Is It Well With Your Soul?

One of the many things I love about God is found in Psalm 23:3a, "He restores my soul." In the Amplified Bible, it reads, "He refreshes and restores my life (my self)."

Can you think of specific instances when your soul needed restoring—when you were discouraged or bowed down by the pressures and demands of family and ministry? Remember, an event doesn't have to be catastrophic to pose a serious threat to the health of the soul. More often than not, the real danger lies in the piling up of small irritations and burdens—little things that keep building, one on top of the other, until the accumulated weight produces despair. You continue to perform, but you lack emotional vitality. You go through the motions, meeting the expectations of others, but inside there is a growing numbness—a weakening of the soul, a depletion of your inner self.

When people reach this state of inner exhaustion, they often turn inward and become overly self-focused. Relationships are strained as emotions wear thin. Thought processes become clouded and the moral fabric of internal life begins to unravel. They maintain an outwardly religious persona while the authenticity and joy of their relationship with God slowly deteriorates.

It's at this point that the soul becomes increasingly vulnerable to various temptations. If the need for spiritual refreshment and renewal goes unrecognized, things will only get worse. Given time, this gradual erosion of the human soul can lead to severe consequences. It can cause people to stray further and further from God. It can make them actively pursue sinful desires. It's a slow and progressive process that has brought many a good minister down.

When confronted with the seriousness of this condition, those at this stage usually slip into ego management. They deny that there is any reason for concern: "Why are you attacking me? Everything is fine." If you question the state of their soul, they make light of the situation: "It's not as bad as you think." Often they will try to shift the blame while playing the victim. If you've known someone in this position, you understand how gut wrenching it can be to watch a loved one become caught in this vicious downward spiral. You realize how much it hurts when that person refuses to listen to sound advice and counsel—when he or she complains, "Why don't people just live their own lives and leave me alone?"

Space doesn't permit me to examine in detail the many creative ways in which our loving God patiently pursues the weary and thirsty soul. But suffice it to say that, you are never too "far gone"  to receive His tender care. Your soul can always be restored. Whether you're discouraged, as Elijah was when threatened by Jezebel (1 Kings 19:2-8); whether you're enduring severe temptation, as Jesus did in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11); whether you're in the grip of fear, like Peter when he denied Christ (Matthew 26:69-75); or whether you're plagued by doubt, like Thomas, who could not believe Jesus had risen from the dead (John 20:26-28)—whatever your specific challenge or concern, be assured that God will meet you at your point of need.

Even in the extreme cases where ministers, like the prodigal son, walk away from their loving Father, God's grace never ceases to seek the wayward soul (Luke 15:11-24). The Lord pursues His lost sheep like a Good Shepherd (Matthew 18:10-14). He is unfailingly determined to heal the soul of its backsliding and restore it to His favor (Hosea 14:4). Wherever we may be in life's journey, we have His promise that the Holy Spirit will draw us to Himself, refresh us, and comfort our thirsty souls, leaving us with renewed discoveries of His love and the promises of His word (Psalm 19:7; 51:7-12). Our part is simply to respond (Isaiah 55:1).

Leading By Example

As ministers of God’s grace, we have the extraordinary privilege of serving the body of Christ in our respective roles. It’s a complex, multifaceted, and often daunting task.

As I think of our surrender to the call of Christ, a number of descriptive words and phrases come to mind. On any given day our work can be humbling, rewarding, challenging, and exhausting. It can even be emotionally painful. On top of all this, it can be complicated by pressure. And one of the greatest pressures we face as pastors—both internally and externally—is the pressure to succeed.

What is success? In the ministry, success tends to be measured in terms of one of two things, either dynamic preaching and teaching or congregation size. We can all agree that a pastor should be a capable speaker and that numerical growth—at least in some respects—does reflect effectiveness in ministry. But is that the sum total of our contribution as representatives of the Gospel? I don’t think so.

In fact, I’d like to suggest that God judges success according to an entirely different standard, one that takes us to a much higher level. To be specific, I want to make the case that success in ministry should be determined primarily in terms of the Christlike example of those who lead.

The apostle Paul understood this crucial principle of leading by example. Not only was he humble, he also encouraged the Philippians to follow his pattern in this regard (Philippians 3:17). Writing to the Corinthians he said, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). And in his second letter to Timothy he praised the young church leader for developing his own ministry upon the model of Paul’s teaching, personal conduct, purpose in life, faith in God, patience in trials, love for those he served, and perseverance in persecution (2 Timothy 3:10; also see 2 Corinthians 2:17; 4:1).

Jesus took the same view. Knowing the tendencies of the human heart, He cautioned His disciples not to “lord” their authority over the church but to be examples to the flock (Matthew 20:25-28). Peter, writing to leaders within the church, echoes the same challenge, adding that pastors and overseers ought to serve willingly and not merely out of duty (1 Peter 5:1-4).

Of course, Paul was intimately familiar with the details of the life of Christ. He was probably also aware of Peter’s admonition. That’s why Paul made it a point not to strive for greatness or to compare himself with the so-called “super apostles.” Instead, he sought to be a servant to all by God’s grace and the working of His power (Colossians 1:23-25; Ephesians 3:7).

Paul writes, “Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task” (1 Timothy 3:1). And he puts forth an extensive list of qualifications, including details of personal character and the quality of a candidate’s marriage and family life, that “must be evident” for all church leaders (see 1 Timothy 3:2-7; Titus 1:6-9). This is not to say that desire, gifting, and talent are not important. They most certainly are. It’s simply to point out that being an example that others can follow is both paramount and non-negotiable in all areas of ministry.

Those of us here at Focus on the Family deeply appreciate the sacrifices that you have made and are making in your service to the Lord and His church. We are here to serve you and your family. Not only has the Lord blessed us with some valuable real-life experience in this area, but He has also placed within us a sincere desire to listen and help where we can. Literally thousands of ministry families have found us to be a compassionate, trusted resource. We look forward to having an opportunity to come alongside you in the same way.

The Thorn

I stood a mendicant of God before His royal throne

And begged him for one priceless gift, which I could call my own.

I took the gift from out His hand, but as I would depart

I cried, “But Lord this is a thorn and it has pierced my heart.

This is a strange, a hurtful gift, which Thou hast given me.”

He said, “My child, I give good gifts and gave My best to thee.”

I took it home and though at first the cruel thorn hurt sore,

As long years passed I learned at last to love it more and more.

I learned He never gives a thorn without this added grace,

He takes the thorn to pin aside the veil which hides His face.

by Martha Snell Nicholson

Fear and Unexpected Change

Fear and Unexpected Change

Everyone has faced or will face an unexpected circumstance that produces fear. While this may be a normal response, fears that remain unchecked can become emotionally paralyzing. It can strip us of self-confidence, steal away inner peace, complicate relationships, and rob us of God given opportunities and blessings.

The story of Mary and Joseph is a great example.  Mary has just been told that she will become pregnant and give birth to the Son of God. “Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.” (Luke 1:29-30) Joseph, her betrothed, was in utter shock, believing the woman he loved had betrayed him.  “The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 1:20)

The Lord, knowing their fearful emotional state, rushes in like a cool breeze on a scorching day to refresh and reassure them. His words enabled them to boldly exchange their fears for His peace. Instead of quietly sending Mary away as a marked woman, Joseph embraced her as his wife. Mary with bold faith threw off her fears and brought forth the promised Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let’s take a closer look at the various components of this familiar story to see if there is a parallel for our lives: (1) the situation was unexpected and life changing (2) gripping fear produced confusion and disbelief (3) possible negative consequences could be  loss of reputation, financial hardship, isolation, and rejection (4) divine intervention and reassurance comes resulting in clarity and renewed peace (5) we no longer make fear based decisions that negatively impact us and others (6) with courage we can face the future with renewed hope in God’s promises.

I love the words of Jesus as He speaks to his disciples about the impending change they are about to face.  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27) His words are still true for us today!

Building Joy In Others

Everyone around you is dealing with the pressures of life. Some are discouraged, anxious, and others are in deep despair. Anyone of us can become so focused on the pain of the moment that we forget to be thankful and lose our joy.

You and I can bring light into those shadowed places and rekindle thankfulness by building joy in others. It's the golden rule for living. "Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God's Law and Prophets and this is what you get. Being and Doing." Matthew 7:12 (The Message)

Here are eight ways in which we can be used of God to build joy in others.

1.  Smile whenever you greet those you love, and use sincere voice tones.

2.  Ask questions that invite others to tell you truthfully, how they are doing, and what they are thinking.  Listen intently without interrupting.

3.  Take a sincere interest in really knowing the other person.  Work hard to understand the other’s fears, joys, passions, talents, and pain. 

4.  Treat each other with dignity and respect.  When ending a discussion, try to make both people feel affirmed.

5.  Use touch whenever appropriate: Hold hands, link arms, give hugs, and use physical connection as effectively as you can.

6.  Discover what brings the person joy:  a time to talk, encouraging notes, a helping hand, or evening walks.

7.  Give them little surprises that will cause their eyes to light up, and let your eyes light up, too!  The joy builds as the glances go back and forth.

8.  Cherish babies and children by establishing through words and actions that you are authentically “glad to be with them”.

Think about it. Aren't you thankful when someone treats you in one or all of the eight way mentioned above? English novelist William Makepeace Thackeray said, "Life is a mirror; if you frown at it, it frowns back; if you smile, it returns the greeting."

*1-8 Living From The Heart Jesus Gave You, pg24, Shepherd’s House, Inc.

A Noble Woman--Proverbs 31: 10-12

Proverbs 31:10-12 (AMP) Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies.11 Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life.12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

What a joy it is to finally be able to write about this noble woman! There have been so many warning about the cantankerous woman and the immoral enticing woman. Now we have the testimony of the VIRTUOUS woman that any sensible man would be honored to have as his wife. 

This is woman is morally and spiritual strong in character. She is competent, courageous, industrious and wise. She is the mistress of her domain building her house day by day with godly wisdom. Her husband has complete confidence in her, trusting her explicitly.

Proverbs 12:4 (AMP) A virtuous and worthy wife [earnest and strong in character] is a crowning joy to her husband, but she who makes him ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

Proverbs 14:1 (AMP) EVERY WISE woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.

Proverbs 18:22 (NASB) He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the LORD.

Proverbs 19:14 (AMP) House and riches are the inheritance from fathers, but a wise, understanding, and prudent wife is from the Lord.

As a man I recognize that God has blessed me beyond what I could have hoped for. I have found incredible favor in receiving the gift of a God-fearing sensible woman. It is very humbling to contemplate! I am very proud to say that I am married to Linda and she is the virtuous woman of my dreams! Thank you Lord!!