Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3
Proverbs are not guarantees. But, a proverb does point out what typically happens the majority of the time. They’re sort of like how an investment firm reminds its investors that past performance doesn’t guarantee future results. But, for most people on most days following Proverbs is a wise choice.
I think that this proverb is great, except that there are some things that I have committed to the Lord that actually failed. For instance, every Bible college student pursues the answer to basically two questions: What is God’s Will for my life? And, Who is God’s Will for my Life? Nothing that I committed to the Lord in 1984 actually came to pass. I didn’t become a missionary, and I didn’t marry the girl I was dating. The good news is that God has used me in ways that I never imagined, and that I married someone who is way out of my league.
I found success, not in getting the answers to my specific prayers, but in the fulfillment of godly desires for ministry and marriage that far exceeded my expectations.
We really want this “commit to the Lord” thing to be like a GPS. We are at point A. We would like to arrive at point B without any detours, roadblocks, inclement weather, or for men, no potty breaks.
I’ve been reading a book called Plan B by Pete Wilson, who pastors Cross Point Church in Nashville. His premise is “What do you do when God doesn’t show up the way you thought He would?” It’s a great book, especially for those of us who have been frustrated or devastated by a Plan B.
The interesting thing is that God only has a Plan A. When His Plan A doesn’t correspond with our Plan A, then God’s plan seems like Plan B to us. Just look at next proverb in chapter 16, “The Lord works out everything for his own ends – even the wicked for a day of disaster” (Proverbs 16:4).
Rick Muchow, the Worship Pastor at Saddleback Church, wrote a simple song that has encouraged me over the years. It says,
Trust God, from the bottom of your heart,
Don't try to figure out everything on your own,
Trust God, for where your life is going,
God is in control, God is in control (repeat)
Commit to the Lord, whatever you do, and your plans will succeed,
Pray Lord, I'm available to you, Here I am, Lord use me, Trust God…
You can listen to the song here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXmTpOQ4Ey4
How are you trusting God these days? What Plan Bs has God thrown your way? How is using these roadblocks and obstacles to build your faith and shape your character?
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Showing posts with label Ancient Wisdom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ancient Wisdom. Show all posts
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Trust without Explanation
By Allen White
On Tuesday, November 20, 2001, my wife
awoke in her hospital bed with this verse in the form of a song by Sixpence
None the Richer in her head. She had been on bed rest in the hospital for 17
days. I was on “cot rest” next to her bed during those days.
This song was actually sung at our
wedding just 18 months before. Standing at the altar, we had no idea how these
words to trust God would show up throughout our married life in such dramatic
ways.
At four minutes after midnight on
November 21, our son Samuel was born. His birth defect was confirmed, and our
trust in God took us to a much different place.
There was much I didn’t understand.
Since I devoted my whole life to God, why did He give us a child with a birth
defect? I was taught if I obeyed God, I would be blessed, and if I disobeyed, I
would be cursed. I had done my best to obey God, but was feeling cursed as days
turned to weeks then months with our newborn in intensive care.
Even going home didn’t change this
course. The baby wasn’t completely “fixed.” In fact, over the years, the issues
have been like peeling layers of an onion. Each new issue came with a whole new
specialist. Each new year has challenged us to trust God in yet another way.
The path hasn’t seemed straight or
easy. Anyone who ever expressed the idea that the Christian life was somehow easier
needs to apologize for those words. Just a Christian way of life doesn’t bring
ease, but our relationship with God makes what seems impossible possible.
Our understanding demands a lot of
answers, but answers don’t really make you feel better, do they? In so many
ways, life just doesn’t make sense. But, the insecurities we face force us to
trust God. Insecurity with a deepening trust in God is far better than security
with trust in our own understanding.
What doesn’t make sense in your life?
When do you want to shake your first at the sky and demand an answer? When do
you want to collapse to your knees and pour out your broken heart?
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Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Before Dave Ramsey…
By Allen White
Years ago, I sat in a budgeting seminar
at a summer camp in western Kansas. The speaker gave simple, yet profound
advice. “Spend only what you have. Get out of debt and stay out of debt.” It
seemed there should really be more to it than that.
I was in college at the time and didn’t
have any debt. No credit card. No student loans. I didn’t owe any money to
anybody. I really didn’t worry about debt. I actually didn’t have any money to
worry about at the time.
In the 25 years since then, I’ve
unfortunately been enslaved to debt for the vast majority of those years. No
one forced me into it. I was a victim of my own choices, which actually makes
me the perpetrator.
Our family is in the process of digging
out and is making great progress. Much like weight loss, debt doesn’t all come
on at once, and it certainly doesn’t all come off at once either. It’s steady
plodding.
The image of being someone’s master or
slave seems far removed from where we live, but it certainly exists in this
world. Through my involvement with Water of Life, this
has become very clear.
In our work in India, Roland Bergeron,
our founder, discovered quarries mined by child slaves. The scenario went
something like this.
The mine owners would loan a couple
more money than he knew they could ever afford to repay (usually in the realm
of US$2,000-3,000). After time passed and payment wasn’t made, the mine owner
would show up and demand one of the family’s children to satisfy the debt. The
child became the slave of the lender.
While slavery is outlawed in the United
States, the vast majority are enslaved to debt. (According to the International Justice Mission, slavery exists
right here in the United States. In fact, your tomatoes might
have been picked by slaves in the U.S.). If we don’t pay our Visa bill, no
one is going to submit us to forced labor. But, they can send us to collection
or bankruptcy.
Consumer debt really makes no sense. We
pay for something many times over in a period of years, when we could have just
saved up and bought it when we had the money. Or, we could have just waited for
the impulse to pass and just done without it.
Most of us can’t afford to pay cash for
a house. We’re probably not going to present an all cash offer on “Selling New
York” any time soon – though I would work with Michelle Kleier, if that ever
was the case. Enough financial dreaming.
The Bible has more to say about money
than love, faith or most other subjects. How we handle our money is a key
spiritual indicator in our lives. We can use money and serve God, or we can
serve money and become enslaved to it.
Now that I’m not a pastor at a church,
I can say exactly what I feel about money. It’s a cruel task master. God loves
us. Money demands more. God is generous. Money is stingy. We would all do
better giving our money to build God’s Kingdom and help the poor rather than
sending it all to South Dakota or Wilmington, Delaware.
How are you handling money? Are you
using it or is it using you?
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Sunday, July 22, 2012
Secrets of the Heart
By Allen White
The Queen in Snow White inquires, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who’s the fairest
of them all?”
Mirror: “Not you.” (Allen White
Version)
We can’t see ourselves directly. As I’m
sitting here typing, I can see my hands and arms. I can see my legs. I can see
the rim of my glasses. But, I can’t see my hair, my eyes, my nose, or my ears.
The only way I have any idea of what I look like is from the image in a mirror
or in a photo or video.
Truthfully, I often like the idea of
what I look like rather than the reality of it. In my mind, I still look much
like I did in college. But, the scale reveals I weigh nearly twice as much as I
did then. And, the mail reveals my 25th college reunion is
approaching. How could this be? I’m so young and fit -- in my mind.
All of us tend to think the best of
ourselves, then we get a glimpse revealing we’re not as good as we think we
are. I’m not saying we’re all bad, but we’re certainly not all good either.
Just like the mirror reveals the
condition of our appearance, our hearts reveal the condition of our souls. Are
we jealous? Are we angry? Are we fearful? What are our hearts telling us.
Over the years, so much of discipleship
and spiritual growth has focused on “neck up” exercises. The more we know, the
more we grow, right? Not necessarily. As one author put it, “Most Christians
are already educated well beyond their level of obedience.” Ouch.
Our hearts reveal our condition. But,
our hearts speak differently than our minds. For instance, I’m not sure anyone
has ever purchased a car as the result of a rational decision. We usually go on
the lot and choose a car we will…love. Then, we buy something slightly more
expensive than what we intended to. The rationale comes afterward in justifying
the purchase and figuring out how we can afford the “low monthly payments.”
What do our hearts “say” about our
spiritual condition? What makes us anxious? What threatens us? What irritates
us? What excites us? What helps us feel calm? These indicators show us the
condition of our soul.
If our hearts only longed for good
things, then we would be good people through and through. If our hearts only
longed for evil things, then we would be truly evil people. The problem is none
of us fits neatly into either category. Sometimes good people harbor evil
thoughts in their hearts. Sometimes bad people surprise us and do something
good. Sometimes it’s hard to tell which is which.
The goal is not to live a perfect life,
but we must live an informed life. Our information should come from several
sources. Certainly our mind and our thoughts make a contribution. But, our
heart is quite a blabbermouth in revealing our spiritual condition.
What is your heart telling you? What
are you angry about? What are you sad about? What are you afraid of? If you’re
not sure, get out a sheet of paper and write one of these questions at the top.
Then, start writing the answers. God will help you grow in ways you never
realized you needed to grow.
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Sunday, July 15, 2012
Deception is Reality?
By Allen White
Like a
coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart. Enemies
disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit. Though
their speech is charming, do not believe them for seven abominations fill their
hearts. Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will
be exposed in the assembly. Proverbs 26:23-26
When I was 12-years-old I spent a week
with my Grandma White. She was a remarkable person. Grandma survived her
husband by about 40 years, raised 12 children, cared for foster children after
her own children were grown, and volunteered to help “senior citizens.” To date,
between children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great
grandchildren, there are 120 of us and growing annually.
During that summer week, my grandma and
I volunteered serving the elderly. It seemed like a fine line between the volunteers
and the elderly in some cases. We visited neighbors, and we made ceramics.
I decided to work on a turtle. Now, I
didn’t create the turtle myself. I started with the clay greenware. My grandma
showed me how to clean it up and smooth out the rough edges. At the end of the
process, we had a clay turtle. Then, I applied some magic paint.
The paint went on white, but once the
ceramic was fired in the kiln, it came out a mix of green and brown. The clay
turtle was now turtle colored - - not through and through, but on the outside.
Now, I wasn’t trying to convince anyone
this was a taxidermy version of a real turtle. It was a ceramic turtle. But, in
this passage, Solomon points to evil and deceitful people who disguise
themselves much like the turtle color disguised the clay.
These people are experts at
manipulation and making everything sound great, even when things aren’t close
to great. They work so hard at deceiving others, they often deceive themselves
in the process.
Some say, “Perception is reality.” But,
in all honesty, “Reality is reality.” Sometimes “Perception is deception.” It’s
someone else’s version of reality, even if that someone else is us.
Deceitful people are often broken and
insecure. Rather than doing the hard work of growing to health and healing,
instead they work hard at covering their tracks and manipulating things to get
their way. This behavior receives a rather strong label in Scripture – evil.
It’s not “he’s just a victim and thus
victimizes others.” It’s not “bless his heart, this is how he’s always been.”
This is “he is choosing to go his own way and refuses to allow God to help
him.”
Rather than honestly confessing what
needs transformation, he just puts on another coat of shellac. We know people
who put it on thick, don’t we? The bigger question is: Are we those people?
What do we feel is easier to cover up
than expose? What bad thing are we trying to put a good face on?
It’s okay to be clay. God knows we’re
fragile. He remembers we came from dust (Psalm
103:13-14). God loves us the way we are, but He loves us too much to leave
us there. No shellac!
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Sunday, July 8, 2012
The Right to be Right (Even When You’re Wrong)
By Allen White
Anybody who’s ever bought a used car or a used house has convinced themselves the situation is better than it actually appears. “The minor engine noise is not that bad.” “The creak in the floor adds to its charm.” If you’ve only ever bought new, then you don’t know what I’m talking about.
Over time those charming, minor flaws we once felt could be easily overlooked are the first thing we notice on a regular basis. There’s a sick feeling in the pit of our stomach. Our “great value” gains another name “lemon.”
We live in a world where we have the right to be right even when we’re wrong. Our political correctness has led to apathy. “Who am I to judge them?” begins to sounds like “Why should I care? They made their choice.”
The bottom line is simply this: I am not “more” right than you, and you aren’t “more” right than me, but God’s Word is always right. This should be a great comfort, even though at times God’s Word can make us uncomfortable.
A lot of people are wrongly “right” about handling their finances. If you’re trying to set a family budget, and especially if you’re trying to live by one, the first principle of money is the first 10 percent belongs to God (Malachi 3:3) – no ifs, ands, or buts.
We think “if I can’t live on 100 percent of my income, then how could I possibly live on 10 percent less?” Here’s the key: if we live in obedience to God, God will bless us. If we live in disobedience to God, God will, um, not bless us.
Over the last six months, I took on a job that I love, but it’s unlike any job I’ve had before. Rather than having a secure, regular paycheck, there’s a base salary, then incentives beyond that. For the salesmen out there, they wouldn’t have it any other way. For me, the thought of not possibly covering basic needs tends to freak me out a little bit. But, all along we’ve tithed to our church.
Every month we’ve had what we needed. We haven’t had to touch our emergency savings. God has provided for all of our needs. Many of my readers have been a part of this with your generosity in supporting these devotionals.
This is one of many examples of how God’s ways are higher than our ways. When we think we know better than God – this is where the trouble begins.
What are you being stubborn about these days? What part of God’s Word are you ignoring to justify something that feels right to you? If you’re not sure, ask God to examine your heart, then humbly surrender the things He points out.
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Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Gypped by Cash for Gold
By Allen White
I took an old class ring to a “Cash for Gold” place. It wasn’t worth as much as I’d hoped. After listening to all of those advertisements, I really expected ten times more. Thus, the power of advertising drew me in.
The ring was in good shape. It actually was gold. But, it wasn’t as much gold as I had thought. It was 10 caret gold, which means the ring was actually on 41.7 percent gold. There was actually far more other metal in the ring than gold. They only wanted the gold. Otherwise, it would be called “Cash for Nickel and Zinc.”
Once the ring went to the refinery, it was put through the fire. All of the gold was separated from the other metals.
Have you ever known someone beautiful who thought they were ugly? Have you ever encountered someone rich who thought they were poor? Have you ever experienced another’s brilliance only to discover he thinks he’s dumb? Have you ever met a redeemed person who wallowed in their fallenness? These are the impurities God wants to remove from our hearts.
Our character is forged in the furnace of life. While I don’t have much appreciation for unpleasant circumstances, I do value what God does in me as a result. I’m not running into crises and “counting it all joy” like James, but I do understand how God can use difficult situations and difficult people to change me.
Who are you about to “vote” out of your life like an episode of Survivor? Who would you cause you to look the other way or duck behind the shelves at Wal-mart? While you are probably not going to run up and hug them, God has put that person in your life for a reason.
God loves you too much to leave you with the character you have. He will do whatever it takes to make you more like Him.
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Sunday, June 24, 2012
Allen White: Perpetual Optimist?
By Allen White
Proverbs sort of go back and forth. First we’re told if we’re happy to watch out because it can be replaced by grief (Proverbs 14:13). Now, we’re instructed that a cheerful heart is a continual feast. So, let’s look into a couple of facts about proverbs.
First, proverbs are truths regarding what generally happens. If you start a child on the right path, usually they follow the right path, even if they’ve taken a detour at some point (Proverbs 22:6). It is a general principle, but not a guarantee.
The second fact is proverbs often contrast two statements. “A merry heart does good like a medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones” (Proverbs 17:22). A merry heart is compared to a broken spirit. The idea is if you want good medicine, take a dose of merriment. But, a bitter pill is bad medicine.
In this proverb, Solomon contrasts oppression with cheerfulness. Oppression is the key to wretched days. Good days are wretched. Bad days are wretched. Oppression turns blue skies gray. It steals the last slice of chocolate cake. It makes your half full glass sour. A cheerful heart has a continual feast.
Some people are naturally optimistic. I am not one of those people, but I tolerate them. Those of you who know me, just tweeted “Amen!” Even though I tend to see the glass half empty, the project half done, the result as just okay, but not good enough, I do experience a cheerful heart.
While I am not naturally prone to cheer, I can certainly conjure it up. I am cheerful when I take two minutes in the morning in complete silence to embrace the Master and Creator of the Universe who longs to spend time with me. I am cheered by meaningful work and the news of life-change. I find myself outright giddy when I remember Who I belong to and what He has done for me.
I delight in my children’s laughter and expressions of their creativity. I celebrate a new healthy recipe my wife has discovered. My heart cheers when at the end of the day, I can share a moment with my wife, or when she laughs at one of my dumb jokes – not to placate me, but because she finds it truly funny.
I don’t plan on converting to optimism any time soon. But, I do have much to be cheerful and grateful about. When I stop to celebrate the great family I have and the joys around me, I have a continual feast.
When do you feel oppressed? God is not putting that darkness on you. Oppression comes from our enemy who wants to defeat and destroy us. God desires for us to discover abundant living (John 10:10).
Here’s the bottom line, and even I must admit it’s true – no one can steal your joy. No circumstance can remove your blessings. The only potential joy robber in your life is your attitude. You have little control over anything else, but you can control your view of the world. This is the key to your continual feast.
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Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Are You Suffering from Envy Erosion?
By Allen White
I never really considered peace as the opposite of envy. Strife seems like the counter to peace and satisfaction to envy. But, peace and envy? I’ve honestly never put them together, even though I’ve read this proverb many times.
Envy can’t stand it when others succeed. When someone gets a newer, shinier ________________, do we congratulate them, then begin investigating how to do better? Or do we just assume they are living beyond their means and just putting on for show?
When we envy, we compete. We strive to keep up with the Joneses. Striving leads to, well, strife. Whether the other person is aware or not, we harbor an inner wrestling. Our pride tells us we are better than the other, so we deserve better than they do.
Envy doesn’t bring life to the body. Instead, envy “rots the bones.” How are your bones? No amount of calcium will overcome this envy sickness.
Peace certainly relates to an absence of strife. But, in the case of envy, peace succumbs to internal strife.
Someone with a heart at peace knows who they are. A heart at peace believes God has a plan and knows He is working for our good. A peaceful heart knows whether we’re the tortoise or the hare, God is always there.
Think about this – what would you rather have? Meaningful work or material success? Of course, we answer “both.” Yet, we live in the wealthiest country of the world and live far above the rest of the world, but we are not satisfied with material success – especially if other “undeserving” folks are more successful than we are.
If you could choose only one, would you rather have health or wealth? Would you rather have salvation or stuff? Would you rather have a heart at peace or bone rotting envy?
God didn’t create us to be better than other people. God created us to be us. With His power and promise, we are certainly destined to become a better version of us. But, a “better me” is not at the cost of besting others.
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Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Are Some People Too Happy?
By Allen White
Talk about a wet blanket. What happened
to the proverb about cheerful words? We could use that one again after this
one.
Happiness at best is temporary. In fact
the word happiness is based on the word “happenstance.” Some circumstances
promote happiness. Others do not.
We don’t experience complete happiness
all of the time. We certainly enjoy happy times or even happy moments. But, no
one enjoys perpetual happiness. Think about this – if all we ever experienced
was happiness, we would just call it “life.” If we were always happy, we
wouldn’t even need the word “happy.”
Every life has ups and downs. This is
reality. People who attempt to live a lifetime on mountain tops are a little
disconnected from reality. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to rain on your
parade. We all need the sun to break through our clouds on gloomy days.
To become disconnected from our pain
and solely pursue full-time happiness leads to a condition called denial. We
become separated from reality. Our attempts at happiness can lead to ways to
numb our pain. The “life of the party” is often crying on the way home.
So should we just abandon happiness and
give into impending misery – absolutely not! We serve a God who delights in us.
He doesn’t want us to wallow in misery. The Bible tells us “A merry heart does
good like a medicine” (REF).
We all could stand to laugh a little
more – maybe even laugh until we can’t stand it. In the course of any day,
we’re bound to do dumb things – it’s time to laugh at ourselves. We should slow
down and enjoy the laughter of our children. We should share funny stories with
each other and enjoy our lives.
But, our expectation should be a
variety of experiences and emotions. Nothing will keep us happy, and nothing
should keep us sad.
What are you pursuing? Constant
happiness? Numbing out your pain? Can you experience God in bright moments as
well as dark ones? God gives us a variety of experiences, and He’s with us in
every one.
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Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Could Obstacles be Part of Our Objective?
By Allen White
Rick Warren says, “You can live a week
without food. You can live a day without water. You can live five minutes
without oxygen. But, you can’t live a second without hope.”
God created each of us for a purpose. I
believe Rick Warren also had a few things to say about that. We have all been
wired for a specific mission God planned for us long ago.
When we operate in line with that
mission, we find a life-giving flow of energy, creativity, excitement and joy.
When we operate outside of our mission, we find ourselves tired, unmotivated
and certainly not loving every minute of it.
Don’t get me wrong. No one has a
problem-free life. Jesus told us, “In this world, you will have trouble” (John
16:33). He wasn’t kidding. But, as Laura Story puts it so well, what if the
trials of this life are “His blessings in disguise?”
Our problems are our teachers, and
there are some days I want to skip school. But, trouble deepens our dependence
on God and strengthens our character as a result.
But, if we don’t hope things will
improve or that our present sacrifice will lead to a brighter future, life is
rather defeating. If in following our mission we encounter trouble, we might
take it a little more in stride. It goes with the territory. But, if we’re
uncertain of our purpose, trouble can be devastating.
What do you long for? Do you long to
fulfill God’s plan for your life, or do you long for some new toy? What
preoccupies your thoughts? Are you hoping another person will change so your
life can improve? Good luck with that.
The key to a satisfied life is aligning
what you do and how you do it with what God has designed for you to do. If
you’re not sure God has a mission for you at all, a course like Network or
SHAPE or PLACE is a good way to start.
Please don’t misunderstand me. God
isn’t necessarily calling you to quite your day job and move to Africa – but He
might be. If you do meaningful work, then you just might have discovered your
God-given calling. But, if your work is not a love-to-do and more of a
have-to-do, you’re probably not operating in your sweet spot.
I know variety is the spice of life,
but monotony pays the bills. But, would life be better while we are doing work
we love every day, we also pay the bills? There is no greater feeling than
working hard at something that matters far beyond our ability or lifespan. It’s
doing God’s work.
What work has God called you to? If you
don’t know, then ask Him. If you are in a difficult work situation, then ask
God if you’re there for His purpose. He will give you insight into why you are
there. And, don’t be surprised if He uses a little trouble to motivate you in
the right direction.
God has a purpose for your life. You may
never be a pastor or preacher. You may never work at a church. But, God has a
plan uniquely suited to the gifts and abilities He has given you. Aligning with
your purpose will bring joy and hope to your life.
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Sunday, June 10, 2012
The Anxiety Cure
By Allen White
Why do we feel so anxious? Anxiety is
tied to the future. We’re not anxious about our past. After all, if we are
anxious someone might find out something about our past, that’s actually a
future concern. Past is past.
Anxiety is a problem with our future.
“I don’t know if I can get all of my work done.” “I don’t know if my kids will
turn out well.” “I don’t know where I’ll be a year from now.” “I don’t know if
I’ll still have my job.” Anxiety weighs us down.
Research shows by rehearsing these
anxious thoughts, we actually put ourselves through the same physiological
process as if we’re actually experiencing the problem. If we worry about
getting fired, we go through the same stress, emotions, and physical symptoms
as if we just received our pink slip. In fact, getting fired might actually
come as a relief!
No one has exact certainty regarding
his/her future. We can plan. We can work. We can hope, and we can worry. But,
worry doesn’t promise a positive outcome. In fact, worry might take us the
other direction. Now, there’s one more thing to worry about.
If anxiety weighs down, then a kind
word cheers up. Here’s the kind word: there is Someone who knows your entire
future – God. Before you were born, God knew you and the path you would take.
God is never surprised or worried about what happens to you. He already knows.
Not only does God know our future, He
has a plan for us. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us, “For I know the plans I have for
you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to
give you hope and a future.” God has got things under control, and He is
leading us toward a positive result.
Above all else, God loves us. He loves
us enough to not leave us with poor character or a defeating circumstance. What
He won’t deliver us from He will walk us through, and it will develop our character
in the process.
Cheer up. God is on your side. And, if
God is for us, then who can be against us?
God knows the future. He knows
everything planned for today, and tomorrow, and every day after that. Once the
issue you face is resolved, God also knows the peace you will experience. And,
here’s the great thing about God, if we follow His instructions in Philippians
4:6-7, we can have that peace now. We don’t have to wait.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but
in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your
requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will
guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). Follow
these words to cheer your heart and lift your burden.
More from Allen
White: allenwhite.org
Facebook: Galatians419 Group
Twitter: @galatians419 @allenwhite
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Shortcuts to the Long Way
By Allen White
Ever taken a short cut? One day I was
driving back from having my lawn mower repaired. The mower was sticking out of
the trunk of my car with the trunk lid tied down the best I could. I may very
well be the only man in the South without a truck.
I didn’t want to take the highway, so I
took a smaller street that would get me and the mower home safely. As I drove, traffic became slower
and slower until it came to a crawl. I looked over at the highway and thought
it might have been a better choice. Then, I found a shortcut on my GPS.
A great side street moved all of the
way off of the map. I had found a winner and would no longer be stuck behind
all of the mess.
I made a right turn and drove for
several miles only to discover what the GPS failed to show me. The street was a
dead end. As I made a uturn and headed back to the surface street and the
traffic jam, I realized my shortcut was not short. My trip actually grew
longer. Now, I was stuck behind more cars than ever. I had been deceived.
Evil seems like a shortcut. Lucifer, the most
beautiful archangel in Heaven, decided to compete with God rather than bask in
God’s glory. The pride in his heart made him God’s enemy and ours. Now, the
deception continues.
As we are tempted by evil, sometimes we
eye the shortcuts in life. This proverb tell us the hearts of people set on
evil are filed with deceit. Deceit is not just a weapon against others. Deceit
is self-destructive. People who do evil are not just deceivers, but are also
deceived.
Whatever they think will bring them
happiness brings them far less. The contrast to deceit in this passage is
peace. Rather than manipulating someone to follow your way, folks who promote
peace achieve unity which results in joy.
Most of us wouldn’t categorize
ourselves in the ranks of Satan. That’s a bit extreme. We’re not evil. We’re
not anti-God. We just want things our way – which happens to be anti-God and
thus evil. Oops.
Promoting peace doesn't mean passively
smoothing things over and ignoring others' bad behavior. It also doesn’t mean
never getting our way.
Here’s a simple truth: you and I are
not the Holy Spirit. We do not need to talk about others' faults and failures. We
don’t need to tattle on them like little children. Their deeds will be found
out soon enough. We don’t even have to say a word to another person. But, we
should direct all of our words to God.
We should tell God our fears over a
situation. We should report to God the misdeeds of others. We should ask God to
make things right. Then, we should ask God to give us His peace that passes all
understanding.
One of my favorite passages from Scripture
says this, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer
and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of
God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds
in Christ Jesus” (Phiiippians 4:6-7). Practicing this verse will lead to peace
and joy.
More from Allen
White: allenwhite.org
Facebook: Galatians419 Group
Twitter: @galatians419 @allenwhite
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