Faith vs. Desperation

Many of us know that God can be a lawyer in the courtroom. He is a doctor in the sickroom. He is a deliverer in the time of trouble. In times of great desperation, tried and true Christians know to turn to God. Yet, does that faith extend to our everyday, seemingly insignificant, issues as well?

In “Does God Care About Scrabble?” we explored the privilege we have in carrying even our smallest concerns to God in prayer. This seems to be a greatly overlooked benefit of our relationship with Christ. And it goes hand in hand with why many of us fail to realize that faith isn’t just for the tribulations—it’s part of our everyday walk with God.

Often, when people give testimonies, they reflect on how God has healed them from catastrophic diseases or helped them get through devastating crises. These witnesses are important, because they help us to know that God is still a deliverer and He’s still in the miracle business. But how often are they balanced with the testimonies of joy? What about the accounts of those who are simply grateful that they get to work on time each day, have a comfortable roof over their heads, and enjoyed a wonderful vacation with the family recently?

When we become accustomed to applying our faith in the Lord only during our struggles, we tend to lose sight of the faith we need to make it each and every day. Hebrews 11 tells us quite plainly, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” There is no prerequisite that “what we hope for” must be seemingly impossible. The simplest thing, such as “I hope this sweet potato pie comes out right,” is an opportunity to put our faith in action.

When we practice faith daily, it becomes all the stronger when we are really put to the test.

Merry Christmas

Yes, it’s a little early for season’s greetings, don’t you agree? However, it seems that many of the retail establishments we walk into these days already have their Christmas holiday decorations up. And the sales have already begun, as shoppers are urged to “remember everyone on your Christmas list.” How about we remember what the season is really about?

As the year comes to a close, we look forward to the Christmas holiday. Many folks think about the gifts to buy and wrap, the decorations to hang, and the meal that the family will come together to enjoy. But for Christians, the holiday is about so much more than that! It’s a reminder of the birth of our Lord and Savior. And it’s an opportunity to share our faith with others, as we sing hymns and praises of the joy that accompanied Jesus' birth: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11)

The Christmas holiday is also a traditional time of giving. We not only give gifts to our friends and loved ones, but many make it a point to give to those in need. We make clothing donations, shop for the disadvantaged, and make monetary donations to charitable organizations. Imagine if these activities took place on a regular basis!

I’ve often thought about wishing people season’s greetings at some random point in the year. Let’s say you gave me a call on March 23rd and I answered the phone, “Merry Christmas.” Although you might think I was suffering from an early form of dementia, perhaps you might be reminded of all the good will and glad tidings that accompany the holiday?

November may be a little too early to begin the commercial holiday season—but it’s never too early to walk in the spirit of Christmas. Sharing the good news of Christ’s birth, giving to others, being cheerful…those are things we can do all year long!

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

Under Construction

Maybe you’ve passed by an area under construction with this sign: “We apologize for any temporary inconvenience while we make permanent improvements.” Do you ever feel like you should be wearing that sign around your neck? I do! No matter how old we get, there are so many improvements we can make in our lives.

One of the most unpleasant experiences I can think of is for someone to “tell you about yourself.” This is usually the result of someone being fed up with another person’s idiosyncrasies and finally deciding to rant about it. Perhaps you’ve held one of these sessions, where you’ve taken all you can stand from someone and finally reached your breaking point. It probably felt great to finally get it all off your chest.

However, if you’ve ever been on the receiving end of one of these conversations, it probably wasn’t so great for you. To sit there and have a person run through all the little things that are annoying about you isn’t so great. And if it’s someone you care about, you may even feel worse because of how you’ve made that person feel.

When someone presents you with a running list of “Things I Hate About You,” how do you react? Denial? Anger? Depression? We can try a better approach. When it comes to disagreements, especially in the church, I’ve always turned to Matthew 18:15-35. It begins with advising us to have a one-on-one with the other person to talk it out.

In your time alone with God, pray on the situation. Ask for guidance on dealing with the person in love and with more care in the future. And ask God for ways you can improve yourself that will glorify Him in the end. We should seek forgiveness for the temporary inconvenience we cause others, and we should strive for permanent improvements that will lead us to eternal glory.

Please be patient with me, God is not through with me yet!