Never lay down the tools

It is easy to lose heart and quit.

We have all faced problems in our relationships or in our work that have caused us to want to think about laying down the tools and walking away. Rather than giving up when persecution wore him down. Paul concentrated on experiencing the inner strength from the Holy Spirit. Don’t let fatigue, pain, or criticism force you off the job. 

I haven’t always enjoyed writing this blog. It hasn’t always been easy. My prayer and hope when I started this back when I was in college was to encourage people. I know that there were a small number of people who felt that way, and also a small number of people who thought what I was doing was fake. What stung the most was the small group that would make fun of me for it. You see, I can’t tell you how many times it was hard for me to continue to write because all I could picture were the two groups of people who clearly didn’t care about how I was trying to encourage others. But each time I sat down to get into the Word, I still had a desire to write. Writing is my way of growing closer to God and if I would’ve quit because of a little persecution, pain, or criticism, my walk with Christ might look completely different. Heck, my life might look completely different. 

Whatever difficult thing you are facing today, please don’t walk away from it. Trust God and fight what you are doing and what you believe in. If God has other plans for you, that is completely fine, but my encouragement is for you to not quit. Anything that is worth it won’t be easy.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day. (2 Corinthians 4:16)

I hope this post encourages you to renew your commitment to serving Christ. Don’t forsake your eternal reward because of the intensity of today’s pain. Your very weakness allows the resurrection power of Christ to strengthen you moment by moment. 

only so far

Our natural talents and abilities can only get us so far. Without God orchestrating everything, we are almost completely limited. But what do I mean by that? 

The example that comes to my mind is this: I think about growing up back in Ohio and how my life revolved around basketball. I am tall and was always taller than most which helped. But what made me different was my work ethic. I knew that in order to accomplish my dream of playing college basketball I not only had to outwork everyone, but I also had to trust in God. I wasn't going to just do it on my own. I believe that because of trusting in God with my dreams, I was recruited to play at various schools. 

I whole heartily believe that the relationships that were made with college coaches was God's work, it didn't just happen naturally. What I still had to do though was have really good character and extreme work habits. There is a role that we still have to play as well.

I hope that example makes sense. I don't share that to boast, but to use my story as an example of how I would've never accomplished what I have if it wasn't for the grace and favor of God.

Such confidence we have through Christ before God. No that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. (2 Corinthians 3:4-5)

When Paul wrote this, he wasn't boasting; he gave God his credit for all his accomplishments. No one can claim to be adequate without God's help. No one is competent to carry out the responsibilities of God's calling in his or her own strength. Without the Holy Spirit's enabling, our natural talent can only carry us for far. As Christ's witnesses, we need the character and special strength that only God gives. 

the aroma of Christ

Back in my junior high school youth group, I remember the theme we always had was that we were the aroma of Christ. I never fully understood what that meant, but it was painted all over the walls of the building where we met.

In a Roman triumphal procession, the Roman general would display his treasures and captives amidst a cloud of incense burned for the gods. To the victors, the aroma was sweet; to the captives in the parade, it was the smell of slavery and defeat.

When Christians preach the gospel, it is good news to some and repulsive news to others. Believers recognize the life-giving fragrance of the message. To unbelievers, however, it smells foul, like death-their own. 

But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ's triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and this who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma that brings death, to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is qual to such a task? (2 Corinthians 2:14-16)

For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ. Let's remember that as we live our lives for Christ. The message we share will be portrayed one of two ways. There are be people who it brings victory to, and others who will be repulsive about it. What matters is that we are the pleasing aroma of Christ. 

suffering leads to comfort

Sitting here and briefly reflecting on my life up to this point, whenever I felt comfort, there was something that I had to go through to feel that way. 

That is because suffering leads to comfort.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)

I am sure you've heard that God comforts us right? It's easy to think that when God comforts us, our troubles should go away. But if that were always so, people would turn to God only out of desire to be relieved of pain and not out of love for him. 

Our troubles are a blessing in disguise and God comforting us rather than just taking them all away is crucial to our relationship in Christ Jesus. If God automatically took all our troubles away anytime we faced hardships, we would never grow. There wouldn't even be a reason to have faith if that were the case...life would be perfect. 

Good thing it's not, because we need to turn to Christ out of love for him.

We must understand that being comforted can also mean receiving strength, encouragement, and hope to deal with our troubles.

The more we suffer, the more we go through, and the more hardships we face, the more comfort God gives to us. If you are feeling overwhelmed, allow God to comfort you. God is there to comfort us with open arms, we just have to open up. As much as God is there to comfort us, we have to be vulernable and turn to God for the comfort he gives us. 

The charge? Remember that every trail you endure will help you comfort other people who are suffering similar trails. Nobody is perfect, and we all face hardships everyday. Let's love each other, and encourage one another because God's compassion and comfort that he gives us is too great to keep to ourselves. 

give us aid

God can actually give us aid in times of distress. I am a huge believer that God can use our distress as an opportunity to show his mighty power. With that being said, my challenge to you to as you read this and begin your week is to view everything as an opportunity. The good, the bad, the ugly, and the in-between because God can use all those to show his power.

"Give us aid against the enemy,

for human help is worthless.

With God we will gain the victory,

and he will trample down our enemies." 

(Psalm 108:12-13)

Do our prayers end with requests for help to make it through stressful situations? David prayed not merely for rescue, but for victory. With God's help we can claim more than mere survival, we can claim victory 

Let's commit to this mindset. It's hard, trust me. I know that I have tried this before many times and always seem to forgot because it is really hard. But let's embrace the uncomfortable. It's an uncomfortable feeling to have that mindset and to view our hardships as opportunities. The uncomfortable feeling we feel is growth. 

Also, let's make sure we end our prayers with requests for help. God is willing to help us and often times we forgot to pray with action. God is ready to help us, we just need to ask him. 

Our God is good and He is perfect. 

Attack this week with an opportunistic mindset and don't be afraid to ask for help.

I am who I am

The apostle Paul was undoubtedly the most well known and influential apostle. Yet, he honestly and openly admitted that he didn't deserve to be an apostle. 

Paul was the living example of humility. Arrogance and a strong ego are a couple of my biggest pet peeves and I am sure you all know of some people, famous persons, or athletes who show absolutely no humility. 

Luckily, I was raised in a family who preached humility through their actions. My parents are some of the most humble people that I know. My dad retired back in early October, and when we attended his ceremony, state troopers from all over the state came to share stories about all that my dad had done in his 27 years of service. I remember talking with my brother on the drive home about it, and we really had no idea of everything that he had done. We knew that he was really good at what he did, but he was never one to brag about it. He was just doing the right thing, and doing it extremely well. 

For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No I worked harder than all of them - yet not I, but the grace of God that was with him. 

(1 Corinthians 15:9-10)

Paul felt unworthy because of his past. That is a huge part of why he felt like he didn't deserve to be called an apostle. Though undoubtedly the most influential of the apostles, Paul was deeply humble. He knew he had worked hard and accomplished much, but only because God has poured kindness and grace upon him.

Humility is not about convincing yourself that you are worthless, but recognizing God's work in your life. It is having God's perspective on who you are and acknowledging his grace in developing your abilities. 

Everything we have, everything we are is because of the grace of God. Continue to remain humble, because humility is powerful.

in distress, God takes note

God takes note of our distress and he hears our cry.

I am not entirely sure what has specifically been going on in our country the past couple days, but I know that there is a lot of distress. There are a lot of people who are doing wrong, and many people who are doing right. There are people who are loving, understanding, forgiving and full of grace. There are people who are in an uproar, impatient, and sinning like never before.

In times like this, when we call to God while we are in distress, he takes note.

Have you ever been somewhere that was really high up and and dropped something to see how long it'll take for it to hit the ground? I remember for my 15th birthday, my family and I went to Chicago. We stayed in a hotel and our room was on the 25th floor. Jack and I had a box of Cheese its and we figured out we could crack out hotel window just enough to throw them out. Now we never saw them actually hit the ground, but we knew that they would have had to eventually. We had so much fun, and to this day, it's one of my favorite memories that we have had together. 

I often think that is how it is when we pray to God about something. Or cast out worries or distress. We pray, we ask God to help us and oftentimes we don't see immediate results. Same with throwing the Cheese its out the hotel window. 

I know that story it a bit silly, but it's fun and helps explain the point that I am trying to make. 

"Yet he took note of their distress

when he heard their cry." 

(Psalm 106:44)

This is a beautiful picture of God's great love for his people who only deserve judgment. Fortunately, God's compassion and mercy toward us are not limited by our faithfulness to him. God was merciful to us in sending his Son to die for our sins. If he did this while we were captive to sin, how much more merciful will he be now that we are his children. 

My encouragement to you is to realize that God is taking note. He hear's our prayers, are distress, and our struggles. He is ready for us to throw things his way. He will be there. Even though we might not see it or even realize it right away.