Inconvenience or Opportunity?

“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people,

especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

Galatians 6:10 (NIV)

I learned an important lesson while sitting in my car at railroad tracks, waiting for a train to go by. And no, it wasn’t a lesson about looking both ways before crossing. It was more important than that. Let me explain.

A student at the school where I worked as health services director had become ill and needed to go home. However, his mother could not come get him because their car battery was dead so I decided to take him.

He thanked me several times for the ride and I told him that I was glad to help out. “Any time,” I told him. But my actions said something entirely different than my words.

As we waited on the train – and waited and waited – I mentally began to picture the list of everything I needed to get done that day. Waiting on a train was not on my list. As my impatience increased, my irritation tagged right along.

I began to tap on the steering wheel of my car, faster and faster. I had not even realized I was doing it until I glanced at the student and found him gazing at the frustrated beating of my fingers.

Before I could say a thing, he quietly responded “I’m really sorry that you have to take me home. I’m sure you have a lot more important things to do.” Oh, my heart. Ouch.

 And before I could answer him, my Spirit whispered “Nothing is more important than a great opportunity to listen to this child of mine and to share Truth.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I think the Lord is trying to teach me patience with this long train!” I smiled and he smiled back.

Paul could not have known that I would be sitting at train tracks and almost missing an opportunity to share Jesus when he wrote Galatians 6.

My actions had spoken loudly to this young man. I had sent him the message that he was of little or no importance to me in comparison with everything that I thought I needed to get done that day. In other words, I was letting him know that his value to me was, well, of no value.

Would you believe I began to wish that the long train would be longer? I did. Because when I switched my focus from me to my student, I found out his college preference and why; what choices his friends were making and his opinion; how things were at home, and – most importantly – that he had several questions about the Bible.

There are always going to be long lines at grocery stores and yes, long trains at railroad crossings. But rather than sigh and tap my fingers impatiently, I need to look at each and every “inconvenience” as an opportunity to listen and to encourage those around me.

Father, please help me to see every “long train” as an opportunity to stop and focus on those around me who need to know you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

• Can you remember a time when you had an opportunity to be an example of a Christ-follower but were more focused on the inconvenience of your schedule being interrupted?

• Is there anything on your schedule that is more important than taking the time to simply listen with your ears and your heart to someone?

Apply

• When your day is interrupted by a long line or long train, look around you at those in line with you.

• Take your focus off the immediate situation and turn it to those around you as you encourage and listen.

Power

• Galatians 6:10 (NIV) “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

• Philippians 2:4 (NIV) “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

• Colossians 3:12 (NIV) “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience . . .”

No Pain, No Gain

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial

you are suffering, as though something

strange were happening to you.”

I Peter 4:12 (NIV)

Ashley is a beautiful 15 year old girl with long dark hair and the latest style of black framed glasses perched on her nose. She smiles, she laughs, she dances and she talks on the phone with her friends.

She’s your typical teenager except for one very important thing: Ashley does not feel pain. Any pain.

She was born with something called congenital insensitivity to pain. She can feel pressure, yes but pain, no. She feels badly for someone who is hurt and in pain but she cannot describe the feeling herself. Because she has never felt it.

Ashley’s parents knew something wasn’t right soon after she was born but were totally surprised by the diagnosis they were given. A professor following her case commented that while pain is a gift, it is not a gift that Ashley has been given.

Calling pain a gift? Now, honestly, the first thought that someone might have at the idea of feeling NO pain would probably be “That would be fantastic!” Stub your toe? Not a problem! Trying to run a mile or lift weights? You could work right through without feeling pain like everyone else!

But think again. Not feeling an appendicitis attack could lead to life-threatening consequences if you have no concept of a warning pain. And what about getting into a bathtub of extremely hot water? Imagine the burns you could receive because you could not tell the water was scalding hot when you got in the tub.

In today’s Scripture, Peter does not tell us that pain is a gift but he does tell us that in this world we are going to have plenty of it. He even refers to it as the “painful trial you are suffering” and cautions us not to be surprised when it occurs. Perhaps it is physical pain from a life threatening disease but it can also refer to emotional, mental and spiritual pain as well.

Just because we are believers in Christ, we cannot assume that we are exempt from pain. This world is not our home and we are not welcome here. We don’t have to like it or understand it. But we should never assume that God isn’t in control or at work in our lives when the tough stuff hits.

Remember that God knows exactly what is going on. Call on His name. Get into His Word. Hold on to Him and allow Him to hold on to you. He has a plan in everything that happens, including the pain we experience every day

.

This world will not be around forever and neither will pain. We are told in Revelation 21:4 that Jesus will wipe every tear from our eyes and we will never again experience death or mourning or crying or pain!

How I long for the days of no pain and great gain – with Jesus.

Father, please give me strength and courage for the days of pain ahead, that I may focus on you and eternity. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

                                                  R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

• Have you ever felt that because you are a Christian you should not have to experience pain in this world?

• How does that thinking line up with today’s Scripture?

Apply

• As you face painful trials in this life, write each one down in your journal.

• Then pray “Lord, I am not surprised by this trial. Please give me strength and courage to get through it and keep my focus on you.”

Power

• I Peter 4:12 (NIV) “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.”

• Revelation 21:4 (NIV) “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

• Romans 8:18 (NIV) “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

Facing our Giant

“David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and

spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of

the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies

of Israel, whom you have defied.”

I Samuel 17:45 (NIV)

He was 7’1” tall and weighed 325 pounds. I was 5’8” and totally in awe – and a little unnerved – as I stood in the store by the life size cardboard cutout of Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal, the famous basketball player. I tried to imagine what it would be like to have him as a bodyguard and decided instantly that he would without a doubt intimidate even the strongest and bravest of men.

I could not help but compare Shaq with a man in the Bible who, believe it or not, was much bigger: Goliath.

It is estimated from Scripture that Goliath was over 9’ tall and weighed a minimum of 650 pounds. Mercy. If you compare that with the average height for men during that time at being just a bit over 5 feet, you can appreciate how frightened they would be at just the appearance of Goliath.

In I Samuel we read that Goliath, a Philistine, had been intimidating the Israelite army day after day. And it was working. The army listened to his daily taunts and as a result, they were all too frightened to challenge the mighty giant.

Except for one – a boy named David. A belief in God’s power, a sling and a stone later, the giant came down and the rest is history.

So let me ask you something: what is your giant? What keeps you awake at night? What scares you until you can hardly breathe and steals peace from your heart day after day?

Is it the threat of war all over the world or the threat of a devastating illness? Could it be that one you love does not know the Lord and doesn’t seem to care or someone you love no longer loves you?

Whatever you are facing, I encourage you to switch your focus from Goliath to God. You will find, as David did, that a large faith and a small stone are a deadly combination for bringing a giant to its knees.

Father, thank you for battling my giants as I switch my focus to you and your power. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

• Have you ever felt like situations in your life were so big that even God could not handle them?

• Were you focusing on the giants or on God?

Apply

• Write down the giants in your life right now that you are struggling with on separate pieces of paper.

• Then, one at a time, wad up each paper and throw it away, switching your focus from the giant to God. Thank Him for what He is going to do to handle that giant for you.

Power

• I Samuel 17:45 (NIV) “David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”

• II Chronicles 32:7 (NIV) “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.”

• I John 4:4 (NIV) “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

Who Ya Gonna Call?

"So David inquired of God again, and God answered him,

'Do not go straight up, but circle around them and

attack them in front of the balsam trees.'"

I Chronicles 14:14 (NIV)

For a long time, my instant reaction to any situation needing an important decision was the same: I would see the dilemma and I would immediately call on the Lord . . .  well, not exactly.

I would get the news and I would immediately call my girlfriend. Why? Because she was a Godly woman with a lot of common sense and wisdom. She would always listen to me as I talked through whatever the situation was and then she would share what she thought or what I needed to consider before making my decision.

 Of course I would toss up a token prayer (“Please give me wisdom, Lord.”) but I would usually go by what she said. And a lot of the time she would agree with me.

One day the unthinkable happened: a big situation occurred that needed an immediate answer but when I called my girlfriend, she wasn’t at home. I called again . . . and again . . . and again. No answer.

And then I did what I should have been doing all along. I called on the Lord with my problem. Very quietly, very lovingly, He spoke to my heart: “Where have you been? Do you not know that I will always listen and answer when you come before me? Bring all your concerns, no matter how big or small, each and every day, to me. I will take care of you, my child.”  

I had no excuse or answer. I knew He was right.

Look at David in today’s Scripture. David went before God because the Philistines were attacking and he needed to know what to do. God gave him his answer and David and his armies were victorious.

When the Philistines attacked again, David could have consulted his generals and gotten their opinion since they had already fought and won the previous battle but instead, he “inquired of God again” and received a different answer that resulted in yet another victory.

What an important lesson for me to learn! Yes, seeking Godly men and women for advice is great. But, first, I need to take every situation and every concern to the Lord before I do anything else. Placing my troubles at His feet gives Him permission to take them and to solve them.

Secondly, I need to be reminded that just because God handles a situation one way today, does not mean that He will handle it the same way the next time it occurs. His ways are not mine but His ways are perfect, every time.

So the next time I need help and direction... “Who Ya Gonna Call?” I’m gonna call my Father.

You, Father, are in control of all situations, all problems, all concerns. May I never forget that when I call on you, my concern is brought immediately before you and that you never tire of taking care of me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

• What is your first reaction when a problem lands in the middle of your day?

• Do you immediately bring it before the Lord or do you call a friend for advice?

Apply

• Start each day with Psalm 138:3, a reminder that God answers and makes us courageous to face whatever comes our way.

• Keep a journal of all the concerns and problems that you have given to the Lord and leave a space for His answers.

Power

• 1 Chronicles 14:14 (NIV) "So David inquired of God again, and God answered him, 'Do not go straight up, but circle around them and attack them in front of the balsam trees.' "

• Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV) “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

• Psalm 138:3 (NIV) “When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted.”