September 25, 2008
“Make room for that which is capable of rejoicing, enlarging, or calming the heart.” Gerhardt Tersteegen
“How does one become a butterfly? You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar.” Trent Paulis
Yesterday we talked about the change that comes into your life unannounced and unwanted. Some change comes like a storm and we adjust and react to the change in order to survive. Sometimes change is needed in our lives and we must have the courage to make the changes necessary. People who discover they only have one month to live often make radical changes. They give up workalcholism, materialism, and extreme behaviors. Angie Petro alluded to this in her testimony. Angie said she didn’t want to go on a trip or buy a new car or live in a big house. She said that none of those things would add one day to her life. Wow!
She, instead, wanted to slow down, do the little things and to invest in her children. She wanted to be remembered as a good mom, a good wife, a good sister, daughter and friend.
What keeps us from making those kinds of changes? Well, there are three main obstacles that keep us from making meaningful changes.
Busy Schedules
Busyness leads to restlessness. The idea is that there’s something out there, outside of me that can change my life for the good. We look for our spouses, our churches, our pastor, our friends to change us and make our life better. Here’s a huge clue for you: Only God can change you!
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” –Psalm 46:10
“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” –Psalm 23:2-3
“This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.” –Isaiah 30:15
Crazy Comparisons
When we compare ourselves to others, we always lose. When we gauge our happiness based on what someone else is wearing, driving or acquiring, then our souls begin to dry up. You begin to say, “If I had their car, looks, family, I’d be happy.”
Pleasure Seeking
When we focus on ourselves, we begin to be stagnate and we become bored and depressing, both to ourselves and others. Here is a great danger in always choosing the easy route rather than serving others.
Grace is the power to change—not what we can do for ourselves but what God does for and through us. When we become still and silent, when we start serving and embrace suffering in our lives, then we facilitate real spiritual transformation. We learn that we can’t solve our problems in our own strength or alter our outward appearance and expect our live to change.
Make It Count Moment
Presently, what person or persons are you serving who can offer you nothing in return? Who in your life needs you but may not be able to reciprocate? What prevents you from giving of yourself to them?
In short, my answer to this question is everyone! I realize the majority who approach me will never reciprocate and I am truly okay with this. I do not find the need to say “no” just for the sake that I can deny them. I am thankful I have the opportunity & ability. I am not a rich person but I can do some things. This does not make me a doormat. It reminds me of the parable about talents – how the good stewards returned profits & one buried the talent. Thus, it is my ideal that when one is served, it will benefit many. And sometimes the phone calls are exclusively for the benefit of others. I am at a point in my life where I am beginning to fully embrace that less is more. There are times I become discomposed when I am in need. And although I sometimes just want to cry – I can never well a tear. And this reminds me of the only time Jesus wept was at the death of Lazarus. Perhaps Jesus was grieved with his friends; or perhaps it because of the ravages of sin & death upon a nation. But it was He who raised Lazarus & died for a nation. And so it is with me…I must empathize with & sacrificially serve those around me for His glory. And just as I typed the last period of the last sentence, a knock on my door….
Wow, this one hit home for me. I think back on the day our little Kara Grace went home to be with our Lord and how I would have changed that day…the month before. If I had know that that day would be her last…I would have held her longer, kissed her more, sat in her bed with her and sang the songs that soothed her, and cooked her favorite foods.
Even though she could not offer anything in return except a smile, I think she knew love, our love. But, I was busy doing life that day. Now, I take and make every moment with my son special. I don't take for granite our time together, even our down time is used making memories. Every moment doesn't have to be filled with stuff or entertainment. Even though we are still busy…we try to make memories doing things that are about family.
Our life changed in ways that can not be verbalized that day but it was a very real wake-up call to make my relationship with my child on the top of my moments to count list.