Thanks for nothing!

There were a few of us waiting at a local business to receive service. Random strangers united by the inconvenience of not being helped immediately or efficiently. 
As the ineptness continued, one customer received service only to find a less than agreeable resolution. Annoyed and agitated, he ended his time there by saying, "THANKS FOR NOTHING!" and walked briskly out the door.

There was a part of me that could relate with his frustration, and sadly, I have been that guy at points in my life. There was another part of me that was frustrated by the way he treated the young adult worker. 
As I thought about the interaction (because I had time to do so while I waited), I was reminded how often I am just like this guy...when something does not go the way I want it to go or think it should go, my response is frustration and ingratitude. Thoughts become whispers, whispers become audible complaints, and complaints become vocalized in a way for all to hear.
Such thoughts and actions should bring about a level of conviction and shame for the self-centeredness I am embracing. 

How can I combat this unthankfulness? How can I practically live out 1 Thessalonians 5:18- (In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.)?
Here is what I committed to in my heart, and I believe it will help me during this month of Thanksgiving.
Prepare yourself...it is mind-blowing.

I am going to make a reminder on my phone for each day of November to pray for something or someone I do not like, that frustrates me, that annoys me, that is not changing, or that is beyond my control. 

"Wow, so proud of one of our pastors learning to do a rudimentary habit like praying about something or someone."
I hear that...I mean, I am going to thank God for it or them. 
I am going to focus on how to be a part of God's desire for it or them. 
I am going to ask the Spirit to peel back the layers of selfishness and deception I have towards it or them.
I am going to intentionally try to engage with it or them.
I am going to ask God to show me what is delightful about it or them.
I am going to ask God to grow His love in my mind for it or them.
I am going to ask the Spirit to show me how He is using it or them in a way I am not able to be used for His glory.
I am going to believe that God has incredible ways to use it or them beyond my frail and fickle understanding.
I am going to believe that it is, or they are, a tool to help uproot my lack of faith in God's goodness. 

Of course, expressing thanks in my prayer time is not new, but emphasizing a renewed and intentional practice towards that which might be a springboard for complaint or to be unthankful seems appropriate "self checkup.". 

How about you? What is your helpful tool, habit, or practice that forces you to reevaluate how you are viewing someone or something?
What do you do each day, throughout the day to help you pray about it and truly find "thanks in all things"?
Share your tip in the comments section if you are reading this on social media.

May God deliver us from a "THANKS FOR NOTHING" attitude towards Him due to what and who He allows into our lives.

Serving together,

Pastor Paul

Challenging Emotions

This week I had the opportunity to serve at a local high school for an event to promote unity and connectivity within the school. Volunteers from the community, the schools, and local churches all rallied together to help run this event. Throughout the day, students played games and took part in small group discussion activities. Each of the volunteers (including myself) got to manage a small group of students. Our goal was to connect with students and set an example of how to share about ourselves and listen respectfully. 

Through the event, we would often gather together and listen to the event leader's instructions about interacting with others and handling emotions. Each lesson gave some helpful pieces to managing emotions, yet I was struck by the ultimate futility of attempting to help someone else with their emotions or handle my own emotions through purely “secular” means. Without truth from scripture, each of us is enslaved by emotions. One form of this enslavement is having no control over our emotions. We simply lash out and respond to the world around us based on how we feel. “If I have a bad day, I am in a bad mood, and I will explode when someone pushes me over the limit.” The second form of enslavement is becoming a manager of emotions. “If I have a bad day, then I need to be encouraged by the people around me and have a self-care session; otherwise, I will explode.” Managing emotions has become much more common but still enslaves us to our emotions. I choose to cater to my emotions to avoid exploding. At the end of the day, I still don’t truly overcome negative emotions; I just drown them out. If my encouragement and coping mechanisms are removed, I am still going to lose control.

Scripture shares that there can be freedom from our emotions. A part of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5 is self-control. Believers no longer have to be slaves to their emotions. Do emotions still affect us? Absolutely. Do we still make mistakes and give in to our emotions? Absolutely. But is there a path beyond our emotional explosions? ABSOLUTELY. As believers, we also have a direct relationship with God. We no longer have to carry our emotions with us but can instead cast our burdens upon Christ and take up His rest and peace (Matt 11:28–30).

The second lesson of the day was focused on “lowering the water level.” Students were encouraged to share things about themselves that cannot be easily seen on the surface. Through this time of sharing, others were supposed to listen well and support those sharing but were not allowed to probe or give advice. Whatever was shared was only supposed to be validated, affirmed, and comforted. Much of this lesson is important and helpful. Being honest and open, turning to others for help, pursuing deep relationships, listening intentionally and caring for others, and creating a space to share are all very good things, but without further action, these aspects will not lead to true change or the ability to overcome current struggles. As Christians, we not only share our emotions and struggles; we also offer truth from Scripture and accountability to take steps toward change. “Lowering the water level” is necessary, but it is only the first step. 

We offer truth from Scripture because often our emotions and perception cloud our ability to recognize truth. As others share deeply, we may recognize that what they believe is not true. For example, if I were to share that I felt unloved and did not believe that anyone could ever love me, that perceived truth should not be affirmed by those around me. It is simply not true, and I would want my group to tell me so. I would want them to show me John 3:16, where Christ claims that God loves me. I would want them to share events in my life that show that I am loved by others. I would want them to correct my perspective so that I can overcome my emotions. 

Furthermore, we offer accountability to bring about lasting change. Without accountability, one can offer truth, but I would then be wholly responsible for implementing that truth into my life on my own. Yet, as I am sure we can all recognize, when we are left on our own, we often fail. Especially when a task is difficult or complex, accountability is an act of love. It is committing to walk beside someone who is struggling and carry their burden with them. This takes commitment from each person. The one who is struggling must openly and consistently allow the other to check in and help. The one who is helping must consistently and lovingly check in and offer the truth. When we can honestly share, we bring our emotions to the light. This step is necessary for finding truth and healing, but it is only one step. To truly overcome and find healing, we must continue to seek truth and accountability, and all of this must be done in submission to the Spirit of God and with the guidance of the truth of Scripture. 

I am so glad that these students were able to gather together and share. I do hope that Challenge Day can create a culture of unity and encouragement within their school. However, I also recognize that without the truth of the gospel and the love of Christ, we are all simply slaves to emotions simply trying to manage them so that we do not lose control. I pray that our members at Faith can be honest, seek truth, and accept accountability, and I pray that we can carry the hope and freedom offered in the gospel to a world that is desperately seeking it. 

Brother Tyler

The Assumption That Led To An Uncomfortable Sleep

As we prepared for Men’s Campout, I was excited to use my camping gear. Our vacation most years growing up took the form of a weeklong camping trip in Sierra National Park in California. I was excited to pitch the tent, roll out the sleeping bag, and enjoy all the quintessential camp experiences. As I prepared, Bro. Tyler mentioned that one thing he didn’t like about tent camping was the condensation on the inside of the tent which, because of my upbringing in a desert climate, was unfamiliar to me. I assumed that this was because of the wrong type of tent. I realized the validity of that statement when water dripped onto my face inside the tent. My assumption had been wrong.

In our lives, we can often allow our assumptions to guide us, rather than the reality of Biblical truth. How can assumptions harm us spiritually?

When we assume we know what’s best, we often stray from clear Biblical truth.

God has given us clear truth in His Word to help us understand how we ought to live within His eternal paradigm. However, our flesh is often convinced that we have a better way of doing things. “I know Scripture calls me to handle this situation this way, but if only you have experienced what I am experiencing right now.” Arrogant living often leads to behavior controlled by emotions and expectations rather than Biblical truth. When we assume to know better than God, we are battling to replace Him as the authority of our lives.

When we assume we are right, we often dismiss the wise counsel of those around us.

Damp Derek learned this the hard way last night. Instead of hearing wise counsel, making sure that it aligns with Scripture, and then applying it to our lives, many of us are quick to dismiss it, assuming we have it right. What a foolish way to live. Proverbs 12:15 states, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.” One of the great blessings of the church is the fact that we have a body of fellow believers to help us discern wise choices. We have pastors who care for us and who want to help us navigate life with clear Biblical teaching. Not every choice will have a chapter and verse, or require counsel. Please don’t call about what color shirt you should wear tomorrow to church. However, we should always be quick to seek counsel on big decisions, allowing Biblically-minded people to invest in us with Biblical truth. If we don’t, we can needlessly find ourselves in problematic situations that were easily avoided.

When we assume we can never recover, we miss out on the forgiveness and grace that Christ extends.

We mess up. All of us have. All of us will continue to do so. It is part of living in a sin-cursed world and a sin-cursed body. Yet, that does not mean that we do not have hope to make better choices and decisions tomorrow. We may have allowed our arrogance to really make a mess of a situation, or lead us into a stronghold of sin. God’s grace and mercy stand ready to help you. You may have made some decisions you regret not having received counsel for, or maybe counsel you ignored. God’s grace and mercy stand ready to help you. We receive forgiveness from God when we come to Him in repentance and humility, and we receive help to find victory in that area. It may not change the situation you are currently in or remove the consequences of sinful choices, but it does allow you to say, by God’s grace, I will pursue Biblical truth and righteous living moving forward, as best as I can in this imperfect body.

You don’t have to wake up wet in a tent to learn the lesson. We don’t have to allow our prideful assumptions to derail the spiritual life God desires for us.

Pastor Derek