If God Stopped Blessing Me Today

One of the keys to contentment, peace, and understanding (and, yes, even humility) is to cultivate an awareness of the blessings you and I have received. They are truly innumerable, but most of us, looking at our uncertain circumstances, struggle to find even a few sometimes. 

The season of Christmas, a season of giving and receiving, can only be enriched by an attempt to recount our many blessings. We do not share the same experiences, and not all of them were positive. But, God has used even oppositional events and environments to achieve eternal gains— these are all blessings.

Our country of origin, our birth parents, our extended family, our places and cities of residence, our schooling, our friends, our churches, were all providential. These gifts do not make us better than others, but certainly we have benefited from the opportunities we have had. When we look back on all the experiences that influenced and informed who we are today, a lot of those formational events occurred in our youth. We may possess a quality or character trait because we saw it in someone else; or we possess a positive trait because we reacted to a negative role model and vowed to live differently. We are the beneficiaries of so many divine interruptions, and so many different times God’s hands can be seen altering or commending our path.

At times our path may seem more like a pinball game than a steadily ascending trail. God’s hands are there too: enriching our life experience, teaching us about other people, lives, and cultures, and helping us learn the deep lessons of faith found only in adversity.

Perhaps God has graced us with families of our own. Those struggles and blessings have also been very formational. It is comical for you and I to look back over our lives and pat ourselves on the back as so much of who we are now came at God’s orchestration. Sure, we may have pounded some of the nails, but God was the architect.

So, this Christmas, as I review the grace of God in my life, I have to conclude that if God stopped blessing me today, I know that I have already been given immeasurable grace and blessing, far (far) beyond what I deserve--primarily because of one huge gift.

Long before man’s genome was even designed, a loving God looked down the road at what His creation would need. Humans, with free will (even the nice ones), would need a Savior. And that redemptive act began in a stable in Bethlehem among the most unlikely of actors in a most unlikely time. 

God’s plan for our lives and even humanity seems so random at times. But, God is a master builder and each brick and timber He uses is laid in precisely the right place at the right time.

God wrought salvation for mankind by sending His Son to a stable in Bethlehem. His Son, Jesus, remains the answer today. May you find your place and His peace this Christmas in the person of Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas

Advent Reflection

Christmas has always been a time of reflection for me. I haven’t always been good about writing my thoughts down, however. This year I suddenly have the time. It’s interesting how the years move so quickly when we are busy punching the clock, and filling our evenings with family, Church, social functions, and (sometimes) more work. There is little time to sit quietly and think. With little time to quiet ourselves, we spend our energies on the expedient things and kick the less urgent things down the road. 

Urgent and important are not synonymous, however, and some valuable things get overlooked. At least they do with me.

This year I’ve been thinking about my older brother, Steve, quite a bit. I suppose in my busy-ness (before) I didn’t take the time to work through all the thoughts and emotions that accompanied his death. He gave me a lot of gifts over the years that I truly needed—mostly gifts of encouragement, wisdom, and the occasional kick in the pants. 

It’s been a couple of years since Steve passed away; but some of those gifts, phrases and images are coming back around. One of my favorite pictures hanging in my office displays my son, Hudson, in the foreground celebrating his first birthday at La Jolla Beach. In the background Steve is gazing at the ocean. That image seems prophetic, for it captures Steve’s thinking and outlook toward the end—that there was something just over the horizon that he was looking forward to or waiting for. It was more than the “undiscovered country” that Shakespeare’s Hamlet alluded to; Steve was truly looking to a kingdom yet to come.

During most of our phone conversations for the last couple of decades Steve shared a lot of wisdom. It was pretty useful big-brotherly stuff (when I bothered to listen). But, the last few years before his death, I was listening better, and ironically, his words became more sermon-like. In his last few months, when the tumors affected his word choice and sentence structure in normal conversation, the “sermons” were still clear, timely, and impassioned. The phrase that he burned into my brain during his last year was

God knows who you are; and where you are; and He has a plan for you.

I needed to hear that then and still do. Now the phrase is creeping into my vocabulary with increasing frequency: I’m saying it to other people. Steve was referencing the “lost” times of life when things are not going according one’s schedule or design. He was describing the dark times, the difficult and uncomfortable times, the anxious or fearful times; and the times when we ask the big questions and/or simply sit in despair. He was describing the times when our self-sufficiency is not sufficient. Of course, the maxim holds true in good times, too, but that’s not when we do our best listening.

As Steve patiently explained it, God’s knowledge of us is pretty complete (that “omniscience” thing seems to cover it). So, He knows our strengths, our weaknesses, achievements and mistakes, the bad attitudes covered by our smiles, and the stuff we hope no one ever learns about us. God knows our potential-- even if we have never come close to using it. So when we look in the mirror, and are brave enough to see everything about ourselves—He knows! And, according to Romans 5:8 He loves us anyway.

God also knows where we are. That includes geography, but also spiritual geography, emotional geography, and socio-economic status. However we might describe “where we are” God already knows. Our address doesn’t surprise Him. Our poverty doesn’t worry Him, nor might our wealth. Neither our social standing, or health, or lack thereof is a problem for Him. He knows whether we run the jail or are an inmate. God knows if we are following a higher calling or struggling with a load of bad decisions (or both). He knows and loves us anyway.

The prophet Jeremiah reminds us in 29:11 that God has a plan for everyone. Here is the conundrum: When we are on top of the world, we don’t want God’s plan (or think we need it). But, when we are nearer to the bottom (in one way or another), we don’t feel we deserve God’s plan. There were people who felt like that in Christ's day, too.

In the eyes of his contemporaries, Zaccheus was a short, traitorous, despicable tax collector. His vocation brought him material gain, but no friends, and certainly no admiration. Jesus picked him out of a crowd and went home to dinner with him. The disciples were likewise unremarkable—from all worldly measures. Jesus knew all about them—and picked them anyway!

So, the Good News of Christmas is truly Good News! Jesus left heaven to redeem people like them and like us—perhaps (especially) people just like us--where we are right now.

It’s tough to reduce a life to a Christmas card or even Christmas reflection. But, Steve’s life and death are instructive: his vision was improved by cancer. He saw what was truly important through the lens of his illness. As a pastor and chaplain, I have spent a lot of time with dying people.  Most have amazing clarity about what matters (or doesn’t), and Steve had that and more. He was by all accounts an imperfect person, with imperfect faith and knowledge; but He accepted Christ’s invitation to a perfect Kingdom and by faith confidently looked forward to it.

Shortly before he died, Steve told me, “I understand what Paul was talking about when He said, ‘for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).’ I’m not afraid of what happens next. Whatever God decides will be great. He will take care of me and my family.” I understand this verse intellectually and theologically; my brother understood it experientially, and confidently.

Difficult times come to all of us. Steve reminded me, that there is someone above and beyond my difficulty to whom I can turn. This Advent, it is my sincere prayer that you will discover the peace Steve described. It begins in the person of Jesus and extends to His kingdom—just over the horizon.

God’s Blessings to you this Christmas.

In loving memory of my big brother, Stephen Lee Bekkedahl (1948-2009).

Bigger, Faster, Stronger

Always improving; that’s what Americans do. Home Improvement stores cater to our “need” to make endless changes to our houses. We like to customize our stuff, too. “Customizing” is improving with style. But improving and customizing stem from a seeming insatiable desire to do something better. Have you ever caught yourself saying or thinking, “That’s nice, but if I were doing that, I would do it much differently.” Whether it is someone’s home, their car, their written report, or the pastor’s sermon, we find ourselves critiquing the work and offering (if only to ourselves) a better way of doing things. “Yeah, so? What’s your point?” you may ask.

Toward the end of my healthcare career we became obsessed with “customer satisfaction.” What an insatiable monster and moving target that is. Our goal was to always exceed expectations. We learned many things through these efforts, but we also discovered that people have really, really high expectations—that grow with use. Supposedly a reporter once asked John D. Rockefeller, at the time one of the richest men in the world, “How much money is enough?” He replied with a smile, “Just a little more.”

There is nothing wrong with improvement. There is nothing unspiritual about becoming better at something. The process of sanctification itself bears witness to our need for improvement. But there is a darker flip side of which we must be aware. There are so few things that impress us anymore; so few things that (as they are) evoke awe and wonder, or gratefulness. We have high expectations, and expensive tastes. It is difficult for many of us to be appreciative of simple and unsophisticated gifts. I remember working with a Russian carpenter many years ago. He was marveling at some of the tools we were using. He would stop every so often and exclaim, “This is a beautiful tool.” I thought for the longest time that he was using the wrong English word in his attempt to comment on the usefulness of the tool he was using. Only later did I understand that he was truly and deeply impressed by its design and function. To him the tool was beautiful. To me the tool was a tool; no big deal.

How is it that someone can discount a valuable tool as “just a tool?” How is it that someone can despise the value of dependable transportation or a modest home?  How can we so easily minimize the value of someone’s work? Why can we be ungracious (so easily) to those who serve us? Wanting “more,” “better,” “newer” may be an indication that we are dissatisfied with what we have. Can we admit that? If so, understand it is really hard to be thankful when one is dissatisfied.

Perhaps one could contend that America is strong and successful because we are never satisfied with the status quo. However laudable that sounds on a national level, that striving may reveal a diminished capacity for contentment individually.

November is a month that we gather for two times of corporate gratefulness: Veteran’s Day, and Thanksgiving. To do this well, we need to set aside our arrogance, our pride, our striving for excellence (the nice name we give to our discontent), and look at the world around us through new eyes. We need to humble ourselves and see how fortunate we are. The psalmist captures his journey through this process in Psalm 73.

Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind. Psalm 73:1-5 ESV

In other words, the Psalmist was revealing, “Others have it better than me. I envy them. I really envy them.” The Psalm reveals that he struggled with this envy and discontent until he met with God in the sanctuary (vs. 17). That encounter with God re-calibrated his thinking and broadened his vision. It improved his perspective. Prayer altered a dangerous cascade of events for the Psalmist. You see envy leads to discontentment which can lead to bitterness.  Bitterness engenders dissatisfaction with God and a sullen, if not broken, relationship with Him.

But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,                until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. . .

When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you. Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:16,17, 21-26 ESV

This is the reordering that needs to take place in many of our hearts--for us to go from envy and discontent to thanksgiving and worship. John Piper reminds us that “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him." The question then is how can God be glorified when we are desperately seeking satisfaction in everything but Him?

Labrador Lessons

There have been many Labradors in my life. The current one has to be the softest of all. I have had hunting dogs that have braved deep snow and sub-zero temperatures for the chance to hunt. They have been bloodied by ice, thorn bushes, and the occasional wild animal. Emma would probably not go hunting in such conditions, or would volunteer to guard the lunch if she did. Her idea of roughing it is sleeping on the floor. It’s my own fault, I suppose; she is the first Labrador house dog we have had. She doesn’t understand much of dog-dom.

Emma is one of the smarter dogs I have had, though, and certainly one of the most compliant. But we do have problems from time to time. Case in point: Emma is fussy about where we walk. Our neighborhood is surrounded by dozens of streets that do not have sidewalks (I know, what’s up with that?). So from time to time Emma and I are forced to walk on the sides of narrow streets with cars whizzing by us at 45 MPH. Complicating matters is that our part of the country has cultivated an incredibly annoying weed that produces a seed known locally as a “goat head.” I’ve never seen a “goat head” plant, but their seeds are everywhere, and they are the most vicious thorn I’ve ever encountered. Goat heads have chosen to be the arch enemy of bicycle tires and dog paws.  Get this; someone actually imported this annoying plant because they believed it might benefit idle cropland. I would like to see a cost comparison of the fertilizer saved versus the number of the bicycle tubes and tires the average family purchases each year.  My guess is we are averaging fifty-seven tubes per acre because of this obnoxious stuff.  Anyway, goat heads gather at the side of all roads (every last stinking one of them), and where there are no sidewalks, they share the space where bicyclists, pedestrians and dogs must travel.

Owing to experience, Emma’s greatest times of rebellion occur during those stretches of roadside without sidewalk. When forced to walk with me off of the road, she leans against the leash hoping to keep two paws on the pavement. She is unreasonable and totally unrepentant in this behavior, and completely oblivious to the difference in mass between a goat head and a speeding car—her grasp of elementary physics is, well, deplorable.

Anyway, in her mind, she knows better. I can see the wheels in her head grinding away; it’s a very simple algorithm for her: “road and sidewalk = no goat heads.” There are no other variables to consider. Further, she thinks I’m the imbecile for not getting the equation. I’ve actually seen Emma shake her head in disgust. What she does not know, however, is that there are other variables to consider—important ones. Thorn punctures are annoying, but the recovery time is much faster than the damage one might encounter after being run over by a beet truck, or even a tiny Kia speeding to school. This attitude of “knowing better” may ultimately lead to her downfall. One day her collar might be too loose and with one poorly timed jerk of the leash . . . she may meet her maker.

Perhaps you see the analogy. Our experience, our learning, our mentors, our friends, and a whole host of other influences have informed our thinking about a lot of things. We may have practiced this knowledge and “proven” it. “Aha, there are no goat heads on the middle of the road!” We build convictions about our knowledge and choose to live by those precepts and convictions. But some of them are wrong. Some of them do not account for all the variables. Our algorithms are too simple. Pride keeps us mired in our own thinking. It is pride speaking, when we say (or think) “I know better.” So when we read Paul’s words, do we understand which side of the leash we are on? Are you still tugging against it?

For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.  1 Corinthians 1:22-25 ESV

Our fears about the path we are on cause us to tug against the leash. Our imperfect understanding feeds our fears. Our pride insists it knows a better way. But, there is probably a bigger picture. Sometimes the thorns we encounter on our walk in this world are merely a consequence of the path we have chosen; sometimes they are things used by God to teach us; and sometimes the thorns are but the lesser of two evils. From our perspective, we cannot always understand the value or meaning of thorns. But the one on the smarter end of the leash has more knowledge and more perspective.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV

--And He, God, is wise, caring, and trustworthy.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 ESV

But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3 ESV

Swimming Upstream

One of my favorite, but lately frustrating, television programs features a family famous for building motorcycles. The father is aggressive, "self-made," and demanding. He is very black and white in his interpretation of the world around him. The sons are by degrees very, very different, and lack many of the disciplines that made their father a success. One could predict conflict at every turn; and if that is what you like, you will not be disappointed. But, the element of pride is their common denominator. Each has staked out a position and is equally unyielding in their defense of it. Each is demanding (aggressively or passively) that the others change and see things and do things their way. The program has become less about motorcycles and more about the drama within the family and like most "soap operas" if one could add the elements of humility and communication, the show would lose much of its plot.


Don't get me wrong, pride has a place in our lives; for example, I am very proud of my children and my wife. I am proud of many of my friends. I am proud that my Alma Mater is finally winning football games. But, I have little to do with any of those things. By contrast, I am pleased and thankful that I recently got an "A" in a class I'm taking. Those who know me realize that grades like this come by the grace of God and the mercy of a kindly professor because at my age academia doesn't come easily. But I hesitate to call the good feelings about the grade "pride." Give credit where credit is due.


Pride becomes sinister when it inflates our ego and our own sense of worth because then it robs us of our objectivity and teach-ability. When we begin to celebrate ourselves instead of the God who made us, we are bordering on idolatry--and thus, our pride, whether subtle or in excess can rob us of finding God.  . . . God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. James 4:6 NIV


Should then one decide, either through adversity, or inspiration to seek God, be aware you are choosing a lonely path. Living a life that is faithful to Christ is counter-cultural for several reasons:


God's ways are not our ways
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8 ESV
Isaiah preached to a nation that was deceived and distracted. In their efforts to be sophisticated and worldly the people of Judah engaged in empty ritualistic religion and idolatry. Instead of depending upon God they began to look to neighboring kingdoms for help. The more they tried to fix their problems without God the deeper their problems became. Isaiah implores his people to return to God, "why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy" (55:2). "Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near" (55:6). Pride tells us that our thinking is correct; just like the proud husband who refuses directions and drives until he is completely lost, our pride convinces us to stay our course even when our choices become very painful. That's a lot of inertia to overcome! Pride blames everyone else; humility says "I've screwed up! I need help!"


God wisdom is foolishness to nonbelievers
But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 1 Corinthians 1:27 ESV

Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.  1 Corinthians 2:12-14 ESV


In short, apart from the indwelling Spirit of Christ, the ways of God will appear convoluted, parochial, or absurd. The world surrounding the believer won't "get it" because the world behaves naturally, selfishly, pridefully. Don't expect an unbelieving society to encourage faith in Christ. Their encouragements will be just the opposite; and conforming to the culture around us is the path of least resistance. Pride says, "I will be like everyone else, only better!" Humility is self-sacrificing and chooses to live for God.



Our natural bend is to elevate self and seek our own way
And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”  Luke 12:15 ESV


Apart from knowing Christ, your best efforts and my best efforts will be selfish and prideful. Apart from Christ even Mother Theresa would always advance her own agenda--ALWAYS. In Christ, though, you and I have begun the process of becoming more like Him (sanctification), we are a work in progress. If a believer is not rooted in the Word of God (John 15) and daily communing with Him, the old patterns of behavior can and will rise up. A believer can be prideful and selfish--looking out for number one-- and completely fit in with our culture. Christ calls us to a different way. Pride says, "I'm okay and perhaps you are, too!" Humility leads us to recognize we have a long way to go in emulating Christ, and only through Him can we do so--leaving our natural inclinations behind.




Even on our best days, we tend to fool ourselves
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? Jeremiah 17:9 ESV

Closely related to the last point: on our best days, we have trouble eliminating selfish motives. On our best days, we have trouble avoiding the pitfalls of pride. Consider for a moment buying a dazzling Christmas present for a spouse or a child. Compare that feeling to donating cash anonymously to help feed a family you don't even know. One action feels better than the other; one action provides immediate and positive feedback: "Thanks Dad!" Jesus once watched people turning in their tithes and offerings at the Temple in Jerusalem. Rich men were clanging loads of coins into the brass container, but he noticed the poor woman whose two small coins hardly made a sound. He judged her gift as greater than all the others because the rich gave from their plenty (and got some notoriety from it), but she gave all she had (Mark 12:41-44). You see, living humbly is counter to our own heart's hard-wiring. We will often wrestle with ourselves in following Christ. Pride likes to point to all the good it is doing. Humility seeks to serve selflessly.



Satan will oppose those who choose to find Christ and follow Him
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.  1 Peter 5:6-10 ESV

We truly live in a spiritual dimension and are engaged in spiritual battles on a daily basis. Jesus reminded us of this in the Gospels:
I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:9-11 ESV


Jesus is in the business of seeking and saving sheep--and giving abundant life! Satan is in the business of stealing, killing, and destroying sheep. Satan opposes us in finding God, and he ramps up his opposition after we choose to give our lives to Christ. Satan is the epitome of pride; it is his essence and favorite weapon. Satan began as angel who aspired to be greater than God and was willing to use any means to achieve his ambitious goal. He is BLIND PRIDE personified. The truth is, he still thinks he can pull it off.


And there are only two camps in this world. Bob Dylan, in a rare moment of insight, wrote the song "Gotta Serve Somebody" and released it on his Slow Train Coming album (CBS, 1979). He deduced rightly (though not the first to do so) that one is either serving God or Satan; there are no other options. Serving self is serving Satan; serving anything or anyone other than God is serving Satan. There are no in-betweens. In short, faith and pride cannot occupy the same space. 


So, finding God and choosing to follow Him comes down to one's willingness to choose a different path completely ; a path that (by definition) is very different from the one most of the world prefers.  Matthew reminds us  
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Matthew 7:13-14 ESV


But God remains sovereign, and all-powerful, and able to save, heal, and restore--and give abundant life. Apart from the Holy Spirit's prompting, we will never catch a glimpse of Christ's design for our lives, but will be swept along into the wide gate. Unfortunately,  when our lives are exactly what we want them to be (humanly speaking) we don't listen well anyway. But thankfully God provides speed bumps for us allowing us to slow down and look up every now and then. 

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18 ESV


It is a work of grace when God breaks through our fullness of self, our personal self-serving agenda-filled life, and our world of rusting treasures to reveal His truth. For some it may be more than a speed bump, for others it may be a silent, clawing emptiness at the top of the heap. But what a gift! Jim Elliot once wrote, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose." The gains of pride in this life can never match the gifts given to us when we humble ourselves before God and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.



For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ  Philippians 3:18-20 ESV

Finding God

Often we hear the term "finding God" associated with those residing in correctional facilities. The phrase describes a positive change in behavior, attitude, or perspective that sets a person apart from his or her former ways. Often it is a ploy to gain sympathy or some other consideration from the courts, but now and again their change is the real deal. People can and do find God in prison. Thankfully, that is not the only place.

The true seeker can find God just about anywhere. Scripture reminds us repeatedly that God is seeking to find us, so finding Him is not hard at all—when we want to.

But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 4:29 NIV

There are two big “ifs” in that verse. Because our motivation is often impaired by the many distractions in our life, "finding God" or, more accurately, "repentance" is often associated with some form of confrontation or adversity. Undeterred, most people will coast and drift in a manner that suits them until their lifestyle runs aground. You may remember the story of Saul. He was an angry, violent, zealous and strict Pharisee, who persecuted the early Church. Armed with the permission and authority of the High Priest and Sanhedrin, he pursued early believers all over Palestine arresting them and placing them in prison for their faith. He believed he was doing God's work, protecting the Jewish faith from the impurity of this dangerous new heresy. On the road to Damascus, Saul was shown the error of his ways after a dramatic encounter with the risen Lord (Acts 8:1-3; 9:1-19). Saul did in fact change so radically he needed a new name! We know this man as the Apostle Paul, and are pleased to have his many epistles included in our Bible. 

Adversity may be the catalyst for many people to find God, but the operating truth that opens our eyes to our need for God is the humility that our adversity brings. “Boy, I really messed up this time” is the perfect realization and perspective for the Holy Spirit to use in opening our eyes to “the cure.” Seeing God requires that we stop looking at (and relying upon) ourselves.

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. James 4:6-10 ESV

Perhaps you are in humbling circumstances today. Maybe some of your plans recently derailed. Are your talents, skills, and personality suddenly failing to "win friends and influence people?" Or perhaps your situation is far more threatening. In this economy you may be out of work and wondering if you will ever find another job. Perhaps your health is failing you.  Has some other serious or tragic event knocked you off of your feet? Sometimes God allows the things we depend upon to reveal their frailty. Sometimes He allows us to see in vivid relief our own shortcomings, inexperience, mortality, and the heartbreaking imperfections of this fallen world. He does so in hopes we may be willing to listen to a voice besides our own (for a change). Know this, when God reveals our limitations to us it is a gift of grace! It is like a sign telling us we are travelling on the wrong road.

You see, God is rarely “found” when we are avoiding Him; nor can we "find God" through our own merit, efforts, or agenda. There has to be a point where we realize our limitations, our inadequacies, and our failings spiritually. Speaking of this universal condition, Isaiah wrote,

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God's paths to follow our own. . . Isaiah 53:6 NLT

Paul, the Apostle, concurs,

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Romans 3:23 NLT

Like the drunk in the gutter, we need to ask ourselves how well our life is working for us. Challenging circumstances make us more amenable to this discussion.

The Gospels capture this notion beautifully in the story of the two thieves crucified with Jesus.

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” Luke 23:39-43 ESV

One of the thieves was desperately seeking escape from his punishment; the other realized that he was but reaping the rewards of a sinful and selfish life. The main difference between the two, however, was the second thief (the humble realist) also recognized that he was hanging next to someone who could change his entire life, not just his immediate circumstances. That realization was a gift of grace, an awareness given by the Holy Spirit. When we are willing to hear that hard word of grace, humble ourselves, cease trying to bend the world our way, confess our selfish sinfulness and give ourselves to Christ, the power of God is unleashed into our lives. For a person “finding God” in this manner, prison walls are no longer an overwhelming barrier, unemployment becomes an opportunity, sickness is not a central focus, and death is not the end.

In short, we will not “find God” until we tire of trying to “find ourselves.” May God’s Word guide you to find your life and sufficiency in Christ-- and in Him alone!

(For further reference see: Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Romans 5:8; Romans 10: 9,10; Ephesians 2:8.9; 2 Corinthians 5:17)