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The Usefulness of Lament

The Usefulness of Lament

Adapted from Let Go of Unmet Expectations, Overcome Anxiety, and Discover Intimacy with God by Lauren and Michael McAfee

Lament. This word may be an unfamiliar concept to you, but in Scripture it shows up frequently. Old Testament scholars consider two-thirds of the book of Psalms to be psalms of lament. There is also a book of the Bible named Lamentations, which is a recorded memorial to the pain and confusion the Israelites felt following the destruction of their city and its fall to Babylon.

The point is that the Bible is no stranger to lament. Lament is the expression of grief and sorrow. Lament is the process by which a person can verbalize, express, or even moan about the pains that have brought grief into their life. Lament is a way to voice our confusion about God’s character and promises. Lament provides sacred dignity to our suffering.ii We can look to the psalmists, who spent a great deal of time reflecting on and expressing their grief, to be a model for us to remember the significance of the process of lament.

Lament exists because we live in a broken world, and processing our lament is necessary because God created us as emotional beings. We can recognize emotions as a good thing that can inform us, but emotions shouldn’t control us. Well stewarded emotions can play a helpful role in our lives, serving as a reminder of our humanity and of our capacity to love. When we see Jesus and his life on earth as both fully God yet fully man, we can observe the feelings that even Jesus felt. For example, Jesus expressed joy (Hebrews 12:2), sorrow (John 11:33–35), anger (Matthew 23:33), compassion (Matthew 9:20–22; John 8:1–11), empathy (John 4:1–11), and agony (Luke 22:42).

Jesus himself took time to express his emotional grief in the practice of lament. Days before his crucifixion, Jesus received word that his close friend Lazarus was very ill. Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha, were apparently friends who were more like family to Jesus, yet when the sisters sent word about their brother’s poor health, Jesus delayed in coming to see them. By the time he arrived, it was too late. Lazarus had died and Mary and Martha were in mourning.

Jesus, being God, already knew this. Jesus knew when he delayed coming that when he arrived, he would find Lazarus dead. Jesus knew that Martha would respond in anger and Mary in despair. Jesus taught that he was the resurrection and the life. Jesus knew that a few moments from now he would do the impossible and raise Lazarus from the dead. Yet to the surprise of those around him, Jesus responded with grief.

“Jesus wept,” John 11:35 reports. Because his friends were in pain, he cried.

The Bible shows us many examples of expressed lament as well as a Creator and heavenly Father who is willing to hear us out during our honest expressions of pain. Lament can be a prayerful proof of the relationship we have with God. Because when we turn toward God in our most painful moments, we welcome deeper intimacy with him.

One of the most comforting things for enduring seasons of grief is knowing that we are not alone. We have a Father in heaven who understands us. We have a Father who cares. Because of Christ’s life on earth, “we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Like us, God has grieved. Through his Son, Jesus, he has grieved. And because of this, we can feel more than confident in bringing our full emotional experience to him.

Consider Jesus’ life regarding how he experienced grief. Isaiah 53:3 says he was a “man of suffering, and familiar with pain.” As we saw in the account involving Lazarus, Jesus was in such a state of deep grief that he didn’t just cry, he wept.

If you’ve ever seen someone truly weep, then you know how intense it can be. Our Savior, Jesus, has been there. He understands intensity. Imagine Jesus in his full humanity, bent over, groaning with tears. And let the image compel you toward him, toward the one who truly understands.

We don’t honor God by ignoring or stuffing our emotions. As we follow Jesus’ example, we honor whom he created us to be. When we create space to express our sorrows both to God and to others in safe and loving relationships, we reflect the authenticity he possessed.

As we come to Jesus in authenticity, our level of intimacy with him is enriched. As we lay down the facade we’ve been hiding behind, we allow him to make us whole.

Adapted from Beyond Our Control: Let Go of Unmet Expectations, Overcome Anxiety, and Discover Intimacy with God Copyright © 2023 by Lauren and Michael McAfee. Published by Thomas Nelson. Coming November 7, 2023, wherever books are sold.

Overcoming Fear of the Future

Overcoming Fear of the Future

Every turn of the new year can bring thoughts of the future. 2024 is going to be a year of so much change in my life, and I’m sure in many of your lives as well. I am a senior in college, graduating in May, and diving into the real world shortly after. I am reflecting on the past, looking to the future, and trying to stay motivated in the present. Wherever you are in your high school or college journey, at some point you’re going to face it: Senioritis.

Senioritis: “a supposed affliction of students in their final year of high school or college, categorized by a decline in motivation or performance”

As a senior in high school you might just be ready to go! Ready to go to college or ready to start working, ready to move, ready to start your new chapter of life, and feeling like senior year is going by way too slow! But cherish this time of your life. Cherish the season of growth you are in! Senior year might be the last time you get to live in the same city as your childhood friends, and it might be the last time that you get to live with your parents. Although everyone’s story is different, we can agree that finding motivation can be hard at times.

Finding motivation to keep giving 100%, when you know the next chapter of change is right around the corner, can be difficult, but we can find it in God!

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

We can find motivation to keep going because we know that this path we are on is for God’s glory, and he has placed us here in this moment for his good. Prayer is extremely powerful. Pray that God will give you the motivation that you need and that he will use you where you are.

As a senior in college, I find myself daydreaming about what my future holds. What will my job be? Where will I live? What kind of home will I live in? Will I have roommates? Will I still have friends if I move away? Who will I end up marrying? When will I get married? Will I have enough money to survive? All these things will end up CONSUMING me if I allow them to! God does not want us to live with this worry and anxiety.

Here are a few scriptures about worry and anxiety that I like to look back on when I am feeling overwhelmed about the future.

“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:31-34 (NIV)

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 (NIV)

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 (NIV)

When I get overwhelmed about the future, I also love this reminder about our emotions. 

Anxiety, fear, worry, and stress: all things that DO NOT come from God

Peace, hope, joy, and goodness: all things that DO come from God

When we are fearful, we are relying on our own abilities instead of relying on God for EVERY aspect of our lives. God has never failed us. But if we rely solely on ourselves, we are guaranteed to fail! Life doesn’t always end up exactly how WE planned it to be, and that is why we trust in HIM! The beauty of the gospel is that we will never be enough on our own, and that is why we need a perfect savior, why we need Jesus.

This year I want to focus on the good that God has for me in the present! It’s very easy to get off track, always thinking about the future and what I can’t wait for. For instance, I can’t wait to graduate, I can’t wait to get my own house, I can’t wait to get married. Instead, I want to enjoy the present moment in which God has placed me. Whether you are in a not-so-perfect job, annoyed with your roommates, in a state of singleness, struggling with tragedy or anything else that seems to be not going the way you thought it would, know that all things really do work together for His good. We can choose joy in every moment. Just like Paul says, “Rejoice in the Lord always”, and “In every circumstance give thanks”. Your present moments are preparing you for the future God has in store. The moments you can’t wait to get to will come in time, so enjoy all the wonderful blessings that are taking place right now. 

Jessica is a member of Team LO and a senior at LA Tech majoring in Graphic Design. She enjoys spending quality time with her friends and family and loves to use her creative side!

Keep up with Jess on Instagram @jessicaroserob

Arise and Shine

Arise and Shine

When you think about Christmas, what are some of the things you think of first?

I am taking a guess here, but odds are you think about Jesus, possibly family, possibly yummy food, and lights.

Have you ever paid attention to how many lights are lit up around Christmas time? There are lights on houses, lights on trees, and lights even on cars! December 1st hits and lights begin to shine everywhere. We plan outings with friends and family just to go and see the lights, whether that be in a neighborhood, at a park, or in a parade.

Why is it that the entire world is drawn to lights at Christmas? 

When you are looking at them, they leave you feeling this sense of awe that is hard to describe. You become filled with hope, and they bring immense joy. What once was dark, is now light, and not only that, everything around it is affected by it because what wasn’t visible, now is.

As a pediatric nurse, I work in a very dark place. Hospitals aren’t necessarily “happy” or “light-giving” places. Day in and day out, as nurses we see things that are very hard to see. We are there for families in their most vulnerable state and darkest times.

A few years ago when I was working the night shift, it was a cold December night, and I was taking care of a patient who had been through something so heartbreaking that their body became impaired in more ways than one. I had taken care of them often, but on this specific night, they called me into their room because they were feeling anxious. So many thoughts and feelings were flooding their mind and they were having trouble falling asleep.

I asked them if there was anything specific I could do to help them feel a little bit better. They asked me, “Would you massage my head?”

I said, “Sure!”

I began to massage their head and in my mind was praying for their anxious thoughts to cease.

As I stopped praying and I looked up, I saw that there was a small Christmas tree that they had plugged in the corner of the room. It brought me joy as I was staring at it, and I began to notice how this small little tree brought so much light to the dark room. Not only that, but it made the things around it visible. I felt the Lord whisper to me at that moment, “The closer you are to Me, the brighter I shine through you.”

The Lord was showing me that just like this Christmas tree lights up the things around it, the closer we are to Him, the brighter we shine for Him. His light is always within us, but when we draw near to Him, His light becomes more visible to others. As I was drawing near to the Lord in that moment which was really hard, He showed me that His light was shining through to this patient who needed His light desperately.

While the lights at Christmas are so amazing, and what they make us feel is very special, what this world needs more right now than the hope we feel looking at Christmas lights, is the true hope that is in the Light of the world. 

And I want to let you in on a truth that the enemy makes us most often forget: The Light of the world lives in YOU. 

 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 NIV

The Lord wants to use you to shine His light into this dark world that so desperately needs it. And it’s not that you do any shining of your own, in fact, it’s quite the opposite! It’s letting the light of Christ shine through you in all that you do. And in order for that to happen, we must let the Holy Spirit transform us into His likeness like we are promised He will do.

“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV

When we draw near to the Lord, He promises to draw near to us. He is always near to us, it’s our choice to also draw near or to keep a distance. The closer we draw to The Light of the world, the more visible His light becomes to those around us as we begin to look more and more like Him.

“Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.” James 4:8 ESV

Drawing near to Jesus can look like: Reading the Bible, sitting in God’s presence, spending time in prayer, plugging into a Christ-centered community, sitting in wonder of creation, and spending time in worship.

Incorporating those things in the list above in my own life has brought me to encounter the Holy Spirit in such beautiful ways. I have confidence that if you begin to do one or a few daily, weekly, or even monthly, you will also begin to be transformed by the Holy Spirit. 

When we look at the story of when Moses went up to Mount Sinai the second time to re-make the Ten Commandments, it says:

“When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him.” Exodus 34-29-30 NIV

Moses’s face was radiant from simply speaking to the Lord. 

My friend, whenever you do anything with the Lord, you become radiant. 

As we finish out this year and the Christmas season, would we be like Moses after he spoke with the Lord on Mount Sinai–beaming with light so bright because we simply have spent time with Jesus.

Allyson Golden is the creator of the online ministry Words Are Golden, where she champions women in their faith. A pediatric nurse, Allyson also runs an online community for women called She Who Speaks Light and is the author of the inspirational journal Words Are Golden. Her new book Arise and Shine, which this blog post was inspired from, releases on February 20th, 2024. She is currently enrolled in seminary to obtain her master of biblical and theological studies degree. Allyson and her husband, Michael, partner in ministry at their local church in San Diego.

What If You Don’t Feel Content?

What If You Don’t Feel Content?

The idea of contentment gets thrown around a lot in Christian circles. If I’m honest, sometimes I get squirmy with the word contentment. Maybe it’s because when I was single, well-meaning people liked to tell me, “You’ll meet someone once you’re truly content.” Or maybe it’s because, single or not, this contentment thing has always felt like an impossible game to win.

At times I’ve assumed, If I want something, I won’t get it. But if I don’t want something, then I will get it. I feel like I have to try to manipulate my contentment. If I don’t want it or if I’m truly content, maybe then God will give it to me.

Whether I’m longing for a new season, an exciting change, or something deeper, I try to make myself not want it because I’ve come to believe that’s what contentment is all about.

Maybe you’ve been in a similar situation. You’ve tried to make yourself not want something you deeply desire because you think not wanting it will lead to contentment with what you currently have. But I think we’ve missed something important: Desire and contentment are not mutually exclusive.

Longing for something doesn’t mean never finding rest for your soul.

If I were to define contentment, I’d say: Contentment is an inward trust that God is both good and in control of my life, even when I wish my outward circumstances were different.

In Philippians 4, Paul tells us he learned the secret of contentment, and it’s a little unexpected: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:12-13).

Desire and contentment are not mutually exclusive.

But how we act on our desires is important. Here are a few questions to ask yourself today to see if you are letting your desires dictate your contentment:

Are you letting your desires lead you to sin? (James 1:4)

Are you letting your desires hinder your relationships? (Colossians 3:5)

Are you letting your desires move you closer to God or further away from Him? (Galatians 5:16)

What’s the secret then? To deny our needs and wants? No, Paul didn’t fake his contentment. Nor did he find it because his circumstances were perfect. The contentment he found only came from Christ, not his own strength.

Even this sounds a little elusive. How do we find contentment in Christ?

I don’t know about you, but I love to think I can do things in my own strength. But I’m not as strong as I think I am. Try as I might, I can’t muster up my own contentment.

Contentment means living in God’s fullness, which means contentment is possible because it’s independent of our circumstances.

If you’re like me and wrestle with this, the Bible offers us practical ways to be content in our wanting. We can:

Fix our thoughts on godly things. (Philippians 4:8)

Remember what God has already done. (Psalm 103:1)

Talk to God; ask for what we want and seek His will in prayer. (Matthew 7:7-12)

Contentment means living in God’s fullness, which means contentment is possible because it’s independent of our circumstances.

We love verses like Ephesians 3:20: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”

Immeasurably more than all I can ask or imagine? Sign me up! I’d be super content with that. But the “immeasurably more” isn’t found in my life looking the way I want it to.

God’s fullness looks like verses 14-19:

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

God cares more about our internal being than our external circumstances. Note what Paul calls the fullness of God: strength in your inner being, Christ dwelling in you, rooted and established in love, to grasp the love of Christ, to know his love.

God’s fullness does not change. He is “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

But this doesn’t mean we won’t still have desires. You can be content in Christ and still want something to be different.

Even when we finally get that one big thing we desired for so long, it won’t be long before we want something else.

In fact, I don’t know if we can truly be without desire and totally content this side of heaven. As long as we are alive, we are waiting for Jesus to come make all things new. Our longing for something more isn’t going to go away. But we can trust the Holy Spirit to help us experience contentment, regardless of our circumstances.

You can be content being single and still desire to be married.

You can be content in your job and still desire another one.

You can be content with a newborn and still desire to sleep more.

You can be content in whatever season you are in and still desire for something to be different.

Your longing for more is a good, eternal desire. Those desires move us to lean on the strength that comes from Christ. Who gives us everything we need to live fully right in the middle of our wanting today.

Meghan Ryan is an author and hype girl for people getting out of their comfort zones so they don’t miss the best part of life. A Florida beach girl born and raised, she currently lives in Nashville, TN and works as the Promotional Copy Writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries. Her passion is for helping people find and live out their God-given callings. She’s worked in ministry on college campuses and internationally. When she’s not surrounded by friends, you can usually find her reading a book, doing something outdoors or teaching a Pure Barre class. Her first book releases in 2024 and you can connect with her on Instagram @meghanmryan and at alwaysmeghan.com.

What is the Reason for the Season?

What is the Reason for the Season?

This phrase bounces around the Christian culture this time of year. It’s the question nearly every Christmas movie silently asks as it depicts the main character focusing for the entirety of the movie on something other than what truly matters—missing the joy of Christmas until the last 15 minutes. The answer to this Christmas struggle varies in each movie, but we know the answer point blank: Jesus. And yet, perhaps this answer oversimplifies the most beautiful story ever born. He’s the reason we celebrate the season—because He loved us enough to come. But this still begs the question: why did we need him to come? What was the original reason for the season?

The answer is not found in Luke 2, though the beautiful display of God’s love culminates there in those passages, but in order for that baby lying in a manger to hold the power that indeed holds, we have to recognize and understand the before. If this was a movie, we’d have to flashback to the beginning. Yes, the very beginning.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were created through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.”

(John 1:1-3, ESV)

This Word that was there, existing and needing nothing, this Word in which everything that was ever made was created through, this is Jesus. Sometimes we picture him as entering the scene for the very first time in that manger, but that’s not the case, and it truly does change the story. A baby has no control over when he is born or where he is born, but the God of the universe that created that universe and has been rejected and betrayed by those in that universe over and over still to this day? He has every choice, power, and right to not show up. Yet, we know He did.

You know those shows or books when you find out that all along this person truly had this other identity or motive? When you find out, every scene that’s happened before it shifts on its axis. I have to immediately go back and watch or re-read with the knowledge, because now I’m in on the secret. Now, I can go back and look at it with different eyes and read it with the secret identity’s point of view. Everything they did, walked through, heard, sacrificed, for the sake of all leading up to this moment. This story incites that same excitement for me. Jesus was there in the beginning all along—and we have to run back and read it with that in the forefront of our minds.

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

(Genesis 1:1-2, ESV)

He was there. Amidst the unformed chaos of what could be. In that moment with darkness and potential mingling together—the potential only existing because He did. So it began. As God began to create, He spoke each creature and creation into existence. As He spoke, the Word was there—and each thing was created through Him. Man, I wish I could know the emotions and the feeling as they created. It’s something I want to ask one day. What was it like?? They move through the days creating light, land, structure, stars, order, gravity, birds, fish, animals of all kinds. It was beauty formed and life given, and we see the heart of the Father in it. Jordan Raynor once said that before we learn anything else about God, “the first thing God shows us is that He is creative.”

And then the sixth day comes—the day of man.

“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heaven and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in his image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

(Genesis 1:26-27; ESV)

After this, the Lord blesses them, and then He ends the day calling it very good. Jesus was there, creating, blessing, and loving. He was there calling mankind very good. And we know what’s coming—sin enters the world at our choice, we reach outside of his presence and good limit. Consequences unfold, the biggest being the separation that now stains the once perfect communion we had with the God of the garden who walked and talked with His people. And I always say that as a young person, I pictured the scene of this playing out a little differently than it actually did. I pictured God giving each their consequence and then pointing them towards the door of the garden He’d created for them, since they were no longer fit to dwell there. That was not the reason though.

“Then the Lord said, ‘Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—’ therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:22-24; ESV)

The tree of life was fine and permissible before the fall of man. It gave eternal life, but only just. Once sin had entered the story, it would still offer eternal life, but it never offered any justification for sins. It would be living forever just as they were. This was fine before, but now they needed a Savior to cover their sins first. He forced them out not as punishment, but as protection. He removed them so He could bring us something better.

God holds all knowledge which includes foreknowledge. So, though he cannot be surprised by what happened, while He knew in the beginning what would be necessary, I believe it is with this very act that the greatest story ever born was set into motion. Now, eternal life must come in a different form—yes with the component to never die, but now with redemption and grace enough to cover all of our sins. It must bring wholeness without blemish so we could once again walk and talk in communion with God. I think in that moment, heaven begins to prepare for the unimaginable. It brings me chills to think about. In just the right time, the Creator will have to become creation.

We celebrate this season with gifts, and though we say things like, “it’s the thought that counts,” it’s really not, is it? Because if I receive a nice gift from a billionaire, it’s nice. It really is— I’d appreciate it. But there’s something to be said about a friend or family member saving up to buy me that same gift. While I don’t require that, we have to admit, it is more moving because it required sacrifice. And sacrifice speaks love, because they had to give up something in order to gift to me. What could God, the all-powerful Creator of the world, whose economy lacks no thing and whose government controls the changing of the seasons and the principles of physics? What could He possibly sacrifice to show love when it costs Him nothing to create the world in 6 days? Himself. He chose to give Himself to cover the debts we could never cover and to redeem a world that rejected Him beginning with that one fruit and many times over since.

He truly did not have to, and yet he did. So, when I read the Christmas story, and I realize the sacrifice He made to even come, I recognize the significance and the awe of that one night in Bethlehem. He came to us since we could no longer fully reach Him. His death was coming, but His birth was His promise of what was to come.

With that in mind, read these words that the angels spoke to the shepherds that very night. It wasn’t flippant. It isn’t cliché. They were there at the fall, they were there guarding the door, and they’ve seen all the waiting and preparation from heaven as earth awaited its king for hundreds of years. The moment is finally here—He has come. And while the world does not yet know what He knows, it will never be the same.

“And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.’”

(Luke 2:10-14; ESV)

This is the season we celebrate God of creation giving the most priceless gift He could ever give to the greatest need we could ever have. Jesus is the reason we celebrate this season, but the reason He came was because you needed Him to. And He loved you enough to do that.

Merry Christmas, friend. Jesus loves you, truly more than you could ever imagine—sit in awe of Him today.

Hallie Dye is a wife of twelve years and a mom to three kids in North Louisiana. She is host of the Saltworks Podcast which is committed to sharing everyday people’s incredible stories of faith one Tuesday at a time. As a small group teacher, writer, and soon-to-be author, Hallie is passionate about encouraging people in the church to walk in obedience and live boldly for Christ in their corners of the world no matter their situation, occupation, background, or life stage. When she isn’t studying or writing, you can find her spending time with family and friends or reading fiction before bed.

Back to the Basics

Back to the Basics

“I have learned to hold all things loosely, so God will not have to pry them out of my hands.Corrie Ten Boom

Materialism. Something I would argue to be one of my biggest sin struggles. What is it about this sin in particular that takes my eyes off Jesus so easily? I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the root of this struggle and I think I’ve come to somewhat of a conclusion. We live in a world where everyone has material things which is normal, of course. I’ve got plenty of my own. But where my struggle comes in is when I begin feeling like I need to play catch-up with everyone else. “Wait that looks SO cute on her, I want that!” “Oh, this is what’s trending, I’ve got to get it!” “If I can just get this one thing, I’ll be satisfied!”

And in today’s society, when so many people are fixated on the same worldly things, it’s easy to feel like whatever we’re doing is okay, good or bad. Like we’re safe to continue doing what we’re doing because other people around us claim to be believers and are doing the same things. But the danger in this is that when it turns into a chain reaction and everyone starts feeling like it’s all “okay”, there’s no-one around to correct with Truth. And steadily, sin (of any kind) creeps in and becomes normalized. Now, more than ever, is the time for us to point back to Scripture in every decision we make and truly ask ourselves the cliché but insightful question, “what would Jesus do?” 

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with owning things. But when our main focus shifts from what satisfies Jesus to what satisfies us, our lives begin to reflect self-indulging culture, and our idea of our purpose on Earth gets skewed.

I often think about this scenario: What if there was no-one else on Earth except me and God? If there was no-one to impress or compete with. If there were no distractions from my sole purpose in life: glorifying Him. While I do know God intended for us to be in community and there is no likelihood for this scenario to ever occur, I find myself with the desire to live with this mentality. Pure joy. Obedient to whatever He asks of me. Not worrying about whatever “cool” thing the person next to me is doing or chasing after. No comparison and no insecurities. No distractions. And I have this urge to carry that joy, love, peace, patience, all the fruits to everyone around me. 

When I think about this scenario, I picture a specific place in my mind. It’s the place I’ve gone for years to just be with God. Something about this place brings about feelings of peace and serenity. When I’m there, it feels as if God is holding my hand and walking alongside me as I talk with Him. Let me be clear, God is omnipresent. He is in your car, your house, your workplace. Anywhere you go, He is with you. And we have access to Him wherever we go! But there’s something about seeking out a place that’s special to just you and Him. For me, it was a game changer. There’s nothing else I associate my special place with other than God. I encourage you to do the same! Seek out a spot of your own to meet with Jesus, whether it’s a room in your house or a spot in your backyard!

James 5 has been on my heart recently and I can’t seem to get it out of my head. 

“Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! … You have lived on Earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourself in the day of slaughter.” (James 5:1-3,5) 

It might sound a bit harsh, but sometimes I, personally, think I need harsh correction to snap me out of the disillusionment that worldly possessions are our source of fulfillment. 

But when I sit in the silence with Jesus, and everything else fades away, I’m reminded that nothing in this world rivals the beauty and glory of our Savior. 

My pastor and his wife spent this past Sunday’s sermon discussing the little details of the Christmas story that are often overlooked. A baby, our Savior, entered this world, not in a fancy or ornate way. But in a manger. And He did it so personally. Because He’s such a personal God. He came to Earth knowing every flaw and every imperfection, every sin and every mistake we’d ever make. And He still chose love. He still chose the cross. He still chose you. 

He loves us in spite of our mistakes, even when we do fall short and take more delight in the things of this world than the things of Him. But when we fall, we get up, and run back to Him, because He’s waiting with open arms.

I’m challenging myself to recognize the sin at the forefront of temptation. For instance, when I feel the urge to make an unnecessary purchase or indulge in the material things, I’m learning to think about how I could use that same money or resources to contribute to God’s Kingdom.

I’m reminded of the scripture: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

Materialistic things may seem temporarily fulfilling, but the satisfaction of Jesus is eternal. 

It can be a dangerous game when you find yourself debating if you “can” pay your tithes or not from a paycheck because there are other things you want to buy instead. I have found myself in that mindset more than I’d like to admit. But when I go back to what I know to be Truth, that everything I “own” has been God’s since before He ever loaned it to me, that He loves me beyond the worth of anything I could ever offer Him, there’s a shift in not just my actions, but my intentions and perspective. God wants us to give back to Him because we love Him. And when our minds stray to the wrong place, there are hearts will stray as well. But in the same way, when our minds shift to the right place, there our hearts will shift as well. 

“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)

What is it that when you sit in the silence with God with no distractions, you feel Him urging you to shift in your life? Ask God to show you through His Word or however He chooses, and then follow those convictions. We are a team running the same race toward Jesus. And one day, when we reach the finish line, we’ll see why the things of this world’s value were incomparable to what Jesus has for our eternity. 

I love you, friends! And I encourage you to keep running the race with endurance!

Elizabeth is a member of Team LO and is passionate about Jesus & writing! She enjoys spending time with her husband, Chaz, having coffee with friends, and helping lead worship at her church. 

Keep up with Elizabeth on Instagram @elizabethmtrichel

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