I shared this post last week via email, but many of you weren't on my distribution list then, so I wanted to be sure and link to it here. Please read this!
The Pitfall Of Perfectionism, Christian News
Monday, June 13, 2011
Friday, April 1, 2011
Lent and the Momentum of Compromise
I was convicted today... No, I am being convicted because even now as I write, God continues to reveal the truth to me.
I had decided, prior to Lent, that I would give up sweets for 40 days. No desserts. No candy. However, just prior to Ash Wednesday, during a middle-of-the-night prayer vigil, God spoke clearly to my heart that He wanted me not to buy anything during Lent. Nothing. Since He was the one who had awakened me for prayer, I concluded that this is what He had awakened me to tell me, so I took Him at His word...briefly. I got off to a shaky start, and it has only gone downhill from there.With the spending, that is. I haven't had the first bite of anything sweet.
On Ash Wednesday, I was in Barnes and Noble (So much for fleeing temptation.), and there was a book I just HAD to have, and it was a SPIRITUAL book, so I asked Brent to buy it for me. The machinations of a whitewashed tomb! That lead to a book order, which I justified because it was a book of readings specifically for Lent. This compromise led to further compromises as as I rationalized several more purchases of substantive books that would contribute to my spiritual growth. This slippery slope led to my ordering some new clothing that would mostly be paid for from my earnings from teaching crochet. And today, I ordered some stationery because I NEEDED it. Oh, I just remembered! I went and bought some new shoes and a shirt to wear to my grandmother's funeral.
Not long after ordering the stationery, as I was leaving work this afternoon, it came to me...what I had done. Not just the buying in and of itself, but the bigger picture. The momentum of compromise began as I justified purchases that I saw as contributing to my spiritual growth, but in doing this, I was defining spiritual growth in my own terms. God had a better way to grow me spiritually, and that was for me not to buy anything for forty days. I needed that discipline far more than I needed to read another book—or to avoid another cookie, for that matter. Thinking of all of this now is even more painful in light of the fact that I taught Romans 6 last week! I am the slave of the one I obey. And I had allowed myself to obey my flesh rather than to obey the Spirit.
Days ago, I had already begun to see that I didn't really need or care that much about the things I had purchased. I knew in my heart that the only book I really needed was my Bible, and I have so many unread books that I could read for the rest of the year and not exhaust my supply. The book I asked Brent to buy for me is going to the library because it is too liberal for me. I've only read a few pages of the book for Lent. The shoes and shirt I purchased for the funeral turned out to be unnecessary as it turned cold again that day. You see how it is. All of my purchases have proven to be unnecessary and unsatisfying. Now I wonder, what did I forfeit by thinking I knew better for myself than God knows for me? What blessings did I miss out on?
I no longer want to seek any kind of satisfaction in THINGS, even those I perceive to be good things such as prayer and theology books. I want to walk in the Spirit and not gratify the desires of my flesh (Galatians 5:16). I no longer wanted to be fooled or ruled by my deceitful heart (Jeremiah 17:9). I want to glorify God in everything, even in how—no—especially in how I spend money (I Corinthians 10:31).
Of course, I have herein demonstrated the whole purpose of Lent. It is to remind me of my sin and weakness and my need for the cross and my absolute inability to do one thing about my sin outside of Christ. Thankfully, because He died and has been raised from the dead, I can consider myself dead to sin and alive to God (Romans 6:11), and because of this, it is possible for me not to buy anything during the second half of Lent.
I had decided, prior to Lent, that I would give up sweets for 40 days. No desserts. No candy. However, just prior to Ash Wednesday, during a middle-of-the-night prayer vigil, God spoke clearly to my heart that He wanted me not to buy anything during Lent. Nothing. Since He was the one who had awakened me for prayer, I concluded that this is what He had awakened me to tell me, so I took Him at His word...briefly. I got off to a shaky start, and it has only gone downhill from there.With the spending, that is. I haven't had the first bite of anything sweet.
On Ash Wednesday, I was in Barnes and Noble (So much for fleeing temptation.), and there was a book I just HAD to have, and it was a SPIRITUAL book, so I asked Brent to buy it for me. The machinations of a whitewashed tomb! That lead to a book order, which I justified because it was a book of readings specifically for Lent. This compromise led to further compromises as as I rationalized several more purchases of substantive books that would contribute to my spiritual growth. This slippery slope led to my ordering some new clothing that would mostly be paid for from my earnings from teaching crochet. And today, I ordered some stationery because I NEEDED it. Oh, I just remembered! I went and bought some new shoes and a shirt to wear to my grandmother's funeral.
Not long after ordering the stationery, as I was leaving work this afternoon, it came to me...what I had done. Not just the buying in and of itself, but the bigger picture. The momentum of compromise began as I justified purchases that I saw as contributing to my spiritual growth, but in doing this, I was defining spiritual growth in my own terms. God had a better way to grow me spiritually, and that was for me not to buy anything for forty days. I needed that discipline far more than I needed to read another book—or to avoid another cookie, for that matter. Thinking of all of this now is even more painful in light of the fact that I taught Romans 6 last week! I am the slave of the one I obey. And I had allowed myself to obey my flesh rather than to obey the Spirit.
Days ago, I had already begun to see that I didn't really need or care that much about the things I had purchased. I knew in my heart that the only book I really needed was my Bible, and I have so many unread books that I could read for the rest of the year and not exhaust my supply. The book I asked Brent to buy for me is going to the library because it is too liberal for me. I've only read a few pages of the book for Lent. The shoes and shirt I purchased for the funeral turned out to be unnecessary as it turned cold again that day. You see how it is. All of my purchases have proven to be unnecessary and unsatisfying. Now I wonder, what did I forfeit by thinking I knew better for myself than God knows for me? What blessings did I miss out on?
I no longer want to seek any kind of satisfaction in THINGS, even those I perceive to be good things such as prayer and theology books. I want to walk in the Spirit and not gratify the desires of my flesh (Galatians 5:16). I no longer wanted to be fooled or ruled by my deceitful heart (Jeremiah 17:9). I want to glorify God in everything, even in how—no—especially in how I spend money (I Corinthians 10:31).
Of course, I have herein demonstrated the whole purpose of Lent. It is to remind me of my sin and weakness and my need for the cross and my absolute inability to do one thing about my sin outside of Christ. Thankfully, because He died and has been raised from the dead, I can consider myself dead to sin and alive to God (Romans 6:11), and because of this, it is possible for me not to buy anything during the second half of Lent.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Pray for the Nations
You will notice in the sidebar that I have added an "Unreached People of the Day" feature. I encourage you to lift up these people groups that they would come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
And they sang a new song, saying.
"Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth."
—Revelation 5:9-10 (ESV)
"Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth."
—Revelation 5:9-10 (ESV)
Redirect 3-28-11
Glorious Freedom: Sinclair Ferguson beautifully reiterates yesterday's class discussion.
How to Get God's Attention: Here's a great short post on how to direct your prayers.
No Ordinary Suffering: Insight into suffering in the Christian life.
R.C. Sproul, Jr. explains a proper mindset to have while reading the Bible.
How to Get God's Attention: Here's a great short post on how to direct your prayers.
No Ordinary Suffering: Insight into suffering in the Christian life.
R.C. Sproul, Jr. explains a proper mindset to have while reading the Bible.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Taking Possession of the Promised Land
To be reading in Deuteronomy and Galatians at the same time is truly a gift from God.
Today, in my gratitude journal, I wrote "Eyes to see." Until this day, I have not had eyes to see (Deut. 29:4).
For a number of years, I have been on the east side of the Jordan looking into the Promised Land. Having a glimpse here and there, a taste of what it will be like. Faithfully gathering manna at times, well fed. And at other times, starving myself to the point of near death. I sought to return to Egypt more times than I can count, and I fought many battles with the enemy who anticipates what is coming and who knows Who is on my side. I have been in the camp at times experiencing the blessing and presence of God. But I have also wandered in the wilderness, striking out on my own thinking that I had a better plan or way. Thankfully, by the grace of God, I kept coming back to camp, returning to the sanctuary.
As I have been reading Deuteronomy in recent days, I have been repeatedly impressed by the reality that Moses's commands require a diligence and purposefulness that I did not recognize before:
For many years, I was helpless to cross over the Jordan.
I can't tell you exactly at what point I crossed over, but by the grace of God I believe it has happened. The crossing wasn't easy. The enemy met me at the shoreline and fought hard. At times, he nearly drove me back across, and a time or two, I nearly drowned. But the Lord my God went with me and fought for me to give me victory (Deut, 20:4).
More than once after crossing over, I looked at the nations around me and was tempted to follow after their gods. BUT I remembered what the Lord had done for me, and that motivated me to fight and not give up. Galatians 5 sums it up. Before crossing over, I allowed the desires of the flesh to take precedence over the desires of the Spirit. The two are always in opposition, and I have a choice. I often chose the desires of the Spirit, but the desires of the flesh were and still are especially strong in certain areas, and I often succumbed to them. I still do, but the fruit of the Spirit I see encourages me to continue to walk in the Spirit and to crucify the flesh. Paul uses the word "crucify" for a reason. It isn't easy. It requires effort and diligence on my part... Ah, Deuteronomy again.
I recently had a conversation with a sister in Christ who told me that she knew she probably shouldn't watch a particular movie, but that she was going to anyway. The desire of the flesh trumped the desire of the Spirit. She chose not to crucify her flesh. She chose to please herself rather than doing what she knew would be pleasing to God. She didn't take seriously His command to Be Holy and I am Holy (I Peter 1:16).
I share this with you because it is simple and obvious. Sometimes the choices are not so simple and not so obvious, and that has been my primary struggle in recent years. It is not inherently sinful to spend time online and to make things. However, if I am doing these things for the wrong reasons, and if I am neglecting other things I should be doing...no, that I must be doing, it is a desire of the flesh, which can become an idol, and it is sin.
Which brings me back to diligence, and the need to define what it means because like the Galatians, we can very easily equate diligence with legalism, and that will not do. This has been pitfall of mine. "Lord, I am doing this, and this, and this, so why isn't it going well for me?!" His answer:
Take heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may commend them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to posses. —Deut. 32:46-47
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. —John 6:63
Discernment comes from the Word of God.
More Word.
More Spirit.
More Life.
...the Promised Land.
Eat the manna. Apply the balm. Take possession.
Today, in my gratitude journal, I wrote "Eyes to see." Until this day, I have not had eyes to see (Deut. 29:4).
For a number of years, I have been on the east side of the Jordan looking into the Promised Land. Having a glimpse here and there, a taste of what it will be like. Faithfully gathering manna at times, well fed. And at other times, starving myself to the point of near death. I sought to return to Egypt more times than I can count, and I fought many battles with the enemy who anticipates what is coming and who knows Who is on my side. I have been in the camp at times experiencing the blessing and presence of God. But I have also wandered in the wilderness, striking out on my own thinking that I had a better plan or way. Thankfully, by the grace of God, I kept coming back to camp, returning to the sanctuary.
As I have been reading Deuteronomy in recent days, I have been repeatedly impressed by the reality that Moses's commands require a diligence and purposefulness that I did not recognize before:
- Take care.
- Keep your soul diligently.
- Seek the Lord.
- Be careful.
- Fear God.
- You shall not go after other gods.
- Devote the enemy to complete destruction.
- Remember what God has done for you.
- Serve the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.
- Circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.
- Destroy the places where other gods were served.
- Seek the place that the Lord your God will choose.
- Purge the evil from your midst.
- The Lord your God will fight for you against your enemies.
- Devote them to complete destruction.
- Disobedience is an abomination to the Lord.
- Be holy.
- Fulfill your vows to the Lord,
- Obey the voice of the Lord your God.
- Choose life.
- Hold fast to God.
For many years, I was helpless to cross over the Jordan.
I can't tell you exactly at what point I crossed over, but by the grace of God I believe it has happened. The crossing wasn't easy. The enemy met me at the shoreline and fought hard. At times, he nearly drove me back across, and a time or two, I nearly drowned. But the Lord my God went with me and fought for me to give me victory (Deut, 20:4).
More than once after crossing over, I looked at the nations around me and was tempted to follow after their gods. BUT I remembered what the Lord had done for me, and that motivated me to fight and not give up. Galatians 5 sums it up. Before crossing over, I allowed the desires of the flesh to take precedence over the desires of the Spirit. The two are always in opposition, and I have a choice. I often chose the desires of the Spirit, but the desires of the flesh were and still are especially strong in certain areas, and I often succumbed to them. I still do, but the fruit of the Spirit I see encourages me to continue to walk in the Spirit and to crucify the flesh. Paul uses the word "crucify" for a reason. It isn't easy. It requires effort and diligence on my part... Ah, Deuteronomy again.
I recently had a conversation with a sister in Christ who told me that she knew she probably shouldn't watch a particular movie, but that she was going to anyway. The desire of the flesh trumped the desire of the Spirit. She chose not to crucify her flesh. She chose to please herself rather than doing what she knew would be pleasing to God. She didn't take seriously His command to Be Holy and I am Holy (I Peter 1:16).
I share this with you because it is simple and obvious. Sometimes the choices are not so simple and not so obvious, and that has been my primary struggle in recent years. It is not inherently sinful to spend time online and to make things. However, if I am doing these things for the wrong reasons, and if I am neglecting other things I should be doing...no, that I must be doing, it is a desire of the flesh, which can become an idol, and it is sin.
Which brings me back to diligence, and the need to define what it means because like the Galatians, we can very easily equate diligence with legalism, and that will not do. This has been pitfall of mine. "Lord, I am doing this, and this, and this, so why isn't it going well for me?!" His answer:
- You are doing it that it may go well for you rather than to please me.
- You are doing it because you are afraid of what will happen if you don't.
- You are doing it for the praises of men.
- You are doing it because you desire success.
- You are doing it because you desire comfort above all else.
Take heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may commend them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to posses. —Deut. 32:46-47
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. —John 6:63
Discernment comes from the Word of God.
More Word.
More Spirit.
More Life.
...the Promised Land.
Eat the manna. Apply the balm. Take possession.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Ann's Blog: A Holy Experience
Since reading One Thousand Gifts, I have been skimming Ann Voskamp's blog and reading posts that capture my interest. There are several posts that I have particularly enjoyed that will bless you as well...
Journaling as a Spiritual Discipline: 8 Reasons to Journal (Links to subsequent posts are included at the end of this one.)
How to Build a House of Prayer
What Could Change Everything: A Pilgrimage into Prayer
Prayer: Why We Struggle (and how not to)
A Place for Everything
Journaling as a Spiritual Discipline: 8 Reasons to Journal (Links to subsequent posts are included at the end of this one.)
How to Build a House of Prayer
What Could Change Everything: A Pilgrimage into Prayer
Prayer: Why We Struggle (and how not to)
A Place for Everything
One Thousand Gifts and More
Most of you have already heard from me by now of the book I finished recently, One Thousand Gifts. It moved me deeply and inspired me greatly. I purchased several copies for loved ones, and I have been trying to spread the word with friends I think would be interested.I learned about the book in a review in World magazine, and I ordered it after I read several customer reviews on Amazon. It is currently on the New York Times Bestseller list, so it is very popular. Unfortunately, as a result of its popularity, it has gotten some negative press, specifically in the blogosphere.
One Thousand Gifts is the personal testimony of the author, Ann Voskamp. She shares how God transformed her life by teaching her how to be thankful in all things (I Thes. 5:18). She is a homeschooling mother of six who has endured tragedy and hardship. She loves the Lord, and knows His Word. She reads broadly and has the mind of a poet. She thinks deeply and expresses spiritual truths in ways I had never considered.
The criticism of the book is primarily directed at Chapter 11, "The Joy of Intimacy." The first line of the chapter reads: "I fly to Paris and discover how to make love to God." The chapter recounts her visit to Paris, and how God spoke to her during this visit. I have to admit that the idea of making love to God made me uncomfortable, and I didn't quite get it. But I'm not her, and she's not me, and after reading the previous ten chapters, I see her heart, so I don't let it bother me. I am not one to throw out the baby with the bathwater. Besides, the church IS the bride of Christ, you know.
I have seen real change in myself since reading One Thousand Gifts. I started keeping my own list of blessings and being more intentional in thanksgiving. My attitude and outlook have changed—although my circumstances have not. God has been doing a great work in my life in the past year, and He has used this book to take me to the next level in my walk with Him. I am grateful.
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