Well-Wishers, Well-Meaners, and Straight Up Haters

I'm on a mission. I'm called to do exactly what I'm doing right now. My life is meant to be a walking billboard of God's awesome love, glory, truth, and power. But there are obstacles that jump in my path sometimes. They come in the form of three types of people.



Well-Wishers

These are the people in my life who aren't intimately connected to me or to what God is doing for me, but they don't mind me doing my thing. They are usually the ones who just think I'm a nice person and don't have a problem with me moving upward - probably because it doesn't affect them one way or the other. But that's cool. I can live with that. At least they're not getting in the way of my purpose.



Well-Meaners

These are the people in my life who I believe geniuinely love me, but don't have a clue about who I really am. Some are friends, some are family, but they all want "what's best for me" - as they see it, that is. Whatever they measure success as, I haven't achieved it, so that compels them to do whatever they can to help me make the right "adjustments" to fit their level of understanding. For a while, I did that. But not anymore. I'm all about what God wants for me now. God's path for me makes them uncomfortable and ready to contest what my agenda really is. Rather than seeking to get an understanding, they react out of emotion. They remind me of Peter when he attempted to "save" Jesus from his impending trial and crucifixion. But Jesus had to set him straight.



Matthew 16:23 (The Message)

23But Jesus didn't swerve. "Peter, get out of my way. Satan, get lost. You have no idea how God works."



Straight Up Haters

These are the people who smile in my face, but talk about me behind my back. They don't want to see God pull off any more miracles in my life. That confuses and frustrates them to no end. They look forward to my failure. But what they don't know is failure is not what can hinder me the most; it's success. The higher I go, the more devils I'll have to confront, the more distracted I can become, the more pride can set in. If they really were as smart as they think they are, they'd be rooting for me to make it all the way to the top! But it doesn't matter what they say or do. God is with me and He trumps those who are against me EVERY TIME.



I challenge you to be bravely, boldly, unapolegetically YOU and stick to the path God has you on. Victory is yours!

Flip the Script

Proverbs 18:6-7 NIV

6 A fool's lips bring him strife,

and his mouth invites a beating.

7 A fool's mouth is his undoing,

and his lips are a snare to his soul.

Has your heart been tempted to fear lately? Mine has. Seems almost everywhere you turn, there’s a bad report; whether it be about money, health, or relationships. I’m not really one to do a whole lot of news-watching, except to stay updated on what’s happening in the world. But I must confess, since the recent unexpected deaths of Michael Jackson and Steve McNair, I’ve been visiting web pages and watching news expose’s that wouldn’t normally be of interest to me. And still, there’s no resolution that brings any real answers, just a lot of confusion and sadness. Even some of the conversations I’ve been in with other people (some of them, fellow believers) has been tainted with talk of the tightness of funds and the uncertainty of the economy. It’s amazing how easy it is to slide into that line of thinking when you’re overexposed to it.

What kind of toll does this take on our faith? It smothers it. If you know like I do, we can’t afford that. It’s what we live by – “The just shall live by faith” (Gal. 3:11b). I’ve found that when I neglect to stand on what I know to be true of God and His love for me, I start taking my cues from fear’s script. All kinds of faithless thoughts find a place to land in my soul and, if left undisturbed, eventually make their way out of my mouth. Don’t think that you’re safe if you just think doubtful, fearful thoughts but never speak them, because whatever you dwell on long enough will eventually manifest. We are just like God in that we create our world by means of what we speak. So if you don’t want it, don’t speak it. If it’s not what God says, don’t repeat it.

I recently put this into practice with something I’m working to improve on as a wife. Without going into too much detail, I was convicted of how the seed of selfishness was beginning to produce “strange fruit” in my marriage. God was requiring me stretch more outside of my comfort zone and I wasn’t too happy about it. But I wanted to change and wanted to have the benefits of that change come alive in my relationship with my husband. So I asked God to help me and he said to me, “You’ve mastered how to talk yourself out of it, now just do the opposite and talk yourself into it.” I won’t lie, I sighed and rolled my eyes, but I decided that if I really wanted to see change, I was going to have to do it God’s way. A way, might I add that I have seen work in my life before.

So I began to say to myself how much I love my husband and how much he means to me. I began to re-tell myself about all of his good qualities and attributes and how much of a blessing he is to my life. I began to tell myself that I desire to give to him, that he deserved it because God wants to show love to him through me. I told myself how much of an honor it is to have someone to love like that. After I did all of this, I didn’t feel anything. But I knew it was time to take the next step in making those words manifest into the change I needed to make. I acted on those words by faith. That’s right – I chose to ignore my flesh and feel it by faith. And do you know what? I saw change begin to happen; first in my actions, then on the inside. Hallelujah!

Perhaps you’ve been feeling God tug at your heart to change something in your life. It may be how you handle money, your eating habits, or your relationships. But whatever it is, remember you don’t have to fret and worry about things that you can’t change. I challenge you to take courage and change those things that are within your power by flipping the script from fear to faith this week.

*If this blessed you, leave a comment and let me know.

Pass the Test

“Life is a grindstone. Whether it pulverizes or polishes you depends on what you’re made of.”
- Unknown

I recently heard this quote on the radio and it struck a nerve with me. I mean, look at it – really think about it. Doesn’t it almost seem to be picking a fight with you? I don’t know about you, but I don’t like this “do or die”, “put up or shut up” kind of tone. It seems to suggest that something I don’t want to face is just around the corner, waiting to pounce - something that will put me to the test.

I’ve never much cared for taking tests. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not like I had much anxiety about taking tests like some other kids did. I just never enjoyed having to prove what I learned. I just wanted to be left to the blissful process of discovery (learning), that’s all. Sometimes I feel the same way about my spiritual education. I love studying the Word, praying and interceding, praise and worship, even fellowship. But unfortunately (should I say that word?), none of these things can fully assure me of the authenticity of my faith. That can only be determined by how I handle the trials and the tests I encounter in life.

Well, wouldn’t you know it? I’ve been going through (yet another) test of my faith lately, and quite honestly, I’ve been really tempted to throw in the towel and call it a day on several occasions. I was becoming impatient, anxious, even depressed about my current circumstances. I know the promises that God has spoken to me, both corporately and privately, but until recently, they seemed to be fading in my mind. It looked like nothing was changing, even after all this time, and I was choosing to bow down under the pressure of the facts.

You know the facts, don’t you? They’re the mental teasers whose main job is to relentlessly remind you of the imminent impossibilities that are just too hard to overcome. They’re the joy snatchers that rob you of your desire to hope, to dream, or even to smile. Once they get their claws into your soul, you’re goin’ down if you don’t watch it.

Well, that’s where I was, but that’s not where I am now. PTL! You see, I’ve gotten a clue. It came through the memory of an old hymn we used to sing in church when I was a child:

In times like these, you need a Savior
In times like these, you need an anchor.
Be very sure. Be very sure.
Your anchor holds and grips the solid rock.
That rock is Jesus; yes, He’s the one.
That rock is Jesus; the only one.
Be very sure. Be very sure.
Your anchor holds and grips the solid rock.

I thought to myself, “That’s it! That’s what the problem is!” I had become so distracted by the what of it all that I had neglected to keep my hold (my focus) on the who of it all – Jesus. That old hymn, still nestled inside the recesses of my spirit since childhood, finally took form as a revelation for my present day situation.

Let me break it down… The anchor is my faith, and it keeps me tied to whatever it’s locked onto. From the moment I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, He has been the rock to which my faith is tied. However, just like a boat can be tossed around on stormy waters and go adrift when it’s not properly anchored, I can become the same way when my faith is not properly anchored. In a nutshell, that’s really why the anchor is there; not to control the storm, but to control the boat while it’s in the storm.

Have the circumstances gotten better? No. Do I feel like dealing with them? No. But one good thing has happened. I am no longer manipulated by the facts because I have become reconnected with the Truth. You see, the Truth is not a thing or a concept, it’s a person. Jesus said “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life…” (John 14:6). He personifies the reality of God’s love, His power, and His promise. He is the standard by which our spiritual maturity is measured.

The simple truth is that life is going to bring many tests our way, and whether or not we want to take them is of no consequence to God. Why not? Doesn’t He care about what we’re going through? Of course He does, but I hope you come to understand, as I have, that God doesn’t allow testing in our lives so He can find out how faithful He is. He allows the testing so that we can find out how faithful we are. As hard as it is to admit, without the tests of life, we really don’t know who we are, or who God is, for that matter.

So I encourage you to do what I am now encouraged to do. Maintain your grip of faith in Christ, especially when things are going well, because when the storm hits (and it will!) you won’t be overcome. You will overcome!

Until next time, meditate on The Apostle Paul’s crash course on How to Pass the Test:

Hebrews 12:2-3, The Message Bible

2-3Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!

P.S. Let me know your thoughts... Leave a comment.