“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, NIV
Throughout the Bible, God commands his children to not fear regardless of circumstance such as an advancing army, or the unknown. As human beings, we are prone to fear what is beyond our control. Natural disasters, economic collapse, looming war, the end of a marriage or friendship, or a bad diagnosis can leave us spiraling, and many people are experiencing anxiety, depression, and fear as a result of these things.
Speaking through the prophet Isaiah, God commanded his people not to be fearful because he was with them. Those who place their trust in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, are commanded not to fear because he has absolute knowledge, wisdom, and power. We must remind ourselves that God is not like individuals who are trying to cheer us up without any knowledge of what is to come, or how to get us out of difficulty. His command is rooted in his character. From Genesis through Revelation, we see how God shows up for His people although he often has to discipline them for disobedience.
Those who walked closely with God, like David, often reminded themselves of his character when they were faced with fear-inducing circumstances. In Psalm 27:1-3, NIV, he writes,
“The LORD is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.”
Take a moment to acknowledge before God what or who is causing you fear. Whether you write down your thoughts, speak them, or pray, know that God is concerned about what is troubling you and is more than capable of guiding you through difficult times.
Gather other scriptures that remind you not to fear such as what Jesus said in John 16:33, NIV,
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Incorporate these scriptures in prayer throughout the day to shift your focus from your problems to God’s power and sovereignty.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways submit to him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” -Proverbs 3:5-8
I find myself at a major crossroads in my life. My current situation is not where I planned to be when I thought about my undergrad and graduate school career path. One of the most important questions I have had to ask myself is why I am motivated to pursue particular goals. For God to show me myself and the underlying factors behind my decisions is one of the greatest gifts my Father has given me. I have been bogged down by other people’s expectations and the fear of disappointing those who have supported me over the years; nonetheless, at the end of my life, I have to answer to God.
Almost five years ago, my mentor told me, “God wants you to know you don’t owe anything to anyone but Him.” I’m paraphrasing here, but she was referring to my recovery following my second bought with cancer which was brutal. I have not gone into much detail about my struggle with endometrial cancer on this blog, except to post my testimony back in February on my Facebook page. From personal experience, I have found that God’s gifts often come in strange wrapping. That journey, and the five years since my last hospital stay have been necessary to better understand how God operates. He continues to insist that I understand His goodness despite life’s hardships and my hard-headedness, and His ability to redeem the ugly aspects of my life.
The main call of those who follow Jesus is to know Him well. His call to Himself is the first and greatest one people receive from the Savior. Growing up in church, people’s “calling” was often framed as a specific assignment they had from God, which was usually ministry related. Coupled with the call to ministry was the idea that God only calls us to success. The more people, the bigger and more well-known the ministry, and the more charismatic the individual, the better. While I do not believe God is calling us to mediocrity, success and the charm of personality can distract from the necessity of spiritual maturity, decreased hypocrisy, and a sensitivity to God’s voice.
“Do you trust me? Have I not proven that I am trustworthy? Will you trust me now, in this season?”
I cannot tell you how many times God has asked me these questions. What I do know is He is presenting them to me again.
Do not be wise in your own eyes…
I keep forgetting that God is not impressed by my self-sufficiency. Sometimes, I am like a child who keeps calling to their parent, “See! Look what I can do!” When I think about how I have had to lean on God over the past several years, my attempts to impress Him are silly.
reciprocity (n): the practice of exchanging things with others for mutual benefit
Last week, as I was getting ready for the day, I thought about conversations around inclusivity and the love God. At the heart of these dialogues is the belief that God loves people no matter what they do. I believe people are more likely to come to God if they understand He loves them. What’s missing from many of these conversations is the reality that God has a standard for how we live our lives, and that He has a right to do so. On this particular morning I thought about how self-absorbed we can be in our relationship with God and forget He desires reciprocity.
Most people understand relationships thrive or diminish based on reciprocity, respect, trust, and consistency. This is true in families, platonic and romantic relationships, and in the workplace. In contrast, once people come to church, the idea of reciprocity with God seems to go out the window even as people volunteer for ministries and attend services on a regular basis.
In some Christian circles, I have heard people say, “God doesn’t need you! He’s powerful all by Himself.” I get what they’re trying to say, because God can accomplish His purpose in a variety of ways. The Bible depicts God calling people from all walks of life. Nonetheless, we too often forget that God is relational. Worse yet, we may cultivate a narcissistic relationship with Him in which He exists simply to meet our needs. God wants to engage with us on a more meaningful level than listening to our needs and wants. Reciprocity demands that we also listen to Him. We all know what it’s like to be in a relationship in which one party expects their needs to be met without taking into consideration the other party would like the same.
In John 14:15, Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Many people have replaced Jesus’ words with, “God understands my heart” which allows them to live in any manner without accountability or reciprocity. If we are to please God, we also need to ask ourselves whether we are even interested in understanding and responding to His heart.
I believe God is looking for people who are interested in hearing from Him about His concerns, not just their own. I know the process of sitting with God long enough to hear what He wants to share with us is an ongoing one because of distractions and responsibilities.
Lord, forgive us for thinking our spiritual walk is all about fulfilling our needs and building the lives we want. Help us to be reciprocal in our relationship with You.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One of understanding.” -Proverbs 10:27
This day I call on the heavens and the earth witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD you God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. – Deuteronomy 30:19-20
Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you halter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” – I Kings 18:38
…my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of our God, I will also ignore your children. – Hosea 4:6
To say the United States is in turmoil would be an understatement; however, we’ve been this way for a while. Our approach is usually the same, to turn to politicians to solve our issues even though we know lobbyists, corporations, and extremely wealthy individuals make campaign contributions to ensure their agendas are accomplished. We ask ourselves and one another why there is so much chaos and death, and we are desperate for relief.
A few months ago, my pastor made the following statement during a Sunday morning message, “Christians have been quiet about a number of things for a while, but there is coming a time when you will have to take a stand.” One of the main ways Christians have become silent over the years on several issues is to allow people tell us how we should love them. That love generally equates to us lying to people so they don’t see us as self-righteous and judgmental. Are those two attitudes sometimes present in the church? Absolutely. Do we also need to show grace to people? Yes. At this point, I’m sick of these arguments because they imply that non-Christians have somehow overcome their hypocrisy and inconsistency. As Christians, we’re still battling our human nature. Furthermore, we need to acknowledge that there are “wolves in sheep’s clothing” in many of our churches. Although that scripture is often used to criticize church leadership that have the wrong motivations, it applies to the people in the pews. We’ve also allowed ourselves to be played when people use the one verse everyone seems to know, although they take it out of context, “Judge not lest you be judged.” Yet, I’ve also noticed that people don’t mind the hypocrisy of Christians when it supports the way they want to live their lives.
If anyone in the church is asking why or how our nation is in its current condition, it is because of extreme compromise in the body of Christ. If we’re honest, the Christianity of this nation is largely cultural, and not built on following Jesus. It has been tainted with political affiliations from which we need to repent, myself included. What many of us have done over the last few decades is decide we can come into agreement with fornication, promiscuity, pornography, adultery, witchcraft, gossip, unforgiveness, jealousy, and other mess and please God. As a matter of fact, many Christians are not concerned about pleasing God, we’re mainly concerned with whether the church service will have a good vibe. We have even tried to appease ourselves by saying, “God knows my heart.” We can’t afford to flatter ourselves that our decisions, public and private, have no consequences.
I absolutely believe that God is gracious and gives us chances to turn from wrong beliefs and behaviors; however, many Christians have manufactured a God who is all love and no consequences.
I have been thinking about several scriptures lately, three of which I placed at the top of this post. I am deeply grieved by the rage, murder, and violence that are rampant in the United States; however, the root of this mess in people rejecting God. Let’s be clear, I am not naïve enough to think this nation was ever as good as revisionist history would have us believe. Evil has always had its place in this nation, but there were still boundaries.
Photo Credit: Tom Parsons on Unsplash
I also know many Christians focus solely on the love of Jesus and don’t pay attention to spiritual principles outlined in the Old Testament. Jesus also spoke about hell (Matthew 13:36-43), something that is almost never mentioned in church anymore. He also stated there was a narrow and broad road (Matthew 7:13-14). The narrow road leads to life while the broad one leads to destruction. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for sin, so we did not have to continue animal sacrifices and is our high priest forever; however, I believe the blessings and curses outlined in the Old Testament still apply. There is a reason why so many young people are dying as a result of school shootings, and the cause is not just the lack of effective gun laws. Children are also dying because of suicide, murder, accidents, and being aborted in the womb.
For the past few decades, young people have been fed the message that they are wonderful and special, but many have not had boundaries enforced. They are not honoring their mothers and fathers that their days may be long. Rampant disrespect leads to early death, and yet people insist on their right to sow death while complaining about the consequences of their behavior. In addition, many grow up in chaotic homes raised by parents who have not addressed their own traumas. I’m a firm believer that going to therapy and talking to God about trauma in your lineage is important for healing of individuals, families, and communities.
To compound matters, nature is out of control. In the Old Testament, beginning in Genesis, the earth was cursed because of Adam and Eve’s decision to disobey God. If you read throughout the Old Testament, drought was often a sign of judgement for the people’s rebellion. Every time I hear the word climate change, I think, “No, this is judgement for rebellion.” Our problem is we don’t really believe the stories in the Bible occurred. To us, they are just morality tales.
The Bible indicates that judgement begins with the house of God (I Peter 4:17) and Jesus is returning for a Bride (the church) without spot or wrinkle (Ephesians 5:27). We are ridiculously spotted and wrinkled. When we see the fall of certain well-known pastors and ministries due to scandals that are being exposed, I believe God is cleaning house; however, the cleaning is also for the congregants and casual church goers who believe they can continue their private sin and rebellion because they’re not as well-known as Joel Osteen and TD Jakes. Unfortunately, we are like the emperor in the children’s tale who insisted that he was dressed in the most beautiful clothing although he was naked. We cannot be healed if we do not acknowledge our sin before God. I am not coming from a place of perfection, but we have to get back to having reverence for God. Right now, we often treat Him as a casual lover who we go to when we need to feel good or help.
Happy New Year! I noticed people’s expectations for 2022 have been more subdued than the ones they had for 2021, and I think that’s a good thing. One of the hardest things to admit to ourselves is that we are not in control. Sure, there are choices we can make that will lead to better outcomes for ourselves and others, but ultimately, we are fragile creatures with ridiculously large egos.
I take breaks from sharing my writing publicly because I don’t want to get into the habit of writing for likes when I haven’t wrestled privately with things. As I read the gospels, I notice that Jesus frequently drew away to quiet places to pray and encouraged his disciples to do the same. In short, I don’t want to perform my walk with God for others. One of the things that has bothered me for several months is the commodification of faith, and the “getting back to normal” approach I see in several arenas, including the church world. Are we getting closer to Jesus, or are we busy with conferences and concerts? Don’t get me wrong. I have seen churches open their doors to those who had nowhere else to go and expand their food pantries to meet the needs of congregants and people in the surrounding community. There are folks who still visit the sick and prisoners. The work continues. On a personal level, I have been fortunate to fellowship with other Christians although I have not attended church in almost two years.
Jesus’ call is to follow Him is simple but insistent. Although I have said the following several times, I’ll say it again: Jesus never begs anyone to follow Him. His invitation to draw close is easy to dismiss because we are so often affronted by any suggestion that we need help outside of ourselves. We are our own gods. In one of life’s greatest ironies, I see an increase in greed, selfishness, hopelessness, rage, anger, and anxiety as people insist on their right to themselves. The lie so many people believe is that if we do what we want, we will find freedom.
People refuse Jesus’ invitation to follow him because they love their lives too much, that includes church goers. I find myself constantly wrestling with my right to myself. Society tells me to give in, but people become slaves to whatever they bow to. To diminish the seriousness of His call, people have presented versions of Jesus that are emptied of his glory, divinity, and authority. So, instead of the Messiah, people reduce Jesus to a good man who told interesting stories and helped people, or a prophet. Or Jesus becomes a mascot for social justice because He was a man of color who was executed by the state. By making Jesus common, we make him more palatable. What Jesus says about himself in the scriptures runs counter to how He is often presented:
“If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
“Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.” (John 15:4)
“Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses His life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:25)
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only few find it.” (Matthew 12:13-14)
Jesus should be presented as He is in the scriptures. Nothing more, nothing less. The church’s great experiment in seeing how we can draw large numbers of people to Christ has failed because we haven’t presented Jesus as He is, the only way to the Father. We have often presented Jesus as another self-help guru who enables people to actualize their lives, and He won’t be common just because we want Him to be. Jesus’ call demands that we confront the lies and excuses we tell ourselves and others. He demands that we stop relying on the prayers of others to limp through our spiritual lives instead of speaking to Him face to face. Jesus demands that we stop making gods of our careers, relationships, habits, creativity, intellect, and addictions. He also demands that we stop replaying the trauma of our past as an excuse not to respond to Him.
I have never been a charismatic person, nor have I ever been popular. If anything, I have often been awkward, sometimes harsh, and self-righteous though well-intentioned. He’s working on me. Nonetheless, Jesus often uses the unlikeliest people to share His gospel because He’s not sharing His glory with anyone anyway.
Practice asking. Consider what people expect of you and how you may hesitate to ask for what you want or need. So, here’s a concrete example. I like plants. Well, like is an understatement because I have a huge collection! I received a plant order last Saturday and was unhappy until I decided to address the issue. I thought about how I have responded to customer concerns when they’ve ordered from my Etsy store. I always make things right if there’s an issue which means I take the loss. I reached out to the seller because I’ve ordered from her in the past and am accustomed to pristine quality. This plant was not in that category or the one next to it. Last Monday, I sent the seller a politely worded message with pictures praising her excellent customer service, packaging, and lovely plants. The second plant in the order was gorgeous so, the two of them looked like like ol’ Leroy had hooked up with a much younger woman. The seller has a no refund/no exchange policy although customers may reach out if there is an issue with their order. Long story short, she responded the same day and said she’d mail out a replacement plant within a few days.
Photo Credit: Julene Wilson (one third or one fourth of my collection)
I’ve also been thinking about what my Uber driver said on Friday as he drove me home from TJ Maxx. Abdullah had helped me with two small but heavy tables I had purchased to display plants.
“You deserve to be helped.”
No, he was not flirting. I believe God wanted me to hear those words.
I had a brief but emotional moment in the backseat but maintained my composure. It‘s always been hard for me to ask for help. I think this habit is a combination of pride and not wanting to make other people’s lives difficult, a habit I learned as a child. I also realize that people expect a lot from women of color, but there’s often very little reciprocity. Think about setting yourself on fire to keep other people warm then you still have to put out the flames and take yourself to the hospital. That’s what many of our lives look like.
Abdullah explained Uber’s policy of not wanting drivers to lift packages or load things into their trunk, which adds context to some of my experiences although I believe there are other factors. He explained that despite his back surgery-I could see the scar at the back of his neck, he tried to help his customers, especially old men and women. He said his wife warned him to be careful and urged him to quit.
“But who will pay the bills or my children’s tuition?”
Even as I told him to be careful and take care of himself, I thought about how receiving care or gifts from people often embarrasses me.
Photo Credit: Julene Wilson, Hoya wayetti
Sometimes self-care and self-love look like expecting the same level of excellence from people they expect from you. To quote TD Jakes, “Relationships die when there is a lack of reciprocity.” Do you have a reciprocative relationship with yourself, or do you give your best to others and expect nothing in return? Learning the art of asking may take practice, so start with small requests.
My replacement hoya wayetti arrived last Thursday.
Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. -Romans 8:1-2
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. -Galatians 5:1
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. -Galatians 5:16
I had surgery less than three weeks ago. The day after the procedure, an older woman who is a friend from church stopped by with dinner. We chatted and laughed as we shared the meal she had brought. When it was time for her to leave, we prayed. One of my requests was for a “made up mind.” There’s nothing more powerful than a made up mind.
A moment ago, I thought about how the spiritual intensity and attacks I have felt over the last several years have made me want to give up more times than I’d like to admit. Here’s the thing-the Enemy is not going to let up his attack against you just because you decide to curl into a ball and surrender. I had to say that to myself today. I had to remind myself of who I am and what I possess. Moreover, I am a spiritual soldier and war does not cease simply because I don’t want to fight. Fortunately, The weapons we fight with are not carnal, they are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds (II Corinthians 10:4).
What are our weapons? I could start with how a Christian’s weapons are salvation through Jesus Christ, prayer, praise, reading the word and putting it into practice, and fasting. Another weapon is to remain around other Christians and have accountability partners you respect. I will also say that the primary weapon that allows us to utilize the others is the awareness that we have a new identity in Christ. I will no longer identify myself by things I struggle with. I am a daughter of the most high God. That’s my identity from which other aspects of my being flow.
Jesus calls us to freedom. It’s not the cheap freedom that society promises which basically says, “Do whatever you feel like because you only live once.” As we can see, much trauma in the world has been caused by people living it up. I also believe that we sometimes cause our own disillusionment by setting unrealistic expectations for ourselves and other people. Only God is perfect, dependable, and has a full understanding of who we are. We are filtering everything, including our perspectives of ourselves, through our past and current experiences which are contextual. There are so many things from which we need to be set free-the desire the please people, the desire to constantly indulge our own passions, freedom from the past, freedom from worry and anxiety, freedom from disillusionment, distrust, and cynicism.
I have fought God more times than I can count. Let me tell you, God will allow you to throw your infantile temper tantrum and then tell you to pick up the assignment He gave you this morning, yesterday, last week, or a decade ago. What I love about the gospels is Jesus never begs anyone to follow Him. He loves well, meets people’s needs, and answers the questions of those who are curious or confused. But He never begs. He also knew that following Him would not be easy so He told his disciples to count the cost, take up their cross daily, and wait for the Holy Spirit. What makes it difficult to be a Christian in today’s world is that so many messages are about leveling up. There are very few messages about living a life of sacrifice, or that following Christ may be difficult at times. I know from experience that God is able to provide joy in the most difficult of circumstances. But, I fear that many church leaders have left their congregants unprepared to withstand the pressures of life and keep following God in spite of them. We as Christians are also responsible to talk to God for ourselves instead of always expecting someone who we deem as more spiritual to do that work.
I have found God to be more generous and patient than I could have imagined when I was younger. I also realize that some of the accusations I have hurled at God are based on how people have treated me which resulted in a sometimes unconscious distrust of God’s character. Interrogate your doubt. Where did it come from? When, how, and through whom were the seeds planted?
I enjoy speaking with older people because they help me “see” ahead. I have been drawn to them since I was a child and have often been fascinated by people’s stories. Stories and storytelling are ancient. Technology and social media are simply tools that enhance what comes naturally to us. Yesterday, I spoke with a friend who will be eighty in six months. She is always full of joy despite having been in chronic pain for more than twenty years. One of the things I appreciate about her is she does not downplay the extent of her ailment when people ask how she’s doing; instead, her response shows clarity, “I am well. My body may be giving me some trouble but I am well.” This older woman used the same phrase yesterday and this time, I really heard what she was saying because it reminded me about my own illness a few years ago. I know what it is to be weak and in agony yet be well in spirit. “For these light and momentary afflictions are achieving for us a glory that far outweighs them all,” she said, referencing II Corinthians 4:17. This sentence is found in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church. In the face of jail, beatings, ridicule, death threats, shipwrecks, and more, Paul’s perspective was the same as my friend’s.
Photo Credit: Julene Wilson, rattlesnake calathea
Sometimes our physicality can lead us to believe that our bodies and the world we experience are are all that exist. The body’s constant demands and its gradual deterioration over time can bring with it an unrelenting heaviness. The bodies we live in are no more home than planet earth. We know this when we see the body of a loved one in a casket. We know that’s not them. Their true essence has departed its temporary residence. “We are spiritual beings having an earthly existence, “ I said when my friend asked why her words struck me differently this time.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “God has set eternity in the human heart.” I often feel that tug like a gentle reminder that my body is no more home than the physical world around me. Although I have work to do while I am here, this is not my final destination. I think we often try to respond to eternity’s call with temporary things. As you can tell from some of my photos, I enjoy plants. I have dozens in my home; they allow me to be curious and enchanted without embarrassment. I also know that indoor gardening is my attempt to capture beauty which also hearkens back to God’s call for men and women to care for creation. My plants have also been a great help over the course of the pandemic because they gave me something to fuss over. With that said, I know I could purchase the most beautiful plants, maintain my relationships with loved ones, and work but never satisfy that inner tug towards eternity and God himself.
This morning, I woke up and began to thank God for sustaining me. Being grateful always shifts my perspective about my life and reminds me that if I put in the work, anything is possible. One of the most dangerous ideas that has permeated our society a person has failed if they have not accomplished certain hallmarks by thirty or forty. These expectations usually have to do with a career, getting married and starting a family. Technological advancement, economic downturn, outsourcing jobs and a shift in values means that most people of my generation and later will not have the same job for forty years as was common with previous generations. Circumstances force us to be flexible and the option to do so cannot be underestimated. Furthermore, we are less likely to be loyal to companies because the American Dream seems to be harder to achieve. Another consideration is how these factors have led people to put off having children until they are financially stable. Some have given up on the idea altogether. In terms of a second career, I refuse to be fatalistic because I know I’m going to be fine.
A defeatist mindset curdles opportunity.
I am also grateful because a friend’s great nephew is recovering from a gunshot wound to the head. Over the last week, he has steadily improved and is able to open his eyes, talk and move. He’s only eighteen years old and his life was on a trajectory headed towards destruction. Fortunately, he’s still alive. He doesn’t know me but I am excited for him and the life he has ahead of him. Most young men who live the street life do so in search of identity. That quest usually leads to jail or death.
Though this eighteen-year-old and I differ in terms of gender and age, we have both been given new leases on life. I have been thinking about how the wrong perspective can turn an opportunity to curdled milk. Everything about spoiled milk is stomach turning- the look, smell, and taste. A defeatist mindset curdles opportunity. If you’ve been reading my posts, you’ll know that I fight against a victim mindset which is both contrary to faith and counterproductive. So, I keep asking myself, “In spite of what has happened, what possibilities still exist to live a purposeful life? What mindsets and habits do I need to shift to make room for what I want? What are my passions? What are concrete steps I can take to meet my goals?” These are important questions. However, I know that too much time spent thinking about my answers to them is out of balance. Certain questions will be answered by doing.
As I am typing, I recall the words my last counselor said to me at the end of our time working together, “I’m excited for you.” This morning, I am excited for myself.
I woke up this morning thinking about yesterday’s post which was an attempt to work through why I disliked the phrase “God helps those who help themselves” for several years but eventually came around to seeing it contained some truth. I believe that God is merciful and helps us when we’ve placed ourselves in a tight spot and we ask for help. However, I also believe that it is not God’s intent for us to be so undisciplined that we always experience hardship.
As I rolled out of bed, the principle of sowing and reaping came to mind. I realized I failed to mention this in yesterday’s post which is why it felt incomplete. It’s taken from Galatians 6:7 which says, “Do not deceived. God cannot be mocked. People reap what they sow.” This principle works in the spiritual and in the natural. Whether you are a Christian or not, most people know that unless they work for something, they’ll have nothing at the end of a given period. Barring outside influences or a mistake on one’s part, continuous discipline leads to results. Let me provide you with a concrete example. I have battled with my weight for years. However, when I walk for several weeks, my leg muscles become stronger and I feel more energized. When I eat more vegetables, it is easier for me to concentrate and I don’t have migraines. In other words, there’s no magic. Taking care of myself over an extended period of time leads to non-scale victories even though the number on the scale decreases incrementally. I’ve been guilty of praying about my health but not taking actionable steps to improve it. Not only is this practice silly and immature, it places the onus on God to do for me what I can do for myself. Hence, “God helps those who help themselves.”
The Bible is written about people who were farmers and herders. They understood that if they did not work they land, they would have nothing to harvest when the season came for it. The Hebrews also had to inspect their flocks to ensure that there was no disease. Shepherds were responsible for leading sheep and other grazing animals to pasture and protecting them from wild animals. None of this was easy. However, after bringing grain and animal sacrifices to the temple, people were free to enjoy the fruits of their labor. I also realize that God wants us to participate in our blessing. The danger in some church circles is that people believe that singing their favorite song at the top of their lungs or attending church will automatically bring positive results in other spheres of their life. I’m not talking down to anyone because I’ve been there and done that. Anyone who’s spent their life in church or been to church for several years will tell you this is not how things work. One of the issues is there is too sharp a delineation between the spiritual and the secular which leads to us compartmentalizing things two things that are actually intertwined. We are spiritual eternal beings in temporal bodies.
Can I make a confession? I am a chronic over thinker. I can gnaw a thought to frayed ends and then still continue to chew on it. For example, I’m thinking too much about my dissertation. Although I want to present research that is coherent and honors the people I interviewed, I don’t need to agonize over it. In other areas of my life, there are certain things I don’t think about doing because they just need to be done (i.e paying rent and other bills). I don’t debate whether I should do my laundry or take out the garbage. My dissertation is arguably more complex than the household responsibilities I just mentioned. Nonetheless, I just need to make a commitment to writing regardless of how I feel.
Healing Joy Ministries 
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