I absolutely Love God's timing! On October 24, 2010, I posted the article below. At the time, Holy Spirit was teaching me just exactly where my focus needed to be. Today...He lovingly reminded me again and this article was one way He chose to remind me.
Friday was an interesting day. (see So Sometimes I Drag My Feet) It was very good but on the other hand someone did something that completely through me for a weird loop...if you will allow me to coin a new phrase. Why their behavior caught me off-guard...I still don't know. I truly should have anticipated it. And while even in the moment I caught Holy Spirit trying to remind me, "Don't take it personally. Let me deal with them. You are My child. Hold your head up high. You have done nothing but share the Truth in love." I still found myself perturbed at their behavior.
I kept trying to set it aside but found myself thinking through the "two cents worth" I would delight in giving them. Praise the Lord...His Holy Spirit stopped me from sharing what had happened with a friend right away or calling another friend later. My commitment to avoid grumbling and complaining was truly being tested! Later, and with some time separtion from the event, I attempted without the "g&c" to explain to Dale what happened. And he probably said the one most important thing I needed to hear, "You have no say in that." I know I'm taking this out of the context of the conversation and it probably makes no sense to you...but it was exactly what I needed to hear! Thank God for such a wise, insightful man!
Then in the evening I wrote the blog post for that day and God's provision was what I focused on and praised Him for. But yesterday morning, as I prayed through the emotion of the unpleasant event on Friday, I was reminded to pray for and pity this person in their sadness and bitterness. By yesterday evening, I had a few e-mail chats with my friend, Jennifer, and something she said about" focus" really got me chewing on that word. After the last e-mail, I even told her I needed to process some of what she'd said and with God's help...I could put it all together.
That "coming together" happened this morning! And I am so thankful it did! Again...God's perfect timing and perfect plan to speak to my heart the perfect Word I needed to hear!
You see, not only did this discouraging event take place on Friday...but I also had the following things happen: the mechanic that offered to help single moms with repairs; a mom whose single young adult pregnant daughter is moving back home asked me for advice on resources; I received an e-mail from a friend with the contact information for another single pregnant young mom that needs assistance; I had a single mom express her urgent need for heating fuel and I posted it as a prayer request on this blog; and a friend called for more information about a winter car care event for single moms so she could take the information to her neighbor...so how in the world could I be even for a moment obsessed with someone who slighted me? The answer is because I was focusing on those who are exalted not focusing on the weak ones!
I haven't just shared the link to this post because I know the odds of it actually being clicked are slim. I know reproducing it here makes this post uber-lengthy...but please read this...not because it's my words...because it comes straight from Scripture. I Corinthians 12 to be exact. Listen to God's Word not mine...and maybe like me...if we're all reminded to "Focus on the Weak Ones" God's Kingdom truly will come on Earth as it is in Heaven! Wouldn't that be worth it all?!
"Focus on the Weak Ones" originally written 10/24/2010
Took a little detour from John today, because of something I read in Forgotten God by Francis Chan.
He's writing about how if we're truly, living where, working at and doing the will of God...or where we like to say He has "called" us to be, then our lives should be making a difference in our neighborhoods, jobs, activities, and ministries. But many of us use this phrase to justify our nice home, nice job, expensive toys and lifestyle of pleasure and comfort.
He writes, "My purpose in posing these questions is not to convince you to "go into the ministry." I'm not about recruiting pastors or missionaries. My purpose in these questions is to get you to take I Corinthians 12 seriously, to believe that you have been given a manifestation of the Spirit and that your church, the worldwide body of Christ, and the world are crippled without your involvement."
Hmmm??? I'm supposed to take I Corinthians 12 seriously...I'd better read it and study it right?
So that's what I did and yeah, I've read it before, heard it preached many times...this is the passage that goes through the gifts of the Spirit and how they are all needed by the one body of the Church. None is more important than any other. The gifts are various (wisdom, knowledge, faith, affecting miracles, prophecy, distinguishing of spirits, various kinds of tongues and interpretation of tongues) but there is ONE Spirit, there is the same LORD.
A foot can't say it doesn't want to be part of the body, an eye can't choose to 'go it alone' or tell the hand, "I have no need of you." You get the idea...all gifts from the Spirit are given by Him, at His discretion and ALL are equally necessary to the Body of Christ, which is the Church (not a building...but the people!).
Then here's the lesson of the day: "And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it." (I Corinthians 12:21-26)
I've highlighted the words that jumped off the page at me. We (I) have been so wrong. We've elevated the people in our churches that seem to have it all together, and Paul says those people have no need of it.
They have no need of the body? I've known a lot of people like that in my church life! While we've alienated or pushed aside the "weaker" parts...the ones that are struggling, hurting, falling apart, barely hanging on and are honest about it. But Paul writes that God wants just the opposite...we should bestow more honor on the weaker members. He even says they are necessary...why?
What happens when we focus more honor on the weak? (V. 25) "that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another."
No division in the Body?? I've never known a church like that...shoot, I've even caused some division I know! Why? Because I was focused (and thus displeased!) with the ones that seem to have it all together and didn't even need the Body.
If I'd been placing my focus and energy on the weaker members, I wouldn't have been so consumed with the people that were irritating me so much. (This goes back to my post about the phrase "When You're Down, Be a Blessing To Others") Think about how much opportunity we've missed bestowing honor on someone who may desperately need it because we've been so busy trying to please the ones that don't really need the Body anyway!!
Yikes, God forgive me for my misplaced (and wasted!) energy.
You can even feel it in your spirit too, can't you?? When you sit in the presence of someone that is truly broken and can do nothing but place their entire life in the palm of God's hand and see where He takes them...you know there's something different, don't you?? (This does not refer to someone that's just wallowing, wanting attention and not seeking God for advice but rather wants pity and everyone else to do the work of healing for them.)
Back in James, he wrote, "My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, "You sit here in a good place," and you say to the poor man, "You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool," have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?" (2:1-4) This is a more financial and outward manifestation of what we do in our churches regarding spiritual gifts and spiritual leaders every day.
Why are we so devastated when a pastor or leader fails, sins and secretly runs away? Because we've elevated them into a place of honor God never meant for them to hold. Why do we turn to the ones that appear to "have it all together" and accept their advice with no question then beat ourselves up because "we just must not be as strong as________"? Because we don't trust the Holy Spirit to work in us and reveal the path and advice we should follow.
Don't get me wrong, God places amazing people in our lives because we were not intended to travel this journey alone. But when we're seeking direction, accountability and discernment are we approaching people because of who they are and the position they hold or because that person's been through something similar, humility is evidenced in their lives and the Holy Spirit has laid it on your heart to seek their counsel?? I am definitely guilty of the former!
In I Corinthians, Paul continues to write that all are not apostles, miracle workers, teachers, healers, speaking in tongues but that we should "earnestly desire the greater gifts" (He specifically mentions prophecy twice in 14:1 and 14:39) "And I will show you a better way."
What is that better way? It's chapter 13 or what we Christians call the Love Chapter. If you haven't read it...do it right now...for Love is the better way!
And honestly, the best counsel and wisdom I've EVER received was when I wasn't even looking for it...it was when I wanted to start exercising regularly, and someone I barely knew took me up on the offer...the amazing conversations we've had are still very dear to me; it was watching a pastor and his wife be unfairly torn apart and yet sticking to the message that God had given them that we all are loved; it was receiving letters of heartfelt sorrow from a young wife whose marriage was falling apart and she was still struggling with anger from a hurtful past; it was getting a call from a man who'd got caught doing something illegal and seeking my advice because of how he saw us handle my dad's situation; it's watching a single mom that has every right to wallow, throwing caution to the wind and saying, 'no matter what happens, I will serve the LORD!'; and it's an acquaintance persistently asking with true concern, 'how are you doing?' until I began to know her heart and trust that Holy Spirit had brought a true friend into my life.
None of these people sought to have a place of honor...but in their weakness...and in their love...I have been honored to know them!
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