Let your will and emotions catch up

God warns us to guard our heart above all else, simply because it determines the entire course of our lives. As we think of the heart, we must remember it encompasses our mind, will and emotions. One must guard the mind, have a determined will that is unwilling to compromise even one iota, and to have an evenness of emotions that don't carry us away.

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. (Proverbs 4:23)

Above all else. We get so distracted by what we think may not be 'all that bad', but in truth, whenever we look toward anything or anyone other than God himself, our hearts are already putting something else 'above' God. Needless to say, we have raised a whole generation of individuals whose mind is easily amused by whatever catches its attention. Perhaps the greatest challenge to individuals today is to have their mind focused with so many distractions working hard to distract one from their focus.

The will of a man is kind of fickle, isn't it? We can say we have 'willpower', but when push comes to shove, does it get us through? Not usually. The 'willpower' of a man with a mind that isn't focused is as fickle as can be. Whatever our mind entertains will eventually play upon the 'will' of a man. God reminds us to take control of our thought life, allowing him to help determine our steps - but we must be willing to take those steps!

Emotions are probably the most problematic of the three. They go up and down like a fast rollercoaster. They can plummet to new lows quicker than our thoughts can catch up. They can soar high for a while, as long as circumstances allow, but then when those circumstances change, watch out. This is why God tells us not to rely upon emotions to make decisions. I always cringe when I hear a believer say they don't 'feel' like they will ever change. If we relied upon our feelings in order to evaluate change within our lives, we would be all over the map!

The three - mind, will and emotions - operate simultaneously. We must remember that when the mind is fixed upon the right 'model' for our behavior, the will and emotions will eventually follow where the mind leads. The 'will' of a man may resist for a while, but when your mind is made up in a certain direction, with focused attention on God's best for your life, you cannot fail. Eventually your will and emotions will catch up. Just sayin!

A bit too assertive?

That is the way we should live, because God’s grace has come. That grace can save everyone. It teaches us not to live against God and not to do the bad things the world wants to do. It teaches us to live on earth now in a wise and right way—a way that shows true devotion to God. (Titus 2:11-12)

As we continue our "January Journey", let's consider what it means to 'live against God'. The very thought of 'living against' anything might mean we become a little too 'assertive' or 'aggressive' in our approach to whatever that may be. It doesn't mean we don't stand up for what is right and stand against what is wrong, but we aren't going to explore that today. I would like us to consider truthfully if there is any area of our lives where we are 'asserting' our will against God's will for our lives. That might be a hard thing to admit right now, but I believe we will make no progress forward with our relationship in Christ until we look at where we are 'assertive' when he asks us to 'submit'.

Grace brings about dramatic change in our inner man. It begins a trek we might not have taken apart from God's grace. That trek can be hard on occasion, bringing us face-to-face with God's will and the intense struggle to remain staunch in our control of the situation. When this happens, our response might just mean the difference between more obstacles in our path and the supernatural removal of all such obstacles. Like it or not, our own self-directed will might just bring us upon a few more obstacles than we really want to deal with right now. Living AGAINST God is not always intentional - it could just be that we are holding on when God clearly says to let go!

If we discover that we are a little too 'headstrong' in our resistance to something God asks us to do, we might just want to stop right there and ask ourselves why that resistance is occurring. Sometimes it is out of fear - we aren't fully trusting God with the circumstances. At other times, it is out of pride - we don't want to let go because it would mean we admit to 'failing' in some regard. There is no good reason to live opposed to God's will, yet we choose to be aggressive or assertive in holding onto our own. Today could be the very day God is asking us to stop living AGAINST his grace and start living INSIDE of it. Just sayin!

Emotions in battle mode?

I have had those moments when I just wanted to say or doing something, but if I did, I knew the backlash would be more than I wanted to receive. It is a battle of the mind and will over emotions at times, isn't it? We 'think better' than our emotions tend to lead us on occasion - perhaps making 'emotions' one of the hardest and most fickle things we have to deal with once we get our mind under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit. Doing wrong is easy - doing right is a bit harder at times. Behavior matters, no matter what anyone says - behavior stems from all three - mind, will and emotions.

Doing wrong leads to disgrace, and scandalous behavior brings contempt. (Proverbs 18:3)

Back in the day, teachers used to give out little 'awards' to students with great academic achievements, including those who consistently exhibited good 'classroom behavior'. As you might have guessed, I might have received a few notes home to mom saying I was a bit of the class clown. She may not have put it that way, but it was my mode of operation in elementary school, somewhat in middle school, then full-blown in high school! I really didn't consider my behavior wrong, it was just silly, sometimes a bit inappropriate, but it got people to laugh. I thought if they laughed at my weirdness, I wouldn't be so 'weird' to them.

My emotions were all over the place in those days. I didn't think anyone really liked me, maybe because I didn't like myself. I was using sarcasm, 'funny actions', and the like to cover over being very insecure. It wasn't until I invited Jesus into my life that I began to realize those 'emotions' I was telling myself were true and honest appraisals of how others saw me were actually quite wrong. All my 'class clown' actions were just driving them away - even though they laughed. Sometimes we 'do' things thinking they will have a different effect than they actually do. We count on them to accomplish something, but it kind of backfires on us.

It might be hard to hear this, but God is very concerned with our behavior. He wants it to reflect his grace and love, even when it is hard to let those 'actions' outweigh what our emotions are telling us to do at that moment. His hope is that we will let emotions lead us less and less, trusting his Holy Spirit to lead us into right actions even when the mind, will, and emotions are in 'battle mode' against each other. Just sayin!

No longer all that strong

Yesterday we began to look at embracing change before it becomes a requirement to change. While we all know we resist change in various ways, we ALL resist it sometimes. The more comfortable we become with some choice we are making, the easier it is for us to make that choice time and time again. The more we desire to change that choice, the harder it can become. Hence, we need Jesus and the Holy Spirit to help us embrace change. Good change is encouraged - change that still leaves us somewhere short of the 'bullseye' in a spiritual sense just isn't cutting it. Change to be like Jesus - don't change to be like the world around you!

Don’t change yourselves to be like the people of this world, but let God change you inside with a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to understand and accept what God wants for you. You will be able to know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect. (Romans 12:2)

Knowing what is good is probably easier than we might think since we are given lots of examples in scripture, have the Holy Spirit to help guide our conscience, and even have God's Word to help us sort out good from bad. Choosing to do good all of the time isn't easy because we have this little thing called the 'will' that gets in the way at times. We struggle at the level of our 'willpower' so many times. We somehow think our own power will be enough to bring about right choices, but then we find ourselves falling somewhere short of those right choices.

The human will is not sufficient to resist temptation, though. Try as we might, we somehow choose things that make us 'feel good' but may not be the lasting kind of 'good feeling' that comes when we make a choice to live in obedience to the revealed will of God. Like it or not, life on this earth will always involve a struggle between our will (influenced by the things this world says will be 'good' for us) and God's will (bringing us out of this world's pursuits and into the pursuits of his Kingdom life). Willpower seldom produces 'internal' change - it is temporary, usually influenced by our feelings, and is often produces some other form of conflict within us.

God's will isn't just going to one day 'manifest' in our lives. We must make active choices to resist the things that are temporary or fleeting and choose rather to pursue that which remains, is well-founded, and has a transformational aspect - the things God offers through is Son, Jesus Christ. Living in a way that actually 'craves' internal change in the areas of our character that don't actually help us make right choices is not for the 'strong willed'. In fact, those who are willing to admit their will is weak are those God can transform the easiest! Just sayin!

Let God 'interfere' a bit

Yes, it is God who is working in you. He helps you want to do what pleases him, and he gives you the power to do it. (Philippians 2:14)

Like it or not, God is at work. Where? In you and in me. We aren't ever going to escape his work - he began his work in us when we said yes to him, and he will surely continue that work as long as we draw breath. Do we always appreciate or welcome his work within our lives? Not hardly! There are times we are just plain stubborn and don't want to have his 'interference'. We see what he is doing as 'bothersome' - mostly because his work is bringing conviction, and we don't like having our 'wrong choices' pointed out because we are prideful people. The more we resist his 'interference' in our lives, the longer we will deal with issues that only get us into other issues! It is God who actually helps us do what we don't want to do!

Have you ever been in a place where you know the very thing you are about to do isn't going to end well? If you haven't, learn from my mistakes, okay? If you think you can 'will' your way to obedience, you are mistaken. Obedience is tougher than it sounds - all because we have this thing called pride. Pride has this way of overruling what we know to be right in favor of what we know to be wrong. That is when we find ourselves getting way too close to compromise, or worse yet, crossing the line into full-blown sin. Indulge your prideful 'self' long enough and the hold sin has on you will get stronger and stronger. Before long, you will not even consider the choices you are making as 'wrong' - the thing that scripture says actually leads a man or woman to the place of a 'seared conscience'. None of us want to find ourselves there!

Let God help you do what you don't 'want' to do. It might surprise you how much less your 'resistance' to his required actions actually exists when you submit to his movement in your life. God wants to help us live righteous lives. We cannot do it on our own. We'd muddle it up pretty badly. The 'power' we need isn't 'willpower'. The power we need is God's divine intervention. We might not realize just how much God is at work within us until we 'look back' a bit and see the changes he has worked. We know he is always with us, but do we always acknowledge his presence and invite him in to do his work within our mind, will and emotions? If not, it could be time to change that. Just sayin!

Not my will, but yours

Great blessings belong to those who trust in the Lord, for those who do not turn to demons and false gods for help. Lord my God, you have done many amazing things! You have made great plans for us—too many to list. I could talk on and on about them, because there are too many to count. (Psalm 40:4-5)

David, the man who was acclaimed to have a "heart after God's", had a certain determination of will. David faced many "giant-sized obstacles" in his day - spiritually, emotionally, and relationally. He exhibited a determination of will that came through in each account recorded of him in scripture. David could be at the lowest point in his life from a physical perspective, strength waning, body taxed to the max, and he'd still lift his head in praise. He could be deep into the misery of depression, feeling it both physically and in the depth of his disturbed emotions, and he'd turn to God in praise, reach to him in prayer, and celebrate him in worship. He could be overcome by his own weakness and depravity of sinful deeds, but then you'd see him turning to God for help. We might not always reveal this same determination of will, choosing rather to cower in fear, give up on our pursuit, or hunker down in our depression. We should consider the power of the will when it is surrendered to the hand of a mighty and powerful God!

When I think of will-power, I imagine the ability I can muster within myself to avoid something or remain consistent with a commitment I have made. Unfortunately, it is dependent upon me and my ability. David surrendered his will time and time again to the purposes and intent of God - knowing God would take that will and use it to turn David's circumstances around. The difference is where one places their dependence - squarely upon our own shoulders, or in a source of power and might not our own. When the will is submitted to God, there is a determination of heart which brings a yielding of mind, body, and spirit to the purpose of God. Will is a driver for each of us, for what we "will" to do, we often find we at least make strides toward doing. We may not "arrive" all the way at the destination we imagined, but we get moving in that direction. Will moves us - it gives us momentum toward something. If our will is directed toward what we imagine WE can do, we tend to rely upon the source of our own physical and emotional strength. If our will is yielded into the hands of God, we tend to rely upon the strength he provides - even when ours wanes or falters.

What happens when we take our will and submit it into the hands of God? We begin to experience blessings too numerous to count. If you don't believe me, you will have to give it a try! Wherever we submit our will or turn our focus, we find there is an element of trust which enters into the picture. We determine where, what, or in whom it is we will place our trust. Will is an inanimate "thing" which actually reveals where it is we have placed our trust. It could be in our own self ability, another human being, or in the great and mighty ruler of the universe himself. Will is always linked to trust. Trust is one of the hardest things we have to get right in this walk on this earth. We struggle so much with trust because of our own failures - because we have put our faith and belief in what we WILL to do and find ourselves failing miserably time and time again at doing. We eventually get to the place we no longer trust ourselves. We struggle with trust because of the let downs that occur when we place our trust in another individual, because they have all the best of intentions, but when the rubber meets the road, they just cannot "perform" as we imagined they could. The letdown comes, and we determine we cannot trust them, either.

Will is always linked to trust, so having a solid place to put our trust is important. God isn't going to let us down, but we will never really know this until we take our will and squarely commit it to him. We yield our efforts into his hands, we commit our plans into his purposes, and we settle into realizing his best for us. Blessing comes to those who determine to make their focus God himself. Just sayin!

A bit of training required?

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing. (Psalm 143:10) 

I am one who needs a lot of 'teaching' when it comes to doing God's will. Make no bones about it - we choose our own way over God's way and then find ourselves working our way back to the way he asked us to go anyway, so why do we do it? When we stop to consider how 'hard' it seems to find and walk in God's will at times, we might just have to admit how insanely hard it is to walk our way back into his will once we have decided to go our own way! That 'hardness' in choosing righteousness isn't by accident - it might just show how 'willing' we are to put God first in our lives, even when it isn't the easiest thing to do! It may not seem like it at first, but those who choose to rebel against the will of God will endure a hard ending. We might think they are enjoying life now, but I don't suspect they will enjoy it much into eternity when they find themselves facing God's judgment and their eternal damnation!

If you have ever owned a dog, you might have experienced the phenomenon I refer to as 'being walked by the dog' rather than you walking the dog. The leash is firmly attached to the collar, the dog bounds out ahead of you, going this way and that, sniffing everything in its path, and there you are being 'drug along' behind as though you were the one being walked! The dog is just behaving like a dog - it must be trained to not pull, come alongside willingly, and not follow after every stray scent in its path. I imagine it is kind of like that at times with us and God. We get out ahead of him, pulling this way and that, 'sniffing at' everything that comes along our path, not even looking back to see that God isn't at all pleased with our willful disobedience. Whenever he puts us through periods of 'training' in our lives, it isn't because he doesn't like us or that he is mad at us. It is because he knows how much more enjoyable the walk will be if we come alongside and fall in stride with him!

The dog who has been through obedience training isn't 'whipped' into obedience. They are encouraged to follow commands and then they are rewarded when they do. Is the reward always something they expected, like a piece of kibble? No, sometimes it is a bit of praise, a scratch behind the ears, or a ruffling of their neck fur. He soon realizes how much pleasure it seems to bring his master. The reward is encouragement to dig a bit deeper to obey the next command. When the dog finally learns there is great reward in following the commands, they just do it because they know it brings pleasure to their master. I wonder if we were presented with God's commands today if we'd heed them simply because we know God will find pleasure in the closeness it brings us into with him, or if we are expecting some kind of 'reward' each time we obey? Just askin!

A sacred enclosure

Your own mind is a sacred enclosure into which nothing harmful can enter except by your own permission (Arnold Bennett)

Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God’s action in them find that God’s Spirit is in them—living and breathing God! Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God. That person ignores who God is and what he is doing. And God isn’t pleased at being ignored. (Romans 8:5-8)

Our minds can be like steal traps - holding onto stuff best let go of and resisting the entry of the stuff that really needs to be given place in our memory and forethought. If our minds are a 'sacred enclosure', then why do we let stuff into them that is less than 'sacred'? I think it could be we are so 'bent' on doing things in our own strength or power that we see little need to let in the pure and undefiled things God has prepared for us. We rely upon our own strength - denying God access to us through quiet times of prayer and contemplative thought. We rely upon our own wisdom - denying God access repeatedly to malformed thought processes and patterns. We rely upon our own ability - denying god access to use those talents and abilities for his glory and not our own. Indeed, if our minds are 'enclosures', then how limiting it is to only consider what 'self' can focus upon - for self focuses on many things opposed to the wisdom and truth of God.

Self measures by a faulty measurement - usually comparing ourselves to another we feel superior to in the first place and then stating confidently that we aren't all that bad. As we have already discussed this past week, there is no degree to sin or failure. A fail is a fail - a fall is a fall - a compromise is a compromise. The sooner we recognize that truth, the sooner we can begin to see how 'self' gets us all jumbled up. 'Self' attempts to exclude God from the equation - probably not consciously, but it does. It limits his access to the thought patterns proven to be capable of misleading us time and time again. Instead, self works hard to exercise some 'moral muscle' - that thing we often refer to as willpower - to overcome that misleading thought pattern. Alas, it seldom works, does it? The mind was made to function best when God is placed first - in the foremost of our thoughts and focus. 

We might actually need to recognize the 'self-directed' thoughts we have been allowing into this sacred enclosure we refer to as our minds are exactly what has been causing the misdirected steps we have been taking all along. The 'sacred enclosure' has been compromised! If a walled city doesn't have strong gates, all the strength of their walls is useless. If the city has strong gates and crumbling walls, you might as well just open the gates wide. The enclosure that has been compromised by any enemy is harder to take back than it is to defend in the first place. Why is that? I think it may be that the enemy begins to build the walls stronger and firm up those gates so they are sturdier than ever  -  you have given him access to a privileged property! He isn't going to just turn it back over - he will fight you for it.

This 'sacred enclosure' doesn't always have 'external' enemies that do as much damage as the one we call 'self' - our internal enemy. The old man called self has set up shop and has no intentions of leaving. The only way to reclaim what has been given over to the enemy is to expel the enemy! To have a mind open to the things of God, one has to 'dethrone' self from that sacred enclosure. As hard as that may seem, God doesn't ask us to just put a 'buffer zone' between self and his grace. He asks us to allow grace to enter in, helping us to dethrone 'self' each and every time we think the way to victory is to just exercise more of our own moral muscle. Here is the truth we need to embrace - there is no room for self where the sacred is meant to dwell. Just sayin!

Finding our way

Let's be careful about how we 'slam' each other right now for either erring on the side of NOT wearing a mask or choosing to wear one at all times, keeping our kids home when school begins or choosing to send them into the classrooms, or choosing to work from home to reduce risks of exposure or choosing to go into the workplace every day. We find fault with each other over the stuff of life - that is for certain - but don't let it divide us, or harsh words of criticism be spoken that will leave 'riffles' in our relationships. This isn't wise at all. Yes, there are those who are choosing to live on the edge of life right now - not really being respectful of advice to observe social distancing, choosing not to cover one's mouth and nose with a face mask, and even chafing against the 'establishment' of rules related to where we can socialize right now. It doesn't mean we have to be rude and unkind toward them - we can urge strongly that they take the advice of those in scientific settings that understand the spread of highly contagious, communicable diseases. We cannot help but wonder why some choose one course and others choose a dissimilar one. The truth of the matter is that we all 'find our way' in life - some of us a little closer to the edge than others, but we all are finding our way.

See, I have found only this, that God made men right, but they have found many sinful ways. (Ecclesiastes 7:29)

God made us right - anything within us now that isn't 'right' is really a result of the sinful nature within - the nature that actually works to convince us our ways are 'right' and another's are 'wrong'. The reason we choose one course over another isn't always as cut and dry as we'd like to be, but trust me on this one - our sin nature does a lot of 'choosing' for us that isn't always the wisest! God made us right, but we choose to continue to live 'right' each and every day by putting our trust in Jesus, leaning into what he asks us to do, and then making concentrated effort to continue to select wise choices as we go throughout our day. Lives made right again in Christ Jesus aren't always going to be free of making wrong choices, though. We might have been made right again, but we find this struggle between right and wrong is a very hard thing because our willfulness can be a real problem!

Some will stop reading right there because they see no problem within themselves that even suggests they have a hind to willfulness, but I'd disagree with that assessment. None of us is without sin - that means none of us is without a will. Where there is a will at work, there is ALWAYS room for willfulness to creep in, self demanding its own way, and stubbornness beginning to formulate plans that are contrary to what God requests of us. If we find ourselves being hyper-critical of another who is struggling with some willfulness of their own, we need to beware because the old adage holds true - we see the fault in the behavior of another because we find fault in that similar behavior in ourselves. That saying, "It takes one to know one", isn't just a clever saying. It is relevant truth! We can point out the sins of another so well because we can see the struggle we have with sins that emanate from the same willful nature!

The good news is the God made us right - and the creator of all things is capable of making us right again, even when our will isn't really willing to step aside all that easily. You and I give our will way too much credit - we give it way too much control. Instead of giving into our willfulness, it would behoove us to take that willfulness to God and ask him to 'rewire' the very thing that gives us so many issues! Just sayin!

Don't go there....

When I was in the military, I pulled the assigned task of "guard duty" on a few occasions. The thing that struck me most was that I was guarding "stuff" that I really had no clue that anybody would want, but it was supposed to teach me the skill of ferreting out friend from foe! Sometimes I'd be assigned to the motor pool, while I would just walk a perimeter around some place where others slept peacefully. Did I find I had to ward off intruders all that much? No, but I was ready! You never know when the enemy will attack, or at what location. So you "prepare" for the worst and pray for the best!

God guards you from every evil, he guards your very life. He guards you when you leave and when you return, he guards you now, he guards you always. (Psalm 121:7-8)

God's watchfulness over his children is much like that of the one who diligent fulfills his role of 'guard duty'. When intruders come, we want to know we can answer the question, "Where does my help come from?" We need to rest certain in the fact our "help" comes from God and no other source. It is he who guards our very life, now and always! To guard means that someone or something is kept safe from harm. There is a watchfulness over that person or thing that keeps it out of harm's way. Did you also know that to guard refers to keeping a watchful eye so that the one being guarded does not escape or engage in misconduct? God does more as the "guard" over our lives than just keep us safe - he also keeps us from escaping his care, running toward those things that will harm us, and reminding us of the pain that our misconduct will eventually end up costing us. What a faithful "guard" he is!

As my children were born, there were things I did to "guard" them from injury. One of the simplest things was to purchase those small plastic caps that fit tightly into the electrical outlets. How did I know to do this - to guard them from electrical shock? Truth be told, I learned by experience - my own blunders of sticking pointy things into those small holes as a kid! I "covered" the small holes that could injure my children because I had already experienced the painfulness of my own "misconduct"!
God places "safeguards" in our lives, much like the outlet covers I placed for my kids, in order to prevent loss, injury, or damage to our reputation. Just like my children, we often resist those safeguards because we think something "good" must be on the other side of the safeguard - something is being kept from us that we 'deserve' or 'want'! I periodically watched as my children took small fingers and attempted to manipulate the plastic guards from those outlets. Each time, I'd remind them that they should not play with the outlets. Guess what? To my knowledge, my kids never got the "jolt" of playing around with electricity - because of my preparation and my guard!

God doesn't want to "keep us from the good stuff" - he is working overtime to keep us safe from the "bad stuff" that leaves us feeling 'jolted' by life! Safeguards don't mean we aren't curious about what is "on the other side" of the safeguard (boundary). All it means is that we have something that stands between us and the object of our desirous attention. God leaves the response to the "safeguard" he has placed for us totally in our court of decision. Much like my kids pulling with all their might to get that plastic plug out of the outlet, we often find ourselves "pulling with all our might" to remove the safeguards God has placed in our lives. Did you realize that there are a ton of synonyms for "guard" in the Bible? Here are just a few: shield, shelter, watch, defend, bulwark, watchman. God must really want to get the point across that we need "guarding"! The next time you see one of these words, look at in the context of what God says he is doing for his children as their shield, their defender, a bulwark, or a watchman. It may just open a whole new meaning for you about the value of God's "guarding" boundaries in your life. 

Aren't you glad that you have someone as dedicated to your safety on Guard Duty in your life? The next time you hear, "Halt, who goes there", you might do well to actually stop and ask why God is halting your forward progress. He might actually be trying to get you to realize the error of your steps, not to keep you from something good in your life, but to keep you safely within the boundaries that help you to avoid all things evil in it! The first step to enjoying the safety of our boundaries is understanding where we are about to cross over them! Then the next step should be the one that alters our course! Just sayin!

Heed that flag

There is seldom a time when "going in circles" isn't a waste of time. I think that someone like a race car driver would be the exception. He accomplishes either the winning or the losing of the race while staying on that oval track - going around and around at a calculated pace to accomplish the goal. For most of us, going in circles is another story - we find that we accomplish very little in the course of our efforts. The people of Israel had been "going in circles" in the wilderness for years. They had shed more than a few tears of grief over their choice to doubt God's provision for them. Something I have seen over the years (even in my own life) is that tears don't make someone change! You cannot equate tears with repentance. We can shed real tears without any real sense for what we need to change or how to change.

Then we turned around and went back into the wilderness following the route to the Red Sea, as God had instructed me. We worked our way in and around the hills of Seir for a long, long time. Then God said, "You've been going around in circles in these hills long enough; go north." (Deuteronomy 2:1-2)

Some of us just 'go in circles'. "Circle runners" find themselves doing the same old things over and over again, wondering why they are not getting a different response. In turn, they get frustrated and their self-will becomes even more determined to accomplish something, but it just means we find ourselves "taking another lap". It grieves God for us to stay in our self-willed 'circling the track' disobedience, but he allows us to "do the laps" until we come to a place where we recognize the futility of our having gone in circles so long! We often find ourselves complaining about the multitude of "circles" we travel - but if the truth is really known, we don't really want any other path!

"Circle runners" often don't realize what it is that keeps them doing the same things. There is a lack of awareness because there is a lack of awareness that could help the "circle runner" to "exit the track". As long as self-will and self-direction is our plan, we may shed some tears at our outcome, but we are still not "uncomfortable" enough in our present circumstances to want any change. We don't look for an exit when we are comfortable! God's promise is to be our guide - to give us clear direction. The only thing is that we have to be near enough to him to actually catch the movement he makes. A guide is useless if those being guided are not paying attention to the guide's directions. Just as the race car driver must be ever-vigilant in monitoring the conditions of the course by watching the man with the "flags" - so we must be with keeping our eyes on God. I had no idea that there were so many flags they use in a race, but the list below gives us some idea. Notice that some of these flags are what they call "conditional" flags - once a specific condition is met, the flag is raised.

Green - Race begins or resumes. Without this flag being displayed, we don't move. We are anchored to where we are - poised to begin, but never really hitting the gas.
Yellow - Racing under caution. Conditions adverse or hazardous. It isn't safe for us on the track - we might find a hazard or two we weren't counting on finding!
Red - Racing has come to a halt. All pit crew and repair work must cease. There is some reason for the 'stoppage', but the main response elicited from this flag is to just stop and pay attention.
Black - The "consultation flag". Driver must pit. Usually due to rule violation. Huh...there is even a flag for violating rules! If we were really smart, we'd look for these flags in our own "circle running".
Black with White "X" - Driver no longer scored for failing to pit under black. Ouch! This one really speaks to the self-will, doesn't it? The flag was out there to advise us it was time to hit the place of repair and safety, but we just took another lap!
White Flag - Last lap of the race. Woohoo! We have an end in sight! When this is displayed, the racers all know it is their time to make their last 'big push' for the finish line.
Checkered flag - Race is over. Winner is about to be declared.

The simple truth is that God looks for two things: 1) A waiting heart - one that is "tuned into" the exits and the warnings along the way! 2) An obedient heart - one that actually takes the exits, heeds the warnings, and is tuned into the conditions of the path ahead! If you are running in circles today, perhaps it is time to examine the "flag" that is flying in your life today! Then heed it! Just sayin!

A few gaps?

Mind in gear? What does that mean to you? When I consider a 'mind in gear', I think of the one who is deep in thought, creating, coming up with plans and ideas, or working to put those ideas into application. I think of the carver who looks at a plain piece of log and begins to fashion what he sees in his mind. I also think of the one who might calculate the risks and benefits of a particular set of actions and then formulate a plan they will act upon - such as a surgeon considering the best course to take with a patient to optimize their health. Having one's mind in gear is really a sign of being engaged in the process - you are more than a casual observer. God isn't after those who have all the answers as much as those who will engage with him and be more than casual observers in his kingdom.

So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives. Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.” (1 Peter 1:13 MSG)

As long as we are doing nothing more than 'casually observing' the promises and commands of God, we are never going to really grow into our full potential in Christ. We each have been given so much potential - but how we engage in the use of that potential determines if we will reach the fullest extent of it! God doesn't just ask us to follow him, all getting in a line and following after him like a game of "Simon says". He is looking for those who will learn of him, engaging in the things that exemplify his love and grace in our everyday lives. It doesn't take a 'message from on high' to take some actions - they are common sense! They are in alignment with his will because they exemplify his love and grace, so act upon them. 

We are shaped by God - that 'shape' takes form with each step which reveals our total engagement with the things he is teaching and doing in our lives. He looks for a mind in gear, a heart in total dedication, and a body willing to be used in the labor he sees fit for us to engage in. This is how he operates - ready hearts receive, open minds understand, and eager hands are set into service. It is easy to see that God is pleased when a life is willing to be pulled into a way of life shaped by his hands, energized by his Spirit, and filled by his grace!

Lest you or I think it is impossible to be holy (right, true, and honest), think again. God's existence in our lives actually fills us to overflowing with this 'rightness'. We are free to move about, not as 'unclean' and 'unholy', but as examples of his holiness. As such, we are also examples of his 'wholeness' - for where his presence dwells you will always find his grace filling every gap in a man's character that has been left by sin's outcome. If you feel a little 'drafty' today because of all of the 'gaps' in your character, take heart....those gaps are filled, sealing out all manner of unholiness because Christ isn't going to leave us deficient in any manner. Just sayin!

Do we really?

"Don't assume you know it all." I know just how much we struggle with "knowing the will of God" for our lives. We need, even crave, insight into getting "connected" to the will of God. There is a development of a trust relationship with the God we serve and we want to be sure we are 'doing' his will. We have to stop relying on what we can "reason out" in our own minds. To 'do' the will if God, we have to truly begin to listen to the still small voice of God - not just some of the time, but in all we do and in every decision we make. God will help us stay on the right course in our lives if we do.

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Psalm 32:8 tells us that God "looks us straight in the eyes" and gives us the good advice that we need in order to make the correct or wisest decisions within our day. He will teach or counsel those that place their lives in his hands for his control. There are conditions to getting his guidance, though. We need to "make a clean breast of our failures" with God - in other words, we confess our sins, have them forgiven (hidden in Christ), and get our spirit in alignment with his. (Psalm 32:1-7) We also need to allow the Word of God to expose our rebellion, show us the truth, correct our mistakes, and train us to live God's way. As we continue in the Word (really spending time getting to see what is contained within the pages of the Word), we are allowing it to train us. In this way, we are becoming equipped for every good work God has in store for us. (2 Timothy 3:14-17)

We need to seek God's guidance in incorporating his commandments (the wise counsel of the Word) into our lives - it may not be plain to us why we have the commandments of God, so we need his assistance in understanding how we incorporate them without rebellion. In other words, we are allowing the Word of God to become a counselor in our lives. (Psalm 119:35) There needs to be a daily renewal of our mind - no longer conforming to every whim and fancy this world promotes as the "next best thing". We have to take our daily, everyday type of decisions/choices before God and ask him what he thinks about them - before we take the action behind them. It is a difficult thing to resist the ease of "adjusting to our culture" instead of establishing the culture of God in our hearts. (Romans 12:1-2)

One thing we often lack in our lives (and often don't connect with us actually knowing and acting on the will of God) is the idea of cultivating a spirit of gratitude (thankfulness). We may not see how this connects with getting to know the will of God, but when we begin to be truly thankful for the blessings of God, the challenges God allows, and the ability to seek him for the answers, we are on the road to discovering his will on a more consistent basis. As a matter of fact, God honors this kind of consistently grateful heart - with his presence. What better guidance could we have in our lives than the consistent presence of God? (Colossians 3:15-17)

These are but a few of the ways we can discover in scripture that give us insight into cultivating the presence of God, understanding his plans for our lives, and living above the influence of our culture. All are key to discovering the will of God. All help us to avoid the trap of "thinking we know it all". Knowing the will of God is not hard, but it does require "consistency". Consistency in seeking; consistency in discovering; consistency in getting into the Word and letting it get into us; consistency in renewing our minds. Without consistency, we lack what we need to really "walk in the will of God". We might think we know, but do we really? Just askin!

Need a re-alignment?

Direct relationship with God - made possible by the blood sacrifice of Christ - is ours today. We can really "live" in his presence - have a life rich in every worthwhile experience, driven by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are no longer to spend all our time and energies gratifying the works of the flesh, but to live according to the Spirit of God that energizes us within. To gratify is to give pleasure to - give satisfaction to through indulging in - to give into sin's pull and the mind's lusts. Did you realize that scripture says we are free of that "pull" that demands 'gratification' now that we are Christ's?

But now you have arrived at your destination: By faith in Christ you are in direct relationship with God. Your baptism in Christ was not just washing you up for a fresh start. It also involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe—Christ's life, the fulfillment of God's original promise. (Galatians 3:25-27)

A man's nature is defined as everything that makes up his inner man - his temperament (how he responds) and his character (why he responds). Apart from relationship with Christ, it is contrary to the things of the Spirit - incompatible with, on an ongoing and opposing course, and moving in a direct opposite direction from all that God would have for us. When we come to Christ, there are many times when we feel like our lives (old and new) are being lived in conflict - the old nature being in direct conflict with the new. It is as though they are in competition - each with their opposing needs, drives, wishes and demands. The scripture goes so far as to tell us that these two natures are "irreconcilable". They aren't just to go through a 'trial separation' - there is to be a total dissolution!

Those who are the property of Christ have become attached to him by new birth - their allegiance to their sinful nature being broken as a result of this new attachment. Now we find our dependency in Christ, not in ourselves. Romans 8:5-7 tells us that those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires - yet, those who live in accordance with the Spirit of God have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. In other words, there is an exchange of "allegiance" and this leads to an exchange of "focus". Allegiance is described as that which we dedicate ourselves to - every attitude, every motivation all directed to that particular thing or person. Because of that dedication, there is a desire to be obedient or submissive to the wishes of that individual. We find ourselves deferring to that individual - adhering to their wishes as expressed. If we have crucified the old man and been raised to newness of life in the Spirit of God, the flesh and all its passions have also been put off (we no longer give allegiance to them). Yet, many of us struggle with "fleshly" thoughts, actions, and compulsions every single day! Why? Actually there are three questions that might help us to answer this question:

1. What is our mindset? It is a little appreciated fact that where the mind goes, the spirit follows. If it is set on things that are opposed to the Spirit of God - it will follow. If it is set on things that truly promise satisfaction and fulfillment - that is what we will experience.
2. What controls us? That which controls us either holds us in restraint - keeping us from responding a certain way - or allows us the freedom to pursue that which we desire. It is easy to see that if we have the wrong thing in control of our lives (like our sinful nature), we will not have much restraint when it comes to not pursuing sin. If we have the Spirit of God in control of our lives (moment-by-moment authority and direction over our lives), we will be less likely to respond to the sin nature - we will respond to the new nature being worked into us.
3. What do our emotions reveal about us? Although we are told not to rely upon our emotions as 'good' judges of what to do or not to do, they do provide us some measure of why we do what we do. If our emotions are up one day, down the next, we often feel like we are riding a roller-coaster with our obedience, too. We tend to be "emotionally" driven individuals - if it feels good, we do it, if not, we refrain. It is the Spirit of the living God that wants to have the control over our lives - if we are relying on our emotions to tell us something is good or bad, we will be disappointed.

We are not just "washed up" for a fresh start - we are also clothed in some pretty snazzy "adult wardrobe" that adorns us in some pretty awesome fashion. We are not talking clothing here - we are talking an exchange of mindset, emotional response, and spiritual 'will-power'. With our death to sin and resurrection into newness of life comes an exchanged mind - not all at first, as you may well have realized - but it comes. Our minds find other things to dwell upon that once were less appealing to us before this exchange took place - like meditating upon the scriptures and allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to us daily. Our emotions become more "even-keeled", with less ups and downs, and even less pull on us to respond when they are in a state of changeability. The biggest thing we see is our battle of the will - we almost talk ourselves out of responding to the old ways of life because we know they are in opposition to the things of the spirit. We call this a battle of the wills. The problem of "will" is addressed in the issue of control - who is in control? We constantly make a choice of our allegiance. Today's choice may be stronger than yesterday's - each day bringing new challenges for our allegiance. The more we align our allegiance (responding in obedience to Christ), the stronger the pull of that allegiance will be. Our desires begin to take a backseat to those of the Spirit indwelling us. It is a matter of choice - what will we align with today? Just askin!

Got rest?

Have you ever heard someone calling out, not really sure the call is intended for you, then kind out of some sense of niggling in your mind, you turn to see someone beckoning you? My BFF and I were headed into work the other day, only to hear someone calling out, "Good morning, Dynamic Duo!" At first, we didn't turn, because we didn't really understand what was being said - then as it came again a couple more times, I turned to see it was our Chief Nursing Officer calling out to the two of us. Had it not been for that niggling, I wouldn't have turned. We may have missed the encounter that day! There are times we almost miss the most important encounters of our day - just because we aren't paying attention to the 'calling voice' somewhere in the distance!

"Come!" say the Spirit and the Bride. Whoever hears, echo, "Come!" Is anyone thirsty? Come!
All who will, come and drink, Drink freely of the Water of Life! (Revelation 22:17)

An invitation is something that many of us regard as a thing of honor - to be invited to an event, to participate in some significant memory, is a significant point of enjoyment in our lives. We have an invitation presented to us this morning in our passage to "come". There are several things that we are invited to participate in that are presented to us in scripture. These are invitations that we could miss if we aren't paying close attention. One such invitation we are encouraged to participate in is that of rest. We are called upon to participate in a rest that is outside of our own doing - it is the rest that only God can produce deep within our spirit.

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Matthew 22:17)

What does this invitation sound like to you? Normal, everyday trudging through life? If you are like the majority of us, the answer is yes. We are tired - burned out - not just on religion, but on all kinds of matters of life. We get "worn out" because we are trying to live life by our own terms - trying to "fix" everything in our own power - balancing all the balls in the air all at one time. There is nothing more fatiguing than to have the idea that we can do things all on our own - like when we think that if we want something done right we'll have to do it ourselves. Where's that been getting you? For me, it has made me arrive more than once at a point of fatigue, frustration, and even a little bit of anger on occasion.

David tells us that his soul found rest in God alone (Psalm 62:1) - no other place of rest equaling what he found when he settled into the rest only God provided. Mind, will and emotions have a tendency to be in conflict many times. The mind races ahead in unending reasoning and rationalization, working out every detail to the "nth" degree. The will struggles with each decision along the way, sometimes with great stress produced, and even anger because things are harder than we wanted them to be. The emotions consume our energy as the turmoil of keeping up with the mind's thought and the will's struggles taunts us at every turn. Sound familiar to anyone?

So, how do we "come into" rest in the way God defines rest? The answer comes in another passage written by David: "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." (Psalm 91:1) I highlighted those two words so we'd understand there is an imperative here; the truth is that we WILL experience the rest we so desire based upon where it is we WILL dwell! There is a place of "dwelling" that gives us rest. To "dwell" means to remain - to continue in - the shelter of the Most High. The presence of God must be cultivated - we have to take the time to truly experience God. Rest is a result of knowing his presence is with us in all matters. Rest is a condition of mind, soul, and spirit brought on by taking time to "cease" the endless mayhem of our day and to refocus on the one who made the day in the first place.

There are things that get in the way of truly celebrating the presence of our One True God. Sometimes we just need to stand and look - there is a call to refocus. Then we are to ask where the good way is - this is taking time to seek God's plans over our own - getting direction before we take steps to be outside of his will and into areas we should not be getting into in the first place. There is also a cal to walk in God's rest or peace - this is a call to be obedient to what is revealed (submitting our will). Then...and only then, do we find rest for our souls. Rest is not as elusive as we may think - it is truly just as close as the presence of God. The invitation is given to come into rest - ceasing from our labors long enough to enjoy the presence of God - thereby experiencing a right order to our thoughts, a freedom from the struggle of our will, and the settling of our often out of control emotions. Rest is found in a person - not in any action, any location, any plan. It is in God and him alone. In the shelter of his wings, we find rest. Just restin!

Terca!

The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won't. (Henry Ward Beecher)

Boy, is that ever the truth! The strongest thing to overcome is our "won't" moments - those times when we dig in our heels and just determine we "won't" change the course of things, or the behavior we are being challenged to lay down. The more we determine we "won't" do something, the more we desire it! There are lots of times we label our obstinacy as being sort of something we have no control over, like a force that is 'forcing' us to do something. The root of the issue is our stubbornness, not our commitment. We commit very well to pursue something - we are just choosing the "wrong something" to pursue!

First pride, then the crash— the bigger the ego, the harder the fall. (Proverbs 16:18 MSG)

Obstinate people aren't going to compromise - they are unyielding, dug in, there for the long haul. The hallmark sign of an obstinate person is that they are not easily controlled. They will not hand the reins of control over to anyone else and they make that quite plain. Some call this stubbornness, but there is a degree of obstinacy that goes well beyond just being a little stubborn. The determination to always be right, in control, unyielding to any idea other than their own - these are symptoms of an obstinate heart.

Some label obstinacy as being "determined", but it is really nothing more than being "self-willed" and "strong-minded". If we could manage our will well enough, would we ever need a Savior? No, because we wouldn't get ourselves into places of unyielding compromise if we had a will that always functioned by making the choices that God's will declares to be right for us! Ego may be a small word, but it is a big problem! It keeps us doggedly determined to do some things in ways we choose to do them that may not be exactly correct.

Headstrong individuals are all around us - even right before us in the mirror looking back at you know who! The more headstrong we are, the more independent we attempt to function because we see little need for others to ever lend their help, ideas, or plans. There is no room for 'deviation' from one's own plans and that can be the greatest battle for us at times. As Beecher said, the will isn't the issue most of the time - it is the won't that messes us up more than the will. We label it being 'willful', but maybe we'd be more accurate if we labeled it as being 'won't-ful'.

Every now and again, my BFF reminds me I am being a little "mulish" in my behavior. She calls me "terca" (stubborn, mulish, obstinate). It is usually because I am refusing help, but the truth of the matter is that she is probably a little bit right - I am being "terca". While stubbornness to avoid the wrong stuff is not bad, carried to the extreme of thinking we can get past all the wrong stuff on our own is quite arrogant and 'mulish' indeed. We might just do well to examine our 'will' and our 'won't' now and again - because I think it is possible to get those two mixed up now and again! Just sayin!

Back in the day...

15 It is God’s will that your good lives should silence those who foolishly condemn the Gospel without knowing what it can do for them, having never experienced its power. 16 You are free from the law, but that doesn’t mean you are free to do wrong. Live as those who are free to do only God’s will at all times. (I Peter 2:15-16 TLB)

I know the moments seem to be magnified these days when someone chooses to do something so wrong it just cannot help but make headlines. The actions of a few make the lives of many a living nightmare. I was talking the other day with my BFF about how different it is to grow up today. We reminisced about the times when we grew up - running from sun up to sun down with the neighborhood kids - likely no emerging from whatever 'play' was at hand until we were called for supper. The mischief we managed to get into was indeed 'child's play' and we didn't live in fear of our lives. We went to school without having to carry bullet-proof backpacks, or experience the repeated 'active shooter' drills. Our 'drills' were those designed to get us all lined up neatly on the playground while the fire alarms blared signaling it was prep in case we had any type of 'explosion' in the chemistry lab from an experiment gone awry! We didn't dream of package bombs and we didn't kill ourselves because we were made fun of on social media. Our form of 'social media' was the playground talk at recess or over the lunchroom table when the 'cool kids' huddled together to talk about the hand-me-down dresses we 'uncool kids' might have had on! I wonder where we really started to 'go wrong' as a society. Some may postulate it was Rock-n-Roll, or those pot smoking hippies, or even the protests of the early sixties for human rights and women's lib. It matters not where the turning point was - it matters if we can reach a turning point today - back in the right direction!

Live as those free to do only God's will at all times. There are a couple of imperatives in this command. First, we are to live - not just exist in some semblance of what might be called 'life'. We are to really live as though all of the day matters - as though every action is important. Second, we are to live as those who are free - not to do whatever pleases us, but with consideration of what pleases God first and then what honors our fellow-man second. Freedom has been taken to extremes by some, while others still only dream there might be some freedom for them somewhere at some time. There are many kinds of 'bondage' (lack of freedom) beginning with the condition or state of our souls and going on from there. Nothing matters as much as the condition of our soul - for that soul which has never experienced the grace and forgiveness of their Creator has not really experienced any great sense of freedom at all! Lastly, freedom is an "all the time" kind of thing - it isn't now and again, but consistently lived out in our daily lives. Freedom comes because we live according to the will of God 'at all times' - not just when the urge hits us, or in 'pockets of society'. Live at those free to do - not free to be - but free to do. There is a purpose to our freedom - it is to do the will of God at all times. Some equate freedom with the will to do as they please whenever they please, but the will of God is to override our will - especially when that freedom of will leads us down a path other than the one he would have us choose.

We live free, not as powerless creatures, but as those who have experienced the ultimate power - that of our Creator's hand and heart. Power doesn't come in our actions, but in the actions of Christ coming through us, touching the lives of those around us. Those hungering for power need to realize any power other than the power of Christ pales in comparison - it will be lack-luster when held up to the light and majesty of his power! Power doesn't come when we take advantage of others - it comes when we put them first. It doesn't manifest itself in the actions of 'advantage', but in the actions of love. If we seek for an advantage in life, we will likely find any advantage we obtain is soon lost because others are seeking for the place of advantage equally as hard as we are! There is no greater place of 'advantage' than in the arms of Christ - for his 'advantage' comes in the form of grace, compassion, love, and true freedom. Just sayin!

Not my will, but thine

When people make good choices, He is pleased; He even causes their enemies to live peacefully near them.  (Proverbs 16:7 VOICE)

If making good choices were so easy, we'd all be upstanding citizens in both this place we call home presently and in the realm of service to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Truth be told, choices are sometimes tougher than we'd like to admit - because there are so many of them and oh so many ways they could turn out!  I think this is why it is so important to have some type of "governor" over our choices - helping us to decide between a good one and the best one. Good ones are alright, but the best ones bring us the greatest sense of well-being and peace in our lives, don't they?  

Even when we ask Jesus to help us make the right choices, sending his Holy Spirit to be that "governor" over our choices, the choices are still up to us. He helps us to make right choices, but the ones we make are still completely within our control.  I think this is where we sometimes get things wrong in life - we think just asking Jesus to help us know the right choice will assure us we are consistently making it every time we are faced with the opportunity!  Our "will" gets in the way, overriding all sense of reason on occasion, and helping us reject what we know to be right and true in life.

I know we all struggle with right choices from time to time - some of us more than others.  We all have areas in which the heart determination is there, but the "will" behind it is kind of wishy-washy.  We rely too heavily upon someone or something "stopping" us before we go too far down that wrong road, but really don't see it is our determined and stubborn will driving us down that path. The ability to make right choices isn't in the "giving over" of our will, but the constant re-evaluation of that will in light of what we know to be true in our lives.  

For example, if I know telling the truth is God's will, but the choice presents itself to just tell a little lie so we don't have to deal with something which might be a little uncomfortable for us, we sometimes cave to the "little white lie", don't we?  We know the right thing to do is tell the truth - but we have determined in our hearts and minds that the little white lie is really not all that bad.  If God says he detests lies of any kind - even the "little white ones" - then why do we pursue that path at all?  It is easier than dealing with the truth!  We look for the easy way out of our struggles of will on occasion, and that "easy way out" may not always be the best way!  

You see the dilemma?  The will wants to submit to what is good and right and true - but it struggles with what is comfortable, easiest, and not always all that upright.  The Holy Spirit helps us know the truth, but the choice to walk in it is still ours.  As long as we live in this body we will deal with these choices.  The more we move away from the desire to take the easiest way in life, the more likely we are to move toward the more "righteous" way!  Maybe this is the meaning of that passage in which Jesus describes two roads - one quite wide and the other very narrow.  So many will choose the wide one because it is easiest.  Be one of the few who choose the narrow - it won't be easy, but the view will be breath-taking!  Just sayin!

Does God need our will-power?

One of the things I really appreciate about David, the man who was acclaimed to have a "heart after God's", is his determination of will.  David faced many a "giant" in his day - not physical giants, but indeed many giants spiritually, emotionally, and in relationships.  Whether you consider his response as one of the youngest in his family, obediently pursuing the tasks his father assigned him as keeper of the flocks, alone on the backside of the grazing lands for many days and nights, or his position as the king of Israel, the ruler of a great nation of people with wavering intent when it came to serving their God, he exhibits a determination of will which comes through in each account recorded.  I have to wonder if this might just be one of the reasons we find God reflecting David's life and worship in the scriptures.  Perhaps there is a lesson or two we can glean from this "will" determination!  David could be at the lowest point in his life from a physical perspective, strength waning, body taxed to the max, and he'd still lift his head in praise.  He could be deep into the misery of depression, feeling it both physically and in the depth of his disturbed emotions, and he'd turn to God in praise, reach to him in prayer, and celebrate him in worship.  I daresay, we don't always reveal this same determination of will, choosing rather to cower in fear, give up on our pursuit, or hunker down in our depression.  We might have an opportunity here, my friends, if we'd consider the power of the will when it is surrendered to the hand of a mighty and powerful God!

Great blessings belong to those who trust in the Lord, for those who do not turn to demons and false gods for help. Lord my God, you have done many amazing things! You have made great plans for us—too many to list. I could talk on and on about them, because there are too many to count.  (Psalm 40:4-5 ERV)

It isn't that David had "will-power" as we might think of it in a natural sense. When I think of will-power, I imagine the ability I can muster within to avoid something or remain consistent with a commitment I have made. It is dependent upon me and my ability.  When we see David's will-power, it has a different determination, though.  He surrenders his will time and time again to the purposes and intent of God - knowing God will take that will and use it to turn David's circumstances around.  The difference is where the dependence is placed - one is squarely upon our own shoulders, while the other is definitely in a source not our own. 

When the will is submitted to God, there is a determination of heart which brings a yielding of mind, body, and spirit to the purpose of God.  Will is a driver of sorts for each of us, for what we "will" to do, we often find we at least make strides toward doing.  We may not "arrive" all the way at the destination we imagined, but we get moving in the direction of what we are aiming at, don't we?  Will moves us - it gives us momentum toward something.  If our will is directed toward what we imagine WE can do, we tend to rely upon the source of our own physical and emotional strength.  If our will is yielded into the hands of God, we tend to rely upon the strength he provides - even when ours wanes or falters.

It is important to note what happens when we take our will and submit it into the hands of God.  According to what we see here, we begin to experience blessings too numerous to count.  If you don't believe me, you will have to give it a try!  Wherever we submit our will, or turn our focus (because that's what will actually allows us to do), we find there is this element of trust which enters into the picture.  We determine where or in who it is we will place our trust.  Will is an inanimate "thing" which actually reveals where it is we have placed our trust.  It could be in our own self, another human being, or in the great and mighty ruler of the universe himself.  Either way, will is linked to trust.

Trust is one of the hardest things I think we have to get right in this walk on this earth.  We struggle so much with trust because of our own failures - because we have put our faith and belief in what we WILL to do and find ourselves failing miserably time and time again.  We eventually get to the place we no longer trust ourselves.  We struggle with trust because of the let downs which have occurred by placing our trust in another individual, because they have all the best of intentions, but when the rubber meets the road, they just cannot "perform" as we imagined they could.  The let down comes, and we determine we cannot trust them, either.

Will is always linked to trust, so having a solid place to put our trust is important. I think David learned that over his years of struggling with placing his trust in his own abilities or those of another.  He saw the frustrations of failure and the folly of emotional let-down when another could not measure up to what they promised.  The good news is that God isn't going to let us down, but we will never really know this until we take our will and squarely commit it to him.  We yield our efforts into his hands, we commit our plans into his purposes, and we settle into realizing his best for us.  Blessing comes to those who determine to make their focus God himself.  Just sayin!

I don't need new glasses!

Mind, will, and emotions - a man's heart - all three engage in a kind of "war" at times - confusing us beyond measure so often.  We work with our minds to figure out solutions to problems, creating complex schemes about how this catastrophe or that crisis might be averted.  Our will challenges us with desires that captivate our attention and focus our drive.  Then we get all muddled up in the plethora of emotions we can muster depending on the situation, our general sense of "threat" or "enjoyment", or the amount of sleep we had the night before!  No wonder we get all messed up!  With these three powerful things working against each other at times, it is easy to see how we can get our wires crossed and find ourselves being charged up and going in the totally wrong direction.

With all your heart you must trust the Lord and not your own judgment. Always let him lead you, and he will clear the road for you to follow. (Proverbs 3:5-6 CEV)

After re-reading that passage again, it becomes pretty apparent where it is we are to focus our heart.  The majority of the confusion we find in our lives is really a matter of focus - not that we don't love Jesus enough, or that we don't know the right "rules" to follow.  The place we fix our attention becomes the very thing which will guide our thoughts, direct our will, and "even out" our emotions.  If I read this correctly, even one part of our heart "mis-focused" will result in us trusting our own judgment!  It is our "whole" heart which needs to be focused - not reliant upon our own means to the end - and therein is the rub!

I have worn glasses since fifth grade.  For a period of time, I was able to wear contacts, making life a little easier without glasses slipping down my nose.  As I aged, I had to return to the glasses.  One thing I notice is the different ways I get things in "focus" with glasses.  If I don't quite see them as clearly a I like, I can lift them up or pull them down a little.  This sometimes changes the field of vision produced through the lens just enough to bring clarity to the image I am viewing.  Now, there are times I have to take my glasses totally off to see something very small like the eye of the needle!  Surprisingly, I see the tiniest things better when I have nothing in between me and the eye of the needle!

No, I don't need bifocals - I wear trifocals!  Yet the lens doesn't always help me focus any clearer, especially when it comes to the small stuff.  Something becomes evident to me in this example, though.  The more I struggle to see through my lens, the blurrier the image becomes.  The quicker I remove all obstacles between me and the object of my focus, the image becomes clearer. Maybe this is exactly what Solomon hand in mind when he reminds us we need to trust God with all our heart and not rely upon our own judgment to get us through. I can keep trying to get the thread through the head of the needle all day with my glasses on - or I can immediately lay them aside and "woosh", the needle is threaded!  I can keep trying to run life's issues through my mind, bring my will into submission in one direction or the other, and get my emotions on board with all this, or I can simply turn to God and let him handle it!

To me, the choice seems simple - so why do I (and probably you) complicate life so much?  It is probably because we haven't learned to "let go" of the things which get in between us and God - letting them "interfere" with our focus.  In my case, it has been thought patterns which I needed to "unlearn" - like the ones I used to think about over and over again which said I was a "loser" and a "reject".  Those were the lies I heard when I was an awkward preteen girl - words spoken to me by other preteen girls and boys, but hidden deep within my memory.  Why did they take root?  Because I let them!  I rehearsed them until it got to the point I believed them!  I didn't have the truth in my life at that time, so there was nothing to contradict what I was being told.  When I got deeper and deeper into the truth about what God says about me, I found a totally different story!  Getting those thoughts out of the way took some doing, but now they don't stand in between God and me any longer.  Those things which interfered with my seeing myself the way God sees me had to be laid down in order to let me see myself as God sees me.  How about you?  You got any thoughts which need to be laid down in order to see the truth as God sees it?

We might have emotions which we need to let God deal with in order to bring balance into our lives, or strong attitudes which direct our actions repeatedly. Regardless of what is "in between" you and God right now, you will only "clarify" your focus when you put those things down long enough to behold his face.  Trust me on this - when you do, the "eye of the needle" becomes much clearer!  Just sayin!