Time

"There is a time for everything...(Eccl. 3:1-8)."   I recently shared this passage with the staff of a church where they had experienced the death of two of their colleagues.  It seemed very appropriate when I began preparing for the time we would spend together.  However, later, I felt it wasn't enough.  It wasn't enough just to remind them, as one of my patients likes to say, "that's just the way it is."  That's just the way it is and we have no other choice but to find a way to accept it.  I think the Scriptures paint a different picture for us than that.

There is a need to accept what appears to be outside of our control, but we don't have to resign ourselves to what we consider a "less than" attitude of acceptance.  "Oh well, I guess I have to accept it, what else can I do?"  In her book, "Abundant Simplicity," Jan Johnson points out how many of us believe God is "forcing us to live a 'much less' life;" when, in fact, "the phrase 'much more' occurs many times in Scripture (Mt. 7:11; Rom. 5:9-10, 15, 17; II Cor. 3:7-11), and usually indicates God's astonishing generosity."

As I considered what God might want these friends to understand, I found myself looking at what occurred on the road to Emmaus, when Jesus encountered those who were mourning His own death.  The way He chose to comfort them was not by saying to them they needed to just accept it and get over it.  He wanted them to understand it had been foretold and was necessary in accomplishing God's bringing salvation into the world, and bringing mankind into relationship with Him.  I like to tell my patients, we grieve what we lost, but we get on with what is left.  Christ wanted them to realize God had a purpose in allowing His death and it was a good thing.  Similarly, God has a purpose in allowing even the death of His saints.  And, He promises He can and will "bring good out of every situation, for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28)."

Later on, I came upon a statement by David that gave me further perspective.  In Ps. 31:15, David writes, "My times are in your hands."  There is a time for everything and yet, God is in control at all times, and has a purpose for everything that does occur in our lives.  While we may think there are good times and there are bad times, they are all times that God has ordained and filled with purpose.  God is a "much more" God, who is not standing idly by when things "go wrong."  He is not unaware of the events of our lives and is not surprised by what we are going through.  While we may grieve, we may feel disappointed in the way things turn out, or we may be confused by what is going on around us, God is in control.  He is acting on our behalf, continuing to accomplish His purpose.  He is just waiting for us to get on board and be a part of it.
Godspeed, Phil

I am not a foul ball

On one occasion, early in my career, I was passed over for a promotion.  When I asked my boss why I wasn't given the position, all he came up with was, "I want you to know you are not a foul ball."  To which I could only say, "Huh!"

Okay, now I have your attention.  I feel the need to be honest and I needed someone to hear my confession.  My heart is not pure and my motives are often suspect.  I may say I want all the glory to go to God, but I wouldn't mind if some of it spilled over onto my plate.  I may profess that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, but I do feel some of the results are to be attributed to my years of experience, my hard work in preparation, and my other abilities.  I am just trying to be honest here.   I may as well be.  God knows my heart isn't pure.  It is full of anger, bitterness, resentment, envy, jealousy, doubt, and pride.  I know it and I know God knows it; and it sometimes feels like there is precious little I can do about it, at least on my own.

Lawrence J. Crabb, Jr., a Christian psychologist wrote: "The basic personal need of each person is to regard him/herself as a worthwhile human being."  Robert McGee, in his book, "The Search for Significance," states, "When we find that we perceive our lives as having no value, purpose, or significance, we become miserable."

To that end, we drive ourselves to achieve, strive for perfection, punish ourselves when we fail, reward ourselves when we succeed, and do all sorts of things to avoid feeling we have no value.  At times, we are less than completely honest about what we are doing.  But, God desires "truth from the inside out (The Message, Ps. 51:6)," for us to be honest at the deepest level.  He honors that.  And, He wants us to know the truth, that our true value and worth has nothing to do with what we can do for ourselves, but what He has already done for us.  It doesn't matter how well we perform and please others.  Failure and the disapproval of others can not take away the worth that has been given freely and conclusively by God.

Ask yourself, "Where do I get my sense of worth and value?"  Does it come from what you get from other relationships, activities, achievements?  How do you react to knowing that God has established your worth and value, declared you holy and blameless, called you by name, affirmed you as one of His children, and loved you even before you were born (Eph. 1:3-14)?

Godspeed, Phil