Blog

Testing or Trusting

City lights twinkled in the rearview mirror as we crossed the Bay Bridge in stunned silence. Sitting in the backseat, I hadn’t begun to process the events of the past few days as my brother drove my mom and me home from the hospital. We’d left our active and strong father lying unconscious in a hospital bed looking frail and vulnerable. The grey tinge to his skin was unsettling, but the most alarming sight during our brief visit to the ICU was the ten inches of sutures running like a zipper down his chest. I’d been shocked when my mom called from the emergency room a few days earlier with news of his heart attack . There had been no indication he had cardiac issues, but now he was fresh out of triple bypass surgery.

Staring out the window as rain pelted the car, I sat thinking of my parents and the busy lives they led. They’d embraced being empty nesters and loved serving at church, going on mission trips, traveling, and spending time with their kids. They were best friends who did everything together. I couldn’t imagine what my mom would do if my dad didn’t survive. Leaning forward from the backseat, I broke the silence as we entered the Caldecott Tunnel “Mom, how are you doing? Dad didn’t look so good, did he?” 

I feared she was on the brink of falling apart and was surprised and relieved by her answer: “No, he looked terrible, but I’m doing alright. I haven’t been studying the Bible all these years for nothing. I know God is good. No matter what happens to Dad, He’ll be faithful.” 

My mom’s trust in the Lord’s goodness gives a stark contrast to the story of the Israelites’ testing Him at Meribah in Exodus 17. Scripture portrays the people quarreling with Moses and almost stoning him over a lack of water on their journey in the desert. Other books of the Bible fill in more details about why their attitude was so displeasing to the Lord. Several chapters in Psalms use the story as a warning for future generations:

“Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested me; they tried me, though they had seen what I did.” (Psalm 95:8-9, NIV)

“He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them water as abundant as the seas; he brought streams out of a rocky crag and made water flow down like rivers. But they continued to sin against him, rebelling in the wilderness against the Most High. They willfully put God to the test…for they did not believe in God or trust in his deliverance…their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not faithful to his covenant.” (Psalm 78:15-17, 22, 37, NIV)

The Israelites test God at Meribah by asking “Is the Lord among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7b) Despite experiencing His power, provision, and presence during their deliverance from Egypt and their journey into the desert, they fail to trust Him. These psalms highlight their hard hearts and their poor memory for God’s goodness. They also point out the Isrealites’ disloyalty to the Lord and their lack of faithfulness to His covenant promises. “Doubting God’s ability, they put Him to the test expecting Him to do miracles for them when they were out of His will.”1

In the New Testament, the author of Hebrews uses the story of Meribah as a reminder for us not to harden our hearts but to remain confident and hopeful in Christ: “`Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,’ bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory. So, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did.’” (Hebrews 3:5-9, NIV)

Although it’s unlikely we’ll ever be traveling on foot through a desert, all of us will experience painful, difficult, or challenging circumstances in different seasons. And when they occur, we can choose to test God or to trust Him. Seeking the Lord and studying His Word consistently will lay a foundation so that:

  • Instead of questioning if God is still good, we can choose to remember where He’s shown goodness and faithfulness to us in the past.
  • Instead of railing against the Lord in anger, we can choose to trust the promises in His Word. 
  • Instead of feeling offended thinking God “owes” us for the good things we’ve done, we can remember we deserve nothing and trust His grace to be sufficient in our struggles. 
  • Instead of asking “why?” we can invite the Lord to show us what He’s going to do in our lives through the hardship.
  • Instead of hardening our hearts, we can lean into God to keep our hearts tender.

My parents showed many of these responses through my dad’s rocky recovery from open heart surgery. They continued to demonstrate trust in the Lord several years later when a rare disease slowly took his life.

Scripture provides wisdom for how to avoid testing God: “See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.” (Hebrews 3:12-14, NIV) 

Rather than testing the Lord by questioning His goodness or faithfulness in hard seasons, approach Him with your honest emotions and trust Him to be your refuge: “Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” (Psalm 62:6-8, NIV)

Exploring Scripture for this post led me to an incredible verse where God implores His people to listen to Him and follow His ways. He concludes with a promise reminiscent of the manna that was sweet like honey and the rock that poured forth water: “But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” Click here and enjoy listening to this celebration of God’s perfect provision in “Honey in the Rock” by Brooke Ligertwood.

1. Walvoord and Zuck, Bible Knowledge Commentary of the Old Testament, Zondervan 1985, 851.

Inspired by Jen Wilkin’s God of Deliverance: A Study of Exodus 1-18, Lifeway Press, 2021.

Was this forwarded to you? Click here to submit your e-mail and subscribe. You’ll receive future posts automatically in your inbox.

Hungry and Tired 

Over the years of raising kids, I learned they usually got grumpy for two reasons: needing food and needing rest. One of my sons would transform from a good-natured, happy kid to a foul and angry “devil child” when he was hungry. (Later we learned the word “hangry,” which described his demeanor perfectly at those times.) I wonder if this is how the Israelites may have been feeling as they trudged through the desert those first three days. It’s tempting to criticize them for being so quick to spiral into negativity after the Lord delivered them from Egypt, but I wonder if we’d be any different in their position.

After complaining to Moses and Aaron, the Israelites experience God’s incredible power again as He sends quail in the evening and then begins giving them manna to collect each morning. The food He provides comes with some clear guidelines. Moses instructs them to gather enough for each person to eat the same day. The only exception to this is on the day before the Sabbath, when the Lord tells them to collect a double portion. Moses explains: “Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where they are on the seventh day; no one is to go out.’ So the people rested on the seventh day.” (Exodus 16:29-30, NIV)

These simple commands highlight the Lord’s provision for two needs basic to all people: food and rest. Beyond physical replenishment and sustenance, the Lord also meets these same needs on a spiritual level.

God’s provision in the wilderness saved the Jews from physical death during their 40 years of wandering (Exodus 16:35). Similarly, the Father’s provision through Jesus saved us from spiritual death, meeting our greatest need for forgiveness of our sins. Through Christ, the Lord made a way for us to have a restored relationship with Him now and for eternity. (Colossians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21; John 20:31). 

The Lord’s Prayer uses bread as a symbol of God’s provision: “Give us today our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11, NIV) This is profound when we consider Jesus’ words in the book of John: “I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6:47-51, NIV)
 
Those listening to Jesus’ teaching would have noted the significance of asking for bread by remembering the Father’s provision for His people in Exodus. There’s one key word in the Lord’s Prayer we can’t overlook: “daily.” Just as our bodies were made to need sustenance from food every day, our hearts were made to need daily connection with God. Everything we have, including our ability to earn a living, ultimately comes from Him. Asking the Lord to meet our needs daily keeps us humble, but also enables us to grow in our connection to Him and our dependence upon Him. 

One commentary explains, “Yes, God sustains us physically and meets the less tangible needs of this life. More than that, He fulfills our spiritual needs. He is the bread that satisfies our spiritual hunger. He sustains our hearts. When we ask God for our daily bread, we are humbly acknowledging Him as the sole giver of all we need. We are living day by day, one step at a time. We are exercising simple faith in Him to provide just what we need, when we need it – for every area of life.”
 
The Lord’s commandment for the Israelites to gather a double portion of manna on the sixth day to allow rest on the Sabbath also has significance for us. Times have changed, but the need to rejuvenate our bodies, minds, and souls remains the same. There are many reasons to observe the Sabbath, but for the sake of brevity, I’ll touch on two highlighted by respected author, pastor and teacher Timothy Keller.

Sabbath Reminds Us We’ve Been Liberated from Enslavement
God told the Israelites: “Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you” (Deuteronomy 15:15, NIV). When we fail to take a Sabbath rest, we are allowing ourselves to be enslaved to the tasks we’re compelled to accomplish. This could be a job, but it could also be any form of busyness that we do without ceasing. If we have the need to be productive constantly, something is out of balance and we are letting those activities enslave us. Sabbath rest reminds us that our work and our accomplishments don’t define us, our relationship with Christ does. He liberated us from enslavement to sin and freed us from needing to find our sense of worth in anything other than Him.

Sabbath Reminds us to Trust God
Being productive makes us feel powerful and in control. It can also make us have a misplaced idea that we are indispensable. The world won’t stop spinning on its axis and the sun won’t forget to rise if we take a day to rest. That’s why the Psalm says, “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10 NASB) When we pause from the acts of achieving and accomplishing, we’re reminded that it’s God who holds all things together (Colossians 1:17). We can rest because He is trustworthy. Everything doesn’t depend on us; taking a Sabbath is an act of humility that acknowledges this.

Few people would disagree with the idea that we are over-stimulated and under-rested in our society today. But how should we spend our time when we downshift one day a week to let our souls catch up with us? Tim Keller suggests three ways to observe the Sabbath:

1) Enjoy an activity that is outside your usual daily routine/ occupation. Do something that re-charges and rejuvenates you. Don’t use the Sabbath to accomplish tasks on your to do list.
2) Make time for contemplation. This means taking your eyes off yourself and putting them on God. Start by attending a worship service. Add to it by spending time in prayer or reading Scripture. Set aside specific time to give the Lord the honor and praise He deserves.
3) Make time for inactivity. Let your brain and body rest. Give God room to speak to you by clearing your mind. For highly productive and capable people, doing nothing is often the one thing they struggle with most. (If this makes you twitchy, know that I’m right there with you.)

Johnny Diaz’s song “Breathe” beautifully captures the importance of rest. If you don’t think you have time to watch the video, then you need to click here right now!

Inspired by Timothy Keller’s sermon “Work and Rest” and Jen Wilkin’s God of Deliverance: A Study of Exodus 1-18, Lifeway Press, 2021.

Commentary quotation from https://www.gotquestions.org/daily-bread.html

Was this forwarded to you? Click here to submit your e-mail and subscribe. You’ll receive future posts automatically in your inbox.

The Scenic Route

I didn’t see it coming. With one swift move on the game board, my son thwarted my carefully constructed plans. We’d been playing the game Ticket to Ride and I had been quietly building my railway empire laying my black trains on tracks spanning from east to west. With each turn, I’d been amassing the cards I needed to connect cities between New York and Seattle. The route was obvious and the rail lines I needed had remained unclaimed for many rounds of play. However, in one move, my son’s blue game pieces blocked my westward path in Helena, Montana.  

Despite my disappointment, I studied the game board carefully and discovered an alternate course I hadn’t considered. It was less direct and forced me to veer south to Salt Lake City but would still enable me to link New York and Seattle on my fictional railway line. After a few more rounds of play, I successfully reached my destination, although the route was more circuitous than I’d planned.

Like my train tracks on the game board, there are times when we are so singularly focused on getting from Point A to Point B that we can’t imagine any other way for plans to unfold. Yet when we’re willing to accept unexpected changes and interruptions, we leave room for God to teach us, reveal Himself to us, and protect us. The Bible includes many stories of people who experience God’s divine re-routing. One example of this occurs when the Israelites leave Egypt after the tenth plague: “When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, ‘If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.’ So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.”  (Exodus 13:17-18, NIV)

Following the Lord’s “scenic route” protects the Israelites from war while fleeing Egypt after the first Passover. With the Red Sea in front of them and Pharaoh’s army in hot pursuit behind them, the Israelites reach a seeming dead end. However, this obstacle allows them to experience one of the most miraculous events in Scripture: “Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.” (Exodus 14:21-22, NIV) After passing safely through the waters, they witness the Lord’s power again as the sea closes behind them, engulfing Egyptian chariots and horsemen: “And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.”(Exodus 14:31, NIV)

If their trip had simply gone from Egypt to the Promised Land without incident, the Jews would have missed seeing these incredible wonders. The parting of the Red Sea illustrates such a powerful example of God’s miraculous provision and protection that it’s mentioned in the biblical books of Joshua, Psalms, Isaiah and First Corinthians. This singular event has encouraged and strengthened believers for thousands of years.

Once the Israelites pass safely through the waters, they join Moses in exalting the Lord: “Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” (Ex 15:11, NIV) As they praise God, their hope in the future and their trust in Him also increase: “In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.” (Exodus 15:13, NIV) Because the Israelites witness God’s mighty hand, they gain a deeper understanding of His character and approach Him with renewed awe.

I wonder what we miss when we lament the “scenic route” instead of looking for where the Lord is at work. When life doesn’t go according to our plans and we feel indignant, disillusioned, angry, or bitter, we close ourselves off to seeing God’s power at work. What if we learned to loosen our grasp on the need for control and to trust God when our plans got rerouted? What if we saw alternate paths as opportunities to see the Lord’s hand move? What if, instead of bemoaning the “scenic route,” we prayed with hopeful expectation while trusting God’s leading?

I’m a born planner and feel great satisfaction when events unfold predictably, but I’m learning to embrace unexpected course changes. Detours in my life have caused frustration, inconvenience, and heartbreak for me many times. However, I can see also the Lord’s hand in them. I feel grateful for the ways they’ve deepened my faith, grown my wisdom, and increased my understanding of God’s goodness.

With the wrong perspective, traveling on the “scenic route” has the potential to cause major discouragement. But if we choose to trust the Lord, it can also provide incredible opportunities to witness His power and to grow in faith. 

What’s your response when the Lord leads you on the “scenic route”? Will you relinquish your need for control and let Him reveal Himself and His glory to you? 

Click here and enjoy a contemporary version the Israelites’ song of praise “Who is Like God.” Although there are no lyrics included, you can open your Bible and read along from Exodus 15:11 & 13. 

Post inspired by Jen Wilkin’s God of Deliverance: A Study of Exodus 1-18, Lifeway Press, 2021.

Was this forwarded to you? Click here to submit your e-mail and subscribe. You’ll receive future posts automatically in your inbox.

Passover Parallels

The more I study the Bible, the more I marvel at how seamlessly it weaves together God’s plan of deliverance for all people. The story of the first Passover in Exodus 11 & 12 includes so many rich symbols that point the way to Jesus in the New Testament. There are incredible parallels between the tenth and final plague in Egypt and Jesus’ blood that was shed to save humankind. For me, this magnifies God’s capacity to focus on vast plans and intimate details at the same time. Rather than trying to explain or interpret the similarities between the deliverance of the Israelites and the deliverance of all people from sin, I’m going to let the Scriptures speak for themselves. If you’re unfamiliar with the story of the first Passover, take a peek at Exodus 11 & 12 for fuller context. 

Death of Firstborn

“Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the female slave, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well.” (Exodus 11:5)

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

New Beginning

“This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year…Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread, because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt. Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.” (Exodus 12:2 & 17)

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Cor 5:17)

Lamb Without Blemish

“Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household…The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight.” (Ex 12:3, 5-6)

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” (John 1:29)

“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” (1 Peter 1:18-19)

Saved by Blood

“Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs…The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.” (Exodus 12:7 & 13)

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!” (Romans 5:8-9)

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” (Ephesians 1:7)

Jesus Celebrates the First Communion Using the Passover Meal

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover…

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”(Matthew 26:17-19, 26-29)

After the tenth plague, the Israelites walk freely out of Egypt and leave slavery behind. After Jesus’ death, everyone who believes in Him walks freely out of the slavery of sin. Click here and celebrate this incredible act of mercy and grace by listening to Micah Tyler’s “Walking Free.”

Post inspired by Jen Wilkin’s God of Deliverance: A Study of Exodus 1-18, Lifeway Press, 2021.

Was this forwarded to you? Click here to submit your e-mail and subscribe. You’ll receive future posts automatically in your inbox.

A Hard Heart

The showdown between Moses and Pharaoh in Exodus 7-10 displays the Lord’s power as He sends nine different plagues to Egypt, one at a time. Scripture tells us that even as Pharaoh’s people suffer through water turning to blood, frogs, gnats, flies, the death of livestock, boils, hail, locusts, and 3 days of utter darkness, his heart remains hard. Maybe you’ve known someone with a hard heart, or, maybe you’ve gone through seasons of having one yourself. It’s discouraging seeing it in others and not something we want to drift towards in ourselves. So, understanding the causes and solutions for a hardened heart will help us safeguard ourselves and guide us in how to pray for others.

First, let’s clarify the broad biblical meaning of the word “heart.” “The Bible considers the heart to be the hub of human personality, producing the things we would ordinarily ascribe to the ‘mind’… Also, Jesus tells us that the heart is a repository for good and evil and that what comes out of our mouth – good or bad – begins in the heart: ‘A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.’”1 (Luke 6:45, NIV)

No one is immune from developing a hard heart. Even Jesus’ disciples experienced this at times. When Jesus overhears them bickering about not having enough bread for their journey, He says: 

“Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

“Twelve,” they replied.

“And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

They answered, “Seven.”

 He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

Mark 8:17-21, NIV

Jesus identifies the characteristics of a hard heart as an inability to see, understand, hear, and remember the hand of God at work in our lives. Do you ever lament current circumstances or worry about future ones without remembering how God has provided for you in the past? I do. When we forget to look back at God’s faithfulness or fail to have gratitude, we’re more prone to having feelings of entitlement or resentment when life doesn’t proceed as anticipated. Sometimes our hearts harden when our comfort feels threatened or we don’t get what we think we “deserve.” When we act like God owes us something, we’re overlooking our pitiful state and the Lord’s incredible grace: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:23-4, NIV)

Similar to lacking gratitude, unconfessed sin also leads to a hardened heart: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:8-10, NIV) Ignoring sin causes us to lose our sensitivity to wrongdoing and dulls the conviction of the Holy Spirit. It’s a bit like developing thick callouses on bare feet: We feel the pain of sin less as our hearts harden more. Consider David’s words to the Lord when he finally confesses and repents after committing adultery with Bathsheba: “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17, NIV) David’s heart had to be broken over his sin before he could admit it, turn away from it, and be restored to a right relationship with the Lord.  To prevent our hearts from hardening, we need to be intentional about not letting sin build up in our lives. As we consistently confess and turn away from sin, our hearts remain soft and malleable toward the leading of the Lord.

Pride is another factor leading to a hardened heart. “The root of Pharaoh’s hard-heartedness was his pride and arrogance. Even in the face of tremendous proofs and witnessing God’s powerful hand at work, Pharaoh’s hardened heart caused him to deny the sovereignty of the one, true God.”2 Pride causes us to rely on our own wisdom but Scripture tells us: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” (Proverbs 3:5-8, NIV)

Neglecting time with the Lord also contributes to a hardened heart because we remain soft and teachable as we seek Him. David provides a pattern for prayer we can follow daily: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-4, NIV) Studying the Bible consistently also keeps our hearts tethered to the Lord: “I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:10-11, NIV)

In addition to prioritizing time with the Lord, connecting with other followers of Jesus is vital for accountability. Fellow believers help us to recognize attitudes or behaviors that are dulling our sensitivity to sin or causing us to grow complacent: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17, NIV) Gathering to worship and study Scripture with other believers also fortifies our faith and keeps us from drifting into apathy or hard heartedness: “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:23-25, NIV)

Paul’s prayer in Ephesians provides an inspiring example of how to pray for others and ourselves: “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.” (Ephesians 3:18, NIV)

Click here to enjoy a worship moment Kristian Stanfill’s “My Heart is Yours.”

  1. Quoted from “What are the causes and solutions for a hardened heart?” www.gotquestions.org 

2. ibid

Post inspired by Jen Wilkin’s God of Deliverance: A Study of Exodus 1-18, Lifeway Press, 2021.

Was this forwarded to you? Click here to submit your e-mail and subscribe. You’ll receive future posts automatically in your inbox.

Becoming Spiritually Durable

Moses’ conversations with the Lord may have happened thousands of years ago, but there’s something so relatable about them. Consider, for example, how he complains to God after Pharaoh increases the Israelites’ workload: “Moses returned to the Lord and said, ‘Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.’” (Exodus 5:22-23, NIV)

Maybe you’ve felt like Moses at some point– you stepped out in faith and took a risk to obey the Lord. Despite your best efforts, things didn’t turn out as you hoped or expected. If we’re pursuing God’s will, should we anticipate encountering difficulty? Is it reasonable to expect the path of God’s will to be free of roadblocks or conflict? While we tend to label challenges and setbacks as “bad” because they’re painful, uncomfortable, or frustrating, I don’t think God sees them through the same negative lens. From His vantage point, they’re just tools that are part of the process helping us to grow, mature, and understand our need for Him. 

Think of this concept in terms of physical fitness. If you want to have a healthy cardiovascular system, strong muscles, and durable bones, then challenges need to be a regular part of your exercise routine. Instructors for my spin classes are constantly pushing me to increase resistance to make it harder to pedal. It’s grueling, but if a workout is too easy, it’s not building endurance or strength. Making our bodies work hard may not feel good in the moment, but it produces durability that will benefit us in the long run. 

This same principle applies in our spiritual lives. We don’t grow through easy, comfortable, or predictable circumstances. Progressing in spiritual maturity comes from trusting God through conflicts, roadblocks, and setbacks. Let’s take a look at some passages of Scripture and see what we can learn.

1. Difficulties help us build perseverance and character. Trials remind us that our hope isn’t in earthly circumstances going the way we want, but in knowing that God deeply loves us. “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5, NIV)

2. Hardships lead us to experience joy knowing we’re persevering and maturing in our faith. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4, NIV)

3. Trials refine our faith and show that it’s authentic. God receives glory when we endure hardships without losing hope in Him. “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:6-7, NIV)

4. Setbacks keep us spiritually sharp. When the enemy tries to thwart God’s plans, we can fight back using the spiritual authority we have through Christ. As we stand firm in the faith, we experience God’s power at work in and through us. Trusting the Lord through hardships also gives us empathy and unity with other believers experiencing similar difficulties. “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” (1 Peter 5:8-9, NIV)

5. Challenges help us clarify our purpose and identify areas we need to surrender to the Lord. Sometimes they humble us and reveal sin we’ve been ignoring. Once we confess and repent, we’re freed to move forward and focus more completely on God and His plans for us. We’re also able to identify with Jesus, who experienced and overcame opposition. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1-3, NIV)

When you experience setbacks or conflicts as you’re pursuing God’s will, don’t fall into the trap the Israelites did. Although Moses provides reassurance that the Lord will redeem them and bring them to the land He promised their forefathers, they refuse to receive his encouragement: “Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor.” (Exodus 6:9, NIV) Sometimes we can be so mired in difficult circumstances that we reject truth offered to us by others. In seasons of challenge and hardship beware of becoming bitter or incapable of receiving encouragement. Don’t let setbacks harden your heart, causing hopeful and positive words to bounce off you.

Rather than seeing difficulties as roadblocks to accomplishing God’s plans, we can see them as necessary parts of the maturing process. Jesus reminds the disciples: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, NIV) When we expect troubles to be part of life, we’re less likely to let them surprise or discourage us. Instead, we equip ourselves with encouragement from God’s Word. Then we’re more prepared to press on and trust Him to use hardships for our good and His glory.

If you’re in a season of challenge or discouragement right now, let Mac Powell’s song “New Creation” lift your spirits today. Click here to listen.

Post inspired by Jen Wilkin’s God of Deliverance: A Study of Exodus 1-18, Lifeway Press, 2021.

Was this forwarded to you? Click here to submit your e-mail and subscribe. You’ll receive future posts automatically in your inbox.

God in Present Tense

Tending sheep alone in the desert, eighty-year-old Moses first encounters the Lord when he investigates a burning bush that remains intact despite the flames. A voice from the fire speaks to Moses and identifies Himself as the God of his forefathers. The Lord tells him to return to Egypt to free the Israelites from their 400 years of slavery. Obviously, Moses has a few reservations about what God asks him to do:

Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”

God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’  God also said to Moses, ‘Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.’” (Exodus 3:13b-15, NIV) 

As a former English teacher, I tend to notice writing elements that others overlook—like verb tenses. Studying Exodus, I’ve been pondering God’s name and the fact that instead of calling Himself “I was” (past tense) or “I will be” (future tense), He refers to Himself in the present tense as “I AM.” In this same conversation, the Lord reassures Moses saying, “I will be with you.” (Exodus 3:12) Over a thousand years after Moses, an angel appears to Joseph in a dream to tell him about Jesus’ birth. He says, “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us).” (Matthew 1:23, NIV) God’s present tense name reminds us of His presence with us in every moment.

For the past few years, I’ve been choosing one word to pray for consistently from January to December. This year I sensed God inviting me to choose the word “presence.” Too often I miss how He is at work in the present because I’m distracted, distressed, or disengaged. So, I’ve been praying for a greater awareness of God’s presence in each day. Doing this slows me down and helps me to be more observant. Consciousness of God’s presence enables me to recognize His character displayed in creation, to notice answers to prayer, and to sense when He’s prompting me to take action. 

Reading Sarah Young’s devotional Jesus Calling has also inspired me to be more attuned to God’s presence daily. Using Scripture to inspire her words, she writes as if Jesus speaks directly to readers. Each day’s entry encourages us to marinate in God’s Word and to enjoy His presence. There are many benefits to doing this. I’ve included a few below along with quotes that I’ve highlighted in her book over the years.

Engaging God’s presence brings peace: “Refresh yourself in the Peace of My Presence…because I am your constant companion, there should be a lightness in your step that is observable to others. Do not be weighted down with problems and unresolved issues, for I am your burden bearer.” (January 3, inspired by Psalm 31:19-20 & John 16:33)

Engaging God’s presence brings perspective: “When My Presence is the focal point of your consciousness, all the pieces of your life fall into place. As you gaze at Me through the eyes of your heart, you can see the world around you from My perspective. The fact that I am with you makes every moment of your life meaningful.” (January 28, inspired by Matthew 28:20 & Psalm 139:1-4)

Engaging God’s presence keeps us from projecting our fears into the future: “I will get you safely through this day and all your days. But you can find me only in the present.” (February 3, inspired by Romans 8:31, 2 Corinthians 4:18 & Genesis 16:13-14)

Engaging God’s presence gives us guidance and clarity: “Instead of single-mindedly pursuing some goal, talk with Me about it. Let the Light of My Presence shine on this pursuit, so that you can see it from My perspective…Seek me first and foremost, then the rest of your life will fall into place, piece by piece.” (March 8, inspired by 1 Chronicles 16:11, & Matthew 6:33)

In Exodus, Moses witnesses God’s presence in a burning bush that isn’t consumed by the flames. In the book of Acts, God’s presence appears again in the form of fire: “When the day of Pentecost came, [the disciples] were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” (Acts 2:1-4, NIV) It’s incredible to realize that the same Holy Spirit who empowered the disciples in the past lives within every person who follows Jesus in the present (see John 14:15-27).

Despite this amazing reality, I forget to marvel at God’s holy presence living within me. Instead, my interactions with the Lord become transactional; I go to Him not to enjoy His presence, but to ask for what I need or want. It’s convicting to recognize I often seek results more than relationship. If you can relate, click here and listen to the song “This is the Air I Breathe.” Let it inspire you to revel in God’s presence living within you at this very moment.

Sarah Young, Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence, Thomas Nelson, 2004.

Post inspired by Jen Wilkin’s God of Deliverance: A Study of Exodus 1-18, Lifeway Press, 2021.

Was this forwarded to you? Click here to submit your e-mail and subscribe. You’ll receive future posts automatically in your inbox.

Faithfulness and Fruitfulness

Moses opens the book of Exodus saying, “the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them.” (Exodus 1:7, NIV) The language he chooses echoes phrases sprinkled throughout Genesis starting with the Lord’s words to Adam and Eve: “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number.’” (Genesis 1:28a, NIV) This same command with a promise repeats nine times in Genesis as God speaks to Noah (9:1), Abraham (17:2,6 & 22:17), Isaac (26:4), Jacob (28:14 & 35:11) and Joseph (48:4). 

The Lord reveals His faithfulness by blessing His people with fruitfulness. Jacob’s family arrives in Egypt from Canaan with about 70 family members. Over 400 years later, they return to Canaan as a nation of two million.

Just as physical intimacy between a man and a woman bears the fruit of children, intimacy with the Lord brings fruitfulness to our lives in the Kingdom of God.  Jesus explains this saying, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing…This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:5 & 8, NIV)

I’ve been marveling at God’s faithfulness and fruitfulness lately thinking about a person He dropped into my life nine months ago. Over the Christmas holidays I was inspired to pray that the Lord would lead me to a younger woman who wanted mentoring and discipling. Little did I know that there was a 20-year-old girl who, at the same time, was praying God would save her from loneliness and show her His goodness.  

In January, I received an e-mail from the daughter of an old friend from Bible study. She was looking to connect with other believers and wanted information about a women’s Bible study at my church. The next day, she showed up with her Bible in hand, undeterred by the significant age gap between the rest of the group and her. As our meeting wrapped up for the day, I invited her to have coffee with me. 

We clutched paper coffee cups that January afternoon sitting at a table outside in the weak sunlight. It didn’t take long for the conversation to go deep–she was an old soul with wisdom beyond her years. I could see that she had first-hand experience with God’s faithfulness and was eager to grow in her knowledge of His Word and to connect with Christian community. Feeling prompted by the Holy Spirit, I said, “This may sound weird, but I think you’re the answer to something I’ve been praying about lately. Would you be up for meeting with me weekly to talk, pray, and study the Bible?” Without hesitation, she said yes.

I’m still in awe of how God showed His faithfulness and produced incredible fruit in our friendship. As we studied the pages of Scripture together, the Lord used His Word to teach us the way of Jesus. We prayed together, grappled with hard passages, and talked about how to apply what we were reading to real life. Sometimes I asked questions or challenged her to think differently. I also encouraged her to try new things that felt a little scary—like joining a small group of young women and attending an interest meeting to serve on the worship team at church. She was tentative and reserved, but willing to risk. With each new person she met and activity she tried, I watched her bloom like a flower, one petal at a time. 

Tijuana, Mexico

The pace of her blossoming increased when she agreed to join me on our church’s annual trip to build homes in Mexico. On the first evening there, she was hesitant and fearful to lead nightly discussions in her tent, so we prayed together that God would give her confidence and wisdom. And He did. As the week unfolded, I watched the Lord use her to connect with and inspire others. Her tender heart, warm smile, and ability to see beauty in everything and everyone drew people to her. It wasn’t surprising when the students begged her to become a leader at youth group.

Two months later, we lead students together on our church’s annual houseboat trip. She barely resembled the tentative, shy, and lonely young woman I’d shared coffee with six months earlier. I listened with amazement as she spoke words of wisdom and grace to the girls on our boat during small group discussions. Each night, she also sang with the worship band; her passion for Jesus and openness to the Holy Spirit were palpable as she led. It was as if everyone at camp was transported to the throne room of heaven as we sang at the water’s edge.

Our weekly coffee dates have continued, only now she’s fitting them in between time ministering to students, leading worship, and sharing life with others. A few weeks ago, I stood beaming with joy listening to her give her testimony to over 130 students at a public high school. They were riveted. She explained her transformation in a post on Instagram, “I will be honest and say that at the beginning of this year I let loneliness blanket hope. I cried out to the Lord that He would save me, because He has before. I didn’t know how or really fully believe that He could. I prayed prayers I couldn’t imagine He would answer so beautifully, and then I watched Him turn my life around. ‘Taste and see that the Lord is Good.’ The Lord is so good to me. A taste, just a glimmer, and my heart is on fire for Jesus. He keeps His promises.”1

Her words highlight God’s unfaltering faithfulness; abiding in Him produces fruit in our lives. He empowers us to do what Jesus said in Matthew 28:19- “Go and make disciples.” I’ve seen His fruit as I’ve poured into her and walked alongside her. Paul’s prayer in Colossians captures our journey: “We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.” (Colossians 1:9-12, NIV). We have experienced the Spirit’s fruit of love, joy, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness in abundance. (Galatians 5:22- 23) It’s all come from abiding with Jesus and inviting the Holy Spirit to have His way in our lives. 

Soon, my sweet friend will be leaving for discipleship training school with Youth with a Mission. I’ll miss her like crazy, but I can’t wait to see what else God has in store for her. Our simple prayers before we met opened the door for the Lord to give each of us joy and fulfillment far beyond what we could have asked or imagined. (Ephesians 3:20) God can do the same in you. Will you commit to walking closely beside Him? Invite Him to use you and watch the fruit He’ll produce in your life as you follow His leading.

The Lord’s faithfulness enables our fruitfulness so that every person can know Him and receive deliverance from sin. Cain’s song “The Commission” is a beautiful rendition of the Great Commission from Matthew 28:19. Click here to listen.

1. Breezy Bochenek, Instagram post 9-14-22. To learn more about Breezy’s story, click here to visit her website.

Post inspired by Week 2 in Jen Wilkin’s God of Deliverance: A Study of Exodus 1-18, Lifeway Press, 2021.

Was this forwarded to you? Click here to submit your e-mail and subscribe. You’ll receive future posts automatically in your inbox.

God of Deliverance

The labor pains began early on a Sunday morning. They were subtle and intermittent enough that I ignored them and got dressed for church. My due date was still a week away, and I didn’t want to be an alarmist with first-baby jitters. As a precaution, we called the doctor and were surprised when she advised us to meet her at the hospital on our way to church. 

An hour later, she’d broken my water and informed my husband and me that worship services wouldn’t be on our agenda for that day. To our surprise, she got up to leave and informed us she wouldn’t be back until it was time to deliver the baby. At that point, we knew we were in for a long day.

Labor progressed at a glacial pace. The nurses encouraged me to walk around the room to kick the contractions into gear. Wheeling my IV pole beside me, I shuffled in circles wearing my hospital gown and non-slip socks. I was famished and annoyed the staff would only allow me to eat popsicles and ice chips. When my husband asked if he could slip out to get something to eat, I was surprised to discover it was already mid-afternoon and disheartened that I was still nowhere close to delivery.

Eventually, the waves of pain made it difficult to walk, so I got back into bed and waited for labor to progress. As the contractions became more powerful, my stomach rejected all the popsicles I’d eaten earlier. Colorful liquid came back up with a vengeance as my husband bravely held a shallow kidney-shaped dish to my mouth. At that point, I recognized the wisdom of the nurses who had seemed so cruel for not letting me eat solid food a few hours earlier. 

My labor had begun at sunrise and family members had started arriving at the hospital after lunch. As dusk faded into darkness, most of them were still in the waiting room anxious for news of our child’s arrival. It wasn’t until around 8pm that I started pushing. Only then did I truly understand why the birth of a baby is called “labor.” With each push, I envisioned the most difficult workouts I’d ever experienced. I pictured myself pedaling hard up a steep dirt trail with my heart pounding, lungs burning, and sweat pouring off my face. Still, the duration and intensity of the delivery far exceeded even the most challenging hill I’d climbed on my mountain bike.

An hour and a half after starting to push, our firstborn child finally arrived into the world. I’d delivered a healthy baby boy on a warm, Mother’s Day evening. Never had I felt such a powerful combination of pure joy and utter exhaustion.

If you’ve ever given birth or witnessed this miracle, you know delivering a child is painful, messy, beautiful, and emotional. It’s a grueling process we willingly endure because the results are worth it; labor and delivery result in new life.

While it might sound strange, this process of giving birth is what I envisioned as I turned the page on a new Bible study: Jen Wilkin’s God of Deliverance: A Study of Exodus 1-18. Webster’s dictionary defines an exodus as “a going out; particularly (the Exodus), the going out or journey of the Israelites from Egypt under the conduct of Moses; and hence, any large migration from a place.” 

Just like a baby “goes out” of his mother after she expends tremendous effort, the children of Israel went out from Egypt after considerable trials. Look at the language in Scripture and you’ll see the parallel: “The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God.” (Exodus 2:23b)

We’re going to see that like the delivery of a baby, the deliverance of the Israelites from slavery was a long, messy, and challenging process. As we study, we’ll also discover parallels between the deliverance of the Israelites from slavery under the leadership of Moses and the deliverance of all people from the bondage of sin through Jesus: “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25a) Jen Wilkin describes Jesus as the “true and better Moses.”1

Even now, we await deliverance from our earthly bodies when Jesus returns in His glory: “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.” (Romans 8:22-23, NIV)

Author and pastor Paul David Tripp explains, “Difficult moments of life are not the failure of God’s plan or in the way of God’s plan; these moments are part of his plan. They are placed in our lives as tools of his ongoing work of rescuing, transforming, and delivering grace. They are in our lives because the God we serve esteems holiness more than he esteems our temporal definition of happiness. He is not working to give us that temporary situational emotional high; he is working to produce something much better—eternal joy.”2

As we study Exodus, let’s keep in mind that deliverance is a process. This was true for the Israelites, but it’s also true for us as we grow in faith and continue to grapple with sin. Like childbirth, deliverance is painful and not always linear. It requires strength, courage, and trust in God. Sometimes it stalls or takes longer than expected. What may seem harsh or cruel has a purpose that is for the good of those being delivered—both the Israelites then and followers of Jesus now.

I hope you’ll join me on the journey through Exodus 1-18. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for us.

Enjoy the song “Deliverer” by Matt Maher and celebrate the freedom you have through Christ. Click here to watch and listen.

1. Jen Wilkin, God of Deliverance: A Study of Exodus 1-18, Lifeway Press, 2021.

2. Paul David Tripp, New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional, Crossway, 2014, September 7 entry.

Your Mind Matters to God

Wiggling my toes in the sand, I settled into my chair and turned the page on a book I’d brought on vacation. Although it was a fun “beach read,” I found myself evaluating the events in the story against my own life. The relationships between the characters inspired me, but also stirred up some unhealthy comparisons. I could feel myself sinking into discouragement even though I was sitting in an idyllic location.

Many of us don’t stop to consider what we’re thinking about or why certain thoughts are running through our minds. For me, I didn’t realize how the book was affecting me until my husband asked why I was so preoccupied. As soon as I started sharing my negative thoughts, I realized I’d been comparing myself to fictional characters and events. Once I saw how silly that was, I put the thoughts aside and moved on. Without my husband’s prompting, I would’ve continued stewing on those negative thoughts for hours.

At that moment, the Holy Spirit reminded me that our thoughts matter to God. What we think about affects how we see ourselves, other people, and the world around us. Our thoughts dictate our actions and our attitudes. Everyone we encounter and everything we watch, read, and listen to affects the way our characters and identities are shaped, for better or for worse. Our thoughts color our perspectives, causing us to be positive or negative, enthusiastic or cynical, hopeful or discouraged. 

Not surprisingly, the Bible has much to say about our minds and how we regulate our thoughts. In fact, one of the most important aspects of studying Scripture is that it informs our thoughts so we can make wise choices: “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:8, NIV)

In a similar vein Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30, NIV) Loving the Lord with our minds means focusing our attention and our thoughts on subjects that honor God and draw us closer to Him. The Lord perceives our thoughts (Psalm 139:2), so whether we honor Him or not, He knows what we’re thinking. This is both alarming and comforting. It means that God knows when we’re distancing ourselves from Him or choosing mental inputs that are drawing us away from Him. Since He already knows, we might as well come clean and ask for help to re-direct our thoughts.

There are two passages in Scripture that I return to regularly when my mind gravitates towards negative topics that I know are dishonoring to God. The first one says: “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Cor 10:5, NIV) Often, I’ll turn this verse into a prayer confessing destructive thoughts I’m having about myself or others. Then, I’ll ask the Lord to help me take the thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. 

The Message translation for 2 Corinthians 10:5-6 says, “We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.”*

Think for a moment about the many “warped philosophies” and “barriers erected against the truth of God” in our culture. This distorted thinking affects how we see God and ourselves. For example, worldly thinking often leads us to believe our worth and identity are dependent upon our appearance, our accomplishments, our wealth, our possessions, our social connections, our education, our sexuality, or whatever the dominant culture around us values most. We might also be drawn into thinking that leads to viewpoints that contradict the Bible. And if we’re not reading our Bibles, we won’t even know it. 

This brings me to the other verse I look to when I need to re-set my thoughts: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2, NIV) Unfortunately, our default mode is to conform to the pattern of the world. So, when my thoughts start leading me astray, I use this verse as a prayer, asking God to renew my mind and to remind me to align my will with His. We’re formed by our culture and constantly influenced by it. It is only through God’s transforming power that our minds can be renewed, and we can see that God’s will is not only good, but pleasing and perfect.

How often do you think about what you’re thinking? How do the people around you and the inputs you receive affect your mind? Consider praying and asking God to show you any thoughts you need to take captive. Ask Him to renew your mind and to give you a greater desire to love Him with all of it. Don’t let the world have the last word on what goes into your mind. 

*Eugene Peterson, The Message, NavPress, 2002.