Category Archives: joy

Chasing Fruit

May 2, 2015Freedom, gratitude, heart of prayer, joy, Like a little child, personal growth, Purposelouise

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the fruit of the Spirit. I want to grasp and apply what it looks like to walk in the Spirit. A promising and adventurous ride is underway. After a long detour on the road to nowhere, God is teaching me much and giving me great hope. For starters I’ll admit where I’ve been.

Despite my best “good girl” intentions, most of my life I’ve misunderstood love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control as Christian virtues I should strive for.

The Bible is a Love Story — Genesis to Revelations. There’s always danger in lifting even a seemingly straightforward verse out of context. Let me illustrate.

If I tape Galatians 5:22-23 on my mirror as God’s standard and set out each day to be more loving, joyful, peaceful etc., the fruit of the Spirit may still allude me entirely. In the midst of fatigue, distractions, bad circumstances, and even mountaintops, I can so easily forget my goal. Then you’ll find me defeated and frustrated with myself — wondering why I’m so slow in becoming more like Jesus.

Other times I may experience limited success. Friends and family may describe me as kind, gentle, or even loving. Those times make me sincerely happy that I’ve been a positive light. It feels good, but I see the reality of my insides and claim only partial victory. Besides, I still want the fruit I’m missing — especially the elusive JOY that gave Paul a heart to sing in prison.

At the end of those “good” days I remember to thank God for the successes. I ask for more of His fruit that I can’t seem to reach. Maybe even seek His direct assistance in my quest to live out His Christian virtues — especially the lofty fruit on the uppermost branches. I’m trying hard, but those are just too high for me to reach alone. I need a little help, please God. Sounds like an okay system of prayer and fruit production, right?

100 percent NO!

If I try in my own power to be more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good,faithful, gentle and self-controlled — I may experience some fragmented success. But most of all I will have fueled my self sufficiency which produces pride. My goal is performance and recognition (for myself and God at best). I am self motivated, even if I sincerely want to be salt and light for God. And I seriously doubt my prayers that He assist in the work of my flesh line up with His desires. It’s subtle, but all I’m doing is opposed to the dead-to-self, dependent, God-focused life of walking in the Spirit.

I’ve given my best efforts to the task for fifty years, and Louise is simply not a spiritual fruit smoothie! No matter how diligently I seek to follow Jesus and to be like Him, I fail. My heart ultimately deceives me.

I’ve settled for little tastes of the various “fruits” at different times. Thankful for the larger servings, and resigned that the Big Kahuna of spiritual fruit just doesn’t come that easily. Maybe I should focus more on developing patience? Or just determine myself to be more self disciplined?

If you can relate, don’t despair… there is a simple and wonderful answer, that really is doable! Shift gears with me to a metaphor of explanation I’m borrowing from John Ortberg. It’s powerful.

How do we follow Jesus or walk in the Spirit?

Think of a pace car (Jesus) at the Daytona 500. All the cars (you and me) rev their motors, dreaming of the moment when the checkered flag (Holy Spirit) gives the signal to race. We have fine tuned our engines. Filled them only with the very best fuels. Painted, polished and prepared for the race to come. Until then, we obediently follow the leader. We mirror His pace and direction. Where He goes, we go — well as best as possible on a crowded track. We wouldn’t dare break lose without His direct command (opened door). We are Jesus followers!

Like when I tried to chase the virtues, we’re looking to Jesus. Following His lead. Waiting for His opened door, desiring to do great things… sounds like a good posture. “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death” (Proverbs 16:25). Good ideas and best intentions aren’t enough. Every race car eventually crashes and burns. Leave that track for another. Consider a locomotive with a long line of humble freight cars…

Jesus is the engine. We (the body of Christ) are hooked to Him, each in the place God chooses with the functional composition He desires. He provides our power, our direction, our purpose, our life. Without Him we are nothing. We belong to Him to be used as He sees fit. We do nothing at all except in His strength. He doesn’t need us, but He lovingly wants to use us to carry out His purposes… what a privilege! What a joy!

It’s not up to us to worry about all the details or the outcomes. We just need to cling to Him and let Him do the work through us. In John 15:5 Jesus says it this way, “”Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” It’s a different metaphor, but a similar picture.

God is revealing so much to me about how I’ve conformed to the world’s view of life, even as I struggle to understand what it looks like to walk in the Spirit. Here’s a taste of simple truths I’m learning.

I no longer deliberately set seeking His fruit (yep – it’s singular) as the goal. I realize I can’t be all those things, but I can surrender to let His Spirit have His way with me. In those times, I will exhibit fruit. With the help of more learned minds than mine, I’m looking to all of Scripture to give context to Galatians 5:22-23.

When I’m focused on trying hard to be fruity (a good Christian), it’s a sign that my love for Him is incomplete. When being in a continual, trusting relationship with God is my focus and priority, He transforms me. His fruit flows with regularity and spontaneity from His nature within me. It’s happened a few times, and oh is it sweet.

I can’t explain it, but I know it’s all Him. All credit, honor and praise for anything good in me goes to God. His work through the Holy Spirit producing the fruit of the Spirit in me and through me. That’s a ride I don’t want to miss!

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Trouble, Trouble, Trouble

April 18, 2015Freedom, gratitude, joy, waitinglouise

Have you ever prayed about a decision, felt God’s peace, stepped out in faith, fully believing you were in God’s will — and then all hell broke loose?

When things are “going wrong” all over the place, keep believing! When a door is entered by faith, God is in the room — even when everything looks and feels “bad.”

We often speak of God’s blessings when life is clipping along comfortably. The house sells, the acceptance letter comes, a check arrives for just the amount we need.

I’m not minimizing those times or the importance of praising Him for them. He is good — all the time! But let’s look at how we feel about that little word — ALL.

Do we dig deeper into our faith and find reason to rejoice and trust Him, even in hardship? If you’re like me, when the flu arrives, a big customer leaves, the pipes burst, a child is hurt… trust, joy and gratitude might not be the first stops of the journey. I often take a painful detour through righteous indignation and shock. Why God? When You could have prevented this.

I know the answer (in my head). God has my BEST in His heart:

“We also have joy with our troubles, because we know that these troubles produce patience. And patience produces character, and character produces hope. And this hope will never disappoint us, because God has poured out his love to fill our hearts. He gave us his love through the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5) That should be enough.

But when I honestly examine my heart (and Jesus says we should), I find a hint of Christian entitlement. Despite knowing better, deep inside I want following Jesus to make my life easier. God pouring out His love to me, as He sees fit, isn’t always most important to me.

In my early adult years I thought if I asked for God’s blessings and tried to obey Him, He would (in return?) provide marital bliss, adolescent children without acne or angst, assets with predictable appreciation, great vacations, lots of friends… You get the picture; it’s embarrassing how shallow that sounds.

But I’ve grown a bit. Now I’m only perplexed that the world is unstable and dangerous. That I’m still fighting weeds and that midlife and the sandwich generation feels a lot like middle school — which I swore I’d never return to. Okay, sometimes even the little things get to me. When all the big things start going amiss, I want an explanation and an escape.

God delivers — just not quite as I envision. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

If we define abundant Christian life as being comfortable and easy, when we hit the inevitable wall of hard knocks, we will doubt God, ourselves, and each other.

Satan, the ruler of this world, is the author of lies, doubt, confusion and despair. He hates it when we seek God for Who He is and seek to love and obey Him… maybe that’s why when we go through one of God’s opened doors, life often gets much harder. Storms of all kinds just happen in a fallen world; Christians aren’t immune. Other times, trouble weazels in through cracks of opportunity we leave unchecked: desires of the flesh.

“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” (James 1:13-14)

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Cor 10:13)

Here’s the deal. Jesus never said if you believe in me, life on earth will be easy — but rather, “You will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.” (Matthew 24:9)

Only once does He mention ease in the Bible, and He isn’t talking about cozy circumstances. The same Jesus who said, “I am the door” (John 10:7) also said, “My yoke is easy.” (Matthew 11:30) That’s a metaphor for living like Him. Surrendering my “rights” and life, so that I’m constantly receiving power and grace from God. Easy happens on the inside. It exists when the joy of the Lord is my strength in the middle of all my messy problems. That’s abundant life.

It’s time for me to quit being surprised and doubting God’s plan when all hell breaks loose. Jesus is interested in producing His Holy character in us. Walking in the Spirit, we will battle the desires of the flesh. We’ll battle loving the world and everything in it too much. And we will draw the attention of the devil. But James 4:7 says “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” What an inspiring promise, but it rests on our humility before God.

I started with a question, and I’ll end with a few. Have you witnessed God’s amazing faithfulness? Have you been through a long, dark season, and come out on the other side with a bit of His wisdom? I have, and I wouldn’t trade all He has done in me through the trouble He allowed, for anything I once thought I wanted more than Him.

God has also allowed periods of blessed rest. When Rob and I married, we had a long season of reprieve. I was in a Bible Study where almost everyone was struggling with something, and I was thankfully but sheepishly at rest. Then we moved, and the relative break turned to constant challenge.

That’s why I wrote this post — to remind myself, and hopefully you too, that God’s got this. He’s doing amazing things on the inside, and He’s in control of everything on the outside. All is well. God is with us! ALL the time!

Ray Montagne’s song “Trouble” was popular years ago. How about a better message with a worthy focus? When I heard the following song, I wanted to break loose from the frozen chosen, stand up and say AMEN! Listen and be blessed.

What Should I Do? Which Door Is Your Will, God?

April 14, 2015Freedom, joy, Mid life, Purposelouise

“I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut.” Revelations 3:8

I have a fascination with doors. They represent many things: peace, opportunity, challenge, protection, adventure, mystery… and a choice to enter or not.

At 14, I was compelled to enter the door of Salvation through Jesus: “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:9). Thirty years later I was absolutely certain God wanted me to uproot my family and move to Atlanta for seminary. I knew anything else would be disobedience.

No matter how wild the invitation, it’s a wonderful thing when God’s will is abundantly clear. More often than not, however, I’ve struggled to find His “ordained” plan for me.

I’ve begged, “please God, just give me a sign, tell me what you want me to do, and I’ll do it!” Almost always, he leaves me to wrestle with my decisions, dreams and motives.

I think it’s because God’s much more interested in what’s going on inside of me, than on the outside. God’s will for me is the person I become as I let Him develop the character of Jesus in me. Decision making forms character.

Midlife is a time I never really planned for. I’m not yet who I want to be, and I know there’s something meaningful yet to do. I feel a new urgency to step out, but to where?

I asked God who am I and what should I do, and he began transforming my heart. I’ve committed to trusting God to have His way in my life. To keeping my focus on Him. I’m expectant and excited about the future, yet I’m still listless — more overwhelmed by what’s next than compelled.

“Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.” (Proverbs 8:24) I’m listening, God. I see many open doors. Which is Yours for me?

I want an unmistakable door. With a burning bush, a fleece or a talking donkey beside it! And a pleasant room inside, please. My real motives? For God to relieve the anxiety and messiness by telling me what to do, and for Him to guarantee relative comfort, meaning, and success along the way. I just want some downtime to enjoy life … haven’t I grown enough?

What God gives me instead is a blessing: divine doors of possibility without many details as to what’s inside. More opportunities than I could accept in several lifetimes, provided by God, to join what He is doing, for His purposes.

And usually, His answer to what should I do is — You decide. It’s up to me which doors to walk through and which to forgo (missing out is almost as scary as a mis step). The process might be painful, it will definitely build character. Lack of overt heavenly guidance doesn’t mean God doesn’t care about my choices, or that I’ve missed my celestial walkway.

Not what I asked for… but is this really good news? Could it be that inertia isn’t Life? That mistakes made with the right heart are allowed, even useful. I no longer need to fear missing my perfect door? My mustard seed faith in a BIG God is enough? So it is and it isn’t all up to me… the pressure’s off?

I ask God for wisdom. Wrestle with my desires and gifts. Redefine my strengths and weaknesses. Acknowledge that doing something well without passion is actually a weakness. I see some of my discontent as righteous restlessness, and some as my conforming to this world’s selfish ways. I open my eyes and my heart — expecting to see God’s kingdom.

God wants to bless from His great abundance. That should be my mission too. “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Col 3:23)

But how? Joyful decisiveness can be learned. When presented with life’s doorways, we can be closed-door thinkers (believing my worth depends on perfection, outcomes and performance) or open-door thinkers (committed to growth and embracing the journey).

In this post, I’m not addressing doors of temptation leading to immorality or selfish ambition (except in examining my motives and desires). Sometimes we lose the battle of flesh vs spirit. I usually know when I make a sinful choice and need to repent.

Instead I’m opening myself to endless divinely opened doors — all sorts of opportunities to join in God’s work. If you’re like me, this is where we struggle with choosing wrongly, which can lead to paralysis.

When I’m closed-minded I have to prove myself. Failure isn’t an option, so I’ll tediously arrange for my success and good image. My delays and rationalizations may seem prudent, but really I’m being self protective and refusing to trust God. I operate from the limited supply of my own strength. I’m slow to move and rarely take risks. My life is safe but unfulfilling.

When I’m open -minded, I know I’ll grow when I cross His thresholds… even failure is useful. I am confident and secure, because God loves me and goes before me — He’s already inside. I’m not ready or capable, nor do I know what’s beyond, but I know God is with me.

Every opened door isn’t for us, but as God presents them, shouldn’t we have just a slight bent toward saying YES! Toward the little ways we can engage and serve others to allow His love to flow through us, instead of withdrawing. Our small gifts in His hands are immeasurably valuable.

And especially in midlife, shouldn’t we say YES! to at least some adventures way beyond our means and abilities? Impossible without God. Outside our comfort zone. Often requiring us to join others and always to rely on God. Places where we grow and God unmistakably receives all the glory.

A word of warning: Once we go through God’s opened door, we can’t expect things to always be easy. “For a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” (1 Cor 16:9) We have to remember, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.” (Isaiah 55:8)

More on that and finding joy in the journey is coming down the pike.

It’s great to hear from you. If this post resonated with you, you are welcome to share it through the social media buttons below. I’d love for you to receive future posts straight to your inbox by letting me know below or join the Pink Reflections Facebook community. Your comments are so encouraging. Thank you!