Busyness

I've been away from the blog for the past two weeks. I was about to make an explanation, but does it really matter? You're really busy, too. Just as busy as I am, or even more, with your own set of problems. Or "issues," as some people like to call them. Or challenges. Whatever they are, we all have them, and they fill up our time and energy.

One hazard with getting too busy is that we are usually too far into it before we notice. Then, overloaded, we are drowning, thinking there is no way out--or the way out is going to be impossible to find on our own.

Congratulations! You're normal! Isn't that comforting? Not at all. The truth is, you cannot find your way out of your mess, but you have the God of the Universe on your side. He can surely provide relief for you if you turn to him.

Some of you will feel guilt over the fact that you forgot to turn to him first. Get over it. This God loves you. As you are. Turn to him when it finally occurs to you to turn to him. Run into his welcoming arms and let his comfort surround you.

The story of Moses in the wilderness with the grumbling Israelites is just as true now as it was 3000-plus years ago. More than once as he was leading the million or so people he became burned out by the 24/7 demands of the job.

Moses turned to God and said, "I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now--if I have found favor in your eyes--and do not let me face my own ruin."

The Lord said to Moses: "Bring me seventy of Israel's elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the Tent of Meeting, that they may stand there with you. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone."

Numbers 11:14-17

Moses didn't mince words about how he felt. He was honest, and he received immediate real support from God. Moses sounded pretty hopeless and past help. God had a million resources around him.

Comfort vs. Discomfort

I received a card from a friend today. She was cheering me on about God's working in my life. What a blessing! She enclosed a note and told me what I had meant in her life and that she was praying for me. This woman, miles away, had taken perhaps half an hour out of her day to think of me, but sent her presence and the evidence of God's love that washed over me. I'll have it as a tangible reminder of her and that moment every time I see it.

But I know how much receiving a greeting card can also mean when I'm going through hard times. How much effort does it take to send if you keep some on hand, with (Forever) stamps ready?

Pick up a phone and say, "I'm praying for you." You can leave it on the voicemail. Send and email. I'm talking to myself, you know.

Think about it: the determining line for people's actions used to be good versus evil. Was something right or wrong? If it was right, you did it, you took action. Wrong, you did not.

Now it may be simply comfort versus discomfort. I sometimes think the truest sign of love is whether or not someone is willing to be inconvenienced for you. Sure, they'll lay down their life for you, but will they get off the couch?

For God so loved the world that he gave...

Real Life

I was completely decked by a migraine for most of the afternoon and evening Saturday. Couldn't open my eyes. Nausea. A drill coming through my right eyebrow. Since I wasn't sure what I could safely take for pain with my new seizure meds, all I had was aspirin, cold compresses, and the luxury of retreating to bed where I could be tortured in peace.

It was in stark contrast to a wonderful morning spent with my daughter. The agony after the ecstasy. What a summary of real life!

As I prepare the last details to apply for a demanding academic program, I certainly don't know what the next two years holds for me. The way I've been feeling with energy and strength, no problem. But the migraine rattles my confidence. I'm so glad God does know what my future holds. The program only accepts a relative few, and I pray that God will make it clear through this selection process whether or not we're a match for each other physically, academically, and any other way I haven't anticipated.

I was able to get experience following someone who's already in the field this past week. How exciting it was. It gave me a real vision for what the career would be like, and showed me I actually could perform the tasks required.

When Paul says in his letter to the Philippians to rejoice in all things, and that he has learned to be content, he knows his readers understand he is writing from prison. He has learned to be content with chains on, after having been stoned, and flogged more than once for the name of Jesus. Surely I can bear the hours of a migraine, or the hours it will take of studying, getting up early, and taking tests.

Paul also says, I can do everything through him who gives me strength. When our precious Lord puts me in a situation, he gives me the strength not only to endure it, but to succeed, because (Phil. 1:6) he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Take heart, friends! He's working through everything. Even real life.

Finding the meaning

When I've gone through my hardest times, when it seemed like I was hanging on almost second to second, I felt a desperate intimacy with God that only comes when there's nowhere else to turn. It was--"Give me an IV of your strength, or I'll never get through this day!" And--"Thank you! I needed that!" throughout the day.

I didn't have time to wonder about the greater meaning or outcome, or even why the problems were in my life. I was hanging onto God for dear life, and feeling his presence in ways you only feel when he's your only hope. It didn't take long after things eased up to see how I could encourage others by sharing from what I learned by surviving serious, life-threatening problems.

But what if you don't think the trials beating you down are glamorous enough? Your daily grind, money problems, a thousand interruptions, time pressures, may seem less severe than a divorce or loss of a loved one, so you may question if you "qualify" to participate in the sufferings of Christ, or find the meaning in your very real challenges.

Look again at 2 Corinthians 1:3,4. God is not the God of some comfort! He is the God of all comfort. He won't pick and choose which of your troubles are good enough to comfort! As for finding meaning in your suffering: it's clear you are to turn around and share what you learn from your specific kind of suffering with someone else. Each one teach one. You have a destiny: to survive this and help others. There's your future and your hope. Or just a part of it.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 2Cor. 1:3,4