One thing I’ve learned is that it’s never futile to begin anew. Each time, we learn and grow in new ways.
Our car gleamed in the early morning light as we pointed it north and drove up the freeway. Freshly washed and waxed, the sun’s first rays reflected off the sleek surface as we began our ten-hour trek. It’s become a ritual in our family to begin a driving trip with a clean car. We even have a saying for it: “Clean cars run better.” It seems best to start a long road trip keeping this practice in mind. It’s never failed us yet.
Crossing the border from California into Oregon, a light dusting of snow began to fall. By the time we reached Portland, the grime of the road and the wet weather had dulled the sheen of the once-clean car. It was bound to happen, so why did we bother? Maybe it’s because there is something that feels good about starting fresh.
It could be the reason these words resonate with me:
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23, NIV)
Yes, the car got dirty after we washed it, but it was much easier to clean when we got home because the layers of dirt weren’t thick and hadn’t been there long. The same thing is true of our spiritual lives: every morning we get a new day to start again. God’s compassion for us is renewed and He shows His faithfulness. No matter how messy the day before was or how much we messed up, God lets us push the re-start button.
Maybe that’s why we celebrate a New Year. It’s why January First marks the day people resolve to start over and try again. One thing I’ve learned is that it’s never futile to begin anew. Each time, we learn and grow in new ways. Plus, it’s a chance to clear off the grime of past sins before they consume us. When we take time to do spiritual spring-cleaning, to examine our hearts and to receive God’s compassion afresh, we stay more closely aligned with His Spirit. The longer and further we stray, the harder it is to re-engage.
The beginning of a New Year is a great chance to regain lost ground and claim new territory in our walks with God. It’s the time to open a new devotional or to begin reading our Bibles daily. It’s a blank page, just waiting to be filled with new possibilities. If you’re a part of CPC’s Focused Living, you’ll be hearing much more about that as we begin our new study by Priscilla Shirer called One in a Million: Journey to Your Promised Land. If you’re a regular reader from beyond the group, I’ll be sure to keep it relevant for you.
I can’t wait to start fresh, and I hope you’ll come along for the ride.
Click on the link to be inspired by Lincoln Brewster’s song: “Made New.”
Not all of these issues have black and white answers–just like my son’s view on the quantity of his Legos differs from mine. The Bible is one of the best places to find clear answers. Determining if you have more of something than you should is between you and God.
Crossing the floor of my younger son’s bedroom sometimes feels like navigating my way through a bed of nails. When he is deep into his creative mode, colorful plastic Legos with hard edges and sharp corners cover his carpet. He can sit for hours surrounded by a pile of his favorite building materials. Vehicles, skyscrapers, spaceships and mini figures have overtaken much of the real estate on his bedroom floor. Although I often point out that he has more than enough, requests for new Lego sets regularly appear on his birthday and Christmas wish lists. He sighs at my lack of understanding when I use words like “gluttony” or “hoarding” to describe his obsession with Legos. It’s a good-natured disagreement over a fairly minor issue. He thinks he needs more and I think he has more than he needs.
It turns out the Bible has quite a bit to say about the concept of “more” but the issues have much higher stakes. Sometimes abundance is positive, as we see when Paul, Silas and Timothy urge the Thessalonians to please God and to love one another more and more:
“As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more… Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more.” (1 Thessalonians 4:1,9-10, NIV, bold print added)
There are other times, however, when Scripture shows “more” as not necessarily positive:
-Hatred: “Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more.” (Genesis 37:5, NIV, bold print added)
-Corruption: “But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their ancestors, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways. (Judges 2:19, NIV, bold print added)
-Fear: “Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.” (1 Samuel 18:29, NIV, bold print added)
-Sinful Behavior: “Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.” (Ephesians 4:19, NIV, bold print added)
Beth Moore explains the tension between positive and negative abundance in our lives: “Something is going to grow. Something will get ‘more’ of us. Will it be hatred? Coldness? Addiction? Sensuality? Perversion? Devotion? Affection? Belief? Blessing? Ask yourself this question as I do the same: knowing the propensity of things to grow, which way do I want to go? ‘More and more’ one direction will force its antithesis into ‘less and less.’ We get to decide which we want to feed and which we want to starve.” (Children of the Day, p. 93)
Sometimes it’s wise and healthy to take a step back and evaluate the things in our lives that are influencing us “more and more.” Use the questions below to consider how each area impacts what grows “more and more” in our lives:
The company we keep:
-Are our typical activities and topics of conversation honoring to God?
-Does alcohol play a prominent role in our times together and would we still have fun without it?
-How are our personal attitudes and outlooks affected after spending time together?
-Are our worldly friends rubbing off on us more or is our Christian faith rubbing off on them more?
The social and extracurricular activities in which our families participate:
-How do they impact our schedules and ability to have healthy time margins?
-Does involvement in them still make it possible to go to church and be involved in Christian community?
-Are they defining our self-worth or our children’s self-worth?
-Are they bringing out the best in our families or making us more prone to comparison and unhealthy competition?
The entertainment we enjoy:
-Do the movies, TV shows, magazines, books, websites, social media, blogs, games and other past times we like influence us more toward worldly viewpoints or godly ones?
-Do we make time for entertainment, but struggle to find time to spend with God daily?
The material things we acquire:
-Do we talk about, look at and shop for material things continually?
-Are there any material things that have captured our attention and become the central focus of our lives?
-Are we willing to make needed changes when we recognize that material objects are mattering to us “more and more”?
The personal comfort we crave:
-Do we spend a significant amount of time arranging for and focusing on our own personal comfort?
-Is an emphasis on our physical, emotional and relational comfort causing us to become self-centered?
-Is being comfortable more important than letting God stretch us in new ways?
Finding a healthy balance with these things is a lifelong endeavor that requires constant prayer and vigilance. Not all of these issues have black and white answers–just like my son’s view on the quantity of his Legos differs from mine. The Bible is one of the best places to find clear answers. Determining if you have more of something than you should is between you and God.
If you’re feeling convicted after reading through the questions and consulting Scripture, do not be discouraged. This is a great step toward healthy growth and shows that you have a teachable heart. God is ready and waiting to help you when you admit your struggle to Him. In addition to praying, you may need to ask for help from a wise friend, counselor or pastor. There is no need for guilt or personal condemnation. God’s Word promises us: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning.” (Lamentations 3:22-23a, NIV)
The good news is that there are things that we can pursue “more and more” without worrying about negative effects:
The Bible: The more we study it, the more we can be amazed by how God’s truth is woven together from start to finish. The more we learn, the hungrier we become to know more.
Prayer: The more we lay at the feet of God, the more we see Him working in our lives. This leads to more trust in God and more peace in all circumstances.
Jesus: The more time we spend with Him, the more He reveals Himself to us and the deeper our relationship with Him grows.
The Holy Spirit: The more we ask Him to fill us, the more He gives us wisdom and enables us to impact the lives of others.
Christian Music: The more we listen to Christian music, the more we’re drawn to the heart of God and to seeing the world through a biblical lens.
A Godly Perspective on our Time and Finances: The more we see our time and money as belonging to God, the more willing we are to put aside our personal agendas in order to pursue Him, give generously and serve others to further His kingdom.
For more inspiration, click on the link to hear Colton Dixon’s song “More of You.” Make it your prayer as you listen.
(quote from Moore, Beth; Children of the Day; 2014; Lifeway Press; http://www.lifeway.com)
I recently returned from a trip to Disney’s California Resort with my family. We had a fantastic time together going on rides, watching shows, eating treats and reminiscing about previous trips there. I love Disneyland, even if it is just the tiniest bit over-stimulating for me.
The only part I don’t like is this little issue I have with motion sickness (and I’m slightly in denial about it). Posted outside each thrill ride is a very clear warning listing all of the horrible things that could happen to people subjecting themselves to it. The signs clearly state that motion sickness will be “aggravated” by the rides. Every time I strapped myself in, I knew what the consequence would be, but I didn’t want to miss out on having fun with my family.
After one ride full of steep climbs, sudden drops, sharp turns and upside down loops, I decided to take a break. I needed to let my stomach and head find their equilibrium again. I waved happily from a bench as my husband and kids headed back for another round. After I’d recovered a few hours later, I got in line with them for yet another roller coaster and walked past yet another warning sign.
My stomach had finally settled, but I didn’t want to miss out on being with them. The familiar queasiness returned as soon as we made the first high-speed turn. At the end of the ride my upset stomach told me it was finished with thrills for the day. I listened to my body and steered clear of roller coasters after that.
Surprisingly, my little adventure with the roller coasters has a few parallels with Nehemiah chapter 9. Like me, the Israelites were given clear warnings, but they failed to heed them and doomed themselves to repeat the same “roller coaster ride” for much of their history. In Nehemiah 9, the Israelites prayed and reviewed the pattern of their people, starting with Abraham. They recognized the cycle that their ancestors followed from one generation to the next:
1) Receive God’s Blessing and Faithfulness
2) Rebel/ Fall Away / Face Hardship
3) Receive God’s Discipline and Repent
4) Reconcile with God/ Receive God’s Blessing
The people of Nehemiah’s time saw how they continued the cycle and realized God’s faithfulness in spite of their faithlessness. They confessed to God and sought His help:
“In all that has happened to us, you have remained righteous; you have acted faithfully, while we acted wickedly. Our kings, our leaders, our priests and our ancestors did not follow your law; they did not pay attention to your commands or the statutes you warned them to keep. Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave them, they did not serve you or turn from their evil ways. But see, we are slaves today, slaves in the land you gave our ancestors so they could eat its fruit and the other good things it produces. Because of our sins, its abundant harvest goes to the kings you have placed over us. They rule over our bodies and our cattle as they please. We are in great distress.” (Nehemiah 9:33-37)
The people were in “phase three” of their usual cycle and trying to move to “phase four” from my list above. Sadly, this would not be the last time the pattern would repeat. Among the many lessons we can learn from the Israelites, two stand out to me. First, they didn’t deal well with difficulty. Second, they didn’t remember God in their times of ease.
Dealing with Difficulty
Kelly Minter explains: “whenever the Israelites faced difficulty in the desert they chose to believe something false about God. Three of the biggies were that He had abandoned them, withheld from them, or wouldn’t meet their needs.” (Nehemiah: A Heart That Can Break p. 125).
Like the Israelites, we can make big mistakes when we view difficulties as unusual or when we expect to be spared from them. Hard things happen, but God is still good. In fact, He often uses hardships to refine our faith and draw us closer to Him. Jesus said it clearly, “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)
When we have established in our hearts and minds that God is good then the difficulties we face cause us to rely on Him instead of questioning Him. Similarly, when we believe God is sovereign, we trust Him to handle the injustices we experience. Even when we don’t understand the trials we face, we know He’ll use them mature us and refine our faith.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 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. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:3-9)
“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)
Forgetting God in Times of Ease
Nehemiah 9:35 explains that even when the people were enjoying God’s “great goodness” and the “spacious and fertile land,” they failed to acknowledge Him.
Sometimes it is harder to remember to focus on God when life is easy and things are going well. We get lulled into thinking that the ease of our circumstances is our “new normal” or that we’ve done something right to deserve it. We can become complacent, apathetic and spiritually lazy. Our circumstantial peace should allow us time to study God’s word, grow with Him and serve Him. Yet sometimes when circumstances are smooth, we tend stray away and give our time and attention to other things. We take God’s goodness for granted and forget to use His blessings to benefit others and honor Him.
Jesus makes a strong point about this in the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25. In His story, a wealthy landowner calls his servants to him before leaving on a long journey. To each he gives a sum of money called a “talent.” Each one receives an amount “according to his ability.” To the first, he gives five talents, to the second two and to the last, one.
When the landowner returns, he discovers that the first and second servants have invested the talents wisely and have doubled their amounts. The landowner praises each of them similarly: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness.” (John 25:21).
The third servant has only the original one talent to return to his master. Instead of investing it, he simply dug a hole and hid it, fearing his master.
“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
“‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.’ “ (Matthew 25:26-29)
The servant given the smallest load to bear failed miserably. My Bible’s study notes put it this way: “The talents represent any kind of resource we are given. God gives us time, gifts, and other resources according to our abilities, and he expects us to invest them wisely until he returns. We are responsible to use well what God has given us. The issue is not how much we have, but how well we use what we have.” (Zondervan Life Application Bible 1991)
When life is going smoothly, it is the time to use our health, wealth, skills, experience, education and spiritual gifts to bless others and honor God. It is not the time to coast and live a life of ease and comfort, but a time to stretch, grow and help further the Kingdom of God.
Let’s choose not to be like the Israelites, continually cycling through obedience, rebellion, discipline and repentance. Getting caught in a pattern like that consumes energy without producing growth or maturity.
It’s a bit like my roller coaster experience. I knew what rides might make me sick, but I went on a few anyway hoping for a different outcome. I quickly realized that not heeding the posted warnings would ruin my day. My body was telling me to stop and if I ignored it, I would have been too sick to enjoy the day at all. I had to break the cycle. Once I did, my stomach settled and I had a great time instead of muscling through more hours of nausea.
If you find yourself stuck in your own version of “the cycle,” be encouraged. You are not the only one! When you’re headed for that roller coaster you know you shouldn’t be riding, pray and ask God to help you step out of line. Click on the link below to hear Josh Wilson’s song “Know By Now.” It will remind you of God’s sovereignty, faithfulness and patience with us in spite of our failings.
