depression – SeekGrowLove.com

Look UP!

The comedic author Erma Bombeck once wrote a book entitled: “If life is a bowl of cherries, what am I doing in the pits.” It’s a funny play on words using “the pits” as the antithesis of the good life. The “pits” she’s talking about are not really cherry pits, those things you spit out after you have eaten the deliciously sweet cherry, but the pits of despair. Webster’s Dictionary defines “the pits”: “something that is very bad or unpleasant. You caught the flu on your birthday? That’s the pits! This rainy weather is the absolute pits.”

You’re in the pits when things are going horribly wrong, or when you are feeling low. You feel low when you are depressed, like there is something heavy weighing down on you.

Psalm 130 is known as a penitential psalm (Psalm 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143). It starts out very low, “Out of the depths I cry to you, LORD”. This person is in deep despair because they are weighed down by feelings of guilt. They have done something terribly wrong and they are weighed down with the heaviness of regret.

In the Bible there are stories of people who are down in the pits of despair who cry out to God. When Joseph was taken by his brothers and thrown into a dry cistern down in the earth, he was in the pit. When Jonah was swallowed by the whale (or great fish), he was in the pit. When Daniel was thrown into the den of lions he was in the pit. But each of these people when they were in the pit cried out to God. And that’s what this Psalm writer does from the depths, they cry to God. They cry for mercy.

They acknowledge that it is only by God’s mercy that they are able to get out of that pit. If God kept a perpetual record of our sins that we had to carry around with us all of our lives none of us could stand under the weight. Imagine trying to swim holding a 100 lb barbell in your hands… you would sink to the bottom in an instant.

Psalm 130 is also one of the songs of ascents. This selection of Psalm from Psalm 120-134 were sung by worshippers journeying to the temple in Jerusalem to worship God by offering sacrifices. They would sing the songs of ascents as they climbed up Mt. Zion. They would sing them as they walked up the steps to the temple bringing with them their sin offering, their guilt offering and other reminders of their need for God’s mercy and forgiveness.

Notice as the Psalm begins they are “in the depths crying for mercy” lamenting that no one can stand in God’s presence as long as God remembers their sins. But feel them rising up as they get closer to the top of the mountain, closer to Jerusalem, closer to the temple, closer to God. There is the hope of forgiveness. There is this longing for God, they are waiting with their whole being for God, they are putting their hope in God. As they look up and draw closer to God they are literally coming up from out of the pits, out of the depths of misery and despair into God’s mercy and forgiveness into the arms of God’s unfailing love and full redemption. They are being bought from slavery to sin and given freedom in God.

So many people today, like this Psalmist, are in the pits. The rates of depression are incredibly high. A study in 2020 showed that 37 million Americans take anti-depressant medication (the numbers undoubtedly have gone up in the 2 years since then due to Covid lockdowns). Over 100,000 people died in 2021 from opioid/fentanyl overdoses. People take these pain killers not for physical pain but to try to relieve existential pain and despair. Suicide rates are rising because people find themselves in the pits and can’t find a way out.

Psalm 130 says to them and to us…. Look up, there is a way out. God is the way out of that pit of despair. God rescued Joseph from the pit and he became the most powerful man in all of Egypt and saved his whole family from starvation. God rescued Jonah from the pit of the whale and Jonah preached salvation to the entire city of Nineveh and they were restored to God. God closed the mouths of the lions and Daniel was rescued by God from the pit of lions. Even Jesus was in the pit of despair on the cross from which he cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” as he took the total weight of the sin of the world on his shoulders. God rolled back the stone and rescued Jesus from the pit of the tomb and brought him out to everlasting life.

There is no pit too deep for God to bring you out of if you will cry out to him, look up and move toward him. Ascend from the depths of despair to God’s mercy and forgiveness and true life through faith in Jesus Christ.

-Jeff Fletcher

Reflection Questions:

1. When was a time that you were in the pits? How did God help you out of that pit?

2. If you’ve experienced God’s saving hand in the pit, who can you share that hope with to help them out of the pit?

2022 SeekGrowLove Bible Reading Plan Download

He Cursed the Day of His Birth

Job 3

Sunday, July 3, 2022

Today’s is a devotion I wish someone else was writing. It is over a chapter that is too dark, too deep, too depressing.

That is the start of the first devotion I wrote on Job 3. The one I spent a couple hours writing this morning before my computer ate the rest of it. So, now I get to write a second one. Maybe God has more to teach me about Job 3. Dear God, help me learn what you want me to learn – and put it into action.

I loved Hannah Deane’s devotions on Job 1 & 2 (as well as the rest of her devotions this past week on 2 Corinthians). If you missed them, I encourage you to go back and read them. Yesterday she pointed out that in chapter 2, Job’s grieving wife who had also lost so much, encouraged Job to just curse God and die. One can only endure so much, right? When is it time to give up on God? Job’s wife thought Job should be there already. But good old Job called it foolish talk. If you accept good from God, be prepared to accept some trouble, too, he said. Then his friends came and sat with him in silence for 7 days.

In chapter 3, Job speaks. And, it is difficult to listen to. Is he finally ready to curse God and die, as his wife had counseled him? No – not exactly. But there is no denying the pain and agony he is in. Rather than cursing God though, he curses the day he was born.

I have no recollection of the day I was born, but I have some pretty fond memories of the three days my children were born and put into my waiting arms. And it breaks my heart that one would become so depressed and despondent that they would wish their day of birth had never been. I have never been at this dark point Job was.

I also can’t help but think of the pro-abortion claims that for a certain amount of hardship (financial, physical, relational, or emotional), it would be better for a child to never have the chance at life. If we only had this ONE single chapter of Job to consider, it might seem that Job would agree.

It can not be denied. Hardships and loss come with life. No life has been lived without, no matter how spectacular the parents or timing or circumstances or inception. Hardship began with the serpent in the garden. And it will continue until the new heaven and new earth comes in the clouds, and God will live with His people and will wipe every tear from their eye and there will be no more mourning or crying or pain or death. (Revelation 21:1-4). What a beautiful hope for the future. But, we aren’t there yet. So, we must be prepared in this life for some trouble ourselves. And, we must consider how we can encourage, comfort and sit with those in deep pain and agony. And, while we are at it – how can we speak with compassion and wisdom to the would-be mom who is scared of the loss in her own life as well as the amount of hardship that a baby would meet in life? Job knows what it is like to be overcome by grief and raw emotion – for a time. That is where he is in Job 3, though he does not take his own life or the life of another.

Job doesn’t end with chapter 3. He has many more chapters of grief, sorrow and questioning God. There is not a quick and easy answer for pain. He will hear many half-truths from his friends who have a distorted view of God and His justice. And, then, he will get the opportunity to hear from God Himself. And, of course there are the blessings that Job receives in the end. Unfortunately, we don’t have enough days in the year to read each chapter one by one. In this year’s reading plan we will include just one more day tomorrow for Job before moving along to Psalms. But I encourage you to take some more time digging into Job. While Job continues to question God in his grief, he never gives up on God. I think we would do well to realize we don’t have to understand God in order to continue to trust Him.

-Marcia Railton

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

We are often uncomfortable with people who are in deep pain and agony. It can be difficult to be around people who are cursing the day they were born (at least for me). How can we bring comfort and wisdom to their deep hurt?
What advice and counsel do you think Job of Job chapter 38-42 would give to Job of Job chapter 3? What might he say to the man in despair contemplating taking his own life, or the woman considering an abortion?
How can you trust God even when you don’t understand Him?

2022 SeekGrowLove Bible Reading Plan Download

When You’re Ready to Give Up

1 Kings 19-20

Have you ever been hiking on a strenuous trail or baled hay on a hot summer day? These tasks can prove quite difficult as your muscles become strained, you become overheated, and your endurance slowly dwindles. The idea of stopping and taking a nap or just quitting all together sounds very tempting. It seems like the best thing to do, but you have to keep going.

I remember one day when I was unloading a wagon full of hay bales on a hot and humid summer day. There were about 60 hay bales to unload and stack in the barn. About halfway through, I started to get tired. I was hot from the bright sun. I was itchy because of the hay that covered me, and I had rope burns from the twine on the bales. I was ready to be done, but I couldn’t stop. Rain was coming in that evening and I had to get the hay under cover before that happened. So, I kept going until my task was finished.

In 1 Kings 19, we find Elijah at a point where he is ready to give up. He is on the run again. Jezebel wants him dead, so he flees from her grasp. But he is tired of running and having to look over his shoulder. He felt like he could not continue in this way any longer. Those before him had been put to rest and he says he is no better than them. Therefore, he asks God to let him die.

Rather than letting him die, though, God sent him sustenance through an angel. Bread and water were offered to Elijah that he might have the strength to continue. So, he went to sleep again and then the angel appeared once more providing more food. This food gave him the strength he needed. For without it, he could not have made the journey. It was not yet Elijah’s time. There was work that he still needed to do, and God gave him the strength to do so.

Sometimes it can be hard to carry on with our tasks, but God is there to strengthen us. Like a cool glass of water at the end of a hike or when baling hay, God is there to sustain us. God was there to strengthen Elijah and we too can be strengthened through God.

-Hannah Deane

Today’s Bible reading passages can be read or listened to at BibleGateway here – 1 Kings 19-20 and Proverbs 3

2021-seekgrowlove-bible-reading-plan-1 Download

Still Not Alone

1 Kings 20-21

1 Kings 20 13 NIV sgl

I neglected to mention at the end of yesterday’s “You are Not Alone” devotion that one excellent way to battle the weary, lonely depression that sometimes falls upon those who speak for God is to find a partner in ministry – work together with one you can mentor. At the end of chapter 19 Elijah found Elisha. Some Bible scholars suggest they worked together about 6 years, but I found another that thought it could have been closer to 23 years. Regardless of the length of time, I believe it is safe to say the apprenticeship was a mutual blessing to both Elijah and Elisha – and likely multiplied the work that either one could have done on their own. Elisha will have a very long and powerful ministry for the LORD, but what would it have looked like if he had not had the opportunity to serve under Elijah? Who are you serving under? Who are you mentoring?

It is interesting that in the next chapter neither Elijah nor Elisha are mentioned, but at least twice a prophet or son of a prophet speaks to evil King Ahab – once to tell him how to be victorious over the attacking Ben-Hadad of Aram, and once to reprimand him for being too leniant on Ben-Hadad when God delivered him into Ahab’s hand. This is further proof that Elijah was indeed not the only one left to stand for and speak for God. And proof, that while Elijah had very faithfully performed many deeds and sermons for God – God did not need Elijah. The Almighty can call any man or woman – or rock – to work for Him. I do believe when the city walls fall down on 27,000 fleeing enemy soldiers God’s rocks were at work – perhaps others would have merely called it a coincidence or an earthquake (1 Kings 20:30).

It can truly be amazing who and what God uses – even the evilest king who had ever lived. Sure, enough, when God wanted to show HIS strength against the advancing foreign army – He tells Ahab the winning battle plans through a prophet and Ahab somewhat surprisingly listens and follows along – to a point. And, in the last chapter of today’s reading we will even see Ahab repentant – for a time. There is no heart God can’t soften and change or use for His glory.

But, you are just asking for trouble if you choose to hang out with the bad girls (or in Ahab’s case, his wicked wife). They have done a lot of evil things but how many commandments do they manage to break when Ahab decides he would love to have a vegetable garden for his second palace? Once, again, sin snowballs. One leads to another and it grows larger and larger. With serious consequences.

Following the violent murder of innocent Naboth and the stealing of his property, Elijah is sent to condemn Ahab and Jezebel and foretell their own violent deaths – only partially put on hold by Ahab’s repentant spirit. Isn’t it good to know that God still sees the cruelty and injustice of the world today and His timeline is put in place to make all things right. There will be a time when all humanity meets their judge and will be held accountable for all their deeds and the condition of their hearts. Until that day may we faithfully carry His word – knowing that we are not alone!

Marcia Railton

Today’s Bible reading can be read or listened to at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+20-21&version=NIV

Tomorrow’s Bible reading will be 1 Kings 22 & 2 Chronicles 18 as we continue the seekgrowlove.com 2020 Chronological Bible Reading Plan

on God’s team

Psalm 3-4, 12-13, 28 & 55

Psalm 3 3 ESV

I am a huge baseball fan. It is by far my favorite sport. There is a great mental challenge to baseball and it requires excellent motor function. Baseball, where I am from, means you have two options as far as baseball teams, the Mets or the Yankees. I went with the Yankees from a very young age. My grandfather was a big Yankees fan as well. I remember playing Little League and wearing a Yankees hat at practices from the age of 6 or 7. I still have the hat somewhere around my house in a box.

It just so happens that I grew up in the golden age of Yankees baseball. Since I have been alive the Yankees won the World Series 5 times and I am 29 years old. Ain’t nobody got anything on the Yankees since I was born. I remember as a kid in school all sports were really big. As a kid in high school I would go look at baseball statistics on the computers at the library during free periods and lunch. I would wear my Yankees World Series Champions t-shirts around with pride. When they would win, it would almost be like I had won. Even though I was doing absolutely nothing to contribute to them winning I was sort of sharing in the glory of their success.

In Psalm 3.3 we have something kind of like this. The text says

But you, O LORD, are a shield about me,

my glory, and the lifter of my head.

The three ideas in this verse are really awesome to think about. The Lord being a shield around me means that I am not reliant on my own strength or the military’s protection to keep me safe. I can rely on God that he will protect. The idea that he is the lifter of my head is awesome. When most people are sad, depressed or dismayed they look down at the floor. Just today one of the youths I work with was depressed and had her head hung low, looking at the floor. I wish she knew the God who is the lifter of heads, who restores joy, gives peace and is the source of true happiness.

Does anyone else feel like that middle phrase is interesting? David is saying that God is his glory. You may not necessarily think of serving God as glorious. I almost didn’t know what to make of it until I thought about the Yankees. I did nothing to receive glory from the Yankees winning; yet, because I picked them and said they are my team I got to share in their glory. David didn’t do anything to receive glory from God. There is nothing David could have done to deserve glory from God. All David did was put on the hat and said I am on Team God and wore the t-shirts of God’s victories. He still received glory because he was on the ultimate victor’s side. When God won a battle, David shared in that victory.

I think it goes even further though. The text doesn’t say that he received some of the glory from God. It says that You O Lord are my glory. That is a complete statement. David had already gone off and killed Goliath, had songs written about when he killed tens of thousands of people, killed lions and bears and was victorious over Saul. David has a seriously impressive resume. The only position he isn’t overqualified for is King.

Yet in this statement he says that all that he has done he doesn’t deserve the glory. David didn’t let his head blow up. This statement about glory is almost an identifier as well. David’s identity isn’t wrapped up in his accomplishments or his position. No one whose identity is wrapped up in the things of this world would say that God is their glory because there is no self-esteem without an identity in the image of God or in your accomplishments, beauty or position. David put his identity in the image of God in him and that is why he was able to say that his glory was in God.

Do we say that God is our glory? Do we still try to derive our glory from our relationships, beauty, intelligence, notoriety, strength, accomplishments, jobs, successes, strengths or weakness? We should be saying that God is my glory. In his victories I will share and I know that his will ultimately be the victory.

Praise God that he is our glory.

Daniel Wall

Today’s Bible reading can be read or listened to at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+3-4%2C+12-13%2C+28%2C+55&version=NIV

Tomorrow’s reading will be 2 Samuel 16-18 as we continue on the 2020 Chronological Bible Reading Plan

I found it all oppressive, UNTIL…

Psalm 73, & 77-78

Psalm 73 17 NIV

Yesterday we read the short short story (2 verses) of Jabez (1 Chronicles 4:9, 10). He prayed. God granted his request. Remember, we don’t know the timeline for the life of Jabez. Since he had requested from God the expansion of his territory (amongst other things) I feel it is most likely that this answer didn’t come with a snap of the fingers -though God can certainly work that way when He wants to. I wonder if this answer was achieved over a period of time, with some persistence and wisdom and work required from Jabez. But still – it sounds so simple and sweet. A fairy-tale ending in just two verses. Jabez prayed. God granted his request.

But, what about the times when the answer isn’t coming. We may be praying hard – with a good measure of persistence, wisdom and work, too. But, it’s just not coming together like we thought a good God would do.

I think of Job and the 41 long, difficult, trying chapters of his story – before the final 42nd chapter when we see God finally shower Job once again with double the blessings. It would be great to read the book of Job today to remember Job’s anguish – and God’s answer. Or, you can read Psalm 73 – it is like a mini book of Job boiled down into one powerful psalm.

The author of this psalm begins by acknowledging that he knows God is good. And, yet, he personally had nearly lost his way and his faith because of his own serious struggles while simultaneously watching the wicked prosper. He saw boastful, callous, violent, evil men succeeding and growing in popularity and wealth, all while denying and even mocking God. Are we sure this wasn’t written in 2020, perhaps during a Covid-19 epidemic? Haven’t we seen and heard the same thing this week and shook our heads and asked, “Where is God? This isn’t right or just or fair? The world is too messed up!” And we sink down deeper in our despair. As the psalmist said, “When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me…” (Psalm 73:16)

UNTIL…

Yes – keep reading! The good stuff is coming – just like it came for Jabez and Job and the psalmist, it is coming for you and for me. Though it does require a little bit of action on our part. The psalmist reveals the secret. He wrote, he was oppressed UNTIL he, “entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.” (Psalm 73:17). Look to God. Put yourself smack dab in His presence. Intentionally seek Him out. Change your focus. Consider the whole timeline, the big picture. Look into the future. Consider the consequences and coming judgement. Rest in knowing God has got this. And He has got me. And if you let Him, He has got you.

The rest of this psalm has beautiful passages of God’s strength, guidance, comfort, plan, wisdom, & protection in any and every situation. Don’t miss the chance to read it for yourself and soak it in. Which verse is your favorite in Psalm 73?

Also, don’t miss out on the powerful truths in Psalm 77 & 78. Psalm 77 begins much the same way Psalm 73 did – in agony and despair. And maybe you have been there yourself sometime? Perhaps you have asked yourself, “Has his unfailing love vanished forever?..Has God forgotten to be merciful?” (Psalm 77:8, 9).

And yet – here again we will see a great turn-around. In a few short verses he will be writing, “Your ways, O God, are holy, What god is so great as our God?” (Psalm 77:13). What makes the difference? What happened in-between verse 9 and 13? Did he win the lottery? Did he get all his wishes granted in the sudden snap of his fingers? It had looked so hopeless. What changed?

¹⁰Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
    the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.
¹¹I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
    yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
¹²I will consider all your works
    and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

His situation did NOT change. His thinking did.

What he was focusing on changed. He rewired his brain, his thought processes, his attitude, his words, his outlook. He remembered the good God had done. He meditated on God’s work.

The anguish and oppressive depression doesn’t have to win, even in a situation that appears so bleak. You may find yourself in the dark, questioning God. You are not alone. But, don’t allow yourself to remain in the dark. Keep stepping towards the light. You don’t have to wait until your circumstances change. Instead, change your view. Enter His Sanctuary. Search for the good things He has done – in the past and today. Seek Him. Read His Word. Remind yourself of His power, faithfulness and love.

Marcia Railton

Today’s Bible reading can be read or listened to at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+73%2C+77-78&version=NIV

Tomorrow we will jump back to 1 Chronicles – for just one chapter (6) as we continue our 2020 Chronological Bible Reading Plan

Agents of Hope

Psalm 37 37

Happy Saturday! Some of you have been walking with me on this slow and steady journey through Psalm 37.

We started reading and chewing on and praying and resting with God in these verses on Sunday. Hopefully you have found times when you were able to delight in God.

Today we come to the final portion of this magnificent Psalm.

Once again, let us read it Lectio Divina Style: Read, Meditate, Pray, Rest in God.

1. Read through verses 35-40 slowly, at least 3 times.

35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man

flourishing like a luxuriant native tree,

36 but he soon passed away and was no more;

though I looked for him, he could not be found.

37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright;

a future awaits those who seek peace.

38 But all sinners will be destroyed;

there will be no future for the wicked.

39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord;

he is their stronghold in time of trouble.

40 The Lord helps them and delivers them;

he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,

because they take refuge in him.

2. Meditate. Choose a word or phrase and spend some time thinking deeply about what it says and what it means.

For me, two contrasting phrases stand out and speak loudest to me. “A future awaits those who seek peace” and “there will be no future for the wicked.”

I have spent a considerable amount of time in recent months studying the phenomena of despair and the state of depression. Life expectancy in the United States has declined for three consecutive years. More younger people are dying from what has been labeled “deaths of despair.” These are deaths that result from drug addiction, alcohol related deaths and suicide. The rate of deaths of despair is massively increasing. Despair can kill a person.

In the story, The Inferno, Dante has the gates of hell have a sign over it that says “abandon hope all ye who enter.” Dante wasn’t really talking about an afterlife here, but more likely a state of being. Hell is where people find themselves when they are living without hope. The absence of hope is despair. When a person lives without a meaningful hope for the future it is soul destroying. As I see it, as followers of Jesus Christ we are called to be agents of hope who are called to share that hope with a world of people who are in despair.

In a world in despair and hopelessness we bring with us a message of hope and with that, the opportunity to bring people into a state of shalom or peace. People need not live in alienation from God, from others or from themselves. People can be reconciled to God, to others and selves. They can be made whole. They can experience salvation/wholeness from God which results in healing and hope. The Psalmist rightly says “the salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord.” Only God can save us, heal us, make us whole and bring an end to our existential despair.

God, I want to continue to be one who lives life with a hopeful future. I want to be one who seeks peace/shalom. Jesus was probably thinking about this Psalm when he spoke in his Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God” (See Matthew 5:9).

3. Pray. Whatever your meditation brings up, bring that to God in prayer. For me I pray- “God, am I living as a peacemaker? Am I acting as an agent of your shalom/healing/wholeness/salvation in this world. Am I living life out of the deep well of hope? In what ways do you still want me to seek peace in my home, in my church, in my workplace, in my neighborhood and community, in my country and in this world?

4. Rest in God. Living as a peacemaker and an agent of hope in this divided and despair filled world can be spiritually and emotionally (as well as physically) exhausting at times. We need to draw our strength from the deep well of God’s love and mercy. As you prepare for whatever the day may bring you as you prepare to be a peacemaker, spend a few moments resting in God’s love.

This concludes our slow and deep reading of Psalm 37. We have divided the 40 verse Psalm into 7 smaller sections and, within each section we have read, meditated, prayed and rested in God. I hope that you have come to appreciate how this form of reading and praying the Bible can deeply enrich your spiritual life as you seek to serve God. I encourage you to practice Lectio Divina prayer/scripture reading on a regular basis and note how it helps strengthen your life of prayer with God.

Pastor Jeff Fletcher

4 Benefits for Christians in This Age

Out in the world today, we see a lot of bold claims made by companies. They promise you weight loss, happiness, wealth, status, and anything else that you can think up. What is their purpose in making these bold claims? They want your money. Many of the times the claims are flat out lies and at best they deliver only a fraction of what was promised. What about Christianity? Does the Bible make big claims like companies do?

Personally, I think the Bible makes a lot of claims about those who put their faith in God. But the logical follow up question to that statement is – are they true? So in this blog post I want to set out to show you four claims the Bible makes about the benefits a Christian receives in this age. The fact that we are talking about this age is important. Obviously a Christian has a major benefit in the age to come with eternal life and the kingdom. However, I want to focus on this life and how being a Christian makes our lives better, now. The four benefits to being a Christian are peace, purpose, perspective, and people.

Peace is a commodity of which the world is in short order. It seems that mental illness is all over the news with illnesses like depression and anxiety sweeping over our nation. Christianity promises to those who put their faith in God that they can find peace. Look at Philippians 4:6-7, “6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Paul, talking to the people of Philippi, is saying that if we hand over our anxiety to God through prayer and thanksgiving in return we will receive peace that surpasses all comprehension. I love how Paul makes the point to say that this peace will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. I think Christianity has the best solution for finding peace in this life.

1 Peter 2 9

Purpose is an elusive things that some people spend their whole lives searching out. I truly think that people thrive the most when they are living a life after the purpose for which God created them. If you are looking for purpose look at 1 Peter 2:9-10 which says, “9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” First look at verse 10 where it says, “you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God”. In other words, once you had no identity and no purpose but now you are the people of God and you have a purpose. The purpose statement is at the end of verse 9, “so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”. I think when we are giving the good news to people, and that is our driving purpose, we find fulfillment with our lives. What could be better than helping someone change their life forever?

Perspective can be a tricky thing to find, especially perspective that is trustworthy and true. Let’s talk about the world’s perspective on one of the most difficult things we deal with in life, death. To the world, death is crushing, scary, oppressive, breaking, and most of all final. The world has no hope when it comes to death but the Bible offers a better perspective on death. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 says, “13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.” If you are a Christian, you are offered a perspective on death that doesn’t include fear but instead centers on hope. Don’t get me wrong, death is still a painful and difficult event but it isn’t crushing for Christians. To me, 1 Thessalonians 4 is a clarifying and liberating passage. Because of the Bible I am freed from the fear of death. Christianity offers us a better perspective on death and a whole multitude of other things.

People, who doesn’t want a people to call their own? Community is an essential part of human flourishing and Christians absolutely crush the competition when it comes to community. Look at what Jesus says in Mark 10:29-30, “29 Jesus said, ‘Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, 30 but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.’” In this present age we will receive 100 times the family that we currently have. This doesn’t mean that all of a sudden our family multiples by 100. What it means is that those who are Christians become our family. You are probably familiar with the term family of God. It is short hand for the community of believers that form one large family all around the world. When I walk into church I know that those people have my back, they love me, they support me, and they are my family.

Maybe now you are asking how can I be sure that these claims actually hold up under pressure? Are these claims made by the Bible like the false claims made by big companies? If you are curious about the validity of the Bible, just ask a long time Christian that you know. They will tell you about the peace they have felt in their lives when there should not have been peace. They will tell you about the purpose they have found. They will tell you about how the Bible has shifted their perspectives for the better. They will tell you about the community that they have in the family of God.

If you are looking for peace, purpose, perspective, or a people I think you should give Christianity a serious look. Maybe you have been on the fence about dedicating your life to Christ or maybe you have fallen away and aren’t where you want to be with God. Either way there is a better life out there, it just takes commitment. You need to commit to following God wherever He leads and you need to put your trust in Jesus. If you are thinking about dedicating or rededicating your life to Christ find a pastor or Christian you trust and talk to them about how following God can change your life for the better.

-Josiah Cain

Our Hope in the Wilderness

choose joy

This week, we’ve been taking some time to rest and reflect on what it means to wander through the wilderness. Through the complex stories of the Israelites, Elijah, David, and Jesus, we see both the types of wildernesses that we may face in this life as well as the ways that we can ultimately overcome the wilderness and make it out of those difficult seasons.

As we’ve discussed this past week, these are the four Wilderness Wandering Lessons that we learned from these stories:

The faithful love of God is infinitely more secure than our fractured circumstances.
Remembering past victories can help to steady our heart in the midst of our current despair.
When the desires of our heart lead us away from God, true repentance leads us back.
God’s word sustains us when we are depleted by the trials of the wilderness.

If you find yourself in a time of wilderness wandering, don’t despair. Many have been there before you and have made it out and used that time as a witness for God’s deliverance. Remember, one of Satan’s ultimate goals, as I mentioned earlier this week, is to steal your joy. One of the primary fruits of the Spirit is joy, and that joy should be evident in your life. The Israelites and Judeans knew what it was like to lose their joy when they were exiled from Israel at the end of 2 Kings. But, as we read in Jeremiah 31:2-3, 11-13, God promised that Joy to the Israelites and Judeans and he promises that Joy to you too.

“This is what the Lord says: They found favor in the wilderness – the people who survived the sword. When Israel went to find rest, the Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued to extend faithful love to you… For the Lord has ransomed Jacob and redeemed him from the power of one stronger than he. They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will be radiant with joy because of the Lord’s goodness. I will turn their mourning into joy, give them consolation, and bring happiness out of grief.”

By living our life in Christ, our joy is made complete (John 15:11). When you find the hurt, isolation, or pain of life weighing down on you, pause and remember that we can overcome through Christ. Trade your grief for happiness, your mourning for joy. We can celebrate. We can overcome. Because the joy of our Lord is our strength.

~ Cayce Fletcher

***Click on the following link to listen to one of my favorite songs by Rend Collective called the “Joy of the Lord is my strength.” Learning this song can be a reminder to you to choose joy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2B6Yw0zy70

Lessons from the Wilderness: Jesus

Wilderness Wandering Lesson #4: God’s word sustains us when we are depleted by the trials of the wilderness.

god's word does.

This week, as we’ve been thinking about our wilderness wanderings, we’ve primarily looked through the lessons from the Old Testament. Today though, we’re going to turn to the New Testament to see an example of a wilderness experience that can teach us a lot about how to make sure this experience makes us and doesn’t break us.

In Matthew 4, Jesus is tempted in the desert by the Devil for 40 days and 40 nights before he begins his ministry. This is a familiar story that shows the humanity of Jesus and how he can relate to us, but today, I want to focus on where Jesus was tempted. It says in verse 1 that “Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil.” In our time thinking about the wilderness, we’ve focused on the types of wilderness experiences we may have and how God’s faithful love can sustain us. As we look at Jesus’ experience, we can see how to survive and thrive in the wilderness.

The first lesson we can glean from this passage is that sometimes, as is the case with the Israelites and Elijah, we are led into the wilderness by God. Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Spirit where he fasted 40 days and 40 nights. At this point, Jesus had not begun his ministry, so this time could have been for testing and strengthening Jesus’ faith and dependence on God so that we could learn from it. By asking ourselves during each wilderness experience “What can I learn from this? How can I grow?”, we can better face the times in wilderness with palms held open instead of allowing bitterness to grow in us.

The second lesson we can learn from Jesus’ time in the wilderness is that God’s word is crucial for surviving in the wilderness. In the wilderness, Jesus had to face physical hunger, thirst, and exhaustion. He also was probably emotionally drained in this time as well. This may sound like a description of ourselves when we go through times in the wilderness. How often in these times where we are sad, lonely, depressed and drained – how often do we pause in these moments and stop the spiral of depression and wandering by saturating ourselves in God’s word? By looking at Jesus’ example, we can see how we can stop temptations in their tracks by responding with God’s word, more specifically by aligning our actions with God’s word.

The last lesson that I want us to focus on today is looking at when this wilderness experience took place. Though Jesus had not begun his ministry yet, in the previous chapter, he had just gotten baptized. All too often, we think that if we have committed our life to God that things will go well, that we’ll never have to experience trials or periods of suffering. But, we can look at Jesus’ life to see that this is simply not that case. Aside from Jesus’ experience on the cross, we can look at the beginning of his ministry as well to see that as these periods will happened to him, they will happen to us.

Jesus survived in the wilderness, and he thrived in the wilderness. I’m not sure what Jesus gained spiritually or emotionally in the wilderness, but I know what I can learn from his experience there. In the wilderness, Jesus was able to overcome temptation and suffering, including not only physical trials – but also spiritual trials – through God’s word. God’s word sustained Jesus and allowed this time to be a springboard into Jesus’ ministry instead of something that would have crippled his ministry. Now, we can look at this story and lessen the impact of what Jesus was able to do because Jesus was the son of God. But, Jesus was capable of growth and change, as seen in Luke 2:52. This is what makes him the perfect mediator for us. So, as we close this lesson today, I want to leave you with the words of Jesus as he readied his disciples for the trials they would face during the days leading up to the crucifixion: “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world” (John 16:33). With Jesus, we can conquer the world, including all our days of wilderness wanderings.

~ Cayce Fletcher

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