Raw Thoughts for the Holidays

I am realizing how much my family of origin lacked good, wholesome Christmas traditions, and one of the dysfunctions such dynamic has left me with is my struggle with “expectations” around the holidays. In the middle of my struggle I am welcoming the Spirit of God to speak to me so that I can honor Jesus through my thoughts, through my actions, and through my treasuring. 

Why do expectations tend to “ruin” the holidays for me? Because in a way expectations create certain realities I must conform to—at least that is a message I have often lived under for many years. Expectations often rob me from the opportunity to exercise both the freedom of the soul and the freedom that comes by living under the influence of the Spirit of God.

There are many things I enjoy about the holidays. The special foods, the emphasis on giving, the unifying spirit of a particular season, the decorations, the spiritual emphasis each holiday may afford, the thoughtfulness shared among human beings…..and yet, the expectation that all of this needs to happen in a few days or a day does not free me up to find unconventional ways to care, to give, to love, to rejoice.

Perhaps it is just me. How about you? What do you like about the holidays? What don’t you like about them? Feel free to use the comment box and share your own thoughts. What circumstances are currently overshadowing your holidays?

I am thankful that in the midst of my struggle God has already provided me with a verse from the book of Ecclesiastes that serves me as an orienting truth. Here is what King Solomon said in chapter 7 verse 14:

Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life. (New Living Translation)

You may be wondering what do holidays have to do with King Solomon’s words? I think a lot. It seems to me that the message is that God allows both prosperity (fulfilled expectations) and adversity (unfulfilled expectations) as a way of keeping us anchored in the right place—Him! I find it interesting that both prosperity and adversity can be a fertile environment for temptation. When things go well I may be tempted to treasure something other than God. When things are hard I may be tempted to treasure something other than God to bring about the realities I may be longing for. 

Prosperity and adversity are there to help us center our hearts on God rather than on a given circumstance.  

Are your expectations being met these holidays? Are holiday expectations getting in the way of other expectations you may have—like in my case? Let’s make sure we don’t put our hope in our circumstances but in God.

What perspective is God offering you around your personal struggles with the holidays? Please share!

—Diego Cuartas

*Please be advised that this blog represents the views, opinions and beliefs of the writer and does not necessarily reflect those of our church leadership or denominational affiliation.

Blessing-filled Boundaries

My family includes a one year old Goldendoodle named Luna.  As I write this morning, she lays sprawled out on the cot purchased for her by her grandparents. Yes, my parents bought her a cot like her human brother and sister.  

Luna is loved by many, but possibly none more than her nine year old brother Asher. Though they sometimes get into disagreements about what should be chewed, the two are the best of friends.  Weighing in at 50 pounds each, they are pretty evenly matched in tug-of-war matches. They both love the outdoors and playing tennis. One could also say that they have the same taste in shoes…well, sort of.  They look out for each other and want to go everywhere together. This desire to be together recently taught our family a great lesson about boundaries and blessings.

Luna has spent most of her time inside our house on one side of the first floor. With three baby gates and a length of fence, I feel we have provided boundaries that bless her with a great living environment. Her buddy Asher does not agree. He thinks his pup is ready for more freedom. When it comes to Luna, Asher keeps no record of wrongs and feels passionately that her life would be improved if she had greater access to all areas of the house, especially downstairs.  

Recently, I made the mistake of telling him, “If you and your sister can make sure to keep small toys out of the living room, Luna can come out here too.”  Without a word, Asher began scurrying around the living room picking up the red hungry hippo marble, lego wheel, and other oddities that he couldn’t seem to muster the energy to pick up all morning. As I rinsed dishes in the kitchen, I could hear the clickety-clack of baby gates being rearranged. I made it to the living room just in time to find the two little angels, boundary-less, watching TV together on the living room floor. I knew this fun would not last. Asher’s heart would break the next morning when he came downstairs and noticed that I had reassembled the gate and put her back in the “confinement area.”

As Asher sometimes disagrees with the boundaries I set for him and Luna, I have sometimes disagreed with the boundaries set for me by God. Adam and Eve had the same problem in the garden. With His word, God limited their access to the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God’s limit was to keep man within His presence and within the boundaries of all that was good. Satan used this limit to slander the heart of God. He encouraged Adam and Eve to step out of God’s boundaries, promising greater blessing. He was successful at getting both to believe the lie that God’s limits are sometimes unloving and unwise. He hid the truth that God is good; therefore, so are His boundaries for us.

I am sure Luna questions her boundaries. It must be confusing to be encouraged to chew a smelly furry groundhog toy but not an equally smelly cleaning rag. She must sometimes feel unloved when she is not allowed to drink out of the bowl in our bathroom. Perspective on boundaries comes from knowing the heart of the one by whom they were established. Trusting the heart of God leads to rejoicing within His boundaries.  In Psalm 16 David writes,

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

    surely I have a delightful inheritance.

I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;

    even at night my heart instructs me.

I keep my eyes always on the Lord.

    With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Where do we get our boundaries?  Are they from our parents? Government? Friends? What feels right? Satan?  

Today, may we rejoice with David in the Lord’s boundaries. May we be thankful that He has communicated boundaries in His Word. His boundary lines are good for us, even when they seem to limit us.

When we step out of His boundaries and find ourselves lost and unsatisfied, may we remember He has provided us a way to get back into His presence and within the blessing-filled boundary. Bound to Christ alone, we will find the greatest blessing.

May we choose this day who we will serve. Jesus tells us,

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” - John 14:6

“Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.” - John 12:26

—Roger Garrison

Sometimes It Just Happens

Sometimes it just happens. I am in the middle of an absolutely beautiful, enjoying the ride, loving the view, kind of day, and the storm clouds crash in with rains that beat against by spirit. My anxiety tries to crescendo and my soul presses against the reigns of my spirit in an attempt to gallop off in panicked flight.

In those times, my reactions determine many things in a moment. War or peace scramble to invade my inner atmosphere. Today, it’s not even six in the morning and I’ve already cycled through this familiar scenario- three times! Peace is so much better than war. 

I didn’t even make coffee yet. 

What I’ve also noticed is that something beautiful is simultaneously going on when the thought storms hit. In the rains assailing my soul, there is peace for the having. This peace comes in a song, a scripture, a memory of a person or a time when Father’s grace became clearer for a moment. It is gossamer grace, fragile as a butterfly but sturdy as iron. The smallest whisper sent to brace my soul with His presence and truth if I would give it an opportunity to land on my heart.

The psalmist wrote simply of this process. Grasping the grace of presence and promise, David wrote:

“Hear my cry, O God;
    listen to my prayer.

From the ends of the earth, I call to you,
    I call as my heart grows faint;
    lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For you have been my refuge,
    a strong tower against the foe.

I long to dwell in your tent forever
    and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
For you, God, have heard my vows;
    you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.”

Psalm 61.1-5 NIV 

This may be one of those days when my circuits scream that I am overloaded, and things come at me with major storm intensity. While my inner man longs and trusts for the sun to shine on my face once again, I will take the thought storms on, one by one, keep them from bunching together, and look for the path where grace flitters and gently leads me to the rock that is higher than I. There the light of His promised love shines brightly no matter what arises, and I find a strength strong enough for today and beyond.

[If you want to learn more of how to grasp the grace of God in the middle of your storms, there are people at LFA who would be happy to share what we’ve learned along the way - just drop an email to let me know you would like to learn more about holding on to the grace that leads us to the rock!]

—George Davis

*Please be advised that this blog represents the views, opinions and beliefs of the writer and does not necessarily reflect those of our church leadership or denominational affiliation.

Peace. Tribulation. Victory.

As kids we learned that heat, oxygen, and fuel generate fire—so it’s always a good idea not to mix the three. Peace, tribulation, and victory, together in the same sentence? Who our how can these three reconcile?

I am glad you asked.

Humanly speaking, tribulation is not a source of peace, and most often we don’t feel victorious in the midst of hard times. However, when we invite Jesus into our circumstances, He has something to say regarding the interaction of these three realities.

In the gospel of John, Jesus said: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (16:33).

Noticed that we can move from three nouns to three certainties:

• Jesus will provide peace.

• We will have tribulation.

• Jesus has already overcome.

One of the ways Jesus provides peace is by orienting His disciples ahead of time. At the beginning of verse 33 Jesus states the reason for which He has said certain things to His followers...that you may have peace. The revelation Jesus offers us in His Word is not only intended to be a provision for the present time but also peace for the future times. We may do well in paying attention to Jesus’ declarations of Himself and what h\He says He will do because those declarations become peaceful orientation in moments of tribulation.

Another thing Jesus provides ahead of time is orientation about suffering. He does let us know ahead of time that suffering is coming our way so that we are not surprised or crashed under it. We will feel the weight of suffering, but it should not surprise us.

Lastly, Jesus guarantees that He has already overcome every aspect of human existence in this world. Furthermore, He has overcome the cosmos. 

In light of tribulation, we can have peace by receiving Jesus’ orientation ahead of time, but He also provides real-time help because He is an overcomer and knows how to grant victories within the cosmos.

Are you in trouble or hardship? 

Lean on the Savior, go back to the orientation He offered through the gospels. And mostly, lean on His help. He is an overcomer.

Jesus may not remove tribulation from our lives, but He knows how to give peace and victory!

—Diego Cuartas

*Please be advised that this blog represents the views, opinions and beliefs of the writer and does not necessarily reflect those of our church leadership or denominational affiliation.