To know wisdom and instruction, to discern the sayings of understanding, to receive instruction in wise behavior, righteousness, justice and equity; to give prudence to the naive, to the youth knowledge and discretion, a wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel, to understand a proverb and a figure, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:2-7
Well the New Year has begun and as I discussed in the last post of December (“Joy Mixed with Sorrow”), the year is already shaping up with a mix of ups and downs. God has blessed me with new opportunities to serve Him, traveling mercies, daily provisions that meet spiritual and physical needs as well as celebrations with family. However, we have already had some stressful situations as well as being concerned with significant challenges facing family and friends. One concern is that we must decide what to do with our dog who has outbursts that prevent us from trusting her to be good-natured (if interested, see “Animal Instincts and Obedience School”) and present concerns for liability. I really love this dog, but she snarls and snaps for no apparent reason. Further, in the back of my mind is an upcoming visit to a new doctor. There is the hope that after 28 years of significant illness there might be an answer which helps manage my health issues more effectively. However, past history suggests that it is likely another vain attempt. The mantra that I apply to difficult situations and uncertainties is “God remains on His throne and is in control”. I don’t say that lightly as it reminds me of both where hope lies and that my experiences have ramifications beyond my finite ability to understand. As helpful as that is, I also need to work on how I react to the ups and downs of life. So as I progress through the year, my goal is to focus on four things: a soft heart, discernment, joy and gratitude.
Soft Heart
While I’m not one to make New Year’s resolutions, I do look at the beginning of the year as a time to reflect and see what areas of my life need attention and focus on those. At the top of my list this year is my heart. In 2014 my goal was to read through the bible chronologically. I was doing well until I hit the prophets and slowed considerably. It is now 2019 and I’m in Zachariah. (In my defense, in 2015 I read most if not all of the New Testament with my father so…not quite so bad.) Despite my slow progress, I have been convicted by God’s comments on the heart in scripture…especially in Ezekiel and Jeremiah. Ezekiel 36:26 promises: “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” Jeremiah 24:7 says: “I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.” According to Bible Gateway, there are 805 references to the heart in scripture so I trust it’s an important topic. In my case, it’s not that I’ve rejected God, but rather that I seem to resist Him or take Him for granted. Like many, I tire of the constant need for refinement. I know that it is beneficial, but I see where He wants me to be and where I am. The gap seems impossible to cross. I’m also a bit jealous. Consider the thief on the cross next to Christ; he didn’t have to deal with overcoming his shortcomings. He said “remember me” and that was enough. I could go on, but you get the idea. I want my heart and my spirit to be alive and in step with God. Thankfully, I know God is able and that His promise to bring me safely into His presence is true. I also recognize that He will help me endure to the end. Until then, I will continue to pray for a heart to know Him, a new (or revived) spirit and the ability to follow His precepts with my whole heart .
Discernment
All throughout the book of Proverbs, Solomon reminds us to seek wisdom and put off naiveté. The passage above gives a pretty good summary of what we should focus on. I don’t know if it is my age, God’s refinement, fatigue or some combination, but I find myself asking God for discernment more and more. I fear that in my younger days I was so busy with family, work and church that I made too many decisions without taking the time to ask for God’s guidance. I also believe that too often many of my decisions have been guided by cultural influence. Now that I’m older, my health has slowed me down, my faith has matured, and I see how far from godly our culture has gotten, I appreciate God’s guidance more. There are certainly the big things like where Marie and I should live in retirement and where to worship if we move. There are interactions with others that need a balance of both truth and grace and require that I seek God’s will over personal benefit or preference. But there are also a host of smaller details that add up. Managing my health and recognizing the difference between needing rest and laziness are regular concerns. For me, eating is a huge consideration. For example, I’ve been asked to lead another 8 week support group on Tuesday evenings. If I eat, I will be too sick to lead. If I don’t eat, my blood sugar will drop creating a different set of problems. You may laugh, but Starbucks has become my solution as the caffeine allows me to rise above the fatigue long enough to finish discussion, the calories keep my blood sugar up and the warm liquid keeps my gut from hurting too much. But again, I still ask for discernment, as God may provide a healthier way to manage it. That said, I’m not talking about an hour of prayer for every little decision, but rather in addition to regular prayers for discernment, intentionally reviewing my decisions in light of God’s precepts so that I am able to give when I want to hoard, forgive when I want to be angry, and be a good steward of the things that God has provided me.
Joy
Have you ever noticed how some people always seem to be full of genuine joy and have a smile on their face? I’m not that guy….I want to be, but I’m not. Therein lays my desire to focus on joy. This is a subject that I could talk about at length. First and foremost, I distinguish between joy and happiness. Happiness is lighthearted feeling that comes from an event. Despite my lack of technical expertise, I truly enjoy dancing…it makes me happy. However, once the event is over, the happiness dissipates. Happiness is a temporary thing. True joy comes from being firmly rooted in faith in Christ. When James tells us to “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials” (James 1:2) he’s not telling us to be happy about the difficulty, but rather to be joyful that God is at work in us to make us better. The joy that we are called to has its foundation in the love, character, ability and promises of God. If my doctor tells me that they still have no clue what is wrong with me, I can still be joyful that God has sustained me all these years and is able to continue to do so. Though our hearts are broken by the loss of a loved one, we can be joyful that their faith has allowed them to abide with God. If our culture continues to move away from God and threatens our wellbeing, we can still be joyful that God remains at work in us. The joy that God gives sustains us no matter what we face because it is carried along by the hope that faith in God provides. Joy, hope and faith all work together to bring peace. I want joy to be evident in me so that I can be a better ambassador for my God. I want others to see joy in my trials so that they ask why and I can tell them about the hope that I have in my Father, my Savior, and my Comforter.
Gratitude
Over the past few years, God has been at work helping me to be more grateful, but I still need to focus this quality as it takes effort to avoid taking God’s provisions and grace for granted. Being grateful reminds us that everything we have comes from God and that no matter what culture tells us, we can never be self-sufficient. Taking the time to thank God for our salvation reminds us that it is not our works that get us into heaven, but rather Christ’s sacrifice and call to believe in Him. Being thankful in all of our circumstances reminds us that God has an eternal plan for our lives and His perfect will is for His glory and our good. We are even called to bring our request to God with thanks. Our gratitude in prayer should be both for what He has done in the past as well as what He will do in response to our requests. Gratitude removes our pride and recognizes the significant activity of God in every aspect of our lives. My friend Kevin is using a study on gratitude to work through grieving the loss of his children. Gratitude is that powerful and draws us closer to God as we recognize all the ways that He cares for us.
My desire
My desire to focus on these things rests in the habits they will instill, the way they will refine me as well as how they will draw me closer to God. Seeking discernment, a heart for God, joy and gratitude will equip me to more readily refrain from: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these and exhibit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:19-23) Further, in the end they will allow me to be at peace as I move through the events of the year.
This is my list…yours may be different. The challenge is that we not give up, but rather keep striving to be who God has called us to be and to pursue righteousness relying on God’s guidance and sustaining grace.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
Will