Let It Go

By Elaine James –

 

“It’s funny how some distance makes everything seem small and the fears that once controlled me can’t get to me at all.” I came across these lyrics sitting in a quiet space drinking my coffee. These are lyrics from the song “Let it Go”, which is from the smash Disney hit movie Frozen.

I like this verse. It rings true for me. My past fears:

Fear of rejection

Fear of my parent’s marriage falling apart

Fear of my dad working himself to death

Fear of my children taking the wrong path

Fear of sickness

Once, a doctor challenged me to write down my fears, put them in an envelope, and revisit it in a month. I did that and found the result to be remarkable. Everything I was afraid of happening never came to pass. Thankfully, I am aware that fears can control me if I give them permission to.

At different times do you wish you knew the outcome right when you are in the thick of things so the fear wouldn’t consume you?

Jesus taught us “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth” (Luke 21:34-35 NIV). Jesus is not saying adversity accompanied with fear may come. He is saying it will come. Jesus goes on to implore us to “Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36 NIV).

I am happy today that my dad is 80, retired and healthy, and my adult children know Jesus. Sadly, my parent’s marriage did end in divorce.

What counts now is that I am aware and this girl is free from perfection and I can let it go.

For me truly to be free and “Let it Go” I had to put my trust in Jesus. That helped alleviate just about all my fears. I had to forgive myself for the regret I had because I wasted time in fear. I am grateful God forgives me and I have learned to forgive myself. Have you forgiven yourself?

 

PRAYER:  Lord at times fear rears its ugly head. Help me to be aware of when this happens and trust you. Amen.

 

 

Rule of Reciprocity

By Cheri Cowell –

 

Marketers utilize a wide range of strategies to convince consumers to make purchases. Some are straightforward such as sales, coupons, and special promotions. Others are subtler and make use of a principle of human psychology called the Rule of Reciprocity. This rule operates on a simple principle: We tend to feel obligated to return favors after people do favors for us. For instance, when a friend takes you to the airport, you feel obligated to return the favor the next time they ask. And when they refuse to react to a perceived insult it is easier to overlook theirs.

This is not hard when other people are deserving of fair treatment. When they treat you well you want to return the favor. However, practicing this rule becomes difficult when the person isn’t deserving. In these instances, the Bible tells us we are to practice the foundational rule for peacekeeping. Often referred to as the Golden Rule, it tells us we are to treat others the way we want them to treat us—not the way we are treated.

“Treat others the same way you want them to treat you” (Luke 6:31 NASB).

Prayer: I respond easily to someone who does a favor for me, but agree it is more difficult (and more Godly) to treat others the way I want them to treat me—not the way I’m treated.

 

 

To Run, Or To Win

By Michelle Lim –

 

There is no time of day like chore time to bring out the lethargy in children. My children have the whole limp rag act down pat. If getting chores done as slowly as possible brought on a prize, my children would have treasure troves full of them.

I have to admit, I don’t blame them. After all, who really wants to do chores.

Even though chores are a dreaded time of day, they have an important purpose. Learning responsibility and the importance of taking care of things is essential for all of us. Without this skill, our lives fall into squalor and disorganization.

Just because something is good for us, doesn’t mean we want to do it. We might go through the motions just to get by, but our heart isn’t in it.

Getting by is in our nature, even sometimes in our faith walk. We go to church, read our Bibles and pray, but do we stretch our faith and listen for God’s direction to do something new for Him? If it seems to be the same old thing day in and day out, then chances are we are getting by.

Paul talks about this tendency to go through the motions in Corinthians.

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it” (1 Corinthians 9:24 ESV).

We need to be more than runners. Do more than get by in our faith walk. We should run to obtain the prize.

Are you going through the motions, or running for the prize?

Prayer:

Lord, help us to remember we are more than just runners getting by in the race of faith. Give us the strength and the courage to run for the prize. Challenge us and helps us reach beyond our comfort zones to allow You to work in amazing ways through our lives. Amen.

 

Finding Hope in the Storm

By Rachel Indihar –

 

We’ve all had days where trials and problems seems to pile on top of each other. Whether it’s a million “smaller” problems or one large and overwhelming problem, the world sometimes seems to be working against us. Frustration builds, anxiety increases, and soon we lose the presence of God in our lives.

I heard it said once that if we are not in the middle of a storm, then we are preparing for the next storm. Whether or not this is a healthy way to look at life, the reality is that God sends a variety of problems into our lives for His own purposes. Sometimes we recognize the meaning behind a problem right away, such as knowing that God is teaching us patience when we’re trying to parent a crying child. Other times it is a mystery as to why a certain dilemma confronts us, as in the case of a loved one dying.

Is it true that to live means to suffer? Is it true that we will have problems facing us for the rest of our lives? Truthfully, I believe it is so. We live in a sinful, fallen world. We will never be free of trouble until Jesus returns and makes the world (and us) perfect again. So how should we deal with the problems that face us now?

A popular verse of Scripture is John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (NIV).

An important emphasis is at the beginning of this verse: “so that in me you may have peace.” We do not find peace in the world, for “in this world you will have trouble.” But in JESUS we will have peace! And when Jesus makes a promise in the Bible, you can be certain it will be as He said.

God’s children are to be different from the world in many ways, and one important difference is that we are to be peaceful people in an anxious, chaotic world. Christians often have the most influence over society when they respond to terrible circumstances in a peaceful, loving manner.

A profound true story I heard once involved a mother whose child was murdered. I don’t remember any of the details except that after learning who the murderer was, she spoke directly to him and – get this – forgave him! And it was her Christian faith that helped her make that incomprehensible step to forgive the man who destroyed her child’s life. If that kind of faith and love doesn’t impact the world, I don’t know what will.

I believe that everything that happens to us in our lives is scripted by a loving God, even the worst parts of our lives. God is in control even when He seems to be absent. He brings us to the end of ourselves to prove that He is enough and if we have Him we have life, joy and peace. The world may think we have nothing, but we know differently. We live not for ourselves but for a God who understands and directs us and our lives in a way we never can.

Covenant Keepers

By Cheri Cowell –

 

A disturbing trend has crept into our society. There is an alarming lack of the ability to make and stick to a commitment. We like to keep all options open. We see this in children who sign up for lessons or teams and then drop out or don’t show if they change their mind or have a better offer. We see it in adults who won’t RSVP to an invitation because something might come up.

Our God is a Covenant Keeper who makes and honors His commitments. Even when we did not hold up our end of the bargain, God kept His covenant of peace with his people. He expects no less from those who claim His name. This means that we, too, should honor our commitment to peace, even when others break part of the agreement. This is the hard work of peacekeeping—it is the hard work of following after Christ.

“So tell him that I am making a Covenant-of-Peace with him. He and his descendants are joined in a covenant of eternal priesthood, because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the People of Israel” (Numbers 25:12-13 MSG).

Prayer: When others break our agreement I admit I want to also throw in the towel, but more than that I want to be a Covenant Keeper like you.

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