Laced With Grace

As a young child, I can remember when watching television was very easy and uncomplicated. We had three local channels to choose from and then there was the educational channel where you could find Sesame Street and Mister Rogers. Sometimes the reception would get fuzzy, but all we had to do was adjust the rabbit ears on top of the TV box.

Later on, when I was in my teens, I remember getting a little box for the top of our tv and BOY did that box change things. What was the change? Network Television or what we know today as CABLE TELEVISION.

You know what I am talking about…the premium cable package meant that with a remote in your hand, you were armed and ready for action! You no longer had to choose between local news, Mork and Mindy, Sesame Street and The Price is Right …. NOW you can surf channels such as sports, movies, news, weather, music videos, animals, history, travel, home shopping network and the food channel! Sometimes, it can be overwhelming with all of the options to choose from.

Better than the network of cable, we have another source of a premium package to choose from. The Bible contains everything that we need to face life: information on relationships, guidelines for money management, what to do about temptation, lists of things to do and not to do, etc. But so many times, we get overwhelmed and we simply do not know where to even start when it comes to reading the Bible.

2 TIMOTHY 3:17 “By using Scripture, (God’s people) can be completely prepared to do every good thing.”

The Bible is not a crash course in life; but what it is, is a conversation with God. God will speak to you thru His Word. If you are having a hard time with daily Bible Reading … just pick up the Word, seek out some discipling guidance and just plunge in!

It’s kind of like having that remote…there are many choices to choose from for study. You may choose a topical study, or a book study, or a bible character study. You may want to just begin reading the New Testament or the Old Testament or begin reading the Bible thru in one year.

It really doesn’t matter what scripture network you land on … the important thing is that you spend time in His Word and it is then that His Word will become alive and live within you.

HEBREWS 4:12 “The Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing the soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

WHAT KIND OF A SCRIPTURE NETWORK ARE YOU PLUGGED INTO?

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I was huffing and puffing as I ran up the hill. With the end of the sidewalk in view I said to myself, This is it. I am not going to turn around and run this path again. I am tired and I am ready to quit. Running is over for today.

Just the night before, I had decided to increase the length of my run by turning around and doubling up on the last section. I would be improving my distance by about half a mile and thought that was a good interval to add to my course. I had reasoned it through, psyched myself up about the increase, and was already congratulating myself for pushing my limits.

However, the path on which I was running is comprised of two hills with a “valley” in the middle. And as I was running up the longer of the two hills, thinking about my tired legs and heavy breathing, I was sure I couldn’t run another half mile. Running up hill takes quite a lot of effort and the thought of going further was daunting. Maybe the additional distance seemed a good idea the night before, when I was only thinking about it. But at the moment – in the midst of the run – I did not want to do it.

Have you ever been where I was? Maybe not by my house. Not necessarily running. But have you ever faced a hill? Have you been in a situation where you had intentions of doing one thing, yet found yourself ready to change your mind mid-course because the journey seemed too hard?

Perhaps you need to lose some weight and before you go out with your girlfriends you commit to not ordering an ice cream sundae. However, as you sit with them in the restaurant, looking at the menu and listening to the tasty treats they are planning to enjoy, suddenly abstaining from dessert seems too hard. Instead of sticking to your previous decision, maybe you begin contemplating which confection you are going to order.

It could be your relationship with a family member is strained. Though it isn’t completely your fault, you know you need to own up to your part. With a family function on the horizon, you consider the opportunity to apologize to this individual and seek reconciliation. You play the script over in your mind several times and carefully word your request for forgiveness. But when you’re all together, that family member says something offensive and you are ready to throw your apology out the window.

If you are married, you probably stood with your beloved at the altar of a church and pledged yourself to him “’til death do us part.” Yet as the years have passed, as life has changed and challenges have surfaced, you may find yourself contemplating and even discussing ending your marriage for good. Though once you thought divorce would never be an option, perhaps in the middle of the struggle it seems like the easiest choice.

The hills we encounter come in many forms.

When I made the decision to add a half mile to my running course, I expected to increase my endurance. I did not expect God to also enlarge my understanding. I was not planning on my physical training to be part of my spiritual training. But God’s ways are higher than ours and He had a lesson for me to learn. (I love that He doesn’t waste anything. Not even my exercising!)

While I pushed myself up the hill, I was ready to give in to my flesh and call it quits. I then realized that I cannot make a decision while I am running up hill. The time for me to make a decision is when I am thinking clearly. I can choose my actions when I am in a rational state of mind, but not when I am running up hill. Because when I am in the middle of a struggle, my first and strongest inclination is to give up. Being in a battle makes me want to quit. And when I quit? I lose.

I am sure it was the Holy Spirit calling me forward that day. He was encouraging me to press on and stick to the decision I made before I faced the hill. So I ran on. I prayed for strength. I repeated Scripture to myself. I thought, If I just had an ipod, this running wouldn’t be so painful. (Yes, I am a deep individual!) I realized God was teaching me a lesson on perseverance. And I won. Because I kept going.
How about you, my friend? I do not know the hill up which you are running today. It may be something as innocuous as losing a few extra pounds, or as life-altering as a crumbling marriage. Whatever the struggle you are facing, I pray you know with confidence Jesus is facing it with you. He is there. Beside you, behind you, and before you, and He will not leave you alone.

Call upon the Holy Spirit. He will help you.
Trust in the Father. He will guide you.
And, please, don’t make a decision while you’re running up hill.

Karen Hossink is a wife, mother, speaker and author. She and her husband, Brian, have three children: Elizabeth, Joshua and Matthew, and they make their home in Okemos, Michigan. Karen’s book, Confessions of an Irritable Mother, offers the hope that God uses the hard times in our lives to make us more like Jesus. Karen is a speaker for Speaking Thru Me Ministries, a fee-free event resource for churches. You can find more information about Karen at ‘Speaking Thru Me Ministries’ or her personal blog – ‘Surviving Motherhood’

Busy. Irritated. Frustrated. That’s how I feel. This month has been screaming by. So much going on, so little time. I feel like  I’m on one of those nauseating carnival rides. And not the one you love to ride over and over again. The ride I’m on makes you sick to your stomach. The one you swear you’ll never ride again.

I desire for my children to have a wonderful life. I really do. What parent doesn’t want that for their little ones? From playdates with friends, to birthday party invites and the demands of school and home. Yes, all are very good things. But sometimes we have to say “no” to the good, to free up time for God’s best.

I haven’t been saying “no” enough lately.

Once busyness becomes the norm, aggravation soon settles in. Short angry outbursts, irritable moods, and harsh looks exchanged. Before you know it, relationships feel the burden of a heavy heart. There is a scripture in the gospel of John I call to mind whenever I begin to feel the pressure of doing too much. “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” John 10:10a NKJV

The enemy of our souls has a master plan for children of the most high God. His first plan of attack is to distract by stealing our time. Busyness. His greatest weapon to get our eyes off of our God-given purpose in life. Once over-activity has begun, he kills our joy. Doing too much has a way of sucking all of the joy right out of our lives. And with no joy of the Lord, relationships soon die. Satan makes the death of our relationships his fatal blow.

After warning us of how the enemy works, Jesus then said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10b NKJV

Friends, our God wants us to live full and blessed lives. But, busy doesn’t always mean best or blessed. If you are feeling heavily burdened today, then something needs to be reevaluated.

Friends, your God-given purpose is your calling. If your married it’s your husband. If you’re a mom or grandma, it’s your children and grandchildren. Or maybe it’s your committment to your church ministry. Whatever the reason for your busyness, if it is of Him, if the Lord has called you to it, it will not be burdensome. Remember, His yoke is easy, and His burden light.

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV

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