Perspectives

Have you ever walked down a mall and heard a crying child, a child that wants something his parents are not willing to buy them! In fact do you remember yourself as a child who would stand in protest until you got what you wanted in the store. You would stand your ground and you would not move until you would be picked up and carried away by your father. A child's mind set if nothing other than 'I must have that' and they are heart set on having it. We always want something, don’t we! Something that would make us happy, right? What is it for you?

Do you feel like you often don’t get the things you really want? Do you ever feel like God is denying you things or that he is not even listening to you? Sometimes I feel like we are young, naive children towards God. We list off the things we want and tell him how these things will bring us joy and happiness and then when we don't get them we become restless with God and we almost think that there is something wrong with God because he has not delivered. God could give us everything we want, of course he could, after all, he is God, he knows no limits. He could put us inside the little bubble of safety and comfort, but its not how we are called to live.

You might be asking how long must I wait until you deliver what I want so dearly, but what God is saying in return is "How long until you see that there is a bigger perspective here." You might be telling God If you just give me this, everything will be ok. But God is saying "No! no it will not be ok." We have an idea of what we think will be better for us, but God's idea for us is even better. It betters better.

The whole mindset and drive around this blogs focus hangs on these thoughts: Do I believe that God is good? Do I truly believe whole-heartedly that God is a God of love? Do I believe that God is great? But really I think the bigger question is not 'Do you think God is good?' I feel that it is, 'Do you think God is always good?' 

Until we truly and genuinely tackle these questions, nothing is really going to make any sense.

What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent, or if he asks for bread, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11v11-13

A young child will hang onto things he 'thinks' he wants and 'thinks' he needs. The reason why the parent denies the child its want is because they know better. They know it is not really what they want and need, they have something greater and better. Obviously this is no conciliation as the child will be very unhappy with not getting what he has apparently wanted. A parent wants what is best for their child. As the scripture says, if an imperfect, earthly father knows how to give good gifts then certainly our heavenly Father knows how give to us great and perfect gifts.

We have to realize that our perspective is limited and is not definitive, that Gods perspective is higher and greater and beyond our own. Our lives are held inside Gods hands and that is so encouraging. God will never deny you what is right for you, but it might take time until it is meant. Gods delays are not his denials. So when you find yourself not getting what you want, know that in your heart God is Good, and that around the corner He has something better. 

I was not made to bear this heavy load.

One of the most popular Sunday school bible stories of all time, is the story of the man who built his house upon the sand, and the man who built his house upon the rocks. Its amazing because I was taught this as a young child, from no age at all. But years later it impacts me so much. I can basically retell the entire story from start to finish because I have heard it so many times. But it is so much more than kids bible story. It is packed full with so many amazing points and truths. In unlocking it and breaking it down we realize how amazing it is. Looking back from here, I can see the foundations Christ was laying for me.


In Luke Ch 6, we find Jesus telling people about how to live life to the full, in the light of eternity. Jesus tells the story of the two builders. We have a man who rejects the teachings and builds his foundations upon the sand, then we have a man who builds his foundations upon rock in abidance with the teachings of Jesus. There are so many different lines I could go down in how amazing this story is, but something which stands out so much to me, is when Jesus tells what will happen to these houses in the storm. It says in the passage 'when the storm comes', it does not say 'if' the storm comes, it does not say 'maybe' the strom will come. It makes a very clear point that it will come.


Right here in the life application of this text, we find out that there will be storms in our lives, regardless of what foundation we build our lives upon. Rain will pelt down on our shelter but never penetrate it. Thunder and lighting will shake and strike the walls but never do any real damage. People will try to tear it down, but never ever, will our foundation of Christ be shaken. We stand on solid ground. Life can dent us as human beings, but never think for a second it will take anything away from God. But the foundation of sand, the foundation in rejection to Jesus, will crumble and fall to rubble.


Storms will come in all sorts of different ways, the list is endless. Storms will happen continuously in our lives, when one is settling another is brewing up. What really annoys me is people have this conception that we have to have it all together to interest God, that people who are perfect will be blessed more, that as long as we have no problems we can have a relationship with Christ. It is so wrong because Christ came to heal this sick not the healthy. Don't ever think that God is not interested in you because you have struggles. The book of Psalms is incredible, because it is just full of people who are crying out for God, who are pleading for God to attend them. In response God makes amazing promises. That when we cry out to him, he listens. That he cannot ignore the cry of someone afflicted. He tells us that he is close to the broken hearted. Jesus himself says 'Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy ladened.'


We are the creation of the one and only Almighty God. Emotionally as people we where not created to carry heavy loads. Cast your burdens upon the Lord - Throughout the bible it is telling us to bring our problems to him, to bring our ugliness, to bring our sinful battles, to bring ALL the wrong in our lives and that hinders us, and lay it at him. If we try to carry these ourselves we are not on solid ground, we where not created to bear this heavy load, our shoulders are only so broad. Like the man who built his foundations upon the sand, we will not withstand the storm.


Whoever you are reading this, I don't not know, but I am not telling you that everything will be fine and dandy as we trust our foundation as Christ. But what I can tell you is that whatever battle you are in, what ever storm you are caught in, no matter how big or small, Jesus knows and cares. He is there and he will carry you through. You might be asking why? Why God?  Why have you put me through all these things? Why will storms happen in my life? But you need to realize how you have came through these battles and how you will come through the others to come. Its so amazing because in Deuteronomy Ch1, it tells us that He has carried us like a Father carries his son. So cry out to God and be reminded that God is there with you. Carrying you through that storm and that he is holding onto you so tightly and will never ever let you go. May you take heart to know and be reminded, that Jesus calms the storm.


          God is Love.

Have a little Patience.

If you take a look at the date in which this blog is posted in comparison to the previous, you will quickly realize that it took me some time in getting round to posting this. The reason for delay is not because I had no thoughts to put down but actually the opposite. For over two months now I have continuously wrestled with Patience. Franticly I have been scribbling down thoughts and emotions on this topic. I have dwelled and rested upon this in incredible thing which is Patience.

In the words of the great singer, song writer Gary Barlow 'Have a little patience..' That's the very message in which has been spoke so intensely into my life. Patience is a virtue. As a very young child I was looked after by my grandmother during the day whilst my parents where at work. Potentially my grandmothers most used phrase to me, as very anxious and restless young lad was 'Patience is a virtue.' Of course nobody wants to wait until after dinner to have sweets, am I right?

In life when things are going your way it is very easy to have patience and demonstrate it. So this is not a test of our patience. A true test of our patience comes when the rights we have come under violation. In the long run patience can effect our reaction and ultimately our witness. Its so easy to lose the head on a sports field. It's so easy to get extremely annoyed as a driver on the roads and lately I have been made aware of these things. For months upon months I prayed for patience in expectation that God would just deliver this attribute straight into my life. But I continued to battle with it so often. Recently an individual who knows me very well through Christian accountability and mentoring, made me very aware of this situation. "When we pray to God for patience, he will not just give you it. He will give you more opportunities to demonstrate patience" This completely shattered and rebuilt my thinking upon my patience issue and suddenly Gods good and perfect way is made known. What an amazing God we serve.

What a simple and humble act, yet can have such a massive effect! Patience can speak so loudly. Believe me I am not plucking this from mid air or because it sounds cool. I have spectated and acted, and from experience I can tell you that it does. Even how people who have demonstrated patience towards me has made me think.

I have mentioned about how we should be patient towards others. Now I want to say about how we have to show patience towards God. In Psalm 37 v7-9 it says:

'Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm. For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.'

These two verses have been so close to me lately. When we pray, so often we expect direct answer to pray in which will benefit us in the best way 'we' see fit. How ridiculous that we think we know better than our creator. How crazy is it that we think our way could be better than Gods. Our plans are a fraction in compared to how great and amazing his plan is for us- we just have to get lost in him.  Sometimes we will not get what we want at the time but God knows best. Have patience, God will answer you. Wait upon him.

Psalm 40:1
'I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry'

Emotion

As a believer, the joy, hope and love in life is amazing. Life has promise and direction.

Nevertheless pain and suffering also comes. For everyone there will be moments of hurt, pain, loneliness, heartbreak and disappear. So where and how do we channel these emotions.

Recently in my life, many thoughts have emerged from this. For myself and many other Christians it can sometimes be the hardest thing to turn to God in times of pain and suffering and say "I need you". Why? Pride. For any individual it can be seen as a type of weakness by calling on the need of someone else. We would much rather try and control our own situations ourselves. These situations in life spiral out, in truth we will never be able to do it by ourselves we cannot control uncontrollable elements. But God can, we have to learn to offload these burdens onto Christ, he gives us freedom. In the moment of turning to him, he is there, you are his. His presence overwhelms and peace enters like none other.

Every individual battles with different things, the experience of being caught in the middle of broken family, broken relationships or friendships, the passing away of a loved one, loneliness, fear and many more. It is so easy for these things to over write your life. To grab you and shake you to your core, to break you to your knees in despair. It overwhelms you and influences your actions. Suddenly you ask the question of who you are? Because these things effect character.

When huge bombshells hit your life, its ok. Its ok to feel numb, anger, shock, denial, its ok. Its fine to have no answers or explanations or even words. But what helps is that Jesus 'wept'. In the book of John it tells us of the story of Lazarus a friend of Jesus. Lazarus dies and a couple of days later Jesus comes to Lazarus' village and the are all gathered sobbing and mourning his death. Jesus just enters into this huge mess and it says "he is deeply moved in his spirit" and then goes on to say "Jesus wept". He lets the full force of the moment hit him, you have to let it hit you, you cannot avoid it. If you try to avoid it you keep it inside you and at some point it will come out, you just have to allow to moment to hit you. If Jesus, Gods Son let it out then so should we.