Rare Jewel

I’ve been reading a book lately that I highly recommend. It’s called The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, written by Jeremiah Burroughs, who was a minister in England in the 1600’s. I have found this book to be convicting, yet at the same time encouraging. It has taught me much about contentment, and today I’d like to share a couple of the things that have stood out to me.

First, let me say that this book has caused me to examine my heart in a number of areas. One of the things I have found there is a covetousness of others’ gifts, strengths, and successes. The most prominent ones are physical capabilities that I no longer have. Seeing the strength and fitness of others can tend to make me turn inward to what I do not have. This is sinful self-focus, and must be put to death. Burroughs shares insight here. To paraphrase what he says, “Well, they may have something I’ll never have, but I can have something they may never have: Contentment!” 

Contentment is rare indeed, and very few people really have it. But the Lord has promised that we believers can have contentment, if we will only practice it. So, when I hear of others’ trail hiking and long walks, I will think on my wonderful Christ who loves me, who saved me, and who is preparing a home for me right now, where I will have no pain. These thoughts will bring me to that place of contentment, where I truly believe that all I need is mine.

Another great blessing I received from this book is the instruction to examine my expectations. As I strive to change or improve some aspect of my physical problem, I am often disappointed as it actually becomes worse, or stays the same, after an expenditure of time, energy, or other resources. In these times, Burroughs reminds us to check our expectations. What has God truly promised? After all, only the promises of God can truly be counted on to come to pass. When I base my hopes or expectations on something else, I am setting myself up for disappointment. If I know that that disappointment will lead to sinful self-pity, then I am really setting up my own stumbling block! Based on this wisdom, I will look at my expectations through the lens of Scripture instead of the latest ad or medical study.

The overall tone of the book is one of great reverence and love for God. It urges us to see that our afflictions are actually gifts of God, to teach us to be content with such things as we have. In fact, the opening Scripture of the book is Philippians 4:11: I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. Oh, beloved, can we reach this state? Our great apostle Paul proves that we can. But in order to do so, we must believe that our Sovereign God loves us, and wants us to have the greatest gift available to us: Contentment! Can you imagine a more pleasant state in which to live? If we had true contentment based simply and solely on God’s great, eternal love, nothing else would matter. That contentment would trump any trial, and would keep our eyes firmly locked on heaven.

I’ll close with the context of Burroughs’s theme verse for his book, Philippians 4:11-13. Meditate on this passage, and ask the Lord to grant you this gift of contentment.

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Our Magnified God

I will praise the name of God with a song

And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.

Psalm 69:30

What does it mean to magnify something? Basically, it means to make it bigger, right? If the letters on a page are too small for me to read, I can put on my bifocals, and look through the magnifying section, and then I can read it just fine. Back when my kids were young, we loved to take nature walks and look through a magnifying glass at leaves, bugs, and almost anything that sparked our interest. The only way to make something look physically bigger is to change your visual perspective by getting closer to it or looking at it through a magnifying lens.

Sometimes, we need God to look bigger than the way we’ve been seeing him. Of course, God is God, and He is always big, no matter what our spiritual perspective may be. But every now and then, we may find that we have made God small in our hearts. Perhaps we have been caught up in trying to please people. Maybe we’ve become consumed with a trial for a long time, and have been so focused on that trial that our image of God has shrunk without our even realizing it. Maybe we’re disappointed in God for not doing what we thought He should do, and so we have justified making him small in our mind.

When we recognize this problem, we may try to fix it by going to church more, or reading the Bible more, or meditating on the attributes of God.  These are all very good things to do, but when I read this Psalm this morning, it struck me that there is one sure way to magnify God, both in our own hearts and in the world: With thanksgiving! Regardless of the trial, if the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts, there will always be a spark of gratitude. A verse like this one is a puff of air on that spark, to fan that flame that will make God big again.

How does thankfulness magnify God? I’ll answer that question with another one: When we express gratitude, to whom are we expressing it? To God, of course! That very fact makes gratitude a reminder of the goodness and love of God in our lives. As we are continually thanking Him throughout the day, those reminders build a bigger and bigger picture of God, and soon our perspective is restored: God is big again, and problems are smaller.

When others hear us thanking God for His goodness, He is magnified in the world. Do you ever respond with, “Praise the Lord!” when someone tells you of some good news they’ve just heard? These three little words turn our thoughts immediately from our circumstances to the God and Sovereign Ruler of those circumstances. Even unbelievers will usually express agreement with that statement, and this is an opportunity to make God big in their eyes, too.

Finally, God is magnified by the renewing of our minds. To renew your mind means to think differently about your circumstances, your life, and your very soul. It means changing your mindset from a self- or circumstance-oriented one to a God- and others-oriented one. When we express our thanksgiving to God, it takes our mind off of ourselves and our problems, and puts it onto God, His goodness, His mercy, and His blessings. When we are thinking of these things, God is bigger, and our prideful hearts are brought down to size.

As we draw near to God through thanksgiving, we can see Him more clearly. As we continue to nurture a heart of gratitude, the magnification increases, and we see the truth of His love, His mercy, and His grace. Soon, He is so big that our troubles are swallowed up in the comfort of His love, and what do we do? We praise Him and thank Him more! Hallelujah! What a big God! What a Savior!

Glory Days

I’ve been struggling lately with a particular situation, and have been asking the Lord to give me a fresh shot of encouragement in it. Today, He did just that, and I’d like to share it with you.

At the time when I usually go to the gym, there is a particular exercise group just finishing up as I arrive. Most of the people in it are my age or maybe a little older. It’s obviously a class forpeople who are 50 plus, so it’s low-impact, but still offers some cardio. Every time I see these classmates coming out of the studio, sweating and laughing together, there is a twinge of jealousy in my heart, as I long to participate in a class like that, but am unable.

The Lord has been very gracious to me though, giving me power to train my thinking to turn to thoughts of Him, gratitude for the many years that I was able to do that intensity of exercise, and thankfulness for the pool and other modalities that enable me still to exercise regularly. These are all good thoughts, but as I chatted with another lady today, God gave me an even better way of thinking about this, and I am excited to begin training my mind to this response. 

This lady and I were chatting about the days when we used to be able to exercise “with the best of ‘em,” keeping up and loving the endorphins and the sweat. “Those days are gone now though, for sure,” she said to me. “Yes,” I replied. “Those were the glory days!” But even as those words left my mouth, the truth about that statement rang out in my heart. Glory days? Really? Whose glory were you pursuing back in those days when you were exercising your heart out to keep looking good? Who was glorified in your proud habit of daily exercise and weight control? Who was exalted as your friends admired your discipline and fitness? The answer to all these questions is, of course, me, myself, and I!

Back in those days, before I knew Christ, I had no desire to bring glory to Him, but I did have a great and burning desire for my own glory, comfort, and happiness. Without my exercise, I was certain I would be overweight, depressed, and useless, all of which were completely unacceptable to me. Back then, there was nothing more important to me than how I looked in the mirror and in the eyes of those whose opinion of me mattered (which, looking back now, was pretty much everyone). 

As these thoughts ran through my head, and I began to see what was really true about those long-ago days, it dawned on me what is really true about today and the days ahead: These are the glory days! Today, I belong to Christ. I was created to bring glory to God (Isaiah 43:7), but back in the days when all my joints worked right, I was unaware of this fact. I had no idea what my purpose in life was, so I pursued worldly achievement and admiration. Today, I am privileged to know the truth about my life’s purpose, and I am blessed by the Holy Spirit with the ability to fulfill it! This trial of physical pain gives me many opportunities to bring glory to God in my response, as I strive to please and honor Him instead of myself.

How about you, my friend? Have you looked back wistfully at your “glory days,” when you were in better shape, and didn’t suffer with pain or disability? I’d like to challenge you today to join me in a new kind of workout. Let’s train our minds to think differently about the past, present, and future when it comes to our bodies. If we think of today and tomorrow as our glory days, we will get into the habit of looking for ways to bring glory to our great God, as He provides the training sessions we need to become more like Him. Are you with me? Let’s praise Him for creating us for His glory.  Hallelujah! What a purpose! What a Savior!

A Prayer For a Difficult Day

Dear Father,

We come to you this morning, broken and hurting. We are so weary of pain, sleepless nights, and disappointments. We long for just one day (sometimes just one hour) without pain. Yet, the pain persists. And we know that You are good.

So, we get up, do what we can to ease the pain, and keep going. We long to serve you, so we do the best we can, even as our bodies ache. As we care for ourselves and our families, we trust that You will sustain us through whatever you’ve called us to do. As we go to work or school, though the pain persists, we know that, whatever You have called us to do, You will provide the strength and stamina to do it. And we know that You are merciful.

As grateful believers, we want to see You glorified in our pain! How will You use this pain for Your glory, Lord? Won’t You please send someone today that we can encourage? This journey has been so hard, and we want to use what we’ve learned to prop up another believer, or to share your love with one who doesn’t know You. This desire to glorify You makes the pain more bearable, and helps us to keep responding in a way that is pleasing to You, for we know that You are holy.

Oh, God, You know our hearts. You know that we are weak and desperate sometimes. Thank You for understanding when we weep and grieve our losses. Thank you for being our Great Comforter in those times of deep sadness. Holy Spirit, strengthen our hearts, and help us to look up--not down, not back, but up, to seek Your face in these times, for we know that You are gracious.

Oh, our good, merciful, holy, and gracious God, we beg you to use our pain for Your glory. You have said that all things work together for good to those who are called according to Your purpose (Romans 8:28), so we trust that this pain is ultimately for good. Because of that truth, we will persevere. Though our physical problem has taken some things from us, we know that it can never take our greatest Treasure. One day, in the blink of an eye, we will be with You. No more pain. No more disability. No more tears. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your promise of eternity. Hallelujah! What a Promise! What a Savior!  

Pain and the Upward Call

I was chatting with a lady in the pool today who has struggled all her life with her weight. Over the years she has gone up and down the scale too many times to count. As she spoke about her new plan and her goals, I couldn’t help but think how much energy, thought, and money she and others  have put into such pursuits. Weight loss and other disciplines get so much attention in our culture but very often, as we are preoccupied with these things, we miss out on the most important goal of all:

“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected, but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me…forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”   (Philippians 3: 12-14, NKJV)

Did Christ Jesus lay hold of you so that you could set a weight loss goal? Did He save you so that you could get on a spending and saving plan toward a comfortable retirement? No, Christ Jesus laid hold of you so that you could lay hold of him:

“I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!”  (Philippians 3:10-11, NLT)

Ah, but there’s the rub. This goal includes some suffering along the way, and we don’t like to suffer. Oh sure, if we’re going to see a difference in the scale or the bank account, then it’s worth it to sweat or save. But these are outward changes and, if we’re honest, it’s our pride that drives us to work toward these goals. To really seek the Lord, though, the opposite is necessary. We must seek Him out of humility. We must die to ourselves, as He did, and suffer as He suffered if we are to share in that great resurrection. He was meek and lowly as He faced death, and He suffered without complaint or bitterness. We must do the same, leaning on Him and His strength to help us honor Him even in our pain.

My friends, as we are suffering in pain or disability, our goal must not be only to get relief or physical comfort, but to know Him more. I would like to challenge you today to study how He suffered. Reread the Gospel accounts of His persecution and trials, His death and resurrection. Ask Him to supply the strength you need to imitate Him in His suffering. He was a Man of Sorrows (Isaiah 53:3). He knows what suffering is, and He is able to help you through yours.

A new year is fast approaching. What will be your goals for 2016? My prayer for you is that you will  fix your eyes on things above, where Christ is, having finished His suffering (Colossians 3:1-3), and press toward the goal of knowing Him. 

What Are You Looking For?

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.                             --Jude 20-21
                                                                                                                                           
As I write this post, tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. Most people will at least think about the things they are thankful for, and some will share that list around a table loaded with food. But, if we’re honest, most people are not very grateful the other 364 days of the year. Why is that? I believe it is because they are looking for something they will never find.

Some are looking for wealth. They work 60-plus hours per week, squirrel away what they don’t spend on luxuries, and hope that someday they can retire to a life of leisure. Some are looking for love. They go online seeking dates or marriage, or maybe they go out to the clubs, hoping to meet Mr. Right. Some even stay with Mr. Wrong, simply because they do not want to be alone. Others don’t really know what they are looking for, but they know that they are not content, and they won’t be until they figure it out, find it, and get it.

The problem here is not that no one ever gets what they are looking for. The problem is that they are not looking for the one thing that can bring them the contentment they crave: The mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. As our passage above tells us, we are to be looking for the mercy of Christ unto eternal life.

As believers, what is the reason that we are not motivated to look for that mercy? Because we have not done the things listed in the words right before this. We have not built ourselves up on our most holy faith because we are too busy building ourselves up on false hopes for good health, plenty of money, or the love and esteem of others. We have not taken the time to pray, and when we do it is rarely in the Holy Spirit, because that takes time. Time just to be still before the throne of God and center our minds and hearts on Him. No, our prayers are too often quick and perfunctory, just hitting the bullet points and counting on God to take care of the rest.

My dear ones, how can we keep ourselves in the love of God if we do not take the time to do these things? The answer is, we cannot. Oh, we are kept eternally in His love. If the Lord has saved you, then nothing can ever take that love away. But we miss the multiplication of His love when we don’t take the time just to be with Him. So, this Thanksgiving, my challenge is this: Instead of thinking on what you are thankful for, ask yourself why you are not a more grateful person in general? What are you looking for? How does it compare to the mercy of God unto salvation? My prayer is that, as you begin to meditate on the wonderful mercy of God, you will find the contentment you are seeking.

Heavenly Holidays

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. Colossians 3:1-2, NLT

The holiday season is here, dear reader. Do you feel it? Those of us who struggle with chronic pain, joint disease, or disability sometimes dread this time of year. Many of our friends look forward to all of the shopping, food preparation, and social opportunities. But for some of us, this time of year brings up more dread and anxiety than gleeful anticipation. It’s not that we don’t desire to celebrate the birth of Christ, be with our families, and enjoy the festivities. What brings the dread are the questions: Will I be able to do all that cooking this year? What if I can’t get to the mall to get that perfect gift for my loved one? How much pain will I have to endure over the next couple of months, as I try to measure up to the expectations of the season?

These are all valid concerns, and you may have others of your own that are specific to your particular health challenges. But the bottom line is this: Christmas can be a beautiful celebration of the birth of our Wonderful Savior, or it can be an exercise in futility as we try to accomplish impossible tasks that He never called us to do. So, what should our goals be for the season, as we consider all that we’d like to do, and all that we can do?

The answer is in Colossians 3:1&2. We have been raised to new life in Christ, Amen? So, what does He call us to set our sights on? Things above. He wants us to dwell on Him in all of his beauty, glory, and honor. He wants us to think on our true home in heaven. Shopping, food preparation, and parties are not our reality, my dear sister. Christ and heaven are! This is the very reason for this grand holiday in the first place. What better thing could we be dwelling on at Christmastime than Christ, heaven, and the realities of our true home?

Let’s think differently about Christmas this year. When dread arises from thinking about the chores of Christmas, let’s take it captive and replace it with new, heavenly thoughts. If you’re dreading putting up decorations, close your eyes and think of the streets of gold and the rainbow throne of God. Imagine your jeweled crown that you will throw at the feet of Jesus on that Great Day. No earthly light display could ever match that. Dwell on these things, praise God for them, and then call a friend to come over and help you choose just a few things, then hang them up as you talk about the blessings God has brought to you this year.

Are you scheduled to host the family meal this year, and dreading all the work? Stop, and think on the banqueting hall in heaven, where you will enjoy food and fellowship with the Lord and all his children, in perfect harmony and cooperation forever. Praise the Lord and thank Him for the ways he has provided so abundantly for you this year. Then, begin calling your relatives, humbly asking each to bring a dish or come early to help this year. I know this is not easy, but putting pride to death and asking for help is a wonderfully sanctifying exercise, and the rewards are great.

This season of celebrating the birth of our Savior does not have to be a season of dread and despair. We can change our thinking, and remember that our Lord has not called us to decorate, cook, shop, and entertain because He was born. He wants us to think on Him, praise him, and honor him because He was born and died to give us new life. Let’s demonstrate that new life starting today by setting our minds on Him, on Heaven, and on the reality of our true home!