Warriors Wanted

Pay close attention to my words; let this be the consolation you offer. Bear with me while I speak; then after I have spoken, you may continue mocking. Job 21:2-3

We live in a society where hope is mocked and discouragement runs rampant. It's hard for even believers to stay encouraged with constant messages of hate, nit pickiness, negative labels and mean-spiritedness. Many believers have even given up on trying to be a light in a world of darkness because the pressure has become too much and discouragement has overcome them. The need for encouragement is more crucial than ever, for the body of Christ and for the rest of the world. The need for warriors who will surrender their tongues for the good of others is an urgent one.

Encouragement is a sign of love, compassion and understanding. It is key to living this life victoriously and is quite contagious. It is not flattery or empty words and it cannot be done out of obligation, but a desire to promote healing. Real, impactful encouragement is derived only from truth. It requires the sensitivity to see another's struggle and the wisdom to speak the truth that breaks down the lies behind it. It comes forth from a tender and compassionate heart and a life-giving tongue, all of which are fueled by the Holy Spirit. And when we surrender the power of our mouths, He provides the words and ensures their arrival in heart of the hearer. 

If we aren't before God on a regular basis, investing in a relationship with our Creator, we will lack the courage and understanding to meet the needs of others. That one relationship with God is the pivot upon which all our other relationships are healthy. He is the only One who can teach us how to be relational and how to truly love. He is the only One who can empower us to fulfill the law: to love God and love others. 

The Tattletale

If you get rid of the yoke from those around you, the finger-pointing and malicious speaking, and if you offer yourself to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted one, then your light will shine in the darkness, and your night will be like noonday. 

Isaiah 58:9-10

We can help set people free from things that hold them down by speaking words of life, avoiding blame, and offering ourselves to those in need. Scripture is clear that, in order to accomplish our calling, we're to have clean tongues. And since our tongues are the tattletale of our heart, it's important that we go about ministry the right way...from the inside out. We need ministering to before we can minister. We need cleansing and freedom before we can lead others to it.

I love words. But I can make as big a mess as those who struggle to find the next thing to say. I've come to realize that this place of acknowledgement is exactly where we need to be to surrender our mouths- words, tone and all to a holy purpose. I tend to need to surrender my tongue several times a day. I don't have to stop and think because words flow so quickly for me. But that's exactly why my mouth is so dangerous. And that's why God deserves all the glory for any good that comes from this tongue or even these fingers as they type the very words you're reading.

None of us have perfect hearts. Every one of us, no matter how strong our faith, need daily cleansing by our Creator. It's not enough just to keep your mouth shut. For scripture provides us many times when speaking up is absolutely necessary. And since the way we talk is telltale of our hearts, we cannot skip what's inside our own hearts as we we interact with the world. We can try to fake it, but eventually the tongue will win because our tongues are made to have power and that power should be used to bring life, not take it.

Trusting God

He said, "Don't be afraid, you are treasured by God. Peace to you; be very strong." 

Daniel 10:19

I had huge trust issues and they impacted my relationship with Jesus greatly. It's hard to practice faith without trust, a necessity of any healthy relationship. And so my whole life has been a struggle to find safety with anyone, anywhere. I imagine it broke Jesus' heart to see me feel so alone and afraid all the time because He grabbed ahold of me in the gentlest way and begun working through my mess diligently. His consistent message to me was, " Don't be afraid; I've got you. I will do right by you. I promise." 

He dealt patiently with me as He continuously affirmed me as His own and assured me of His love. He was not content seeing me in such bondage and He began to change my own heart to desire the same. He provided me many opportunities to practice trusting Him and He held me tight through every one. Each time, I came out more in love with Jesus than before and more sure of His love for me. And if I had to go through it all again, I wholeheartedly believe it is worth it.

God is not content seeing us stuck to mindsets and lies that hold us back from experiencing Him fully. Therefore, if we're going to truly follow Him, we're going to feel uncomfortable quite often. I truly believe it's in that discomfort that our chains are exposed and we have to make a choice- to continue following Him on the journey to freedom or to stay chained up right where we are. But I promise, there is no safer place, no greater adventure than to go through hard stuff with Him holding your hand.

A Meaningful Life

There is nothing better for man than to eat, drink, and enjoy his work. I have seen that even this is from God’s hand, because who can eat and who can enjoy life apart from Him? For to the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and accumulating in order to give to the one who is pleasing in God’s sight. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. Ecclesiastes 2:24-26

Life can seem futile, even wise Solomon said that. It can be so incredibly hard and hard to enjoy. And we make it worse when we think we can build happiness without God, using our own mind and resources. But even our talents are His and are useless without Him at the wheel. We were never intended to be independent from Him and despite how much we think we know or how much He has gifted us already, we will fail if we try. 

If you're anything like me, you have tried to build a life of happiness on your own and have realized the err of those ways. All of the things I have tried on my own have failed and proven futile. Putting my hope in myself nearly ruined my life. And it's not because I am a "loser", but because I tried to do something apart from the Source, my Creator. 

Unless we're walking with Him, we won't know the bounds of which we can enjoy life to the fullest because, like little kids, we either sit and mope over what isn't going our way or we get so excited that we walk right past the playground and into the street. Our sight is so underdeveloped that we miss the blessing right out in front of us, right in the moment. We miss the value in the little moments of life, which really are the big ones.

Beloved, God wants us to savor every moment and find many opportunities to celebrate because He also celebrates. But because the things of this world are temporary, we need Him to make everything we do meaningful. When we persist in building a life without Him it will prove to be a waste in the end, futile. When we let Him lead, our work will carry forward beyond us. Whatever you feel led to do, let God stay in the lead. Let Him determine the path. The long way is definitely the most rewarding one.