Showing posts with label patience. Show all posts
Showing posts with label patience. Show all posts

Blessed Endurance

Hello Girlfriends!
I am sharing with you a devotional I submitted for my degree program. The format is nearly the same as I usually write, except I was required to cite some outside sources. Let me know what you think!
I Love You Ladies!

Photo from http://www.foundationsforfreedom.net

Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes…And the Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
Job 42:6,10

 My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.
James 5:10-11 (NKJV)

My Story

“I give up! I quit!”

How many times have I found myself exasperated, hands thrown in the air and tears streaming down my face, impatiently exploding into a fit of rage over my inability to conquer the mountain in front of me? I am embarrassed to say that the answer is more times than I can count. Even more humiliating is the fact that most of those “mountains” were truly “mini molehills”—a computer program I could not operate; a car that kept failing inspection; the third straight batch of cookies I charcoaled; or the tangled strands of a thousand Christmas bulbs that would not light. But then along comes a family member or friend to comfort and aid me: My husband who fixes the computer; my dad who changes the brake pads; my son who says he loves blackened cookies; and my friend who thinks it is fun to say “time me” as she unravels the light cords and finds the burned-out bulb. I seriously thank God for these people in my life and wish that I had their brand of patience and perseverance. But God reminds me that I possess my own sort of endurance for which to be grateful…and I am.

My endurance was birthed in the midst of great personal turmoil and testing, but it came to maturation amid the tragic trauma and trials of my oldest daughter.  I am talking about the type of endurance that probes the heart for the faith and strength to patiently persevere, yet calls into question, if only for a brief moment, everything that once towered as true and trustworthy. Trying to hold on when everything is spinning out of control can lead to this need to examine and question the reason for suffering, hoping to find an answer to appease the mind, console the heart and restore the order. When the answers do not come forth, endurance is tested and faith enters the fire—will trust in God’s sovereignty pull it out again, refined and golden? Or will doubt and despair watch it burn into ashes? For guidance, I turn to the Bible.

Job’s Story

A righteous and upright man named Job once faced these faith-in-the-fire questions. For many years, Job was a wealthy, well-respected, married man and father of ten children for whom he prayed and offered sacrifices consistently. Per God’s own admission, Job was blameless, shunning evil and fearing God (see Job 1:1-5). By all appearances, he was living a blessed life until one day when suddenly all was destroyed without cause (2:3). Job’s loss and suffering stretched beyond that which most humans will ever encounter or experience. His devastation included loss of all ten children at once and all of his property, servants, and wealth. Additionally, he was afflicted with intense pain in his body (1:13-2:10). When his family and friends came to call, they offered no comfort. His wife suggested that Job “curse God and die” (2:9). His three friends pushed and prodded him to repent of wickedness, hidden or otherwise, despite Job’s repeated pleas of innocence (4:1-31:40).

Who among us could blame Job for deploring the day he was born (3:1-26), seeking death for respite from God’s wrath (7:9,10; 10:18-22), and appealing to God for an explanation of his suffering (10:1-22)? Job could have easily thrown up his hands, crying out, “I quit! I give up!” But, Job does not die. He does not cave in to his friends’ flawed theology regarding retribution. He does not even collapse under the chastisement of a younger man who calls out Job’s pride and claims God intends to teach Job something through his suffering (36:22). Instead, Job maintains his integrity, endures his misery, and beseeches God for answers (for which he is also scolded by Elihu (3:23)).

God does indeed show up “out of the whirlwind” (38:1) to address Job’s pleas and challenges. The LORD reveals his omnipotence in His speeches, going into great detail describing His vast creative and sustaining power. He then invites Job to teach Him (38:3; 40:7). By issuing this challenge, God is not condemning Job. He is, however, reprimanding him for accusing and judging the LORD according to the retribution principle in order to maintain his own innocence. God’s message to Job is (1) I am here, (2) I am wise and in control; you are not,[1] and (3) “justice is not the sum of human life or the whole of God’s essential being.”[2] In essence, “the God speeches remind us that a Person, not a principle, is Lord.”[3]

Hence, Job’s persistence yields fruit in the end. His faith is strengthened by a higher knowledge of God’s infinite power and absolute sovereignty over creation. His understanding of the retribution principle is qualified by God’s wisdom in governing the universe. Job retains his righteousness but repents of his pride and presumptuousness. Upon repenting and praying for his guilty friends, Job’s prosperity is restored twofold in every area. “The LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning” (42:12).

Your Story

So severe was Job’s ordeal that James offers Job’s story of perseverance as an example to the New Testament church. James 5:11 attests that the blessed are those who endure. Notice James does not say blessed are those who have health and wealth, or whose health and wealth is restored (although he does point to the Lord’s compassion and mercy in the end.) Veritably, the focus of consideration for blessed status is endurance and patience through suffering. Job and James’s messages apply as much to us today as they did to the Israelites and the new Christian church.

So, my Girlfriends, what’s your story? We each have one that would fill up this space, and maybe even a few more pages!  What malady darkens your doorstep? What are you giving up, going without, or letting go? What is this sacrifice costing you? Are your friends and family supportive and comforting, or are they frustrating your efforts to maintain your relationship with the LORD? Are your lips muttering, “I quit! I give up!” while your arms are in the air displaying your frustration and protest for all to see? Or are your hands lifted high in prayer and praise in the midst of perturbation and pressure while your voice sings of His power, grandeur and supremacy? Is your faith in the fire, or is there fuel and fire in your faith?

I pray, ladies, that you will be encouraged to follow Job “as an example of one whose patience and endurance in adversity ought to be emulated.”[4] I may not comprehend the torment or tribulation of your life, but I do know a God who does. He is reaching out for you today even if you cannot see, hear or feel Him. He wants you to know that He is close by, near at hand, just as He was with Job. The God who “laid the foundations of the earth” (Job 38:4), “who shut in the seas with doors” (38:8), and “caused the dawn to know its place” (38:12) is the same God who knit you together in your mother’s womb (Ps 139:13). Your suffering falls within the sovereignty of God, and while you may not understand the reason or the purpose, you can trust that He does. Bear with Him. Abide in Him. Patiently pray to persevere and claim your own brand of endurance. Indeed we count them blessed who endure (James 5:11).




[1] Longman III, T., “Job 3: History of Interpretation”, in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry& Writings (ed.Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns; Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2008), 374.
[2] Bullock, C. Hassell, An Introduction to the Old Testament Poetic Books, (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1998), 128.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Longman, History of Interpretation, 362.

Our Surprise Gift


Happy Monday, Girlfriends!

My Surprise

I hope you had a lovely Mother's Day Sunday. My day was terrific for many reasons, one of which was a surprise visit from my oldest daughter who lives five hours away! The older they get, the better kids are at keeping secrets. Working out of the details of presentation is another story, as us moms are pretty good at knowing when the kids are up to something fishy. Asking me to crawl inside a blanket fort in the basement because my Mother's Day gift from dad is too big to carry out was my first clue. That the gift is for my flower garden was the second clue. Dad already thinks I have too much "junk" in the yard, and he would never hide anything in the basement! "You guys are up to something," flew out of my mouth as I walked downstairs. Nonetheless I crawled in only to find my "too big to carry" daughter sitting with the beautiful cross pictured above that she made for me! A wonderful surprise!

Mary's Surprise

Another mother we all know once got the surprise of her life when an angel named Gabriel visited her.

“Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”

But [Mary} was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,  and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”  Luke 1:29-33 ESV

Now, Mary got that gut feeling I was talking about earlier, that one that says "something weird is going on here!" Can you imagine? You are a young, newly engaged woman just going along doing what is right and holy. You have no thoughts of kids or diapers or wiping runny noses anywhere in your head. Suddenly an angel shows up and basically informs you that 'hey, you are going to be celebrating Mother's Day next year."
I don't know about you, but if I were Mary my stress level would have just shot through the roof. Well, God certainly knew whom to pick, because this soon-to-be-mom already had mastered two qualities every mother needs: patience and acceptance.

And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
 
And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy— the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.  For nothing will be impossible with God.” 

And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. 
Luke 1:34-38
 
Our Surprise

Girlfriends, as you reflect upon Mother's Day, I pray you will give thanks to God for the greatest surprise gift of all: that He came to earth in the form of Man to live amongst us that we may be the benefactors of His life, death and resurrection. A gift is just a gift unless you unwrap it. So, ladies, I pray you will accept Jesus Christ in your heart and discover the joy and peace of unconditional love. 

Have a blessed week!

Mom's Perfect Day


 
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
 patience, kindness, goodness, 
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; 
against such things there is no law. 
Galatians 5:22-23

Greetings Girlfriends! This is a very special weekend as we approach the celebration of motherhood!

The Contest

While exercising my motherly skills this morning, aka folding the kids' laundry, I heard the DJ on KLOVE read an entry aloud from their contest called "Mom's Perfect Day." A woman had written that her perfect day would include a visit to Scotland to research her family history for the three books she is writing. Mindlessly placing shirts on hangers as I listened, I marveled that a mother with children at home could write one, let alone three, books. I began to envision her trip to Scotland, with rolling green hills, highland dancers, and bagpipes. As I sorted socks, I wondered about my own "perfect day."  

In an instant, the laundry room faded, and I was relaxing on a private, white sandy beach with my husband in the middle of a clear blue ocean. Our fully furnished villa was stocked with fresh fruit and fine chocolates for me and Diet Mt Dew and pizza for him. No phones; no internet, just island music floating through the air, a serene backdrop to our light conversation, as we gazed lovingly into each other's eyes, reminiscing and laughing carelessly. 

Ding! Ding! A text message alert. Back to reality. I set aside my search for a missing green sock and picked up my phone. My daughter wrote: "I have to give a speech at graduation!" A smile spread across my face and excitement for her welled up inside my heart. All visions of sun, sand, and romance were washed away by the pride I felt for my third child, who four years ago would have passed out on the spot if she had been told she had to speak in front of a group of five people, let alone five hundred people! Suddenly I realized that I have already experienced "the perfect day"... more times than I can even remember. 

My Perfect Day(s)

Today's key verse from Galatians 5 reveals to us the fruit of the Spirit, which grows in a Christ-centered life. I can see the seeds of this fruit sprouting in my life because God chose perfect days to plant them in my heart.

Love. We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 

Perfect Day #1: The day I met my husband. Our marriage has led me to accept Christ's unconditional love and to grant that same unconditional love to my spouse. I cannot imagine my life without him. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:7

Joy. You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. Psalm 16:11 NLT

Perfect Day #2: The day of the birth of each one of my children. Motherhood has unveiled the joy of Lord in every single moment.  I am honored to instill in my children the joy of knowing Christ as Savior and of living a life of love, seeking truth, granting mercy, respecting justice, and basking in His grace. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 3 John 1:4

Peace. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Perfect Day #3: The day I celebrate Easter, year after year after year. Standing at the foot of the cross, having meditated for days and weeks upon Christ's sacrifice and physical suffering--His forgiveness in the midst of torture--I am filled with peace because He has overcome. Christ conquered death and all sin, fear, restlessness, and disharmony. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27 

Patience. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience. Luke 8:15

Perfect Day #4: Each day I taught in a classroom, led a girl scout meeting, mentored student leaders in FCA, or coached a youth sports team. God has blessed me with multiple opportunities to model His patience, love, and provision to youth across this nation. In return, I have developed trust and endurance to calmly withstand the trials and tests of this life, including my daughter's serious injury last summer. But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Romans 8:25 

Kindness. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Act 20:35b NKJV 

Perfect Day #5: The day a co-worker gave me a huge box of baby clothes for my first child because she knew how little I could afford; the days military spouses prepared us meals after coming home from the hospital; the days the mailman delivered cards and packages from our parents while we lived thousands of miles away; and the days friends came to my rescue while my husband was deployed or traveling. The Lord is truly rich in kindness, placing caring, compassionate, and giving people in my family's life. As the scripture says, He gives generously to the needy; his kindness lasts forever. 2 Corinthians 9:9 

Goodness. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:6

Perfect Day #6: The day I was born. My parents have loved me and my sister out of the goodness of their hearts, showered us with good gifts, disciplined us with good intentions, demonstrated goodness by their actions toward others, and continue to uplift us and praise us for our goodness. God, our eternal Father, will one day call us all home, and I pray my family will dwell eternally together in His goodness. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—“so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Ephesians 6:1-3

Faithfulness. For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7

Perfect Day #7: Moving Day, all twenty of them! From infancy to middle age, I have moved with faith in God's plan. In each new location God has shown His steadfast faithfulness, providing affordable housing, safe communities, access to quality education, opportunity for spiritual growth, and amazing lifetime friendships. For what you have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name, for your name is good. Psalm 52:9 

Gentleness. To speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. Titus 3:2

Perfect Day #8: The day I met my best girlfriend, Linda. On this earth, she is my role model. Her core ingredients are: humbleness, gentleness, kindness, goodness, giving, loving, sharing, believing, praying, trusting, and devotion to Jesus Christ. The frosting on top is that she is also fun, adventurous, talented, beautiful, a great mother, and most of all, willing to hang around people like me! Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12

Self-Control But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:27 ESV

Perfect Day #9: The days I spend in peaceful meditation, surrounded by the beauty of God's creation. Sometimes this day is on a beach, or hiking a wooded-path, or admiring the brilliance of a sunrise or sunset from my back deck. Whether alone or in the company of others, God has impressed upon me the need to focus upon Jesus Christ as the center of my life, taking time to be still and know His power and presence. These times of refreshment and devotion strengthen me for the battle of the flesh and will that permeates all of my imperfect days! We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5

 My Prayer for You

Girlfriends, my prayer for you this weekend is that you will celebrate and honor motherhood--thanking God for the mother who birthed you. If you too are a mom, I pray your children will esteem and praise you for your sacrifices to them. May the fruit of spirit sweeten your soul as you watch it grow. Please, do not wait for a radio contest to recognize and enjoy God's perfection in your ordinary days. His will for you is good and holy!

Love to All!

P.S. If any of you do happen to win an exotic vacation and need some company, or are unable to go, well, hey, I am available for travel! A girl can still dream, can't she????