our blog
Apr
Broken Bones
Few things are more aggravating for a teenager than having a broken leg during the summer. As his friends play outside, he is stuck in doors watching television, bored on the Internet or reading a magazine. The highlight of his day is attempting to soothe an itch he can’t quite reach inside his cast. Summer was supposed to be spent goofing off at the park or city pool. Then came the collision that left his leg broken and his summer plans forever changed.
He finds it increasingly difficult to resist the urge to grab a saw or scissors and free himself from the restraints of his cast. Yet, trying to get back on his feet before his leg is properly healed can have devastating effects: excruciating pain, a hitch in his step, a noticeable limp or even worse, causing a deeper break.
Chances are good he will end up right back in a new cast for an even longer amount of time all because he was unwilling to let the cast do its job. The only objective for the cast is to put his leg in the perfect environment for change to occur.
It helps his broken leg heal.
The same is true when it comes to our heart and the effect a collision with God’s truth causes. Only in the midst of our brokenness can we be truly healed and come through the other side with a new heart.
Such a collision occurs when our perspective of how things are or should be collides with God. When we run smack into the truth, when the way we see things gets challenged, we typically do not respond by surrendering.
But, when we collide with truth, as well as God’s love and mercy, it transforms us, shifting how we see things, how we respond and how we walk. However, without placing ourselves in an environment where God can begin the transformation process, our close encounter will never make it to our heart. We must allow what we experience to sink deeper.
Like the teenager who wants to rid himself of the cast, we sometimes try to speed up or completely avoid the formation process of our heart. There is no vision or plan for our growth. We are either growing into what we were made to be or shrinking from it. The choice facing us is whether we will be intentional or not about the formation process.
Romans 12:2 says to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. A renewed mind, a new way of seeing, is critical for us to offer ourselves to God and sacrifice our purposes for His. It requires submission to the truth.
Formation happens as a result of encounter. We are clay in the hands of the potter (Isaiah 64:8). As God presses in us, as a lump of clay, it is because He loves us. This sounds scary, doesn’t it?
Consider the opposite for a second. If He leaves us as a single lump of clay, then He doesn’t love us.
His shaping and forming us is an expression of His love. We are being shaped into His image. If the clay goes untouched for too long it becomes hard and dry. What the creator does is place His hands in water to keep it moist and pliable. Jesus is the living water that keeps us from becoming dry.
We must learn to surrender to the truth in order to be shaped by God. This begins when we become increasingly more aware of what we are being formed into. We encounter His truth and love when we begin to see God as God. This shifts our focus off ourselves and towards God. The formation occurs as our sense of holiness is enhanced. When we accept the invitation into God’s presence, we begin to align ourselves with His purposes. A maturing vision of God shapes our character, as our heart becomes His very own.
- Read Hebrews 4:12. One way we allow scripture to come alive is through the art of meditating on it. Choose a verse that relates to your One Word. Throughout the upcoming week, be intentional about living out this passage. As you meditate on this scripture, reflect on the following questions: (1) How does this passage create a different lens to view my current circumstances? (2) What action is it calling me towards? (3) How can I experience what this passage says?
Are you looking for a way to keep your word in front of you all year long? Register for a My One Word account! One of the key features of a MOW account is an online Word Journal that allows you to capture your thoughts to reflective questions like you see above. You can go back at any time to read your completed journals to see how God has been moving in your life through your word in 2010. If you already have an account, the questions from this blog have been posted to your Word Journal — log in to your account to start your Word Journal today!
Apr
The Importance Of Perspective
Trying to type this blog post is getting increasingly difficult. This is not due to writer’s block, but for the simple fact that my eyes are playing tricks on me. The screen to my laptop is one big fuzzy, blurry mess. Each letter glows like a star and I honestly can’t make out anything I type. I’m just hoping that my fingers are steady and that this entry doesn’t come out as complete mish-mash of misspellings.
For the past hour my glasses have been missing in action – the latest victim of my youngest daughter’s grabby hands. What she snatches is never to be seen again. No household item stands a chance. Sometimes it is the television remote. Other times it is mommy’s cell phone. All of her normal hiding places have been checked and so far no luck. I’m sure she had a good chuckle watching me maneuver around the house like a zombie, knocking over anything in my way.
As I scratch my eyes and try to deal with a migraine setting in, I am beginning to realize just how important vision and perspective are to movement.
Without a lens through which to view the world, everything is blurry and we don’t know which way to move. This inevitably leads us to falter and stumble. It is only a matter of time before frustration sets in.
With this in mind, spend the month of April exploring the idea of creating a lens through which to view your One Word. We hope you can see your life and each moment that passes by in a different light through the perspective of your word. It is critical to learn how to recognize opportunities that come your way, to see if your word puts you in a position where God will use you.
To develop such a lens, first search out the needs that exist around you on a daily basis. If your word is “compassion” and you walk into your house, office or neighborhood, your lens forces you to ask yourself, “Where is compassion needed?” Someone whose word is “patience” looks for a way to respond with steadiness in the midst of chaos. For someone with a word like “consistent,” the alarm clock isn’t a nuisance – it’s a reminder of their commitment.
Viewing your circumstances through a clarifying lens helps the quality you want to obtain begin to embed itself in your character. In addition, a shift in perspective not only impacts you – it can also touch those around you. Something amazing happens when your eyes focus on living out your One Word. God begins directing more and more people into your path who are desperate to experience the living love of Christ. Through this lens, we should always view change.
- Read Psalm 119:17-18 and Proverbs 4:25-26. How has your One Word begun to influence your perspective? Where have you noticed a change in the way you would normally view a situation?
- How would you describe the current lens you are using? What does your current lens say about what takes priority and importance in your life?
Are you looking for a way to keep your word in front of you all year long? Register for a My One Word account! One of the key features of a MOW account is an online Word Journal that allows you to capture your thoughts to reflective questions like you see above. You can go back at any time to read your completed journals to see how God has been moving in your life through your word in 2010. If you already have an account, the questions from this blog have been posted to your Word Journal — log in to your account to start your Word Journal today!