Obstacle or Opportunity

A dude is driving really slow and it’s a no passing zone, so you might be late for an important meeting.

You've been trying to do a good job at work, but your boss blames you for his mistake in front of his boss, so you may not get the promotion or raise you wanted.

You have worked hard all day and want to relax, but your child has waited until the last moment to start a project that requires your help, so you won't be able to relax any time soon.

We all have plans for the near and distant future. We all have things we want to achieve, places we want to go and schedules we want to keep, and we can get very frustrated when other people's actions get in the way of our plans!

But should we see these troublesome people as obstacles to our plans or as opportunities to practice and/or share our faith?

What opportunity is there if I am driving behind a slow driver? Well there is certainly an opportunity to trust God's management of the universe! If you left home late, that's on you, but when things prevent us from reaching our goals, even when we are doing all we can, there is much comfort in knowing a loving, wise and all-powerful God has allowed this delay for His purposes!

What opportunity is there if your boss blames you for his mistake in front of his boss, so you may not get the promotion or raise you wanted? Well you could call him out on it then, get even later, or just stew over it. However, if your main priority is seeking an opportunity to witness for Jesus, your attitude and actions will likely be quite different. When those around Jesus were mistreating Him, it led some observers to conclude that He was the Son of God (Matt. 27:54! His miracles were impressive, but there is something special in not lashing out when justice suggests we have every right to do so.

What opportunity is there when you have worked hard all day and want to relax, but your child has waited until the last moment to start a project that requires your help, so you won't be able to relax any time soon. Well, there is the opportunity to show them who and what is most important! Oh, if I could turn back the clock and have a do-over on this one! Sure it might be appropriate to teach the importance of not waiting until the last moment (stewardship), but most of all it is a chance to show love and mercy to a child with whom your time to witness in this way will pass very quickly.


God is all-powerful!

God is all-wise!

God loves you, for Jesus' sake!

So believe that he is in control of all that comes your way, stop worrying about getting where you need to be, and be a witness where He already has you!

And please pray I would practice what I preach!

"What do you have that you did not receive...."

Pride is so destructive!

Think about what our pride costs us -

Relationships with others.

Lost love, joy, peace, etc.  (the fruit of the Spirit).

The inability to receive and enjoy God's grace.

Countless other relational and emotional issues that start with thinking too much of ourselves!

Consider the following passage,  particularly vs. 7!

1 Cor. 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.

⁶ Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. ⁷ For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? (NKJV)

Now I may have some gift and abilities that others don't, and surely many are far more gifted than I, but if I have any gifts, abilities or success in my life, where did it come from, and what about all my shortcomings, how quickly do I forget those as I look down on others?

If I am not in hell for my sin now, I need to thank God! So am I really in a place to think I am better than anyone? Now we all are morally responsible for the choices we make, but I confess that anything good in my life (a sinner by birth and choice) in this world (fallen and cursed as it is), must be accredited to God and His mercy, not to any inherent goodness in me!

So all glory to Him, and I need to stop thinking I am better than anyone!

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

It All Comes Down to Trusting God!

It has been almost a year since I resigned from the church I was pastoring and even longer since I wrote anything on this blog.

It has been a strange and difficult year, but I definitely agree with the Apostle Paul's words in Phil. 4:11 "... I have learned in whatever state I am in to be content." Now I can't say that I am always content, there are plenty who could testify that I am not at times. However, I am more and more convinced of my own tendency to look for contentment in circumstances and things, and the futility of doing so. God continues to teach me through the challenges of this life that He is in control of my circumstances and if that is so then contentment is as close as me acknowledging His Power, wisdom and love for me.

If God truly is all powerful, perfectly wise, and loves me (as He has proven in Christ's sacrifice), then it all comes down to trusting Him and being content or not trusting Him and finding contentment fleeting at best.

I am trusting Him as I write this, but I may relapse into temporary idolatry at any moment. Thankfully part of the contentment Paul spoke of in Phil. 4:11, is knowing God will be faithful to use His power, wisdom and love on behalf of His children, even when we aren't trusting Him as we should at a particular moment.

 I am beginning to look for a place to serve in full time ministry, in the meantime I am working part time for a Christian ministry that serves the homeless. If anyone hears of a ministry opening that might be a fit please send me the contact information, and of course prayer is always appreciated.