I am in Oklahoma City. Last night I spoke at the Memorial Road Church (a part of their summer series featuring a different speaker each week). The church is located next to Oklahoma Christian University where my daughter Jamie is a student. It was nice to be there and be a part of her world for an evening.
While in the hotel room yesterday, I was flipping through channels on the television. As I passed by one channel, Dr. Phil was signing off. He said, "Life isn’t a dress rehearsal." Hmmm. That is good. Life isn’t a dress rehearsal. Life is what is happening right now.
Maybe I ought to think of faith in the same way. Faith is not what you have when you finally get everything in your life worked out. Faith is what you have right now in the middle of life.
When the "creek bottom" is dry, it is important to start small. The first few drops of rain will not cause the creek to flow again. However, it is a beginning.
I remember going through a period of time early in our marriage when I kept looking for what I didn’t have.
Instead of taking small steps of faith and trusting God, I spent my energy wishing. I wished for a better church, another academic degree, more elders, a new car, a better house, and on and on. In 1985, I received a Doctor of Ministry degree from Harding Graduate School of Religion (Memphis, Tennessee). That represented five years of work. After graduation Charlotte, our little girls, and I came home. Several days passed and then I said to Charlotte, "You know–I’m thinking about going to law school."
At that point she asked me, "Are we ever going to be happy?" It was a painful question to hear because I knew she had seen something in me I didn’t want to see. I was trying to deal with a dried up creek bottom by wishing it away. Yet, wishing is not the same as trusting.
Maybe I need to just take a first step — no matter how small the step might seem.
- Maybe I need to pray for power to resist doing something I know to be wrong.
- Maybe I need to do something that might be both thoughtful and helpful to someone. Some small act of service.
- Maybe I need to read my Bible. Perhaps I could begin with the Psalms. I can pray through two Psalms today. (Try praying them aloud.)
- Maybe I need to simply pray to God, "Lord have mercy."
- Maybe I need to pray, "I can’t do this Lord, I give up. I’ve tried for too long to do what only you can do."
I really don’t know what small step you might take. I’m just suggesting that you and I resist the lure of being passive. It is far too easy to remain stuck. The main idea is to take a small and practical step of faith. Begin somewhere.
One day, I was thinking about a person who was in a nursing home in our area (a member of our church). I thought about needing to visit him/her. In fact, I thought about this several times during the day. Yet, I kept finding reasons not to go (too busy, don’t really want to, need to get some other things done, etc.). Going back and forth with this really bothered me. I prayed about this situation and then got in my car and drove to that nursing home. Driving over there was a small — but important — step. After all, for some reason, I was trying to avoid this ministry opportunity. Later, after spending a few minutes with this person, I was glad I went. Choosing to go anyway was a small step, but important.
Faith does not come about through wishful thinking. Contentment does not happen by finally wishing for and receiving the right thing. No, I’ve learned that I make progress by taking small steps of faith.
After all, today is no dress rehearsal for a future life. Today, my life is happening. I want to learn to trust God today, even though my life at this hour or this day may not be exactly what I would have planned.
I think there are very few people over 40 who would say their life has gone exactly as they planned for it to go. Mine certainly hasn’t. We can waste a lot of time and energy bemoaning that fact or we can gracefully and gratefully accept the plan as God is unfolding it in our lives. I sometimes have to stop and remind myself that “We do not have to live under the thumb of our circumstances” (D. Willard). Instead, we can live in the conscious awareness of His ever-abiding presence. Intentional, mindful living helps keep that creek from running dry!
Great comments! As it is said, there are some Christians who are so heavenly minded they do no earthly good. Thanks for your emphasis on what God wants of us now in the present.
Jim,
I love reading your blog. Great insight. In my struggles of trying to feel significant, I keep forgetting that I already am, in Christ. There will always be a better job, ministry position, nicer house, cooler car, and so on. I am still learning to appreciate what I have and what I will gain in heaven.
Jim,
Once again, you’ve not only struck a ‘nerve’ but hit me square in the heart!
I can only compare the nugget of truth you unearthed in this ‘creek bottom’ concept with the man Jesus said discovered the ‘treasure hidden in the field’. To grasp, to possess, and to really own that truth is worth selling all previous possessions in order to have it.
‘Nuff said. I’m headed to the hospital to visit some folk….
You truly are an inspiration!
Lanier,
Thanks for your comment. I always appreciate and respect what you say.
Hi Frank,
I’m glad you left this comment. Thanks for the encouragement regarding the blog.
I think a lot of us can relate to what you said. Hope you will comment again.
Thanks Allan–I appreciate what you said.
Connie,
Another great Dallas Willard line! (I really like them).
You are so right regarding the importance of living with a conscious awarness of his presence. Unfortunately, I don’t always do this.
Spirituality is about doing Christ-like things when we can, where we can. Thank you for the reminder that we’ve got to stop labelling things ‘small’ or ‘big’. We can’t SEE that well. We only know what seems little to us, or what seems big to us.
in HIM,
Nick
Nick,
Thanks. You are right about our not being able to see well enough to know what is a big or small matter. I do think we would be amazed to know.
Jim,
Very helpful. Especially important for some of us (and when young) who are stuck in kind of a mode of procrastinating. Procastination often has to do with the fear of failure. But a step of faith, in God, means to trust that in him, and in his eyes, we won’t be failures. Thanks.