Delight only comes with abiding and our desires change as we
abide.
I want what I want when I want it. I want Joy.
That deep inner delight that comes with the assurance of all things
working out and working out my way. I do
not want trucks that break down. I do
not want my back to hurt all the time. I
do not want to take pills to survive. I
want that inner relish for life that fills the soul. John 17:13 says flatly that Jesus came into
this world to give me full measure of His joy within me.
If it is mine, if it is promised, if it is my possession, if
it is full measure, if it is to be a deep welling joy, where is it? Driving the streets with my little granddaughter,
she is oft to say, “take it down” in response to seeing Christmas decorations still
hanging from the eves of homes. “Christmas
is over.” It is as if the time for joy
and peace on earth is now complete and we can get about our dreary lives.
How can I life I Thess 5:16 when it says, “Rejoice evermore,”
when all the Christmas lights are gone?
I would suppose it is the difference between happiness and joy. Happiness is a fleeting thing, if you pursue
it blinks at you and it is gone. I guess
I have said this before happiness is not joy.
Happiness is on the outside blinking red and green. Joy is internal warmth of dwelling in the God
of Christmas and the rest of the year.
Some things are much more important than others. Choosing between two things or options before you there is an inherent prioritization. Your mind immediately wants to put them into a logical order.
Figuring out what most important is part of life. Sometimes we even have to say no to one thing in order to say yes to something more important in our lives. At issue is we want both. “I want my cake and eat it too.” To live according to the tenants and teachings of Jesus we must set priorities.
My first priority is that relationships are more important
than things. People are always more important than thing I may accumulate. Don’t get me wrong here, I have several
things in my life, but when given a choice between a relationship and this accumulation
of plastic brightly colored stuff, people win.
You see people are ultimately forever.
Wives are more important than what chair I sit in at night.
Second, Intellect over emotion. I once heard to never make a decision when I
am upset, sad, jealous or in love.
Emotions rule the immediate. In my life I must slow down and let emotion
subside. The intellect allows the spirit
to speak. The intellect allows the soul to
make a logical decision.
Third, Joy over happiness.
Happiness is short term. Joy
comes in abiding. Our desires will change
the longer we abide in Him. Joy is
beyond a smile. If you seek happiness it
will disappear. Happiness is a good thing but when it is rooted in joy it is
the best. I believe we can’t always have
happiness, but we can always have the joy that comes with God.
Fourth and last. In
setting my priorities I must choose the future over the past. The past is over. I can’t change that, but I can be
forgiven. The past does not necessarily
dictate our future. Our habits of
yesterday can be broken. The future has
its foundation in today’s decisions.
It is one of the things we cannot live without. The deepest part of our soul cries out for
it. Without it, we start to shrink
moment by moment. All our efforts seem
pointless without the zest of it. Some
have died from the lack of it.
That thing is hope. Hope that life will turn out. Hope that someone is standing in our
corner. In all the places you could find
yourself this exact moment, there is a truth.
That truth is that Hope is here.
It is not a false hope that makes untrue promises. It is not a guarantee of an outcome invented
by any man or woman. It is not a fantasy
or an illusion or even a make-believe invention. It is a real and everlasting Hope.
It is a hope based on the truth proclaiming God is still
God. It is a hope that God is really
holding it all together. It is a hope
that God has not turned His face away.
It is a hope God can and is involved in our lives. He is intimately acquainted with every heartache;
more that we can ever know. Hope is here
It is a hope that you are loved in your worst moments. It is a hope that pursues you even as you
turn away. Make no mistake. Hope is here.
No matter where you have been. No
matter when you are now. Hope is
here. Because Hope is a person. His name
is Jesus.
I am a Christian, I have been made righteous by God’s mercy, I study to show my self approved rightly dividing the word of truth. I make my decisions according to the will of God as I understand it. The problem for the day is how do I make decisions. Do I write today, or do I spend the day working on my old truck? As a friend explained yesterday, “Give me two options and I can make the decision but give me three and I am at a loss to choose.” How do we make decisions in the light of God’s grace?
It is assumed there is a plan for my life. I may well deviate from the plan. I can even purposely ignore the plan and go
my own way. But the plan still exists. What
are the methodologies, or guidelines for my decisions? How do I choose between three things, or for
that matter hundreds?
Every day we are bombarded with decisions and decisions
about decisions, and decisions about the decisions we have decided.
Every decision we make changes things, people around us, our
circumstances and our lives.
Each of us have ideas, concepts of what is right and
wrong. Most of these value judgements
have been nurtured through our lifetimes.
We have allowed peer pressure and societal norms mold us into making
decisions that may or may not be the best.
Should society dictate my decision-making process? Should I conform to the norm? Do I conform to the commands, principals and
examples of others? I rail against
this. My life is more that conformance
to a list of right and wrong set by the community around me.
My ethical compass must have something more that a list. I have found well over 1,500 commands in the
New Testament. They are the revealed will of God. But what do I do when I must make a decision which
the Bible is silent? I have struggled
with this most of my Christian life. Law
verses grace.
At this point of this missive, I don’t really know where I
am going with this. I just decided to tell
everyone I found an answer to my decision dilemma. “Seek first the kingdom of God
and His righteousness and everything else will be added.”
The river flows quickly from its source. Rushing down from high cliffs carving its path as it goes. There is an assumed purpose to it. Pulled ever downward to the ever slowing lowlands. The river moves ever slower and slower to its ultimate end as it joins the ocean and is lost in its vastness. My life has had its fast times, filled with purpose and decisions. Now as my shell slowly descends from the high mountain it deteriorates and my days of rashness and physicality slowly move to my end I in the totality of God, I must transition from the physical purpose to a more spiritual one. Now is the time for slow recollections and attempts to understand the life I have lived. I guess Isaac Newton said it well, and I paraphrase. “My worldly usefulness is the last idol I am willing to part with—but the Lord will enable me to give even this up.”
The world says, “Be first.” God says, “The first will be last.” The world says, “Get all you can.” God says, “Give to the poor.” The world says, “Grow up fast.” God says, “Be like a little child.” The world says, “Look out for yourself.” God says, “Consider others first.” The world says, “Fight for your rights.” God says, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” The world says, “Power and prestige.” God says, “Submission and servanthood.” The world says, “Say like it is.” God says, “Speak the truth in love.” The world says, “Justice, revenge, hate.” God says, “Mercy, forgiveness and love.” The world says, “No justice no peace.” God says, “With peace come justice.” The world says, “Image is everything.” God says, “You are made in His image.” The world says, “Live like no tomorrow.” God says, “Live in eternity.” The world says, “Be the king of your world.” God says, “Jesus is the king.” The world says, “Entertain me.” God says, “Worship me.” The world says, “Find your own way.” God says, “I am the way.” The world says, “Truth is relative.” God says, “I am the truth.”
Happiness and Joy
Happiness is changeable
Joy is unchanging
Happiness can be stolen by the smallest thing
Joy safe
Happiness is cosmetic
Joy is character
Happiness is external
Joy is from within
Happiness satisfies the surface
Joy satisfies the deepest needs
Happiness show the temperature
Joy regulates the temperature
Happiness disappears in suffering
Joy frequently increases in suffering
Happiness is a good thing
Joy is better
Happiness is strengthened when you have joy
In bad times it is hard to have happiness
In bad times the joy of God is acutely known
Happiness is not present in the darkness of difficulty
Joy never leaves us without a light
Joy is not an idea
Joy is not a decision
Joy is not an emotion
Joy is an inner assurance
Joy is in the soul and not in the body
Joy can be in tears
Even if you look closely, peering into the depths of who we are, we will never know our size. Our perception is always flawed by self-expectations. You and I are much more marvelous, much more important, much more consistently creative than we will ever know or even admit. We do not credit ourselves with the things and events of which we are the central figure. Our own flawed window keeps us from seeing our own personal worth. We are blind to our gifts. We become deaf to our own voice. We don’t hear our self-magnitude.
Our blurry image of self is so unrecognizable that we become dependent upon the assessment of others. Assurance of worth seems to be delegated to everyone but ourselves. These others seem only to see our imperfections and our weakness. Every personal accomplishment is seen as an opportunity for the world to pick it apart. We become so encapsulated in the lint picking opinions of everyone else, we shun any effort that could be construed as being good in the fear of not living up to the expectation of perfection of our detractors.
We must be more than what others see. We must dig deep into a realistic view of who we are; to allow ourselves to say, “that was good”.
Being creative is like that. Writing is like that. Life is like that. Worship is like that. Relationship is like that.
Where have the years gone? I sit here in my office. It is a place of study, writing, devotion and occasionally my granddaughter’s computer game room. I contemplate my life and wonder if all the ups and downs of my life really mean much. Jobs have come and gone: from a janitor to an information technologist, from a meat cutter to a minister and a technical writer to a project manager. Jobs that could well range from a gritty endurance to pure joy. Travel to special places and not so special are a part of my history. Formal education entitles me to put a few letters after my name. Fifty years of marriage, three kids and now two grandchildren make up my family. I have suffered market crashes and car accidents. I have relocated to Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and now make my home in California. There have been times of laughter, sadness, boredom, excitement, pain, dwindling health, and disappointment. If there is one constant in my life it has been continual change. But now, here in my office, there seems to be an accepted permanence. It affords me time to write more often in this blog, write my second historical fiction, create Bible studies for men’s ministries, create videos for those who would ask. But change is inevitable. It has been said there are but two constants in life: death and taxes. Sitting here reflecting on life I must disagree. Looking through my life the only relentless constant is God. It matters little if I have followed him every minute of every day or had some low points, God is still present in those times. I could have done better. I have failed to live up to my own expectations. But through it all God has been there. There has been special standing on the mountaintop type of moments where all is well. Conversely, I have dived the depths of the slough of despond. But God has been there. God has been my constant companion. Even when I did not realize it. His grace covered me and this love has guarded me. It was Paul who said, “ In all the vicissitudes of life—every mountain-top moment and every lonely valley—God has been my constant helper. His presence has comforted me; His grace has covered me; His love has guarded me. If I have learned anything, it is that we should live with an eternal perspective. If we seek happiness in this life only, we will miss the eternal prize. Paul, by inspiration, says it best: “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” (Acts 20:24 ESV). Again from Corinthians, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” In the meantimeI plod along doing what I can and pressing toward the mark. I invite you on my journey. Just Larry.
I am bald. For some, you could say I am follically challenged. Hence, I have had literally hundreds of hats all purchased or give to me with one purpose: to protect my bare head. Some were plain, others with a message attached. One of these hats broadcast a leadership style. That red and white hat had two bills. One bill pointing in one direction and another pointing another. And on the cap was boldly written, “I’m their leader which way did they go?” I would think this cap was given as a joke because I have never one to stand back and let others lead. I am the John Wayne type of person who is quiet, and unassuming until there is a crisis. When things go wrong, I block everything out, even who is to blame and come to a quick decision. And come what may, I stick to my decision without wavering. The problem is that haunts this type of leader is the lack of company. This character is tragically and painfully alone. Their silence and their inability to let others own part of the solution is isolating. In today’s socially acceptable world we of the John Wayne set, living in our isolation want so much to be accepted volitionally try to restrain ourselves. So not only are we isolated, we now become withdrawn and reactionary only to the big things. It becomes an exhibition of “Silent Strength.” This attitude becomes so silent that decisions are reserved for when the house is burning down and everything else is left to others. And we live in a quiet desperation. Men have allowed themselves to be trapped in their own inner lives. Silent strength often becomes quiet desperation. We endure an inner shame when we don’t have an answer. We are frustrated by simple choices. “Honey do you want beef or chicken tonight?” “It doesn’t matter.” The society around us has made its business to push men into this quiet desperation for generations. We must be politically correct. We must allow our spouses their say without constraint. We must be the strong silent type, enduring all, accepting all and with a small upturned smile as we cope. “When Momma is happy, everyone is happy.” So, what is the solution? As I read the Bible to find guidance and direction, I discover we are to be leaders to our families, love our wives, disciple our kids, serve the church, and spread the gospel along with a thousand other things. It is simply overwhelming. As each new wave of frustration, anxiety, and compliance folds over, it becomes easier and easier to just give up the reigns that God desires of us to hold tightly to. It is all about individual decisions. Christian men need to set their decision making not based upon people’s expectations but upon God’s expectations. I am working on a Bible study based on the path set before men. It is how to make the right decisions in love and caring. It is how to renew the place of men in God’s plans. It is based on four maxims and each must have its proper place: Christian decision making is first compassionate to people. Decision making always is one of relationship over things. Your family is more important than anything you may own, want or crave.
Christian decisions are always about head knowledge and logic. It is not something you just do because your emotion or your heart says it is good. A person’s heart is the most fickle part of our lives and should not be trusted. This decision maxim is intellect over emotion.
Christian decisions are always about joy and not about happiness. Happiness is a temporary thing. Happiness comes and goes with the latest thing, place or substance. Joy is something that comes from within the inner soul. Happiness is usually associated with something outside trying to fill a gap in the soul.
Christian choice is always based on the future. It is not based upon the past. Sure you may have well failed at something, never-the-less it is not a determining reason for not trying again. There is always redemption. We must always strive to better than our past.
How do we become the person God wants us to be? How can we be the confident decision-makers in our homes? First, we must pray. Prayer is not an easy thing for most men because it is not natural to acknowledge something that is smarter, stronger and more intelligent than ourselves. Men must just start a conversation with God. To yield up to as much of God we understand and start a dialog. Second, we need to start a regular Bible reading plan. Make it a habit to set aside at least 5 minutes for only reading your Bible. God will start to reveal His will for you and your family. Next, go and find someone to meet with. Find another guy with whom you can have an honest conversation. This can be hard, but are we too scared to reach out to another guy and acknowledge that we are all struggling with something? Finally, it is never too late to start leading. The world wants you to feel like you’ve already blown your chance to lead, or that no one will take you seriously, but this isn’t the case. Take a few minutes to write down the areas in your life where you would like to start leading. The bottom line is this: It is NOT too late to start leading. Ask the Lord to show you the way and just start leading.
