Right now as I look out my window, a frozen landscape is greeting me and looking deceptively beautiful. Ice crystals are blanketing the evergreens and glistening in the sunlight, which is barely giving enough warmth to reach a double-digit temperature. And while there are hardy, winter-loving people who are probably frolicking in the snow under today’s clear blue skies, I’m enjoying the view without venturing away from the snuggly goodness of my roaring wood stove.

With the chilly, sparkling vista before me, it’s slightly difficult for me to imagine a lush green garden complete with just the perfect temperature and humidity for a peaceful stroll down a perfectly designed, wooded path lined with colorful flowers and serenaded by a majestic waterfall in the distance. If I dwell on the thought long enough, I might also be able to see a bench in the garden, waiting for me underneath an expansive shade tree and open to the widest view. Despite the extra strain on my imagination to concoct such a place in the middle of a Maine winter, I know the investment of time to get to the Garden in my mind is worth it. Worth every second… because I can leave all my distractions, fears, and worries far behind for a few precious minutes and focus on the most important thing in life. Most of all, it is worth it because of Who I’m meeting in the Garden, and because He and I have a standing appointment every morning with additional meetings scattered throughout the rest of the day.

I’ve written about heaven before, and while it’s a place we should contemplate often and draw comfort from, it’s not a place that we can access — or even fathom — during our time here on earth. On the other hand, the Garden is a place we can get to at any moment, and from any location. The literal Garden of Eden is long gone from earth, but I believe the existence of it and the fact that we were created for it, is emblazoned on our hearts. Our need for time in the Garden is interwoven into our souls. Somewhere deep inside of every human is a longing for the Garden — almost a kind of “knowing” that we don’t fully belong in our current existence, but rather that we should be dwelling in a deep, abiding fellowship with our Creator.

The problem is that most of us have either forgotten how to get to the Garden, are afraid of allowing ourselves to go there, or simply don’t make it a priority. We often choose instead to search for a counterfeit garden in our current surroundings, always wandering from valley to mountaintop and back again, only to find ourselves worn out, disappointed, and wondering why we cannot secure real peace, lasting happiness, or authentic contentment. We have yet to realize that only in the true Garden can we experience the wonder of being simultaneously on the mountaintop while walking through the valleys of life.

Humankind was created in the Garden and initially walked with God side by side in unbroken fellowship. We know this because Adam and Eve were clearly familiar with God’s arrival in the Garden in Genesis 3:8, and the previous chapters also make it clear that God had given them specific instructions and direction for daily living. But when they chose to trust in their own wisdom and defy God’s request, they could no longer exist in the presence of His pure perfection and holiness.  Forevermore, sin would come between the human race and its Creator unless atonement was made. Humanity may have been escorted out of the Garden, but the longing for the Garden has never been removed from our hearts.

In addition to the Garden of Eden it’s not a coincidence that Scriptures repeatedly mention gardens — both as literal places of great significance and as spiritual metaphors. Many of the Old Testament prophets used gardens as analogies for God’s restoration of His people following their repentance (for example, Isaiah 58:11). Just before His crucifixion, Jesus sought His Father’s help in prayer in the garden of Gethsemane (John 18:1-2), and then He triumphed in victory over sin and death as He was resurrected in the garden of Golgotha (John 19:41). Finally, we will experience God’s forever garden — paradise — when He returns for us as prophesied in Revelation 2:7. Astoundingly, we will be given access to the tree of life, which was originally established in the Garden of Eden.

Over and over throughout the Bible, we are reminded that God created us for garden living, and through the sacrifice and the atonement of Jesus, we can accept His personal invitation that beckons us: “Come to the Garden, my beloved. Come.” When we spend time with God in prayer, studying and meditating on the Word, and practice being still before Him in adoration and submission, we enter into the Garden.

One of my favorite hymns captures the essence of this invitation to us, and it has an interesting backstory. The hymn’s writer, C. Austin Miles, was a gospel singer and music publisher by trade, but one of his greatest passions was photography and developing his own images. One day in March 1912, he was waiting on some of his images to develop in his basement darkroom, so he passed the time by reading the Gospel of John. When he came to chapter 20, he began to let himself vividly imagine what it must have been like to be with Mary when she came to the garden the morning of Jesus’ resurrection. As he imagined what his own words might be to the savior, he was overcome with such emotion that he later said his hands and arms were trembling as he gripped his Bible. His real words came easily after that, and right there, in a cold, dark basement with not even a window, he penned the lyric for In the Garden. Miles once said of the popular hymn, “This is not an experience limited to a happening almost 2,000 years ago. It is the daily companionship with the Lord that makes up the Christian’s life.”

The other truth that overwhelms me about the story behind this hymn is the incredible role that Miles’ imagination played as he read John 20. Jesus calls us to love God with all of our hearts, minds, and souls (Matthew 22:37). And to endeavor to love Him in that way, we must be vulnerable and open to using all of our faculties to encounter Him and get to know Him better. We cannot love someone if we don’t intimately know them. The invitation from Jesus goes way beyond envisioning yourself in the Garden, it beckons you to find yourself in Him. Everything about yourself — what you’re made of, your dreams, your identity, and your very life — all found in Jesus.

As I ponder the hymn and listen to my favorite rendition of it, the word’s of its writer echo in my heart and remind me that Jesus is waiting and whispering to me, “Come to the Garden, my beloved. Put that distraction down and spend your time more wisely with me. Don’t wrestle with that hard stuff by yourself over there… come here with me instead. The empty thrills you’re seeking can never compare to the depth of my love and the satisfaction of spending time with me.”

Perhaps the most amazing thing about the Garden of prayer is that the gate into it is open 24 hours a day. Sometimes we are only able to linger there in short intervals, perhaps in the middle of a hectic workday or when taking a quick breath during a difficult conversation. Other times, we may rest in His presence for hours, wishing that moments like these would never end. Regardless of the amount of time, He just wants us to keep coming back consistently so we grow to be completely dependent on Him as our primary source of strength, peace, hope, and joy.

God intends for every day of our lives to include a Garden experience. And He takes delight when we show up. But like anything worth doing, the depth of our experience will take a lot of practice and mental discipline. For the longest time I just expected to feel transported into God’s presence from the moment my lips uttered “Dear God…” at the beginning of my prayer time. But being in the Garden with Jesus isn’t contingent upon anything I say. In fact, there are times when the Holy Spirit impresses upon me to say absolutely nothing. No, being in the Garden is more about what we do with our hearts and minds. It’s about a complete surrender of our wills, agendas, desires, fears, and worries. When we enter the Garden with open hands and a receptive heart, there’s no telling where He will lead us along the path of prayer and deeper into His presence. In the Garden anything is possible.

Questions for Further Reflection

• When we enter the Garden, Jesus wants us to be willing to lay down anything we shouldn’t be carrying around in our lives. The burdens of sin, distractions, and worries block us from fully hearing His voice and receiving His peace. What are some things you sense that He might be asking you to surrender to Him at the Garden gate?
• God has given us imaginations for a purpose that extend way beyond the fantasies of childhood. Do you ever use your imagination to envision being with Jesus? If not, what holds you back? Are you willing to try using it more in the coming weeks? You can learn more about using your imagination for God with this previous Glimmers blog post.
• Try spending some time imagining a walk with Jesus. It doesn’t have to be a literal garden scene. It might be your favorite place to hang out or your childhood playground. Wherever it is, take the time to let your vision fully develop. To get you started, you may want to watch this music video for The Garden by Kari Jobe.

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Finally, we’ve reached the last week of the election season. Please join me in a collective sigh of relief. Following last week’s post of finding compassion in a culture of condemnation, it seemed only appropriate to talk about finding truth amid the chaos of election season. Even though next Tuesday is a mid-term vote, it seems as though this year's advertising push has been bombarding us at a level usually only seen in the presidential elections. Like most Americans, I am eagerly anticipating the removal of the countless tacky yard signs which take away from the splendor of the fall colors, not to mention finally being able to watch my favorite TV show (The Voice) without the incessant noise and rude volleys between the local candidates. The political rhetoric this season has been much scarier than anything that can be seen in tonight’s spooky movie marathons.

So when the negative rhetoric is more frightening than Hollywood’s thrillers and the fantastical accusations are flying from both sides, how do we see the truth and make decisions that honor God? Recently, I came across a brilliant ray of hope on this topic. Nestled deep among the litany of disturbing news stories, was a The New York Times op-ed piece by Timothy Keller, the pastor of Redeemer Church in NYC. The essay, which was drawn from his newest book about the life of Jonah, is a reminder to Christians that we cannot "transcend politics and simply ‘preach the Gospel.’” It also offers a reminder to the general public that we as believers don’t fit into the stereotypical boxes of America's two-party system.

Because I cannot say it as eloquently as he does, I encourage you to read the essay for yourself. But his two main points are this: (1) God calls Christians to be actively involved in seeking and supporting the truth in our governmental bodies, no matter which political affiliation is espousing the truth; and (2) we should not allow the Body of Christ as a whole to be fully identified and publicly married to one political party because the issues we should fight for often cross party lines or are aligned with no party at all.

In his essay, Keller explains: "So Christians are pushed toward two main options. One is to withdraw and try to be apolitical. The second is to assimilate and fully adopt one party’s whole package in order to have your place at the table. Neither of these options is valid. In the Good Samaritan parable told in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus points us to a man risking his life to give material help to someone of a different race and religion. Jesus forbids us to withhold help from our neighbors, and this will inevitably require that we participate in political processes. If we experience exclusion and even persecution for doing so, we are assured that God is with us (Matthew 5:10-11) and that some will still see our 'good deeds and glorify God' (1 Peter 2:11-12). If we are only offensive or only attractive to the world and not both, we can be sure we are failing to live as we ought."

What I love most about this essay is the way it so beautifully stands out in the sea of polarizing stereotypes about Christians in the media. As one of the most regarded and well-known Christian leaders of our day, Keller used one of the most visible platforms in the world to proclaim that Jesus and those who seek Him in spirit and truth cannot be defined by the constructs and perceptions of humankind. Of course, the challenge is for us to walk in spirit and truth in front of our neighbors, friends, and co-workers and refuse to be hemmed in by anything the world tries to impress upon us. After all, it’s much easier to succumb to the status quo and go with the flow.

If you’re like me, though, you were hoping that Keller would prescribe some particular spiritual antidote to apply at the voting box this coming Tuesday. When we trust a leader, we often find ourselves wanting him or her to simply do the thinking for us, but that’s not what Keller does, nor did Jesus when He was leading the disciples. Like the first band of believers, Jesus expects us to do the hard work of seeking God’s personal and specific direction for each of our unique situations. So as you head to the polls next week or cast your absentee ballot, as a believer you have a responsibility to invite the Holy Spirit to guide not only your mind in evaluating the truth, but also your heart and soul. The election is a call to Christians to pray… a lot. No matter how it turns out, ultimately voting should be about Christians earnestly seeking communion with God, not merely fulfilling a civic duty. John 14:17 says the world cannot receive the spirit of truth, on the other hand 16:13 reminds us that believers do possess the spirit of truth. He dwells inside of us and “He will guide us into all truth.”

While the Roman Empire was governed quite differently than the U.S., Paul had a great deal of experience handling the intersection of faith with politics. As a Roman citizen, he knew firsthand the weight of both his civic duty and his calling from God, so therefore he emphasized the need for prayer. In 1 Timothy 2:1-2 he writes, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” In referring to “all people,” Paul specifically highlights governmental leaders.

I also love the way the Message version puts our command to be responsible citizens in Romans 13:1-2: “Be a good citizen. All governments are under God. Insofar as there is peace and order, it’s God’s order. So live responsibly as a citizen. If you’re irresponsible to the state, then you’re irresponsible with God, and God will hold you responsible.”

When we honor God by praying for guidance, for our leaders of both parties, and for the people of our nation, we can let go of any worry over the outcome. Proverbs 14:34 says, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people.” Furthermore, no matter how helpful or how damaging we perceive the election results to be, we must continue to pray for righteousness to prevail and trust in the sovereignty of our Heavenly Father. My go-to verse when I need the reassurance of God’s benevolent, wise involvement in everything that happens on earth is 1 Chronicles 29:11-12: “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength.” Oh, that all Christians would get on their knees this Election Day and just pray those verses back to our Heavenly Father!

This Tuesday your vote does count, but not just for the obvious patriotic reasons. Every vote counts because Jesus expects us to be vessels for the truth motivated to action in every opportunity. He doesn’t want us to be spectators sitting on the sidelines hoping to go unnoticed any more than He wants us to blindly and abrasively champion the views of a single party line for the sake of convenience or public attention. Jesus wants us to trumpet Him above all else, and the only way to do that is to rise above the rhetoric and vote in spirit and truth.
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The time we have on earth is a lot like living in a big backyard surrounded by an unscalable wooden fence. As believers, we know that an eternal life waits for us on the other side, light years better than anything we can see or understand from our vantage point here in the backyard. But because we can’t see through the fence, we depend on faith to assure us that there is indeed much more in store for us than the routines, struggles and earthly pleasures of our everyday lives. 

Every now and then, however, we are blessed to come upon a knothole in the fence. It might be something someone says at the perfect moment, a fleeting sense of wonder, or even a momentary vision, but these often unexpected knotholes give us tiny, yet enlightening, glimpses into God’s miraculous work behind the scenes on our behalf. Sometimes we find them right after a difficult trial when our eyes are suddenly opened to see why God allowed certain events to occur. Other times, a glimpse happens right out of the blue through the power of a scripture passage, a timely word from a friend, or a moment of worship. Like precious evidence in a scientific investigation, these small insights build our faith over time and encourage us to keep going through the toughest of seasons.

Prayerful stillness is one of the best ways to find knotholes, especially if you find yourself sitting in the backyard staring in frustration at the fence line, instead of flourishing where God’s placed you. We’ve all been there… frustrated, discouraged, or maybe even feeling betrayed. We believe God must be working, but we’re tired of only looking at that big, stationary fence. We long for movement, change, improvement… anything, really. And if we’re not careful, our longings will eventually eclipse our desire for God Himself, and then we risk camping out at the fence line forever. And this is where prayer comes in — not with a goal of finding the knotholes, but with an aim of knowing and depending on our Heavenly Father more and more whether we can see what’s on the other side or not. 

We can spend hours, days, weeks and even years asking why, when all God wants us to do is be still before Him, humbly listen, and then obey. Even when we take the time out from our jobs, commitments, and chores, we often remain busy in our minds. The to-do lists, over analysis, and worries, spin in our head, drowning out any chance of hearing His voice, feeling His comfort, or seeing His hand move. Prayer, scripture meditation, and solitude in God’s presence are the antidotes to an obsession with staring at the fence line and asking why over and over. God can reveal deep things in our prayerful stillness that we simply cannot perceive, or receive, when we’re busy with life’s demands or consumed with worry. 

Stillness is hard. Solitude is practically a lost art. And if you’re an extrovert, like me, these spiritual disciplines are even more difficult to cultivate. But the “whys” of life will never stop. As soon as one unknown is revealed, another one will always pop up. The Enemy of our souls knows this and uses the crazy busyness of our lives and our minds to make sure we never find peace in the storms of fear, doubt, and unanswered questions that flood our backyards. But Jesus says, “Peace, be still” to our hearts, minds, and souls. In fact, peace is mentioned more than 400 times in the Bible, and Jesus talked about it repeatedly with the disciples. He knew that our tendency toward busyness would choke the life out of our spiritual health, so He modeled the practice of stillness and solitude (Luke 6:12, Matthew 14:13). Jesus wanted to make sure the disciples understood that nurturing a deep intimacy with God the Father, was foundational to the abundant life He promised them. Repeatedly, He left the busyness of ministry and the demands of His closest companions to be alone with God.

It took me many years to realize that the reason I couldn’t see many of God’s divine knotholes was that I was focusing on the storms themselves instead of keeping my eyes on Jesus, despite the unsettling circumstances swirling around me. I used to expect Him to make everything go away, rather than holding my hand through the struggles and unmet expectations. I used to keep myself so busy I could ignore the storms on the horizon, rather than being still with Jesus and letting him teach me, prepare me, and then lead me through them. Every time a new trial comes, I struggle to keep from reverting back to my old habits, but God has always been faithful to make me stronger when I trust Him.

In the gospel of Mark, we see Jesus’ habit of quiet time with God at the very beginning of His ministry. “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He departed and went out to a desolate place, and there He prayed. And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him, and they found Him and said to Him, ‘Everyone is looking for you’.” (Mark 1:35-37) Notice that Jesus went far enough away from them to truly get alone with His Father. Also, He didn’t give in to the mental busyness associated with His work or relationships. We often forgo quiet time with God when the expectations of people around us are particularly pressing or close-by. Jesus’ example in this passage especially spoke to me, as I have had a series of summer house guests for more than a month. While I tried to carve out the time and a place to be alone with God daily, it didn’t always happen. But on the days it did, I had abundantly more grace, joy, generosity, and love for those staying in my home. And exhibiting the love of Jesus to my guests was far more important than how much lobster they ate, swimming they enjoyed, or the wildlife they observed.

Jesus, of course, didn’t need knotholes in the fence of earthly life to know what His Father was up to. We read in John 5:19, “So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of His own accord, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise’.” So if Jesus Himself needed solitude with His Father, then how much more so do you and I need it to get through the days, months and years? As Jesus was one with the Father, His sacrifice ensured that we could also be one with God through the gift of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26, 16:7). When we’re open to the movement of the Holy Spirit, we just never know when He’ll stir our hearts and awaken some new, previously unknown corner of our spirits. Whether clear and strong or muted and gentle, the Spirit moves to help us grasp or experience His truth, direction, and presence in life-altering ways. No matter how the knothole appears or what form it takes, it will most often come in a moment of stillness. The Psalmist said, “Be still and know that I am God,” (46:10), and Isaiah urged, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength. (30:15)”

The backyard of your life might be a thriving pleasant landscape, or it may be undergoing a major renovation. It might be a place filled with weeds or as barren as a desert plain. But no matter what its condition, God planted you there or is allowing you to linger there for a reason. You may not see any knotholes in the fence and even feel like the boundaries are getting smaller, but He longs to create an oasis for you right in the middle of it all. Through intimate moments alone with Him, your heart can overflow with gratitude, sink into deep peace, and laugh with joy, whether you’re enjoying a season of plenty or climbing a mountain of hardship. The backyard of life can only have one Master Gardener, but we have to let Him come inside to do His work on a regular basis.
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Sometimes an amazing opportunity or idea can appear at what seems like the perfect time and be naturally aligned with your talents, but it turns out to be a mistake after all. Other times, you can have a deep, intuitive feeling of just knowing that it must be the right thing to do, but it can still be a mistake. Whether it’s a big blunder with long-lasting ramifications and or it’s a small, but frustrating one that becomes a complete hassle to get out of later, these kinds of opportunities and ideas often take you by surprise or pop in your head out of the blue, making you inclined to feel like it’s fate or that it’s the hand of God suddenly intervening in your life. It might be a new career path, a volunteer opportunity, a creative idea, a “once in a lifetime” deal on a major purchase, or even a request from someone you admire to serve God.

Any of these incredible possibilities may authentically seem like the right thing to do — without question, analysis or research. And if you were to even think of passing one of them up, one of your friends or co-workers is likely to ask you, “Why would you pass that up? It’s a no-brainer!” So, the pressure mounts both internally and externally to say yes because you don’t want to miss out on something or feel stupid for not accepting the obvious.

I have made these kinds of mistakes repeatedly in different ways and in each instance it usually ends up costing me an unbelievable amount of time, an exhausting level of effort, significant emotional or relational consequences, or unforeseen expenses in a myriad of formats. Many times, I have learned hard but life-changing lessons through these mistakes, but other times I have missed the point entirely and end up doing the same thing all over again. Sigh. A few years ago, for example, I volunteered to serve in a capacity that appeared to be a “no-brainer.” Saying yes also seemed to be so obvious that I didn’t even pause to wonder what the consequences might be if it wasn’t what God wanted me to spend my time on. I just assumed because the opportunity was offered by a visionary and respected leader that it would be the right choice for me. Long story short, it wasn’t. Not even close. And untangling myself from it once I got deeply involved turned out to be next to impossible for quite some time. When it was all over, I couldn’t help but ponder what better tasks God had set aside for me during that time that I had missed out on.

In the classic devotional book My Utmost for Highest, the great theologian Oswald Chambers wrote extensively about learning to live by the Holy Spirit’s guidance and not our own — from the tiniest seemingly inconsequential decisions to the grandest life-altering ones. Because there is no way I can say it better than him, here is a paraphrased passage from the book:

There are times when you cannot understand why you cannot do what you want to do. And sometimes God puts a blank in our lives. Don’t ever try to fill in that blank for Him. Wait on Him to fill it. You may think that you see clearly what God’s will is — a certain action or decision — but never do it on the impulse of that feeling. If you do, you will end up making difficulties that will take years of time to make right. Wait for God’s time to bring it around and He will accomplish it without heartbreak or disappointment. Wait for God to move.

Oswald goes on to talk about the Apostle Peter and his behavior in the days leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus. Peter did not wait on Jesus. In his mind, He had already imagined being tested and succeeding, but the reality didn’t play out that way. He vowed to lay down his life for Jesus, but could not fulfill it as he promised because he did not know himself as Jesus truly knew him. Peter’s natural devotion to Jesus out of his own will and emotions wouldn’t be enough to sustain him when his life was threatened.

The same goes for us. Our natural talents, skills and ability to reason will only carry us so far when making a decision about an idea or opportunity. Yes, God gave us a brain to use it, but His intention was that we submit it to Him for shepherding of the thought process. When we move in the Holy Spirit’s leading, versus our own, every gift we possess has the potential to be empowered by Him. We were created in His image and when we operate within His framework any opportunity or idea can be effectively evaluated through His perspective.

Conversely, there are tireless enemies at work to fool us into thinking that we can — and should — think and react on our own. One of these enemies is ourselves when we operate under the influence of pride. We think that we’re smart enough to handle decisions — especially the tiny ones. And that’s exactly when a tiny thing transforms into a giant ogre and knocks us on our butts. The other enemy has been around since the dawn of time. He slithered into the Garden of Eden with the same bag of tricks he uses today. He whispered a great idea in Eve’s ear. A simply tantalizing and very reasonable idea just popped into her head. The element of surprise is a hallmark of how the Enemy works best. The reason this tactic works so well is that we erroneously think that sudden chances must be acted upon quickly. The Enemy works his evil logic best when we feel that we’re under pressure. “Act now or you’ll lose the opportunity,” he whispers in our ears. Or even more insidious, “This idea just presented itself so suddenly, it must be God talking. You had better obey and do it now.”

New flash for us all, myself included: the Holy Spirit is not a high-pressure salesman. God will always give us time to seek Him. News flash number two: God doesn’t normally provide direction through circumstances alone. If life presents you with a great idea or opportunity, the Holy Spirit will work to provide you with confirmation, usually through specific Scriptures, in prayer, and wise counsel. (If you want to read more about how to hear God’s voice, check out my previous blog post on this topic: part 1 and part 2.)

So let’s go back to Peter for a moment and imagine yourself in his shoes on the night before Jesus was crucified. You have physically walked with the Son of God for three years… seen miracles and even performed some yourself. In your flesh, you might have a feeling that you are “all that and a bag of chips.” You are confident of what God can use you for. You are “mature.” And then, the One whom you believe is the Messiah is suddenly taken from you and brutally beaten. Your confidence is shattered and others look at you with accusing stares. Under pressure, logic tells you to deny that you even know Jesus. After all, self-preservation is paramount at this point. And in an instant, you’ve gone from the height of self-admiration to the pit of self-loathing as you watch Jesus being taken to the cross.

But Peter learned — and so can we — that once we get to the end of ourselves, we will find the beginning of the life He actually intends for us. In John 15, Jesus reveals both the key to letting God make the decisions for our lives and the reward of doing so. Verses 4-5, 11, and 13 say: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing … These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full … Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

In this amazing chapter, Jesus foreshadows His coming sacrifice and simultaneously counters Peter’s denial with the command to “lay down his life.” He also explains that when we abide in Him, God’s plan for us will be fulfilled. We will bear good fruit by learning to literally breathe, think and move within the framework of our personal relationship with Him. As we abide, He will prune us. It will hurt. But operating under His influence we will be able to see the purpose in the pain and visualize His dreams for us coming true, i.e. the fruit, and ripening into joyous sweetness and savory satisfaction. In this passage of Scripture, Jesus brilliantly covers all of the decisions we’ll face in life — from the smallest to the biggest of all, self-sacrifice for others.

Peter’s transformation after the resurrection gives us all clarity into who we can be if we base our decisions on Jesus’s knowledge of who we are and what’s best for us, rather than our own interpretation and reliance on ourselves. We must determine to reach the end of ourselves and our self-sufficiency in order to realize that there is not a strand of ourselves to rely on again. In that utterly destitute place, we become completely fit to be used by God and receive the Holy Spirit’s wisdom and direction.

Charles E. Hummel in his little booklet Tyranny of the Urgent said, “But the root of all sin is self-sufficiency—independence from the rule of God. When we fail to wait prayerfully for God’s guidance and strength, we are saying with our actions, if not with our words, that we do not need Him. How much of our service is actually a ‘going it alone’?”
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Our natural devotion, abilities, talents, reason and imagination are not enough to bear true spiritual fruit. And if we manage our priorities and make our decisions without taking the proper time — whether it’s a moment or many days — to seek His direction and confirmation, then we will always be straining to produce fake fruit. It might vaguely resemble fruit in some saccharin or plastic kind of way, and we might feel satisfied for a while. But only ideas, opportunities, work and service generated while abiding in Christ will blossom and produce eternity-changing fruit and authentic joyful fulfillment.
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Last week’s blog post highlighted the ways God commonly communicates with us. To get the most out of this post, I would suggest reading part 1 first. 

​Have you ever misinterpreted an email from a friend or co-worker? It’s such a common issue, I bet every single person on earth who uses email has made inaccurate assumptions or has misinterpreted its contents. Then we all know what happens next. Either we sit and stew on it because we don’t want to call the sender to clarify the meaning, or we do the most dreaded thing we all know we shouldn’t do (but we do it anyway)… we hit the reply button and send back a completely inappropriate response based on what we assume we heard. The bottom line is that mistakes happen when we assume. (And, yes, I think the acronym for assume fits, but I won’t repeat it here. Ahem.)

This is kind of how listening to God can be. When He speaks to us, it’s not like receiving a phone call from your best friend, who you can often recognize just by the way she breathes or clears her throat. With the Almighty’s voice, there’s no audible tone or style to hear. No inflections to indicate humor or anger. In short, we have so little familiarity with what He’s saying — either because what He’s asking us to do is so surprising or because we’re simply new or out of practice with hearing His direction — that after He’s spoken, we may spend minutes or hours second guessing what we’ve heard. We can make some radically wrong assumptions. We can jump to conclusions. Sometimes we miss out on a blessing because we were too unsure to act when He spoke.

As you become more and more familiar with His unique voice in your life, which happens over a long period of time and with frequent practice, you will begin to clearly experience for yourself the signature characteristics, or hallmarks of His voice. These are in no way to replace the step of seeking wise counsel and Scripture for confirmation of what He’s saying (see last week’s post), but they are helpful in knowing what God’s voice sounds like and understanding His nature. While God is too big and simply unfathomable to pin down as a personality type (Romans 11:33, Isaiah 55:9), there are clear indicators of His voice that can be gleaned throughout Scripture.

When the many Biblical accounts of God speaking are viewed holistically together, certain patterns, tones and defining characteristics emerge. Just as important, the hallmarks of what is NOT His voice also materialize out of the preponderance of evidence in Scripture. Whether it’s your own voice or Satan’s sinister attempt to distract or misdirect you, knowing what is not God’s voice is equally important.

He pushes us out of our comfort zone, without imparting fear, a sense of foreboding, or worry. Only the wisdom of an omniscient (all-knowing) God who loves you beyond your wildest dreams and knows you better than you know yourself, could simultaneously ask you to step out of your comfort zone while giving you a shot of unexpected motivation and courage. When God asks you do something, most of the time it will be something that you would not naturally want to do or think to do. Whether it’s a simple command to talk to a stranger or sell something you value more than you should, when God speaks it goes right to the heart of the matter and the Holy Spirit gently but insistently pushes you to obey. And as you step out on faith, strength, courage and peace flow. Philippians 4:6-7 makes it clear that when we are communicating with God, He gives us peace, even when the task at hand is difficult. Jesus said His peace is to rest upon us always in John 14:27. He wasn’t ambiguous when He said that. If something is from the Holy Spirit, there will be a sense of peace.

He uses repetition to get His message through the noise of life and emphasize His point. When the Holy Spirit is trying to get your attention, He often sprinkles the message in front of you repeatedly in multiple channels. Two or three people mention the same Bible verse to you. You sense His leading  in prayer about something and then the sermon on Sunday contains almost the same message. When you start noticing something repetitive start paying very close attention. In the Bible, Jesus repeated things of great importance multiple times. I researched online how many times concepts are repeated in the Bible (because it is so, so many), but I couldn’t find a specific number. (Hmmm… that would be a fun project!) But I did find this post from Jon Bloom on the most repeated command in the Bible — God wants us to be happy. Not in the transitory earthly sense of happy, but as in fulfillment, delight and joy, overflowing with thanksgiving. Now that’s a repetitive statement I love hearing about!

His direction can always be confirmed, but not through circumstances alone. A message from God will always line up with Scripture. If it doesn’t fit with the Bible, then dismiss it immediately, no questions asked. Don’t even entertain the thought or search for a different verse or interpretation to justify what you think you’ve heard. Confirmation can also come through wise counsel (Proverbs 11:14 and 12:15), especially if it has to do with a decision that may not be a question of right or wrong, such as whether to accept a new job offer. The Word tells us to seek the counsel of mature, grounded believers to pray with us and ask for discernment. But I’ve learned the hard way, as have many others, to never rely on circumstances alone to confirm what you think God said. Evaluating the circumstances in your life and using your own assessment to make a decision based on that alone is no better than reading tea leaves or flipping a coin. In other words, no matter how tempting, don’t do it. Charting a course for your life based on what’s happening around you is one of Satan’s best deception tools for Christians because he can veil himself in light and never be noticed until it’s too late.

He usually delivers immediate instructions with authority, but not in a compulsive, frantic, random or bargaining manner. While God still chooses to anoint some with the gift of prophecy, most of His communication with us is about everyday dependence on Him. Usually He gives us just enough instruction for the next step ahead. He tells us what He wants for us to do right now. This is in line with the rest of the Bible. He gives us new mercies each morning, just for the day ahead. As we learn to listen for His voice throughout the day, what He asks us to do will become clearer over time. As we obey in the small things, He gradually gives us bigger things. On the other hand, Satan, or sometimes our own sinful desires, will throw random or frantic ideas at you that are compulsive or hyper-urgent. Satan loves to give you this intense feeling of pressure, like a used car salesman making you believe that if you don’t act now you’ll miss out on the best deal of your life. James 3:17 says, “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” What an excellent verse for testing everything you hear!

He speaks to bring conviction and freedom, not guilt. Learning the difference between the  conviction of sin and guilt is crucial to distinguish God’s voice from the enemy’s. The Holy Spirit will search your heart, especially in prayer or in a moment immediately following a sinful act, and He will make you long for repentance. He will make you want to ask for forgiveness. Guilt is the feeling that you are condemned, a screw-up, worthless, ashamed, or unforgivable. Think of conviction as a revelation that you’ve done wrong with a clear desire to repent. Guilt is foreboding, heavy feeling not being able to be free to move on and forget about your sin. Guilt will chain you down spiritually and eat away at your joy. Guilt will literally rob you of being effective for Jesus. No matter what you’ve done wrong, there is forgiveness in Jesus. Believe it. Ask for it. Receive the gift and move on. Any voice that makes you want to stay in the pit of guilt is coercing you into rejecting God’s best for you. Romans 8:1 gives us this clear, matter of fact pronouncement: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

His speaks to draw you closer to Him and to love others more than yourself. He will never give directions that promote human effort, glory, or favoritism. In Matthew 22:36-40, Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment. He replied with, “And he said to him, ‘you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” So, God is never going to tell you to do anything that would tear down others or elevate yourself above others. And I am finishing up our list with this one because it is the Scripture you should run through your head the most when you think you hear God ask you to do something in the moment, such as “help that elderly lady with her groceries.” According to Jesus’ words, you have all the confirmation you need to proceed. Other times, of course, you need to wait and seek more specific confirmation. But, again, remember that no message from God is too small to ignore. Even the smallest things could be the most significant in either someone else’s life, or even your own spiritual growth. You may think that He’s giving you “junior” level work to do, but He sees it as building blocks to a plan that He may take decades to unfold in your life. Trust Him. Listen to Him. Walk and learn with humility and a teachable spirit (Proverbs 15:31-33).

One of my favorite authors, John Piper, said God speaks to everyone — not just those who believe. This may surprise you, but here is what he said, “Oh, unbeliever, God is speaking to you in your pain to warn you, and God is speaking to you in your pleasure to woo you.” On the other hand, for believers, Piper says the sacrifice of Jesus changes everything. It turns our pain and suffering into instruments of sanctification, which simply means the process of become more holy… more like Jesus little by little. It turns our moments of pleasure into reminders to praise Him and faint glimmers of the eternal joy that awaits us one day. In either case — in suffering or happiness — the Holy Spirit enables us to live supernaturally by displaying characteristics that could only be from God: humility, joy, gratitude, contentment, and hope in all circumstances. Living in this manner is one of the greatest ways we can speak to others about God. When we become vessels, albeit imperfect ones, that show glimpses of Jesus in everything we do, God speaks through us to a world that so desperately needs to hear Him.

If you still want to go deeper about hearing and following God’s voice, I suggest Priscilla Shirer’s book, Discerning the Voice of God. There is also a Bible Study with companion videos.
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A friend of mine once told me that the mind is like a muscle. Let it wander however it wants and indulge in whatever it craves, and it will slowly atrophy. The most insidious aspect of this truth is that the decline happens so subtly and gradually over time, we can end up drowning in a pit of bad habits without even realizing how we got there. But stretching the mind, exercising it, and disciplining it will make it healthier, stronger and more agile. This is especially true for the more difficult disciplines, such as spiritual growth, creativity, innovation, or leadership advancement, which can be sabotaged by our minds as soon as our eyes open in the morning. My friend’s advice resonated with me so much, that whenever I get tired of pursuing a truly abundant life, I remind myself over and over that the muscle must be worked daily to stay healthy.
 
One of the most powerful “frenemies” (friend + enemy) of the mind is familiarity. On the plus side, familiarity gives us confidence in relationships and situations we’ve encountered before, boosts our efficiency and performance with routine tasks, minimizes distractions and annoyances, and generally makes us feel comfortable, more relaxed and secure. Thanks to biological familiarity, we eventually don’t notice a bad smell or an annoying noise if it’s consistently present for a long period of time. And thank goodness, we all get more comfortable with routine places, situations and relationships, so we don’t remain as nervous and inefficient at our jobs as we did on the first day of employment. As a vital coping mechanism, familiarity can lower our heart rates and stress levels. Certainly, there are some patterns and repetitions that are incredibly vital and helpful, such as the laws of the universe, rules of math, established traffic patterns and routine garbage pickup. Most importantly, we can rise each day counting on God’s consistent character and unchanging love for us.
 
But then, there’s the other side of familiarity – the archenemy to all the elusive things we chase after, like dreams, ambition, romance, achievement, creativity, innovation, and dynamic relationships. When familiarity runs amuck and crosses over from helpful into damaging, we end up experiencing boredom, complacency, laziness, depression, anxiety, hopelessness, contempt, and mental or emotional apathy. When familiarity takes over our hearts and minds, we can become blind to what’s right in front of us (hello? the glasses on your head or the “lost” keys on the counter) or numb to those who are supposed to mean the most to us, like our spouses, family or friends. There are times I get so bored with my routines that I don’t want to do them anymore, like brushing my teeth (don’t worry, I still do), and the same effect happens with people or situations we encounter on a frequent basis. In conversations, we start filling in the blanks in our minds when a familiar person talks, assuming that we know what he is going to say. With material possessions, we begin to devalue them as they become more familiar. A new piece of technology that you couldn’t put down last month, may not even be in your hands this month. And worst of all, familiarity can lull us into such a comfortable state that we run back to unhealthy situations over and over.
 
As I pondered how familiarity has overrun a few important things in my life, I realized that the following five “A’s” have been critical in helping me continue to chase my dreams, keep my relationships thriving, and not get stagnant in my pursuit of God. Oswald Chambers, the great turn-of-the-century theologian, once said, "Human nature, if healthy, demands excitement; and if it does not obtain its thrilling excitement in the right way, it will seek it in the wrong. God never makes bloodless stoics; He makes no passionless saints.” And that’s the essence of our battle with familiarity. As humans we can’t help but experience familiarity, but we also detest being bored and stagnant. So often, the biggest mistake we make in life is allowing the allure of familiarity’s comforts and false security, to keep us from the very adventure God has called us to take, and instead we fill our natural longings for excitement with counterfeit dreams or fleeting thrills requiring less personal sacrifice, character refinement, time, or discipline. So here are some safeguards to help us prevent familiarity from leading us to make one bad decision after another.

The Five A's to Master Familiarity Before It Masters You
 
Awareness – When we exercise our minds daily to cultivate a fresh experience and perspective regarding the most important people and frequent situations in our lives, we train ourselves to ask more questions, listen more carefully, operate less on previous assumptions, and perhaps most profoundly – to simply become more observant of the little things. One of the biggest dangers in relationships is thinking that you know how someone will behave or what they will say based on your experience with them. Challenge yourself to truly listen to them like you would a new acquaintance. Look at the world around you on your way to work and push yourself to see “stories” in everything. If you woke up having a story to tell (about that dream you had last night, or why you’re not feeling well, or that idea that won’t leave your mind), then remember that everyone else you encounter has one as well. Make it a goal every day to get people to tell you their stories. Watch the rain fall or the clouds move across the sky just to hear God tell you His story through creation. He’s talking if you’re listening. "Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Jeremiah 33:3
 
Appreciation – When we have a posture of being thankful for every situation and person – after all, even the challenging ones give us an opportunity to grow – our perspective radically shifts from being complacent (the evil twin of familiarity) to being open and receptive. When we are hopeful, science proves that we are more likely to be creative, innovative, and adventurous. If you want to take on the world, you have to appreciate it, warts and all. “Give thanks in all circumstances…” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
 
Acclimation – I was reading a blog about marriage recently and the author, who is a psychologist, said that familiarity doesn’t breed contempt, but poor acclimation does. In other words, getting more familiar with your spouse (or any other relationships) is a good thing because you’re more likely to be yourself. But as you become more familiar with him or her, you can choose to acclimate in ways that are honorable or dishonorable. Habitual responses to things we don’t necessarily like don’t have to be unhealthy, but it does take work — one decision at a time – to build the right pattern of responses and behaviors. This is how we acclimate well. Familiarity that increases alongside the hard work of love, respect, openness, communication, prayer, and appreciation, prepares us for rewarding adventures with the people we love. "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32
 
Authenticity – Familiarity can often lure us into doing something over and over out of habit, not because we actually want to do it. Checking in with yourself about repeated behaviors and routines to see if you authentically want to do them is crucial. Are you being authentic with others, or are you just going through the motions? Familiarity can also cause us to transfer our own perceptions, status, abilities, and beliefs onto someone else we’re close to, making us utterly blind to who they really are. Such was the case with Jesus in his hometown of Nazareth. At the beginning of his ministry, they received him warmly. Who wouldn’t like a hometown hero who turns water into wine? But when he proclaimed Himself to be God and that He was the fulfillment of the Scriptures, they were incensed and threw him out of town. Why? Because they transferred their own life situation onto His. He had been one of their own – like them in so many ways. They were so familiar with his parents, his upbringing, and his socioeconomic status that they assumed he was just like them. So they wholeheartedly and instantly rejected the idea that one of their own could be the long-awaited Messiah. They did not even give Jesus a chance to be His authentic self. When you practice authenticity and not conformity, you are less likely to project yourself on others. 1 Chronicles 29:17 says that God searches and tests hearts for integrity. The Message version puts it this way: "I know, dear God, that you care nothing for the surface—you want us, our true selves—and so I have given from the heart, honestly and happily."
 
Activity – Sometimes we can spend so much time talking about our lives, that we don’t end up doing anything to move them forward or change things we don’t like. Just the habit of talking without action can become overly familiar. Building in a pattern of activity – even if you implement only small steps – to pursue life improvements and spiritual growth, helps prevent you from becoming stagnant or drawn into negative self-talk and gossip. The Bible clearly indicates that a lack of activity and fruitfulness in our lives can lead to gossip and wasting time. "Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not.” 1 Timothy 5:13 Plus, if you don’t actually practice doing anything, then you certainly won’t get anywhere.
 
Most of us wake up every day hoping that something will pleasantly surprise us. But many of us miss those surprises because our eyes are fogged in with familiarity. Inspiration doesn’t just appear on the mountaintops of life, it more commonly dwells in the ordinary valleys and typical conversations we encounter on a daily basis. We only need to train our eyes to see it.
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Last week, two music icons of the last century stepped off the stage. Each for different reasons, but both willingly. For Neil Diamond, it was his decision to battle a ferocious disease in private. Elton John simply said he wants to be around his kids more. Regardless of the reasons, they both decided it was time to move on to a new phase of life. Of course, if history is a teacher, then like many other celebs before him, Elton will probably come out of retirement just when we think he’s forever disappeared down the Yellow Brick Road. On the other hand, for Neil, nature has given him less of a choice.
 
Decisions like these should not just happen at the end of an illustrious career or when we hit a certain age. There are times throughout our lives when we all should be pondering the idea of stepping back from something. Walking away from a dream that has run its course and moving on to the next big adventure. The second calling… or the third… or even the fourth. Life is not static, but many of us live like it is. We live like the thing we are really good at is the only thing we can do… or the only thing we are made of and made for. And yet, if we are living life to the fullest, we should constantly be curious about new adventures and following new dreams.
 
But rather than living with open hands, willing to let go of our hard-earned niches of comfort for the next calling, we often succumb to fear, which is driven by that nasty, sneaky little thing called pride. Pride drives fear? Yep. Pride is the slickest, most alluring, most disguised stumbling block known to humankind. Why? Because the majority of the time, we are simply not aware of it. And if we do see it in our lives, it often masquerades as something else. Something positive, acceptable… even highly valued or respected like a strong work ethic or enduring commitment. On the flip side, pride is a master at casting blame elsewhere, so it can become a cozy robe of empathy and self-protection so that others will not see the real you. Instead, they might see someone lacking in self-confidence or pummeled by life’s hardships, thereby showering you with encouragement and attention. Pride, self-centeredness, selfishness, mistrust, a need for control, worry, stubbornness, they are all one in the same… and are roots of fear.
 
So just in case you're thinking that this is only a spiritual phenomenon, stop and think about your workplace. Think about that executive you’ve seen who feels he has earned his high position and has his fists so tightly wound with control that he doesn’t share the limelight or the appreciation. He’s afraid of the next young buck coming along who will make him look old, washed up and behind the times. What about your family life? Perhaps it’s a relation who always tries to control the family’s holiday gatherings. Maybe it’s a sibling or cousin who always has to be the one with a sob story so bad that it sucks all the air out of the room every time you get together. In all these situations, fear has them by the throat because they are ultimately worried about themselves. For the person in a position of leadership, what value will he have if he shares his cherished position and accolades? Who will notice and praise the family member if someone else does it better than her? What if she never does something meaningful again? And for the one who always seems to be the center of attention with a crisis, how will she ever make anyone like her and connect with her for who she really is? Hiding behind our fears may feel comfortable, but it is the most dangerous place to be.
 
Life was not meant to be lived with our fists clenched around the thing that we love the most or gives us self-worth. We are made for more than a career, more than a regarded role in our community, family or church, more than being a parent or even a great spouse. When we let go of the pride, suddenly our fears don’t seem quite so big, and we’re able to loosen our grip, lessen our control, and open lives and hearts up to live with more trust, more hope, and a vastly wider vision of what’s possible. We can begin to see our identity for who God really created us to be, not by what we do, say or generate ourselves. Galatians 4:7 encourages us that we were not created to be slaves to worldly pursuits, but rather heirs of God. And Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that God will always give us something meaningful to do for His glory. No matter what stage of life, we are created for purposeful, exciting kingdom work.
 
Now please don’t think for a minute that this is something I have down pat. But when I see people who have the courage to move forward in life with grace and integrity, it inspires me and reminds me to take a look at my own hands and my grip on life. White-knuckling whatever “stage" God has given you will eventually choke out the spotlight all together. Instead, the abundant life waits for those who willingly share, joyfully receive and sometimes let go completely, trusting that He always has another gift just waiting for them to unwrap when the time is right. That being said, He sometimes allows our hands to be empty for a while on purpose. It is in the empty times, that He better prepares us to become a vessel capable of learning what it’s like to find fulfillment in nothing but the greatest gift of all – His presence. Psalm 16:11 says, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

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​Have you ever dreamed about something really big for a long time – maybe even a lifetime – and then it finally comes true? I’m not talking about an amazing vacation or a new car, but more like one of those life altering dreams. If so, you might have noticed that when it finally happens, it also comes with a few things you didn’t anticipate. Like an addendum of stipulations included with a contract, dreams often have long strings attached, making them even harder to achieve and surprisingly complicated to manage once they come to fruition.
 
Most people significantly underestimate their readiness to pursue a dream or receive a blessing. It’s fairly easy to imagine the incredible, but when we do, a couple of things usually happen. Either we are blinded to the things that need to change in our lives to make the dream possible, or we give up entirely on the thought because we lack the courage to believe it could really happen. For some, the disappointments of life have made them feel so downtrodden that they gave up the notion of dreaming big a long time ago.
 
The reality is that all really big, audacious, life-shaking dreams always have strings attached. One of the strings is obvious: most dreams require extremely hard work and take a long time. Other strings are less pronounced. We start with just a tiny tug on one of them, and then suddenly realize we’ll be pulling on it for many years to come. Take for example, my dream to write a novel. For more than 20 years I have been dreaming of having the time to make it happen. That may seem like a long wait, but now that I’m living the dream, I’ve realized that if I had been able to do this any earlier in life, I would’ve failed miserably. In fact, there are days where I still feel like I am woefully unprepared and incapable of doing this. Not because the words for the book won’t come, but because of what I’ll call the longest string in my life. We all have one… our longest strings. It’s the thing that never seems to go away… the bad habit, the weakness, the constant frustration, the limitation of some sort. It’s the string that always seems to wrap itself around your heart and pulls tight enough to leave scars. The apostle Paul called it “the thorn” in his side. And while scholars have never figured out what his thorn was, Paul made it clear that God’s dreams for his life would come true despite his uncomfortable and clearly frustrating limitation.
 
My longest string is anxiety. I’ve battled it since my early 20s, and while I am much freer of it today by the grace and healing power of God’s work in my life, it will probably never go away entirely. The experience of moving from a rigorous corporate structure driven by others’ requirements and goals to a flexible and wide-open work schedule driven only by my own discipline and ideas was much more anxiety-inducing than I would have ever imagined. Until now, I had never realized how much comfort and trust I placed in rules, boundaries and goals. I spent my whole life maximizing success within someone’s else’s parameters for my job, and now my job was to pursue something without anyone telling me what to do, set my expectations, or give me some idea of what the future might hold if I succeed. Now, I live in a new world where I might achieve my goal, but fail entirely to be successful. This is a difficult concept for a performance-driven, strategy-loving over-achiever like me.
 
It would be enough to freeze my creativity and send me back to corporate life faster than you can say “key performance indicators”… if it wasn’t for one, incredible factor. I have the Dream Maker. No, I’m not talking about Santa or some fantastical notion of God where we can just put in our order and expect to get our hearts’ desires. The Dream Maker doesn’t give me the desires of my heart, He gives me His. In the garden of my heart, He plants, nurtures, and sustains His dreams for me as long as I give Him my full permission and submission to do so. And while it is true that my passion for writing a novel came from Him, it took more than two decades of refinement in my heart to prepare me for this journey.
 
Like me, if you’re waiting on a big dream, you’re in good company. Noah waited 120 years before the rains came. Abraham waited 25 years between the time God planted the dream of an heir and when Isaac was born. Joseph waited 14 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit and more than 20 years from the time he first received God’s vision for him in a dream. The Dream Maker fulfills His dreams for us in His time.
 
John Maxwell said that God prepares us in a slow-cooker. I love that. He goes on to say, “More important than the awaited goal is the work that God does in us while we wait. Waiting deepens and matures us, levels our perspective, and broadens our understanding.” And for me, the waiting prepared me to pursue God’s dream despite my biggest weakness. God had to prepare me to operate in freedom. Prior to now, my longest string would have not only tied me up, but it would have choked the very life out of the dream God gave me.
 
If you’ve stopped dreaming, start up again by delighting in the Lord in prayer. It’s His courage you’ll need, not your own. If you’re waiting, take heart and know that He will finish the work He’s started in you, as long as you continue to get out of His way. Philippians 1:6 says, “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.” If you’re asking Him to do something big, change your prayers and ask Him to plant only His dreams in your heart. I promise you that prayer will surely produce something big! Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” 

We’ve all been there. Decision time. Whether it’s a big “life decision” like which house to buy or a seemingly small choice like whether to be honest with your friend about her new hairstyle, wouldn’t we all just love it if God’s direction came through loud and clear every time?

The leading of God was simply vivid for the Israelites when they were wandering in the desert. They had a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. At other times, God lead them directly through Israel’s kings or prophets. However, as soon as the visible, tangible signs from God were obscured … as soon as the obvious miracles ceased… the Israelites lost sight of God’s light and continually exhibited very short memories. They strayed from God’s path every single time. 

When I am reminded of how clearly God communicated to the Israelites, I admit that I am bit jealous. Aren’t you? Really, just imagine a pillar of fire appearing in your backyard every time you struggled with a choice. You might have some explaining to do to the neighbors, but think of how much easier daily living would be. Of course, that’s assuming that you will heed the direction. In our modern society, we tend to believe that we’ve evolved as a human race to the point that we wouldn’t behave like the Israelites. We confidently assure ourselves that if God literally appeared in fire, wind, clouds, or even sent an angel, that we would do exactly what he tells us to do, versus the Israelites who made so many mistakes they got stuck on 40-year sand safari.  

But we couldn’t be more wrong. That’s because there’s only one difference between us and them. And it has nothing to do with technology, culture or education. 

God manifested Himself in very physical ways in Old Testament times because the Israelites didn’t have the personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit to provide the light from within (and also the conviction to follow through on the direction).

It’s the time of year where we celebrate the coming of the light for all mankind – not just the Israelites. God literally appeared in the form of a baby who grew up and walked with the human race for more than three decades. His ultimate sacrifice paved the way for the light you and I have today as believers. John 1:1,3 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” And, yes, there are times that the light may seem as dim as a candle on a blustery night. But the beautiful reality is that even a candle is capable illuminating the next small step in front of you. 

The bigger question here, though, isn’t how you hear or see God’s direction, but what do you do with it when you receive it. For example, what would you do in the case of your friend with the new hairstyle when she asks you what you think and it truly looks bad? Telling her the truth in a loving way seems like a small decision compared to buying a house … but is it? Isn’t more revealed about us and our character in the smaller, but clearly stickier, daily decisions of life? The reality is we often build our character little by little over time, especially in the moments that require us to be uncomfortably honest or to squint in the darkness with only a small candle to guide our steps. It is in these times that the character of Christ has the chance to shine the brightest in our lives and God is training our vision to become more focused on His light and not the distractions lurking in the darkness. 

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 

Every time I go on a morning run, the same baffling thought comes to my mind when I pass by a certain house. Sitting up on a hill, there could be an incredible view of a lake from its back porch, but the owners have opted not to maintain the property. So wild brush, brambles and small trees obscure the scenic vista. Like any perplexing situation, when I see this house my brain starts whirring trying to figure out why the owners have made such a bizarre choice. The first thought that comes to my mind is that the place must be abandoned. But it's not. I've seen lights on and heard a family dog barking occasionally, alerting its residents that someone is running by. (Apparently the dog can see something through all that brush!). Most mornings when I go by, I make up stories about who lives there and why they don't (or can't) clear the overgrowth. Sometimes I imagine a little old lady who simply can't upkeep the grounds. On mornings where I am feeling especially creative, I picture a young owner who inherited the place from his great uncle and really doesn't have the time for yard work. But no matter what scenario I concoct in my head, none of them satisfies me. None of them has enough evidence to make me think that the resident's decision is the right one. 

And so, I run or walk on by each time, always closing out my thoughts with the same feeling – regret. Sure, it's not my house ... not my view ... and not my responsibility to clean up the yard. But because I can see the view that's waiting in vain to greet the owner every morning, I feel sorry for the people who call that place home. I even feel sadness for the view itself – as if it has feelings of its own with a deep longing for interaction. As I've processed this phenomenon, which occurs for me several times a week in cooperative weather, there are times I have felt so strongly about this wasted opportunity, it has been all I can do to keep myself from knocking on the door. 

The last time I passed by, I made a mental note to write about it. While I may never know the real story, I do see a very real truth in the situation. No matter how good the reason is behind the lack of upkeep, the hard reality is the owner is missing out. Every day. Missing out on countless morning sunrises and sparkling afternoons in the late summer sun. I just imagine all the "life" that happens within view of the house – abundant life the owner will never see. Like the playful grooming of a loon mother with her chick or the neighbor kids having water fights. Even in winter, a frozen lake teems with visual blessings, from jagged crystal snow drifts to endless white plains dotted with ice shacks. 

As with almost everything I see, God's handiwork shouts to me of his glory. Trumpets his mercies. Serenades his love. All this can be seen in the views that God sets before each of us everyday. Your view may not be of a lake or even anything so obviously picturesque. But the two questions to ask yourself every morning are: (1) Have I allowed the brush and brambles of bitterness, discouragement, pain, disappointment or worry grow up around my heart, blinding my sight to God's work, love and glory on display before me? (2) And if my view is clear, am I really seeing it from God's perspective and not my own?

If you are like me, then you are missing small glimmers of glory, tiny miracles of life, and thin rays of hope in some way, almost every day. I recently watched the movie Miracles From Heaven, and the thing that struck me the most about that story is that the most amazing miracles were the ones that occurred in the midst of the mundane or nestled in the crevice of pain or suffering. Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." God doesn't give you leftovers each morning. He gives you freshly prepared sustenance to feast your eyes and your heart upon. His mercies are uniquely tailored to each of us, fresh and new as the morning sun. The mercy he has for me tomorrow morning will be different than yours, but neither of us will ever see it – much less receive it – if we've allowed our hearts to harden or our perspectives to be completely distorted by things and desires of this world. 

As you seek him, he will reveal himself to you. It is a promise delivered over and over in his Word (Deuteronomy 4:29, Matthew 6:33, Psalm 63:1). Just remember that what you find when you ask may not be what you expected, sound like what you thought, or look like something spectacular to the naked eye. But when you walk with Jesus, he will give you new eyes and a new mind to see things from his perspective, and that, my fellow seeker, is the best motivation to keep our view focused on him. (Ephesians 4:22-24, Romans 12:2)