Be an eagle, not a chicken

I stand silently before the Lord, waiting for him to rescue me. For salvation comes from him alone. Yes, he alone is my Rock, my rescuer, defense and fortress. Why then should I be tense with fear when troubles come? (Psalm 62:1-2)

Joyce Meyer says, "The eagle has no fear of adversity. We need to be like the eagle and have a fearless spirit of a conqueror." As you might imagine, standing 'silently' in the midst of situations where you can be pretty apprehensive or that evoke the 'fight or flight' response is doggone hard. While fear has a 'paralyzing' effect in most of us, we experience and immediate 'ramping up' of all those stress hormones that make us ready to bolt. Adversity comes our way, and we just don't know what to do with it. Is that really true? Don't we know we are supposed to take it to the Lord and allow him to show us how it is to be dealt with? Yes, we 'know' that, but do we actually believe it and stand firm in it when that adversity is 'tap, tap, tapping' at the door of our hearts and minds?

Tense with fear - that pretty much describes what those stress hormones manage to do to us just about every time we face something we are unfamiliar with, or that presents a challenge bigger than we think we can handle. The mind and body go into overdrive to convince us we are about to be eaten alive! The eagle has no fear of adversity - what do you think that means? Eagles are pretty much known to be the 'king' of birds everywhere. Throughout scripture, they symbolize strength, power, and authority. As an American, I know the eagle symbolizes freedom. Soaring high above the earth, they are majestic and mighty.

The eagle faces adversity after adversity and overcomes. The eagle doesn't hide from the storm - it uses the power of the wind to soar even higher and higher until it is gliding on the current of the storm. When storms come our way, do we soar or hide? As the eagle climbs to higher and higher heights, his body is growing stronger and stronger as he tears through the adversity of the storm. Eagles nest high up in the crags of the cliffs - high above threats and worries. Their nests are sturdy and sheltering. They have excellent vision - what we see as clear at 5 feet, they can see as clearly at 20 feet! Their vision is focused and intent - something that gives the advantage.

Be like an eagle and soar. See clearly when others only see things as a little 'blurry' or 'out of focus'. Be safe above all the hubbub of the day - you are 'nested' well in the crag of the rock of the Lord God himself. Just sayin!

Anyone facing adversity?

A healthy spirit conquers adversity, but what can you do when the spirit is crushed? (Proverbs 18:14)

To be pressed or squeezed with such a force so as to destroy or deform - anyone know what that feels like? It feels like you are being forced out by pressing, so that you will eventually break. Sometimes people don't see my fascination in the study of words, but when we take a little time to explore the various meanings of a word, we often begin to ponder things we might have missed before. This is especially true when it comes to understanding the Word of God. The "words" God chose to share with us in the pages of our Bible are not by chance - they are selected for their meaning. Therefore, getting the most out of the Word of God often requires us to be open to considering the meaning of the words chosen to express a certain matter of thought or instruction. I have some friends who have been through tremendous pressures this past year, and others who are beginning this next year with some of the most terrifying decisions they will have to make in their lifetime. Some have known the death of a family member. Others have faced the all too fatiguing venture into chemo and radiation treatments, fighting for just a few more days on this earth with friends and family. Catastrophic events - painful decisions - still more painful courses ahead. Yet, in it all, one of the things I have seen in each of these individuals is the "extracting" of something from deep within. They have been transformed by the events - not just in a physical sense, but in a deeply spiritual sense, as well.

Some of us think of a crushed spirit is that which cannot bear up under the weight of the pressures exerted upon it. I beg to differ - for in the crushing process something is extracted. I know the passage really speaks to the idea of keeping your spirit healthy - so you stand strong and face all this adversity well. Yet, in the moments of crushing there is something once hidden from view that comes out into the open. Some call this hope or even faith. Regardless of what you call it, the crushing process is what caused it to rise to the surface. I don't think God gives us a load that will completely crush us - pulverizing us, destroying us completely. I do believe he allows some times of "crushing" in order to extract from us what he knows is deep within. The spirit of man is a resilient thing - made to connect directly to the Spirit of God. There is a dynamic effect of connecting man's spirit with that of the divine Creator God's. In fact, when the connection is made the pressures we are faced with have a way of strengthening this connection. Don't get me wrong - the tremendous physical adversities, emotional turmoil, and intensity of making the right decisions that must be faced are real. We cannot trivialize the crushing weight of the issues at hand. Yet, in the midst of the crushing weight of the issue, there remains one thing the enemy of their soul did not count on - faith! He banked on the weight to crush even the most fragile faith - but God counted on the crushing to extract that faith - bringing it to the surface for all to behold! When something is extracted, it is pulled or drawn out to the surface. There is an effort required - but in the pressure exerted - the bounty is beheld.

I do not know the battles you face today, but I do know with a certainty - God's in the midst of the battle and he is allowing just enough pressure to be exerted that will manifest what is hidden deep within. The pressure is real - it shall not utterly crush you - but it shall reveal the depth of your faith, the intensity of your love, and the intimacy of your connection with the Creator of all things. My heart is with you today, dear friends. As you "bear up" under the crushing forces you walk under today, I am praying for the beauty of his grace to be so evident in your lives. Just prayin!

Defined or conformed?

"Extraordinary afflictions are not always the punishment of extraordinary sins, but sometimes the trial of extraordinary graces." (Matthew Henry) When we really stop to think about it, there are indeed times we equate affliction with some form of punishment, totally disconnecting that these present moments of affliction are really the things that reveal the tremendous depth of God's grace. Were it not for the opportunity the afflictions produce, we might not see the faithfulness of God in quite the same way, or his power, love, or depth of unending grace.

The Lord saves those who are good. When they have troubles, he is their strength. The Lord helps good people and rescues them. They depend on him, so he rescues them from the wicked. (Psalm 37:39-40 ERV)

Trees grow strong, but it is more than soil that makes them strong. It is the winds that challenge their rooting and give them cause to grow deeper than ever before. The trunks of those trees grow broader, giving them substance and greater resistance to the winds that come. When a tree is not subjected to any kind of adverse weather, it becomes "lazy" - it has been protected too long and it no longer is driven to have deep roots. Although it is "pretty", it won't endure! God wants more than "pretty Christians" - he wants those who will be able to endure!

The strong winds of adversity are like those that buffet the tree. They actually remove some of the dead growth from the tree. Adversity often has a way of revealing dead growth in us - those things that are just "hanging on" that we really need to be rid of once and for all. When the dead is gone, the new is free to take its place! As long as we hold onto the dead, the only hope we face is for decay! Roots are solid when they are in good soil, but even good roots can get tangled up in things they had ought to stay away from!

The winds of adversity also have a way of forming the tree. If you have ever explored the forest for any length of time, you will notice the trees have a certain "direction" to their growth. In a place were winds tend to prevail from the same direction for a lot of the time, you will notice the branches of those trees seem to also point a little more in one direction than the other. The winds have "formed" the tree's "bent" in life. Adversity doesn't have to define us or conform us to its shape - it can actually turn us toward the direction which will give us the greatest stability in life.

Old growth removed, roots solid, and expansive trunk - all signs of a tree that will likely be around a long, long time. But...all it takes is one tiny fungus, or even a little beetle with a bite that sucks life from the tree, and the tree is open to destruction. This is why it is equally as important to have one who knows the trees observe the tree for signs of "infecting or parasitic growth". The less the tree is tended, the greater the chances are of it developing issues that can go undetected until much damage has occurred. We need God's constant focus on our lives, especially if we are to ever withstand the adversity of the strong winds! Just sayin!