Suffering

Suffering is not a popular topic to bring up when one is trying to encourage others. In fact, if we are honest with ourselves most of us would choose to avoid any and all discussions that have to deal with our own suffering. I don't know about you but I do not find that it is much easier to talk about someone else's difficulties, trials, or set backs either.

So why do I bring it up today? To be transparent with you I have been thinking about suffering a lot lately. And not for the reasons you may assume. It is not my own circumstance or situation so much that has got me to thinking, but rather my observations of some dear friends that have had to endure more suffering than most of us can even imagine.

In John 16:33 Jesus alerted His disciples when He said, You will have suffering in this world." It is not whether or not we experience adversity but how we respond to it. It is the response that makes the difference. It is when we go through trials and hardships that we have the opportunity to know Christ in a deeper and even more meaningful way. How is that possible?
It is during these times that we can either turn toward God and give Him the glory that He is due and grow in our dependence on His power and will, or we can choose to operate in the ways of the world. The world tells us that we are entitled to comfort, safety, health, and prosperity. That sounds nice, but is not true. God knows that as we endure hardship that a greater purpose is served. In fact that is what the Apostle Paul says in II Corinthians 1:3-5.

3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

I mentioned earlier that my thoughst have been triggered from watching friends as they endure hardships and setbacks. This is what I have observed in them, that is truly a testament to their love and faith in Jesus Christ. They have faithfully shared their journey with so many people as they deal with difficulties, and they have been transparent in their circumstances. However, as I watch them live out their lives in front of so many people, they are sure to give God the glory that He is due as they call on His name and trust Him with the outcome. And just as Paul mentioned they are able to encourage and comfort others through their suffering.

I don't understand the ways of God, but I do know that His purposes are greater than mine, and His will has an eternal perspective instead of my all too often temporal perspective.

I hope that whatever difficulty may come your way that you continue to faithfully trust in God, and allow your circumstance to glorify God and bless those that watch you as you are going. May the peace of Christ comfort you today. I leave you with this from Psalm 125:2,

2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and forevermore.

Education

What is the role of education? According

At Strong Rock Christia School we believe

Congratulations!!

I just spent one of the most memorable nights of my life with 30 special students, their families, friends, faculty and school board at the inaugural graduation at Strong Rock Christian School. What an amazing group of young men and women. They have been accepted to over 60 colleges and universities and received over $1,200,000 in scholarship offers with more to come. But do you know what really stands out about these students is the obvious bond that they have as a class. I watched them respect one another and encourage one another along this journey called high school. I had the honor of seeing them succeed with grace and deal with hardship with compassion and love for one another.

As I was sitting on the stage last night and watching them as the night progressed it was an amazing testament to their love for one another. I listened to students spur on their classmates to honor God with their lives and to remember the foundation that their parents have instilled in them. I was also reminded of a familiar and powerful scripture as one of the graduates shared the following as one of their life verses, and how it reflects their relationships with one another.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is
not proud. It is not rude, it not self-seeking, it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices
with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always
perseveres. Love never fails. I Corinthians 13: 4-8

I know that I still have a lot to learn about what it truly means to love like this. It was extremely refreshing to watch these 30 seniors as they displayed a deep love for one another and their families and friends.

I hope that each of us can be challenged to love as God's Word defines love. I will miss seeing these student in the hallways next year, but I am excited to see how the next class will follow in their footsteps and lead next year.

Congratulations to the Strong Rock Christian School Inaugural Class of 2010! Go Patriots!

Running on Empty

Have you ever had one of those days when there simply is not enough caffeine on the planet to keep you going or you simply just can't get enough energy to keep moving. I had one of those days a couple of days ago, and it just came out of nowhere, or so it seemed at the time. However, looking back on the day a few days removed now, I can attest to the simple fact that I was running on empty. I had just had a long day, few hours of sleep the night before, skipped lunch for an unscheduled meeting that ran a couple of hours, went to Home Depot to buy supplies to do some work in the basement, got busy taping and mudding a room in the basement and the next thing I know it is after midnight. There was a time, and I hate to admit it now, but it was quite a few years back, when I could have survived a day or two in a row like that and found the energy to go skiing all day and night and still make it to Dr. Allen's Psychology class at 8:00 a.m. However, those days are long gone for this old boy.

Why do we do that to ourselves? Why do we run ourselves into the ground, not sleep enough, or eat properly and then wonder how we got sick and run down. I believe one reason is that we think we have to go, go, go. Do you remember the days, not that long ago I might add, when someone would call you on the phone (ok, that does age me) and ask you a question, and you were actually not expected to give them an answer for an hour or two or maybe even a day or two. Do you remember when you actually were given time to pray about a decision and seek counsel from others that had gone down a similar path before, and you were not considered lazy or slow, but wise and mature.

I must admit that I miss those days. That is what I remembered the other day. I miss those days. So today I am puting a stake in the ground of my life of almost 45 years now, and I am taking claim of my schedule, my family time, my time with friends, time at my church and working to help those less fortunate in our community and the world at large.

Why do we get tired and find ourselves running on empty? Priorities! If my hope is in God the Father, and Creator and Savior, and not on peoples expectations to define me, I find that I have much more to live and work for in my daily routine.

If I aim to please the Father, then I will find peace and joy and fullfillment in all that I do. In the New Testament in the book of Matthew, at the end of Chapter 6, we are reminded that,

God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we wear?" For the pagans run after all of these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

So what do we do when we are running on empty? Stop and seek after God and his ways. The truth is that when we focus on pleasing God and caring for others we find that we are blessed and have been given much to be thankful for. Recognizing that we are blessed is plenty of fuel to energize us through each and every day. We will find renewed strength and energy when we put others needs before our own.