Thursday, November 28, 2013

Sometimes God Gives Us Something That Doesn't Make Sense. And it's Amazing.


If I had to choose one thing to be thankful for this Thanksgiving Day, I would say Philippians 4:6-7.
The Bible says, "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

Friends, this is a real thing.  "Peace which exceeds anything we can understand" actually exists.  It's a peace that doesn't makes sense when you do the math on your situation.  It's where Jon and I have lived for 7 weeks now.

If you enter this day searching for something to be thankful for, try praying.  Seriously.  Pray.  Ask God to give you eyes to see His blessings.  Big things.  Little things.  Things you haven't had the ability to see because "life"/your situation has left you with a thick cloud in front of your eyes.  There is a whole world of Good that exists when you ask God to give you the eyes to see it.  Then thank Him for those blessings.  No matter how small they seem.  (Can you blink?  Well, thank God for a body that works in that way.  Jon has learned the value of blinking and would tell you to be hugely grateful if your eyelids move.)  :)  Thank Him.

Then tell Him your worries, wants, desires, fears, pain.  Something supernatural happens when you turn your worries into prayers.  It takes you off the anxiety hamster wheel and literally places your anxiety into the hands of your Creator God.  The One who can actually do something about it all.  When we put this into practice - the whole "worrying about nothing and praying about everything" - we experience peace.

Not the 'peace' that comes with that 30 minute conversation with your best friend.  Cuz that peace feels good.  Really good.  But it doesn't sustain.
It's not the 'peace' that comes with that shopping binge either.  I mean, let's be honest.  That high feels great and really medicates us well.  For a good hour or so.
It's not the 'peace' that comes by indulging in that chocolate cake either.
Or drinking that extra glass of wine.
Or the 'peace' that comes when we gossip about other people.  Oh, that's a good one.  We feel so much better about our own junk when we talk about other people's junk.  Their's is so much worse and ugly, right?  That conversation feels really good.  Until it's over.  And we're faced with our own junk again.  Then their junk really doesn't matter or help our situation at all.

Friends, the peace that God offers - that the Bible talks about - that Jon and I are experiencing... is good.  And complete.  It lacks nothing.  It sustains.  And it makes absolutely no sense.  It truly is beyond our understanding.  But wouldn't you prefer a peace that is so whole and complete and supernatural that you couldn't conjure it up on your own?  That it surpasses what you can explain or comprehend?  Anything we can wrap our own arms or minds around isn't enough.  It is finite.  It will be flawed by just the mere reality that we are fallen humans living in a fallen world.  Find true peace in the arms of an infinite God.  A God who promises He will make you the best trade of your life.  You give Him your worries, gratitude and prayer, and He gives you Peace, Shalom, in exchange.  Even exchange?  Not close.  Does it make sense?  Nope.  But I invite you to try it.  Well, God invites you in.  I'm just here to tell you Jon and I are living in it right now and it's real.  It's a thing.  It exists.  And to tell you that our list of "What We Are Thankful For" has never ever been as long as it is on this Thanksgiving Day.

So friends, Happy Day of Thankfulness.  If today doesn't come easy for you, fight for it.  Pray.  Express.  Ask.  Then feel.

God loves you, I love you, and I love journeying toward Him with you.
xo

2 comments:

  1. I cannot tell you how perfect this was for me at this moment.

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  2. Your honesty and transparency continue to be amazing. Some people would want to keep their story private, but this is your ministry for now, and people are being blessed by you, Jon and your family. Your worship leading with Jon always moved me, but you have taken things to another level. Thank you and God's peace be with you.

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