If God Is For Us, Who Can Be Against Us?

We’ve been quarantined for about six weeks now. How have you spent your time? Hopefully you have a sense of accomplishment for projects completed, creativity reignited, and priorities reestablished. Or perhaps, like me, the successes touted on social media don’t necessarily reflect your reality. 

Knowing that over 50,000 people in the U.S. have died from COVID-19 is sobering and reminds us of our fragile mortality. For me, this fact combined with too much time alone with my thoughts has led to a lot of introspection. Granted, I had been working through some things prior to the pandemic, but being isolated seems to have intensified my self-evaluation. I don’t know about you, but the highlight reel of my life usually consists of glaring errors and the criticism of others. I’m not trying to be a Debbie Downer, but have a desire to be vulnerable in order to connect with others who might be struggling.  

How do you “set your mind on things above” (Colossians 3:2) when your ever-present reality seems to be stuck in a downward spiral of self-condemnation? As I continue reading Colossians 3:3, I find clarification: “For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” No matter what my past failures or current circumstances may be, nothing can alter the truth that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold new things have come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) And verse 21 of that chapter is what I consider to be one of the most concise explanations  of what Christ accomplished for us on the cross: “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  

And therein lies the answer to this seemingly overpowering sense of failure: I am the righteousness of God in Christ - God took my sins and shortcomings and nailed them to the cross! And so, if you’re feeling bogged down during this pandemic, I encourage you to “forget what lies behind and reach forward to what lies ahead, pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14) God is for us! 

“If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all – how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? NO ONE. Christ Jesus who died – more than that, who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:31-35; 37) 

COVID-19 Musings

Such a strange time in our world...people sick and dying. Some of us self-isolating, some of us continuing to work at jobs that are deemed "essential." Kudos to those in the medical field and others who choose to expose themselves to this virus in order to help others in need.

Needless to say, none of this has caught God by surprise. My prayer is that our society as a whole will turn to Him during this challenging time. He is truly our only hope. "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear." Psalm 46:1-2

I'm writing this because I've been thinking a lot about isolation. When we lived in Alaska, it was brought to my attention that there were people in the local nursing home who never had visitors. In addition to that, some of them never came out of their rooms to participate in activities with other residents. Completely self-isolated, except for an occasional visit from a nurse or an aide bringing them food. Such a lonely existence.

It is my sincere hope that when this quarantine is over (unsure how long it will be at this time), we will consider people who live in isolation every day of their lives. Those in nursing homes, hospitals, shut-ins at home...so many in our communities who are lonely and craving human interaction. Let's commit to remember how it feels to be separated from our families, our neighbors, and the rest of the world. Remember how it feels to not be able to go to the store, eat out at a restaurant, have coffee with a friend, etc. This is the everyday "norm" for so many people.

I pray that God will give us empathy for their ongoing way of life and remind us to reach out with love and compassion. Make plans to visit someone the moment we no longer have to "shelter in place." I guarantee that you will be more blessed by reaching out than the person you visit! "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me." Matthew 5:40

No Shame

This morning, I was challenged by a favorite author of mine to write a letter to my younger self. It can be overwhelming to think of all that I would do differently, if given the chance. I usually prefer not to entertain these thoughts because of the weight of my regrets.

But what if we truly embrace the reality that God "has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west." (Psalms 103:12) To comprehend what Christ did for us on the cross and walk in that forgiveness is the only thing that will set us free from our guilt and shame. I think that so often we understand that Jesus paid the sacrifice for our sins and we no longer have to carry the burden of guilt. But what about the shame? In my life, knowing that I'm set free from guilt doesn't always mean I don't still battle feelings of shame. Even those who have been victims of someone else's sin might have difficulty overcoming a sense of shame. I believe it's a ploy of the enemy that we continue to be ashamed of our past. If we truly believe that Jesus paid the penalty for our sin and shame, we need to walk with confidence in His finished work.

Are you often waylaid by a person, place, or thing that conjures up the memory of your offense? I challenge you to take that thought captive (2 Cor. 10:5) and replace it with scripture. Perhaps Psalm 103:12 mentioned earlier or Romans 8:1 - "There is now NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." I pray that God will reveal a powerful verse to you that will be the constant reminder you need to claim victory over your feelings of shame.

"And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." Romans 5:5

Unintentionally Self-absorbed

Here we are, one year into retirement, and I still feel like I've had "the rug pulled out from under me." Going from being actively involved in dozens of activities to sitting on the couch contemplating what life is all about has spiraled into a full-blown battle with depression. Adjusting to life in an unfamiliar place has brought about an intense loneliness and paradoxically, the tendency to withdraw and become more introspective. I'm beginning to realize that this results in being myopic in relationship to the needs of others...unintentionally self-absorbed.

We recently heard Louie Giglio speak. We've been inspired by his videos for years, but had never heard him share about his battle with depression. One thing he shared that spoke directly to my heart was his fear that if he recovered from his depression, he would somehow be a "dialed-down version" of the man he used to be. That was it! I have been feeling like retirement is forcing me to be a dialed-down version of who I was. Louie's next words were powerful. We aren't called to be a 100% version of ourselves, but 100% Christ-like - totally dependent on Him, resting in His finished work.

Louie shared that one of our most powerful weapons in the midst of depression is praise. "Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, Praise the name of the Lord! He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap." (Psalm 113:1 and 7) But remember that praising God in the midst of depression has to be intentional. I have also been learning to be intentional about looking for opportunities to minister to others who are lonely and hurting. "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others." (Philippians 2:3-4)

So many people attending Louie's event admitted to struggling with depression and even having suicidal thoughts when he asked for a show of hands. My prayer is that you will be encouraged, no matter what you're going through, remembering that God's "got your back." Please join me in being intentional to praise God and reach out to others who are hurting. "For You have rescued me from death; You have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in Your presence, O God, in Your life-giving light." (Psalm 56:13)

Your Weary Heart

Do you ever feel like you've given all you have to give? Like you've poured your heart out and all that's left is an empty shell? Does your heart feel weary?

Jesus has something to say about this in Matthew 11: "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Imagine that! The God of the universe sees your weary heart and wants to exchange it for His rest.

I have been continually encouraged by Ruth Chou Simons (gracelaced.com) and I love her catch phrase: "Preaching to my own heart." When life overwhelms you and it seems like no one is there to encourage your weary heart, preach to yourself. God's Word is always there with truths to heal your soul.

God is our source of hope when we feel like we have nothing left to give. "Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary." Galatians 6:9 Don't lose heart in doing good. Don't grow weary. I don't believe for a minute that God tells us to do anything that He won't empower us to do. If He says we shouldn't grow weary, then He will give us the strength to overcome our weariness.

"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13 It's important to note that this verse follows Paul's confession, "I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am." (vs. 11) Even when I'm discouraged and feel like I don't have anything left to give? Especially then! Preach truth to your own heart!

Today, I'm preaching to my own heart from Philippians 4. It admonishes me to dwell on things that are true (vs 8) and comforts my weary soul with the knowledge that "God will supply all (my) needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (vs. 19)

I encourage you to read Philippians 4 and pray that God will encourage your weary heart today!

Old and Gray

It seems to me that if our acceptance is found in the finished work of Christ, we should never have a reason to feel unworthy or unloved. I've been struggling with insecurity here in this new phase of life known as retirement. My desire is to be so secure in my identity in Christ that I'm not emotionally vulnerable when my circumstances change: Confident in the fact that God and the truth of His Word never change. Psalm 102:27 proclaims, "You are always the same; You will live forever."

In the process of writing this blog, I was overcome with emotion when I read Isaiah 46:4: "Even to your old age I will be the same, and even to your graying years I will bear you! I have done it, and I will carry you; and I will bear you and I will deliver you." Imagine starting to write a blog about the perplexity of retirement and inadvertently finding a verse about God's faithfulness in our old age. Thanks to Ruth Chou Simons for including this verse in her blog today...so timely for me. (And obviously for Ruth as well, although she's much younger than me! gracelaced.com)

Change often brings uncertainty and in my case, insecurity. I long for the truth of my security in God's acceptance of me to permeate my heart and mind. Psalm 119 is all about God's Word and the change it brings about in the lives of those who follow its precepts. "Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You...I have inherited Your testimonies forever, for they are the joy of my heart." (Psalm 119:11 and 111) If God's testimonies are "the joy of my heart," then it stands to reason that if I "treasure His Word in my heart," I will experience true joy. Not a fleeting good feeling that fluctuates when my circumstances change, but a true sense of peace no matter what I'm going through.

It sounds so simple, but it's been one of my greatest challenges in life: To fully rely on what I know to be true according to God's Word, in spite of life's ever fluctuating state of affairs. When I'm dwelling on the uncertainty of what lies ahead, I lose sight of the fact that God's promises never change. Never. Even now that I'm old and gray. (Yes, "even to your old age I will be the same, and even to your graying years I will bear you"!)

Social Media Fuels Insecurity

It's no secret that many of us struggle with insecurity. Whether it's the fault of our parents, society, or perfectionism, it's our reality. So often I reprimand myself for not remembering that my only true security is found in the fact that the God of the universe loves me unconditionally. To be secure is to be "free from danger or harm; safe." (dictionary.com) Conversely, insecurity stems from fear: Fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of the future...we've all experienced fear, whether real or imagined. Social media can fuel our fear and wreak havoc on our insecurities.

Imagine finding out that a group of what you consider to be your closest friends had a party. It's all over social media...photos, tagging, liking, sharing, and commenting on what fun they had. #bestpartyever. Minor detail: You weren't invited. Not only that, but no one even commented that they missed you or wished you could have been there. It seems like your absence was intentional, but why? Have you done something to offend someone? Maybe they just don't like you? The possibilities run through your mind and the fear of rejection has you in its grip. The saddest part about this scenario is that you will probably withdraw, even from those who aren't involved, because you're convinced that this rejection is global.

I admit that I have put this much stock into something I saw on social media. I wasted a few too many tears because I was feeling excluded. "Wasted" is the key word...we can't get back the time or emotional energy we spend feeling sorry for ourselves because we feel left out! When we wallow in self-pity, we are focusing on ourselves instead of others. The Apostle Paul had something to say about this. "When others call down a curse on us, we bless them. When we are attacked, we put up with it. When others say bad things about us, we answer kindly."
(1 Corinthians 4:12‭-‬13) In other words, we are responsible for our response when we are offended. Knowing that God has forgiven me for my self-pity, I must look to Him for the ability to forgive others for their oversights, even if they are intentional; keeping in mind that "love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable and it keeps no record of being wronged." (1 Corinthians 13:5)‭

Dear fellow strugglers, my prayer for you in the coming year is that you will find your security in the only one capable of meeting our needs. He loves you unconditionally. "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." (Psalm 46:1‭-‬3)