Some familiar and encouraging passages

It’s been a rough year and a rough couple weeks.  I remembered this morning something from a TV guide from years ago.  It is funny how you remember things.  I was in my grandparents living room, in their old house on Conchise in Grandville.  There was a test in the TV guide, you have seen them before, take this test to know your compatability.  Anyway, this one was about stress.  You answered a list of questions to determine how much stress you had encountered in your life.  It asked things like moving, losing jobs, loss of loved ones, illnesses, financial problems.  I don’t know why I remember it, I must have been about 10-11 years old, but I remember it vividly.  My parents had been through some of the stresses listed in the magazine.  Stress was running high, but we were quite happy, at least us children.

I wondered this morning what I would have scored. I have not lost my job, my Dad did.  I don’t have to move, but my parents may, and have from the condo to the duplex.  We have had a death in the family, Health problems, financial concerns, and work stress.  But is that really more than most people have to deal with.

I have found myself in the last weeks being very frustrated.  I have been waiting for God to step into my circumstances and make things right.  There has been a little bit of frustration (OK a lot), that he hasn’t done that.  Even a little bit of fear that he DOESN’T do that.  I found myself searching the Scriptures and asking Pastor Steve (my living concordance) where it says that God will take care of things.  The Bible seems to say that nothing in this life is a guarantee.  That is absolutely correct, but not very comforting.  I found myself just bracing for the inevitable next set of stressful circumstances.  You can’t live that way, and I knew that, but I didn’t know what else to do.  You reach a point sometimes where you just need to know God is going to do something.  Maybe he won’t, not the way we want it to be anyway. 

But that was leaving me a little frustrated.  I am not sure I am completely out of my funk this morning.  I should be, because God has blessed me with a wonderful wife and family for 12 years now.  But I was just watching Joshua’s video again this morning and some verses I included there came to mind.  Jesus said that he came to give us life to the fullest (John 10:10).  Well, my life is certainly full.  But sometimes I look at all I have to do as a burden and not a blessing.  It is amazing how our perspective can be off in regards to the things God is bringing into our lives.

I also remembered the verse from Phillippians 1, that God will carry to completion the good work he began in us.  I believe that is an enduring principle, a character of God thing, not just a promise trapped in time to the church in Philippi.  So if God began a good work in me, it won’t end until he has finished the work he has established for me.  Then I can go rest. 

It really still comes down to surrender to God and listen to God.  Could it be that simple.  All of the internal debate in my head over what God is doing and why can be widdled away to the simple truth of the Hymn “Trust and Obey”.  The words are really appropriate to my attitude this week.  “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be HAPPY in Jesus, but to trust and obey”.  In fact the whole song really says it.

1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
   What a glory He sheds on our way!
   While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
   And with all who will trust and obey.
   • Refrain:
     Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
     To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
   But His smile quickly drives it away;
   Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
   Can abide while we trust and obey.
3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
   But our toil He doth richly repay;
   Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
   But is blessed if we trust and obey.
4. But we never can prove the delights of His love
   Until all on the altar we lay;
   For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
   Are for them who will trust and obey.
5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
   Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
   What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
   Never fear, only trust and obey.

Now the challenge is to ask God to help me live that way.  Daily!  Hour by hour, minute by minute.  Worry is a sin, just like any other addiction it takes discipline to remove it, and die to sin to live for Christ.  We can do that through the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:4)