WHY DO I HAVE TO STRUGGLE, EVEN WHEN I'M DOING GOOD?

"If with heart and soul you’re doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you’re still better off. Don’t give the opposition a second thought. Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master."

1 Peter 3:13-14 (MSG)

Life never operates according to the calendar.  We try to plan and hope that things will happen according to the time-frames that we envisage - but that seldom ever happens. Ever.  The reason for this is because we cannot completely control what happens, that's GOD's job.

Regardless of this fact, we still try.

What we read above tells us that even if we do good stuff, life may not proceed according to our plans.  There is an incorrect world philosophy that says "if you do good things, good things will happen to you".  The problem with this egocentric take is that it puts the perception of absolute control into our hands... and we know that we can never have absolute control, again, that's GOD's responsibility.

Here's an awesome quote to chew on...

"The purpose of {Christianity} is not to avoid difficulty, but to produce a character adequate to meet it when it comes.  It does not make life easy; rather it tries to make us great enough for life."

James Christensen

So, what does doing good do?

WORSHIP WHEN PLANS CHANGE

"He must become greater; I must become less."

John the Baptist (John 3:30)

So here I sit, with 15 minutes left to board a flight for Durban.  Everything is on track; for once - no delays, all is going according to schedule.  Except, I left my wallet (and ID) at home.  My first response?  Panic!  The next flight is in five hours time.  I frantically phoned my lift to check the car, just to confirm that it wasn't there.  I then phoned my wife, who confirmed that my wallet was indeed at home; 20 minutes one-way...

As the realisation sinks in that I've woken up at 04:30 all for nothing, I am reminded of GOD's overriding control of everything.  My mind fights it and tries to remind me that the situation that I'm in is my fault, not GOD's.  I should worry - that's natural!  I should blame myself - that's what any sane person should do!

But then the Spirit reminds me that GOD is greater than my absent mindedness, His presence shines through the holes of my inadequacies.  I don't need to ask GOD to make a plan, because He has already made a plan.  My plan was to board the 06:15 flight, because I had meetings at 08:00.  My plan was spend the morning in Durban.  My plan should've been to remember my wallet.

GOD's plan?  For me to worship Him.  That's all I have to do.  Worry about a missed flight?  Certainly not.  Worry about missed meetings?  Certainly not!  GOD wants me to relax and rest in His presence.  He has His plans, and those are more important than mine.  It's that simple.

The Guilt Conversation

A walk through the halls of the Bank of Evil... with Gru. (Despicable Me)

Most of the time, we miss out on the abundance of GOD because we spend our energy in the guilt conversation.  We become our own joy-stealer, engaging in an internal mental debate that only brings us more hurt, discouragement and diminished self-worth. It weighs down heavily on us and is a burden that we were never meant to carry.

Why? Because guilt is not of GOD. Guilt is not productive and it does not bring about peace.

"God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again."

John 3:17

It starts when we try to rationalise the choices that we make that we know are not of GOD (aka sin). When we know something is not right, we are being convicted. When we start to argue against it, we enter the guilt conversation and we begin to feel guilty.  We become susceptible to feelings of worry, our patience wears thin and this is where we lose our joy!

A Leadership Challenge

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under GOD’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”

1 Pet 5:6-7

In my time in GOD’s beautiful church, I have found that all too often people step out of the boat because they’re sick and tired of the other disciples… not because their eyes are fixed on Jesus… and they land up sinking in the waves.  This awesome scripture from Peter’s first epistle speaks to a few aspects of leadership and worship, leadership traits that are fundamental to solid, long-term growth and maturity, not only for ourselves, but also for the Church!

Peter reminds us of the importance of humility in response to GOD’s might.  When we worship, we sometimes fall into the trap of equating ourselves to GOD.  This happens when the balance is interrupted by the bias of our friend and brother in Christ.  We must never forget the reverence and awe that makes worship necessary.  We have access to worship because of our joint-heirship with Christ, but worship is required because of the Majesty, Mercy and Grace of GOD, through Jesus Christ.  This humility also reminds us that what we have and where we are is only because of GOD’s Grace, and not because of the Law or our own abilities and works.

We then read that GOD is the one who lifts us up.  GOD is the one that calls to us, from the waves, and invites us to step out.  If we decide that the boat is too crowded, too smelly or too opinionated, we’ll step out before the time is right for growth and maturity.  Sometimes this means waiting a few weeks; sometimes it means waiting a few years.  GOD first spoke to me through this scripture three years ago… and only recently have I felt His promotion (the Message says “He’ll promote you at the right time”).  It’s like GOD wants to make sure we’re in it for the long haul!

The Two Farmers

"These are the words of Him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept My word and have not denied My name."
Rev 3:7-8

Persist. Persevere. Prevail.

"Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

James 1:4

Be refreshed... in abundance!

“Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.”

Deuteronomy 32:2

There is an amazing gentleness about GOD’s love and His teaching, yet it penetrates marrow and bone and cuts through to the soul.  Rain can be gentle and refreshing, (see Psalm 68:9), but it can also completely transform and reshape a landscape. We often see the devastation of rain but if it falls in the right place, at the right time, forests and lush gardens sprout out.  Deserts of baron sandscapes become havens of life, newness and growth.  Wherever GOD’s Spirit is, things will be fresh and full of life!

People are attracted to life and newness, there is a uniqueness about growth that draws people in.  GOD offers this to us in abundance, not in limited supply, but more that we could ever ask or imagine!  If we want to become people who encourage, who stop, listen and love, then GOD’s word urges us to allow His teaching and discipline to grow, transform and empower us!

We need to desire to grow into the people that GOD has created us to be - images of Him.  As diverse and different as we all are, together, we create a glimmer of the diversity and depth of GOD.  It's from this beautiful picture that we begin to take on the image of GOD, and start to experience His abundance.  His Word encourages us to become part of the palette and add our colour to the canvas of life.

It's important to remember that bit I mentioned earlier about the right time and right place.  Often, we pray for GOD's abundance in an area and then struggle to accept why it might take time to manifest in our lives.  GOD knows that if we know too much, too soon, it can destroy us.  We should never rush GOD or His countenance, we should relish in what we have right now, because this is the abundance that He knows will create growth in our lives and in our relationship with Him.  We are like tender plants and He is the gardener, He knows how much sun we need, He knows how much shade.  He also knows how much watering will drown us, and how much will allow us to grow to our potential.

The heaven’s declare His righteousness – let your lifescape be a garden of hope and growth!