My friend wrote on her blog the importance of giving up things for Lent, saying:
"Lent is a time to fast from something that is near and dear to us – probably a little too near and dear to us. If you’ve ever tried fasting from food, you know that it does funny things to you. For example, being hungry makes me tend to be crabby and irritable. Any kind of suffering does that to us – it shows up who we really are. It brings our sins to the surface. Since Lent is about dealing with our sin, fasting helps us face that sin in ourselves to fight it directly. It’s hard, and sometimes it seems like I make more backward progress than forwards. But if nothing else, being so confronted with our sin makes us more appreciative of what Christ did for us – Like the beautiful story of the “sinful woman” in Luke 7:36-50:“Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”"
Tim Keller recently wrote a book called Counterfeit Gods where he talked about the fact that we all have these idols in our lives - good things that we have made ultimate things. So in coming to Lent we have the opportunity to suffer and to face some of those idols in our lives as they're exposed through the suffering of giving things up. We have the chance to enter into suffering.
This is cool to me because I know that there are so many times when God allows suffering into our lives to grow us and to reveal various sins. But over Lent instead of waiting for the circumstances to come about, we are saying, "Jesus, I love you more and I know there are things in my life that should not be there. I know that there are thoughts, ideas, and beliefs that have resulted in me loving things more then I love you. So now, I want to love you more and I want to allow these things to be secondary as you are primary; I want to surrender all to you."
We can face those idols and repent.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
The Risk of Leadership
Some people say leadership is hard and challenging, but I've found leading the WCW task force risky. I've found it especially risky because I feel like God has gently, yet firmly, placed his hand on my life pressing things down and allowing more and more sin to be revealed which I often feel like is then clearly displayed for the world to see (yes, I know that's a bit self-centered).
Yes, I know there's definitely that concept that people probably pay less attention to what I perceive as a big deal, but there's also an acute awareness on my part that my sin will impact how I lead and interact with others around me, and those deep sins within, the ones I'm not even fully aware of, could come out and hurt someone else.
The risk for me is being aware of this - being aware of the pain I may cause others, the ways I may mess up and fail, the way things may fall apart - yet fully and totally trusting God that he has put me in this place for a reason and that he can use and redeem even my brokenness and failure. He is bigger and he chooses to use us, sinful people. It honestly seems more of a risk on God's part then mine. I guess that again emphasizes God's greatness, and the privilege it is to be used by him to advance his kingdom.
May the risks never outweigh the truth that our God is bigger.
Yes, I know there's definitely that concept that people probably pay less attention to what I perceive as a big deal, but there's also an acute awareness on my part that my sin will impact how I lead and interact with others around me, and those deep sins within, the ones I'm not even fully aware of, could come out and hurt someone else.
The risk for me is being aware of this - being aware of the pain I may cause others, the ways I may mess up and fail, the way things may fall apart - yet fully and totally trusting God that he has put me in this place for a reason and that he can use and redeem even my brokenness and failure. He is bigger and he chooses to use us, sinful people. It honestly seems more of a risk on God's part then mine. I guess that again emphasizes God's greatness, and the privilege it is to be used by him to advance his kingdom.
May the risks never outweigh the truth that our God is bigger.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Uncomfortable Worship
At the seminar Uncomfortable Worship that was put on today by Josh Davis of Proskuneo I was encouraged to look at the various things that hinder worship such as sin and pride, among other things. I was encouraged by the biblical references and the whole concept that worship is costly and risky business - and we're not just talking corporately, we're also talking one's daily life of living for God's glory.
I was thinking of some of those discomforts and then an uncomfortable thought popped into my head - personal worship (i.e. quiet times) - have the potential to be costly. I tried to push the idea out of my head, but it stuck. I thought through my comfortable morning routine... and then I thought about areas I really wanted to grow in my relationship with God - such as praying God's Word. The only way to really do that, to really take the time and develop the discipline would be to sacrifice time and sleep.
I know that is really surface and petty, but there's part of me churning inside with my comfortable worship, my safe routine. I don't know if I trust God with providing the sleep I need or the wakefulness I would need to wake up earlier. There's also that deep down voice that tells me sacrifice and making myself uncomfortable in worship to go deeper with God will be pointless.
All I can say is that it's a good thing Lent is approaching as it is forcing me to seriously consider what sacrifice really looks like.
I was thinking of some of those discomforts and then an uncomfortable thought popped into my head - personal worship (i.e. quiet times) - have the potential to be costly. I tried to push the idea out of my head, but it stuck. I thought through my comfortable morning routine... and then I thought about areas I really wanted to grow in my relationship with God - such as praying God's Word. The only way to really do that, to really take the time and develop the discipline would be to sacrifice time and sleep.
I know that is really surface and petty, but there's part of me churning inside with my comfortable worship, my safe routine. I don't know if I trust God with providing the sleep I need or the wakefulness I would need to wake up earlier. There's also that deep down voice that tells me sacrifice and making myself uncomfortable in worship to go deeper with God will be pointless.
All I can say is that it's a good thing Lent is approaching as it is forcing me to seriously consider what sacrifice really looks like.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Worship and Pride
Today I was reminded again of how much I need to grow in grace, humility and truth. It was a simple comment on one of my favorite verse - Philippians 2:3-4 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." This was said in regards to worship and more specifically, style of worship. It hit my heart.
So often I go into church looking to be ministered to, looking for my needs to be met. I'll get annoyed if the music isn't exactly to my taste (among other things). Yet, this verse calls me to look out for others' interests. Even in worship and while I'm in church.
I feel there are so many areas that God has yet to unpack the truth of this verse in my life. So many areas where I'm sure I harbor hidden pride, selfish ambition. Yet God in his grace will not cease to grow me - will not cease the good work he began (Phil 1:6).
I am thankful for this reminder, prayerful that he will ever more reveal these areas that I walk around with blindly confident
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Not My Work
I'm blogging in class. Not sure I should really admit that, but there it is.
In the midst of this class I am thinking through the details of World Christian Week and am excited about it. I'm mostly excited because being on the planning committee I know the great things we have planned, but I also know the areas that are weak and where we just don't know how it will turn out. And that's exciting because it makes way for God to work in ways we cannot imagine or expect.
That's the thrilling thing about being a Christian and following God where he is leading, acting upon what God has shown you to do: He will ultimately work in ways that we cannot imagine in and through us. God is going to do something through World Christian Week NOT because of our work and effort in preparing, but because he is God. He will definitely use our preparation and the things planned, but those events of themselves are nothing - it is God working in and through them that will produce a great result.
I am so thankful that it is not my efforts, but that it is God's working in and through people (and events) that brings the result.
In the midst of this class I am thinking through the details of World Christian Week and am excited about it. I'm mostly excited because being on the planning committee I know the great things we have planned, but I also know the areas that are weak and where we just don't know how it will turn out. And that's exciting because it makes way for God to work in ways we cannot imagine or expect.
That's the thrilling thing about being a Christian and following God where he is leading, acting upon what God has shown you to do: He will ultimately work in ways that we cannot imagine in and through us. God is going to do something through World Christian Week NOT because of our work and effort in preparing, but because he is God. He will definitely use our preparation and the things planned, but those events of themselves are nothing - it is God working in and through them that will produce a great result.
I am so thankful that it is not my efforts, but that it is God's working in and through people (and events) that brings the result.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
No Pain, No Gain
I love the fact that I have an athletic background, I find that as Paul used the analogy of an athlete (2 Tim 2:5), there are many lessons I learned through swimming that apply to my walk with Christ. One of which is the old saying "no pain, no gain."
I don't know when I truly realized what this means, but it hit me one swim practice that to get good, I mean really good, I had to work my butt off every practice, leaving my all in the pool and dealing with the pain that entails... only to do the same the next day. It wasn't a one-time thing. It was a daily practice of exerting myself to the max. I remember the first practice I did that over winter break, and I definitely remember the results the following spring as my times dropped substantially and I qualified for better meets.
Recently I have been thinking through the personal pain that sin brings and the willingness to look and deal with it. Even though in my swimming days I was willing to deal with the pain a practice caused I knew when it would be over, I knew I could slack if I wanted; it was my choice. I didn't love the pain, but I knew it would bring something good. Dealing with sin is painful and it can be a little more scary as the certainty of the end point is not there. God is the one to be trusted in walking you through it. But the results - the fruit of the Spirit, increased intimacy with God - are so worth it. I have jumped into some areas of growth recently forgetting that there would be pain... and subsequently getting a little mad at God for it. I forget very easily that the pain this has caused me is not bad pain; there is an aspect in this pain that God is training, growing and strengthening me through this. And if it's worth it to put in the work for something as fleeting as a sport, how much more so for having the reality of a closer relationship with God and a deeper and greater intimacy with Him.
I don't know when I truly realized what this means, but it hit me one swim practice that to get good, I mean really good, I had to work my butt off every practice, leaving my all in the pool and dealing with the pain that entails... only to do the same the next day. It wasn't a one-time thing. It was a daily practice of exerting myself to the max. I remember the first practice I did that over winter break, and I definitely remember the results the following spring as my times dropped substantially and I qualified for better meets.
Recently I have been thinking through the personal pain that sin brings and the willingness to look and deal with it. Even though in my swimming days I was willing to deal with the pain a practice caused I knew when it would be over, I knew I could slack if I wanted; it was my choice. I didn't love the pain, but I knew it would bring something good. Dealing with sin is painful and it can be a little more scary as the certainty of the end point is not there. God is the one to be trusted in walking you through it. But the results - the fruit of the Spirit, increased intimacy with God - are so worth it. I have jumped into some areas of growth recently forgetting that there would be pain... and subsequently getting a little mad at God for it. I forget very easily that the pain this has caused me is not bad pain; there is an aspect in this pain that God is training, growing and strengthening me through this. And if it's worth it to put in the work for something as fleeting as a sport, how much more so for having the reality of a closer relationship with God and a deeper and greater intimacy with Him.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Accomplishing What?
The days are starting to slip past me. World Christian Week is next week and there are all of those random last minute details that pop up.
In and through it, I've really enjoyed the time and haven't minded how busy it has made me. I think part of that is the fact that after the week I will be able to take a deep breath, look back and say "Wow, look at that!" There will be proof of the work that I have put in, proof of accomplishment.
I compare this with last semester - when I didn't do as much, did not have as much visible accomplishment and pause. It is so easy to get wrapped up in a sense that doing things is more important and valuable then all else. But doing things does not determine our worth and value. Yes, there are biblical records of the many things the saints of old did, but there are countless years that are not told of where apparently these saints did not do much; where they were in a time or season of waiting or resting.
The American mindset emphasizes accomplishment; it emphasizes having proof of one's worth. Yet, even in the seasons of busyness may we not forget our seasons of waiting and may we not forget that it is ultimately God who determines our worth and value - whether we are "accomplishing" things or not.
In and through it, I've really enjoyed the time and haven't minded how busy it has made me. I think part of that is the fact that after the week I will be able to take a deep breath, look back and say "Wow, look at that!" There will be proof of the work that I have put in, proof of accomplishment.
I compare this with last semester - when I didn't do as much, did not have as much visible accomplishment and pause. It is so easy to get wrapped up in a sense that doing things is more important and valuable then all else. But doing things does not determine our worth and value. Yes, there are biblical records of the many things the saints of old did, but there are countless years that are not told of where apparently these saints did not do much; where they were in a time or season of waiting or resting.
The American mindset emphasizes accomplishment; it emphasizes having proof of one's worth. Yet, even in the seasons of busyness may we not forget our seasons of waiting and may we not forget that it is ultimately God who determines our worth and value - whether we are "accomplishing" things or not.
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