Making The Grade Is Not Enough

One sunny morning two weeks ago I awoke early with a cheerful disposition. (This may seem normal to you but the words “early” and “cheerful” along with “morning” are about as rare as a blue moon in my life.) “Today is the day!” I said with a smile as I jumped out of bed. “Today is the day I will go down to the courthouse and close this chapter of my life!” So I got dressed and skipped my way downtown. I prayed all the way, “God I know you’ve drawn this divorce process out for a purpose, but I am praying boldly and faithfully that you will wrap this up…today!”

I turned a corner to get in line for some free legal help. After nearly two hours in line my sunny disposition had not changed. I was so hopeful. I stepped up to the counter, explained my situation to a quizzical woman. She took my paperwork and came back a few minutes later. “I’m so sorry,” she said as my heart sank, “but the only person who can guide you in this matter is on vacation. I’m afraid you’ll have to come back in two weeks.”

My fellow divorcees in line looked at me with such sad faces “We’re so sorry!” they said, hoping for better for themselves. “It’s okay,” I told them, “what’s two more weeks?” But as I walked away down the hall, with each clickety clack of my heels, my heart was singing a much less hopeful song. “But God I was so sure, and I prayed with boldness like you word tells me to. I’ve done the things you’ve asked me to. My heart has changed. I’ve learned contentment. I’ve been sharing your love with others. I just don’t understand.”

Friend, I’d like to tell you that I’ve had a divine revelation in the last two weeks—but I haven’t. I’d like to say I know exactly why God is holding this back still—but I don’t. But you know what? That’s okay—really, I mean it—it’s okay! God has taught me about loving Him, following Him faithfully, being content and being patient. Through this last year He has taught me these things and maybe, just maybe, He is testing my faith to see whether or not I will walk the walk. It’s one thing to study hard and regurgitate the right answers on the test—but months later, do you still remember what you learned in class, can you apply it to your life and actually use it? Or did you just study enough to get by, and now all that time spent in class was a complete waste because you don’t remember a thing?

There it is! Did you catch that? There it is! The revelation I have been searching for—it’s not enough to simply pass the test—no, we must continually study and put into use what we have learned, lest we completely forget it and have to go through the class and test again. I am reminded of a scripture in the book of James, chapter one, verses 22-25. “²² Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³ Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵ But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”

I’m in tears, God is so good. He is a perfect Teacher. He doesn’t just want us to get good grades; He wants us to actually use the wisdom He gives us. He doesn’t want us to continually struggle with the same things over and over. He desires for us to blossom and grow, to produce fruit, to move on to the next class.

I have my prerequisites for life; I have passed the beginners class. But do I remember enough from it to pass the next?

I know that this is about walking in faith, about persevering through long suffering and continuing to be hopeful and have faith. Like Jesus said, ⁹ “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” (Luke 11:9). Jesus says don’t give up! Keep going, no matter how many times you have to pound on the door, eventually someone will get up and open it!

As I read Luke 11:9 and I prepare to go again to court I am reminded of the story Jesus shared about the persistent widow in Luke 18: Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. ² He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. ³ And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

⁴ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, ⁵ yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”

⁶ And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷ And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? ⁸ I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly…

You know what I really love about that scripture? The part that says the purpose of the story Jesus shared was to encourage His disciples to “always pray and not give up.” You see, faith is easy when you get what you want. But it’s a heck of a lot more challenging when every door you try to open is locked. But don’t be discouraged! Jesus wants us to use what we learned, to continue to walk in faith, to keep knocking, to keep seeking, to “prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness and our sincere love…” (2 Cor. 6:6).

Lord, I pray that I will remember Your Word and all that You have taught me and brought me through. I know that the greatest way to remember is to continually read my Bible and pray. Forgive me for being lazy and not studying enough. Help me Lord to be successful in this longsuffering—to keep knocking, to keep seeking—knowing that You will deliver justice to me. I know that every day and every moment has a purpose. I know that all things are working together. You are God, I am not. When I prayed for you to wrap things up “today” what I was really saying was “wrap this up my way”. Forgive me Lord, may Your will be done, not mine. For I know that You have used this to make me new. So now my God I pray, please wrap this up Your way. However long it takes or whatever I have to do—I know it’s in your hands. I don’t need to worry. You will deliver me. I have faith and I boldly pray that you will go before me. Please set me free and help me to move on. But more than anything Lord, use this time in my life to draw me close to you—no matter the cost.

So I will keep knocking and seeking for my God has told me that He will ensure justice for me, and quickly—and wouldn’t you know it, my two weeks is almost over…

Be encouraged my friends, be encouraged my soul!

Love,

Amanda

Rise From The Ashes

Imagine a gloriously peaceful and beautiful forest. The tall, tall trees are growing close together, creating shade and cool weather. The birds are chirping and the deer scamper to a billowing creek for a fresh drink. Plump berries are growing from thorny bushes for big bears to snack on. Old trees are dying and new ones are growing. It’s a complete circle of life, created by God’s hands. 

One particularly hot and sticky day, a ray of sunshine pours down through the thick foliage and rests upon a dried crunchy leaf. In the flash of an eye the once dehydrated leaf is now ablaze in a red hot fury. The leaves around it catch fire, then twigs, fallen branches and trees. In a matter of minutes the once serene forest is now in panic, fighting for life. The birds have all flown away in a giant mass of ruffling feathers. All manner of woodland creatures are running as fast as they can. 

The fire only grows hotter, spreading faster and completely out of control. Smoke billows from the tree tops, blackening the sky with despair. It seems utterly hopeless. The fire runs out of fuel and slowly the flames begin to die down. The forest is now left smoldering—nothing but heaps of charred ashes and coals. Lifeless. 

Or is it? 

You may not know this, but in the great circle of life, fires are essential. You see, even the plants know that sometimes you must burn down to the beginning and rebuild. I learned this lesson once while on a vacation to Mount Lassen. The park ranger told us about the importance of forest fires. You see, over time the forest grows and multiplies, all the while trees are dying, falling and creating all sorts of debris on the forest floor. This dead brush chokes out the nutrients and life and prevents new growth from happening. Eventually a fire will erupt, and when the once lively forest is left a blackened pile of ash, the most glorious thing happens. In an otherwise tragic act of destruction, nature renews the burned remains and allows the ashes to act as fertilizer, a building foundation for an even healthier and more beautiful forest to come. Out of the hopeless ashes spring an even more glorious life.

Now that’s amazing.

When I think about my life and the fires that are raging out of control, I am reminded of the peaceful forest ablaze. While seemingly tragic, the fire is followed by re-growth, and a better life is able to happen—but not until the forest has been burned down to its core.  Now that’s a metaphor, if I do say so myself!

 God can rebuild us from the ashes, just as He designed nature to do so; He also designed our lives in this manner. Trials will come, of that there is no doubt. Fires will rage in our lives—whether small brush fires, or ten alarm fires that burn us to our core—fires are a part of life.

But unlike the plants of the ground—we have been blessed with free will. We have a choice to consider—when fires erupt in our lives, how will we react? Do you see the fire as a hopeless situation, or do you wait optimistically to see what good will come of it? When standing in the middle of the forest, while everything you love and cherish dearly is being burned to the ground—what will you do? How will you allow this to change you? After you are left standing in a bewildering mess of smoke and ash, what do you do?

Nature is a great example of what you should do during a fire, and after a fire. God even tells us in His word to take hope in our hopeless situations. Remember this, my beloved friends: “Everything works together for the good of those that love the Lord.” (Romans 8:28) Without fires, nature comes to a stand still—fires are essential to growth, both in nature, and in our lives.

The Apostle Paul tells us to expect trials, and to see them as great opportunities. “² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1: 2-4) 

Paul knew pain, he was chained and imprisoned. He wasn’t just going through one fire, he was going through multiple—maybe you are too. Maybe you are surrounded by the most painful and heart wrenching situations. But even still—can you see the good? Perhaps you can’t see it yet, my friend, but set your mind and spirit, and trust that good things will come. These fires of life may burn you to the ground, but they grow you as well. Hold on to God and His promises. On your own, you cannot defeat this fire. It is only by His will, through His grace and mercy, and by His strength, that you will be able to overcome. Cling to Him, and allow Him to burn the dead brush from your life and rebuild you. The more fires, the more growth. The more you can withstand and you will persevere through the heat. Let the fires run their course so that you may grow.

I have come to know pain. My life is a forest ablaze. I am tragically and beautifully wounded, but my wounds by no means match those that Jesus Christ endured whilst laying His life down so that I may have life everlasting. I am being burned down to my core, but I refuse to be shaken. I refuse to let anger and bitterness consume me and prevent me from growing. I refuse to continually rip the scabs from my wounds, reopening them and preventing them from healing. Life is a cycle, and with Yahweh, I shall continue—I chose to persevere. 

Photo property of Laponiapictures.com

Precious friends, do not let the fires of this life burn you out. Rather, like the trees and flowers of the forest, rise from the ashes and grow. Like charred tree stumps, your fires may leave you scarred, but do not allow them to hinder your growth—no my beloved, allow your scarred base to remind you of how very far you have come. 

Again, I urge you; do not let the flames of this life consume you. This is only the beginning, you were made for so much more. Fires do not last forever, they burn out and allow for healing. Get up, call on the name of the Lord, rise from these ashes, and grow.

 This song "Rise" by Shawn McDonald has been on my heart, and inspired this blog. To listen to the song, click the YouTube video below.

Perseverance

I am on a roller coaster of emotions. I am up soaring up, then plummeting down, going through loops and tunnels…and wondering when the ride will come to that sudden, chest pounding stop.

What I am going through is a great trial, a true personal tragedy. You don’t need my specifics, but I’m sure you can relate. We’ve all been there; we’ve all been through hardships, been hurt by someone.

But there is hope. I know right now my pain and agony seems endless. I cry out to God like David did when he wrote those depressing, heart-wrenching Psalms. But I trust and have faith that while this trial is painful now—GOOD things will come from this. GOOD things will come again.

Already this trial has shaped me and grown me. Already my relationships have become closer. I can already see the fruit of this turmoil.

There is a favorite scripture of mine that has held my hand through many a situations, and it rings even clearer through this hard time…

“ ² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1: 2-4

Perseverance— that’s what this is all about. It’s about getting through each plummeting fall and rising again. Building enough speed to make it through the falls, so you may have speed left over to rise to the top again.

Be encouraged my friends, and be encouraged my heart and soul!

“…Weeping may last for the night, but joy is coming in the morning.” Psalm 30:5