Busyness or Business

Days can get so hectic, so full of activities and work and stuff to do...so today's message for me, because it has been a very, very busy day, is this.

STOP.

Competition--a winner, a loser, but mostly, a struggle to see how you stand up against others. How often do we think about some sort of competition, some sort of comparison. Professional athletes make the money they do because of our obsession with competition. Throughout history, competition has been a major presence: the Roman Gladiators, Greek Olympics, and even many wars can be attributed to competition. Which kingdom is greater than the others. But, these all seem very macho, male oriented competition. But there are also other competitions--who is the most beautiful, who is more popular or has the most friends, does the best in school. You don't have to formalize competition to realize that often people compare themselves to others, and size themselves up that way. And what causes us to do this? Why, as kids, is it in us to race to the end of the room? Competition can bring out heroism in people, the best in people, but also the worst at times. Jealousy, envy, strife, but also heroism, pride, self-esteem. So what is the line that needs drawing? Because we really should not be comparing ourselves to each other when it comes to our walk with God. But, we are to run as to win the race in our life.

Yes, this is topical and we should just focus on God and our relationship with Him, and all else will fall in line...but sometimes, I know I just think about it, about things. Hence, this blog.

Emerson

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote,

"To go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society. I am not solitary whilst I read and write, though nobody is with me. But, if a man would be alone, let him look at the stars."

I think there is some truth here, in that sometimes we just have to get away from our home, our apartment to meditate and think on what we really believe, and on God. This solitude was even experienced and practiced by Jesus, who often withdrew to pray or be alone. What is the power of this? Why have so many found that it helps them come back to grips on life?

Go try it--and find your answer.

Never underestimate the power of an encouraging word.

So why is it that although we know what is right, we still do wrong? Why is it that even though we know what temptations we face, and which sin we are susceptible to, we still fall to it? How is it so hard to put the evil ways behind us, even though we don't want to do those things?

I know even the Apostle Paul struggled with this. In Romans, Paul writes,

"We know that the Law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the Law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, my sinful nature. For I have every desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it." Romans 7:14-20

I know I often feel like this--that I completely know what I should do, and want to do, and yet in moments of weakness, or even just inattention, I do what I hate, what is evil. Paul continues,

"So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against teh law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

Do you turn your struggles into praise? I know it's hard to me to sometimes. But I think we have to understand, somehow, that although we sin, and we are in a war between the spirit and the flesh, when we sin it is sin living in me. This means that although I may be a wretched man, in a sense, when we know Christ, it isn't our soul that is wretched. Honestly, I don't fully grasp this concept, except that God's grace and love have rained down to RESCUE ME! And so when I do what is right, it is Christ living in me, just as it is sin living in me when I sin.

So what's the point of this? I think it is just that we have to turn to Christ in everything. Even one of the greatest Apostles had trouble with doing what was considered sin...and yet he knew that Christ saved Him! Do you? Do I?

Deftly unconscious

It's been one of those days. You know, where everything you do, even when you do go out and have fun, just isn't sitting right. So when finally you sit down by yourself in the late afternoon, you just don't know why but you aren't in the right mood. Something has tugged at you, pulled you away from really enjoying the day. And you can't quite explain it. Of course, these days are the days that also seem to lead to being attacked by temptation more often...but these attacks come after the moodiness or inattention or whatever. I know I often find myself unable to explain why my flesh is so weak, why my mind can't stay focused. Even now, today, at this moment, something is just gnawing back there...something that has to get right. So why can't this get resolved, and just live in the Joy and Peace and Hope that God has told us He gives. Honestly, I don't know at times...God definitely knows my inner workings much better than I do. And yet I know I cannot give up or give in to whatever these doubtful or dark or numbing or whatever thoughts and feelings. God is still there, and never changes--it is a change in me that is needed. Sometimes I think we just wish we could get smacked upside the head and told hey--get your thoughts and life back on ME! But God doesn't always look at it that way, and He is greater than we are, with more wisdom and knowledge than any of us could hope to comprehend. And so we must endure, patiently, turning everything back to Him...even if we feel like something is just out of place, like a puzzle piece that doesn't fit, but you want it to.