NorthStar Community Daily Devotional: NSC Devotional Jan 9

Having Heart In A Sometimes Heartless World

Day 9

Scripture focus: "You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit?" Acts 7:51 NLT

She came to me with a proposal that sounded too good to be true. She wanted to open a shelter for women and all she needed from me was money. Her vision glittered. In this safe harbor, women beaten down by the cares of this world would receive a second chance. In this place they would be warm, well-fed, and safe. Under this cozy blanket of protection from the harsh realities of living in a cruel world, they could catch their breath and gain new skills. Re-entry into the world would be different the next time. They would be more prepared. Equipped to take on the world, this time they would succeed. I asked her about her own life, and I detected an air of defensiveness. I hadn't meant to offend; I just wanted to know from whence all this well-spring of good doing sprang.

"My life is of no concern to you." She huffed.

"Oh, but it is," I reply. "I am so impressed by your dream, I'm eager to know how you discovered it." Pause. "And of course, my Board of Directors wouldn't consider a large donation to any organization without a thorough knowledge of the leadership team running it."

"Presently I am looking for residence, and the system has yet again taken one of my children from me."

"Ahhh, I see. Your passion is fueled by personal experience; I get that. Some of the most effective mentors I know are those who speak from personal experience."

"Yes," she nods. And in the absence of judgment, she finds her own safe harbor in which to tell her story. It's a good story, and if she can overcome a few barriers, I believe it will one day be a great story. But for today, my new friend has three barriers standing between her and a big dream: stubborn resistance, good intentions and arrogant entitlement. (For a thorough treatment of this subject, read Reframing Your Life by Stephen Arterburn.) In Arterburn's book, he talks about people who desperately need help but struggle with opening up to the help they need. After our morning of conversation, I saw this struggle etched clearly in the face of my friend. She refused any feedback from others. She blamed "the system" for taking her children but resisted listening to "the system's" suggestions for how she might regain custody. She loved her kids; she loved God and sensed his big dream lodged tenaciously in her heart. But. As Arterburn says so succinctly, "In fact, some of you have built your whole identity around resisting anything that anyone else suggests. If someone says white, then you will naturally respond with black. If someone says go to the right, you want to go to the left. You have a hard time going along with what others think." (p.27) May I make a suggestion (and will you stubbornly resist)? Practice not resisting this week. Start small. When you order fast food, and the cashier asks if you want a special sauce, ask - "What do you suggest?" The server will be very startled, and this will be fun! Whatever they suggest, take the sauce and eat it (unless you're allergic). It won't hurt you! And you may find that learning how to accept constructive feedback may bring you closer to God's big dreams for you!