Category: Renewal

Saul’s Transformation

With his dying breath, Stephen prayed for his executioners. And as he was being stoned to death “witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.” (Acts 7:58b, NIV) Just a few chapters later, Saul resurfaces. Now he’s traveling to Damascus in pursuit of disciples of Jesus who have fled Jerusalem. He’s bent on squelching the spread of the gospel that he believes is tainting the purity of Judaism. 

On the road, Saul encounters a blinding light and a voice from heaven saying, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Cowering on his knees and shielding his eyes, he stammers, “Who are you, Lord?” and receives a stunning reply: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting…Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” (Acts 9:4-6, NIV)

Saul finds himself humbled and helpless–led by the hand, rather than storming into Damascus with power and authority.  Then, “For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.” (Acts 9:9, NIV). Being a devout Jewish man, Saul would’ve been familiar with the practice of fasting. The Hebrew scriptures he’d studied all his life contained numerous examples of men and women of faith who had fasted and prayed to mourn, repent, worship, seek direction, exhibit humility, or understand visions they’d received from the Lord.

This encounter with the risen Christ was the catalyst for a complete re-set of his life. Perhaps those three days of blindness and fasting began softening his heart. Shrouded in darkness, maybe he recalled the Lord’s words in Ezekiel with a fresh and personal understanding: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26, NIV) In the quiet, maybe he also thought of Stephen’s speech and began to recognize how all the ancient prophecies in the scriptures had been fulfilled by Jesus.

Perhaps Saul also needed time to reconcile what he’d done—to grieve the lives he’d destroyed, to repent and seek forgiveness from the Lord. Maybe that’s why he later wrote: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.” (1 Tim 1:15b, NIV)

Ultimately, those three days prepared him for what the Lord had in store next: “Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.” (Acts 9:17-19, NIV)

No doubt Saul had participated in many ritual cleansings in the past, as all devout Jews did. However, this baptism represented the death of his old life as a legalistic pharisee and the birth of his new life as a follower of Jesus. In the span of three days his murderous zeal for destroying the church transformed into a passionate ardor for building it: “At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, ‘Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?’ Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.” (Excerpts from Acts 9:20-22, NIV.) 

Typically we see the change in Saul as immediate because we skip over those three days of hunger and darkness as he waited on the Lord. Let’s stop and consider what we can learn from Saul’s example:

1. After encountering Jesus, Saul waits. He goes to the city and stands by for further instructions. I wonder how often we miss the ways the Lord wants to work in us because we’re perpetually in motion. The noise and busyness of our culture leave no time for reflection and contemplation. We’re constantly receiving input and ignoring the importance of margin. The Lord moves and speaks in times of stillness and silence. Can we truly be His witnesses if we’re never stopping long enough to be still in His presence and listen? 

2. After encountering Jesus, Saul fasts. Likely a familiar practice from his past experience, fasting was a key element in the transforming work the Lord was doing in his life. Although many people now equate fasting with weight loss, its true purpose is to create a focused time of prayer for a specific reason. Hunger pangs are a powerful reminder of our need for food. But rather than urging us to eat, they can prompt us to pray. If you want to learn more about this powerful practice, you may be interested in the attached articles: 

3. After encountering Jesus, Saul’s physical and spiritual eyes are opened. In our western culture we value what we can see; it’s challenging to view life through a spiritual lens. We are constantly busy and over-stimulated or we’re too exhausted to engage in anything that requires focus and deep thought. We anesthetize ourselves with mindless entertainment, but claim we are too busy to slow down, read our Bibles, pray, and spend time enjoying the presence of the Lord. We give our attention to shiny objects rather than fixing our gaze on what has eternal value.

If you’d like to improve your spiritual vision, add Paul’s prayer from Ephesians to your daily rhythm: “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 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, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” (Ephesians 1:17-19a, NIV)

If you’re ready to learn more about the value of slowing down and learning spiritual practices that help you to see and hear the Lord more consistently, consider reading The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, by John Mark Comer.

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Putting On Our New Nature

The summer before I started high school, I got an edgy haircut and a vintage jean jacket at a thrift store in Berkeley. Dangling earrings and frosty “Zinc Pink” lipstick completed my look. It was all part of my master plan to reinvent myself as I launched into 9th grade. Another aspect of my new appearance included ditching shoes in favor of bare feet. My parents warned me of health and safety concerns, but it was to no avail. Over time, I developed thick callouses that desensitized me to sharp pebbles and rough surfaces.

Although I wanted to believe my feet were tough, they were still vulnerable to injury. I ignored that truth until I walked on scorching pavement one sweltering August afternoon. The tender burns were painful for weeks and the quarter-sized blood blisters remained on the balls of my feet for months. They served as a humbling reminder of my foolish choice to cast common sense aside for the sake of looking cool (in my own mind, at least).

Even though I wear shoes most of the time now, it’s still a challenge to prevent callouses from developing on my feet during the summer months. To keep them from becoming too thick, I buff my feet with a file in the shower a few times a week. If I wait too long, the callouses get tougher and harder to remove. (Apologies to squeamish readers who find this a bit too graphic.)

Strangely, I thought of that regular part of my hygiene routine as I read Ephesians recently: “With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.” (Ephesians 4:17-19, NLT)

In this passage, the word “Gentiles” refers to those who do not follow Jesus or value God’s ways. Their closed minds and hard hearts cause them to be desensitized to sexual sin and to engage in activities that dishonor God, moving them further away from Him. Similar to my feet, they develop thick callouses on their hearts that give them the illusion of invincibility. Believing they are experiencing ultimate freedom, they are actually enslaving themselves with an unquenchable thirst for pleasure that only increases as it’s given free rein in their lives. Like the burns on my bare feet, people pursuing sexual gratification outside of God’s clear boundaries don’t realize the pain they’re ultimately causing to themselves and others in their lives.

Believers’ attitudes and behaviors in the realm of sexuality look markedly different, however. Paul asserts: “But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.” (Ephesians 4:20-23, NLT)

Paul reminds believers that we’re meant to live differently. The callouses that deaden us to sin have been removed from our hearts, lovingly buffed away by the grace of Christ. Our habits, behaviors and attitudes about sexual activity set us apart from the world because we have a “new nature.” Rather than taking our cues from social norms, personal feelings, or physical urges, we seek the wisdom of the Bible as our guide.

Of course, with the steady influence of the world all around us, it’s still easy for believers to fall into misguided views on this topic. When we ignore truth in Scripture and float with the current of popular culture, we’re bound to make compromises when it comes to our views on sex. Rather than being deceived or confused, let’s stand solidly on the wisdom of God’s Word that has remained unchanging for thousands of years. Let’s open our Bibles and allow God’s truth to buff away the callouses of the world that numb us to sensuality and lust. Let’s stop normalizing habits of mind and body that ultimately damage our souls and our relationships.

Maybe it’s time to consider where you’ve let the world influence you more than God’s Word. Are you willing to pray and invite the Holy Spirit to search your heart and convict you of any changes you need to make? How about committing to seeking God’s wisdom instead of letting our culture be your guide? This isn’t about guilt or shame, but about eliminating the sin that’s hurting us and hindering our spiritual growth. It starts in our hearts and minds long before it’s expressed in our behavior.

God knows us and knows our struggles. He loves us and wants what’s best for us. Tasha Layton’s song “Look What You Done” provides a poignant reminder of God’s grace and power to change even the most deeply rooted sin in our lives. Click here to listen.

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Looking Back on 2022, Looking Ahead to 2023

We’ve turned the page on the calendar to kick off 2023. Before anticipating the year ahead, it’s worthwhile to reflect on the year behind. Here are a few questions I like to ask myself: What stands out from the past twelve months? What shaped your character, faith, and worldview? Where did you see God at work? How did you grow? Looking ahead, where will you focus your time and energy in the coming year? To get you started, I’ll share my answers below. 

What stands out as you look back on the past year?

As I closed out 2021, here’s what I wrote in my year-end blog post: “I want to pray consistently for renewal among believers so that they long for God’s presence, kingdom, and righteousness more than anything else. I also want to pray for the hearts of people who have been deceived by the enemy and have believed lies about the Lord. Corporate renewal begins with personal renewal, so I’d like to be more focused on God’s presence in my life. I’m considering trying a new spiritual discipline like fasting to help my prayers be more targeted and intentional.”

What stands out to me is the way God answered those prayers in 2022. He prompted me to invite two other women to pray with me regularly throughout the year. He blessed me with several young women to mentor who were eager to grow in their faith and Bible knowledge. The Lord also led me to ask a wise woman to mentor me. I also gave fasting a try and found that it helped me to focus my prayers. My hunger pangs caused me to feel like I was laboring alongside the Lord as I prayed for situations that I had no power to change on my own.

What shaped your character, faith, and worldview?

The things we read, watch, listen to and experience all affect our mental, emotional, spiritual, and relational health. So, I try to be intentional about what I allow into my mind. Here are few inputs that have impacted me positively in the last year:

Studying the Bible: I’ve always been a big fan of doing workbook Bible studies and did several in 2022 that were excellent. But what made the past year noteworthy was opening the Bible and unpacking its truth without a workbook. Studying First Peter and Jude with a young woman I mentored gave us the chance to absorb a few verses at a time. Reading and discussing Scripture together helped us to see where we were on track and where we needed to re-focus our prayers and attention. I’ve also loved studying the gospel of John with four high school girls. Delving into such a meaty book and examining one chapter each week has been faith building for all of us. 

Events: I had the privilege of attending IF:Gathering in Dallas with a group of friends last spring. My favorite message was Sadie Robertson Huff’s “The Truth vs. My Truth.” If you haven’t seen it, check it out here.  The teaching and worship there were truly inspiring, and I’ve loved continuing to learn through Jennie Allen’s Made for This podcast. It’s full of practical and biblical insights that realign me with God’s Word.

I also had the privilege of going on two trips as a leader with our high school youth group—a mission trip to Mexico and a houseboat trip at Lake Shasta. Seeing the Holy Spirit move in both of those places was the clearest answer to my prayers to see spiritual renewal in the lives of others. 

Participating in these events reminded me that there’s no substitute for showing up in person. It’s one of the best ways to let God work in and through us.

Books: Live No Lies by John Mark Comer was a highlight of 2022 for me. Understanding the enemies of our souls and how to move forward in walking with Jesus was challenging and thought-provoking. This book is so relevant and timely, I can’t recommend it highly enough. 

The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard is a Christian classic that I finally read at the recommendation of my son. Willard’s writing is dense, and his ideas are deep. It took all summer to read it. I’m still processing his assertion that being a Christian isn’t synonymous with being a true disciple of Jesus. I’m also mulling over this quote: “And what does ‘dwelling,’ or ‘continuing,’ in his word mean? It means to center your life upon…his good news about The Kingdom Among Us, about who is really well off and who is not, and about true goodness of heart and how it expresses itself in action. We will fill our souls with the written Gospels. We will devote our attention to their teachings, in private study and inquiry as well as public instruction. And, negatively, we will refuse to devote our mental space and energy to the fruitless, even stupefying and degrading, stuff that constantly clamors for our attention. We will attend to it only enough to avoid it.” (The Divine Conspiracy, p. 296).

Podcasts: Live No Lies with John Mark Comer. Listening to these enhanced and extended what Comer discusses in his book as he interviews various experts he referenced in writing. 

Emotionally Healthy Leader Podcast with Pete Scazzero. We’re all leaders in different arenas- whether it’s at home, work, church, or volunteering. This podcast provides practical and realistic tools to navigate life, faith, and relationships with health and biblical wisdom. 

Now, consider what shaped your character and worldview this year. To borrow Dallas Willard’s words– are there fruitless things clamoring for your attention right now? What will you add or eliminate for 2023 so that the Holy Spirit can shape you more?

Where did you see God at work? How did you grow personally or spiritually?

I’ve grown by focusing my prayers on aligning with God’s will. Jesus says in John’s gospel: “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” (John 14:12-14, NIV) I’m learning that praying in Jesus’ name means seeking God’s glory and will to be done, not mine.

I’ve seen God at work in places where I can’t try harder, I can only trust Him more. I’ve prayed for new opportunities to meet people who don’t know the Lord and I’ve begun to see that answered. I’m also thankful God has placed strong believers around individuals I love so that they can be spurred on in their faith. This has been a significant answer to prayer.

Where will you focus your energy in 2023?

I want to pray for God to use my circumstances to refine me, to expand His kingdom, and to bring Him glory. I hope to resist the tendency to pray for circumstances to unfold as I think they should.  I’m also praying the Lord will increase my capacity to see where He is at work and inviting me to join Him. As my awareness grows, I pray God will use my time, resources, and gifts to pour into others and point them toward Him. And this year I’m also praying I will experience God’s joy in increasing measure.

Before you wade into the waters of 2023, take some time to reflect on where you’ve been. It will help you set a course for the year ahead with God’s wisdom to guide you. Whatever highs and lows we’ll face, we can trust that God is there with us. Let the song “God is In This Story” remind you of that today. Click here to listen.

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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

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Small Beginnings

Tearing out the sheet of binder paper, I wrote a bullet-pointed list of discussion questions based on a Bible passage I’d been studying. Each week I’d take my hand-written questions and photocopy them in my sorority’s study lounge, known as “The Pit” because of its location in the basement of our house. Climbing the steps to the expansive living room, I’d sit on the floor near the fireplace glancing regularly at my watch, waiting to see if anyone would come.

Inviting girls in my house to join a Bible study had been a stunning leap of faith for me as a sophomore in college. Before God had emboldened me, I’d always been someone that craved approval and validation from others. I liked fitting in, not creating a stir. This venture launched me way past the limits of my comfort zone. Not everyone cheered on my efforts. As you might imagine, Bible study veered beyond the typical activities for girls at my secular university. Some weeks ten of my sorority sisters would show up, others no one would come. 

I didn’t know that God was preparing me for many other opportunities to write, lead, teach, mentor, and serve. Looking back, I see how the Lord used that time to equip and prepare me to walk alongside others growing in faith. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of pouring into a variety of women at different seasons in my life. Usually it’s only a few, but over time this has added up to a lot of lives.

That’s what I thought of when I read this passage: “Do not despise these small beginnings for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin.” (Zechariah 4:10a, NLT)

So often when God prompts us to act, we expect big, splashy results immediately. When we don’t get them, we become discouraged and want to quit. Or, we get distracted and lose our focus, as the Jews re-building the temple did in the book of Haggai.

Jennifer Rothschild encourages us saying, “You may feel small, insignificant, thinking who you are or where you are is unimportant compared to the seemingly big significance of others’ lives and situations. But no one and nothing is really small and insignificant. The big impact of small things can be overlooked if we aren’t careful… God does know your name. He doesn’t overlook you just because somebody has a bigger problem, a bigger project, or a bigger personality. No matter how big the world is and no matter how small you may feel, God has called you to take courage and finish the work He has called you to…Let His voice be louder than the outside voice of opposition and that nagging inner voice that tries to convince you that you are too small for your call.”1 

Recently, I returned from IF:Gathering—a conference attended by thousands of women in person and online all over the world. Sitting in the audience with 4000 other women, I watched as one gifted speaker after another took the stage. Their teaching energized me and spurred on my faith. But, if I’m honest, there were moments that I also felt a little angsty and cynical. I’m not proud to admit that I slipped into comparison mode a few times. As soon as I did this, joy drained out of me. Listening to accomplished speakers with multiple published books and thousands of followers made my own efforts to impact others for Jesus seem small by comparison.  For a few moments I bounced between envy and self-doubt, until the Holy Spirit reminded me of truth. 

I couldn’t stay in a negative mindset for long when I remembered the good things God has done in and through me. The fact that friends had accepted my invitation to spend time and money flying 1500 miles to attend IF:Gathering was cause for celebration. My “small beginning” with my traveling companions started almost 9 years ago when I invited them to join a Bible study to explore the Christian faith. Seeing how much they’ve grown is a testament to the way God uses small beginnings to bring big results. But this takes time; typically we don’t get the instant gratification we crave when it comes to matters of faith.

I wonder if you can relate to my feelings. Are you ever tempted to dismiss or discount a work of the Lord in your life? Do you ever feel like the part you play isn’t big or important enough? Some small beginnings lead to big things that are large in size—like Jennie Allen’s vision to start IF:Gathering. But other small beginnings lead to things that are big in value—like journeying alongside a few people consistently and helping them to grow spiritually over time. Taking the step of faith to respond to God’s prompting matters more than the size of what He’s calling you to do.

Is there something you’ve begun that’s stalling right now? Do you need to re-engage with that small group Bible study you’ve stopped attending? Or, is it time to reach out again to that neighbor you’ve been meaning to invite for coffee? Do you sense God stirring in you to mentor someone? Or is it time to ask a more mature believer to mentor you? What about starting that Bible study with your neighbors that you’ve been talking about for years? Or is it time to say “yes” to that invitation into leadership that seems like a big stretch for you?

Let this song we sang at IF:Gathering inspire you. Click here to listen to “God of Revival” by Phil Wickham.

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  1. Jennifer Rothschild, Take Courage: A Study of Haggai, Lifeway Press 2020, 60-61.

Not Limitless

Strapping the new watch on my wrist, I tap the screen and scroll through the different functions it performs. Besides telling time, it tracks my heart rate, my physical activity, the number of steps I take daily, the number of calories I burn, and the quality of my sleep. By linking it to an app on my phone, I’m able to see detailed statistics complete with bar graphs, line graphs, and circle graphs measuring each of these things. Some days I find it interesting, other days it feels like another critic reminding me when I’m not measuring up.

I score points for every minute my band senses I’m moving. The harder I push myself, the more points I score. (I can also get negative points for being sedentary for too long, so that’s fun). The watch automatically sets the goal of 150 points per week. When I meet that goal, it vibrates on my wrist and flashes a message: “You met your goal, way to go!” Here’s the part that’s maddening, though. Once I “earn” all of the points towards my goal, the watch establishes a new goal for me that’s higher. So instead of feeling satisfied with what I’ve accomplished, I focus on the corner of the screen that tells me what my next goal is and how many points I’ll need to get there.

As long as I keep a healthy perspective, the watch serves as a useful tool. But, at times, I’ve found myself getting sucked into the stats a bit too much—especially when I’m obsessing over meeting the goals it sets for me.  It’s a great example of the direction our culture has been moving for the past few years. We’ve become captivated by measuring, quantifying, and assigning value to so many things—whether it’s how many steps we take each day or how many likes we get on a social media post. In every realm, we’re pushed to reject limitations and to see how much more we can accomplish. We’re programmed to want “all the things” and to feel serious FOMO if we’re not keeping up with everyone else.* We are fed the lie that it’s possible to be amazing in every category: having a successful career, a thriving family, a vibrant marriage, a robust social life, a deep faith, a fit body, a beautiful home, and time to serve others with sincere hearts. We’re led to believe there’s no limit to what we can do.

And that’s why I love that the Bible includes what happens to Elijah after his miraculous showdown with the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. After calling down fire from heaven and proving God is the ultimate power and authority, Elijah transitions into a season of despair and discouragement. This begins when he receives word that Queen Jezebel plans to kill him for making fools of her prophets before ending their lives. “Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, Lord,’ he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’’’ (1 Kings 19:3-4, NIV)

Stop and think about all that Elijah has experienced leading up to this: he lived by the brook Cherith for eighteen months while God sent ravens to feed him; he stayed with a widow in Zarephath where the Lord rescued them from starvation by replenishing their food supplies daily; he prayed for the widow’s son to be raised from death and God granted his request; at Mt. Carmel he poured water over an altar and then prayed God would set the sacrifice on fire and the Lord consumed not only the sacrifice, but the rocks and dirt as well. Yet now, when he hears Jezebel plans to kill him, he loses heart. He runs away, tells the Lord he’s ready to die, lays down under a bush, and falls asleep. Recognizing Elijah’s deep exhaustion, the Lord sends an angel to minister to him: “All at once an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.” (1 Kings 19:5b-6, NIV)

Elijah had been faithful and obedient to God through so many incredible challenges. At Horeb, he reached his physical, spiritual, and emotional limits. Utterly depleted, he needed rest. I wonder, though, in our current culture how this would’ve played out. Would Elijah’s watch have said something like this: “Great job slaying the prophets of Baal! Your next goal is….”? 

Friends, it’s time for us to realize we have limits. We can’t do it all because God didn’t design us that way. Even when the Lord does great works through us by the power of the Holy Spirit, we still need rest and replenishment. “God is not mad at you because your body is tired or your mind is frayed or your soul is unusually heavy—not after the kind of project you’ve just finished, or the difficulties you’ve just endured, or the emotional marathon you’ve just run. He isn’t agitated by the limitations of your flesh. Instead, He stands patiently ready to minister to you, to work through those deficiencies, and to nourish you as you recover from them.”1

This is a message I’m writing for myself as much as for you. We have to stop believing the lies fed to us by our culture and by the enemy that we need to push ourselves to the limits of our capabilities in all realms. There is so much pressure to do more and to be more. We’re wearing ourselves out trying to prove it’s true. “With all the busyness, legalism, strictness, and tension that may be an ongoing part of your daily life, take a moment to breathe deeply, enjoying the gracious and sincere affection of your Father today. He sees. He knows. Sister, rest.”2

By all means, allow yourself to be stretched. Accept challenges and celebrate growth. Let the Holy Spirit use your gifts to build the Church and expand God’s kingdom. Don’t shy away from opportunities for refinement. But realize, also, that you’re only human, and that’s exactly how God made you.

Click here and be encouraged by Jordan St. Cyr’s song “Weary Traveler.”

  1. Priscilla Shirer, Elijah, Lifeway Press, 2020, 193  
  2. Priscilla Shirer, Elijah, Lifeway Press, 2020, 193.

*FOMO is “fear of missing out.”

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In Between Times

I’ve always loved flowers that grow from bulbs: daffodils and tulips are my favorites. Plunging the small brown bulbs into the earth in the fall is like tucking away a gift that will delight me when shoots push through the soil the following spring. 

Once I’ve planted bulbs, there’s a process taking place underground that is hidden and quiet, but crucial for the flowers to bloom. Bulbs use the dark, cold months of winter to sprout roots at the base to anchor the plant in the soil. Then they lie ‘dormant,’ awaiting the right amount of sunlight and moisture to bring those tiny green shoots through the dirt. The ugly brown bulbs will eventually bloom into beautiful flowers in vivid colors.1 

The process of planting bulbs and waiting for them to bloom gives a perfect picture of those “in between times” when one season ends, and another hasn’t quite begun. Waiting isn’t my favorite activity and resting is hard for me. But I’ve learned that just as bulbs require the cold and quiet months of winter before sprouting, those “in between times” are vital for our mental, spiritual, and emotional lives. 

Elijah’s story gives us a perfect example of how God uses “in between times” in our lives to root us more deeply in Him before we can sprout and grow. After empowering Elijah to confront King Ahab, the Lord tells him: “Go away from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.” (1 Kings 17:3) With that simple command, God shifts Elijah from speaking with authority in the the king’s chambers to living in obscurity, isolated in the wilderness by a brook named “Cherith.” The brook’s name means “to cut off” or to “to cut down.” “[Elijah] was cut off from any visible means of support, but he was also being cut down to size, learning the invaluable lesson of how to depend on God alone.”2 During this season of waiting, the Lord prepares Elijah for future assignments that will be even more challenging.

Priscilla Shirer provides insight that helps us to apply Elijah’s story on a personal level: “’Cherith’—a season of life that I perceived at the time to be undesirable, obscure, isolating, unproductive and relatively mundane…It’s sometimes seemed to me like a waste of  weeks, months, and years, away from the work He’s been calling me to do—work that seems a lot more important to me than the little I appeared to be accomplishing while at Cherith. But just as Elijah apparently needed to learn, I’m not as necessary to the greater work of God, as much as the greater work of God is necessary to me.”3

Can you recall Cherith seasons in your own life? Are you in one now? As I’ve studied week 2 in Priscilla Shirer’s Elijah, God has reminded me of several “in between times” in my past that I didn’t welcome or enjoy (at first). In retrospect, I can see how each one deepened my connection to Him and prepared me for something yet to come. Cherith seasons have taught me to slow down, be patient, and trust God in the waiting. 

I’ve written before about my freshman year in college, when I was lonely and aching for deep friendships. That season of longing drew me into a more intimate relationship with God than I’d ever had before. Now I see that the Lord was teaching me to want Him more than I wanted anything else from Him. Times alone in prayer and Scripture reading built a solid connection between us. God filled my need for security and belonging when I was tempted to look for it in unhealthy places with ungodly people. Seeking Him first gave me the freedom to enjoy friendships without expecting anyone to fill all my longings and meet all my needs.

Later in life, God led me into another Cherith season after the birth of my first child. My son was born in May, which was always one of my busiest seasons at work. His birth pivoted me from overseeing a bustling schedule of student activities at the high school where I taught to sitting in a quiet house nursing a newborn. As much as I loved my son and relished the gift of maternity leave, I felt restless and insignificant. My schedule had been overwhelmingly full for so long that I didn’t know what to do with the time between feeding my baby and changing his diapers. I wrestled with God about staying home with my son or going back to work. My uncertainty led me to begin praying consistently for wisdom, direction, and peace. The Lord also used that quiet season to ignite a hunger in me to study His Word. Choosing to take a leave of absence from my teaching job opened the opportunity to try an inductive Bible study class. Soon, the quiet hours in my house while my son napped became sacred time to meet the Lord in prayer and discover truth in the pages of Scripture. 

Those two “in between times” laid a foundation that I’m still building on today. Cultivating a personal, intimate relationship with the Lord in college and then prioritizing studying His Word in my first years of motherhood continue to sustain me today. Like a bulb sprouting roots underground before pushing upward to the surface, God used those times, and many others since then, to deepen my spiritual roots so that I could blossom and give Him glory.

If you’re in a Cherith season now, let the Lord sustain you as He did for Elijah at the brook. Rather than lamenting the waiting or questioning His purposes, trust that He’s at work in ways you can’t see. Soak up the nutrients of His Word. Reach towards Him in prayer and trust the He’s preparing you for the next step on your journey with Him. “Remember this: Waiting time doesn’t have to be wasted time. Even though you feel like God’s clock is moving at a glacial pace, God knows exactly where you are right now, and He knows exactly what He is doing. Elijah went through a Cherith experience, but during that time of waiting Elijah learned vital skills every one of us has to learn if we are going to be used by God in an extraordinary way.”2

While you wait, take heart and let David’s words in Psalm 27 become your own:“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” (Psalm 27:13-14, NIV)

Need some encouragement while you wait? Click here and listen to Elevation Worship’s “Do It Again.”

  1. All My Favourite Flower Names: “Spring Bulbs and Other Storage Organs”
  2. Dr. Robert Jeffress, “Two Purposes for Elijah’s Waiting”
  3. Priscilla Shirer, Elijah, Lifeway Press, 2020, 51-52.

Photos courtesy of Pixabay.com.

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Seeking Spiritual Renewal

Pulling out of the driveway, my son smiled and waved as he drove off with his buddies. The growling engine and over-sized tires broadcast to the neighborhood that they were headed out to have a four-wheeling adventure at an OHV park. (In case you’re unfamiliar, OHV stands for “Off Highway Vehicle.)” My son and his friends enjoy bouncing on dirt trails, crawling up rocks, driving through streams, and problem solving when they get stuck or break something. 

That day’s adventure happened not long after a rainstorm. When the boys returned in the evening, it was impossible to tell the Jeep’s paint color. Every inch from roof to tires was covered in layers of thick, caked on mud. The following day they spent as much time cleaning the Jeep as they’d devoted to getting it dirty. They admitted it wouldn’t stay pristine for long, but knew it was better to wash it before the grime was too deeply embedded. 

Lately, I’ve been thinking about that cycle of cleansing and renewal as it relates to our spiritual lives. When we choose to follow Jesus we’re washed clean from our sin and given new life in Him: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV) Unfortunately, we’re still living in a broken world so, even as “new creations,” sin and distractions pull us away from God. Right now, so many believers seem to be struggling and forgetting to look to the Lord for hope and fulfillment. We’ve drifted from the rhythms that keep us tethered to Jesus. Some of us have gotten complacent or apathetic, forgoing opportunities for growth and opting for comfort instead. We’re distracted by social media, news, COVID, or other concerns about our health. We’re engrossed in political and social issues. We’re fearful and anxious, forgetting the hope we have in Jesus. In some instances, we’ve let the grime of sin build up and block our connection to the Lord. But no matter what kind of mess we find ourselves in, God delights in cleansing and renewing us when we draw near to Him again: “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)

Maybe that’s why we resolve to start over and try again when a new year begins. God affirms this notion saying, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:18-19, NIV) The Lord doesn’t want us stuck dwelling on the past. He’s ready and waiting to lead us down fresh paths.

Have you drifted from Jesus or grown complacent in the past year? Are your habits and patterns distracting or detracting from your spiritual growth? Are you fearful and anxious? Maybe it’s time to seek spiritual renewal and incorporate some fresh rhythms into your life.

Try slowing down and starting your day with a devotional and the Bible before checking your phone. Consider limiting negative inputs that make you anxious, fearful, or envious. Process your thoughts and emotions with the Lord by writing in a prayer journal. Prioritize time in your schedule to join a group that studies God’s Word regularly. (See below for some ideas). Make a fresh start keeping Paul’s words in mind: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 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 12:1-2, NIV)

Let’s stop conforming to the patterns of the world and make 2022 a year of spiritual renewal. Are you in?

Click here to be inspired by Mac Powell’s song: “River of Life”

Click here to see options for Bible studies and small groups at CPC Danville. And click here if you’d like to get a huge boost of spiritual refreshment through IF:Gathering 2022 online.

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