Fighting for God’s Redemptive Purpose Through Your Struggle
Years ago, there was an infamous song penned by an endearing, tender soul in extremely troubled times.
The folk-style melody was permeated with resonating lyrics that conveyed a timeless message. “I’ve looked at life from both sides now.” The song captured a generation. But did we ever really understand? I know for one, I tried, but I did not. Like many other sincere believers, I tended to live in the longest river in the body of Christ. It’s called the River of Denial.
But God saved me from sugar-coated, superficial Christianity, and life baptized me into the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings. After all, I had prayed like Paul, the apostle of old, that I might die to self and find my true identity, which is hidden in Christ Jesus. I prayed those dangerous prayers, like most of you, “Not my will but thine be done!” Problem is, He has a long, perfect memory and we tend to have a short, selective one!
When the Bottom Fell Out
I have lived a very blessed life full of incredible God encounters and mountaintop experiences, composed over 40 books, received international awards for achievements in various fields of endeavor, and have had the joy of being a father to four miraculous children and a growing number of grandchildren. But there was a prolonged period of time when the bottom fell out.
I walked through the valley of the shadow of death. I stared down non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer three times over a nine-year period and lost my best friend and wife, Michal Ann, to ravaging brutal colon cancer. As a result, I went $300,000 in medical debt, became a single dad, and became surrounded by Job’s friends and was left to rebuild my life while living in a public goldfish bowl.
All the while, I had a relentless gift and calling from God that would not let me go, and I had the last word from my late wife that ordered me to “Never, never, never give up!”
So what’s a guy supposed to do, anyway? Oh, I know, just throw in the towel. Right? Or is there another way to go?
The Power of Choice
Being created in the image and likeness of God, our Heavenly Father has given us a great gift. Want to know what it is? It is a free will. It is the power of choice! “Choose this day whom you will serve.” I can choose to believe that something good is about to happen, or I can self-destruct by wallowing in the swamp of self-pity, victim mindset, and downward spiral.
Or I can flip the narrative on its head! I can lift my head off my chest and look up and raise my eyes unto the hills from whence comes my help! Yes, as delightful Lauren Daigle sings, “Look up child!”
I can choose to believe that my weakness is another divine opportunity where His grace is made strong! I can tell my heart to come alive and sing again and look for His promised rainbow to appear at the end of my storm.
Let us choose to believe that all things work together for good. Let us declare we have been called to God’s purposes. Let us believe that the best is yet to come.
The Best is Yet to Come!
As my dear friend Katherine Ruonala aptly states, “But God has not saved us for our hearts to be heavy. His promises don’t leave us in a place of disappointment or despair. Our God has great plans and dreams in store for us.”
Sometimes my mind just does not get it. But my heart says, “YES!” We all lean one way or the other. So lean into God! Stop leaning into your limited, imperfect way of thinking. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” Right?
That’s when His redemptive plan kicks into gear, and He does exceedingly abundantly above all you can ask or think. That’s when you get Double for Your Trouble! That’s when your mess becomes God’s next breeding ground for His next miracle!
That’s the rainbow I’m still looking for. How about you?
