But I Don’t Wanna ….

How many of us have said those words?  Think about it for a minute.  Maybe you haven’t said them out loud.  Maybe they just roll around in your head as tasks arise, as people seek your time or as God directs you about something.  It is like our bargaining tool.  Maybe if I act like a toddler (even if just in my head) I will have temper tantrum success and we just won’t have ta’. 

The truth is, you don’t have ta’.  You can ignore the tasks, the people and even God’s direction.  You have the power of choice within you.  However, if you skip out on the things that you don’t want to do, what will you miss out on because you did? 

Think about Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord …. We all know that scripture.  It is the scripture we quote when we have a bad day, when we don’t understand what is going on, when we just don’t wanna’.  We also quote it to try to manipulate our circumstances.  When things are tough (maybe because we missed the mark and did something …. A little …. Stupid,  or when we think we know the will of God but not his timing.  You know – those things :))  Let’s examine that a little more.  This scripture was written to a group that had been taken captive, removed from their home, and taken far away.  Do you think they wanna’ed??  I’m guessing not!  King Neb rounded up 10,000 (yep, that’s a lot of people) citizens when he invaded Judah.  He sent them 500 miles from their home.  Who among us can say we have felt like one of those captives?  Everything was fine then ** BAM ** (said in my best crazy voice with inflection so as to grab the attention of the reader) something happens that shakes us to the core of our being and we become captive to a circumstance. 

It wasn’t until they were already captive and in exile that the prophet Jeremiah sent them a word from the Lord.  They were receiving instruction on what to do in season they just didn’t want to be in.  How many of us have been in a season we just don’t want to be in?  Maybe you feel like one of the exiles.  I wish we could embrace Jeremiah 29:11 for the truth of what it says – God does offer us a hope and a future but sometimes we have to endure the rough seasons.  This scripture is a promise that God would later fulfill but not immediately.  They had to set up shop so to speak and endure the season and make the best of it.  They had to build in the place of brokenness.

Jeremiah told them to take a wife, build homes, plant gardens – these are all adjustments and major life decisions he was instructing them to do.  See, sometimes we enter a season where we feel like we are captive to a bad circumstance or a series of bad deals.  However, God still knows exactly where we are and what we are doing.  Make the best of the bad times.  Adjust, adapt and remember that our personal fulfillment isn’t guaranteed.  They were exiled for 70 years – imagine the people that never made it back home.  That is why, I believe, they were told to set up residence.  They were instructed to make a life instead of their own instead of the circumstances making life for them.  If we allow our circumstances to dictate to us how we feel, we will live defeated and deflated today and possibly excited and ecstatic tomorrow and constantly on a roller coaster of emotions.  We need to adjust and adapt to the ebbs and flows of life.  We need to rely on our deep roots of faith to carry us in the times of exile and captivity so that when we are in those days, we can still build a life and enjoy the good days. 

I’m not saying that life is just a doom and gloom kind of thing.  Those of you that know me know I am a carrier of joy.  I love to make people laugh and smile.  That deep joy comes from walking out some great times and some difficult times.  There is joy in the journey and God truly does work things out for our good.  It just isn’t always like we think it should be.  And that’s OK.  Some days I just don’t wanna but I do because I know that the bad days are only seasons and that I can choose to make the best and see the glory in all things. 

So, instead of having I Just Don’t Wanna kind of days, let’s agree to plant gardens, build houses and make the best of each day given.  Let’s recognize that even in our days of exile, God still wants us to have family, relationships and provision.  So, don’t keep your eyes on the circumstantial captivity but the One that holds our heart captive, Jesus.

Car Horns and Garbage Trucks

As I sit here on a Monday morning, I am gazing out of the large square window of my sister’s home.  The view is stunning and it overlooks the marsh.  It is a serene sight to behold. The sky is blue, the breeze is gently blowing and the marsh grass is dancing around as if it is a small child dancing and twirling for daddy's attention.  It is such a peaceful moment that would bring the busiest of minds to a place of calm reflection.  Then it happens, that moment of interruption that quickly and sharply pulls us from our moment of peace and tranquility. The garbage truck comes bustling down the road and a car horn blows, as if both are setting of an alarm of reality that blares "Life is messy and life is loud!"  Here's the thing - I can't see the garbage truck or the car.  I can only hear the rumbling of the truck and the irritable, loud squeaking of the horn that seems to beg "excuse me" rather than "get the heck out of my way".  Regardless of my ability to see those things, the sounds disrupt my amazing moment of marsh gazing to a snap back that life is happening outside the confines of the walls of my sister’s home.  

What do you do when life gets messy and loud?  What do you do when it doesn't go according to your plan?  It is important to have a place (both mentally and physically) that you can stop to reflect and experience the peace that only God can provide.  It is a peace that passes all understanding.  It is a place where you can dream, imagine, cry, rest!  In that place, your soul can be renewed, your mind can find rest and joy can be refilled .... And in some cases restored.  

My challenge to you is find that place of refuge, of strength.  That place you can go that you can sit with Lord and draw in His strength.  There are some days the garbage trucks won't pass and the car horns won't blow.  But the days they do, you will be armed with strength and ready to take on the trash and inconvenience that presents itself to you.  We often quote Deut. 31:6 in times of trouble – Be strong and courageous …. When you quote that verse do you consider where strength comes from?  Strength is something that is built over time.  Be sure you are working on your strength when the car horns and garbage trucks are not around so when they are, you will be strong and courageous - you've got this!

Deuteronomy 31:6(AMP)

6 Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble in dread before them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not fail you or abandon you.”

One Word

Have you ever heard someone say “One word spoken from heaven can change every circumstance of your life?”  I have heard that quoted many times and it is true.  The challenge for me is what happens when you can’t hear that one word.  Pressure mounts, fear creeps in the heart and mind, what is wrong with me?  Why can’t I hear just one little word?  Then all of a sudden, we hear one word from the devil “failure” or maybe we take ownership of the identity the enemy of our soul has created for us – I will never be good enough!  God can’t use me because I can’t even hear ONE WORD!  All of a sudden (which really isn’t suddenly at all, it happens over time, we just notice it suddenly) we have developed this whole persona of insecurity, fear, doubt and failure. 

So what do you do when you can’t hear ONE WORD?  I’ve been there!  It seems so easy to hear all the other words being spoken but that one word from our Heavenly Father seems so far away.  The reality is, we put so much pressure on ourselves to “hear from God” that we miss the joy in the journey.  A scripture I really like is Acts 2:28 - You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’  The joy in the journey is found in His presence.  When we stop long enough to just find His presence, the pressure to “hear from God” diminishes.  God speaks in many different ways.  The primary way is through His word, The Bible.  Take time to read it!  He speaks through nature.  For me, when I am overwhelmed, I can get in my car and ride the amazing dirt roads of South Georgia and find peace.  He speaks in my little, dirty Kia Soul.  Don’t box God in with your preconceived ideas of how that “One Word” should come to you.  Take time to get in His presence and allow that word to come the way He desires to send it to you.  Maybe it is a phone call with a friend, maybe it is the peace of windows down, loud worship music blasting and dirt road riding, it could be the wisdom that comes from Proverbs. 

My point today is stop putting so much pressure on yourself and just enjoy the journey!  God has made known the ways of life and we just need to step in and embrace the joy he has for us.