Tag: Lysa Ter Keurst

Swimming Against the Current

IMG_0394

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14).

Pushing our paddle surfboards off the wet sand, my husband turned to me, “Which way do you want to go, right or left?”

Studying the ripples on the water in the early morning light I eased onto my board and let the current carry me for a moment before answering decisively, “Let’s go right.  That way we’ll be paddling into the breeze and against the current.  It will make the trip back easier when we’re tired.”

It was hard work as we bent our knees, dug in our paddles and slowly made our way through the harbor.  Every muscle in my body was flexed, poised to keep me firmly balanced standing on the board and skimming through the water.  I had no desire to take a spill and get wet in the early morning chill.

As we rounded the tip of Balboa Island for the return trip, we reaped the benefit of our choice to do the hard part first.  We slipped along with the current, feeling like we had the strength of superheroes.  With each stroke of the paddle we made significant progress and could look up and enjoy the sights and sounds all around us in the Newport Harbor.

Skidding onto the cool, wet sand as we returned, I thought about how often our walks of faith mirror what I’d just experienced out on the water.  Sometimes making choices to lead a godly life feels like a fight to swim against the current of the world around us.  Spending time with people who don’t value the things of God can make following Him with our daily life choices a challenge.  When we feel like we have to go it alone, it can be a lot like I felt paddling against the current and into a head wind.  It’s a grueling effort, but the Bible tells us it’s worth it:

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:15-17).

When we persevere, we grow in numerous ways.  There is probably no faster means for growth than clinging to God in the midst of adversity:  “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).

When we choose to “go with the flow” and let the current sweep us along with the actions and attitudes in popular culture, we’ll find our spiritual disciplines slipping and our infrequent times with God becoming stale and dry.  It is impossible to remain solidly planted in one place spiritually; we will either be swept with the current of the world around or make an effort to paddle against it.

Conversely, there may also be times in life when following God seems easy and fun.  We feel His strength flowing through us as each dip of the paddle into the water propels us forward at an amazing rate.  I liken this to times when we are connected consistently with other Christians and are studying God’s word, worshiping and serving together.  We feel energized and excited as we watch God work among us and are motivated to want more of Him in our lives.

Summer is a season when most organized Bible Studies take a break.  As people scatter for travel or other activities, they tend to put their time in God’s word on the back burner.  It’s still a priority, but not something they tend to with the same diligence.  While rest and rejuvenation are part of God’s desire for our lives, taking a “vacation” from Him or His Word is not.  Many people experience serious spiritual “slippage” in the summer as they focus their attention elsewhere and leave God out of the mix.  Let me encourage you not to be one of those people.

Summer can be a great time to explore a concept that you’ve been wanting to know more about, to read that book that’s been gathering dust on your shelf or to review the study you didn’t have time to savor during the fast pace of the year.  Below are a few ideas to keep you engaged and to help you paddle against the current so that you can continue to build your “spiritual muscles” and experience the rich and full life God has for you, no matter what season it is.

-Pick your favorite Bible Study from the past year and reread it chapter by chapter throughout the summer.  Write down a list of things you want to remember that you learned from it to help you solidify them and apply them to your life.

-Choose a Christian book to read this summer.  Invite a friend to read it with you.  You can even set up a reading schedule to discuss it over coffee or lunch on the weeks you’re both in town.  Here are few suggestions to get you started:

One Thousand Gifts by Ann VosKamp

Seven by Jen Hatmaker

A Confident Heart by Renee Swope

A Different Kind of Wild by Debbie Alsdorf

Unglued by Lysa TerKeurst

 The Me I Want to Be by John Ortberg

Strong Women, Soft Hearts by Paula Rhinehart

The Sacred Romance by Brent Curtis and John Eldredge

Fresh Brewed Life by Nicole Johnson

-Sign up for a Bible Study being offered at church

-Invite a few friends, neighbors or members of your Bible Study to do a workbook and DVD Bible Study together at one of your homes.  If you live near CPC, there are a number that can be checked out from the church library.  If you don’t, look for studies available at lifeway.com or Christianbook.com

-Sign up to receive a daily devotional at Proverbs 31 Ministries www.provberbs31.org (Lysa Ter Keurst started this ministry)

-Choose a book of the Bible to read through this summer.  Write down questions you have as you read and take the time to do word studies and read commentaries that will help you understand it better.  You can also pick up helpful study guides for specific books of the Bible at the CPC bookstore or other Christian bookstores.

The options are only limited by your imagination.  So, pray and ask God to show you what His plans are for you this summer.  Then, dip you paddle in the water and point yourself against the current- you won’t be disappointed.

“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).


Apples and Oranges

IMG_5029

Have you ever heard the saying: “it’s like comparing apples and oranges”?  People use it when someone makes a comparison of things that are too different to be equivalent.   It’s unfair because the objects can’t or shouldn’t be compared by the same criteria.  Apples and oranges are both types of fruit and are roughly the same size, but trying to compare them or say which one is “better” is just plain silly.  Certain recipes clearly call for one or the other.   I love to make Cranberry Apple Pie at Thanksgiving, but I would never swap the apples for oranges.  The two aren’t interchangeable.  Each has distinctive qualities that make it uniquely suited for certain recipes.

We live in a culture consumed with making comparisons.  We’re constantly labeling, categorizing and judging.   Unfortunately we are prone to make unhelpful comparisons in our daily lives that do significantly more damage than comparing apples to oranges.  Have you ever encountered a person doing something amazing and inspiring and been tempted to feel insignificant and inadequate?   Maybe someone is sharing about a way God moved in her life and the whole time you’re comparing yourself, feeling threatened and thinking: “What does this mean for me?”  I’ll confess that I had one of those moments as I read Chapter 2 of What Happens When Women Say Yes to God.

Lysa TerKeurst shares a moving story about adopting two teenaged boys from Liberia, Africa.  She says that her family said, “yes” to God “not because [they] were completely comfortable with adopting, but rather because [they] completely trusted Him”  (p. 37).   It’s an inspiring story, but instead of praising God for working in her family and rescuing two boys from the grip of poverty, I read it through my own filter. Evaluating myself in comparison to her, I thought: “She’s better than me.  I would never be able to handle something like that.”  It is too easy to look at how God is moving in the lives of others and to play the comparison game.  We end up thinking we’re inadequate for not “measuring up” and don’t factor in the part the Holy Spirit plays in all of it.

When we compare ourselves and come up short, we are essentially telling God that we don’t like the gifts He’s given us.  We are deciding that what God has done in another life is better than anything He could do in ours.  God has unique promptings for each of us. He gives each of us specific gifts, skills and experiences, all of which can be used for His glory. We are uniquely suited for certain things.  We’ll miss out on hearing His voice and discovering how He wants to use us if we’re busy comparing ourselves to others.

Saying “yes” to God’s promptings is a slow building process.  As He softens our hearts and we align our wills with His, He begins to shape our dreams and desires.  This is not something that happens overnight.  The first steps may look small to you, but they are only the beginning.  It starts with saying “yes” to spending time with God every day.  It continues as you include Him in your daily choices.  Eventually, you may find yourself surrendering every decision to Him and asking for His direction in all that you do.   The experiences you have, the people you meet and the things you learn prepare you to be used in new ways so that you are ready to answer when you hear God’s call.

Lysa gave a great set of questions to ask ourselves as we consider responding to God’s promptings:

-Does what I’m hearing line up with Scripture?

-Is it consistent with God’s character?

-Is it being confirmed through messages I’m hearing at church or studying in my quiet times?

-Is it beyond me?  (ie:  I could never do it without God’s help)

-Would it please God?

Even people who have been followers of Jesus for many years always have opportunities to stretch and grow in new ways.  After all, we are on a continual journey and will never attain total maturity or completeness until we reach our heavenly home.  Perhaps you’re already living out a “yes” you said to God in the past.  Maybe He is preparing you for a new season of serving in a different way.  Has someone recently asked you to consider a new opportunity that is a bit out of your comfort zone?  It might be time to pray through Lysa’s five questions and see where God is leading.  The point is: we need to look at what God is doing in us, personally, instead of comparing ourselves to what He’s doing in others.

If you are criticizing yourself over your propensity to compare, keep in mind that even Jesus’ closest disciples were guilty of this habit.   In the final chapter of John’s gospel, Jesus gives Peter some specific instructions about his ministry on earth.  When Jesus finishes talking, Peter turns and points to John, asking Jesus  “Lord, what about him?”  Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?  You must follow me”  (John 21:21-22).  I like the way my Bible commentary explains Jesus’ response to Peter:  “The answer of Jesus had one purpose, to rebuke Pater for being distracted over John’s future.  It was enough for him to be concerned about doing God’s will in his own life” (The Wycliffe Bible Commentary edited by Pfeiffer and Harrison, p. 1122).  Maybe it’s enough for us to be concerned about doing God’s will in our lives too.

When I’m tempted to compare the ways God is using another person and to think I don’t measure up, I stop myself by saying:  “Celebrate, don’t compare.”  It is a different issue entirely if we make a comparison and feel convicted that we’re being disobedient to God or not using what He’s given us.  In that case, we need to confess in prayer and follow up with actions.  In either situation, being critical of ourselves serves no purpose other than to keep us from making a difference for God’s kingdom purposes.