Having Heart In A Sometimes Heartless World Day 60 - Month in summary Scripture focus: So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. Romans 12:1-2 The Message 1. Everybody hurts. Suffering can produce spiritual growth, or become a stumbling block. 2. Humility and willingness to consider a different way of thinking about our pain will be necessary for us to adopt a different view of suffering. 3. It is natural to want to be happy and avoid suffering. We have a choice: try to run from our pain, self-medicate our misery, or lean into the suffering - believing more in God's power and willingness to rescue than our own ability to run fast or self-medicate to the point of numbness. It will require a big heart to figure out what Jesus means when he says that those who suffer are blessed. Although the pursuit of happiness is natural, the pursuit of joy requires faith. 4. Vision, identity, purpose, discipline and belief - five words that can help us understand our behavior in the face of suffering. 5. Just because we honor God with what we say and where we spend our Sunday mornings does not mean that we are drawing near to God. How we suffer - whether cyclically or productively - is an indicator of whether we are in intimate relationship with God or simply going through the motions. 6. Suffering happens. What is crucial to remember in the midst of any season of suffering is this: God sees our misery, hears our cries for relief, responds and rescues - in the way he sees fit. There is a God - we did not get the job. Productive suffering requires that we acknowledge God's authority in all things. He will respond in his time, in his way, in keeping with his prevailing purposes. We follow his lead, not vice versa. 7. Anytime our lives do not reflect God's prevailing purposes - we're a cracked pot. We're marred. And that's bad - but not the end of the story. God will take us and throw us back on the wheel. He'll form us into another pot, shaping us as he sees fit. He'll turn us into a water pitcher or an ashtray, a decorative bowl or a serving dish - as he sees fit. Surrendering to the reality of our "cracked-potted-ness" informs how we suffer. It requires that we humble ourselves to the process. Spinning around on that potter's wheel may leave us dizzy and a bit sea sick. But it's part of the process. 8. Sometimes I think believers hate to name a problem because they fear what others will think of their God. God's reputation doesn't need our protection. Again, sometimes we not only deny the existence of problems but we minimize their magnitude as well. Neither denial or minimization is God honoring. Both are defenses that can serve a purpose; they are understandable. But neither is indicative of productive suffering. 9. We suffer cyclically when we speak "the language of opposite reaction" - the third form of false spirituality that keeps us stuck in cyclical suffering. (When someone's insides and outsides don't match.) It is appropriate to mourn in the midst of suffering. That's not a sign of spiritual weakness - but of honesty. Acknowledging our pain is one way we express confidence in our God. It is honest. It neither minimizes nor denies the problem. Acknowledging suffering is in no way diminishing God's character - or ours. 10. When one person makes the decision to suffer productively - many people benefit. 11. Sometimes suffering is the result of remaining faithful. People throughout history have found it easy to blame self, God or others for suffering - but that doesn't make this simple and shallow understanding right. 12. The experience of suffering is not just the result of physical loss - but also the by-product of mental pressure and the effects of misery on the mind. If how we think and perceive can increase our experience of suffering, then maybe if our minds are given a new way to understand and perceive suffering - perhaps we can find some relief from our pain. 13. Regardless of the reasons for suffering: our faithfulness, our fickleness, or fate - we must prepare ourselves for battle. The basic toolkit for recovery from suffering must include: eight hours of sleep per night, nutritious meals, daily exercise, a daily commitment to strengthening our spiritual muscles, and active participation in a community whose values match our own - or, whose values are those we long to accept as our own, and, last but not least - relationships that encourage our training. 14. Cyclical suffering happens when we distract ourselves with the "whys" rather than asking God the better question - "What do you want me to do now?" 15. Never under-estimate the power of one small act of kindness; it may be the hand God uses to nourish the faltering faith of a wounded warrior and provide the next right step towards restoration. 16. Mere mortals tend to define their experience by looking around; we will need to develop the ability to look up if we're going to learn how to suffer productively. This completes the first sixty steps (and the second month) of your 365 step journey; I pray you are nearer to God as a result of the steps you've taken this week. Recommended reading: Leviticus 24 in the morning; Proverbs 11 in the evening Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 TNIV Click "Comments" Below to Join the Discussion Scroll down to the Archive Section to View Previous Devotionals.

Having Heart In A Sometimes Heartless World Day 59 Scripture focus: My child, don't lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them, for they will refresh your soul. They are like jewels on a necklace. They keep you safe on your way, and your feet will not stumble. . . You can go to bed without fear. . . sleep soundly. . .Evil people can't sleep until they've done their evil deed for the day. They can't rest until they've caused someone to stumble. Proverbs 3:21-24; 4:16 We've reached the end of our eight week study on suffering. I pray that the time has been fruitful for each of us. As we close out this section, I'd like to leave us with one strong word of exhortation. (Take a deep breath - get prepared!!) Please stop running toward suffering. If we've learned anything during our focus on misery, I think it is the harsh reality that suffering finds even the most faithful (Job). But we don't have to pursue it! Chaos breeds suffering. Simplify. Multi-generational sin patterns create predispositions to certain forms of suffering. Take a good, hard look at your family system of origin. Keep the good, discard the rest. Mark Twain said: "Old habits can't be thrown out the upstairs window. They have to be coaxed down the stairs one step at a time." It takes time to make room for miracles! Be patient with ourselves - but be careful to not mistake patience for apathy. Let's accept the reality that we all have a lot to learn - and join in willing, humble, joyful acceptance of this fact. Once acknowledged, we can become life-long learners. Self-inflicted pain is never a God thing. I pray that we will each find time this week to take inventory of our suffering. Acknowledge the suffering that is self-inflicted and begin to make decisions that reduce exposure to needless suffering. We were created for an abundant life. Let's unite together in seeking God, and finding out the nature of this life he has intended for us. Recommended reading: Leviticus 23 in the morning; Mark 10 and Psalm 43 in the evening Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 TNIV Click "Comments" Below to Join the Discussion Scroll down to the Archive Section to View Previous Devotionals.

Having Heart In A Sometimes Heartless World Day 58 Scripture focus: . . . When they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped. Exodus 4:31 NLT In yesterday's devotional we said two key elements would be necessary for a suffering person to move from cyclical to productive suffering: community and an acceptance of a new life without circumstantial escape. As far as we know at this moment, bi-polar disorder is a chronic condition that is managed, not cured. This isn't news families particularly rejoice over. But it is also true that tons of people live with chronic conditions every day: diabetics, addicts, survivors of abuse, cancer patients, the arthritic, chronic pain suffers, and countless other conditions that have no magic "cure" - but can be treated, managed, and even used to produce all sorts of perseverance, character, and patience in the lives of the labeled and those that love them. But we must face the facts: there are some circumstances from which there is no escape hatch. That does not mean there is no hope. For those with the gift of chronic conditions that could potentially produce cyclical suffering - our spirituality may ultimately provide a pathway to peace - without a miraculous healing. In Engelmann's chapter called "Allowing God to Mold Us" (Running In Circles, pp. 89-106) she offers some questions to guide someone in the middle of a situation that provides no circumstantial escape. I'm going to reframe them into some principles that I think could guide us in finding our freedom, not from our circumstances, but from our bondage to our circumstances. Developing spiritual disciplines equips us to see our world through "God-vision goggles" - providing us with a broader worldview than what our seen world senses can detect. Community is essential for encouragement; particularly those who have the specific life experiences for the situation we find ourselves in. Community that encourages honesty without faux spirituality is also valuable. In the appropriate time, as one gains mastery of their own mind and heart in the midst of suffering, it will be possible to find a way to serve others. This can't be a first step in the process - or else we won't really have the stamina and resources to be truly helpful - but it is a potential for us if we step through our circumstances appropriately. In any chronic case of suffering, it's important to find outlets for creative expression. Some things might be terrible today, but not all things. Maybe you need to slip away from your circumstances and take an art class. This isn't escape-ism; it's called taking a break! I know that a miraculous cure when none was predicted might get us fifteen seconds of fame on the nightly news; but let's not forget that sometimes miracles come wrapped in quieter packages - bringing hope to families wrapped in strange gifts. I pray that we be alert to those miraculous interventions in our lives, and the lives of those we love. Recommended reading: Leviticus 21 and 22 in the morning; Mark 9 and Psalm 42 in the evening Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 TNIV Click "Comments" Below to Join the Discussion Scroll down to the Archive Section to View Previous Devotionals.

Having Heart In A Sometimes Heartless World Day 57 Scripture focus: Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don't be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones. Proverbs 3:5-8 NLT "Finally, I know what's wrong with me!" "Ok. What's that?" "I'm bi-polar!! Isn't that great?" He says it with such enthusiasm that the listener would swear he just won the biggest lottery of all time! "You've got to help me here. Why is this great news?" "Because now I know what's wrong with me!!" I realize that no new information was provided in answer to my question, but somehow, I think I understand why a psychiatric diagnosis feels like a win. It offers some explanation for years of suffering - without it being about character, confidence, or commitment to change. I empathize with him. After years of being told he's "bad," an "underachiever, " a tool of Satan - and worse - this diagnosis gives him a way to have conversations with others about his personal life experience in ways that don't blame and shame. The question remains - does this help solve the cyclical suffering? It might. But two key ingredients will need to be added to the diagnosis: community, and acceptance of a new life without circumstantial escape. I have a bi-polar girlfriend who does what is natural - when she starts feeling well and healthy, she goes off her meds. Within a few weeks, her non-medicated mind begins to tell her that the neighbors are spying on her. Her only solution is to begin wallpapering her home with massive amounts of Reynolds Wrap. Inevitably, she'll call me and report on her efforts to keep the micro-waves at bay. I'll call her husband at work and say those magic words, "She's off her meds." Then, he will get a clue and notice the shiny walls in this abode and take appropriate measures. This is an example of community at work. It requires massive doses of cooperation among the parties within the community. My girlfriend made a deal that she'd always call me and report when the aliens return; in a moment of clarity, she gave me permission to call her hubby; in an act of unspeakable love and compassion - he agreed to do the next right thing without freaking out and asking why this happens every few years. This is community at work - and it has enabled my girlfriend to live a reasonably normal life without a lot of humiliation in the process. My newly diagnosed buddy will need a plan like this. Because although a label often helps explain suffering and point the way to some solutions - it isn't a magical cure. Work will still be required. The fight will be huge; sometimes the suffering will be hard to bear. It's going to take a big-hearted team to tackle the ups and downs that bi-polar disorder may bring to my friend. How about you? Do you have a community that is committed to understanding and education, patience and loving accountability? Are you fit to live in such a community? Are you willing to be made willing to practice principles of loving living that make you not only bearable to live with - but a delight to be around? Recommended reading: Leviticus 19 and 20 in the morning; Psalm 41 in the evening Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 TNIV Click "Comments" Below to Join the Discussion Scroll down to the Archive Section to View Previous Devotionals.

Having Heart In A Sometimes Heartless World Day 56 - Week at a glance Scripture focus: The steps of a man are established by the LORD; and He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong; because the LORD is the One who holds his hand. Psalm 37:23-24 NASB Sometimes suffering is the result of remaining faithful. When we think of suffering as a result of faithfulness - it is a difficult principle to grasp. People throughout history have found it easy to blame self, God or others for suffering - but that doesn't make this simple and shallow understanding right. The experience of suffering is not just the result of physical loss - but also the by-product of mental pressure and the effects of misery on the mind. If how we think and perceive can increase our experience of suffering, then maybe if our minds are given a new way to understand and perceive suffering - perhaps we can find some relief from our pain. Regardless of the reasons for suffering: our faithfulness, our fickleness, or fate - we must prepare ourselves for battle. Cyclical suffering happens when we distract ourselves with the "whys" rather than asking God the better question - "What do you want me to do now?" The basic toolkit for recovery from suffering must include: eight hours of sleep per night, nutritious meals, daily exercise, a daily commitment to strengthening our spiritual muscles, and active participation in a community whose values match our own - or, whose values are those we long to accept as our own, and, last but not least - relationships that encourage our training. If we do this, day in and day out, when it's convenient and when it's not - in a few days, weeks, months, or years from now - we may find ourselves living in the middle of a thriving, vibrant community of fellow athletes - being transformed, renewed, restored - and growing strong hearts in the process. Never under-estimate the power of one small act of kindness; it may be the hand God uses to nourish the faltering faith of a wounded warrior and provide the next right step towards restoration. Mere mortals tend to define their experience by looking around; we will need to develop the ability to look up if we're going to learn how to suffer productively. This completes the first fifty-six steps of your 365 step journey; I pray you are nearer to God as a result of the steps you've taken this week. Recommended reading: Leviticus 17 and 18 in the morning; Mark 8 in the evening Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 TNIV Click "Comments" Below to Join the Discussion Scroll down to the Archive Section to View Previous Devotionals.

Having Heart In A Sometimes Heartless World Day 55 Scripture focus: "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5 NIV In Kim Engelmann's book Running In Circles, she says, "Think of a hamster running on his wheel. As he cycles, he can focus only on his little world, its props and its comforts. Now think about the potter's wheel. It goes around too, but if you are the clay, lying on your back, where are you looking? Up. And this makes all the difference. This is not just a warm sentimentality or a nice thought for super-spiritual people who have visions of Christ up in the corner of the ceiling. This is for ordinary people who offer themselves as living sacrifices on the altar of God's grace. In AA language, it is called surrendering to a "higher power" and acknowledging that we are powerless over alcohol. Knowing that we cannot do what we need to for ourselves, we focus on the One who can." (p.91) We are a few days away from the finish line of our study on suffering. But we all know that our personal experiences with suffering stretch before us - lurking. They will pop up at unexpected times and in unpredictable experiences. They will challenge our faith, discombobulate our firmly held convictions, reveal our clay feet, and pummel our self-esteem. Suffering might bring out the coward in us or side-track us or even derail us. But we can overcome. It won't be the result of renewed self-effort or strong personal determination to "get it right this time." No, my friends, if we are going to experience purposeful suffering - it will be in the hands of a gracious and merciful God. So here's the deal. We need to learn how to look up. We must become more experienced at listening for the voice of God than we are skilled at our spiritualized forms of denial and manipulation. We must lay aside all roadblocks to productive suffering - including: stubborn resistance, arrogant entitlement, good intentions, disconnected isolation, and justifiable resentment. We've got to figure out what it means to surrender - an act of courage, not defeat. We must look up when it makes more sense to look around. We must approach the throne of grace with confidence - whether we feel like it or not. Our props and comforts must be dropped off at the nearest disposal center - they are wobbly and not all that satisfying anyway. I pray that today we'll think about the objects of our hope, our affection, and even our obsession. I ask God to continue to reveal to us the true nature of our insanity (insanity - doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results) and provide the willingness to let it go. I pray that we will be surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses to remind, encourage and exhort us on our walk to freedom. I pray that we will accept the help of those who've trod the path before us. I pray that we will become the Prince and Princess Warriors God had in mind when he knit us together in our mother's womb! Recommended reading: Leviticus 15 and 16 in the morning; Mark 7 in the evening Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 TNIV Click "Comments" Below to Join the Discussion Scroll down to the Archive Section to View Previous Devotionals.

Having Heart In A Sometimes Heartless World Day 54 Scripture focus: "Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen. He is my Beloved, who pleases me. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not fight or shout or raise his voice in public. He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. Finally he will cause justice to be victorious and his name will be the hope of all the world. Matthew 12:18-21NLT When our son Michael is in the midst of his spring lacrosse season, I try to make a habit of digging myself out from my responsibilities each afternoon in time to get to practice early. When I watch my boy run up and down the field with a lacrosse stick in his hand, I feel God's pleasure. For me, it's worshipful to watch and marvel at how God created my kid to play with such passion and pleasure. One day during practice I notice the guys divide into two teams, each forming a vertical line. Each line sets out for a run, and the player in the back of the line sprints to the front; then the next guy at the rear sprints from back to front - until all have had a shot at sprinting. The line that completes their rotation first wins the battle (and is exempt from "suicide" sprints at the end of practice). On this particular day, I notice that one team actually huddles before the race begins. This is unusual, I think to myself. And when the coach yells, "Go!" the huddled team approaches the drill from a perspective I've never witnessed in previous runs. And they are victorious! This is Michael's line, and of course, a mother loves it when her baby doesn't have to run those extra end-of-the-day sprints! When Michael pops in the car at the end of practice, I ask about the huddle and strategizing. It turns out that with a wounded player in their line, they formulated a way to help him make the run without costing the team too much valuable time. "Why bother with that?" I ask. "You guys usually lose that drill anyway; with a hurt team mate, why did you think you had a chance to win?" He shrugs. "Because, mom, " he sighs and rolls his eyes toward a mother who is so clueless about the ways of men and their teams, "He's injured. We needed to protect him. He's stubborn and would have tried to run the suicides if we had lost. That wouldn't have been good for him. We had to win." Immediately, a verse came to my mind: He will not fight or shout or raise his voice in public. He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. Finally he will cause justice to be victorious and his name will be the hope of all the world." My son will tell you that what they did that day was self-preservation or experienced strategizing or "in the best interests of the team" - no big deal. What I say is that on the field that day God went to work incognito. Somehow, in some way, the values of God permeated the thoughts of this team. They didn't fight or shout or raise their voices. What they did was figure a way to keep the weakest reed from being crushed; they purposefully surrounded the flickering candle with care. They caused justice to reign on that rocky patch of dirt. They sustained hope. Now maybe you think I'm carrying this silly example too far. But let me urge you to consider this: we can find seemingly small ways to fulfill the prevailing purposes of God. If we're ever going to move from cyclical to purposeful suffering - we better be a people who know what the heck our purpose is!!! Purposeful sufferers and their buddies follow the model of Christ. They demonstrate justice and mercy - on ball fields, in schools, at work, at home. They figure out how not to crush weak reeds and how to sustain flickering candles. These small, seemingly insignificant choices can and will restore hope and cause justice to be victorious. It takes heart to live large in small ways. Recommended reading: Leviticus 14 in the morning; Psalm 40 in the evening Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 TNIV Click "Comments" Below to Join the Discussion Scroll down to the Archive Section to View Previous Devotionals.

Having Heart In A Sometimes Heartless World Day 53 Scripture focus: "Healthy people don't need a doctor - sick people do. . .Now go and learn the meaning of this scripture: 'I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.' For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners." Matthew 9:12-13 NLT When Job experienced his season of loss - brought on because he was a righteous man - even his closest companions ASSUMED that it was somehow his fault. Clearly this wasn't true. From the first to the last chapter of the book of Job, the story unfolds, casting aspersions on our presumption of guilt in the face of hard times. Even today we struggle to not blame others (or ourselves or even God) for hardship. True enough, sometimes our suffering is the result of poor choices, bad decisions, and careless reaping and sowing. In an age when a gospel of prosperity preaches well and fills churches - does this perpetually positive gospel rendering satisfy our need to understand suffering? Does the alluring and palatable teaching of "do right and all will be well" appropriately address the fact that sometimes, like Job, we suffer - not because of our sin nor in spite of our best behavior - BUT BECAUSE OF OUR FAITH? Can it be true? Yes! It is the message of Job! Job suffered because he was a man who stepped as God spoke. Being good doesn't guarantee prosperity (by our limited definition of the word). Being godly doesn't assure us of sustained seasons of joy (if we assume this means happy). But that's not the end of the story. Being naughty doesn't always land us in the pit of despair. Unbelief is not always met with the swift and mighty sword of consequence for the wayward. Many of the psalms we will read this year were written to God, questioning why evil seems to go unpunished and the unfaithful appear to prosper. What's up with that? So here we sit: being good doesn't always get us a pat on the back and a special treat; being naughty doesn't always result in consequences and time out. The psalmists want answers and so do we! I don't think we'll ever find all the answers and explanations that we seek when it comes to grasping the nature of suffering. What I believe with all my heart is that answering those questions to our own personal satisfaction is NOT the pathway to peace. When we suffer, what we desperately need is mercy. I suggest that we suspend the need to judge the rightness or the wrongness of our pain, take a hiatus from blaming and accusing, explaining and excusing. If all is well and we're feeling healthy, cool. But if we're feeling sick - sick of the sin of ourselves or others - sick with worry about the perceived silence of God - sick with chaos and confusion - sick with a deep and pervasive dread of what tomorrow will bring - sick of heart, mind, body or spirit - cease and desist with the desire to understand why. Instead, call out to God, who hears our cries, responds to misery, and rescues us. Recommended reading: Leviticus 13 in the morning; Psalm 39 in the evening Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 TNIV Click "Comments" Below to Join the Discussion Scroll down to the Archive Section to View Previous Devotionals.

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Having Heart In A Sometimes Heartless World Day 52 Scripture focus: Remember those early days after you first saw the light? Those were the hard times! Kicked around in public, targets of every kind of abuse - some days it was you, other days your friends. If some friends went to prison, you stuck by them. If some enemies broke in and seized your goods, you let them go with a smile, knowing they couldn't touch your real treasure. Nothing they did bothered you, nothing set you back. Hebrews 10:32-34 The Message In the translations we've looked at thus far for our scripture focus passage, they haven't quite captured an important word in the text. In the King James Version, it says: But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions. This Greek word is "athleis" - and it means committed athlete. My husband is part of a small but hardy group of transformers who continue to work out together - even though some of them are aging up and their knees are breaking down. My husband is an athlete. I love this about him. I love his commitment to physical fitness not just because of his rock solid abs - but because the discipline of the commitment to exercise spills over into other areas of his life. Pete is sturdy; he doesn't cave under pressure. He doesn't have bursts of enthusiasm followed by weeks of recuperation on a sofa with a remote clutched in his hand. When the hard times come, he doesn't run for cover. I want to tell you how comforting it is, and how secure I feel knowing that I'm married to a person who prepares daily for the fight. When we develop maturity and discipline in one area of our life, there's a spillover affect into all sorts of other dimensions of our life. Today's verse is a sober reminder that we must prepare ourselves for a fight. This is a fight brought on not by petty grievances or bad behaving - this fight is the result of illumination. It's not a skirmish - it's a mega fight. It's huge. How does one prepare for a fight of such epic proportions? Here's what you need in your toolkit: you need to sleep eight hours a night, you need to eat regularly and healthily, you need to exercise daily and you need to strengthen your spiritual muscles - daily. You need to find a community to live amongst whose values match your own - or, whose values are those you long to accept as your own. You need to serve within your community. You need to pursue relationships that encourage your training. If you do this, day in and day out, when it's convenient and when it's not - in a few days, weeks, months, or years from now - you may find yourself living in the middle of a thriving, vibrant community of fellow athletes - being transformed, renewed, restored - and growing strong hearts in the process. Recommended reading: Leviticus 11 and 12 in the morning; Psalm 38 in the evening Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 TNIV Click "Comments" Below to Join the Discussion Scroll down to the Archive Section to View Previous Devotionals.

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Having Heart In A Sometimes Heartless World Day 51 Scripture focus: Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. Hebrews 10:32 NIV In the story of Job, he lost everything that was precious to him. He lost his children, his health, his possessions, his wealth, his position of status in the community, the support of his friends (and his wife), and his conscious contact with God. (Interestingly enough, he didn't lose his wife. Remember her? She's the one that suggested he kill himself to end his misery.) Was the loss of his children, health, possession, status, and support of those he loved why he suffered? In Hebrews 10:32, the Greek word for "suffering" is "pathema" - meaning to suffer mental pressure; misery that affects the mind. I pray that we will spend some time today ruminating over the source of our own personal suffering experience(s). Is it the physical losses that produce such pain? Or is it what's happening between our ears as a response to our losses? Job suffered horrific losses that would have knocked any of us to our knees. But what really seemed to slay his spirit was the harsh criticisms (false accusations in this case) and bad advice his friends heaped upon him. In our families, we must be careful how we sit with those who suffer. We don't want to be guilty of piling on. We also want to be sensitive to the fact that sometimes suffering isn't in plain sight - either because it would be inappropriate to share it, or because we fear that we'll perhaps be surrounded by friends and counselors no wiser than Job's. Suffering isn't just about the things we lose - it's also about the way a person's mind perceives the loss. For those of us who profess to believe that there is a God, we must always be careful to remember that there's always more going on in our seen world than we can see, taste, touch, smell, or hear. Let's be careful to watch our clichés and platitudes, our assumptions and presumptions. Remember Job. Recommended reading: Leviticus 9 and 10 in the morning; Mark 5 and 6 in the evening Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 TNIV Click "Comments" Below to Join the Discussion Scroll down to the Archive Section to View Previous Devotionals.

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Having Heart In A Sometimes Heartless World Day 50 Scripture focus: Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. Hebrews 10:32 NLT In today's scripture focus, we are reminded that some suffering - amazingly enough - is the result of remaining faithful. Please don't rush over this point and miss its implications. Some suffering is the result of remaining faithful. Suffering happens sometimes as the direct result of stepping as God speaks. Faithful following can lead us down paths of pain. (How do we apply this reality to our daily life experience? Does this change our perspective on our personal struggles?) The writer of Hebrews is not talking about a slight inconvenience. Sometimes I must roll out of bed before the chickens if I'm going to have an appropriate amount of quality time with God before a busy day begins. This feels like suffering - it is not. Pete groans on Tuesday and Thursday mornings when he heads out to his very tough exercise class with his NorthStar Community buddies - and he sounds like he is suffering - he is not (that happens after class!). Sometimes on Saturdays we want to play but choose to do chores. This feels uncomfortable but it is NOT suffering. When the writer of Hebrews describes suffering, he describes it as terrible; he's not talking about the effort that discipline requires. The Greek word for terrible in this passage is "mega," meaning big. It's huge. It's gigantic suffering. And it is the result of remaining faithful. Job suffered horrific loss because he was a righteous man - not in spite of it! Clearly we have a lot to learn when it comes to understanding times of loss. If we miss this point, our spiritual muscles may atrophy. We might misjudge ourselves and others - lose perspective and lack discernment while missing an opportunity to grow in wisdom. We'll believe lies about what it means to step as God speaks, and perhaps miss the blessings that come when we realize we have indeed been faithful. Remember - suffering is not always a sign of spiritual anemia or wanton disregard for the ways of the Lord. Mega, big, huge, terrible suffering sometimes finds us as a result of our faithfulness. Frankly, I find this principle more difficult to accept than the more simplistic, shallow perspective of Job's misinformed counselors (who believed it was always an indication that the sufferer was out of God's divine favor). It's my prayer that we will ponder this long and hard. Have you blamed yourself (God or others) for seasons of suffering because you somehow saw the painful experience as an indicator of some spiritual miscue? Can we commit to working our spiritual muscles past the baby believer stage of development when everything is seen in clear demarcations of black and white/good and evil? Can we accept it if God's prevailing purposes are somehow carried out in mysterious and incomprehensible ways? Would we be willing to acknowledge that life isn't always about us - and that sometimes we suffer so that someone else might be saved? Recommended reading: Leviticus 7 and 8 in the morning; Mark 3 and 4 in the evening Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 TNIV Click "Comments" Below to Join the Discussion Scroll down to the Archive Section to View Previous Devotionals.

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Having Heart In A Sometimes Heartless World Day 49 - Week at a glance Scripture focus: No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV We suffer cyclically when we speak "the language of opposite reaction" - the third form of false spirituality that keeps us stuck in cyclical suffering. (When someone's insides and outsides don't match.) Although God tells us to consider it pure joy when we face trials, that doesn't mean we should fake it. It is appropriate to mourn in the midst of suffering. That's not a sign of spiritual weakness - but of honesty. Acknowledging our pain is one way we express confidence in our God. It is honest. It neither minimizes nor denies the problem. Acknowledging suffering is in no way diminishing God's character - or ours. When one person makes the decision to suffer productively - many people benefit. Although there are many barriers to productive suffering, a small group can overcome a lot of obstacles by banding together. One of God's expressed wishes for us is that he desires for us to express our spirituality by entering the life restoration business. Restoration work is messy and dangerous. Fortunately, as a group, we can overcome messy and dangerous. We're in good hands. In isolation, we are vulnerable. It is messy but possible to suffer, cry, laugh, experience gratitude, express thanksgiving, be angry and not sin - and a host of other emotions - if we make the decision to surrender to the productive suffering process. This completes the first forty-nine steps of your 365 step journey; I pray you are nearer to God as a result of the steps you've taken this week. Recommended reading: Leviticus 5 and 6 in the morning; Psalm 37 in the evening Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 TNIV Click "Comments" Below to Join the Discussion Scroll down to the Archive Section to View Previous Devotionals.