was sketchy. Paul Tripp gave an
illustration of heaven by telling a story. There was an art exhibit at the
museum, and he really wanted to see this one particular piece. Having an errand
to run nearby, he found the time to slip away just so that he could get one
glimpse of this magnificent painting he was so excited to see. Unfortunately,
he was not the only one. So many people crowded the hall, that all Paul was
able to see of the picture was one corner. And what a corner! It was so
beautiful, even that small portion, that Paul was struck. That is what heaven
is to man. The tiniest taste of heaven is breathtaking to us as humans so that
we could never fully grasp the concept while we live on earth. If we did, then
nobody would want to stay on earth!
To elaborate upon Paul Tripp’s example, I think God did
instill within man a sample of what heaven will be like. Ecclesiastes 3:11
says, “He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom
what God has done from beginning to end.” What is the only emotion felt by
every person? Love, of course. Love is the eternity God has placed within us.
It is vast, endless, and infinite. Heaven is vast, endless, and infinite. We
cannot fully explain the work of love, nor can we fully grasp the idea of
heaven. Fred Astaire sang, “Heaven, I’m in heaven. And my heart beats so that I
can hardly speak. And I think I’ve found the happiness I seek when we’re out
together dancing cheek to cheek.” I don’t think Fred was seeing about God’s
glory there, but the comparison of love and heaven stands. Anyone who has felt
love, genuine love, not the love that comes from racing hormones, then he/she
understands. A mother who looks at her baby for the first time; a man who sees
his bride walking down the aisle; the incomprehensible joy that excites the
senses, this is heaven on earth.
Therefore, apathy is a danger. To cease caring or to cease
loving means to cease being motivated. This world brings sorrow and suffering;
it is felt by every person. Some days, life feels like a slap in the face, but
still we cannot give in to it! We have to remain motivated! It’s the only way
we will survive. We must “fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is
unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”(2
Corinthians 4:18)
I’m not saying all this because I have my life together. On
the contrary, I had to drag myself out of bed this very morning! Depression and
discouragement wrack my life, and the only way I can combat them and keep from
falling under their deceptive spells is through Christ. The promises He has made
to me – and to you, too – are trustworthy and faithful. I can rely on them
because I know that He is the only one who will never disappoint me. My
parents, my best friend, even I disappoint me sometimes. God, though, He never
fails.
So when the weather is gloomy in your world and the rain
won’t stop falling in your life, hold fast to this promise, the promise God has
made to you and will never forsake:
“When the kindness
and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous
things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing
of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously
through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace,
we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”
When stuck in a rut, it's difficult to initiate the recovery process. We think "it would just be so much work" or "I could never do that...I'm not as good as that person." But that's so not true! Really, we are all equal sinners. Just because one person can write out her issues and the way she deals with them doesn't make her superior in any way. Rather, it is this inability to make ourselves whole that allows us to actually heal!
An example: I have been wondering what I should major in when I'm out of high school. The question laid heavily on my mind. Initially, I gravitated towards teaching, but then I thought about the pay and the other options available, like a business degree. I prayed about it, and the way God responded was truly amazing. It's not like the heavens opened up and I was given this great revelation, nor did I suddenly have this supernatural understanding and I knew what I was supposed to do. No, it was more realistic than that. I started hearing stories that pricked my heart. I was realized the need out there, and the love that children in public schools need. I went to my cousins' school and saw one of their friends cling to their daddy because her own had died. I heard about neglected children in public schools, ones whose parents are utterly incapable, neglecting their children to the point of malnutrition.
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