
Facing and Rising Above Distractions

Inspirational Thought of the Day:
We were made to relate to God and to one another in a redemptive way in this mystery called life.
Scripture of the Day:
John 15:5
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:13
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down oneโs life for oneโs friends.”
Sometimes we can become hardened in a world of busyness that threatens to undo the essential need at the core of our humanity. Relationship. We were made to know and be known. Our value does not come from our accomplishments (which are really God’s) or from our function in this life. It comes from Being. In. Relationship. With. God. And. Others.
Yes, I know that last sentence is incorrect. But I, too, wanted to pause and soak those words in. I get busier than I should be and need the same reminder to be still before my God and to make time for people in my life.
Abiding is not an easy thing. The natural thing is to drift away from God and others and to allow sin to separate us.
We were not made to be isolated, not made to be an island. We were made to relate to God and to one another in a redemptive way in this mystery called life. All too often relationshipsย can be difficult as pride and self are on the throne more than people or honoring God in those relationships.
Christ exemplified perfect relationship with God the Father. He and the Father are one. He told us to be the same.
So how do we relate to a Holy God when we are unholy? By the mercy of God alone. How do we relate to people when we are different from one another? By God’s grace.
God has given us access to Himself though we did not deserve it. So often this access is not utilized and we can take this amazing reality for granted. God wants us to be in a relationship of dependence upon Him, where our needs are met by Him and we can enjoy His presence. He wants us to seek His will and understanding, constantly reading His love letter to us – His Word – and praying to Him. This is where we find our greatest peace, when we are living as God intended.
Religion is the complete opposite of this privilege of relationship we have with God in Christianity. Religion is man-made, dead, focusing on a performance mentality of doing good works. Sadly, for the one pursuing religion, they will never arrive at their goal or achieve real relationship.
In our relationship with God, it has all been done. This truth causes us to worship the One Who set us free so we could know Him. It also causes us to realize that we need to relate to one another in a way that God intended.
Do we see the people in our lives as precious gifts from God? Even the thorny relationships that bring us to our knees? How can we relate to one another in a humble, others-centered way? It might mean dying to our own agenda, building others up instead of ourselves, and pausing long enough to think, serve and pray for others.
In the end, relationships with people cause us to go deeper in our relationship with God. When relationships of this world fall short of our expectations, our God helps us to pick up the pieces and to be like Christ, Who laid down His life for others.
When Christ is at the center of our human relationships, it is a beautiful witness to the world of what it means to know God and one another and still be accepted and accepting.
Lord, thank You for drawing us near to You that we could know You – our God and Creator. Help us to never forsake this amazing privilege and to love others as You have loved us.
Inspirational Thought of the Day:
God is for us more than we are.
Scripture of the Day:
Numbers 6:23-27
“Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is the way you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: 24 The LORD bless you and protect you; 25ย The LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; 26ย The LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.’. 27ย So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”
Bless you, friend!ย It’s always good to start Monday off well. Go ahead – bless someone around you. It does not deplete our joy to give joy and blessing to another. In fact, it is an incubator that increases our joy all the more. Let’s start this week with a blessing, what say you?
Ever just feel like you wish someone would encourage you? Critical judgments come easily, but for someone to take the time out to encourage us goes beyond the norm. We, too, can often be so wrapped up in the busyness of life or preoccupied with self that we don’t notice the deep need around us for some en-COURAGE-ment.
A blessing might be the very thing someone needs to give them strength and courage to carry on or to undertake a challenging assignment. Why not give it?
We probably all know what it is like to be on the giving and receiving end of a blessing as well as being one who withholds it. The irony in sticking ourselves out there to try and accomplish a project or work God has placed on our hearts is that we are often misjudged as being prideful for doing so, when we are actually being vulnerable and obedient, motivated by a desire to honor God and giving ourselves over to our calling. Observers watching the progress can misjudge our heartsย as promoting self and withdraw their blessing or seek to discourage us from the work we are doing.
Ever felt like that?ย Reminds me of Nehemiah. Many detractors sought to undo his work. But He pressed on. Not a lot of blessings flowing his direction. But he knew the One Who had called Him and His blessing was all he needed. It is all we need, too, and this same blessing He has given to us so we can freely give to those around us.
On the other end of the spectrum, we have the disciples who were envious of other co-laborers who were baptizing; their methodology wasn’t the same “brand” – must be sinful. Not according to Jesus.
It is easy to encourage someone we admire, but what about someone we don’t? Maybe they just don’t stand out or maybe we envy a person and can’t bring ourselves to praise them. Yuck. Jealousy is insidious and ultimately hatred disguised in a competitive spirit. We all hate being envied, but we can be guilty of it ourselves, if we are not careful.
Ok, back on the encouragement bandwagon. God wants us to bless believers around us – He spoke it as an imperative, not a suggestion. He even spoke the kind of blessing to be given.
Maybe we don’t feel that we deserve God’s blessing or perhaps that an enemy does. Well, none of us do. But isn’t it amazing that the God Who made us, whom we sinned against and violated His Holy covenant would turn around and bless us?
God is for us more than we are.
In that moment of blessing others, Scripture says that we are putting God’s Name on that person. Wow. What a picture of Christ being an atonement cover for us. His Name being placed upon us, blessing us now and for all eternity.
Maybe the hesitation to bless others can be set aside and blessing can become a norm for the body of Christ. As we share God’s kindness and love with all of His children, amazingly we end up just as encouraged – and maybe the blessing we give might impact generations and eternity through the encouragement of one vessel.
Oh God, we are all one body and all need encouragement to run this race. Help us to be on mission to offer Your sincere blessing to those around us.
Inspirational Thought of the Day:
It is in pausing and being still that we are empowered to make an impact that ripples throughout eternity.
Scripture of the Day:
Psalm 127:2
“It is vain for you to rise early, come home late, and work so hard for your food. Yes, he can provide for those whom he loves even when they sleep.”
Running on the treadmill this morning I couldnโt help but feel somewhat like a hamster on a wheel. Another Monday, another day full of routine and responsibilities. Despite waking up with a headache, in an effort to be disciplined to reach my goals, on the treadmill I go. After that, I meant to throw some pinto beans and sausage in the crockpot this morning to feel especially accomplished to have exercised, showered and made dinner all by 8:00am, but life happens.
One child lost their cell phone, another childโs car was on empty, so on a day full of school orientations in addition to my normal full-time job, I need to flex and be creative, which is why I started work earlier today and am out the door early to accomplish the new challenges of the day, including writing this blog while my teenager with a learnerโs permit is driving me to follow the child whose car is on empty on our way to Verizon. I meant that to be a run on sentence for effect. And Verizon is not open this early. Great โ plan B or C, whichever plan we are on now. But I digress. Oh, wait โ todayโs blog is about creating margins in our life. Ha.
If I have a minute, or any amount of time, I will fill it up โ Lord willing with useful endeavors, but I have often been told that I do too much. Guilty. But life is so short and I want to make the most of it. So where does margin come into this lifestyle I have created, which includes 5 children, a wonderful husband, leading worship, speaking at conferences, writing a book, writing a new song and working as an executive assistant? Good question. Very creatively is the answer.
It starts with rising early. I cannot accomplish all the LORD has placed upon my heart if I am not up before my kids, and one child in particular is awake before the sun rises. I tell him to occupy himself reading or building legos while I seek the face of God. Oh wait, that should have been point #1. God first. Am I perfect in that goal of placing God first? No, but somewhere in my day I have got to get into His word and my personal preference is to use a โBible in a Yearโ reading plan. Here is a link to a website where you can choose a plan that works for you. Do I complete this perfectly every year? No, but I have learned to give myself grace and to press on year after year.
Discipleship. With a full life, discipleship for myself and my children, as well as time for my husband has to be intentional. These are the โbig rocksโ of life. My husband truly helps in this goal of closeness with date nights almost every week and setting aside time every year to go away together. Work will always be there, people won’t.
Discipling my children doesnโt look as neat and tidy as when my kids were little, when almost every morning we would rise and do a bible curriculum together, but they are older now and have responsibilities of their own. Creating opportunities to have one-on-one time is the challenge; it might be while driving in a car, or maybe just talking late at night, or finding a spot in the house to have a private conversation. Purposeful dates with kids is also one way this is achieved. Discipling for myself is a little harder to come by. This is where I mentor myself with books and studies โ but when?
Multi-tasking. While on my treadmill, I have my reading glasses on, reading an inspirational study or a book on ministry, highlighting key phrases. An iPad is one of my favorites to use while on the treadmill, because it is easiest to highlight while literally, โon the goโ. Another place where I multi-task is in the car. Since I have teens, I have built-in chauffeurs. It might make me a little sick to my stomach temporarily, but I can usually get something accomplished, whether it is doctor’s appointments, planning, working on my laptop, etc. Of course sometimes I need to be sensitive that it also might be time just to listen to loved ones.
Rest. My secret weapon is Melatonin gummies to help me get a good night’s rest. This is imperative for me to have strength and energy for the coming challenges of the day. It also helps with autoimmune diseases and might even curb headaches. The verse for today convicts my soul and reminds me that I am not invincible. Acquiescing to a schedule and getting proper rest are fundamental. This is still an area I am challenged in, but setting rest as a priority helps me achieve my goals.
Goals. I can have great ambitions and plans, but if they do not have deadlines, it will not get done. My flesh is a great obstacle in this regard, but as Paul said, I press on! In the past this has included registering for races which was an impetus to make me train. But goals are not enough alone. The motivation for the goals is essential. But where does that come from?
Attitude. My attitude needs adjustment that is only found in the word of God. This is the most important fuel for my heart. But all sorts of problems try to dismantle the joy and positive attitude that is formed by God’s word. What then? I can find motivation in courses, groups, studies or courses. Michael Hyatt’s course Best Year Ever was a real encouragement to me. But sometimes we need somebody to come alongside us.
Accountability. This one is tougher to find, but within our own household we can find someone who has a vested interest in our success. Small groups at church are another great option, or if we have to go it alone, planning tools can help to keep us on track.
Planning.ย Speaking of planning, building in time for planning is essential. Evernote really helps me in this regard, but then so does utilizing an old fashioned planner like Amy Knapp’s that I write all of my children’s work schedules and daily reminders for me in. But sometimes you just need to come apart or you will come apart. This past weekend was such a time for me, but I confess it was not planned.
Saturday was a beautiful day. No obligations other than preparing for worship leading and making meals for the family, who were all out of the house working. I basked in the presence of God and spent most of the day planning. This was a rare moment for this girl and I cherished every moment of it.
Don’t get me wrong – I am also the girl who wants to be around my family 24/7, but in this moment God created a space for me to think and ponder for an entire day. (A dangerous thing, I know). This time served as a catalyst that inspired a lot of changes to how I approach the Seeing Deep ministry going forward. Exciting stuff!
Examination. So in my quest to be effectively used by God and maximize the time God has given me, I learned again this past weekend that I need to take one day a month to set aside to pray and plan, in addition to my daily quiet time.
It also might mean examining my life to see where precious time is wasted and asking the LORD for wisdom with what needs to be pruned and what needs to be added. This article How Americans Spend Their Timeย was at once enlightening and a little sobering in that it conveyed both an opportunity to be introspective and aware of how we are numbering our days, as well as hopefully an encouragement about how someย of our time is well spent.
I long to be faithful and passionately pass on this faith in Jesus that has arrested my soul. Ultimately we are all accountable to the LORD for how we used this evaporating commodity called time. But to be more effective, ministry, family goals and work take planning. It is in the margins of life that our souls are replenished and refocused to the mission God has called us to. It is in pausing and being still that we are empowered to make an impact that ripples throughout eternity.
Lord, help us to number our days aright that we might gain a heart of wisdom. Help us to honor You above all else in these lives You have given.
Inspirational Thought of the Day:
Get stuffed with living water
Scripture of the Day:
Proverbs 1:29-31
“Because they hated moral knowledge, and did not choose to fear the LORD, 30ย they did not comply with my advice, they spurned all my rebuke. 31ย Therefore they will eat from the fruit of their way, and they will be stuffed full of their own counsel.”ย
Thirsty? We are all born consumers. We crave food, drink, love, respect, acceptance, knowledge, and the list goes on and on. We are humbled by the fact that we are always needing to be refilled. Like the woman at the well who longed for water that would forever quench her thirst, we long to be satisfied. And Christ invites us all to drink – deeply.
While we have practical needs that make us look to God our Provider, there are other things we need that we often overlook. God wants us to hunger and thirst after righteousness, wisdom, His Word and after Himself.
It is a choice we have to make to crave after God, though. He invites us, but He will not make us come into His presence. He is all we need, but we can spin our wheels chasing after temporary “water” instead of living water found in Christ.
Sometimes it can be hard to discern our own fleshly thoughts from the wisdom of God – especially when we are full of self and our own worldview. There is very little space in a vessel that is stuffed with our own opinion instead of God’s truth.
Asking questions about motivation and filtering our perspective through God’s Word helps us to cleanse ourselves of a lot of excess “stuff” that we do not need in our thoughts or heart.
We can never empty ourselves completely of self, but we can pursue God and His wisdom and store His truth in our mind. Ultimately, the more we feast on God’s word instead of worldly wisdom, the more we are strengthened to walk in His ways.
Instead of full of stress or worry, we can be full of joy. Instead of being full of self, we can be saturated with Jesus. Instead of being filled with despair, we can be filled with hope. When we drink deeply of the love of God and His word we will never be the same and those around us won’t be, either.
Lord, thank You for filling us with Your Holy Spirit. Fill us to overflowing and satisfy us with your presence so we never hunger after counterfeits.
Inspirational Thought of The Day:
When we consider the works of God, we cannot help but praise Him.
Scriptures of the Day:
Job 37:7
“He causes everyone to stop working,ย so that all people may know his work.”
Exodus 34:10
“He said, “See, I am going to make a covenant before all your people. I will do wonders such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation. All the people among whom you live will see the work of the LORD, for it is a fearful thing that I am doing with you.”
Deuternonomy 4:32
“Indeed, ask about the distant past, starting from the day God created humankind on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether there has ever been such a great thing as this, or even a rumor of it.”
There is something special about times when foul weather or illness strike so the work man does comes to a screeching halt. Like hamsters spinning incessantly on a wheel, a break in routine is jarring at first, but a welcome relief.
It is in those moments that we are forced to stop – when the busyness that encompasses us about is silenced just long enough for us to consider and ponder something other than our normal routine. When snow blankets the roads and man has to admit that even his mighty vehicle cannot circumvent them, we are humbled to realize that God made it all.
God wants us to slow down long enough to see His work. All creation testifies of His greatness. Every minute detail lauds Him as our genius Creator and heroic Savior.ย We hear it said many times, we read it and sing about it – how great our God is. When we consider His character – unmatchable, indescribable – it overwhelms us to even attempt to try to give Him the praise He is due.
Pause and praise Him today. Think on what He has done in your life. Reflect on His promises and His mighty deliverance. Take a break from the vicious cycle of life and breathe. That’s right. God gave you that breathe to praise Him.
The distractions of this world threaten to blind us to seeing the wonders of God. When we forget what our God has done for us, we are in danger of living for self and forgetting our very purpose – to bring Him glory and praise. That is simply what we were made for – to know Him and enjoy Him forever.
Lord, You are awesome and we cannot thank You enough! Thank You for opening our eyes to see how wonderful You are. Help us to never forget your works and great gift of salvation.