Only One Thing
Going Deep
Do you own a rain poncho? I just don’t see the appeal. Who chooses that over an umbrella? Maybe if you're going backpacking? But that’s not much of a hobby here in the deep south since we can only stand to be outside a couple months a year. Maybe I’m hating on them too much since my only experience is with the cellophane thin ones you're forced to buy in prison. These were remarkably complicated to operate since the slightest tug and they would tear at the seams and fall to the floor in a heap. I remember using mine soon after I got to prison and talk about trial by fire…….it was raining cats and dogs that day. Turns out there is no “waiting till it slacks up” in prison. You go when they say go. After carefully donning this fragile protection I headed off towards work and soon noticed a serious design flaw, it only came to just above my knees! By the time I covered the two hundred yards to work I was soaked from the knees down and had most certainly developed other leaks since water was cascading down my back. Walking through that downpour in that sorry excuse for a poncho, it dawned on me that I had lost all control in my life!
It’s suffocating to realize that your life is not your own. In prison, you deny it for a while, then you fight it, but like fingernails on a chalkboard, you eventually accept it. It’s a painful path to walk. Most of us go through life earnestly trying to “make” things happen. We all think we can manage this thing, at least our own little portion of it.
But in truth, what do we really control?
It’s funny, the things we really want to control seem to be the things we have the least control over. I would love to control the future but that’s a non-starter, then there’s the weather, the stock market, the lottery, and if I can’t have any of that, what about other people? I wish I could make a compelling argument that I’d be good at it but the truth is, I struggle trying to control myself. I bet most of us say, do, or think something we wish we hadn’t every single day. It’s amazing that we can’t even control our own thoughts yet somehow we’ve convinced ourselves that we’re the best choice to run our own lives.
The closer I walk with God the sillier this concept of my control seems. Delusion comes to mind more so than control. Not surprising since my ability to deceive myself has always been one of my more formidable talents.
Clearly, I wasn’t very good at life management. Even when I presented a successful picture to the world, I had little of lasting value. At the top of the mountain I always wondered, “Is this all there is?” And therein lies the problem with me being in control, I can only supply myself with things of this world, and this world can be terribly fickle. It doesn’t take much, a job loss, a health downturn, a failure in business, a divorce, to take away the fickle “happiness” of this world.
We all desperately want control because we crave assurance and happiness, but they are beyond our power to attain. The things of this world will never be able to soothe troubles of the spirit.
I hope I’ve established that we’re not in control and it’s delusional to think otherwise....So how do we get to that place of assurance and happiness? First of all, you can be confidant that Jesus is in the happiness business. Maybe not exactly like we picture it but just look at the fact that the Bible uses some version of the word blessed over four hundred times. The Greek word for blessed means happy in the sense of internal bliss or joy. Doesn’t internal bliss have a nice ring to it? I know we’d all prefer God to wave a wand and make us happy but none of us would be worth a plugged nickel if He did.
Now, if you take the time and carefully look through your Bible you will find that being blessed does come with some caveats. You may not like them but hey, don’t shoot the messenger. But if you want internal bliss and concrete assurance, this is the way to get it. No need to wait for someone to explain this from a pulpit, it’s all right there in your Bible.
This is how it works with me…….As a follower of Christ, when I’ve found myself unhappy and feeling uncertain, it seems to boil down to one of two reasons.
First of all, since happiness and assurance are the Holy Spirit's work and He’s got to be active in your life. They are a gift, not to be enjoyed by a disobedient believer. I’ve found that particularly my sense of security is dependent on my obedience. When my obedience is in line I feel completely assured that God’s got it and I’m able to confidently approach His throne claiming all the promises He’s made me in the Bible.
“All who love me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home in them.”
John 14:23
Let us approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:16
But I can tell you, if you're living in willful disobedience, it’s going to get ugly. I have been there and done that! Drawing on my considerable experience in disobedience, I beg you, get on your knees and repent. Right now! God’s discipline for willful disobedience is dreadful. Sometimes it’s things like…you know, prison!
The second reason goes hand in hand with the first and most of the time if you're doing one, you're doing the other. You have to remember that the devil is always hot on your heels and the only way to stay ahead of him is to live next to Jesus.
There is hardly a better way of staying close to Jesus than practicing Christian disciplines. Told you we were going deep! If you want to grow in your faith and become intimate with God, some things are really not negotiable. There are lots of Christian disciplines to choose from but here are a few that for me are indispensable.
Read the Bible. It’s simply not an option if you would gain assurance. As Charles Spurgeon once said, “A Bible that’s falling apart is usually owned by somebody who isn’t.” I can’t explain the mechanics of it but trust me, daily Bible reading soothes your soul.
It may seem obvious, but pray. There is no way to overstate the importance of setting aside a time each day to pray, it cannot be left to chance. It’s got to be a daily habit. You may not believe it but a fifteen minute prayer every morning will most definitely affect your day. Honestly, I can’t afford not to pray every morning.
Be generous with your time and money. This is a matter of perspective, if you live by the truth that this all belongs to God and you are simply entrusted with some of it for a very short period of time, it will allow you to approach your time and money from a kingdom viewpoint. On a side note, from a strictly transactional standpoint, if you want more of either, be a good steward of what you have.
You're going to love this one…..fast. Stop, don’t close your email just yet! Listen, I know everybody gets kind of freaked out about doing without, but let me share a little something with you…….it’s not that bad. And it most definitely keeps your mind on God. In a previous post I told you how the BOP kept me in prison ten months longer than they should have and that during those months I experienced truly supernatural closeness to the Lord. I fasted of food and water one day a week for those ten months. Again, can’t explain the mechanics of it but know for sure it works.
All those things will help, but at times I still get all worked up about crazy stuff.
When this happens I take a moment and I think back to Martha and Mary in the tenth chapter of Luke. I so want to live with that childlike trust of Mary’s but sometimes the world gets on top of me and I find myself like Martha, worried and upset about everything. It’s Jesus’s statement to Martha that I tell myself……”Few things are needed - indeed only one.
In the end, you only need Him.
