When you look at anything — a goal, a project, a life — there are so many different ways to measure success.
This year, I am reading through the Bible. My goal is to do it in 365 days. I would have liked to have said I have been “faithful” every day but I have already had some days I didn’t do it. I got caught up. Does that count as success?
I am still on the course so we will see how it ends up.
But, what if it takes me 370 days to do this instead of 365? Have I failed?
What is my goal? What am I measuring?
Am I using the right tool?
Measuring success for a timid toddler who needs to practice walking is getting back up again, after a fall — not perfect walking. At least, not yet.
Measuring success for someone who has been waylaid by serious illness or an accident might be to be able to feed themselves again and keep working towards independence.
Measuring success might be when your independent strivings cease and you are willing to be vulnerable and accept help from someone.
What is “success” in God’s eyes? Does He even measure that?
Sometimes we don’t exactly know what success will look like because it isn’t always easily measured. It can be about numbers, but it often isn’t.
Is it possible that what we learn while we are on our quest for “success” is more of the point?
Lord, give me a new perspective on success. Let me not be limited by earthly measurements.
Sometimes you might notice that a lot of people in your world are struggling with similar things. Or there is something big happening in the world.
Present those people to God by situation.
You probably already do this. I mentioned yesterday that sometimes we drive by an accident and we have no idea who is involved. But you can be sure God does.
And when you know of big things happening in your community, state. country, or our world it is easy to think we have so little to offer. But I would like to challenge that. Of course, prayer is the first place we should turn to. Interceding for situations — whether they are within our reach are not — should always be our first step of action.
Then, as we bring the circumstances before God, He may give you ideas about how you can go beyond the intercession and contribute tangibly to the solution. Sometimes we are encouraged to take the next step and make a donation of money/goods or we might decide to volunteer for a day, a season, or a year. It’s hard to say. There are so many ways for us to serve. I believe God puts things on our hearts and then He is happy to help us discern our next moves.
As I think about bigger situations, and my goodness, there are a lot of them happening now with war and wildfires and outbreaks and so much division on so many levels.
I pray for the leadership of the bigger situations, whether or not I agree with them. I pray for God to work through the circumstances so people can see His provision and recognize God for who He is and to become aware of their contribution to the problem.
I pray for those who are decision makers to be humble and to really take stock in what they are doing (or not doing) for the good of the people.
And, I pray that those with their hands in the situation will have a moment where they really see God has loved them all along and that He desires for them to know the Truth.
What situations are heavy on your heart right now? Go straight to God with them — even if you don’t know what to say. I often will pray for peace – even though I have no idea what it will take for the circumstance to reach peace. God knows. And I know He has been working on it. He sees the much bigger picture. He sees these situations through the eyes of generations. I get glimpses of that when I read the Bible and see how many years people were in captivity and how many years they wandered in the dessert. Some things take a long time to come to fruition.
We are in a world that is full of sin and selfishness. My own included. Taking time to intercede for bigger situations helps me remember that life isn’t all about me. There is a bigger world out there that needs our prayers!
I haven’t always valued the opportunity and privilege of interceding for others in prayer. In my younger years, it was kind of hit or miss. As I get older, my prayer times are more regular and even more frequent. There are so many situations and people to pray for.
Let me ask you, do you know who prays for you? Can you name a person or two who regularly carries you and your life to God and asks Him for His blessing? What a special thing. The older we get, I might say the less people there are to offer prayer. Often a parent or grandparent prayers for their children and grandchildren. But we are in that upper generation. It is now more important than ever.
I have really been working through my prayer list in the evening and in the morning. I start with my immediate family circle, then I pray for all the siblings/spouses and children, then I take it out to the cousins. I also pray for close friends and neighbors and others I know of who are traveling through illness or grief. Sometimes I just go state-by-state and I usually add in the people I know in other countries. Sometimes God brings people into my view and I know it is so I remember them in prayer and to reach out with some encouragement.
If you don’t pray regularly, I encourage you to start today by praying for that inner circle of your favorite people. Ask God to bless their mental, spiritual, emotional, physical, and financial health. Or simply name them and ask God to meet their needs as He is the one who knows them all. As you place these people into God’s loving arms, you can be confident He will meet their needs. And, don’t hesitate to call or message them with. “I prayed for you today!” Or even ask them, “Is there anything I can pray for you this week?”
Sometimes our thankfulness has us in the present, which is great, But, for today, I encourage you to also reach back and consider those people and circumstances you can give thanks for in your earlier years.
I will tell you a one of mine:
My mom was pretty frustrated with church politics so there were a number of years when we weren’t in a regular, healthy, Christian congregation. My brother was an organist and started working at a Lutheran church. He needed some more singers for the choir and he invited me to come and help. I was about 12 years old at the time. I joined the youth group and confirmation classes and became a very active member of the church. My mom supported me, but she did not regularly attend. I was never shamed or questioned about my mom’s lack of involvement. And, when my brother took another organist job somewhere else, I stayed at that church and found my way there for almost every service. That church welcomed, embraced, supported, and loved my awkward teenage self. And, believe me, I was sorting through lots of things during that time. That congregation held onto me, steady as ever.
I have come to realize that not many congregations are like that. What a blessing to have been in that place at that time. How God orchestrated all that, I will never know. Why I even mattered that much to Him still amazes me. And for all of that, I am thankful. God provided for me in some amazing ways and I hold onto that, knowing His love and care for me has not lessened.
I pray that you have at least one powerful example of God’s love, care, protection, or provision in your life. It is worth remembering those times because they remind us what God does over time. Sometimes we are so used to immediate solutions that we don’t remember that God works over time.
May you be comforted and encouraged by God’s provision in your younger days and look to Him with anticipation for your future.
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. [Psalm 19:14, NIV]
We do a lot of traveling for our business. I love the people we meet but I also love the time my mind can wander around and explore different ideas. Of course, one thought leads to another and pretty soon I am way down a path and I couldn’t even tell you how I got there. If I don’t have a “plan” for my thinking time I usually wander, and that isn’t always a bad thing.
But, when I pray and meditate, I like to have a focal point. For prayer, I usually use a word or phrase and talk it over with God. Sometimes that word or phrase conjures up some interesting reflections and reactions from me but, more importantly, I want to learn what His thoughts are on it. When I meditate, I like to mull over Scripture – particularly an area where I need God’s counsel. Sometimes it is just a couple of verses of the Bible but other times it is a chapter in a particular book of the Bible. It’s also a good time for me to use music, particularly soothing music without words. But but hymns and other spiritual songs that fill my mind with God’s Word and Truth are a great way for me to step away from myself and explore the deeper things.
Spending time in prayer and meditation gives me the opportunity to pause and be refreshed with healthy thoughts and concepts. It helps me to uncover those things I might wish to keep covered. By letting God into my thought life I am allowing His truth to correct me and guide me and encourage me.
How do you like to ponder God’s Word?
1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. [Psalm 1:1-3, NIV]
Yea, yea, yea….some of it may have to do with the choices we made and all that, but sometimes we have done some of the exact same things and yet one of us is living out some challenging consequences and the other is not.
Sometimes where we are has nothing to do with our own choices. In fact, many times it has nothing to do with what we have done. We might experience the benefit or the consequence of someone else’s doing.
We didn’t choose the family or circumstances we were born into nor did we choose our ethnicity or our race. We had no choice about whether we were born into poverty or crazy wealth or a barely functioning family. We didn’t even choose the country we were born in.
And yet all these factors play into our early years, which, in turn, can create a path for our lives.
Life is hard and it definitely isn’t fair.
Some “advantages” aren’t actually advantages but it takes some time to sort that out. And sometimes what we think we see isn’t accurate at all… our own perspectives are often skewed.
Good deeds go unrecognized. Bad behavior appears to be rewarded. Illness doesn’t care if you have the sweetest heart or the most meager of bank accounts or even if you live in a remote village, away from any modern medical services.
I can’t dwell there.
Loss and death and disease are universal and trusting in God’s provision and comfort is the only way I survive. Sharing God’s love and compassion in practical ways is one of the ways I cope and move forward in a positive direction. If I think too much about the injustices of life on Earth without a plan to give and serve, I dwell. If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed by your situation, I have included some Bible verses that are good to memorize. If you are going to dwell anywhere, God’s Word is the place to do it:
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.” 2 Corinthians 1:3
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4
“Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Romans 12:12
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4
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