Surprised by Gifts in the Midst of a Storm

Number 28 in the series “God Rocks: 101 Amazing Everyday Gifts!” Stories and promises of the awesome blessings God gives us each day. I hope it encourages you today!

 

We all get slammed by storms we don’t expect. That’s just real life. And it happens whether you’re a believer or not.

 

Photo Credit: Roy Wangsa

Photo Credit: Roy Wangsa

 

A medical report that punches us.

A marriage blowup and blowout.

A note in our work mail slot telling us we’re no longer needed.

The sudden unexpected death of a loved one.

Storms that slam us and tear us apart.

And how do we usually react?

Often with denial, “This can’t be happening.”

Or with anger, “How could this happen to me?”

Or with guilt. Christians are really good at this one. We tell ourselves and each other, “Well, it must be something you did.” Or, “If you just had more faith.”

But the problem with all of those?

 

None give us the ability to calmly and rationally deal with the storm. And they often leave us worse.

[Read more…]

The Perfect Gift at the Perfect Time

Number 24 in the series “God Rocks: 101 Amazing Everyday Gifts!” Stories and promises of the awesome blessings God gives us each day. I hope it encourages you today!

 

I see several misperceptions of God that keep people far away from him.

 

Photo Credit:  Bradley Dean

Photo Credit: Bradley Dean

 

First, obviously, believing he doesn’t exist or if he does he’s some impersonal life force that has no awareness of my existence. So really there’s little point in praying.

Second, believing perhaps he does exist but he’s way too busy with major world issues to be concerned about my day to day problems.

Third, if he exists he’s like an omnipotent traffic cop just waiting for me to screw up so he can slap me with a ticket. Frankly you just want to stay off his radar.

Fourth and I see this one in the church all the time. God sends trouble my way to test me so I can prove whether I’m really faithful. That one really irritates me. [Read more…]

Living Your Legacy

I was talking with a friend at a wedding who I hadn’t seen in years. I asked about her kids and she said her son was working at their church as the janitor.

Then she said almost defensively, “But he has great benefits.”

I responded, “That’s great.” But thought, “What a shame.”

Not because the job isn’t worthwhile but because from her comment I could tell that her son has potential for other things but settled for the benefits.

How often do we take a job just for the benefits? Then wake up 30 years later and think, “What happened to my dreams?” [Read more…]