NorthStar Community Daily Devotional

Having Heart In A Sometimes Heartless World Day 91 Week At A Glance and Month in Summary Scripture focus: Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 1 Corinthians 13:12 NIV Scriptural perspectives reveal truth AND baffle. When we hear wonderful words of promise - words like freedom, abundance, sustenance, everlasting love, and more - we thrill at the potential. Thrill at the potential paired with sincere and repetitive, failed attempts to embrace all our God-given potential is confounding, confusing, and condemning. This is our experiential truth - even though it is not God's desire for our hearts. Our perception of where we are on the potter's wheel isn't always accurate; our good intentions, our verbal statements of belief, and even our desires for a spiritual life can be side-tracked by the passionate pursuit of cravings. We are created to live passionate, productive, loving lives. Whenever this passion is abused, somebody gets hurt. There are many things that spark our passion - we must be careful what we choose to pursue. Cravings are a symptom of a misfiring mid-brain. A broken pleasure center in the brain, which results in an inability to think clearly and propels us into survival mode is the result of several factors, including stress. When maladaptive coping strategies, prolonged exposure to stress and perhaps a genetic vulnerability come together, they can create the perfect storm of addiction. The mid-brain - the seat of pleasure and the source of cravings - fights hard to survive. In survival mode, we become extremely self-focused. Helpless and hopeless people sometimes look like the hopeless causes that they believe themselves to be - but hold on. There is more to the story. Although it is true that the seed of potential sometimes gets stolen from us, or falls on ground too hard to nourish its potential, or seems to be received only to be choked out by more stress and the passionate pursuit of cravings, take heart. God has made a way to restore the hopeless and helpless. Once in a while we confuse a big dream with a delusion of grandeur. Big dreams are best defined in the light of God's love - not in the darkness of our own mind. If we've ever run smack into the wall of delusion, then we may have grown wary of our passion and thirst for adventure. That's sad, because passion is not our problem; we were created to live passionate lives. Our problem is one of light and dark; we are created to thrive in the light, we struggle to survive in darkness. The fulfillment of big dreams and destiny will require that we learn new things. Many of the "new things" we'll need to embrace are spiritual in nature. We're going to have to learn that bumblebees fly because that is within the realm of God's prevailing purpose for them - even if aerodynamics and the laws of physics say that flying, for the bumblebee, is impossible. Defying naysayers and dream thieves may lead to grand epic adventures, but it will require us to struggle. Expect a fight. Although God desires an abundant life for his children, the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy these dreams. Be warned. Hopeless and helpless people, though lost, can take heart. The good shepherd seeks and finds those that are lost. That is the beginning of the story. Freedom, faith, passion, and ambition can help the lost find their place in the story - a rich, epic adventure - requiring hope and a huge heart. This completes the first ninety one 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: Deuteronomy 15, 16 and 17 in the morning; Psalm 72 in the evening