Prepare For It

My sister and brother-in-law are expecting their third child in early February, thus ending a 9-month period of intense preparation. They have prepared the room where Lewis will sleep, made plans for the hasty hospital trip, and have gotten my other two nephews prepared for the fact that an addition is on the way. They have actively waited.

Psalm 5 has come to be one of my favorite passages in The Bible. It says, in part, “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.”

We are instructed to faithfully expect the fruition of those things we are praying for, even if they don’t come with the apparent certainty that accompanies a pregnancy. And when you wait expectantly for something, that necessarily entails a degree of preparation.

There are some who offer prayers and then take a passive position. Unfortunately, passivity can have many negative consequences, three of which come to mind.

First, the thing you’re praying for may not come to pass because you’ve not used the waiting period to work on issues God needs you to address. Second, if your prayer is answered, you may not be in a position to embrace it simply because you’re not ready. Finally, you may give up on the dream altogether because you’re fixated on the fact it has not yet been fulfilled rather than on what you need to do.

It is important that we prepare for our dreams. But a word of warning to those who decide to actively wait: you’ve probably got a lot more work to do than you realize.

I started my preparation with a couple of printed articles in a half-inch binder. Months later, I’ve far outgrown it. I’ve realized there are so many things I need to do and so many areas in my life that require improvement, some of which I thought were perfectly fine. The more I work on, the more I find that requires work. And this is one of the fruits of actively waiting – becoming a better person.

James 1:2-4 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

How you actively wait is dependent upon where you are in life and what you’re praying for. However, there are certain actions we can all take, regardless of the journey.

First, continuously strengthen your relationship with God so you can more easily ascertain His instruction. This entails learning God’s character through reading His Word and prayer. It also requires a degree of soberness and silence so divine whispers do not go unheard and subtle signs do not go unseen.

Second, learn all you can about the thing you’re praying for. If you’re praying for health, learn how to maintain a healthy lifestyle or learn how to prevent your illness from resurfacing once it is cured. If you’re praying for the success of a new business, learn how to manage a company that is larger than your startup or map out the characteristics and qualities of the additional staff you’ll need.

Finally, and most importantly, go read Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Seriously, do it immediately after you finish this post. It will provide you with a clear blueprint on how you should be living, and following the instruction therein is critical both to realizing your dream and living a fulfilling life that is pleasing to Him.

So, no matter what the goal is, these three items should help get you started with waiting actively. By doing so, you’ll better yourself and be prepared for all God’s grace in your life.

Wait, there’s actually one more thing: buy multiple binders.

Intricate Works

Something happened a few weeks back that taught me a very valuable lesson. I won’t get into all the details of what happened but, suffice it to say, it was an incredible step in The Journey.

This event opened my eyes to the fact that there are times we don’t see God working simply because we’re looking in the wrong places. In fact, trying to find out how God is working can become a fruitless and exhausting exercise – purely speculative. The reason for this is found in Romans 8:28.

Romans says that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” The term all things tells us that nothing is off limits in His works. 

God can use sights, sounds, smells, feelings, other people, and a combination of all these things to accomplish the task. It’s no wonder we can’t see what He is doing, much less imagine it.

The intricacy of God’s work has another important implication, especially to those who are relying on faith to reach a dream. If this describes you, let this message stick deep in your spirit: You cannot allow yourself to get discouraged by or dwell on day-to-day circumstances.

What you have accepted as a setback could just as likely be a tool God is using to move you toward your dream. That “setback” could be the event that propels you further in your journey, that sets you on a path to accomplish your goals.

The fact of the matter is that God’s way is far superior to our own. Rather than spend valuable time and energy becoming discouraged by an event, we ought to reassert our faith and pray that God leads us down the path He has chosen. His way of accomplishing your dream is far better than yours. Let it go and follow Him.

David understood this principal very well, and his dedication to God’s methods caused him to accomplish amazing things. In fact, David did not simply wait for an event to occur to accept God’s plan, he actively sought out God’s path and encouraged those events to occur.

In Psalm 25, David asks, “Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and faithfulness and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You do I wait expectantly all the day long.”

If you’ve offered your dreams and goals to God, you need to accept that there will be times when you don’t see anything happening. There will also be instances when you don’t understand why a particular event takes place. This is when you dig your heals in.

Rather than waste time and energy analyzing everything, we should recommit ourselves in faith and ask that God lead us down the path He has chosen. He will get you there sooner than you will on your own.

Every Good Thing

One of my favorite things about traveling to a new place is the opportunity to go on a jog and take in my surroundings. I’m able to notice so much more about that place: fascinating sites, sounds, people, culture. Really, the experience enriches my entire trip.

Maybe running forces me to slow down and really see the things that are around me. I don’t know. But I do know this: If I were focused solely on finishing my run I’d miss it all, and what a tragedy that would be.

Life is much the same way, and certainly working towards a dream is too.

There was a point in this journey where I became so fixated on the fulfillment of my goal that I failed to see so many wonderful things God was doing to get me there. I was too focused on finishing my run.

One night I decided to sit quietly and identify the blessings I had failed to see. Honestly, once I started this exercise the flood gates opened. There was so much I had missed, so much to be thankful for.

Psalm 107:43 says that we should “heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.” I’ve realized there are many benefits to doing this, and each perpetuates growth in the other. Allow me to explain.

First and foremost, God cherishes it when we thank Him for everything He has done. This is something we should all be able to relate to. It’s fulfilling to have someone recognize a kind gesture or action. God is the same way.

Second, when we make it a point to thank God for all things He is doing in our lives, it forces us to recognize those things, and when we realize that God is at work, it increases our faith because we notice he’s acting on our behalf.

Finally, when we approach God with increased faith, He takes joy in our trust in Him and rewards that faith, thereby increasing our blessings and the things we have to be thankful for.

Then the cycle continues and grows…

Now, if you decide to do this, some blessings may seem more significant than others, but it’s important to give thanks for all good things in your life. James 1:17 says, “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”

Once you realize that each good thing in your life is from God, you learn that every single blessing is equal, no matter how small it may seem. Why? Because any time any good thing happens to you it means that your Holy Father has singled you out and focused His grace on you.

So next time you find yourself lost in a pretty night sky, know that your Creator is concentrated on you. Next time a stranger smiles at you, know the Lord has moved them to do so. And be sure to always give thanks for these things. It is good for your Father and it is good for you.

Falling Out Of Faith

I did not want to tell you this but I fell in my faith today – big time. Sure, moments of doubt and confusion have come in the past, but this little episode was by far the worst.

Why did I not want to tell you? Well, I want this blog to serve as an example of living boldly in faith, and surely such a life does not involve the experience I had today, right?

Wrong. In fact, I would speculate that nearly every single person who has ever decided to live in faith has fallen.

Even the great figures of the Bible fell in faith. Out of fear and doubt, Moses refused God when instructed to demand that Pharaoh set the Israelites free. But in the end, Moses put those feelings aside, regained his footing in faith, and accomplished great things.

David can be seen on many occasions in the Book of Psalms wondering why God is not listening to him. But it was David who said, “Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.” Like Moses, David always regained his footing.

Peter was called by Jesus to walk on water. When he began doing so in faith, he was fine; however, when he took his eyes off Christ and began to fear his surroundings, he sank. But Peter called out to the Lord and asked for help, and Jesus lifted him from the waters. He fell, but called out to God and regained his footing.

Proverbs 24:16 says that “a righteous man falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.” It’s normal to fall, but the key is to get your footing back.

I like to think of faith as an amber, and there will be times when that amber begins to fade. During these times, it is critical to care for it and reignite the fire. But how do you do that?

I’ve found four steps work for me. First, like Peter, call out to God for help. He will hear you. Second, immerse yourself in the Word. I’ve found great comfort from the Book of Psalms. Third, find out what causes you to stumble in your faith and distance yourself from those things. Finally, think about what encourages your faith and draw nearer to those things.

All this can take a great deal of effort – faith is a fight. But you have to ask yourself, is your dream worth fighting for? If it is, you must get back up and keep moving forward.

In times of doubt, it is not uncommon to wonder if you’re even supposed to pursue your dream. Maybe this dream just isn’t for you. Maybe you were mistaken and are wasting your time.

I’ve found an exercise that will answer this concern.

Just for a second, hit the emotional reset button. Decide for one moment that God is in control, He is bringing your dream to pass, and that you will continue to pursue your goal with faith and expectancy.

Now, let that thought fade. Allow yourself to stumble. Allow yourself to give up. Be aware of how you feel.

How did the emotional experience of each compare to the other? Chances are, love and peace were associated with the first and far more negative emotions with the second. Which emotions do you think come from God?

James 3:17 answers this question. It says, “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” If these are the emotions you feel while pursuing your goal in faith, you are in agreement with God.

Yes, I stumbled today, and that’s ok. My dream is worth fighting for. I’m regaining my footing and pressing forward.

Persistent Prayer

The Book of Luke sets forth a great parable that Jesus shared with his disciples called the Parable of the Unjust Judge. I’ve linked it here if you’re interested in checking it out.

In the parable, Jesus explains the importance of being persistent in prayer to God. And He did this by telling of a widow who repeatedly approached a judge, requesting that he grant the relief she was seeking.

This judge was not having it. He was calloused, cared only for himself, and was not at all moved by the concerns of others. However, the widow remained determined to reach her objective.

I can imagine she experienced times of doubt and anxiety. She was working so hard to achieve her goal, but rather than see improvement, she experienced only setback. Nonetheless, she continued moving forward.

In an instant, the widow’s work and determination paid off. Her fortunes turned completely around and the judge granted her plea. As Jesus explains, the judge did this only because she repeatedly asked him to. She did not give up.

So, what’s the takeaway? I could try to tell you but the parable does such a good job. It says, “Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly.” 

If you are working towards a goal as I am, do not give up, my friends. Stay in prayer, keep pursuing your dream. Don’t let doubt dig up what you’ve planted in faith. 

Walk With Me

I want you to take a journey with me.

But before we get started, I’d like to tell you a little bit about myself and why I am writing this blog.

First, I’m a lawyer in Louisiana and after years of training, my mind has been hard-wired to analyze, over-analyze, and then analyze a bit more just to make sure I’ve thoroughly freaked myself out. I’ve also developed a habit of expecting the worst much of the time. I don’t particularly enjoy this, but I guess it is necessary in my line of work.

Now, about the blog. I am starting this blog because I have an incredible dream. I’ve not accomplished it yet, but I’m working on that. I haven’t decided whether I will tell you what the dream is, but I want you to walk with me as I move towards it. Why? For one very important reason.

On December 6, 2015, I realized that I cannot accomplish my dream on my own. I’m simply a human being – fallible, prone to mistakes, inclined to fall short (many times a day).

In order to accomplish my dream, I need faith. I need it because God is infallible, perfect, all-knowing, divine, mighty, and most importantly, merciful and loving.

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

If you are like me, maintaining faith is a battle, holding onto hope and expectancy is a battle, and relinquishing control is a battle. But God’s Word makes clear that through faith our prayers obtain substance.

This blog will prove that faith works. It will prove that God works in unimaginable ways to lead you to your dreams if you let go, become a prisoner of hope, and put these things in His hands.

I don’t know how long this dream will take to accomplish or what twists and turns we will encounter along the way. But I do know this, God’s timing is perfect.

King David, one of the warriors of faith who is described in Acts 13:22 as a man after God’s own heart, knew the Lord’s timing was perfect and that we must remain patient for and expect His answer.

In Psalm 27, David proclaimed, “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Now, let’s begin our journey.