Get with the Program

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Some times for me I feel like I am just going through life and nothing I am doing seems to be working. But all of a sudden “Bam”, God keeps his promise to me, which is the same promise he keeps to all of us if we keep our eyes focused on him. It’s not easy, it is very hard. You will not understand this unless you go through some more difficult situations that God allows to happen in your life. One of my most favorite verses in the Bible is found in Isaiah 40:31,

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint”.

What that tells us is that no matter what the Lord will restore us if we put our trust in him. So why do we have a hard time doing that? The Christian life isn’t a self-help program. (Which I know goes against popular belief) We aren’t given a set of exercises to perform in order to achieve results. Instead, God works in our hearts and changes us from the inside out, transforming our desires and motives so that our new choices in behavior will be genuine and not fake.

For instance, many of you know that the past year and a half or so has been pretty rough financially for my wife and me. We have been pretty frugal clipping coupons, only getting what we need, and standing on God’s promise to us to always provide for our needs. That is not to say that we didn’t do our part. I got advice from a career counselor and put together a smokin’ resume. I put my resume out there and went on a few interviews. A few weeks ago I went on this interview out of state. It was a pretty good chance that I was going to be hired. During the process we could not agree on something and it was abruptly stopped with both of us agreeing that this would not be a job for me.

On my way home God was speaking to me and telling me that he didn’t want this for my life. He showed me that I would not be able to be involved with the motorcycle ministry, and rarely would I have the opportunity to lead people to Christ. I have grown to love and the respect the men that I am involved with. They are like my extended family and I would miss them dearly. Even though I was bummed that the job thing went sour, I was so happy that God was speaking these things into my life. My strength was renewed! Even though I had no prospect of work in the future, I was content that I was doing what the Lord wanted me to.

Wait, literally when I got home I received a phone call from a client that they were purchasing a property and that it would get me and my crews back to work. That’s not all; next week another one is being purchased by another client, and I will be even more busy. Then there is a good chance that in the middle to end summer a project double the size of the two I am working on now I have a good shot at. Wow!! God is so good and always faithful. But I had to do my part by looking, praying, and believing that he would come through for me. Oh, did I mention that we are getting closer to someone buying our home? Jesus loves to bless his children.

My point to telling you this is even though Christ transforms our hearts, we must take responsibility to recognize selfish motives and actions which means making our will, God’s will. When we consider those thoughts or actions to be dead and replace them with God-honoring thoughts and behaviors the Christian life, then, is lived at the moment of choice when we pick life over death and Christ over our selfish demands.

We may be confused from time to time, and we may be disappointed that we aren’t changing as fast as we’d like, but we can take heart that Christ Himself has taken up residence inside us. As we pay closer attention to His instructions and trust Him to use us, we’ll slowly but surely take on more of his character. We’ll love people with His love, serve with His humility, and stay STRONG in HOPE of the future because we remember the promise of the Resurrection.

There are a few thoughts of encouragement I would like to leave you with from some well known Christian authors.

“Failure doesn’t mean God has abandoned you … it does mean God has a better idea!” --Robert Schuller (pastor and author)

“When your number one goal in life is to die to yourself and put God first, you can rest assured you have a goal that will last a life time.” – Zig Ziglar

In closing, this may sound cliché, but God will always be the only steady thing in your life. Every thing else will disappoint you, mislead you, or not always be on your side. God our Father is always in your corner. So the sooner you get with the program the more joy you will have in your life.

God, thank you that you will always be bigger than the challenges in my life.

Your brother in Christ,

Will