Never Disappoints

Let us rejoice in our hope and the confident assurance of [experiencing and enjoying] the glory of [our great] God [the manifestation of His excellence and power].3 And not only this, but [with joy] let us exult in our sufferings and rejoice in our hardships, knowing that hardship (distress, pressure, trouble) produces patient endurance;4 and endurance, proven character (spiritual maturity); and proven character, hope and confident assurance [of eternal salvation].5 Such hope [in God’s promises] never disappoints us, because God’s love has been abundantly poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Romans 5:2-5 AMP

Patient endurance? Why does it need to be so difficult to develop our character and our hope? Not only is it a difficult time of life when this is being developed in us, but we are asked, by God, to rejoice and exult with joy! This all seems so counter-intuitive. Like how are we supposed to go against ALL that feels natural? I want to just sit and have a pity party or I just want to throw in the towel and give up!

The amazing thing is the end of this portion of scripture. In verse 5 Paul says that “hope in God’s promises never disappoints us, because God’s love has been abundantly poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

The phrase “never disappoints” is a very large statement. As humans, we have never even closely experienced never being disappointed; in people, things, situations, or even ourselves.  Some people’s lives might seem smoother and easier than others, but somewhere along the way there comes disappointment. So when we hear that hoping in God’s promises will never disappoint, we kind of try to conceptualize this within our frame of reference, which is flawed. But we can rest in the truth of God truly never disappointing us. He is perfect and His ways are perfect.

Something that I have fought for and have gained so much freedom in is keeping my ‘hope’ in Christ. The scripture in Hebrews which talks about our hope in Christ being an anchor for our soul has been my battle cry for many years! So now I am grappling with the idea that hardship, distress, pressure, trouble… all produce in me more hope and more mature perspective and understanding of my Savior. This is definitely not a complete process, but I have seen is small ways and big ways that this hope truly does NOT disappoint.

The bottom line for me is to keep my eyes lifted during the storm, difficulty, seemingly impossible situations we all face at times. As soon as I drop my head and sit while I wallow or threaten to just walk away and give up, I find the difficulty gets harder but even worse the hopelessness creeps in. As long as my head and my heart are lifted to the Father, I can see the hope; I can feel His love being poured into my heart!

I never want to sink or give up. I am a fighter and I am a person who hopes ferociously in the ONE who made me and the ONE who promised fullness of life.  

...The Waterfall...

When I think of the verse John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” so many things come to mind.

I have heard this verse many times! I love that there are parts of the word of God that I know so well, but I also wish I could have a total fresh approach to His word! That is a goal of mine this year: to approach the Word of God freshly and as if I have never heard the astonishing truths before.

So if I were to read this verse freshly, I would wonder what it means to come through Jesus. How does that work? I want to be with the Father, to know the Father, and be in His presence. So understanding how to come ‘through’ Jesus is crucial.

I get a picture of a waterfall. If you have never experienced the grandeur and beauty of a large natural waterfall, you must put that on your bucket list! It is breathtaking. If you walk through a waterfall, you get completely drenched. Soaked. The water runs over every part of you.

This is how I have come to understand coming ‘through’ Jesus. I have to step into Him. His grace, love, and forgiveness, then, will soak and drench every part of me. Jesus chose to put His life on the line instead of mine. THAT is something that I struggle to fully understand and quite honestly, to accept. I know how evil my heart can be. I can’t understand why Jesus would sacrifice Himself for me! That is a love that I want to know more of.  

If I am coming to the Father through Jesus, I have to accept and live in His grace, forgiveness and love. I have to accept these powerful realities for my everyday life. That is a difficult process and at the same time Jesus makes it so simple for us; it is pure surrender. It is a very humbling process. I have also experienced the most fulfilling and joy-filled life as a result of choosing to come through Jesus. However, I believe there is more for me. I believe there is ALWAYS more for us in Christ.

Coming through Jesus requires action! My grammar nerd is about to come out… “come and through” denote action. It is not a passive waiting or hoping for some miraculous experience. There is action required. I have to step into the ‘waterfall’ in order to get drenched by it, and the same goes with Jesus. We must set time aside in our busy daily lives to be with Him, to allow His waterfall to flow over us. This looks different for each person, so it is not a religious duty or a set of prescribed actions. Coming to Jesus and stepping into His waterfall is a unique experience for all.

Jesus made a way for us to come to the Father, and that way is Himself! We get to be drenched and soaked by Him. I love that. 

Ask. Hope. Listen.

God is not afraid of or intimidated by the ‘big’ questions in life. He loves to be the One we lean on and run to in order to acquire answers. When we ask God about our life, do we listen? I think that listening is a skill that is often glossed over or not acknowledged as the crux of it all. If we need God to help us and to guide us, we need to listen.

The scripture that says, “Lord, I will wait for you; You will answer, Lord my God” (Psalm 38:15) should be our heart’s cry. There are many questions that we seek the Lord on, but I want to challenge us, as I have been challenged, and ask are you listening for His answer. The Lord does not play games with us. He is not toying with our emotions when He doesn't answer in our timing. His answers are always perfectly timed and perfectly given.

His answers bring peace. His answers bring direction and are robed in His love.

Another aspect of asking and listening is ‘hoping’. Often when we ask God for answers, direction, or blessings we hope in THOSE, as opposed to hoping in the One who can bring those. The verses Paul wrote, Romans 4:20-21, are amazing in this aspect.

“Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.”

            It is not the gifts, the answers, to direction, the open doors or anything other than God Himself that we can hope in. Hebrews 6:18-19 says “…we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” When we place our HOPE in the Lord Himself we are firm and secure. We are not those that are easily rocked, toppled, or knocked down. We can confidently ask and wait and listen.

            When we need answers, where and how do we ask them? AND how do we position ourselves to receive the answer?

I am freshly challenged to ask, hope and listen to the Father. Are you?

Not Alone

    There are times in life that feel as if we are walking along alone. Or shall I say, there are times in my life that have felt as though God is not with me. Not because of anything He has changed or adjusted, but my emotions and situations want me to believe that He has left me to figure life out by myself or that I have to bring change in my own strength. 

    When there are difficult times, times that cause my life to rumble or a full-blown rocking display, I find that it is easy for me to draw conclusions that are not true. These conclusions sometimes sound like this… ‘God doesn’t care’, or ‘I do not believe that things will ever get better; this is my lot in life’, or maybe ‘I don’t see how things could change or improve, so God won’t be able to do anything’.

    These sort of conclusions are hopeless, lonely, broken, sad, and totally opposite of God’s heart for me. If you have had similar or even different conclusions… here are some verses that come to mind that reveal what is true in difficult times:

 ‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.’ John 16:32-33

‘The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.’ Luke 8:23-25

‘At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.’ Hebrews 12:26-29

    These verses assure me that God knows EXACTLY what is happening in my life, nothing takes Him by surprise. He does not like or want us to suffer, but when situations or difficulties arise in this life, HE IS WITH US.

    This can all sound so cliché and not practical (and I am very practical), but this is the ONLY truth that is unwavering, unshakable, and eternal. That God who has great LOVE for me and you and is also RICH in mercy has made a way for us to always rely, lean on, and fall into His arms of rest and safety (Eph 2:3-5).

    If you are facing a time that seems impossible, or just a bit of a difficult rumble, remember this… That if you call to the Lord He is faithful to save you. God delights in us. He rescues us from our enemy even if our enemy is our own mind.

    If you find yourself fighting a battle that seems unending, Psalm 18 is a great place to gain strength and truth to fight against the one who wants to devour you.

    A song by Matt Redman (Never Once) has always been an encouraging anthem of truth when it feels like I am alone. Here is part of the song.

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone
Carried by Your constant grace
Held within Your perfect peace
Never once, no, we never walk alone

...Contemplating...

There are times in my life when I feel like I forget how AMAZING God is and has been through all my days. I am sitting here this morning totally awe struck as I contemplate on the Greatness of my God.

He has lead me along crazy terrain; mountains and valleys and many twists and turns! And I can look back and recognize His strong and Mighty hand that was holding mine the entire time.  I often wondered how it would all work out. I often questioned Him, and in the end He proved Himself to be true and right and perfectly in control of my days.

There is a scripture in Acts that has spoken to the very core of me time after time as I again realize WHO GOD IS.

“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything. Rather, He Himself gives everyone LIFE and BREATH and EVERYTHING else.  From one man He made all the nations that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set out for them and the EXACT places where they should live.  God did this so that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and FIND Him, though He is NOT far from any one of us.  ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.”

Acts 17:24-28

Let us remember WHO GOD IS. We can rest fully on His identity and His love for us. May God freshly reveal to your heart that He KNOWS and that He is present.  

...like Isaiah...

There are BIG dreams that stir inside my heart. There have been many times when I live with a deep frustration when I am not SEEING them come to pass, now. (I am a little impatient :)) I think what I am learning and will learn is how to hold onto what God has said and the promises He has spoken and still live FULLY in the now. God is in every step of our adventure. He doesn't live only in the “future” because of the PROMISES we are holding onto. He lives in the now. He lives in my tomorrow also. He lives where we find ourselves, because He is committed to me… and to each stage of my journey.

I have this deep seeded desire to be a WORLD CHANGER. Not small. Like, BIG. I want to be someone who impacts the whole world. Leaves a legacy of Jesus behind me. Someone who inspires people to LIVE the dreams God entrusts to them. I want to be a person that sets the “tides” where I find myself. I don’t know if I have these dreams in my heart because of what I was exposed to as a youth, because of my amazing parents who always inspired me to live large, or because God truly has placed these desires in me for His purposes. And most possibly it is a combination of all of the above.

These dreams and desires will not happen quickly and do not happen suddenly.  What I realize is that this process of BEING the change will occur how God sees fit.   I think I have a fear that if I don’t SEE the dreams and promises happening right now… that I may grow dim or mediocre. THAT is something I could never consciously allow myself to do.  But it can creep in so subtly…

In church yesterday I was challenged about my heart for the body of Christ. Our pastor spoke about how we often live for and get passionate about things like movies, bands, trends etc. but we often do not get stirred up about the body of Christ, the church.  It’s not about doing more “things”. It’s not about performing more actions or functions. It’s about our heart.

What Christ did for us and what He commissioned us to do is more REAL than anything we will experience on this earth. His purposes are eternal and everlasting. Sure, we can get excited about a new “thing” that is happening, that is not bad. But the question that lingers in my heart is: is my heart longing for and desiring to see the GREAT THINGS of God displayed in His Bride… AND how am I participating with Him to accomplish those GREAT THINGS?

Where has the unyielding devotion for Kingdom ways gone? What has happened to those people who would be willing to stand against the grain and BE Christ to people?

I am not talking about becoming so super spiritual you are unreachable and out of touch with reality! I am just challenging myself about my heart’s focus and passions. I want to LIVE out those dreams that stir the deepest part of my heart that I mentioned earlier… and to do that I need to become someone who can do that. Someone sold out. Someone willing like Isaiah…

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here I am. Send me.’” Isaiah 6:8

30

Today I turn 30. I don’t feel old. I don’t FEEL 30. I remember thinking that 30 was SO old when I was younger.

I’m contemplating the last decade of my life.

It is utterly different than I ever could have imagined it would be.  When I was 20 I had dreams and I had ideas about how my life would turn out. And I can say that it is really not anything like that idea I had in my mind.

What I do know though, is that it has been BETTER than I could have planned for myself. 

I humbly reminisce the last 10 years… some of the things I have been able to do….

Graduated from University with a degree in Psychology.

Lived in 3 countries.

Experienced loneliness.

Gotten to know my own determined strength.

Begun a career as a high school teacher.

River rafted down the Grand Canyon.

Traveled to 11 countries or so.

Experienced deep joy and satisfaction.

Gone skydiving.

Assisted in leading youth groups around the world.

Been restored and healed.

Gotten to know God’s SUPERNATURAL provision out of nothing.

Fallen in love.

Seen desperation in the eyes of impoverished people.

Had minor surgeries. 

Started (still in process) of getting my Master’s in Psychology.

Gotten 4 tattoos (and more to come).

Gained friends around the world that have changed me and altered my life forever.

Done “big” work and done very small menial tasks.

Impacted those I have had the chance to know.

Died my hair with multiple colors, grown it out, cut it short and repeated that. 

Learned cultures that are not my own.

Rode horseback through the rural country in Mongolia with the nomads.

Obeyed God as best as I could.

Sitting here and thinking of all these things and listing them is NOT out of arrogance or boasting! It is actually SO incredibly humbling to realize how God can ONLY get the glory for my life. When I was 20 years old I had such a small view of what God could do and what His heart for me was. I imagined a very boring and mediocre life for myself. I have been amazed and thrilled at the adventure that God has taken me on! I would not change one minute of anything that has happened to me. I have experienced difficult and challenging things and I have had the privilege of living in the complete and beautiful abundance of life! The difficult moments have shaped me and the abundant times have deepened me. 

When I dream of what the future holds I cannot even begin to see it.  I have this sense in my heart that “the best is yet to come” and that is exciting!

What I know of Jesus is that He never disappoints or lessens who we are. A scripture that has been a defining theme for me over the years is 

Psalm 84:5-8…

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
 As they pass through the Valley of Baka (tears or pain),
    they make it a place of springs;
    the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
 They go from STRENGTH TO STRENGTH,
    till each appears before God in Zion

This scripture gives me hope that the next decade of my life will be even greater than the last! It will look different, take on a different shape and form BUT it will be a strengthening and it will be a progressive adventure!

I have big dreams. I have seen God fulfill and surpass my dreams in ways I NEVER would have imagined!! So I can now go wild in my dreaming! Ephesians 3:20 “…to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine…”! He is not intimidated by my big dreams, because I believe His dreams for me and what He has for me will go even further and be even greater than my craziest imaginations.

I never want to limit what God can do and what He wants to do in me and through me! I want to fulfill ALL that He has for me… this requires sacrifice and it requires obedience… but those are easy when I have my eyes FIXED on Jesus! Fixing my eyes on Him is the key… that’s not always easy.

I want to not look at the storms that may rise around me as I am walking on water… I want to be SO sure and SO confident in His voice that I will step out of any boat I am in so that I can feel His power working through me.  (Matthew 14:22-33)

So may this next decade reflect Jesus’ heart for me and may I live FULLY never minimizing what God’s dreams are for me!