Whatever!

“Whatever!” I read the word and had to stop. I could hear the echoes of someone with sass saying, “What-ever!” That wasn’t what this “whatever” meant. This was humble and honest. This whatever meant anything or even everything. I found it in the story of David, and it made me stop and consider my Jesus.

David had been anointed, but was not yet king. He knew Saul, the current king, was threatened by this, therefore he was fearful for his life. As David confided in his friend, Jonathan reassured him, “Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do for you” (1Samuel 20:4). Some people might say this, but they don’t necessarily mean anything or everything. Jonathan meant it – right down to giving his life.

Surely, it was an unlikely friendship. Jonathan was heir to the throne, and David was the God-ordained king. By all rights, Jonathan should have seen David as a threat. David was a shepherd, a servant. He had no cultural rights to expect Jonathan to serve him. Their roles were reversed. Jonathan, the would-be king, was willing to serve David, the anointed king. And yet, Jonathan held no ill-will. He was not mad. He was not jealous. He did not seek to destroy David. In fact, they were best friends. Jonathan “loved him as he loved himself,” the Bible tells us (1 Samuel 20:17). He was willing to do “whatever” to serve David.

This is a perfect picture of the choice we have in Jesus Christ. The world tells us to serve ourselves, be our own kings. We do what we want, what pleases us. We look out for #1. It’s all about us. After all, we deserve the best, right? That free-will has been given to us. But Jesus is our rightful God-ordained king, so there is a dichotomy in our being. Like Jonathan, we are in a place where we have to make a decision: Will we serve ourselves, or will we serve Christ?

Jonathan’s words made me reflect on my attitude toward Christ. Do I feel this way about my Lord and Savior? Would I say to Him, “Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do for you?” Whatever. Money. Time. Words. Deeds. Work. Sacrifice. Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do for You? Is that my heart-felt oath to my Lord?

My attitude is short-sighted compared to the all-encompassing “whatever” offered by Jonathan. “Whatever” is huge! How often do I just do what needs to be done, never going beyond, and never considering my Lord? How often do I say something to someone, or about someone, and I never consider how my words might honor the Lord? How often do I grouch and complain about doing things the Lord has entrusted to me alone, and I never consider that I’m being ungrateful to Him? How often is my “whatever” really small compared to my LORD?

Sometimes the “whatever” God is requiring of us is difficult. Maybe your “whatever” is walking through a season of hardship. Maybe you’ve been called to serve the Lord in some way. Maybe you know it is time to overcome an imprisoning sin-pattern. Giving “whatever” to the Lord will require attention, focus, and purposeful actions. It won’t happen accidentally or by default. Giving “whatever” will require an override of our self-will. It will require that we think about things daily, hourly, all the time. That’s not easy. But here’s the thing: our God is all about helping us get it right. He is a God who brings renewal and sanctification. He brings light into the dark places of our hearts. All we have to do is give it to Him. He won’t leave us to figure it out alone. He will come and guide us with His gentle Spirit. I don’t know about you, but I want to do “whatever” right. I want to say, “Come, Lord Jesus. Come and broaden my 'whatever.' I want to glorify You!”

Dear LORD, Thank you for Your patient instruction and for Your revealing light. Broaden my “whatever” so that I might accomplish what You’ve set before me, to Your glory. I ask this in Jesus’s name, Amen!

Other “whatever” verses:

Proverbs 16:3 - “Commit to the LORD whatever you do and He will establish your plans.”

1 Corinthians 10:31 -“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

Colossians 3:17 -“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the LORD Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

Colossians 3:23 - “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.”

Learn to Trust, Not Control

As soon as I finished writing the words in my prayer journal, I knew they were a lie: “Forgive me for secluding parts of my life from You and for keeping the Holy Spirit out. Forgive me for not giving You my whole heart.” These words scare me. I don’t really want to give all of my heart to the Lord. What would that require of me? I feel like Smeagol holding on to his Precious. But why? Why do I clutch at things that are better off in my Lord’s sweet hands?

Is it control? I do like control. Without my lists, plans, and routines, I feel reckless. Control makes me comfortable. Control makes me feel that I can manipulate a situation in the direction I want it to go. But control gives a false sense of power. My frenzied attempts to control a situation do not make me “in control” of the final outcome.

Deep down, I know . . . there is something else lurking in my uneasiness. When I push these thoughts aside, I know what it is. Trust. I do not trust my Lord. What if the Lord doesn’t do what I want? What if He has something difficult in store? What if He demands something I can’t do or don’t want to give? What if life isn’t good? What if . . .? I know it is the “What ifs” that scare me. But my “What ifs” imply the Lord does not want good for me. Is that how I really feel: The Lord wants bad things for me? This is not the truth!

Romans 8: 31-32 rings in my ears: “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” These words are the truth, not my “What ifs.” The gracious giving God who sent His own son to come and rescue me from a pit of sin and death would not harbor ill-intent for me. He has no desire to harm me or set me up for failure. His desire is that I will walk with Him and learn to trust Him above all else. He has what is best for me, even if I don’t understand it at the time. He is trustworthy!

I am the one that can’t be trusted! I don’t follow through. I walk away. I ignore. I put off till later. I would never build this kind of trust with my family or friends. So why do I ignore my Lord? I am the untrustworthy one! But how do I change?

The first step is adjusting my view. Sometimes I view my Lord in some lofty place, far removed, governing over everyone. This makes me feel alone and causes me to act on my own, sometimes in fear. I must remember who I am in Him. As a Child of God, He has sought me out and redeemed me through Jesus Christ. He is not far away but near. The second step is remembering that His intentions are good. No matter what comes my way or what He asks me to do, I should not fear because I have His love and “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear . . .” (1 John 4:18). I need to learn to trust in His love, not in my ability to control. The third step is to remember all the good things my Lord has already done for me. When fear makes me clutch tighter to the things I think I can manipulate, that should be my cue to rest in His proven trustworthiness. These things will help me to trust in His love, then step out with confidence.

Dear Lord, I want to trust You, even in the most confusing times. Help me to stop racing to control what is not in my power to determine. Help me to never forget who I am in You: chosen, redeemed, loved, protected, child of the Most High God. I want that perfect love that drives out fear. Please help me! In Jesus’s name, Amen!

Moved By the Spirit Wind

It rained last night, so as I sit on my porch this morning the world around me seems new and clean. Little drops of rain still clinging to green leaves surround me in glittering golden light. It dazzles like diamonds. The breeze intermittently blows – sometimes swaying the palm fronds of my potted plant, sometimes caressing my face. The breeze is fascinating. You cannot see it, but you know it is there. Thoughts of the wind and the Holy Spirit are rolling through my mind.

Jesus met with Nicodemus one night. Nicodemus had questions he wanted Jesus to answer, maybe without the scrutiny of the other Pharisees. Jesus told Nicodemus of a kingdom one cannot see unless he is born of the Spirit. Jesus said, “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (John 3: 8). Truly, we cannot see the Spirit, but we can see how He moves around us and through us. We can tell the Spirit is there because of a person’s actions, their words, their attitudes, the way they live their lives. The Spirit moves people in different directions than the flow of the world. Can you look at your own life and see how the Spirit moves you? Maybe, like me, you see some places you need to open up to Him and allow Him the freedom to move you.

There is a river birch beside my porch. As I sit here this morning it is mostly still. But way at the top of the tree, there is this one little leaf flickering back and forth with all its might. It catches my eye as it rotates because no other leaf is stirring. Why that one? Where is the breeze that it only moves that one little leaf? The wind is mysterious. Maybe it is the way the leaf is positioned on the tree. It makes me think of myself. Am I positioning myself to be moved by the Holy Spirit? I want to be. All around me there are people who do not know my Jesus. All around me there are opportunities to move differently than the world. I want to be like the lone leaf showing that the Spirit is here, flickering with the light of truth, pointing the way to Christ. I want people to know what Nicodemus learned that night: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3: 16-17).

Sometimes we focus on the world and we forget to be still and look for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We are easily distracted. But for those who believe and belong to Christ, one day the veil will be lifted from our eyes and we will see clearly what the Spirit has been doing all along. And like the Casting Crowns song says, we will know we were moved by the “Spirit Wind.” So stay focused on Him, follow where His Spirit leads you, and watch as He moves. You won’t be disappointed! But most importantly, you will pointing the way to Christ.

Dear Heavenly Father, forgive me for secluding parts of my life and keeping the Holy Spirit out. Help me to overcome this tendency. Come into my heart and move me so that I can make more of Jesus to the world around me. Breathe Your Spirit Wind into my dry bones and give me strength and passion to do Your work. Thank You! In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Sanctification Through Surrender

Growing in grace is not easy. I have lofty expectations for myself. When I don’t meet them, disappointed strikes. Negative talk starts: “You’re a loser. You’ll never get it right. You’re no good. Why do you even try?” This throws me into the pit. I know my cycle all too well: lofty expectations, failure to deliver, disappointment, negative self-talk, pit-dwelling. Sometimes I sit there for a while, but the Lord never lets me stay too long. He always comes to get me. A Bible verse. A message on Sunday morning. A worship song. A friend’s kind words. My Lord always pulls me up, brushes me off, and says, “Let’s try again.”

I’ve been praying about this cycle of mine. Something has to change! Like a bad dream, I’m stuck in Romans 7, focusing on my goofs: “For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing” (Romans 7:19). Yep! That’s me. But what if it isn’t about being perfect? What if it is about resigning each area of your life to the Lord? I keep seeing my pit-dwelling cycle as a sign of how imperfect I am, but that’s not what it is. I believe The Lord is showing me these are the things I need to surrender.

Sanctification is the process of growing to be more Christ-like. His holy character is not automatically given to us at salvation. We are not immediately transformed into perfect beings. We must work at it. This work is good. It requires that we lean on the Lord. It develops perseverance and obedience. It grows our spiritual muscles. This work brings us closer to the Lord, which is what He wants and exactly what we need. The only thing in His way is our own refusal to surrender. We need sanctification through surrender!

Our lives hold three types of surrender. Total surrender - you know you can’t do a thing. No surrender- you feel completely confident. Avoiding surrender - you just really don’t want to do it God’s way. The avoiding surrender spot is where my worst faults lurk. That is where I end up in the pit. This place causes a restlessness in my spirit. I know I need help, but I want control. Romans 8: 7-8 reminds me, “. . . the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.” I am left vulnerable when I allow my wayward desires to rule over me. This is where the battle rages.

Surrender is a battle word. It paints a picture of defeat and victory, submission and rule, slave and master. When we walk outside of God’s will, we may keep our desires, but we will surrender something: joy, finances, self-esteem, relationships – the list could go on. When we surrender those wayward desires to the Lord, He will help us in the battle.

I love Romans 8! It is a picture of us winning. There is hope, love, and the promise of glory. It tells us that the Spirit and Christ are both interceding for us. It reminds us that “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (v. 31). It concludes with “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (v. 37-39). Did you hear that? We are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. You cannot lose! That battle you keep fighting . . . you will eventually win when you stand with Christ. Surrender it! Be sanctified through it. You will walk out on the other side a victor! Don’t wait. Surrender.

Dear Heavenly Father, I know the place You are calling me to surrender today. I know You promise love and grace and help to overcome. You promise victory! Help me. I want so much to live for You. Thank You for a love that nothing can remove. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Growing in Grace

I blew my “Whatever I do, I’ll do it all for the Lord” commitment on the first day. I was trying so hard to be the perfect person who does everything just right. Unrealistic expectations always leave me feeling like a loser. Deep down, I know that no one is perfect, everyone goofs up, but still . . . I was hoping to get it right this time.

As I prayed through my broken commitment that day, I confessed my feelings of hopelessness to the Lord: “I want so much to serve you well, yet I always goof up. Where is the hope in that, Lord?” He whispered to my aching heart: “You put your hope in what you do, not in what I’ve done. My grace is sufficient for you.”

“Grace. What is grace? I don’t even think I understand what that means – my grace is sufficient for you. Help me understand, Lord.”

So I poured over His word seeking answers. I walked away understanding this truth: My best at anything is only filthy rags before the Lord (Isaiah 64:6). It is my faith in Him that brings righteousness, not my actions (Ephesians 2:8-9). He desires that I grow in Him (2 Peter 3:18). Through this sanctification process, I will grow a little at a time, learning as I go, conquering obstacles, overcoming faults one-by-one (1 Thessalonians 5:23). It is arduous work; some lessons are harder than others. However, my Lord is faithful. As long as I walk with Him, I will grow to become more and more Christ-like (1 Thessalonians 5:24).

I knew that part of God’s grace is when He overlooks our mistakes because He knows we are not perfect. I began to understand that growing in grace happens when we allow God to use our mistakes to instruct us, correct our short-comings, and become more like Him. Here is the thing: we get His grace when we are saved through faith for “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). By His mercy, we are all covered in grace. The question is, will we grow in that grace or just stand still? He wants us to grow. He tells us, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

I will not grow through all of my perceived goodness, but through what I do wrong. That’s where instruction happens. My mistakes highlight my weaknesses; it gives the opportunity to change, to grow, to be a better witness for the Lord. The trouble is our enemy would like us to wallow in shame and guilt. It keeps us down. Steal, kill, destroy – that’s our enemy’s goal. This includes stealing my joy, killing my confidence in redemption, destroying my relationship with the LORD. Satan doesn’t want me to have any of these things.

I must remember – when I am weak, then I am strong – because the Lord is my strength (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). I must remember Isaiah 40:31: “But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” The Lord does not want us to wallow in shame. He gives us strength and hope.

May my hope be ever in the Lord and never in myself!
May my weaknesses prompt growth in His grace, strength in His name!
For His grace is sufficient for me.

Dear LORD, Thank You for Your all-sufficient grace. Thank You for helping me work this out through Your Word that speaks into my life. Your love is overwhelming. Thank You! In Jesus’ name, Amen!

New Year, New Hope

My holiday always ends up like a parade of endless food. By the end of December I just want a green salad and a glass of water. My taste buds need a break and a reset. Often times I feel like my spiritual self is the same way. My thoughts are clouded and my heart is not set on the Lord. These are the times I just need to step back and take a break from the world that is constantly pushing me around like the ebb and flow of the tide.

Take my to-do list, for instance. It gets the best of me. I write it all down full of hope. I don’t complete half of it because I am always over-zealous in my list making. Then I judge myself on how much I get done. My hope is drowned in the tide of too much to do. Or maybe it is my relationships. I have this hope of how things should go, what people will say, how they will react, or how wonderful everything will be. Life is messy and people are people. “Never put your hope in people,” my sister-in-law would always tell me. “You’ll always be disappointed. Put your hope in Christ. He never disappoints.” I don’t always remember those wise words, therefore, I’m often disappointed in myself and others. Hope recedes.

My heart deceives me with false hope. What am I to do? Jeremiah 17:9 tells us, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” Amen to that, right? I know this all too well. But listen to the first part of verse 10: “I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind . . .” I may not truly understand my heart and why I fill it with false hope, but my LORD does understand. Jesus tells us, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Do I treasure the accomplishments of my to-do list and the acceptance of those around me more than I treasure my Lord? Sadly, sometimes I think I do. They are subtle idols I allow into my thoughts, into my heart. Like all hidden idols, they create disaster. They weigh on my thoughts. They play with my heart. They defeat me time and again. I cannot place my hope in what I do or the people around me. I must place my hope in what the LORD does. I need the LORD’s word and the LORD’s help like I need a green salad and a glass of water.

I need a reset, so I cry, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10). And I say, “Teach me Your way, O LORD, and I will walk in Your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name” (Psalm 86:11). And I am thankful, because my LORD promises me, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws” (Ezekiel 36:26). The LORD’s sweet words spill over me with a healing warmth I know I do not deserve, but He graciously gives. And I take it!

Maybe you are like me. Maybe the subtle idols of your heart are playing with you, too. Take the reset. Take the gracious gift offered to you in His word. What better time than the New Year to do this! Like a clean sheet of paper that holds endless possibilities, your pure heart, given to you by the LORD, can hold a world of real hope found in Christ this year. Take it and don’t let go.

Dear Lord, Thank you for Your hope that does not disappoint. Thank you for the promises of a new heart, Your Spirit, and the opportunity to get life right in Your eyes. I know that things do not always go my way. I don’t always finish my to-do list. I don’t always have perfect relationships, but I do always have You. Let me stand firm in Your presence and in Your promises. Thank you. In the sweet name of Jesus, Amen.

Making Room for Christmas

Does your holiday schedule look like mine? Family gatherings, parades, parties, dinner guests, shopping, cooking, cleaning, and travel? My goodness! No wonder we are so stressed out this time of year! We complain. We stress. But next year we will pack our schedules just as tight. What is the answer to our frenzy?

When I was a young teenager, my schedule was not as tight. My parents were divorced. Mom lived hundreds of miles away. My brothers were grown, and my dad went on many dates. I was home alone – a lot. Sometimes that was okay, but other times, especially on holidays, I was sad to be by myself. That’s when I would pray to the Lord and dream of a day when my life would be full of family and friends. That quiet time alone gave me many moments to think about Jesus and the true meaning of Christmas. I often read the Bible and sang Christmas songs, especially when I felt alone. But I wasn’t alone. These were together times – me and my Lord – and I was building a relationship with Him that would last. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

As my life filled up with friends and family, then a husband and children, I spent less time with Jesus at Christmas. One Christmas Eve, a friend invited my husband to an oyster roast. He took the kids leaving me at home to finish preparing the meal we would host later that evening. They were late returning. The house was quiet. I was alone. Suddenly I felt like I had all those years ago – forgotten, unwanted. I sat on the back steps and cried, “Lord. Well here we are again. Me and you alone at Christmas.” My heart was filled with sadness. But the Lord responded to my heart, “Yes. If you were not alone, you would not be here with me.”

Oh how true! His words stung my heart. I knew this moment was of His making so that He could be with me. How sweet. I was not forgotten or unwanted. We had a good laugh and a few precious moments together before my world was full of other people. I cherish that moment he made for me. It made me realize that in my attempt to grab all the holiday cheer possible, I often miss out on the one thing that Christmas is about: a savior come for me.

The Christmas story reflects this same idea. There was no room for Mary and Joseph in the bustling inn. They went to the quiet stable. There, away from the hoopla, came the baby in a manger. The shepherds were out in quiet fields where they could appreciate the host of angels and the message of a savior. The Wise Men followed a silent star. I think that sometimes our hearts, like busy Bethlehem, have no room for Jesus. His presence comes softly, like quiet snow, not in the bustle. Therefore, we must stop the frenzy and intentionally make quiet time to be with him. God promises, “you will find Him if you look for Him with all your heart and all your soul” (Deut. 4:29). He will meet you in the pause. Together you will enjoy what He has done. Your life may be busy and you might need to slow down in order to take a few moments to be with your savior. Or, you may be in one of those quiet places already where people have moved on and you feel alone. I’ve been in both and I know that either way the pause is for you. Savor it. It is there you will find your Savior and Christmas.