Costing Everything

When a doctor diagnoses a disease, they do so by looking at the symptoms. Similarly, we can diagnose our hearts by looking at the symptoms we display in times of fog. If our symptoms are whining, complaining, blaming, criticizing, anxiety and anger, our hearts are not focused on Christ.  Philippians 4:4-7 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (NIV). We can’t whine if we are rejoicing in the Lord. We can’t blame and criticize if our gentleness is evident to all. We can’t complain when we are praying in thanksgiving. We can’t be anxious or angry when the peace of Christ is guarding our hearts. It’s easy to take the position of a powerless victim in times of suffering and hardship. When we are the victim, we don’t have to take responsibility for our actions or attitude. But we aren’t called to be victims in any circumstance. Romans 8:37 says, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (NIV). Christ gives us the victory and we carry that victory with us into even the most dense fog. Reflection/Discussion Question: Of the list of symptoms of a victim, (whining, complaining, blaming, criticizing, anxiety, anger) which do you find yourself easily falling into in times of fog or uncertainty?

Jesus was so focused on his mission that he wasn’t ever stopped by human opinion or offense. Jesus wasn’t easily offendable because he knew who he was and what he came to do. He knew he was the Son of God, and he came to give us eternal life. If you stand firm in your identity and keep your eyes focused on your mission, you will not be moved. In order to get to this place, we must know the truth so deeply that lies are completely ludicrous when we hear them. If we know that we are chosen, we will scoff at anyone who tries to tell us otherwise. If we know that we are loved, we will pay no mind to someone who tries to convince us we are not. If we stay focused on the mission, we will ignore anything that tries to derail us. Followers of Jesus are marked by their focus on Jesus. If we focus on the light, everything outside of Jesus will grow dark. The enemy will try to derail us from the mission of loving people one at a time and making disciples by distracting us with human opinions and filling us with doubt about who Jesus says we are. If we can distrust our identity, we will drop the mission. If we drop the mission, we will cease to bear fruit.  But God gave us everything we need in order to accomplish his mission on earth. He gave us Jesus who made us new. He gave us a new identity. He calls us his sons and daughters. Jesus calls us his friends. God then gives us everything we need to accomplish his mission of growing his Kingdom. If we can remind ourselves of who God says we are, what he has given us to do, and how his power can equip us, we will be unshakeable. Reflection/Discussion Questions: If you find yourself easily offended, what are you struggling to believe God says about you? If not, what has God done in your life to give you freedom from what people think or say?

My husband has been my wise counsel for 34 + years. He knows he has the privilege to tell me when I am off base, but usually he will wait for me to ask. Last fall was such a time. I was doing a Biblestudy on 1Peter and one of the assignments was to ask your husband if he saw you as being submissive. Now I really thought that I was. When I asked him he said there was one area I fell. He had asked me to lay out his Juice Plus for him every morning for many years. Mind you I did it, but I told people about it in a criticizing way. “I have to lay my husbands Juice Plus out for him everyday or he won’t take it.” I also thought to myself, “he’s a grown man, why can’t he do it himself.” That thought alone should have given me a clue that my heart was not right, but it didn’t. It took my husband to tell me that he did not see this as submission I new he was right. It truly was a blind spot. I was so humbled after being so prideful, because I thought I was doing such a good job at being a submissive wife. I asked for his and the Lord’s forgiveness and they graciously did so. Now I happily lay it out and don’t say anything about it. I am also grateful for the Biblestudy that makes you grow.