The "detour of adversity"

I have discovered that I learn much and grow spiritually during difficult times of life. Trials, rather than times of ease, give me a more honest assessment of myself and of my life. When things are going smoothly, I can wrongly think I am “spiritual” and that I am living a Godly life. However, during challenges, my true nature surfaces, and I see how far I have to go and how much work needs to be done in my life so I can live reflecting His character.

In my perspective, this relates to gardening. Gardening is hard work. Gardens don’t just happen. The ground becomes hard and has to be worked often. It takes plowing and tilling the ground, weeding, and much other preparation so that the ground will be softened and useful for planting and growing.

The trials of life help to soften the hard ground of my heart. Sometimes it is my own trials, and sometimes it is hearing about what others are dealing with that God uses to bring my heart into a deeper place of humility and dependence on Him.

I recently received a Christmas letter from a distant relative I have not seen since childhood. When she was very young, she was diagnosed with diabetes and had to begin to give herself shots when she was in grade school. In early adulthood, she lost her sight, becoming totally blind. There have been numerous challenges in her life as a result of this disease, but through them I have only heard her speak of the glorious things God has done.

Her letter this year brought some amazing insights that I would like to share with you. She began with her reasons for celebrating this year…because of Jesus and his sacrifice for us. As she talked about the challenges her family has faced this year, she shared each blessing that resulted.

She wrote, “And as for me this year, I couldn’t ask for more! However, it certainly began with a challenge when I lost my second leg. It was a long, hard pull to get back up on my feet; however, with physical therapy and a good prostheticist I made it! That was hard work through the spring, and as a result, I have cut my case load back to a hand full. I am working far less and enjoying it more and am still having time for other important things like people! I have asked the Lord for a long time to please deliver me from the tyranny of the urgent and to release me to attend to the significant in my life. It has really amazed me to watch how He has brought the answer to that prayer to me!

…The Thanksgiving holiday brought an interruption I wasn’t counting on. It was a slight heart attack that left me with very little heart damage, but obviously compromised my pair of struggling kidneys! That will probably turn into another challenge after the first of the year, but my dad always said, ‘What is life without a challenge?’ Sometimes the challenges in our lives have a tendency to define us, but I think that it is how we approach them and move through them that really defines our life and certainly defines our relationship with God! I feel the same way about adversity. Beth Moore in her teaching on Esther said that if we put all of our trust in the Lord, He can turn a detour of adversity in our life into a highway of destiny. That’s powerful!”

Powerful. What is powerful? It is the confident attitude of trust that no matter what comes our way, God continually loves us, and He can use the situation for our good and to fulfill His plans…His destiny…for our lives. It is focusing on God and giving thanks, even in the most overwhelming and challenging of situations.

I considered going through breast cancer as a challenge. In early January, 2008, I was diagnosed with cancer and was pronounced cancer free 18 months later. Only a year and a half. It brought a few permanent changes to my life, of which I have been able to adjust. Yet, this precious lady has learned, through an entire lifetime of over half a century, that God uses what looks, on the outside, like impossible circumstances to bring about answers to our prayers. Yes, that is powerful!

Perhaps this will humble you as it has humbled me. As I face the New Year, my desire is to walk in more humility and with a softened heart that is always full of gratitude and trust, no matter what the circumstances. I pray that you will be challenged to walk a deeper walk with Him this year also. May God change our perspectives to see as He sees, and may we receive all that comes our way as an opportunity for God to be glorified and to show us His great love and His continual faithfulness.

Demonstrating Love

How can we demonstrate love?

There are many ways to show love, but all true love must come from the heart. Love does not originate in the emotions as it is not a “feeling.” Love is a decision. Love is a choice that reflects the heart of the one giving the love. It has no bearing on whether the one receiving the love has deserved or earned it. True love cannot be hidden. It must be demonstrated in our words and our actions.

LOVE is the greatest force there is; Love is the demonstration of God’s power. Nothing can change lives, heal bodies, repair relationships, bring reconciliation or bring peace and joy like love.

Love must have an object. We are each born with a need to love and be loved. Many of us know what it is like to have someone say they love us when they really mean they enjoy how we make them feel or what we do for them. Their love is self-focused and is most often associated with what they take or receive from us. Some people love the world. Some love chocolate. Some love animals. Some love to shop. Some love certain foods. Some love power and position. But the love I am talking about is not simply human desires, lusts or wants, for those cannot bring life, lasting satisfaction and peaceful contentment.

God’s kind of love is “other focused,” focused on the object, directed toward the other person. And His love is demonstrated in His giving.

In the scriptures God has much to say about giving. God gives His children abundant life (John 10:10), spiritual gifts (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 27-31; Ephesians 4:6, 11-12), eternal destiny, purpose and calling (2 Timothy 1:9), and has given us heavenly position (1 Peter 2:9-10) with authority (Matthew 16:19), and revelation, insight and knowledge of Him (Ephesians 1:17-28; 1 Peter 1:13). He also promises to give us what we need – food, drink and clothing (Matthew 6:25-33). However, above all these “things” God has given to us, it was all made possible because He gave HIMSELF to us. And He tells us that if we first seek Him, above all else, then He will give us all that we need (Matthew 6:33).

That is what we celebrate at Christmas…God gave Himself to mankind and gave Himself in a way that we could understand who He is. "God so loved the world…” (John 3:16). His giving was out of His amazing love for us. That love was demonstrated as “He gave His only Son…” Through Jesus, God met us in our humanity and brought understanding and revelation of Himself and of the Kingdom of heaven and eternity to frail, limited, mortal human beings.

It was not only in His death that He gave Himself to us, but also in His life. He came to earth in the form of man – as a tiny, helpless baby. He identified with mankind and with the issues of life we face. He laid aside His divinity and took on limited humanity in order to demonstrate the reality of eternity to us. He lived a perfect and holy life. He lived totally dependent on and in obedience to God, His Heavenly Father. He suffered persecution, abandonment and even death on a cross…because He loved us unconditionally. He demonstrated that love by giving Himself completely.

What an example for us to follow. It is often easier to buy a gift than to give time and energy to building relationship. However, relationship is what Christianity is all about. And nothing is more satisfying than Godly relationships – in marriage, in the family, and in close friendships.

Christianity is about personal relationship, first with God, and then with those we love. Out of love, we then reach out to others, even to those we do not love. We give ourselves in order to make HIM known to those around us. We give ourselves in order to demonstrate the amazing love God has given to us. Jesus came to make God known to us. He gave Himself to us. Giving ourselves is the most valuable gift we can give to others. Christ demonstrated that principle.

One of my daughters recently encountered a homeless woman. Her heart welled up with compassion and s he bought the lady some things that were needed. As our daughter shared with me, she got down to the real issue that was on her heart. She said it was sad to her that his woman did not have a home, a coat for the cold weather, food or other necessities. But she said the saddest thing was that the lady was alone. My daughter said if she lost everything…her job, income and her home… she has close family and many wonderful friends who would reach out to her. She realized that she would not end up on the streets because of her relationships. Her family and friends - all those who love her - would invite her in and take care of her. She was sad that this lady apparently did not have relationships like that with people who care and take care of her. Relationships have eternal value as well as being the most valuable thing in our lives on this earth.

It is time to make sure we are not driven, at Christmas or any other time of the year, by the “spirit of the age.” That spirit often urges us to spend money we do not have, to give gifts that people do not need, and to give out of obligation or fear that they will give to us and we will have nothing to give back. Instead we are to be directed by the Holy Spirit. We are to give out of obedience, and with a heart filled with love and gratitude for the gift of Life Christ gave to us. We have freely received, so we should freely give to others (Matthew 10:8).

May this Christmas we give the gift of relationship, with love and with a kind word of encouragement. Or if it is “things” we give, may we give to those who are in great need and have nothing…those who cannot give back to us. As with Jesus who paid a debt that we owed and could not pay, may we also give to those who cannot repay us. May we be people who reach out indiscriminately and sacrificially in love to demonstrate God’s unconditional love to all those He brings into our lives.