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In the Midst of the Valley

Picture courtesy of PD Photo

In the Midst of the Valley is about being in the midst of so much stuff it's hard to see the sky. Ever feel like that? What we don't realize, sometimes, is that there are incredible treasures to be found in the valley! This blog was started because I beleive that the greatest potential for spiritual growth is in the valley - not on the mountain top. These are lessons God has taught me as I go through the valley season of my life. May He use them to minister to you. Mike

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Struggles

When I began this blog it was mainly centered around my journey in the valley of dealing with Karen's death. I recently realized that not all valleys are centered around such deep struggles. I knew that, but it just didn't occur to me as in "a ha!"

Many of us, probably all of us, deal with daily struggles. . .our own little personal struggles. I do. Everyday I wake up I struggle with something - pride, arrogance, demanding, a quick tongue, lust (yeah, I'm such a guy), and some I probably don't even realize. God reminded me that it's these little struggles than lead to a life of victory or a life of defeat. I desire to live a victorious life, but often times I fall and stumble and my struggles overwhelm me.

In Romans 7:13-25, Paul shares with us his own personal struggle - it's mine too. It's the struggle of the flesh against the Spirit. Paul says that he often fell in defeat, but he doesn't stay there. He knows there is victory. That victory doesn't come in our will, ability or our conscious decision to do right. For if that's all there is then defeat overtakes us every time. No, Paul tells us that victory comes in the person of Jesus Christ
I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?

The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different. (v. 24-25)

Ohhhh baby!! Thank you Paul for reminding me, and everyone else, that we don't have to live a life of defeat. Thank you for reminding us that there is victory, even over the daily struggles we get up with, live life with, do our jobs with, do family time with, love our families with, and go to bed with in the person of Jesus Christ.

Today I can choose to live in defeat and wallow in the mire of self-pity or I can get up, wrap myself up in the presence and power of Jesus and live a victorious life. . .daily conquering my struggles. You can too!

Won't you choose victory over defeat?
Mike

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Forgiveness

Friday night I led our 20-30s Singles Bible study. For some reason I felt God leading me to teach about forgiveness. As I was preparing I noticed that God's forgiveness has always been a vital part of His relationship with His people. In the Old Testament it wasn't so much a person forgiving another person as it was God forgiving the Israelites - corporately or individually. There are exceptions of course: Joseph's brothers asking his forgiveness after realizing who he was; and Saul asking Samuel's forgiveness after Samuel caught him keeping some sheep from the Amalekites when Saul was supposed to wipe them from the face of the earth.

In the New Testament, forgiveness, for the most part, moves from a corporate to a personal experience. Jesus, we find, ushered in a personal relationship with God and with it personal forgiveness. We also find that Jesus expanded the concept of forgiveness from God-to-man to man-to-man. Jesus thought so much of forgiveness that He reminded us that unless we forgive each other God won't forgive us. If you think about it He can't. Unforgiveness puts us on the throne of our lives, not God. In Matthew 6:12-15 Jesus is in the middle of teaching the disciples what is now known as the Lord's Prayer when he says. . .
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.' For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
He says, "forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." The tense is such that we ask God's forgiveness because we have forgiven others.

In Mark 11:24-25 He also says . . .
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."
Again, Jesus emphasizes forgiveness of others so our Father in heaven will forgive us. The problem is that forgiving others seems to be one of those innate things deep down inside us that is so difficult for us to do. Why? Control - to forgive someone else means we release them and our feelings so that we don't hold it against them any longer. Pride. Emotions or feelings. Lack of understanding who we are in Christ. I'm sure there's some I haven't listed. These are usually mine. You may even have one or two that are just yours.

Dr. Howard Zehr (pioneer and internationally known lecturer, writer, and practitioner on the subject of restorative justice) reminds us of a couple of things about forgiveness.
  • Forgiveness is a process, not an event
  • Forgiveness is a decision not an emotion
  • Forgiveness can't wait until you feel like it or you may never forgive
  • Forgiveness doesn't mean forgetting - remembering can help you so you don't find yourself in the same or similar situation again
  • Forgiveness isn't letting people off the hook - there may be still consequences they may have to address
  • Forgiveness can't be willed to happened
  • Forgiveness doesn't mean you deny your hurt or pain
  • Forgiveness is an acknowledgment of the intrinsic worth of the offender - they, too, have a God-given value
Jesus reminded us that it is not only important, but imperative for the believer. If that's so, then who do you need to forgive? A friend? A family member? A co-worker or boss? What about yourself? I have found that the valley can be a difficult place to forgive, but it's forgiveness while in the valley that moves us forward. Like eradicating yourself of boots caked with mud, the journey through the valley is made easier without the baggage of unforgiveness. It may be difficult. It may actually be the hardest thing you've ever had to do. Just remember, your relationship with God depends on it.

Mike

Monday, April 16, 2007

The Journey Continues

Several months back - November, I think - I wrote my last post here. Thinking I was somewhat out of the valley I moved on to other passions. . .new passions. This past weekend made me think, was I out of the valley, or was I encountering a new valley? What have I learned during my time in the valley? Am I different because of my valley experience? Was that difference good or bad? Positive or negative? I could go on, but you're probably getting the picture by now.

This last Saturday I posted about a song I heard and how it made me feel - click here to read it. In that post I spoke of loss - the loss of someone you love to death, illness, drugs, alcohol, pornography, an accident, or to anything else. When I say "anything" I don't necessarily mean a physical death, it could be anything that takes control of their life and leads them to a detrimental result.

I got to thinking. . .Did I lose something or someone after Karen's death? I'm not thinking in terms of Karen, obviously I lost her. I'm also not thinking of losing something in me associated with Karen, like I wrote about here. No, I'm thinking more in terms of me personally.

Actually, I'm thinking more along the lines of did I lose something in me. . .a part of me. . .that has made me different? I seem to be more cynical these days. I'm definitely less trusting. I worry about things that Karen used to worry about. I'm less carefree than I used to be. I used to think I had that wild-man faith that John the Baptist exhibited. Now, I find myself needing more confirmation from God about things. I think that's it. I've lost my deeper sense of trust - in God, in people, even in myself. For good or bad, I think I have lost someone I loved to this situation. I've lost the man that once ran wildly, chasing after God, while everyone else sat on the sideline telling him how crazy he was.

I miss that guy. I miss his willingness to go all out for God no matter the circumstance or the obstacles. I've asked God to bring him back. Like the father of the prodigal son, I long to see him again. I watch the horizon for his figure to come racing home - full bore, head low, stride wide open. I wait with anticipation and expectation. I wait for "one day". One day when my heart will be united with my passion for God and the pursuit of His heart above everything else.

Ever feel like that? I know some of you have. I know some of you are feeling like that now. I know some of you feel like you've lost something. . .something very deep within you. . . through the valleys of life. Don't give up. Like the father of the prodigal son, don't lose hope. Don't give in to fears. Don't stop looking forward to "one day."

Until "one day",
Mike