Circumstances, Perspective, and Fighting for Change

I would like to be able to say that submission to God's influence and direction is a constant in my life. Unfortunately, this is not always true.
More often, it seems, circumstances play a deciding part. How frequently do you say the phrase "Under the circumstances..."? Even if you don't really believe that you're "under" the circumstances (like you might be under a rock or under pressure, like you can't do anything about circumstances), this outlook probably affects you more than you would like to admit. We often say that we are free people, but our actions and decisions frequently speak otherwise. I know, I've lived there, and I still struggle with living free from that. It is a human tendency to give the most attention to the things that are beyond our control, while we ignore the incredible influence and ability we have in other areas.
From a heavenly perspective, circumstances don't even make the radar screen. They don't intimidate Him or dictate to Him; rather, He dictates to circumstances. God is not only bigger than circumstances, He gives you power to influence them and change them. The people who follow Him, follow His example . Those who live with a purpose from above have a different set of priorities. We no longer have to fall when pushed. We are capable of fighting back. Determine to change the things you can, and look for God to change the things you can't.
I don't know about you, but when I look back on my life, I don't want circumstances to be a determining influence in my life. So, instead of saying "Under the circumstances..." I'm going to start saying, "Despite the circumstances, God..." And, "Under God's mercy..."
Because I want God to be the main character in my life, He must also be the main character in my thoughts, attitude, and outlook.

Mispronunciation, Disability, and the Value of Humanity

Last summer, I worked at a camp for physically disabled kids. I wrestled with a number of deep questions over the course of the summer; one of these was the question of what defines the value and worth of a human being. I don't think you realize the depth and complexity of this question until you are looking into the eyes of a person or child who is obviously physically, emotionally, mentally, or socially disadvantaged.
One of my campers was named Noah. He was almost completely physically disabled; he could swallow, and jerk his hands spasmodically, as well as speak in brief, broken, hard to understand phrases and sentences. Usually I had to lean in very close to understand what he was saying. He was also unhealthily lightweight.
As much difficulty as he was to care for, Noah was probably the sweetest, most affectionate kid that I knew. I don't know if I ever remember him visibly showing a bad attitude, though because his speaking abilities were limited it may have been hard to tell. He always seemed to be cheerful when we woke him up in the morning. At the most inconvenient times, like when I was taking him to the bathroom or changing his clothes, he would get a little smile on his face and with an urgency to his voice, say, "Yook! Yook!" (That was his way of pronouncing my name since he couldn't make the "L" sound with his mouth.) I would stop whatever I was doing, lean in close to him, and say, "What, Noah?" He would say, like he was telling me a secret, "Yook, I yuv you!" I would say, "Yeah, okay Noah," and would go back to whatever I had been doing. Sure enough, a few seconds later I would hear, "Yook! Yook!" And we would do it again.
Well, you can say whatever you want about the physical capabilities of Noah. But when it came down to it, he was just as capable as myself or any other able-bodied person to love, and in fact I think he was more proficient at it.
So I came to the conclusion towards the end of the summer that it is not physical capabilities, social aptitude, or mental health that determines the worth and value of a person. Running, jumping, dancing, talking and thinking are all good things to do, but they are not essential to living a full life. Instead, it is the capacity to love that makes a person a person. And when we exercise that capacity, we truly become God's children.

Plans, Steps, and God's Guidance

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps" (Prov. 16:9). It is one of the mysteries of God that His guidance is not always straightforward. He often lets us make plans and decisions, then directs and redirects us step-by-step so we get to where He really wants us to be. Why doesn't He just tell me in the first place? I think it's because with the Lord, the lessons He wants us to learn in life are learned in the process of going somewhere, during the journey, not always before or after.
Proverbs also says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death" (16:25). We need to be careful when we think we know what is right and good for our lives. We are often wrong. Even if the Lord does not directly tell us what to do in a given situation, we must give Him the opportunity to input, to affect our decisions. This is exactly what James says in his epistle: "You ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that'" (4:15). We must accept whatever answer the Lord gives us in response, for He always knows best.
I think that's why the Lord doesn't tell us up front: Because He wants to be closely and intimately involved every step of the way. He wants lordship over our every path and journey, not just every decision.
So dream and plan, but be careful to submit every part of the decision-making process and the journey to him. Your dreams and plans depend on Him to succeed, not on you.
"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails" (Prov. 19:21). May it be so in our lives.

QotRTP

"If you miss relationship, you miss it all."

Margie Franklin

The Easy Life, Adventures, and Following God's Call

The easy life has an allure that is hard to resist. But we must, if we want to live to our full potential.
The easy life has been called other things. The normal life. The common life. In short, it is to do and be what the world expects of us. It is to roll over and yawn when the situation calls for action. It is to try to fill someone else's shoes instead of being ourselves. It is to refuse the opportunity for the adventure of a lifetime. It is to be lazy, selfish, indecisive, and weak.
The calling of God is a different kind of call to a different kind of life. It is to do and be the extraordinary. Life gets much harder when we live like this, but it also gets much better. And those two things -- the best and the difficult -- are not polar opposites. Rather, they are partners. The best never comes by the easy road and the difficult is never mundane.
The call of God is to live an adventure. It is to love more, dream big, and live even bigger. It is to say "Yes" to the unconventional and "No" to the bland and boring. It is to find a collision, a radical fusion between the Word and Spirit of the Living God and the lives of humans. It is to live spiritually hungry and passionate. It is to be a Jesus Christ incarnate, while remaining a simple person in a complicated, confused world. It is to connect to a greater Source, one who provides wisdom greater than the world's wisdom and strength stronger than man's.
To be blunt, the radical life of following God's call is not easy. It's the hardest, most fulfilling thing we could ever do.

The God-Shaped Hole, Orphans, and God the Father

We are not only sinners in need of a Savior, we are orphans in need of a Father.
It's interesting the extent to which our earthly fathers in particular affect our view of God as Father. The best fathers really just point to a perfect heavenly Father, One who is the best Father anyone has ever known. The weaknesses of fathers we routinely transpose onto our image and understanding of God the Father. In short, if we've had difficulty with our fathers, our relationship with God the Father will be equally difficult, or perhaps more so.
You may have heard it said that all of us have a "God-shaped hole" inside of us. I would also say that we have a "Father-shaped hole." We are born yearning and craving, hopelessly in pursuit of, fatherly love and acceptance from every father figure in our lives and ultimately from God. But you want to know something else? God has a "you-shaped hole" inside of Him. Somehow, even though He is complete without us, He desperately longs for us to be His children, to love Him and believe in Him. He is desperately in pursuit of you. Can you hear His cry? He's calling your name. "Come, child...daughter...son." And this cry extends not just to people in general, but to every one of us. God will not be at rest as long as He knows there are people who are separate from Him.