Running on Empty

Have you ever experienced running out of gas? Literally driving along and pleading with the car to give you a few more feet….PLEASE…just a few more feet! Except when you’re out, you’re out! Or how about when your brain has been running low on energy…like cramming for finals in college. Come on brain, you can do it!!! Keep going….just a little more information to cram in…Just a Little More! And once again, when you’re done, you’re done. Complete and utter exhaustion! We have trouble keeping our heads up, eyes open and feet moving. Our minds and body need to rest and be refilled! So we run to the refrigerator and seek food, run to bed to seek sleep, run to a comfortable place to see solitude. Refill and regenerate. And then we are able to get back to the task at hand and finish or keep going.

So what if the task at hand is life and there isn’t a designated “end point” that you are trying to finish (like a test or work project or goal). You just have to keep going whether you are on empty or not.

What if you are running low physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually? That’s enough to knock anyone to their feet and not want to get back up. This is where I was Friday and Saturday. Brought to the point where I didn’t want to care about anything anymore. I couldn’t think straight. My body didn’t want to do anything! Exhausted in every aspect!

Something important has to happen at this point. Perseverance and Faith. On Saturday morning I read my morning devotional about this very thing. Will also talked about this a bit in his blog recently (http://wbt4.blogspot.com). But I want to hit it from a different angle. The angle of how you refill…re-energize…get back to full working condition.

The verse that I'd like to focus with is 2 Corinthians 4:16 - "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day."

It's so easy to lose heart along our daily path when we face the issues and problems that come at us and even stick around. We want to set everything down and walk away! Our eyes and mind see only what we face, not what is on the other side when things are over. A blindness in a way takes over. A spiritual blindness in which we are focused on the world and the issues we face instead of God's purpose in the situation or because of the outcome of the situation.

What we have to do is go to God for the refill in these times! Not just do our best to get through them alive and then pray for regeneration! We say..."If I can just get to Friday, I'll be able to rest"..."If I can get this paper/project done, I can focus on something else"..."I need to get things straight with me before I add someone else to my life." This is just such a common subject. I was saying these very things this past week..."If I can just get through the competition Saturday, I'll be good"....but then i found myself saying after the competition on Sat..."If i can just get through the Art Awards dinner on Tuesday I'll be Great for the rest on the school year."

Today, Monday, two days after the competition I should have, theoretically, been rested and good for the rest of the school year. And was I? Nope, not at all. Why? Because there is always something else to "get through". It's a shame that this is what consumes our minds. These tasks and events to "get through". These tasks that when they are over and done, we assume will be the key to a stress release. Really?

If we read on in 2 Corinthians 4 verses 17-18 we read - "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

We are not to let these momentary and (I really love this) temporary things drive us day by day. We are to go to God with these day to day things and let him fill us and give us rest as we go through these trials and stressful events. We are not to let fatigue set in, pain develop, or criticism force us into the mindset that we need to just get by till the next thing. We are to walk along side Christ as He takes us through each trial giving us rest along the way so that we are not just praying to get by!

Ephesians 3:16 - "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through the Spirit in your inner being,"

Romans 8:26 - "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."

God gives us the Holy Spirit to Fill us along the way! As a believer and beloved child of God, we are never left alone, to our own resources, to cope with problems!!! And even when we are tired and cannot find the words to pray the Holy Spirit prays with and for you! Friday night, I knelt to pray at my bedside and nothing! Nothing! Not a thought or feeling ran through my brain. I was upset that I couldn't even pray for strength. But the great thing is...that I didn't have to! I have a helper!!! And God hears and answers our prayers according to His beautiful and divine will!

Thank you Lord for that fact that we can come to you when we are neck deep in the issues of life! Thank you that when we do not have the strength to stand, we are made strong through your Son Christ Jesus! And thank you, that when the words can't be formed in our minds or mouths that your gift of the Holy Spirit prays for us!!! Thank you that You hear us and answers our prayers when we are running on empty!!!!!!!!!

What it Takes

Willingness: At birth, we cannot do things on our own. Someone must feed us, clothe us, change us, and care for us. We are at the hands of our parents (whether they do the correct job or not). As we grow into toddlers and pre-school we continue in this dependence on them still. They lead us by the hand wherever we go and especially across the street where it can be dangerous. We run to them when we get hurt or are scared (how many of you climbed into bed with your parents when you had a scary dream?) And when we need love and someone to hug we would turn to the loving arms of mom or dad. Then, something happens as we move into elementary, middle school and high school. We loose the dependence and become more independent. We question almost everything in our lives: why do I have to take PE, why must I do my homework, why did I not get the grade that I deserved on that paper, why did my friend get hurt....and the list of why's continue. Then, into college, where discovering yourself and who you are is what the experience is about. Who am I going to become? What am I going to do with my life? Who am I going to marry? And in all this questioning, we forget what is what like when we could depend on someone else to show us the way.

That's what we have lost people....a healthy dependence...a willingness with GOD! So when I was hit with this idea of willingness by a comment made to an earlier blog comment I decided to take a closer look. And in this closer look and some happenings in my day, God laid it ALL out!

First: I took a look at the actual definition of willingness and I found it convicting. It kinda stopped me in my tracks a bit.

Willingness - inclined and prepared - okay, not so bad

- Acting or ready to act gladly - uh oh, wait a sec

- Accepted, borne voluntarily or ungrudgingly - whoa, uhhhhhhh

-Cheerful compliance - YIKES!

Wow, boy do I fall short of these definitions!!!!! I thought that a willingness was a way to pacify and make compromise. Was I wrong! Today, I got so mad at a situation that I have not stopped thinking about it since. An art competition that my students were in may not end in a true fairness towards their artwork. Instead of the best artwork being chosen, there's a huge possibility that they may just chose others to be fair. And that makes me very mad!

Matthew 26:41 - "Watch and pray so that you do not fall into temptation. The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Man oh man....is my flesh weak! Especially when I feel like I have no control over things! You know what I mean....control....the thing that we freak out about when we don't have it! Let me illustrate some things that we don't have any control over: how a contest is judged, whether or not it rains, getting a flat tire, whether or not someone we like has feelings in return, being robbed or having a natural disaster (like a hurricane) wipe out everything you have to your name. These are just a few of the many things that we as individuals don't have control over.

You know who has control? God. Yep, that's right. And as much as we fight and cry and ask why...we are never going to be able to gain and/or maintain control with Everything in our lives. But God, our Holy Father can and does. Now we may not see how things are in control at the time, but need to trust that they are. God tells us this in Romans 8:28 - " And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Think back to those time when you weren't real sure of something as a child...who did you run to? So do we think that now that we're ALL "grown up" that doesn't apply to us anymore? Do we think that we will look weak? Do we think that others will think that we are weak? I think that it takes a lot more as adults in our walk with Christ to go to him rather than just trying to depend upon ourselves. Have you ever asked your parents (now being an adult) for help in some way whether it is financially or not? Didn't you have to work up the courage to some degree to ask finally after dwelling over it a bit? You had to lay yourself at their feet...that takes more effort than to just try to fix things on your own. Or...whenever you needed help, was your parents the first ones that you would think of to ask because you knew that they would be there without question? God is the latter of the two! And I don't mind saying so, but I am elated to know that he is!!!

I found a quote today that helps: Must faith be exactly that, the willingness and ability to believe in the face of a lack of evidence? If one could find the evidence, would then the faith be dead? I found this a very profound statement/question to raise. And it reminds me of my all time favorite verse...the very first verse that I truly wanted to imprint on my heart Hebrews 11:1 - "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." I love this verse because it reminds me of the things that I cannot control and that I have to keep trust and faith in God when I cannot see how things will play out and especially when I cannot control them myself.

Just one last thing on my mind when it comes to willingness. We have to be willing to follow and obey God wherever He chooses for our life direction to go. Realizing that we don't have control...but for an extremely good reason...GOD himself has it all under control for us. What does it cost us? We have to give up the control...or the idea that we can control!!! This idea right here helps me to take a Big sign and release any frustration and tension that has built up because God is taking over! When I run to him (much like when we ran to our parents when we scrapped our knees) He is going to take my hand, wrap his arms around me and lead me to a place where he is in control!

"It does not require great learning to be a Christian and be convinced of the truth of the Bible. It requires only an honest heart and a willingness to obey God." - Albert Barnes

It takes a lot to leave our helplessness in things we cannot control. God says bring them to me and follow and obey and I will take care of you! Have a willingness to obey God.

1 John 2:5 - " But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him..."

Luke 11:28 - " Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

Proverbs 3:5-6 - " Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your path."

If you do have the willingness, God Will Not steer you in the wrong direction! His will and plan are perfect! AMEN!!!

Within Our Humans Means

What does sin cause?

Sin causes separation from us and God. Such a gap that there is NO way to cross it within humans means! Interesting thought, human means.

I compare this idea with a sports analogy from when I played softball. Humor me, please! (especially those who didn't play many sports, I apologize.) I played in the outfield once I hit high school. And sometimes the fly balls made it all the way to the back fence. If they weren't a Homerun or over the fence....and if you didn't make the catch, you had a long way to throw! Especially if you had to get it all the way home.

My arm was never quite good enough to make it home...without help! I needed to throw to a cut-off man who was closer to home. There are two things that I'd like to point out in this statement......

First, I had to have a cut-off man. This makes me smile to think and see Jesus as my cut-off man!!! He is there to split the difference because there is no way, in my human physical means that I can chunk the ball that far and make it. I can try...and maybe get close...but ultimately fall short of Home. The same works with the human condition of sin. There is no way we are making it all the way to home (Heaven) on our own or by means of any works we have done!

Romans 3:23 - " For all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God."

Ephesians 2:8-9 - "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."

Jesus is there to help us make it home! John 3:16-17 says"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." Without him, we cannot make it!

The second point is that Jesus, our cut-off man, is closer to home. This is speaking to proximity! Jesus is closer to home because that's where He came from from. Heaven was where Jesus was in fellowship with God. Heaven, their home and our home. God sent Jesus to be our cut-off man in order to help us get home. He knows the way and he can make it!

I think of all my attempts and how I have come up short or thrown way off the mark. Both in sports and in life. And I think of all the times that I didn't want help thinking that I could do it on my own. In sports, I hurt my arm and made the ability to throw almost impossible. And in life, I hurt myself and my walk with God!

Is it worth it? Relying on our Human Means when we are not supposed to...when we don't have to??? Jesus is our help...our cut-off man! We have no need to fail in any of our attempts with Christ on our team!

I have one last visual to leave with you on this thought: A man stands on the edge of a cliff and he can see the other side. He knows that it appears to be a great distance, but he refuses to except that as an obstacle. He works day and night at making his own contraption to get across. It slowly takes shape. While he is working, he continues to get frustrated with an on looker that is standing there at the edge himself with what appears to be a board on his back. The man laughs it off, assuming the on looker is nuts if he thinks that He's going to get across on a board. The mans finishes and set his machine up, ready to extend it outward and cross the divide. The device twists and turns, makes all sorts of sounds...the man is elated as it approaches the otherside inch by inch. And then the contraption halts, it cannot go any further. It is so close...the man falls to his knees and begins to cry with frustration on how hard he worked and how close he got and how he is no better off than when he first started. At this point, the on looking that he had come to ignore, walked to his side and smiled. The man stared up with a very confused look on his face. The onlooker took the board from his back and with great ease placed it A Cross this gap. He reached to help the man up and guided him across. The man was amazed at the on looker and when he reached the otherside and peered back the expanse looked even greater and down hill a bit. The man went to examine the board that took him safely across...and when he looked down upon it, it was not just a single board...but two boards nailed together in the shape of a cross.

This is our Beautiful Jesus! Our cut-off man! Our Savior! Our Lord! Don't strive with your humans means only to fall short! Let Jesus lead you to the Cross...He knows the Way!!!!!!!!!

Expectations: Great or Not so Great?

As a society, I think we put a lot of weight into expectations. It’s things that we believe we deserve in this life…..I expect to get paid for the work I do, I expect my parents to show me they love me, I expect to be recognized or praised for the things that I do, I expect my child to behave in public, I expect my significant other to be in tune with me All the time to give me what I need……..I Expect.

Let’s take a closer look at these to gain a better understanding. The first example is our job, whether it is a meaningful position or something that make ends meet right now. We work, we expect to get paid. You spend your time away from family and friends, you spend your energy…… and for what, a monetary wage to show you how much you’re valued, how much you are worth. Hmmm. Why do we put an expectation on self-worth? We expect wages….well….wage is what we get!

Romans 3:23 – “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death,”

So not only have we not performed completely; but our wage (that we expect) is death. Whoa, wait a second, I didn’t sign this contract……actually we all did! There is not one who can say that they are without fault and do not deserve these wages for sin in our lives.

Let’s try another example: Parental Love. I have expected love from my parents my entire life. I know many would say the same. But what if that love we expect doesn’t come? I have two struggles with this expectation: one is that I was adopted (my bio-logical parents gave me away) and my adopted father, although physically & financially stable, was Not emotionally there.

Adopted: I wasn’t given the opportunity to say, No, I don’t want to be given away. And for a long time I expected to be treated as someone given away, tossed aside, not wanted. I found that I couldn’t accept the love that my parents were giving because I was blocking it with the opposite expectation.

Ephesians 1:4-5 - " For he chose us in him before creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will."

God says we are all adopted by him, he is our family!!! He is all we Need!

Emotional Absence: sometimes emotional absence can be the worst. Growing up every grade, sports team and achievement was in expectation of my father's praise. I never really saw that which I expected. But we are all human, including me, including my father. We have no right to place our existence into expectations from human beings. We will be let down every time!!! However, we can look to the Holy Father, Abba Father (daddy God) who will never let us down!

Psalm 118:8 - "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man."

The next two are related in the fact that they deal with people, in whom we hope to have control. Children and those we want recognition from. We approach these expectations like cause and effect......because I have taught my children the right things to do, I expect them to behave correctly.....because I have gone to all this trouble for someone, I expect that they will recognize me in some way. Seriously???!!!!??!! Are we really this selfish and out of our minds? i know that I have fallen in this category...and what was the outcome.....disappointment when I didn't get what I expected. I cannot help but state a widely used scripture reference because it is so perfect...

1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 - "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres...."

And last but definitely not least: the expectation towards someone we're in a significant relationship with. How many times have you said "I wish they could read my mind, it would make it easier when I need something from them." Or...after a hard or emotionally stressed day expecting them to lift your spirits when you see or talk to them...what if they don't realize that you need that or had an equally crazy day? You automatically get disappointed and feel that they have failed you in some way! Here's another scenario: do you ever feel like you're expected to act a certain way or be a certain person around your other? Can you truly be your human self, flaws and all???

The point that I'm trying my best to get at is where our expectations should lay! Should they be placed on and among the people, hopelessly flawed people, in our lives? Or should we bring our gaze upward to the one and only Perfect being, Jesus Christ?

Psalm 62:6-8 - "He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge."

God sent his son, Jesus, to walk as a man...trading His Holy royal garments for human flesh. Yet in his flesh he did not falter, although tempted and tried every step of his 33 years! Why? Because Jesus, Son of Man, Son of God, looked to His Father in Heaven above all others! When his beloved disciples stumbled, doubted, and fled...God was there. When Judas betrayed his teacher, his rabbi...God was there. When Peter denied Christ 3 times while Jesus was on trial...God was there.

We CANNOT put our expectations in people, they will disappoint guaranteed. Keep in mind that it may not be intentional, but all the same to let us down when we expect otherwise!

So the next time you find yourself saying "It'd be Great if this person _____________."...take it to God instead. Asking him to fill an expectation that you would place on someone in your life. See how God can fill that need for you way better than anyone else! He asks us...wants us to come to Him!

Philippians 4:6-7 -"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, 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."

Matthew 11:28 - "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Psalm 147:3 - "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."

Expectations can be Great when we take them to the only one who can meet them head on, JESUS!!!

Out or IN?

I’m not much of a blogger, but I wanted to share this with you. It’s something that God has placed on my heart. And if you feel led or feel it would help, please pass it on! My hope is that it will spur our relationship with God a step further!

Are you Out or In?

While I think that it is extremely important to grow in our relationship with God more each day, we do not want to use God as an excuse. Praying to walk and focus on God daily is essential, but at the same time we must be open and available to receive His blessings along the way! It seems very easy to say “I can’t do this right now because I need to focus on God.” But what if God is trying to bless your walk with Him by giving you help in a fellow believer or a relationship? I know I have stumbled in to this many times…used God as an out rather than an in.

A couple of summers ago I had made up my mind that relationships, whether romantic or friends, was not going to help me in my walk with God. I had been hurt so many times over the years that I lost count and became numb to them. I used my hopeful relationship with God as an excuse to check out of humanity completely. If people were going to be hurtful and not care…then why would I subject myself to them? WOW! Writing this now, looking back, I realized I missed the whole point! I acted extremely selfish! I thought only about what hurt me, not what God could still bless me with if I kept my heart open and trusted His will and plan.

So in my attempt to cancel out the pain from this world, I really cancelled out any chance of trusting God and allowing Him to move in my life. This doesn’t mean that human relationships aren’t hard. To say that would be to deny reality. We do need to look to God through them and pray for Him to guide us a long. But we also need to make sure that we are not shutting out human relationships because God could be blessing us with them or using us to bless others! I think this is so important to hold on to!!!!!

Back in Genesis 2 verse 7, God created man to walk in fellowship with Him and to do His will. And it was Good! The God said ”It is not good for man to be alone. I will make him a helper suitable for him.” Gen.2: 18. So God created a companion. While this is the first illustration of the bond of marriage, it is also the first illustration of human relationships. Until sin entered in to makes things so complicated in these earthly lives we lead, we got a glimpse of what our relationships should look like!

In a recent BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) lesson we were looking at John 19 and I was overwhelmingly moved with conviction over the picture of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ in His last moments on the cross. This is the perfect picture of not only our Savior, but our loving friend and companion! In his last breaths he was not concerned with the earthly pain that enveloped and crippled his body...He was taking care of the ones He loved. The friends and cherished ones that had walked with him and the ones that would walk with him in the future (us). He looked upon his mother and John, the disciple whom He loved, and took time to entrust them to each other's care, blessing each of their lives. He prayed, interceding for our sins so that we can forever walk in relationship with Him!

The question that I ask myself, once I dry my eyes, is "Do my relationships embody or show the smallest measurement of my relationship with Christ?" Do I love and want to bless others before thinking of myself? Even when I find myself in a difficult place? Even when the hurt invades my wounded areas? Even when the easy thing to do is to check out and use God instead of being used by Him?

Ecclesiastes 4:12 (New International Version) says "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

The cord of three is the two people and God intertwined in the middle. Showing the strength of each persons relationship to God and with each other altogether. This is the strongest type of cord. However, if just one strand is cut the whole things losses it's strength and begins to fray.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (New International Version)

9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:

10 If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!

If you take yourself out of relationships and stumble on your journey, who will be there to help you up and support you....better yet who could YOU be there for to help and support?

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (New International Version)

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up..."

Relationships are not all about what we are supposed to get, but also what we are supposed to give. If we check out of relationships or only go through the motions, are we truly allowing God to use us or to bless us? This goes for all relationships: parent/child, siblings, cousins, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances. I don't know about you, but I think that being able to bless others and be blessed by others is a win/win to God and you! I still can't believe how unaware I truly was. How self-directed and concerned I was about myself and my own hurts.

I encourage you to invest in the people in your life, being open to letting God use you to bless someone else or God using someone to bless you! Don't shut out a relationship using God as an excuse!!! Although God is to be our Main Focus and MUST come first, He also wants us to walk with each other along the way!

Mark 12:29-31 (New International Version)

"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'There is no commandment greater than these."

Beth Moore put it this way, " We were created by God precisely for relationship, so disconnection is not the answer."

Relationships: Are you Out.....or are you IN?