Signs from God...

I was flying home recently after conducting an Every Man's Battle workshop (www.everymansbattle.com) in Washington, DC. As I settled in to my less-than-large-enough seat on the plane, the woman next to me asked me what I did for a living. I told her that I travel around the country helping men with issues of integrity. This became the launching pad for her to share the trouble she was having in her eight year old marriage.

This woman was married to an orthopedic surgeon who worked 100 hours a week (on a slow week). She felt as if she was always the one required to make sacrifices for the sake of his career and the continuance of their marriage. About a year earlier she decided to "turn off" her playing of such a role. As she and her husband became more emotionally distant, she met another man on a business trip and became quickly emotionally attached. Through emails they began an online relationship built on secrecy and lies (he was married and had a child; he never mentioned that to her). Their relationship escalated to the point where the reason she was on this flight was she had met up with him in DC. As I listened to her tell her sad story I was struck by the sovereignty and mercy of God in this encounter.

Millions of people climb aboard airplanes every day for various numbers of reasons. All seating is randomly assigned or just picked out of thin air when you show up. No one could have planned this encounter I had with this woman. No one except God. God knew this woman's story. He knew her pain, loneliness, and heartache over her marriage and affair. He also knew my story; the immeasurable riches of His grace being evidenced by the miraculous restoration of my marriage. God booked this flight. Even throughout our conversation this woman stated several times that her sitting next to me was "a sign from God."

So, at one point I asked her, "A sign for what?"

She said, "To give my marriage another shot."

I shared my story with her. I shared of the heartache that secrecy and lies bring to a relationship and how such lies damaged my own marriage. I also shared the joy of growing more in love with my wife because of our history, not in spite of it. I then challenged her to cease all contact with this other guy and to truly seek an open mind during her process of reconciliation with her husband. I urged her to get connected with some trusted friends who can hold her accountable and support her during this dark time in her life. I simply offered her hope in a desperate situation.

Isn't it interesting how God works? I am usually pretty introspective, unassuming, and quiet when I travel (you never know who you are sitting next to...). Yet, God knew this woman needed words of hope. But not just any words of hope; words of hope that connected with her unique circumstance. God is so good to meet us in our mess and give us exactly what we need at the exact moment we most need it.

As you go through this day, grow in your awareness of how God is touching your life. Then be willing to let Him touch others through you. The signs and wonders of God are all around us. We must simply open our eyes to see them.

Amazed by God's wonders,

jonathan

Discipline or Discipleship?

I've been pondering the difference between discipline and discipleship lately. I won't presume to have a solid grasp on the answers to any of the questions this has produced in me, but it has certainly opened my eyes to some destructive tendencies that have come out of a life overly focused on discipline alone. I find that discipline alone tends to lead toward legalism, and legalism sounds the death knell of faith.

Before I go on let me be clear about the issue of discipline. I don't believe that exercising discipline is wrong or unwise. God even expects me to be disciplined (orderly) in how I approach my faith and my life. But as I observe people, and especially take inventory of my own life, I find that many of us have crucified faith on the altar of discipline. In other words, we worship our discipline(s) rather than the Divine One. This should not be.

The more I study God's Word and engage in conversations with Him, the more I realize how deeply passionate He is about my devotion to Him. He wants (and deserves) every part of me to be in total submission and surrender to Him. He desires this, not only because He is deserving of it, but because He understands the benefits that such devotion brings to my life and relationships. Single-minded focus on God produces the fruit of abundant life.

So I believe a shift in focus must occur if we as Christians are going to experience this abundant life that Jesus' spoke of so long ago. This shift in focus must move us from seeing discipline as the "end all" of our Christian faith to embracing discipleship as our process for becoming what God designed us to be. Discipleship focuses on God in the context of relationship; first with Him, then with others. This is a forever changing, forever growing, forever exploring adventure. Discipline alone, on the other hand, tends to draw our focus toward the "task" of relationship rather than simply interacting with God and others.

As I promised, I don't have all the answers. Just some thoughts rattling around in my head about some contrasts between discipline and discipleship. Maybe they are helpful thoughts. I know they have helped me to be more aware of the moments when I have preferred to grasp onto discipline rather than grow in my relationship with God. By God's grace I will become the faithful disciple He desires me to be.

Walking by faith,

jonathan

How Much Longer Before I'm Healed?

Have you ever wondered on your journey of life (and more specifically your journey toward purity), "How much longer, Lord, until I'm healed?"

If you're anything like me you still have moments where temptations pound at your mind, your focus isn't always sharp, and you even give in to the pull of the old, familiar ways of coping with life's stressors. It can become frustrating to face new wrinkles in your broken humanity, thinking that because you have been on your journey for so long that these faults shouldn't be appearing anymore (at least not as strongly as they do). So, we move forward, but with thin layers of disappointment attaching to our hearts along the way. Before long, the weight of these small disappointments with reality slow our progress and we find ourselves only inching along, maybe even stuck completely.

What is wrong with this picture? Doesn't the Bible say that once we have turned to Christ for healing from our addictions that we will experience consistent, progressive, and continual upward growth? Actually, it doesn't say that (no matter how much I wish it did!). In fact, the Bible (Jesus specifically) tells us to expect hardship, suffering, and discomfort. This, of course, never excuses sinful behavior, but does shed some light on the very real truth that our fallen humanity will fight our movement toward purity on every turn. Our flesh does not desire the holiness of God, and the enemy of our souls will do everything possible to tempt us away from the truth.

So, how much longer before we are healed? Only until Jesus takes us home to be with him. This may seem discouraging to realize that you and I will be facing this battle within for the rest of our lives, but there is good news on this journey. You don't have to remain in your current condition every step of the way. There is a type of "progressive healing" God does in our lives over time as we surrender to Him. The ultimate healing (freedom from this flesh and the devil) will occur when we enter our eternal home in heaven. Between now and then, let us consider changing the question. We may be better served to ask, "Lord, what can I do today to invite more of your healing into my life?"

Never stop asking questions. But be courageous enough to evaluate the questions you are asking to see if they are moving you forward in hope and purity, or simply weighing you down with discouragement and lies.

Healing little by little,

jonathan