From Category: anxiety
It’s sometimes easy to feel as though God is far away from us; as though He doesn’t hear us when we call. It’s easy to see the suffering around us and wonder where God is. Some days it seems like our prayers aren’t being heard.
I don’t think it’s necessarily a lack of faith that causes this. Of course, we often drift far away from God, particularly when we don’t make an active effort to invest in our relationship with Him. But sometimes we can find ourselves in circumstances where it just feels difficult. We feel stuck; we feel like our prayers are bouncing off the ceiling and hopelessness isn’t far away.
In times like that, Psalm 22 might be a comfort. The psalmist offers three pieces of practical advice to those of us who cry out the same words as he does in the first two verses:
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.”
He is faithful to His promises. He does not change; He is the same God today, yesterday, and tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8). And therefore we can draw encouragement from the fact that we serve the same God who rescued a shepherd boy facing down a giant with five pebbles, the same God who rained down bread in the desert and who blinded an entire army.
He has shown His power and love in the past, and He will do so again.
It is by God’s will that we were formed; it is His will that we are alive. He created each of us for a reason, and He has a purpose for our lives. Therefore, we can, each of us, approach Him in prayer and ask: “Be not far from me” (v 19).
I had a recent airport mishap trying to get a flight home due to the coronavirus, and the whole time my mind was repeating: “For God’s glory, for God’s glory, for God’s glory.”
And He did deliver a hundredfold, and I knew at the end as I had recognized at the start that this obstacle too was for His glory, a reminder for me, maybe, to remember what I had learned in my loneliness abroad before I returned to my comfortable home.
When obstacles and suffering occur over a longer time period, it can be difficult to trust that any good can come out at the end. But though we are weak, God is strong, and He says to us: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
So we can boast in our weaknesses because they serve to illuminate God’s strength. We find comfort in our troubles because we know that He holds us and will be faithful to the end.
James 1:2-3 tells us that sufferings and trials will result in the testing of our faith, and this, in turn, produces steadfastness. When we have gone through trials and seen over and over again that God is faithful and powerful and active and just, our faith is strengthened. And this steadfastness, this clinging to faith, will be an encouragement to those around us.
There is purpose in our sufferings. We are not alone. Even when you can’t see the sun on a cloudy day, it is still shining.
I don’t think it’s necessarily a lack of faith that causes this. Of course, we often drift far away from God, particularly when we don’t make an active effort to invest in our relationship with Him. But sometimes we can find ourselves in circumstances where it just feels difficult. We feel stuck; we feel like our prayers are bouncing off the ceiling and hopelessness isn’t far away.
In times like that, Psalm 22 might be a comfort. The psalmist offers three pieces of practical advice to those of us who cry out the same words as he does in the first two verses:
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.”
1. Remember what God has already done.
Firstly, he urges us to remember what God has already done, as recorded in the Bible and throughout history (v 4-8).“In You our fathers trusted,” he tells the Lord in verse 4, “they trusted and you delivered them.”God has shown us that He cares for us, that He is all-powerful and all-knowing, that He hears His people when they cry out to Him. Start with Adam and trace through all the Bible characters who trusted in God, even in the bleakest of circumstances, and found salvation in Him.
He is faithful to His promises. He does not change; He is the same God today, yesterday, and tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8). And therefore we can draw encouragement from the fact that we serve the same God who rescued a shepherd boy facing down a giant with five pebbles, the same God who rained down bread in the desert and who blinded an entire army.
He has shown His power and love in the past, and He will do so again.
2. Remember what God has done for you personally.
Next, the psalmist tells us to remember what God has already done for each of us in our own lives (v 9-21).
Verse 9 says: “Yet You are He who took me from the womb; You made me trust You at my mother’s breasts.”Since our births, God has been faithful to us in our own lives in a personal way that transcends blanket promises or an impersonal power.
It is by God’s will that we were formed; it is His will that we are alive. He created each of us for a reason, and He has a purpose for our lives. Therefore, we can, each of us, approach Him in prayer and ask: “Be not far from me” (v 19).
3. Remember that there is meaning in our suffering.
Finally, we are reminded that there is purpose in our sufferings, even if we cannot see it (v 22-31).“I will tell of Your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.” (v 22)Verse 24 promises us that God hears us when we cry out to Him, and the rest of the psalm reminds us that God is glorified in our tribulations. This legacy serves to encourage our fellow believers.
I had a recent airport mishap trying to get a flight home due to the coronavirus, and the whole time my mind was repeating: “For God’s glory, for God’s glory, for God’s glory.”
And He did deliver a hundredfold, and I knew at the end as I had recognized at the start that this obstacle too was for His glory, a reminder for me, maybe, to remember what I had learned in my loneliness abroad before I returned to my comfortable home.
When obstacles and suffering occur over a longer time period, it can be difficult to trust that any good can come out at the end. But though we are weak, God is strong, and He says to us: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
So we can boast in our weaknesses because they serve to illuminate God’s strength. We find comfort in our troubles because we know that He holds us and will be faithful to the end.
James 1:2-3 tells us that sufferings and trials will result in the testing of our faith, and this, in turn, produces steadfastness. When we have gone through trials and seen over and over again that God is faithful and powerful and active and just, our faith is strengthened. And this steadfastness, this clinging to faith, will be an encouragement to those around us.
There is purpose in our sufferings. We are not alone. Even when you can’t see the sun on a cloudy day, it is still shining.
(This article was originally published on Thought Catalog.)
17 January 2022
The story goes something like this: Israel was in a 3-year-long drought. Elijah accused the people of Israel of “limping between two options” of worship; at that time, between God and Baal. It doesn’t sound too different from our society today. It’s frighteningly easy to pick and choose aspects of different gods or idols (which can be anything).
To determine whose god was real, Elijah and the prophets of Baal gathered at Mount Carmel. The god who lit their altar on fire would be proclaimed as true. Baal’s prophets prayed to their god for hours and hours. They cut themselves and walked around their altar and cried out to Baal. But he did not answer.
Elijah dug a moat around his altar and poured twelve jars of water over it until it was soaking wet. Then he prayed to the God of Israel - the true God, the only God. God sent fire from heaven to burn up the whole altar - the wood and the water and the offering and even the stones.
Elijah poured twelve jars of water on his altar. Sometimes it feels as if there are a never-ending series of water jars being poured out on our lives. One trouble comes, and then another, and they’re all compounded to cause much stress and suffering.
Sometimes it feels like we’re stuck waiting for God to show up. Sometimes it seems as though He’s late. Surely I’ve learnt whatever lesson it is You wanted me to learn by now? Surely You’ve taught me dependence through this trial? Surely we can move on to the easier part, to the bit that I’m yearning for? I know I should learn patience and trust but I think I’ve got that figured out. I’m ready to move on out of this valley.
But instead of the trees clearing, another jar of water is poured out, and we’re sent sprawling back. At first, those knocks can leave us reeling, but it’s easy to become bitter and cynical. I guess this is my life now. Forgive me for wanting something so mundane. Everyone else is obviously in on some blessing that I’m not. Have you forgotten about me, Lord?
But the ending is sure: our God is mighty and powerful. He can send down fire from heaven to burn up every trench of water. He is in control. There is nothing too big for Him. He sees all things and knows all things. He is slow to anger, and abounding in love. He loves us more than we can know. He will save His people.
25 October 2020
God sent Elijah to live by a brook in the wilderness, and everyday He would send ravens to bring him food. What faith that musthave required from Elijah. It reminds me of the Israelites in the desert, who depended on God day by day to provide manna for them to eat. To a lesser extent, I experienced this financially last year, and it was both terrifying and freeing. Elijah had no backup plan or extra food in case the ravens didn’t show up the next day; he relied fully on God to provide for him.
It’s so easy to be lured into the world of smart personal finance and investment portfolios, and to compare salaries and savings and interest rates. To an extent, I suppose these things can be good; we are called to steward our money well. But when we have so much money that we can afford to save and invest, I think it can be easy to forget where it came from, and how dependent we are on the Giver. He sustains and cares and provides for us. One day and then another, step for step, He is there, guiding us through whatever obstacles come our way.
I used to think Elijah was quite rude to ask the widow to first make food for him when there was so little left. How difficult must that be, especially as a mother, to give up the last bit of food for a stranger? But her willingness to oblige is a testament to her faith, which is rewarded. Again, God provides, and again, his provision is day by day. He doesn’t send a great shipment of flour, but promises that what little she has won’t run out. I wonder if she was worried, those first few days, when she returned to the jar for more flour, and then the next day for more again. Was she worried this phenomenon would end?
Sometimes I feel like I’m at the end of my rope, and I just want to give up. My energy is low, my motivation is an inch from the floor, and I don’t know how I’ll get through the next day, let alone the one after that. But God sustains. On those days, I have just enough to get through the first day, and then just enough to get through the next. And before long He is leading me out of the valley again.
Elijah doesn’t answer the widow’s question, which is one we've surely all asked before; “Is this calamity judgment for my sin?” The book of Job provides insight, but I was also reminded of a lesson from the Equip Project podcast; by the power of the cross, we will never face the judgment for our sin, but we do face the consequences of sin. I’ve found this an important distinction to remember.
Returning to Elijah’s story, although he doesn’t comment on whether her son’s illness is brought on by the widow’s sin, he does clearly acknowledge God’s sovereign power in the matter. The happy ending demonstrates God’s total control over everything - even death itself.
Returning to Elijah’s story, although he doesn’t comment on whether her son’s illness is brought on by the widow’s sin, he does clearly acknowledge God’s sovereign power in the matter. The happy ending demonstrates God’s total control over everything - even death itself.
17 October 2020
The search for purpose in suffering - and learning to live through the troughs of life - is not new. Our response should not be new either. In a pandemic, when suffering is acute and valleys seem deep, the Christian response should still be to seek first God’s kingdom.
Pandemics remind us how sin has broken our world. Sin wreaks havoc in relationships between people, but also within creation itself. The creation of Eden has been disrupted, perturbed, twisted by sin. We are no longer in balance with nature. Earthquakes and predators and viruses - these are dangers to us now. Nature is a glorious display of God’s power, but it - like us - has been stained by sin.
We are reminded, therefore, of the first commission given to Adam in Genesis 1:28. We are stewards and subduers of the Earth. This is not a straight-forward role; subduing the Earth entails far more than cultivating one field - it is a call to care for our planet. Environmental activism is not a recent trend; it is a Biblical commission. Our world is broken, and the harmony between man and nature will not be perfect in this present age, but we know that one day the balance will be returned. There will be restoration on God’s holy mountain, where “the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat” (Isaiah 11:6).
Recognising the fallen state of the world should also restrain us from assigning false blame to others. Suffering is a phenomenon that no human can truly comprehend. We do not know the cause or purpose. But it is clear from the Bible - and particularly from the book of Job - that suffering is not punishment for sin. Pointing fingers and shifting blame is not a Christian response at any time, and even less so in times of crisis.
Rather, this is a time to fiercly love our neighbours and to encourage one another. In whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, we are called to witness to God; to shine His light before those around us and to remind them of His great love.
Jonathon Merritt writes of the insensitivity that that has been exposed in some Christians by this pandemic. Such actions are not a Christian response. It is love that should characterise us as God’s children. We must recognise our duty to serve others in times of trial.
The shortest and yet amongst the most profound verses: “Jesus wept.” It is a very mortal reaction to mourn the loss of a loved one. We do not yet live in eternity; we do not understand the coming together of all things. But Jesus is God and Jesus is also man, so Jesus understands the harrowing pain of losing a loved one. He knows the anxiety that plagues us when those we love are ill. We are called to live as a testament to that faith and peace.
Finally, the Christian response to pandemics should be to recognise that God is still in control. Over and over the Bible tells us stories of people in despair and desperation - sold into slavery, close to starvation, betrayed by friends - where God’s sovereignty is displayed.
The battle still belongs to the Lord. He is in control. He sees all things and knows all things and understands all things. He is not confined to our linear understanding of time. He is not surprised to find us where we are, in a global pandemic in 2020.
The God who accomplished such miracles in the Old Testament, who gave us the greatest love story in the New Testament; the God of the time since and the time before; this is the God who watches over us in the COVID-19 pandemic.
In truth, the Christian response to pandemics should be no different from the Christian response in the ‘vie quotidienne’; humility, servanthood and faith. The idea of compound interest is emphasised in this observation; faithful daily following prepares us for unseen trials ahead.
East of Eden, we still live with suffering. This world is not how it is meant to be, and pandemics serve as an all-too-clear reminder of its brokenness. The ancient curse which binds us all binds our planet too. But we have hope: we know that in the new creation, viruses and pandemics will be no more. At that time there will be no pain, death or suffering (Revelation 21:4).
Our hope is beyond this world, anchored to the One who is in control. We keep stepping forward in trust, one day at a time. After all: “I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth” (Job 19:25).
We are reminded, therefore, of the first commission given to Adam in Genesis 1:28. We are stewards and subduers of the Earth. This is not a straight-forward role; subduing the Earth entails far more than cultivating one field - it is a call to care for our planet. Environmental activism is not a recent trend; it is a Biblical commission. Our world is broken, and the harmony between man and nature will not be perfect in this present age, but we know that one day the balance will be returned. There will be restoration on God’s holy mountain, where “the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat” (Isaiah 11:6).
Recognising the fallen state of the world should also restrain us from assigning false blame to others. Suffering is a phenomenon that no human can truly comprehend. We do not know the cause or purpose. But it is clear from the Bible - and particularly from the book of Job - that suffering is not punishment for sin. Pointing fingers and shifting blame is not a Christian response at any time, and even less so in times of crisis.
Rather, this is a time to fiercly love our neighbours and to encourage one another. In whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, we are called to witness to God; to shine His light before those around us and to remind them of His great love.
Jonathon Merritt writes of the insensitivity that that has been exposed in some Christians by this pandemic. Such actions are not a Christian response. It is love that should characterise us as God’s children. We must recognise our duty to serve others in times of trial.
The shortest and yet amongst the most profound verses: “Jesus wept.” It is a very mortal reaction to mourn the loss of a loved one. We do not yet live in eternity; we do not understand the coming together of all things. But Jesus is God and Jesus is also man, so Jesus understands the harrowing pain of losing a loved one. He knows the anxiety that plagues us when those we love are ill. We are called to live as a testament to that faith and peace.
Finally, the Christian response to pandemics should be to recognise that God is still in control. Over and over the Bible tells us stories of people in despair and desperation - sold into slavery, close to starvation, betrayed by friends - where God’s sovereignty is displayed.
The battle still belongs to the Lord. He is in control. He sees all things and knows all things and understands all things. He is not confined to our linear understanding of time. He is not surprised to find us where we are, in a global pandemic in 2020.
The God who accomplished such miracles in the Old Testament, who gave us the greatest love story in the New Testament; the God of the time since and the time before; this is the God who watches over us in the COVID-19 pandemic.
In truth, the Christian response to pandemics should be no different from the Christian response in the ‘vie quotidienne’; humility, servanthood and faith. The idea of compound interest is emphasised in this observation; faithful daily following prepares us for unseen trials ahead.
East of Eden, we still live with suffering. This world is not how it is meant to be, and pandemics serve as an all-too-clear reminder of its brokenness. The ancient curse which binds us all binds our planet too. But we have hope: we know that in the new creation, viruses and pandemics will be no more. At that time there will be no pain, death or suffering (Revelation 21:4).
Our hope is beyond this world, anchored to the One who is in control. We keep stepping forward in trust, one day at a time. After all: “I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth” (Job 19:25).
31 August 2020
A lot of people struggle to reconcile the idea of a loving God with a God who allows suffering.
As Christians, I think it is paramount that we make it very clear that we do not nullify or downplay suffering. We do not deny that there is so much pain and hurt and wrongness in this world. Our faith does not call us to say it’s not so.
Suffering is at the heart of what we believe because if it weren’t for sin and the pain that it wreaks, Jesus wouldn’t have needed to die to save us.
We do not deny suffering. We cry with those who cry.
Suffering does not disprove God, if anything suffering points out that we know in our hearts that there is a better way to life. Suffering reveals our yearning for the perfect peace of God.
This world is broken. It is not what it is meant to be. We long for the perfect world, the new heaven and earth when restoration will be complete and there will finally be justice.
18 July 2020
I remind myself daily that God is in control. He created the world and it is His. He cares about the lilies and the sparrows; He cares about me. He knows me better than I know myself, and He knows the path my life will take.
He cares deeply about His world and He is working in all things. He is with the broken-hearted and with the exuberant. He loves us and holds us and can do all things.
The Overwhelming World is no match for my God. When chaos and hurt and hate surround me, He is my still point and my refuge. I find rest in Him.
This changing life, with its revolving door of seasons—now it is good, now it is bad, your life is going up, your life is going down—cannot be paused. But when it revolves around God, it finds purpose. We are not alone on good or bad days.
The Old Testament is filled with ancient heroes whose lives display God’s control in all things.
Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, but he worked himself up to second-in-command of his master’s house. It all came crashing down again, though, when he was thrown into prison on false accusations. But God was in control, working all things for good, and in the end, Joseph saved Ancient Egypt from famine.
David was a shepherd whose rise to kingship was marked by complicated relationships. His predecessor, Saul, established a heart-breaking pattern of welcoming and then seeking to kill David. When David did become king, first Saul’s son and then David’s own son opposed him. But amidst the betrayal, God was in control, establishing David’s throne forever.
God was working in Esther’s life, the heroic queen who saved the Jews of ancient Persia. “Perhaps you were born for such a time as this,” Mordecai tells her (Esther 4:14), recognising God’s hand in his cousin’s life as God led her to the position where she could rescue her people.
In the dark and the hurt and the fear, God is in control. He knows all things, sees all things, and understands all things. We can trust our lives to Him.
I lift up my hands in surrender. I will not fear; the Lord is my light and my salvation and the battle belongs to Him.
He cares deeply about His world and He is working in all things. He is with the broken-hearted and with the exuberant. He loves us and holds us and can do all things.
The Overwhelming World is no match for my God. When chaos and hurt and hate surround me, He is my still point and my refuge. I find rest in Him.
This changing life, with its revolving door of seasons—now it is good, now it is bad, your life is going up, your life is going down—cannot be paused. But when it revolves around God, it finds purpose. We are not alone on good or bad days.
The Old Testament is filled with ancient heroes whose lives display God’s control in all things.
Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, but he worked himself up to second-in-command of his master’s house. It all came crashing down again, though, when he was thrown into prison on false accusations. But God was in control, working all things for good, and in the end, Joseph saved Ancient Egypt from famine.
David was a shepherd whose rise to kingship was marked by complicated relationships. His predecessor, Saul, established a heart-breaking pattern of welcoming and then seeking to kill David. When David did become king, first Saul’s son and then David’s own son opposed him. But amidst the betrayal, God was in control, establishing David’s throne forever.
God was working in Esther’s life, the heroic queen who saved the Jews of ancient Persia. “Perhaps you were born for such a time as this,” Mordecai tells her (Esther 4:14), recognising God’s hand in his cousin’s life as God led her to the position where she could rescue her people.
In the dark and the hurt and the fear, God is in control. He knows all things, sees all things, and understands all things. We can trust our lives to Him.
I lift up my hands in surrender. I will not fear; the Lord is my light and my salvation and the battle belongs to Him.
This is a weird time, isn’t it? Grocery shopping now requires battle tactics. The evening news is fraught with terrifying numbers. Many of us know every corner of our homes very well by now. The normal course of things at this time of year - Easter gatherings, school graduations and summer plans - are gone.
Dear stranger, certainty has disappeared from our world. Plans disintegrate, control is wrested from us. Mistrust creeps in, taking the form of conspiracy theories and a lack of transparency from governments. Dear stranger, why are we turning against each other now, when we most need to work together? We don’t know what’s going to happen next; surely it’s best to step forward with others by our side?
Dear stranger, there’s so much hurt happening in the world right now. It’s overwhelming and any effort I make to try to remedy it seems pathetic. There are people who have lost loved ones, people drowning to death from the fluid in their own lungs. There are people scared out of their mind, who fear stepping out of their front door. There are people who fear, everyday, what they will face in their own homes. There are people giving up their lives to try to help the ill and dying. There are people living in migrant camps, in slums and in shantytowns, facing unthinkable fears.
Dear stranger, where do we find hope in this fear?
Dear stranger, I lift up my eyes. My hope is in the Lord who drives out fear with perfect love. I cling to His promises; He will never leave us nor forsake us.
Dear stranger, in this world of chaos, fear, hurt and suffering, I hope that you can find peace.
Go dtí go gcasfar le chéile sinn arís.
(Until we meet again).
03 May 2020
“Do you not know? (This is amazing news.)
Have you not heard? (This is life-changing news.)
The Lord is the everlasting God, (God is eternal; He is the same God today, yesterday and tomorrow, and His promises stand for all time. He knows everything because He has experienced all of history; all of time. We don’t experience time in the same way as Him; He is beyond time.)
the Creator of the ends of the earth. (God made everything; He knows how everything works and where everything goes. He is a creative God who loves what He has made and takes pride in His work. You were created for His purpose; you were formed with care and placed where you are for a reason.)
He will not grow tired or weary, (Our God is Mighty; He is all-powerful. There is no problem too big for Him, and nothing that He cannot do. He is our Rock of Strength and we can depend on Him in all things, at all times.)
and his understanding no one can fathom.” (His ways are above our ways; we cannot always understand why bad things happen and how He will work them for good. This is one of the things I’ve struggled with most in my faith but over and over, He has proven to be faithful. God will work all things for good. One day we’ll see that all along God has been with us, leading us along the best path. But blessed are those who do not see and still believe; let us be counted in that number; we pray for faith.)
***
“Do you not know?Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
And His understanding no one can fathom.”
----- Isaiah 40:28.
07 April 2020
The world feels very apocalyptic right now. It seems as if there’s a new update about the coronavirus every ten minutes. It’s very easy to get sucked into the frenzy. I’ve had the major news sites open since this morning, and I’ve refreshed them countless times, checking for the latest developments.
It’s one of the most uncertain times I can remember. Predicting what will happen next is nearing the impossible end of difficult.
Who would have thought, when we entered this new year, that we would be in the state we are now? Borders are closing, schools are closing, pubs are closing. Flights are being grounded, hundreds of thousands of people are out of a job, hundreds of thousands more are working grueling days and nights to help prevent the spread of this unprecedented pandemic.
For many of us, this is an unprecedented time of uncertainty and worry. Things we took entirely for granted - meeting up with friends for coffee, taking group photos, writing exams - have been cancelled. I’ve seen some people joking that self-isolation is ‘every introvert’s dream come true’, but the truth is that sitting at home all day is neither physically nor mentally healthy. And yet it’s the safest place for many to be.
It’s often in times of suffering that God’s promises are most difficult to believe. But right now is when we most need to remind ourselves of what He’s said.
God’s has promised to be with us. “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8).
He has promised to be our strength. “For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” (Isaiah 41:13).
He is in control of all things. “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” (Proverbs 19:21).
He is always working all things for our good. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28).
The Old Testament is filled with stories that exemplify God’s omnipotence. Over and over, He proves that He alone is all-powerful, that He is in control, that no course of history surprises Him. He knows the past, the present, and the future. He works all things for good.
The same God who divided the Red Sea, slayed armies, cured the ill, set water on fire and carried out history’s greatest rescue mission, is the God of today. He is still in control. This is still His world. There is nothing He does not know.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we can find peace in this:
The battle still belongs to the Lord.
01 April 2020
This is what I am learning: God’s provision is timely. Of clarity, of wisdom, of resources. Like the Israelites in the desert, we will receive our manna daily, when we need it. They could not store it up to have a Plan B. They had to trust that every day God would provide. And He did.
The hymn ‘Lead, Kindly Light’ has this beautiful line in it: “I do not ask to see the distant scene; one step enough for me.”
One step enough for me.
Honestly, this has become my mantra in the past year. When I’m faced with an overwhelming situation — exams, rent, degree results, a plethora of text messages to reply to — I remind myself that every journey is made of one step after another.
When I feel as though the world is falling in on top of me and I just have to get out, my escape is step by step.
Anxious thoughts are often a tangle of manageable things.
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (Psalm 119:105 NIV.) God’s Word is a lamp unto our paths, not a floodlight to reveal all that’s ahead, not a set of bright LED lights to illuminate our entire exit route.
No, He gives us a lamp that will direct our footsteps and shows us, day by day, where we should go.
We do not know what the future holds, and we are not called to live as slaves to it. We are called to depend on God and trust that He will show us, one step at a time, where we should go.
Living in the future often does more harm than good.
It can lead to fruitless worries about things far beyond our control and reveals our refusal to empty all our burdens into God’s hands. C. S. Lewis wrote that the future should only concern us insofar as it is the present’s duty.
This isn’t a call to live without discernment and careful stewardship of our God-given gifts. It’s a reminder of what Jesus teaches us in Matthew’s Gospel: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34 NIV.)
Often, when the future is a hazy mess and every choice is shrouded in mist, the best thing to do is to keep going where you are at this moment. This is why it’s so important to be listening to God and trusting that He will reveal the right path and the right time. Sometimes the bravest thing to do is to wait. Sometimes all that’s needed is a bit of patience and an open mind to what opportunities God might bring before you. It’s often in the waiting — in the liminal space between chapters — that we grow the most.
So have no fear; instead, be bold.
By faith you’ll hear our Father say:
“Keep going my child, where you are now.
When the time comes, I will show you the way.”
Previously published by Thought Catalog at https://thoughtcatalog.com.
12 March 2020
I wrote this on another blog in 2017, but wanted to post it here too.
So often, we allow our thoughts and actions to be dictated by what others think. We are the generation of social media; of carefully tailoring what we do and do not put on Facebook or Instagram. If you’re anything like me, that Instagram caption takes some thinking time before it’s posted; Is it funny? Is it cool? Is it grammatically correct? Maybe you’re not as shallow as I am regarding Instagram captions but chances are you’ve still gotten caught up caring what others think about you. Maybe it’s not online; maybe you care about what other people will think about the clothes you wear or the model of phone you have. How pretty or handsome they think you are. And let’s dig deeper: getting back grades from college professors, being promoted to the ‘A’ Team in sports, getting a standing ovation for a musical performance. Our talents can very easily become idols. Even when we have the best intentions, we can still put our focus on the wrong thing. I was meeting my boyfriend’s parents for the first time a couple of months ago and I was terrified. For a week beforehand I was obsessed with what they would think of me. It wasn’t until we were about ten minutes away from meeting them that a post popped up in my newsfeed: “You are a daughter of the King of Heaven.”
Identities
See, that’s the thing: other people’s opinions shouldn’t matter because they are not the ones who get to define you. As a Christian, your identity (how you are defined) is found in your status as a child of God.
So, I am a girl, a geologist, a ballerina, a foreigner, a student, somebody’s sister, somebody’s daughter. But none of these labels matter in light of my true identity, the only label I want to wear: I am a loved child of God, Maker of Heaven and Earth who loved me so much that two thousand years ago, before anyone on Earth had the slightest inkling of my existence, He sent His Son to die on a cross for my sins.
I am a child of God. That is my identity. That is the label I wear. Every other label that someone puts on me is meaningless in comparison. Their opinion of me, whether they hold me in high esteem or think me about equal to the scum on their shoes; it doesn’t matter.
At the end of the day, we live in a world filled with sinners and sin. If we try to derive our identities from things or people of this world, we will get hurt. We will be seeking validation and substance from things that cannot give that to us. God is the One who created us and has planned every detail for our lives. Surely then, there is no better place to find our identity than from Him?
In Romans 8:17, Paul writes that we are “co-heirs with Christ.” What a privilege! It’s so easy sometimes to lose sight of that amazing fact – that we are co-heirs with Christ, children of God. I find it such a relief whenever I get bogged down by the inane and frankly unimportant niggly things of this world – I am God’s child. That is the most important thing. That is the most important part of my identity.
Talents
I touched on the idea of talents becoming idols a bit earlier. This is an interesting concept – one of those classic ‘get the balance right’ lessons. So we know that God has given us all talents and that He intends for us to use them to His glory (check out the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30). But we also know that we are to have no idols before God. It took me a while to realise how easily idols are actually made. When I was younger I almost skipped past that commandment, assuming that since I didn’t pray to any golden calves I wasn’t in any danger of breaking it. Of course, our idols can be a lot more subtle than that.
And what is more subtle than dedicating yourself to that sport you play so well, working hard and trying your best the way the Bible tells you to? If this is a talent that God has bestowed upon you do you not then have the responsibility to use it? Well yes…and no. See, there’s a difference between glorifying God with your talents and becoming so caught up in your talents that you make them your new idol.
For me, this manifests in academics. I often have to remind myself that God’s plans are a lot larger and a whole lot better than my own. So I might plan on diligently pursuing a first-class honours degree but if that’s not what God has planned then I need to accept that He knows best. Sure, He has blessed me with some academic ability and I should not waste that gift but I don’t think it’s right for me to get so hung up about grades and exams that they replace Him.
All these talents are gifts from God.
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)
God is the One who has decided to bless some of us with athletic prowess, others with a mind for numbers, for someone else it is languages, another hospitality, another kindness, another gentleness. Let us not forget who it is we are serving.
Golden Stars and Grey Dots
If you haven’t heard it already I would strongly recommend you read ‘You Are Special’ by Max Lucado. In a quick summary: this is a story about wooden puppets called Wemmicks who are carved by the woodcarver Eli. The puppets stick stickers on each other; golden stars for those they liked or grey dots for those with less desirable traits. One day, Punchinello, a Wemmick covered in grey dots for his clumsiness, meets another Wemmick called Lucia. Lucia has no gold stars and no grey dots. She is void of any stickers, void of wearing the labels of any other Wemmicks. When Punchinello asks her how this is, she explains that she knows Eli, the woodcarver, who tells her she is special just as she is.
This is a beautiful children’s story but I feel it’s one that resonates with us all. When we know God we are no longer defined by the labels other people stick on us, whether they are good or bad. Those stickers fall off us, they cannot get a foothold because we know that in the eyes of the One who truly matters, our God and Father, we are already loved, exactly as we are.
To conclude
So, after all that rambling do you see what I’m getting at? It’s all just a big circle, looping back to God over and over again. You are already loved by the One who loves you more than anybody else could ever dream of loving you. That’s why all these earthly thing (people’s opinions included) don’t matter; only God matters. Love Him, love His people and love yourself. Love, love, love.
God made you. He knit you together in your mother’s womb. He knows the plans He has for you. He created you for a reason, and He has a purpose for your life.
No matter what anybody else thinks you can rest in this truth: He loves us.
Remember: as much as this applies to you it also applies to others. Judging others and labelling them is a sin I fall into very easily and something I am trying really hard to improve. I have no right to judge others. I can only try to love them with the same love that God has for me.
So often, we allow our thoughts and actions to be dictated by what others think. We are the generation of social media; of carefully tailoring what we do and do not put on Facebook or Instagram. If you’re anything like me, that Instagram caption takes some thinking time before it’s posted; Is it funny? Is it cool? Is it grammatically correct? Maybe you’re not as shallow as I am regarding Instagram captions but chances are you’ve still gotten caught up caring what others think about you. Maybe it’s not online; maybe you care about what other people will think about the clothes you wear or the model of phone you have. How pretty or handsome they think you are. And let’s dig deeper: getting back grades from college professors, being promoted to the ‘A’ Team in sports, getting a standing ovation for a musical performance. Our talents can very easily become idols. Even when we have the best intentions, we can still put our focus on the wrong thing. I was meeting my boyfriend’s parents for the first time a couple of months ago and I was terrified. For a week beforehand I was obsessed with what they would think of me. It wasn’t until we were about ten minutes away from meeting them that a post popped up in my newsfeed: “You are a daughter of the King of Heaven.”
Identities
See, that’s the thing: other people’s opinions shouldn’t matter because they are not the ones who get to define you. As a Christian, your identity (how you are defined) is found in your status as a child of God.
So, I am a girl, a geologist, a ballerina, a foreigner, a student, somebody’s sister, somebody’s daughter. But none of these labels matter in light of my true identity, the only label I want to wear: I am a loved child of God, Maker of Heaven and Earth who loved me so much that two thousand years ago, before anyone on Earth had the slightest inkling of my existence, He sent His Son to die on a cross for my sins.
I am a child of God. That is my identity. That is the label I wear. Every other label that someone puts on me is meaningless in comparison. Their opinion of me, whether they hold me in high esteem or think me about equal to the scum on their shoes; it doesn’t matter.
At the end of the day, we live in a world filled with sinners and sin. If we try to derive our identities from things or people of this world, we will get hurt. We will be seeking validation and substance from things that cannot give that to us. God is the One who created us and has planned every detail for our lives. Surely then, there is no better place to find our identity than from Him?
In Romans 8:17, Paul writes that we are “co-heirs with Christ.” What a privilege! It’s so easy sometimes to lose sight of that amazing fact – that we are co-heirs with Christ, children of God. I find it such a relief whenever I get bogged down by the inane and frankly unimportant niggly things of this world – I am God’s child. That is the most important thing. That is the most important part of my identity.
Talents
I touched on the idea of talents becoming idols a bit earlier. This is an interesting concept – one of those classic ‘get the balance right’ lessons. So we know that God has given us all talents and that He intends for us to use them to His glory (check out the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30). But we also know that we are to have no idols before God. It took me a while to realise how easily idols are actually made. When I was younger I almost skipped past that commandment, assuming that since I didn’t pray to any golden calves I wasn’t in any danger of breaking it. Of course, our idols can be a lot more subtle than that.
And what is more subtle than dedicating yourself to that sport you play so well, working hard and trying your best the way the Bible tells you to? If this is a talent that God has bestowed upon you do you not then have the responsibility to use it? Well yes…and no. See, there’s a difference between glorifying God with your talents and becoming so caught up in your talents that you make them your new idol.
For me, this manifests in academics. I often have to remind myself that God’s plans are a lot larger and a whole lot better than my own. So I might plan on diligently pursuing a first-class honours degree but if that’s not what God has planned then I need to accept that He knows best. Sure, He has blessed me with some academic ability and I should not waste that gift but I don’t think it’s right for me to get so hung up about grades and exams that they replace Him.
All these talents are gifts from God.
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)
God is the One who has decided to bless some of us with athletic prowess, others with a mind for numbers, for someone else it is languages, another hospitality, another kindness, another gentleness. Let us not forget who it is we are serving.
Golden Stars and Grey Dots
If you haven’t heard it already I would strongly recommend you read ‘You Are Special’ by Max Lucado. In a quick summary: this is a story about wooden puppets called Wemmicks who are carved by the woodcarver Eli. The puppets stick stickers on each other; golden stars for those they liked or grey dots for those with less desirable traits. One day, Punchinello, a Wemmick covered in grey dots for his clumsiness, meets another Wemmick called Lucia. Lucia has no gold stars and no grey dots. She is void of any stickers, void of wearing the labels of any other Wemmicks. When Punchinello asks her how this is, she explains that she knows Eli, the woodcarver, who tells her she is special just as she is.
This is a beautiful children’s story but I feel it’s one that resonates with us all. When we know God we are no longer defined by the labels other people stick on us, whether they are good or bad. Those stickers fall off us, they cannot get a foothold because we know that in the eyes of the One who truly matters, our God and Father, we are already loved, exactly as we are.
To conclude
So, after all that rambling do you see what I’m getting at? It’s all just a big circle, looping back to God over and over again. You are already loved by the One who loves you more than anybody else could ever dream of loving you. That’s why all these earthly thing (people’s opinions included) don’t matter; only God matters. Love Him, love His people and love yourself. Love, love, love.
God made you. He knit you together in your mother’s womb. He knows the plans He has for you. He created you for a reason, and He has a purpose for your life.
No matter what anybody else thinks you can rest in this truth: He loves us.
Remember: as much as this applies to you it also applies to others. Judging others and labelling them is a sin I fall into very easily and something I am trying really hard to improve. I have no right to judge others. I can only try to love them with the same love that God has for me.
07 October 2017
College is right around the corner! (Or quite possibly already under your feet if yours likes to make an early start.) So what does that mean for a Christian in college? Well, plenty: the end of a summer quite possibly fuelled by camps and conferences which have left you on a spiritual high, maybe a move to another city, returning to the classrooms and lecture halls ready for loads of learning ;), meeting new people or catching up with old friends, a new routine (for studying and socialising).
But as Christians, we are called to more than the daily slog; we’re called to take up our crosses daily and live out our lives for Jesus. We are meant to be the bright lights and stars in this dark world, shining for the Lord, spreading His love and the Good News and trying every day to live like Jesus did. Read on for some reminders that’ll hopefully help you as you try to imitate Christ in your college life.
You’ve may have heard this verse quoted before but I’m going to do it again because it’s so applicable: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6).
It’s so true! God cares about the lilies in the field and the sparrows of the air, He’s not going to forget about us! He loves us with a crazy momentous love that’s far too large and great for our little human brains to understand but He loves us!
I think we’ve all become control freaks, whether we recognise it or not, and we refuse to wholly fully trust in God. We always make our own Plan B’s and we have back-ups and we struggle about in the sand trying to do things our own way. But our God is a loving God who we can trust to take care of us and all our problems. In fact, He calls us to give up our problems to Him; “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28).
Our God is bigger than any problems we may face in our time in college; be they exams, finances, friends, relationships, living out the Gospel, God is in control. What a great comfort we can find in that! Our God can handle them all!
Think about it. How many Christians do your friends know? In my college it’s a pretty slim chance they’ll know more than two or three devout Christians their own age. That means that the way they see me living my life is playing a large part in the kind of image they form about Christianity. That’s a massive responsibility!
And let’s add to this: This is a 24-hour gig. There’s no time off. At all times we are called to live like this. We can’t pick and choose the bits of our lives that we want to live in a Christ-like manner and the bits that we’d rather ignore Him. It is all for Him. As the song goes: Jesus, all for Jesus. All I am and have and ever hope to be.
Now, I mess up so much. It saddens me to think of the amount of times I’ve missed or spoiled an evangelism opportunity because of my own embarrassment or just sheer ignorance. And chances are you guys mess up a good bit too (no judgment guys, just yanno, we’re all sinners). But we can pray to God for help. He’s not going to leave us on our own. With His help, we can strive at all times to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel.
It is easy to love those who love us back. It requires a lot more of us to love those who annoy us, those who are rude to us, those who are strange and won’t boost our super-cool factor.
Jesus calls us to love our neighbours and that means loving even those who are difficult to love. How difficult is it really to give someone a smile? A smile is such a small gesture but it can have such a big impact. Be kind and compassionate and love your neighbour as yourself.
When I first started college I spent the first few months doubting myself. I can’t remember the amount of times that I had to tell myself that I deserved to be in college just as much as everyone else around me, no matter how much cleverer, funnier, friendlier, prettier or more exciting they were.
We are children, loved children, of the King. He loves us. He will care for us. He will never leave us. And that’s the blessed assurance we cling to.
“The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”
– Zephaniah 3:17.
““For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.””
– Jeremiah 29:11.
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
– 2 Corinthians 4:18.
But as Christians, we are called to more than the daily slog; we’re called to take up our crosses daily and live out our lives for Jesus. We are meant to be the bright lights and stars in this dark world, shining for the Lord, spreading His love and the Good News and trying every day to live like Jesus did. Read on for some reminders that’ll hopefully help you as you try to imitate Christ in your college life.
1) Remember God is with you. Do not worry. He is in control.
First and foremost, remember that we have a Mighty God who is capable of all things. Through Him all things are possible. You’re not alone in this momentous task. God has sent His Holy Spirit to help us. He’s not leaving us out on our own.You’ve may have heard this verse quoted before but I’m going to do it again because it’s so applicable: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6).
It’s so true! God cares about the lilies in the field and the sparrows of the air, He’s not going to forget about us! He loves us with a crazy momentous love that’s far too large and great for our little human brains to understand but He loves us!
I think we’ve all become control freaks, whether we recognise it or not, and we refuse to wholly fully trust in God. We always make our own Plan B’s and we have back-ups and we struggle about in the sand trying to do things our own way. But our God is a loving God who we can trust to take care of us and all our problems. In fact, He calls us to give up our problems to Him; “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28).
Our God is bigger than any problems we may face in our time in college; be they exams, finances, friends, relationships, living out the Gospel, God is in control. What a great comfort we can find in that! Our God can handle them all!
2) Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel.
We are called to be ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). This is both a privilege (we are co-heirs with Christ! Us! Me! With all my sin and fumbling through life!) and a responsibility. If we call ourselves Christians, then every day we are witnessing to those around us. It’s amazing how much people pick up, even sub-consciously, just from how we live. The lifestyle choices we make, the way we interact with others (both those we know well and those we don’t know at all), whether or not God is our top priority in all situations; these are the subtle yet so extremely powerful ways in which we are witnessing to those around us.Think about it. How many Christians do your friends know? In my college it’s a pretty slim chance they’ll know more than two or three devout Christians their own age. That means that the way they see me living my life is playing a large part in the kind of image they form about Christianity. That’s a massive responsibility!
And let’s add to this: This is a 24-hour gig. There’s no time off. At all times we are called to live like this. We can’t pick and choose the bits of our lives that we want to live in a Christ-like manner and the bits that we’d rather ignore Him. It is all for Him. As the song goes: Jesus, all for Jesus. All I am and have and ever hope to be.
Now, I mess up so much. It saddens me to think of the amount of times I’ve missed or spoiled an evangelism opportunity because of my own embarrassment or just sheer ignorance. And chances are you guys mess up a good bit too (no judgment guys, just yanno, we’re all sinners). But we can pray to God for help. He’s not going to leave us on our own. With His help, we can strive at all times to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel.
3) Love your neighbours.
College can so quickly become a social game. That’s great! I love my college friends and I don’t see anything wrong with hanging out with them. In fact, I feel quite strongly that God has given me this group of friends to be a witness to and to talk to them about Him. But what about the lost and the lonely? The people immediately labelled as too ‘weird’ or ‘different’ to talk to.It is easy to love those who love us back. It requires a lot more of us to love those who annoy us, those who are rude to us, those who are strange and won’t boost our super-cool factor.
Jesus calls us to love our neighbours and that means loving even those who are difficult to love. How difficult is it really to give someone a smile? A smile is such a small gesture but it can have such a big impact. Be kind and compassionate and love your neighbour as yourself.
4) God loves you. Don’t doubt your self-worth. You are a child of the King.
At the end of the day, the call of Christianity is “Come home.” From there, from inside God’s loving arms, we grow each day and become more and more like Him through the work of His Holy Spirit, through studying the Bible, through spending time with God in prayer. God loves you. The Maker of the Universe, the divine God who is the only God, who knows all things and sees all things and can do all things, He loves you and me! How crazy is that.When I first started college I spent the first few months doubting myself. I can’t remember the amount of times that I had to tell myself that I deserved to be in college just as much as everyone else around me, no matter how much cleverer, funnier, friendlier, prettier or more exciting they were.
We are children, loved children, of the King. He loves us. He will care for us. He will never leave us. And that’s the blessed assurance we cling to.
Bible verses
I don’t know about you but for me all of this can get quite overwhelming. So I’ve included some Bible verses to help:“The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”
– Zephaniah 3:17.
““For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.””
– Jeremiah 29:11.
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
– 2 Corinthians 4:18.
Prayer
My prayer for you this new college season is that you will grow in your love for God and for those around you. I pray that you will settle well into your colleges and that you will be able to join Christian societies and churches that will further encourage you in your walk with God. I pray that you will always know how deep and how wonderful God’s love for you is.07 September 2017
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