In trouble again?

Defeat may serve as well as victory to shake the soul and let the glory out. (Edwin Markham)

Is anyone crying for help? God is listening, ready to rescue you. If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there; if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath. Disciples so often get into trouble; still, God is there every time. (Psalm 34:17-19)

Markham also challenged us with the words: "We have committed the Golden Rule to memory, let us now commit it to life." There are far more times when we 'know the rule' but choose to live contrary to the rule. Those are the moments when God stands at the ready to rescue us from the folly of our own devices. Anyone who has ever been 'rescued' in this life can share just how much their need pressed upon them and how great it was to see that rescuer arriving just in the nick of time. We may not fully appreciate how much we need rescuing today, kind of poking along in life, thinking we are doing 'pretty good' with life choices, and then comes along this thing we call the 'big temptation' or 'tumultuous trial'. Just like that, we desire a rescue! We cry for help. We look, wait, call again, wait some more, all the while hoping that our rescuer heard our call. The good news is that even when we get ourselves in the place where we need a 'rescue', the rescuer always comes! God is listening, even when we don't do such a good job of making the right choices. God is ready, even before we know we have need of the rescue!

Defeat may seem immanent; rescue may seem like it won't happen but wait. That time between when we recognize we are pressed up against a wall, unable to escape on our own, drifting further and further from the 'rule' and closer and closer to our own folly may be a little bit, but God never stops listening for our cry for help. He knows there will come that moment when we feel like we cannot escape but he isn't about to ignore our need. He is ready to rescue. Sometimes rescue comes in the form of complete delivery. At others, it requires us to become 'disentangled' from whatever has us so easily 'tangled' into a mess of wrong choices and actions. Whatever 'form' the rescue takes, it is God's plan to bring relief and salvage what is able to be salvaged from the experience. We may want to leave everything behind, not thinking there is anything good that could come from the mess we were in, but God knows what is able to be used to help us avoid the same entrapment the next time. Just sayin!

The fire

The finest steel has to go through the hottest fire. (Richard M. Nixon)

My brothers and sisters, you will have many kinds of trouble. But this gives you a reason to be very happy. You know that when your faith is tested, you learn to be patient in suffering. If you let that patience work in you, the end result will be good. You will be mature and complete. You will be all that God wants you to be. (James 1:2-4)

While none of us actually wants to embrace the 'furnace' of trials and troubles of all kinds, it is actually how we realize the greatest growth in our faith and inner character. Be that what it may be, we don't usually run right into the face of trials and get all up in their grill, so to speak. We actually might just want to turn tail and run when we see them coming - especially when they are coming so rapid fire that we just don't seem to have any breathing room in between them. God's plan isn't to leave us devastated by allowing these trials - though they be harder than we might want to endure, they ALWAYS bring something we might not have ever known possible!

Faith increases in the midst of trials. Somehow, we know that we need to turn to God, to seek his help, to listen closer to his voice. We dig in deeper in our prayer life, seek answers from scripture, and even spend more time with others who also believe. Why? We know we are toast without his help! Could we imagine a world without trials or troubles? Yes, but we'd all be selfish little brats, looking out for ourselves, and too caught up in all the 'stuff' around us to notice we had left God's side! Ease presents some very real challenges, just as trials present their own set of challenges! Neither state is without issue - but only one draws us to the bosom of Christ!

Faith is tested - not tempted. There is a difference between tests or trials and temptation. Temptation comes into play when our own desires and lusts get brought into play within our lives, luring us to give into something we know better than to do. Trials and tests carry an element of 'stretching us' beyond where we have become comfortable. They actually show us we have more 'capacity' for things God is teaching us, even when we think we are at 'full capacity' right now. In temptation there is very little patience, but in testing or trials, it is all about developing that deeper level of patience that actually results in a deeper faith.

We might not like the 'fire' of trials, but we will reap more than we imagined possible when we endure them with grace, hope, and trust. Just sayin!

New Wine Skins

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. (Thomas A. Edison)

We must not get tired of doing good. We will receive our harvest of eternal life at the right time. We must not give up. (Galatians 6:9)

It is easy to grow weary, much harder to regain momentum when we have been stagnant way too long! We will face trials - challenges beyond our 'natural' reasoning, ability, or strength. What we do when we stand face-to-face with those challenges makes all the difference! Will we turn and run? Will we stand up and fight in our own strength? Or will we turn to Christ for wisdom, renewal, and increased capacity?

Sometimes we think the only thing we need when facing a hard challenge is to have more strength. More 'ability' to handle it. More 'intel' about the situation. The truth is that we might just need more capacity! Old wine skins were never meant to hold new wine. Why? As time passed, the new wine would expand until it burst from the old wine skin. God isn't trying to make us 'burst' spiritually, mentally, or even physically. He may be trying to put us into a new wine skin!

In basic training, one of my Drill Sergeants used to tell us all the time: "Giving up is not an option!" It wasn't optional - we needed to dig deeper, find some inner strength, push beyond our weariness, and move on. Those long road marches, physical training drills, long days at the obstacle courses, and even the 'after hour' boot polishing and uniform ironing were enough to do a sane person in! But...giving up was not optional! May I just say this to those of us who are facing challenges way beyond what seems 'natural' for us to handle today: "Giving up is not optional!"

Christ beckons us onward - not with the same old techniques as we used in the past. He is beckoning us into 'new wine skins' - we haven't been this way before and we need to allow him to 'outfit' us for the journey. Capacity isn't often part of our prayers when going through tough stuff, but maybe it should move up on our list. Just sayin!

Passing through bitter waters

Moses led the Israelites away from the Red Sea and into the desert of Shur. They traveled for three days in the desert. They could not find any water. Then they came to Marah. There was water at Marah, but it was too bitter to drink. (That is why the place was named Marah.) The people began complaining to Moses. They said, “Now what will we drink?” (Exodus 15:22-24)

God has just delivered you from some HUGE thing that was weighing heavily upon your shoulders, such as the bondage the Egyptians kept the Israelites under, and your immediate response to your deliverance is to sing praises to him. That sounds about right, doesn't it? Now, a few days or weeks pass by, and we find ourselves facing something much less challenging, but a hindrance, nonetheless. Our 'immediate' response in that moment is to praise God, right? Not always! If we are anything like the Israelites, when we face the first 'bump in the road' following God's mighty deliverance, will our response be to complain that we don't have whatever it is we need? I wish this were not true for all of us, but if you are anything like me, you probably have done it!

There is no drinkable water - although there is water. It was 'bitter', but it was still there. Could it have been filtered somehow, or boiled for their use? Probably, but their first response is to see the 'trouble' they face as "God not taking care of us" like he should be. Instead of turning to God to see what he would do, they rose up in complaint for their 'misfortune' in finding bitter water. As the saying goes, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade", may not have aptly applied here, but God knew what he was doing, even though they didn't! There is much God 'does' that we don't understand, isn't there? We find 'bitter waters' in our path and think it could never be God's place of provision. Even bitter waters can be God's provision - we just have to see how he will transform them for our good use.

The rest of the story: 'So Moses called to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a large piece of wood. When Moses put the wood in the water, the water became good to drink.... He said to him, “I am the Lord your God. If you listen to me and do what I say is right, and if you obey all my commands and laws, then I will not give you any of the sicknesses that I gave the Egyptians. I am the Lord who heals you.” Then the people traveled to Elim. At Elim there were twelve springs of water and 70 palm trees. So the people made their camp there near that water.' (vs. 25-27) The bitter waters behind them, the promise of good things before them, they came to a 'supply' greater than they imagined possible. 

That how it is with God. He brings us to a supply greater than we could ever imagine. We may go through the place of 'bitter waters' before we get to the springs of water and lush groves of provision, but we shouldn't complain about the bitterness along the way. The provision is there, we might not know how it will be provided, but we can count on it to come. Just sayin!

A blob of faith

You don’t know where the wind blows. And you don’t know how a baby grows in its mother’s womb. In the same way, you don’t know what God will do—and he makes everything happen. (Ecclesiastes 11:5)

We all have those seasons in life when we know stuff is happening, or about to happen, but we really aren't sure what all is about to come our way. We get a little frightened by the stuff we don't understand, try to make some assumptions about what we believe may be happening, and generally get ourselves all out of sorts when stuff gets harder than we'd like. Then along comes God's intervention and all of a sudden, almost without us noticing, things begin to sort themselves out and life gets a little easier. What we missed in all that in-between stage was the peace God wants us to walk in as we go THROUGH those seasons.

Today, we can use 3-D ultrasound to get an almost perfect picture of the baby's features. In the time this passage was recorded for us, a baby was concealed deep within the womb until the time of conception. At the time of birth, what was hidden from view was revealed. God is reminding us that we might not always see what he is doing, but he is at work. He is arranging things, multiplying other things, creating what is to come long before we ever see it revealed in our lives. The 'happenings' are behind the scenes and as with the development of the 3-D ultrasound, we aren't the kind of people content in 'not knowing', so we attempt to finagle our way to resolving things to the way we imagine them to be. 

God makes things happen, even when we don't see him at work. In the good or the bad, he has a mission in mind for each of us. We may not really like all the waiting to 'see what comes', but when we lean into his Word, allowing it to wash over us and bring us comfort, clarity, and consistency in our faith, we will do better in the 'in-between' stages of life. The baby starts out quite unrecognizable as a 'baby' - it is just a 'blob' of tissue coming together until one day features begin to be recognizable. In much the same way, God is at work with a 'blob of faith' within us, forming it this way and that through this event and that, until one day that 'blob' becomes recognizable as a deepening faith in his plan. Just sayin!

Before, not within

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. (James 1:12-15)

It should not catch any of us by surprise that God doesn't say "IF" testing or temptation comes your way, but rather that if "WILL" come your way. The 'patient endurance' thing may have more than a few of us concerned because we are less than patient when crazy stuff messes with our life! If we ALL face trials and temptations, testing our faith and bringing freshness into our walk with Jesus, maybe we'd do well to learn how to deal with them BEFORE we need to face them. We cannot control when they will come, nor even what they will be, but we can prepare our minds, emotions, and spirit to be ready to endure them as they do.

Perseverance is harder than some might think. We have this crazy idea that if we are tough enough, or 'studied up' enough, we will be able to endure these tests and resist the temptations. Truth be told, no amount of 'self-directed' resistance will help us to endure the test or resist the temptation. In order to 'bear up under' a trial or test, we need something built up within our character that helps us turn to God quickly and not lean into our own strength or 'earthly wisdom'. If we are facing these crazy things in our own strength, we are surely not going to 'bear up under them'!

Whenever we attempt to face the craziness in our own strength, we will be tempted to give up. Why? Doubt begins to enter in, fear takes root, and soon we find our 'flesh' winning over our spirit. We weren't as 'prepared' as we thought we were. The discipline to endure the trial today is built into us BEFORE the trial ever begins. We press into God now in order to face what comes tomorrow. When it comes tomorrow, we lean into God a bit more and then we listen to what he is telling us in that moment. We hear his voice clearer in the midst of the craziness of the test because we have learned his voice when there was no craziness messing with our heads!

When we lean a little less on our own strength and a little more on the strength Jesus brings, we find that although we may not face the test or temptation 'perfectly', we have come out the other side unscathed and stronger than when we began to face it. While we may not want to hear it, trials and temptations actually help us to rid ourselves of our 'false trust' in our natural ability and strength. We learn there is a greater power that we can lean into when the craziness of life places demands upon us that we are really not strong enough to persevere through anyway. Just sayin!

Growing in Jesus

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. (James 1:2-4)

I bet there aren't too many of us that actually think trials are good for us, much less that God could actually allow more than a few of them to come our way. Trials are meant to test our faith - period. Within the trial comes the chance to really show who it is we serve and what it is we believe. In other words, we are showing God we put him first and rely upon him for all we have need of in our lives. It is in the midst of the trial that our 'true self' emerges. It is within the trial that we see how much we rely upon ourselves through the knowledge we have amassed, or our ability to 'reason it out' on our own.

These trials may not be easy, but they actually put our faith in God to the test. They aren't enjoyable - we don't actually welcome them with open arms. Within the trial, without us even realizing this is happening, our faith is put to the test. The test actually reveals how much we will lean into God, and it often reveals areas where we have been too prideful to allow God to do any work. There are always life lessons to be learned, and believe it or not, the most frequent place we learn them is right smack in the middle of the trial. The good news is that we can be quick learners. The bad news is that sometimes we need to repeat the lesson because we didn't get it the first time!

The other thing we need to keep in mind is that trials are 'assured' - in other words, they cannot be avoided forever. We will eventually face a trial that will begin to uncover things within us that need exposure. Either we embrace the work God is about to do through that trial, or we resist it and assure ourselves we will face it again, just in a different way. Sometimes the trials are quick and relatively painless. At others, we have a lot of angst and struggle because the trial is about to expose something much deeper and that has been affecting our heart way too long. God isn't trying to 'hurt' us, but it may hurt a bit. Just because it hurts doesn't mean he isn't with us in the midst of it!

The goal of the trial is that we may actually grow a little - leading us to the place where our faith doesn't lack anything. Sometimes we don't realize what is lacking until we are in the trial. We think all is well within our hearts and minds, but the trial helps to reveal where it is we haven't seen growth yet. Maybe there are buds of growth, but the trial will help the roots of that growth take hold and go deep. Remember this - maturity isn't instant - it is slow and steady - it is never-ending. Just sayin!

For just a little while

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls. (I Peter 1:6-9)

One of the hardest things for some of us to come to grips with is that we have to face and endure trials. Yes, the timeframe may be limited, but why on earth do we have to face them at all? Peter was writing to a group of believers who were likely facing great persecution on a daily basis, yet he tells them to rejoice and take hope. How is it possible to rejoice in the midst of hard things like this? I think Peter wants us to realize these things are only temporary - they are for a little while. They will not endure, but when our faith is put to the test in the midst of these trials, it will emerge even stronger and purer than before the trials came our way. We don't have to understand how fire purges to see the beauty of what is produced - we just need to know the fire is necessary to bring forth the beauty of what would otherwise be hidden.

A trial has a way of changing our focus - we get a little less earthly focused and turn our eyes toward our heavenly Father just a bit more. We 'lean in' and find our foothold in him, not in our own strength. Most of the trials I have endured did more than just change my focus - they showed me where I am the weakest and where I have been attempting to compensate for that weakness in my own power or effort. If a trial can do that for us, maybe they aren't something to be dreaded, but something we might want to embrace. Another thing I have realized in each trial is that God never abandons me to my own devices - he remains with me, surrounds me with his love, and walks me through the trial. If a trial can help us see him just a little better, isn't it worth it?

A lot of things will attempt to shake our faith in this world, but a 'tested faith' is not likely to be shaken. Yes, there will be some 'shaking', but it won't take us down. It will bring to the surface that which needed exposure, as well as help us send down roots just a bit deeper into the soil of our faith. A tree without wind will not send down strong roots. The wind challenges the tree to 'take hold' in much the same way a trial challenges us to consider where we find our 'hold' in life. If it is only surface deep faith, we will likely crumble in the midst of the shaking. If we face each trial with the determination to set our roots deeper, we are likely to develop a strength of faith that is anchored well. Just sayin!

Enduring within

Let me introduce you to Peter - a brash, outspoken leader who sometimes didn't get it all right, made impetuous decisions, too afraid to admit his association with someone others didn't exactly like, and who acted rashly on more than one occasion. Even though he wasn't all that 'perfect' in many of those day-to-day decisions, he was one of the founding fathers of the New Testament Church. Nero was the ruler of his day, and his reign didn't exactly leave those who followed Christ in a comfortable position. In fact, he'd as soon persecute them than support them. He often used them as scapegoats, blaming them for some vile action he had taken himself. Toward the end of Peter's life, he pens the letters to the Church at Rome and the 'aliens scattered abroad'. Being scattered leaves one feeling a bit disconnected from others - from the 'roots' one had formed and the protections one had enjoyed.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. (I Peter 1:3-5)

As Peter opens his letter to the church, we find him emphasizing the extreme goodness of God's grace. What better place to begin than at the cross? We sometimes need to be reminded of our great inheritance in Christ Jesus. We see the commotion of the day, listen to the reports of one bad event right after another, taking in images of all manner of destruction, and we get a little despondent, don't we? Peter's reminder should ring out - we have been given much in Christ Jesus - an inheritance that is pure and undefiled by all this world can do to us or bring into our lives. So, stand strong in the midst of persecution; hold fast in times of great trial; and look ever upward when doubts assail. 

When our focus is on what is happening around us, on the worldly affairs that threaten our peace, we lose perspective. We will feel disappointment and dismay. When our focus is on whose we are, what we have been given within this relationship, and the protection that we enjoy because of this deep connection, we rise above the frightful things of the day. Christ did the impossible - he endured the cross, the agony of death, and the cold grave. He rose on the third day, ascended into heaven, returned to his disciples and sent his Holy Spirit to indwell them. He promised to come again, in the fullness of time and with the strength of all of heaven behind him. When our focus is on him, we have a different perspective of the problems at hand, don't we?

If today's issues seem like they are too big, tragic, or beyond your control, they probably are! BUT...they aren't beyond his! We might not see beyond the tragedy of the moment, but God sees the glory he has prepared for all those who endure it 'within' his presence. Just sayin!

Trials and Suffering, Oh my!

 Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. (Helen Keller)

We might desire all of life to be ease and quiet, but then we are living with unreasonable expectations. Jesus said, "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) We will have many trials - not just a few. We may not face all of them with strength, but we can learn strength in the midst of them. It is important to remember there is no temptation 'unique' to any man - we all have faced a similar temptation at one time or another. What we might find 'unique' is that we all learn different things from trials that are quite similar. Why? God is developing some strength within us that will not only benefit ourselves, but will be a means of helping another develop strength, too.

Character is something developed when the mind learns to be at peace and the heart learns to be at rest. We don't learn this in the absence of trials - we learn it in the midst of them. Our character is a way of describing those unique qualities that set us apart from another, but it is also important to note that Jesus wanted us to take on his character. We are to develop in a loving servant's heart - taking the truth he gives to each of us and using what we have learned to influence this world and to encourage one another as we face life's challenges. Have all the lessons I have learned in this lifetime always come from good, God-fearing believers? Not hardly! Some of the best lessons I have learned have been from those who have failed miserably - their failure leaving a life-long influence in my life making me determined not to follow in their footsteps. 

We all want to be defined as men or women of 'good character', but we don't always make the choices that exhibit the best of moral or ethical standards, do we? Sometimes we just get a little too selfish or stubborn and go our own way. When we do, our 'character' may become a little 'tarnished', but take heart - Jesus stands at the ready to help bring beauty where only ashes remain. As others see how God can take even our worst failures and turn them into lessons that develop good character in us, they will be encouraged. Why? They might just come to the conclusion that God can do something similar in their lives, helping them put behind the things that didn't produce the best of character and move toward the things that will. Just sayin!

Is it really a bad hand?

Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. (Psalm 63:3-6)

When you aren't 'dealt' the hand you expected, how do you respond? To be honest with you, I don't always immediately praise God for the 'lousy hand'. Sometimes I gripe about it, chafe against it, and get a little too 'me' focused right there in the midst of the 'hardship' I am enduring. "Me" comes first and "me" is not feeling like it is getting the 'best shake' in the moment, so "me" begins to resist and complain. Been there? Got the shirt and wore it out? Good! Sometimes our life is even turned upside down by the 'hand' we receive - what was up is now down, and the ground underneath us is quite shaky. When we 'receive' that 'hand', we might just forget who walks with us in the midst of the upheaval that seems to be closing in on us. God may have allowed the 'hand' to show us just how much he loves us - that he isn't about to abandon us to our own devices in the midst of uncertainty that surrounds us. That 'infertile' ground we stand upon is just about to become some of the most 'fertile' ground we experience, but first, there must be some work!

David experienced more than one 'lousy hand' in life, but he walked gracefully through them. Did he ever complain or gripe about the things he faced? Yes, he did! Although that gives us a little encouragement that we are not much different, there is one thing we see about David's life that shows us how he made it through when the 'cards' just didn't seem to be 'good'. Study his life long enough and you will realize he had a deep and lasting relationship with his Lord. He didn't just go to church on Sunday and live like he wanted the rest of the week. He didn't just turn to God when the times got tough - he lived with God in the leanest of times as much as he did in the times of great plenty. He did press in during the lean times, so maybe that is a good lesson for us to see. Lean times are inevitable - hardship cannot be avoided forever. Being a Christian might mean we have 'hardship insurance' - we have a place to turn when the 'hand' we are dealt doesn't provide the most 'optimum' of circumstances. We don't have this 'insurance' just because we say "yes" to Jesus - we have it because we allow him to cultivate his presence and peace within.

Where does this cultivation occur? Usually in the driest and most barren of places. It is in those places that we learn to value our relationship with Jesus - we find out how much his love and grace mean to us. How? The things we counted on in this world seem to bring little satisfaction or peace into our lives - but we find his presence restores our soul, invigorates our spirit, and soothes our confused mind. We want all the good stuff that comes from serving Jesus, like the best 'hand' in cards. When we get the 'lousy hand' in life, do we complain or embrace it, give it into his hands, and let him show us how to 'play it'? That is what David did when he lifted his voice time after time again in praise and worship. In the midst of the 'band hands' of life, he lifted his spirit and voice in praise. Why? It showed how much he valued God taking the 'hand' and 'playing it' as only he could! Praise and worship may not come naturally when we 'get the band hand', but if we have cultivated that love relationship with Jesus in the 'good hand' times, we are likely to carry that into the 'bad hand' times, as well. Just sayin!

Has God gone silent?

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief. (Psalm 22:1-2)

I think we have all been in that place at one time or another where we find ourselves actually thinking God has somehow abandoned us. The circumstances suggest the worst is about to happen, we begin to whirl out of control emotionally, our thoughts are running rampant from one perception to the next, and we somehow feel like we are in it all alone. When we don't IMMEDIATELY see the answer to the circumstances, we might just begin to doubt God will lend any help, all our calls for help seemingly falling on deaf ears. Are we wrong to express our doubts or 'struggle of faith' in those moments? Absolutely not! God doesn't 'ding us' for our moments of doubt - he uses them to strengthen or deepen our faith.

It is never wrong to seek to understand why such difficulties have emerged and why God seems to be allowing us to experience such trying stuff. We don't know the purpose for the troubling times, but we can stand assured that God is not far from us as we navigate through them. He is right there - we just don't appreciate him in the midst of the chaos yet. Times are confusing and we want to express our doubts, but should we? Yes, it is never wrong to express our concerns and bring our doubts to God. He doesn't give us demerits for doubts - he is at work revealing how 'unfounded' those doubts are compared to the greatness of his power and grace in our lives.

We might think we have to understand everything to get through everything, but the opposite can be quite true. We might not understand much, but with God, we navigate quite well through unknown territory. One thing I have realized is that I don't have to 'fake' my faith. If I have doubts and worries, I need to express them. My heart is not hidden from God, so my thoughts don't need to be, either. God is not put off by our expressions of fear, doubt, or lack of understanding. He is encouraged by our honesty and the freedom we feel to express them to him. 

The way we seek to understand is important. We can ask for clarity out of doubt, but God asks us to trust even when the circumstances seem harder than we can handle. Trust him to bring the clarity - to remove the niggling fear and doubt. He will do much more than we imagine, but we need to be honest with him when we are struggling with fear and doubt. He doesn't want us to be overwhelmed - he wants us to be aware, alert, and open to his movement within those hard times. He hasn't abandoned us - he has just 'gone silent' long enough for us to express our need. Just sayin!

Who's Fighting for Me?

It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love to do God’s will so far as my new nature is concerned; but there is something else deep within me, in my lower nature, that is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. In my mind I want to be God’s willing servant, but instead I find myself still enslaved to sin. So you see how it is: my new life tells me to do right, but the old nature that is still inside me loves to sin. Oh, what a terrible predicament I’m in! Who will free me from my slavery to this deadly lower nature? Thank God! It has been done by Jesus Christ our Lord. He has set me free. (Romans 7:21-25)

A fact of life...that I want to do what is right...but I choose what is wrong. Sound like anybody else's life story? There is a constant struggle of the 'will', isn't there? We find ourselves pulled this way and that, all the while wanting to go just one way - the right way. We actually hear this still small voice within telling us to do right, but then we listen to the louder voice within (our sinful nature) telling us to do something that will 'please' our sinful nature. The struggle is real, and it is constant for some, infrequent for others.

The multitude of times we have given into our sinful nature is probably too innumerable for any of us to list, but the truth of the matter is that we are likely choosing to respond to our sinful nature less and less the longer we are serving Jesus. How does that happen? There is a subtle, but consistent shift in our focus. We begin to see how much our sinful nature is pulling us 'off-center' in life and we focus more on what will keep us 'on-center'. How? Through prayer, time in the Word, good teaching, and solid relationships that build in accountability.

The one who struggles with these conflicting desires really needs to remember that our freedom isn't a 'wish' or a 'dream' - it is an accomplished fact through Christ Jesus. We are 'set free', not by our own willpower, but by the 'will of God' resident within us in Christ Jesus. That still small voice that is telling us to do 'right' isn't just a whim. It is the very voice of his Spirit within - helping us to choose the things that will honor him, in turn bringing honor to our lives. 

Freedom isn't fought for in our own strength or self-effort. It is accomplished in Christ Jesus, but we need to 'enforce' that freedom in our lives. When those taunting and 'pulling' voices want us to go one way, and we clearly hear it is the other way we are to choose, we need to rise up in the power of Christ to resist. That may look a little like us taking a moment to pray because prayer drives back the forces of wickedness. That may take on the form of us recounting a scripture we have read earlier in the day because the Word of God causes the devil to flee. Remember, we are given the tools to overcome sin's pull, we just need to use them when the struggle gets real! Just sayin!

A cut path

My troubles turned out all for the best—they forced me to learn from your textbook. (Psalm 119:71)

To disturb the mental calm and contentment of an individual is indeed an unfortunate state of affairs. To constantly worry, be in distress, feel agitated or stirred up is a terrible place to find oneself. There are a whole lot of things in this life that annoy the stuffing right out of us. One trouble upon another will wear us down. If you have ever observed a stone 'grooved' by a constant drip of water, you may not know exactly when the 'erosion' happens, but it does! We never really know what "drop of water" will actually be the first to begin the "groove", nor do we know when the last drop will accomplish its work, do we? We have lots of tiny drops, all working away to "cut a groove" across our lives, trying desperately to divert the waters in a totally different direction. The seemingly impervious stone is eventually eroded away by the "troubling" of the water over its surface. The same is true in our lives - those drops can just splash upon the surface, being deflected for a time, but in enough time, they leave a mark, and in even more time, the mark becomes a well-worn path.

Troubles don't have to vex us - they can become instruments to drive us deeper into God's word, if we will let them. The first "drop" which hits upon the hard surface of our hearts may just seem to "splash" everywhere, affecting much around it. Eventually, God "narrows" the path of the "drops" which he allows to hit our hard hearts until there is a well-worn groove that correctly directs the trouble we face directly back toward him! The troubles we face at first, we try to handle on our own - cleaning up the mess the "drops" create by "splashing over our lives". In time, God wants those "drops" to be channeled directly to him - so he becomes the source by which those troubles no longer produce damage in our lives but are directed away - not affecting our peace because his presence has set the course for those troubles to travel.

If we keep in mind the heart as being the center of our emotions, doesn't it make sense that God wants to have those things which so miserably "stir up" our emotions to be channeled in such a way those "stirred up" reactions don't continue to occur? The enemy of our souls wants the troubles he "drops" into our lives to "stir us up" so we become all "murky" on the inside - an emotional mess, so to speak. God's desire is to provide a means to keep the purity and beauty of the heart undisturbed. When we begin to realize the tiny drops are "cutting a groove", we might just embrace the work of those "drops" in our lives a little differently. Take notice of the drops, then use them as a reminder of the importance of looking deeply into God's word for the means by which the drops can be dealt with. Troubles have a way of either sending us into a tizzy, or driving us to our knees. God's hope is that we take the latter path! God's textbook is his word - filled with every imaginable struggle, sin, and stubborn display of man's troubles. In the pages we also find the tremendous means by which those troubles can be channeled into the very place where God's grace and mercy help us deal with them so they don't disturb our peace.

I don't know what "drops" are wearing the groove into your lives right now, but know this - God's will is for them not to splash out of control, causing havoc in your inner man, destroying your peace and "muddying" the waters of your life. His will is to allow these troubles as a means of wearing away at the hardness of our hearts, until we one day find the path of least resistance is to divert those drops directly to him! 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!

Called into account

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. (James 1:2-4 MSG)

Our passage today refers to the process of our "faith-life" being forced into the open by the challenges we face in our daily walk. We don't always like it when our "faith-life" is brought into the open, though. Many times we try to compartmentalize our "faith-life" as something separate from the rest of our 'real life'. Pressure helps to produce evidence of our faith in Christ and brings evidence of Christ-like maturity in our choices - those 'real life' choices. I don't want you to miss the statement that "true colors" are revealed - these are often hidden or need something else to be removed in order for them to show through. Pressure is simply a burden of physical or mental stress. It can be a constraint that comes into our lives that demands our attention at this very moment, no delays. There is usually an urgency about what we face - we are not able to sweep it under the rug - it just keeps exerting that pressure until we pay attention to it. James is pointing toward the process where both our growth of character and spirit is in unison - the type of unified growth that produces unity between our 'faith-life' and our 'real life'. He is giving us the simple truth that the pressures we face in life have an impact of producing what God desires - the image of his Son deep in our lives.

If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who "worry their prayers" are like wind-whipped waves. Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open. (James 1:5-8 MSG)

Ask boldly - this is the attitude of heart that we are to have when faced with challenges that we don't understand - challenges that exert pressure and oftentimes don't let up until long after we are thinking we are sort of "done" or "over" dealing with them. To be bold is to be fearless, assured, and confident. A bold person stands out - they are conspicuous - there is no hiding their boldness. God never expects us to either keep our needs hidden, or to feel like we have to just barely let out a "squeak" in his presence while laying our burdens down before him. He tells us to come boldly - totally assured he will be listening, absolutely confident that he will be responsive, unwavering and fearless to lay it all down (even the ugly stuff that may not come easily for us to actually admit or deal with). It amazes me how many times I come to God as the "worrier" and not the "warrior"! That 'boldness' isn't always evident in my life and I bet I am not alone on this one.

Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life. (James 1:12 MSG)

Meeting challenges head on can only be done under the anointing of Christ. Lots of times we have all the passion, but we need him to give us the ability to actually fulfill what needs to be done in that moment. A challenge is something that calls us out - invites us into competition - it opens us up to the possibilities of something being different from what it is right now. It stimulates us - exciting our passion. It also serves to call us into account - or into question! What calls us into combat at this moment? Are we facing those "giants" or running from them? What invites us into competition - in our thoughts, our actions, or simply our interests? What is it that stimulates us - what do we get excited about? Those things that stimulate us act as a "goad" to draw us out of our present complacency and to move us into places where we can often feel a little exposed - but our 'faith-life' and 'real life' actually get very intertwined when this happens. A challenge that will produce right character, or that will reveal an opportunity for change in our lives isn't always embraced eagerly, but when the pressure is allowed to expose something new in our character, what an awesome sight to behold! Hold onto this truth - that pressure is revealing your true colors! I want mine to be the colors I don't mind "flying high"! How about you? Just askin!

Raindrops keep falling on my head

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops

What if Your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights

Are what it takes to know You're near

What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise...

(Chorus: Blessings by Laura Story)

So many of God's greatest blessings come to us in the form of some "disguise" - they aren't realized as blessings until somewhere down the road when we look back and see all God has done to coordinate those steps up to where we are at that moment of "realized blessing". There are times when God's greatest blessings seem a little "counter-intuitive" - they just don't "add up" at first. In time, we see the bigger picture, but along the way the road is littered with hardship, tears, hurts, and trust issues. Could it just be the purpose of every "bigger blessing" coming in that disguised way may just be to really clarify our true place of trust?

O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.  (Psalm 86:5 NLT)

Along the way, we get to the place where we might just come face-to-face with our "trust issues". It isn't that we don't trust, but that we really place our trust in some of the weakest and unreliable things. It also may be that the disguised way that blessing comes into our lives reveals we are the ones we have been trusting in all along - doing things our way, intent on somehow figuring stuff out all on our own. Some misinterpret the adage found in a fable as gospel truth: "God helps those who help themselves." Look it up - it isn't in scripture, my friends! In actuality, the fable written by Aesop says the "gods help them that help themselves." That paints quite a different picture, doesn't it?

What God asks of us is to take the steps we "know" to be true - to be right for our lives. In doing what we know to do, we are "helping ourselves" to remain in a place where we can hear from God and recognize his purposes for us in this life. We don't get distracted. We find ourselves not so much "doing to get", but "acting right because it is the right thing to do". Yet, as many times as we "know" what we should do - the things God declares to be right and good in our lives - we find ourselves standing at some crossroad trying to figure out the "other stuff" that isn't all that clear to us about whether it is "right" or "good" for us at that moment. When we find ourselves faced with uncertainty, this is the moment the issue of trust begins to surface - will we lean into God and ask for his wisdom; or will we trust our own ability to "figure it out" and run ahead like wild children on a mission to find our own way?

Often the greatest blessings come when we admit our lack of trust. We find ourselves "unburdened" from having to "do it all ourselves". We come to the place where we are obedient to the things we know God desires of us and then we just trust him with the rest. We don't bring him the fifteen "plans" we have devised that might get us out of the mess we are in. We don't ask him to "sanction" one of those as "best". We simply admit that we have been trying to figure it all out on our own and that we need him to show us what HIS plan is. 

Often the greatest clarity comes when we are at the most "muddled" place in our lives - simply because in our "muddle" we finally admit we need help! While we don't relish the moments of pain and hardship leading up to some of the greatest "breakthroughs" in life and relationship, could it be that God is just bringing a little clarity through those seasons? Could it be that we need to bow a knee and admit we have been trying to do this on our own? Could it be that the pain will reveal our greatest healing? Just askin!

The making of a gemstone

Everything working toward something good and beautiful is a whole lot different than only good happening, right?  Some of us are duped into the mistaken belief that followers of Christ will somehow be "exempt" from any type of bad stuff coming our way - that scripture declares only "good" will happen in their lives.  In truth, the opposite is true - for Christ even warned his disciples to "take heart" when they faced the many trials and evil plots that came their way (John 16:33). He never said they wouldn't face them, or that only good things would come their way - he said they'd be able to take heart and stand strong because their peace was not found in the absence of "bad circumstances", but in the presence of him as we face those circumstances!

We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan. (Romans 8:28 VOICE)

I came across a quote recently which lends itself to our discussion today:  "A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials." (Lucius Annaeus Seneca)  Seneca was a Roman philosopher during the time of Nero.  Sometimes the works of older philosophers and authors give us very vivid pictures of a lesson we can take to heart, don't they?  A stone is just a stone until it is put into the tumbler with other stones and spun over and over again. Once it is tumbled a few thousand times, the appearance of the stone begins to resemble something close to the gemstone we all recognize.  Then the finishing touches are applied by polishing the now smoothed surface to a high gloss.  What once was a simple looking stone becomes a radiant gem - all because of the friction!

What goes into the tumbler is a mixture of raw gemstones - ragged, unpolished, and only subtly recognizable.  Then there are other things put in with those stones - such as pieces of ceramic, metal, and even other stones.  As the stones tumble, grit can be added to refine the stones even further.  It isn't just the stones in the tumbler - the things which don't seem to the naked eye to be of much worth that are what really accomplishes the action of refining the gemstones toward their final state of beauty.  The stuff some may have labeled as "junk" in the mix is what really becomes the objects which lead to the friction which will produce the beauty previously unrecognized in the gemstones themselves.

The passage today deals with that oft mistaken truth about trials and troubles - it isn't God taking bad stuff out of our way that makes us strong - it is him working all things in our lives toward something good and beautiful.  Our part is to put our trust in him, allow our hearts to be softened by his love, and then live deeply in that love until we are able to see the beauty in what we are going through.  The gemstone in the tumbler doesn't recognize the beauty being produced, but it is the process which will reveal it.  We want to escape the tumbler and just get a good polishing so we can shine without all the unpleasantness of the process!  Spoiler alert:  The process reveals what is in our heart and where it is we place our trust.  Bypass the process and we won't really know what is in our heart!  Just sayin!

I am flapping hard here!

Back in the day, before I knew any better, I had this ill-conceived idea that I could do anything, anywhere, at any time in my life.  I kind of thought of myself as "all powerful" - even believing if I flapped my arms hard enough, I could actually fly.  There was a time when I was around 4 or 5 that I actually did believe I could fly - turning over trash cans, climbing up on top of them and flapping into the wind!  Now, lest you think I am a little touched in the head, I really could not fly, but my imagination got the best of me for a short period of time.  It wasn't long before I was the best "cop" riding a Schwinn two-wheeler in pursuit of those "bad guys" who just robbed the bank, or a mom taking care of her little baby while making dinner out of mud-pies in the backyard.  As kids we often think pretty grandiose thoughts about ourselves - our capabilities and our dreams being so BIG we think the world cannot stand in our way.  Then we grow up!  Before long, we find all kinds of obstacles in our way and wonder where all that enthusiasm for life and "I am all powerful" belief went!  Let me tell you, if I had of known how hard life was going to be as an adult, I would have opted to be a kid just a little while longer instead of being so all-fired in a hurry to grow up!  What about you?  Yet, life comes at us, and time passes - making it impossible for us to remain as "children" in this world - we need to step into the next place prepared for us.  Adulthood in the natural sense is kind of like it is in the spiritual sense - it comes upon us in the course of time, but some of us embrace it whole-heartedly, while others of us look back wishing for the simplicity of the past.

My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble. You know that you learn to endure by having your faith tested. But you must learn to endure everything, so that you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything. (James 1:2-4 CEV)

James has a unique way of looking at life.  His attitude is one of embracing whatever comes his way.  This is indeed a commendable "habit", but how many of us actually live this way? In truth, we flap our wings, believing we can "fly", but in reality - we stumble a lot!  We see ourselves one way - strong, mighty, and courageous; or maybe weak, ill-fit, and kind of wimpy.  The way we see ourselves often determines how likely it is we will face the troubles in our midst in a positive, or sometimes kind of not so "enthusiastic" of a manner. We don't "fly" just because we flap our wings, do we?  We don't catch the "bad guys" in life just because we can ride fast!  We need more than "imaginative curiosity" to keep us going, right?  We need something on the inside which helps us take steps when everything else inside of us is saying "I can't" or "I don't think so".  

James reminds us of the certainty of troubles - those things which come our way and make it almost impossible for us to get around them.  Those things might be ruffled relationships, or a bad situation in a job environment.  They could be not feeling good about what we have become over the course of time, because we don't "fit the mold" of what others thought we'd amount to in life.  Whatever the reason for the present "obstacles" we face in life, be certain of this - they aren't there to impede our progress, but to cause us to dig deeper and move beyond them.  To many who face these obstacles today, I want to say this - they ARE big; they ARE hard; and they ARE going to tax everything inside of you.  There - now that we both realize the reality of the difficulty of what lies ahead, let's get on with it!

Sometimes we want to succumb to their "hugeness" in our midst - kind of like a fallen tree in the road, blocking traffic from passing on the right or the left.  Let me just tell you this - you may not be able to get around it, over it, or under it - but you can get through it!  You don't have to let the obstacle in your midst hold you fast where you are - you have a power within to get beyond it, regardless of how big it might be.  I didn't learn to fly by jumping off of trash cans in the front yard.  I learned to "fly" by jumping hurdles in my path with the encouragement and power Christ spoke into my life when I needed it the most.  I don't have to flap my arms to fly, I just need to pull our my faith a little bit further!  Once I realized the obstacles were just a way of revealing the faith Christ had already placed deep within me, I saw the obstacles differently.  They became a way to reveal more of Christ's power in me, more of his grace through me, and more of his solid foundation anchoring me.

We all "grow up" - be we don't always grow wiser, more understanding, or more convinced of the extent of the completeness of God's work within us.  This is where the obstacles come into play in our lives.  They are there to reveal these things in us.  If we begin to see them as revealers of truth rather than claimers of our victory, we might just face them differently! Just sayin!

What does your book say?

I think God fully understands how we interpret the trials and long periods of seemingly receiving no answer from him - those times when we just want to pull our hair out, scream little, stomp our feet, and generally tell the world that God isn't listening or that he doesn't care about us at this very moment! We all have those times - admit it.  We chafed against the agony of the waiting, expected a different outcome and was disappointed by the present one, and whined when things just didn't go as we expected.  All the while, we have one thing we do with some consistency - complain.  Even the most consistent Christian has moments when the agony just gets to us and we find ourselves complaining a little, or perhaps a little too much!  The most amazing part of this is that God doesn't turn his back on us, even when we are heavily engaged in the complaint process.

Job answered:  I’m speechless, in awe—words fail me.  I should never have opened my mouth!  I’ve talked too much, way too much.  I’m ready to shut up and listen.”  (Job 40:3-5 MSG)

Job was declared to be a righteous man - one whose life lined up with the Word of God and whose testimony was nothing but exemplary.  Yet, in the midst of trials too innumerable to recount right now, he finds himself at the end of his rope.  Even those who come to provide some form of counsel or comfort in his life have the misconception that the evil which has become him must be as a result of some injustice on his part, or sin he has not confessed. Family has been lost, the flocks and herds have been devastated, crops have failed, storehouses are empty, and even his body is consumed with some form of disease.  How on earth can he live after so much has happened in his life?  How can he "regroup" and make a go of it again?  

Does it surprise you that the Book of Job is 42 chapters in length with the majority of those chapters being dialogue about how Job feels - the emotional upheaval he is experiencing and the surrounding misunderstanding that occurs when emotions are able to get us in a fray?  Two chapters describe his state as a righteous man, with blessings of family, financial well-being, and good standing in his community.  Then we have this "filler" of about 38 chapters of complaint, advice from friends, expressions of grief, and the musings of a man who cannot comprehend fully the tragedy he finds himself within.  Following this excessive account of Job's woeful state, we have 4 chapters which sum up God's reply to Job's musings and the state of heart change which God will bring when Job is ready to hear what he has to say.  I wonder if God were to put all the musings of our heart into a book how many chapters would be related to our complaints and heart agonies?  There might just be more than we realize!

At some point, we all come to the place we are ready to close our mouths and really listen to God.  At that moment, God steps in and sets things straight for us.  It isn't always the best perspective we have been maintaining when we have been in this emotional state of complaint and agonizing - so his word come to set us straight again when we most need his intervention.  There have been times in my own life where I have said words pretty similar to Job's "I am ready to shut up and listen, God" - but those words were preceded by a whole lot of chapters filled with complaint, misunderstanding, agony, and even a little mistrust.  If those chapters were to be read back to me, I probably would be ashamed to find how much my complaint revealed about the selfishness of my heart, and the lack of trust I have in the one who watches over my life.

The most amazing part of this accounting is the freedom Job exercises in communicating with God.  His heart has betrayed his lack of trust in God - his mouth being the vessel which uncovered his betrayal.  In those words of agony recorded for all of history to read, we see the heart of a man who desperately loves God.  It is not the heart of a man turning his back on God, but one seeking to understand God more.  I wonder how much of our own "musings" and "complaints" are merely times when we are coming to know God a little better?  Maybe this is part of how it is we sort out the thoughts and intents of our heart - opening us up to the possibilities of grace and blessing God desires for us.  Job was restored all he lost - even more.  The "in between" is what brought him to the place of readiness to accept what God had in store for him.  Maybe this is what your "in between" place is all about today.  Perhaps God is preparing you for "more" - something you won't be ready for until the musing and agony of your heart is fully expressed.

God doesn't shun those whose heart pours out the agony within - he embraces them.  He doesn't turn his back on their difficulties - he uses them to uncover the blessings he has in store on the other side of those difficult days.  He opens us up to possibilities - not through field after field of wildflowers and green meadows, but through deserts and prickly fields.  When we feel the heat and feel the pricks of the desert thorns, maybe we cry out a little louder than we ought, or more in a form of complaint than praise.  God isn't surprised by our cries - he knows our heart!  Just sayin!