Safe and Secure When Father is Near

As I watch my children grow up and try to prepare them for all the burdens, pressures, fears, and responsibilities that accompany adulthood, I'm reminded of how safe, secure, fearless, and carefree I was as a child when my daddy was near. He prepared a home for me and provided all my needs. My children also experience great peace and security when their father is close.

Awakening to all the harsh realities of this fallen world is tough. Even the best earthly fathers cannot be there for us all the time. Their time is limited, and work calls them away from home. They make mistakes and have regrets. They get sick and become tired. They grow weak and frail, and their children must eventually face the world without their daddy by their side.

Earthly fathers are an imperfect reflection of our perfect heavenly Father who goes with us wherever we go. He never leaves us or forsakes us and casts out all fear (Deuteronomy 31:8). Our heavenly Father isn't just near us, He indwells those who trust in Him and receive Christ as Savior. He protects, comforts, encourages, strengthens, and provides all our needs. He fully satisfies us and prepares a perfect home for us in Heaven forever. He never grows weak or tired. (Isaiah 40:28-31) His unconditional love is everlasting. His power, knowledge, and wisdom are infinite. Therefore, we need not worry or be afraid. We need only gaze upon the goodness, greatness, and bigness of God to understand how tiny our problems really are. May we draw on His strength to face our fears and relish His presence, enjoying sweet fellowship with Him made possible by Christ's shed blood for us.

May we come to Him as little children, free and fearless because we trust Him and know Him intimately. Who's your daddy? He's the King of Kings, Creator, Savior, omnipotent Lord over all.

Gardening for the Soul

The recent news of Kate Spade's sudden death has me pondering once again the pervasive suffering and overwhelming anguish that plagues our society.

We have been born into a fallen world, so we will all experience suffering and trials in this life. The trials may come in the form of overwhelming loss, injustice, oppression, miserable circumstances, mental or physical disability, broken relationships, anxiety, stress, or fear. The struggles may be external or internal. They could be physical, chemical, or spiritual in origin, but no matter how those struggles manifest themselves, we at least share in common the certainty that difficult seasons are a given in life. We may never understand why God allows some people to suffer exceedingly more than others, with some so overwhelmed by crippling anxiety and depression that they falsely perceive suicide as the only relief, but we must cling to the truth. God is good. He is perfect in love, and He is sovereign over all.  While we can't answer all the why questions or see how God could possibly work any of this for good, we have to trust Him, knowing that while our perception and understanding are finite, He is infinite.  His plans, purposes, and ways are higher and better than ours.(Isaiah 55:9) While God doesn't promise to remove us from difficulty, He does promise to go with us through each trial, to redeem those trials for good, and to use them to help us grow into His likeness, all for His glory.

The way God works through our suffering reminds me of gardening imagery presented in Jonathan Cahn's must read work, The Book of Mysteries. God created man and woman in His own image and placed them in a garden to tend, just as God is the gardener over all, including our souls.

When Jesus took on all our sins on the cross and died, his body was placed inside a tomb in a garden. Just as a seed must die and be buried before it can produce new life, Jesus died, and His body was placed under the earth for a time, so that He could bring forth new life. His followers were devastated by grief, desperately confused, and without hope. Had they forsaken all to follow Him only to be abandoned? They did not yet understand that Jesus HAD to suffer horrifically and die, for that is what all our sins cost Him, but it all had a grand and glorious purpose - to save the world! He would rise again, just as He said. His seed produced a spiritual harvest that completely transformed the course of human history, such that all who follow Him may bury their old sinful selves and be made new, both in this life and in the next. Because of His suffering, his children will rise again as He did and live with Him forever.

Our family is not especially gifted at gardening. All we seem to grow well are weeds and rocks. Nevertheless, we recently tried to plant a garden over the plot of land our pet rabbit once called home. After we planted, two weeks of tropical storms and heavy rains came. Those weeks were dark, depressing, and miserable, but when the storms had finally passed, our seedlings had already outgrown the boundaries of our garden.

Life's storms have a way of accelerating our growth in the Lord. If we look up to God for light and receive the water that falls like our little seedlings did, we will flourish beyond any boxes we may have erected for God in our lives. As we cling to Him through the storms, we become fruitful and grow stronger and closer to Him each day. On the other hand, if we dig down deeper into this fallen earth, rejecting His light and hiding from life's storms, then we will remain as lifeless seeds, stifled beneath a hardened shell. Gardeners know this truth well.

When trials befall us, by all means, let us get help in whatever form is appropriate. Every life is sacred and of immeasurable worth, so let us unashamedly go after the help we need so we may fulfill God's glorious plans for us. But let us not forget that these trials have an eternal purpose that is far greater than the storms we see right now. And let us claim God's promises, for He is always faithful. The only one God has ever forsaken was Himself as He bore the weight of all our sins on the cross. (Mark 15:34) His love for all of us, hardened and dead little seeds that we were, held him there alone and abandoned. What amazing love the Father has bestowed upon us!

‘My counsel shall stand,
and I will accomplish all my purpose...
I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;
I have purposed, and I will do it....
I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off,
and my salvation will not delay"  (Isaiah 46, selected verses)

"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."  (Philippians 1:6)

"It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”  (Deuteronomy 31:8)

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers."  (Romans 8:28-29) 

Replacing the "What Ifs" with "Even Ifs"

Those of us who care about someone deeply or pay any attention at all to current events have probably pondered some terrifying "what if" scenarios at some point in our lives.  I know I have!

What if the stock market crashes....again, but worse?  What if my spouse (or child) cannot find a job?  What if that lump I feel turns out to be cancer?  What if I lose a loved one in the next terror attack? What if the utter contempt for the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law by government elites leads us into full blown martial law?  What if my child wrecks his car while playing Pokemon-Go even though I've told him 1000 times to put the phone in the glove box when driving?  "What if" questions run through our minds like a hamster on a hamster wheel, spinning and spinning, faster and faster, robbing us of joy and peace.

^"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." (John 14:27)

Some scenarios we run through our minds are illogical and ridiculous, while others are legitimate concerns over circumstances we feel powerless to change. Talking out our fears with a wise Christian friend or counselor can certainly help weed out the irrational fears that could never happen in real life, but what do we do about the legitimate concerns we can't change?  The answer is so simple it has become an overused cliché, "Let go and let God."  But trusting God doesn't always come so easily.  When God doesn't give us a clear idea of how or when He's going to work everything out for good, or when He feels distant and nothing makes sense, how do we trust Him?  How can we say like Job did, "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in Him"? (Job 13:15)

We learn to trust Him the same way we learn to trust our family members, friends, and significant others, by getting to Him on a close, personal level.  We get to know Him by spending time with Him, by watching Him work in, through, and around us, by talking to Him through prayer, by listening to Him by studying His word and waiting for Him to speak into our hearts, by recounting His faithfulness to all generations, by claiming His promises, and by recording prayer requests and His answers to those prayers in a journal as reminder of his faithfulness to us personally.  As we draw near to Him, we learn to apply the faith that led us to our moment of salvation, and that faith grows as we trust Him more. We can trust Him more than anyone else, for He is the only one who will never ever let us down.  Before the Red Sea parted, Moses had to step into it with faith. Conquering our fears requires taking that first step with what measure of faith we have, taking note of what God does next, and then taking the next step.

"casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

He calls us children, so He is our Abba (Daddy).  Just as our own children trust us with a simple, innocent faith, so we should trust Him with the innocence of a well loved child who never doubts his/her parents' love, provision, or goodness.  The more we grow in relationship with Him, the more our faith increases, and the easier it becomes to dismiss our fears by replacing all our "what ifs" with "even ifs".

Instead of asking, "What if they try to kill us?", say in faith, "Even if 'I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff; they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.' " (Psalm 23:4-5) 

Instead of asking, "What if my husband dies prematurely, leaving me to financially support and raise our children all by myself?", say in faith,  "Even if he gets to Heaven before I do, 'Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.' " (Psalm 68:5)

Instead of asking, "What if they hurt me?", say in faith,  "Even if they try to hurt me, 'The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.  What can man do to me?' " (Psalm 118:6, see also Psalm 56:11 and Hebrews 13:6)

Instead of asking, "What if this turn of events ushers in World War III?", say in faith, "Even if 'the earth gives way, the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, [even if] its waters roar and foam, [and even if] the mountains tremble at its swelling, God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear." (Psalm 46:1-3, verse order rearranged)

Instead of asking, "What if religious persecution here becomes as intense as it is in more dangerous parts of the world", say in faith, "Even if we 'should suffer for righteousness' sake, [we] will be blessed. [We must] have no fear of them, nor be troubled.'" (1 Peter 3:14)  Besides, whenever the church has been crushed like grapes in the past through terrible persecution, the church only grew larger and stronger, like grapes being crashed into sweet wine.

Instead of asking, "What if the stock market crashes or (we/he/she) cannot find gainful employment?", declare in faith, "Even if we lose our wealth and our streams of income, our 'God will supply every need...according to His riches in Glory in Christ Jesus.' " (Philippians 4:19)

Instead of asking, "What if the lump is a malignant tumor?", say in faith, "Even if I must battle cancer, His 'grace is sufficient...[and His] power is made perfect in weakness.' " (2 Corinthians 12:9)

These are only a few examples, but the Prince of Peace wants to remove ALL our fears and "what ifs". We should examine God's word for the truth that counters whatever negative scenario torments us and claim His promises. Unlike our irrational fears which never come to fruition and unlike our more legitimate concerns which are still highly unlikely, Christ ALWAYS keeps His promises. Our imagined worst-case scenarios are not rooted in reality or in anything of substance.  

When we pray, asking God for help, we "must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. They are like waves that toss us to and fro" (James 1:6). When we anchor our thoughts in God's absolute truth, however, no storm can move us.  Just as Jesus calmed the raging sea with His word, He is here with us now, whispering, "Quiet, be still."  Can you hear His still soft voice?

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. ( Mark 4:39)

For the spiritually skeptical, secular psychologists offer a similar recommendation to their anxiety patients called retraining the brain.   

"You can train your brain to learn effective ways of dealing with situations that arise again and again, such as financial worries or fears of failure...  

There is a window of opportunity that lasts about a minute, during which you can sever the tentacle of a toxic worry before it grips you totally. Your brain has not yet gone into spasm. That is the time to defuse worry...

Talk to yourself in a useful way...One positive thought at a time can gradually shift the balance of your thinking from negative to positive. "  Edward H. Hollowell, Psychology Today

See also Philippians 4:8, which was written long before any  psychology paper or textbook referenced by contemporary psychology scholars.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."  (Philippians 4:8)

For some, medications may be needed temporarily to reset the brain, for anxiety is a clinical diagnosis not to be taken lightly. The struggle is real and should be addressed from all angles, but nothing can soothe the soul and calm the spirit in a lasting way quite like the absolute truths from our perfectly loving, all powerful, living Lord.

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? (Matthew 6:25)

An Anxious Generation

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. - Philippians 4:6

As a parent and teacher of school-aged children, I have observed far too much anxiety among young people.  Some are overachievers who feel like their world will end if they make less than an A+ on any given assignment. Such a student falls apart inside when he misses his free-throw attempt during the one game his dad attended that season.  Perfectionists are driven by unrealistic standards that they either establish for themselves or allow others to set for them.

Image Source:  http://www.desperatehousecows.com/2010/07/anxiety-attacks/

Others feel anxious because they doubt their own God given abilities. Perhaps a teacher, parent, or other authority has labeled them with a diagnostic term that makes them feel like they will never measure up, so they give up on themselves before realizing how much potential is trapped inside.  Some may feel despair after being bullied by a peer whose own feelings of self-worth were so low that they cut down others to make themselves appear better than they believed themselves to be.
Bullying, helicopter parenting, excessive standardized testing, expectations of affluent society, and broken homes have all been blamed for the increasing rates of anxiety and depression among students, but what is the remedy?  Only God’s truth can deflect the daily ambush of lies hurled by a culture largely ruled by the enemy of our souls. We must pray for the truth to go out and to land in good soil. (Matthew 13)

I often pray for opportunities to lovingly speak these same truths which freed me into the hearts of these hurting students but struggle to help them see what a beautiful treasure they are, not because of what they accomplish, but because of who God says they are.  Their identity is found in the One who created them wonderfully in His image for a divine purpose, and He is actively working in their hearts and lives. Their value is too vast to measure, but the price was the incomprehensible suffering of Christ on the cross. “Open their hearts,” I pray, “and let them receive Your truth.”

Many students know they were created to glorify God, but they wrongly think they have to meet an impossible standard to be accepted in His sight.  They miss the entire point of Christ’s atonement. We can’t attain his standard of perfect holiness, but we can let Christ’s righteousness cover us (Isaiah 61:10). Then He can present us blameless (Colossians 1:22) before the throne of grace. God is glorified when we give our best for Him, regardless of how we measure up by our own standards or by those of others. Teachers, parents, and church family may go to great lengths to communicate these truths, but those voices are often drowned out by a culture screaming a contrary message.

Our life class has been discussing how sin flows out of a desire for autonomy. Our flesh wants to set our own standards, make our own d  We will never find peace or freedom from anxiety by looking within. We must look outside of ourselves to the One who made us, knows us better than we know ourselves, and offers us an escape from the destructive, worrisome path we have paved for ourselves.  Instead of striving for first place or to be greater than, we must worship Him who is greatest.  Those who humbly bow before Him, casting all their anxieties before Him, will be raised anew in freedom. As we look to the interests of others instead of our own, our worries wither. (Philippians 2: 4, 21)

"Finishing well in life is not so much about being the best or the greatest at something but rather, embracing lowliness of heart, laying down one's life."  Beverly Lewis, The Prodigal