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Hoping To See

January 25, 2012 by Tracee

 

“The people walking in darkness 
   have seen a great light; 
on those living in the land of deep darkness 
   a light has dawned.” Isa 9:2

“He reveals the deep things of darkness 
   and brings utter darkness into the light.” Job 12:22

“I have come into the world as a light,so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” John 12:46

I took this picture while walking through an old ravine in Amman, Jordan. I have never forgotten this moment.

You see, prior to this shot, I was walking in darkness. The only light shining was in the sky above the ravine. I could not see more than fifteen feet in front of me for a mile.

Local travelers would rush past me. My guide would would just turn and smile, and all the while I was wondering how he knows where to go.

I know now that his smile was filled with the knowledge of what I was about to see. 

Just at the point where I adjusted to the darkness, we rounded the corner to see a great light shining through an incredibly sculpted opening.

All this time we were walking towards light. 

The sight of this light was more amazing than anything I had ever seen. This light was filled with the promise of beauty and the illumination of a whole other world.

This light showed a glimpse of something amazing to come.

God’s light reveals.

God’s light shows through our deepest darkness to illuminate something amazing to come.

Even as much as I had adjusted to darkness, I could not help but be drawn towards the light.

I am so grateful that his light reaches into my deepest darkness. His light smiles with the knowledge of what is to come.

I am believing for the hope of his light to reach into the ravine of me and smile. 

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God’s Ability

January 22, 2012 by Tracee

The bible is filled with amazing stories of miracles and wonders. Jesus did incredible things. He healed the sick, and raised the dead; gave the blind person sight and the mute a voice.

Jesus was active. His abilities matched no other.

Homes and courts would overflow with people just trying to get a glimpse of him. People traveled from all over bringing their needs to place before him, and hear his words.

Jesus did illogically astonishing things.

I shake my head at the amazing things Jesus did; story after story of miracles and wonders. God’s abilities were seen very clear through Jesus. Nothing was impossible for Jesus.

I read some of these stories and wonder about the person who didn’t get healed by Jesus. Was there a person he did not touch or heal? Were there people he did not “come through for?”

There is a harsh reality that I bet there was. There is a harsh reality that even today things happen that make us question God’s abilities.

This world is filled with things that happen and we wish God would do, or would have done, something.

There is a part in the bible that every time I read it I am left with the question of why? Hebrew 11 is a great chapter of incredible faith. However, it is also a sobering chapter of faith that would seem to cause a tension between what happens and God’s abilities.

Hebrews 11 talks about amazing people of faith. It goes on to describe people who had received back their dead raised to life, those who shut the mouths of lions, those who escaped the sword, and weakness turned into conquering power. In the same breath, there is a list of those who seemed to die by the sword, flogged, imprisoned, stoned and killed.

What do we do with the tension of when God seems to use his abilities and when he seems absent?

God is able.

He is also always doing things we do not see or can even grasp.

There are stories like Lazarus, one of Jesus’ closest friends, who was sick and Jesus waited to show up. John the Baptist, a man Jesus described as one of the greatest men who ever lived, stayed in prison while Jesus did not free him. Jesus, God’s own son, hung on a cross. Battered and beaten, Jesus hung on a cross.

Many mocked Jesus’ abilities to be able to save himself. They called out to him to pray and ask God to save him. Jesus never did.

Jesus never questioned the father’s abilities in the midst of his circumstances.

It is so hard to reconcile our circumstances and God’s abilities. It is easy to claim his abilities when they seem to be for us. What about claiming his character and ability when they seem to be absent and far?

“Our circumstances do not reflect the way God feels about us.” Andy Stanley

How do your circumstances stir up in you thoughts and questions about God?

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Waving The White Flag

January 18, 2012 by Tracee

I am a fighter. I always have been. Maybe growing up with an older brother has engrained survival into me.

My brother and I would wrestle a ton. I would always lose. Looking back, there was not one time I can think of where I just didn’t try and fight back. I was never going to win no matter how many rounds we went. However, the reality of not winning was never my first response. I tried. I fought. He would literally toss me and I would just try running harder all the more.

Everyone experiences reaching that place where all of our resources are exhausted, and so are we. Every game has an ending where no more moves can be played. Every match has a final point. Every war requires someone to surrender in end.

I have been facing the reality, and the tension, that there is never a great time to surrender, but it is also never too late to surrender.

Surrendering is so hard for this self-sufficient girl. Surrendering seems to be the choice I make when it’s the only choice left to make.

This pattern of surrendering is costly to my heart and others. I usually get to the point of exhaustion before I realize what I have been running so hard after, has failed.

Surrendering can be associated with weakness. This is a misconception that can be costly. There is a lot of wisdom in choosing to surrender.

I was sweating it out on the Cross Trainer at the gym tonight. It was a simple but powerful metaphor for me. Sometimes I feel like I am trying so hard to pour all I have into life, relationships, transitioning, and even hoping. In the end, I am sweating hard, but still stationary.

Surrender is just hard. It is the wise choice to make before exhausting the road that leads to self-sufficient failure.

God is patient. He is always faithful in redirecting my failures back to him.

I need to get better at assessing the battle. This doesn’t mean to not try, but it means to try well.

For me, surrendering facilitates waiting, as well as enabling me to choose faith verses my own abilities.

Surrendering does not mean the white flag of failure. Surrendering is the wisdom sustaining obedience.

Today, I am going to try and walk out my day surrendered.

What does surrendering mean and look like for you?

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Great Cloud!

January 16, 2012 by Tracee

There are times where I just need to get out of my own head. Sometimes due to stresses, circumstances, and the snowball effect that seems like life, I need reminders.

Hebrews 11 is a great chapter for me to go to when I need to just remember what great things other people have done. Hebrews 11 if filled with snap shots of great faith.

There are some glimpses of amazing faith journeys people have had with God in Hebrews. The writer of Hebrews calls these amazing people of faith our “great cloud of witnesses.”

This great cloud of witnesses helps me get out of myself and remind me of things bigger than me. I can get self-focused when it comes to working through hard times. This pattern of thinking is not helpful to anyone, especially me.

Reading these amazing stories of faith ushers in the perspective I need to refocus.

I know these stories are not the only great cloud of witnesses we have in life. I have some great clouds that helps me remember where to focus. I have some go-to podcasts, books, blogs, and friends. They make my life rich. They help me get out of me.

I would love to know your cloud of witnesses.

Who are some of your go-to’s to help you refocus and remember?

 

 

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Hardship of Waiting

January 15, 2012 by Tracee

Have you ever experienced a time where you found yourself in a waiting season?

I will admit to being a person who struggles when it comes to waiting.

Our fast paced culture does not enable waiting well. People who are waiting constantly look at their watches and are most likely agitated.

Waiting can be accompanied by fear as well. Waiting can stir up the fear that someone has forgotten us. Fears that arise when in a waiting season can challenge our sense of value.

How do you wait well?

How do you wait well when the season of waiting seems long?

Now waiting for the bus is way different then waiting on a dream or direction. Waiting can cause us to question and doubt. Waiting requires faith and trust. Those two words are very challenging.

Andy Stanley did a great series that tackled the question of, “what do you do when you feel like God is inattentive, uncooperative, and late?”

All three of those words come to mind when experiencing a waiting season. I battle with those words a lot, and sometimes on a daily basis, in this waiting period. It is hard not to play the comparison game and even be jealous when it comes to waiting.

Waiting seasons challenge my faith and trust. Waiting is lonely.

Andy talked about a key verse that speaks directly into the heart of waiting. Jesus said, “Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

Such a powerful verse! This verse speaks to waiting. Waiting comes with the expectation that God should do something—that he should do something for me. Honestly, I have expected God to do something and act in my waiting. I used the words that God knows my situation; he is able to change it.

Ever felt like God is silent when you don’t think he should be? Ever felt like he must not care if he is not doing something?

We can start to equate our situations with how God feels about us.

Blessed are those who do not stumble when we feel like God is inattentive, uncooperative, and late. Blessed are those who choose faith even though the waiting continues. Blessed are those who choose to hope when hoping seems in vain. Blessed are those who still know God is able regardless of the waiting time.

I am holding on to the truth of Andy words that, “our situations do NOT reflect the way God feels about us.”

I am working on waiting well. For me, that means not letting it affect the perception of my value and self-worth.

What does waiting well look like for you?

 

 

 

Posted in Daily Thoughts | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments »

The Challenge To Believe

January 11, 2012 by Tracee

“Believe” is one of those words that take me out at the knees. Believe is a word that I will always wrestle with and want to know the deeper meaning of for the rest of my life.

Believing….well it changes everything.

Believing is a word I struggle the most in life with. This self-sufficient, independent wanderer has a hard time just believing. Believing requires my everything.

Believing requires my faith and trust. I have learned that believing is a choice. 

Believing is a choice. Faith is choosing to believe in a God who is illogical, beyond my understanding, and sometimes unrecognizable. My response to believing should look like following God with my whole life.

There is a dangerous question presented in the gospel ….

I have the great privilege of being a guest on my friend Leigh Gray’s blog today! I would LOVE your thoughts on this hard question….

Come join the conversation!

 

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What Is Your Motivation of Influence?

January 9, 2012 by Tracee

I have been marinating on some tough questions for me lately.

Have you ever had those small whispering type questions that tug at your deep hearted places?

Those kinds of questions challenge me to the core in truth. They are questions that remind me who I am tethered to.

I am a person who gravitates toward leadership. I think I popped out of the womb leading. I love it. Leading is life giving to me. I love speaking and influencing through the outlet of leadership. As fun as leading is for me, it is also the area I need to keep myself the most in check.

Our gifts can be our curses as well.

I have been asking myself two questions:

1) Am I leading people to me or Him?

2) What does influencing without credit look like?

John the Baptist is one of my go-to guys when it comes to leadership. John was amazing at consistently directing people towards Jesus. He always handled the weight of his influence wisely.

Before Jesus arrived on the scene, John was talking about him. When asked about being the Messiah, John pointed to Jesus.

The minute Jesus came to the river to be baptized, John pointed to him. Every time John saw Jesus, he told people to follow him. John held loosely to his disciples and pushed them to follow after Jesus.

When John’s disciples complained to him about Jesus’ disciples baptizing more than they were, John responded that they should be. John never made himself greater than Jesus, but even stated, “he must become more and I must become less.”

True character of leadership right there.

John wasn’t worried about credit or his numbers. John worried about people knowing and following after Jesus.

Am I?

We are all influencing and being influenced. We are all leading and following someone. I am constantly asking myself the question, “Am I following the one pointing me to Jesus, or the Jesus they are pointing to?”

Influence is no small thing. There is a huge weight of responsibility when it comes to influence. It is very important to carry it well.

If I am leading people to me, I will fail. I am learning the simple fact that as I follow him followers happen.

I want to be a person who carries the weight of my influence well. I desire to be an open handed leader; always pointing to him in words and action.

Are you leading people to you are him? How?

Posted in Daily Thoughts | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments »

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