Urgency is one of those words that embody the sense of being in a hurry. It’s something that needs to be done soon, if not now.  It’s something that takes precedence over most everything else. It’s important to focus attention on it.  It’s very similar to being in an emergency.  Yet, not everything falls into the urgent category.  The question for us is: Are the things that we give attention to deserving of our urgency?

The truth is that when things are urgent, we must give less attention to other things, even if just for a little while. The problem comes that when we put so much focus on one thing, we really become ignorant of other things around us. Daniel Kahneman in Thinking Fast and Slow says:

“Intense focusing on a task can make people effectively blind…we can be blind to the obvious, and we are also blind to our blindness.” (p. 23-24).

This is a good thing in some regards, because the more we focus on something, the less effective distractions will be. We can remain focused to the task at hand. But we must be careful that we don’t allow ourselves to overlook other urgent situations going on around us. All of a sudden, we seem to have the “rug pulled out from under our feet” and left saying “I never really saw that coming!” All of a sudden, someone close to us reveals their troubling health issues, deep marriage problems, spiritual struggles, etc.  Now, the tension to manage becomes a problem to solve.

This often happens because we are just so busy. I’ve heard so many people, including pastors and myself, say “sorry, I was busy.” Being busy all the time makes everything an urgent matter; and, in a sense, being busy all the time makes nothing an urgent matter. It’s impossible to make more than a few things an urgent matter. Daniel warns us about the dangers of over-focusing:

“you will perform less well, or not at all, if you are not ready or if your attention is directed inappropriately.” (p. 23)

Jesus tells many parables about the Kingdom of God and about His immanent return being like urgent matters, yet we never really see Jesus being in a rush to go anywhere or do anything. He tells us to constantly be ready for His return and to constantly be busy about God’s business (Matthew 24:42-46). Yet Jesus was cautious when He started His earthly ministry. He was conscience about every opportunity, but quickly retreated from people to spend time in prayer or with only a few people. He loved His friend Lazarus, but waited intentionally days after his death to go heal and provide comfort. If we follow His example, it’s as though we can only accomplish urgent things when we move slowly. Not slowly for the sake of just moving slowly, but for the sake of being intentional and making a lasting impact. Vince Antonucci calls it “the speed of love” in I Became a Christian and All I Got Was This Lousy T-shirt.

“Jesus’ method of caring for people was to focus on the person standing right in front of him…When I do life at 150 miles per hour, I lose life. I have a hurried life of not really loving God or people. I have a life of missed moments. I have a life without plotline, narrative, or dialogue” (p. 122).

We often over-estimate what we can do in a day or a week or even a year. We hurry and rush and work ourselves all over the place, trying to squeeze orange juice out of every minute of the day. Yet, we all know what that really makes? It makes the next day just as the one before: busy. We also often under-estimate what we can do in a week or a month or even a few years. It’s like looking at big debt and we can’t see how we are going to get out of it. But if we can put a few extra dollars towards one bill each month, we can cut it down from 30 years to 15 or even 3 years, depending on the amount.

You have the power to create significance when you daily build on those things you worked on the day before. All things are going to take your focus and your attention. We must work on the things that are urgent. We must make sure that the things that are getting our full focus is deserving of our full urgency. We are going to have to minimize our busyness. We also are going to have to make sure our focus on the urgent things isn’t so focused that we miss and overlook the things that become urgent and important in life as they show us their opportunity.

Two times this past month, I was subject to dizziness and heart racing. It was a strange feeling and I was really unsure what was causing it to happen. After the second time, I decided to go to the hospital. After a night there, it seemed to boil down to dehydration, too much caffeine for my aging body and probably some stress/anxiety.  I never really thought it could be anxiety. I didn’t seem to be stressed. Anxiety is one of those things that can take a hold of you physically that we assume the source of the trouble is only physical.  But what was I anxious about?

Well, I believe it boiled down to not having a pastor job yet and starting the One-to-One. It was like telling people that I am not good enough to get a church to hire me.  It was anticipating a pressure (that really didn’t exist) from friends and other pastors, missionaries and spiritual leaders when I talked about helping people grow in their relationship with Christ outside of the traditional Western church concept.  My over thinking (anxiety) was causing my brain to believe I was under some sort of attack.  My body responded to that alarm. My adrenaline would kick in, my heart was send blood to the muscles, my muscles would tense up…I would be prepared for a battle.  Tie that with already being stimulated with caffeine and I was ready to wrestle the bear.

I needed to do what Peter calls us to do with anxiety and worry. Get a hold of it and toss it to God (1 Peter 5:7). Even if I wasn’t sure how to get a hold of it, I needed to own it, confess it and give it completely up to God .  I needed to stop over thinking things, capture every thought, and make it obedient to God’s truth (1 Corinthians 10:4).  I needed to know that my significance was not found in my place of work.  I needed to know that I was doing exactly what God had placed in my path at this moment (Ephesians 2:10). If I could be sure of these things, there was freedom to let things go, stop thinking about them, and to please no one but God. And if I was doing what God wanted me to do, what was there to fear? Nothing (Romans 8:35-39).

John writes in 1 John 5:14-15

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us–whatever we ask–we know that we have what we asked of him.” (NIV)

There was no need to worry about the future if I remained concerned with pleasing God (Colossians 1:10-14). I might have to expose and confront some seeds of evil desires in my life (James 4:1-8), but I could remain confident in spite of what people might say. I could remain confident that God knows exactly what He was doing (Philippians 1:6).  I could remain confident that God had something in store that would blow my expectations and imagination (Ephesians 3:20).  I could remain confident that God could use my inexperience (1 Timothy 4:12) to affect someone, if only one person.

Getting a hold of the truth and really getting a hold of what my mind is thinking and what my heart is desiring, set the stage for getting rid of anxiety.  It wasn’t like an automatic thing. It’s like taking down a sticky note and then placing it back on the wall and then taking it down again. I would have to rehearse the truth and hide God’s Word in my heart for the times I brought it back up. Eventually, my heart and mind stop trying to put it back on the wall. The note was losing it’s stickiness.

I love how the Bible tells us over and over of how sturdy and confident we can be when we truly live our lives loving God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength. A confidence that exists from trusting God, rather than in our own efforts, ideals, and plans. It’s not even about developing a self-confidence. It’s developing a God-confidence about yourself. And yes, it’s a constant challenge for all of us. Yet the results are good. Having the truth leads to confidence. A cup of confidence is better than a cup of coffee, if you ask me.

“Of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation– whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life– of whom shall I be afraid?
When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.”
(Psalm 27:1-3 NIV)

On the heals of Martin Luther King, Jr. day this week, dreamers and visionaries were given a little encouragement to keep thinking about how the future needs to be different. Watchers of Spongebob may recall a favorite episode when Spongebob explains the use of “imaaaaaagination!” (I know, I know, I may have seemingly minimized Martin Luther with a following reference to Spongebob, but I’m trying to connect with a wider audience.) The point is that great things have happened in the past because men and woman believed that certain wrongs should no longer be in existence.  They believed things were not simply as they saw them. They used their “imaaaaagination” and “had a dream!”

Dreamers, visionaries and people who are creative and innovative have something in common: imagination.  When we think of imagination, we think of children. Children have this amazing ability to turn a box into just about anything. Put a cape on a boy and they are suddenly super-heroes.

Imagination plays into faith as well. Jesus said that we need to have faith like a child (Matthew 18:3). Faith is believing and putting your trust in those things which cannot be seen.  Faith brings hope. Hope is what dreamers and visionaries embrace.  It gives them the energy to see things past the hard times. This is not simply a hope that is based on nothing substantial. That is called a wish. Hope is based on something real, something to experience. Imagination makes it all possible. Imagination doesn’t have to mean fiction or fantasy.  Here are the two main definitions from Merriam-Webster:

Spiritual leaders in any religion hold the power to sway people towards believing in something and then moving people towards acting on that belief.  This isn’t necessarily some type of brain-washing or manipulation (although some may be closer to that than merely inspiring a spiritual awakening). I believe that within all of humanity is the desire and longing to know there is a God and what that God wants us to do.  Spiritual leaders have a power, a potential by nature of their position, to either help the hurting or hurt those that are helping the cause.

It might be easy for us to think about this with Islam versus Muslim extremists. Yet, when we talk with people particularly here in the United States, it becomes quickly evident that Christian pastors, bishops, priests, and spiritual leaders have many times hurt the helpers. People get hurt when these spiritual leaders react from their own insecurities, placing judgments and guilt in the name of righteous rebuking. People get hurt when these spiritual leaders become so dogmatic on beliefs which seem to impose stricter burdens and laws in the name of living “biblical.” People get hurt when these spiritual leaders sin harshly against them.  As pastor Pete Wilson tweeted last week: “hurting people hurt people, hurting leaders hurt bunches of people.” I’m not merely referring to any sin that a spiritual leader might commit. In some regard, all of us must understand: spiritual leaders are human and do sin against God and man. Just as we are encouraged and commanded to forgive others who sin against us, this includes spiritual leaders.

I guess the real question is: what do we do now? Far too many times, I’ve heard and read people tossing in the towel towards organized religion. In one sense, this is a healthy new beginning while on the other side of the coin it only leaves hurting people still hurting.  It sometimes leaves hurting people giving up on God! They can’t see the relevance of God or spirituality anymore and life’s answers are only found outside the Bible, outside of God and certainly outside of people talking about the Bible and God.

My thought in all this is two-fold.

1) Pastors and Spiritual Leaders – We know the seriousness of our call by God to teach and preach.  We know the warning by James that “not many should presume to be teachers” (James 3:1).  We know he furthers this thought within the context and analogies of “bits in the mouth of horses,” rudders on a ship, a wild fire set by a single spark and the tongue that can set the whole course of his life on fire. Paul, the apostle, cautions all of us to evaluate how we are building upon Christ’s work:

“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work.” (1Co 3:9-13 NIV)

This is not a call to become wimpy in our preaching and teaching of God’s commands and principles.  This is not a call to reduce Godly rebuking. It’s a call to be sensitive as though everyone is hurting. It’s a call to be sensitive that maybe the next thing we say or do has the potential to build up or beat up. I like how Paul advises Timothy:

“Preach the message, be ready whether it is convenient or not, reprove, rebuke, exhort [encourage] with complete patience and [NIV-careful] instruction.” (2Ti 4:2 NET)

2) All of us – May I be so blunt to say not to shift blame for our lack of spiritual growth on another human being (a.k.a “spiritual leader”)?  In the end, we too will be held accountable for our own words, attitudes, actions and reactions. We need to do the hard work of studying the Scriptures to see whether the message we receive is true (Acts 17:11).  We need to be eager about hearing and receiving the message brought by these spiritual leaders. It becomes too easy to “throw the baby out with the bath water” and not even go anywhere to hear something from a pastor or spiritual leader. It becomes too easy to grow callous and hard-hearted towards the church at large.  We can’t dismiss the message so quickly. We shouldn’t, in return, beat up pastors and spiritual leaders either. In fact, it may be our own duty as followers of Christ to encourage and strengthen the hurting and the other helpers. It may be our own duty to encourage and help the spiritual leaders. Paul has much applicable wisdom when he wrote to the church in Thessalonica that I’ll end with this:

11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
12 Now we ask you, brothers [a reference to all believers, not 'fellow' spiritual leaders], to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you.
13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.
14 And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.
16 Be joyful always;
17 pray continually;
18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not put out the Spirit’s fire;
20 do not treat prophecies with contempt.
21 Test everything. Hold on to the good.
22 Avoid every kind of evil.
23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.
25 Brothers, pray for us.
26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.
27 I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (1Th 5:11-28 NIV)

“I was sitting in a coffee shop the other day, sipping on my favorite cup of peppermint mocha, when I felt strange tensions in my chest. The kind of tensions that make the world go in slow motion.  I pause my breathing and think ‘am I having a heart-attack?’ I motioned to my friend that was with me that I didn’t feel good.  Yet, soon the tensions went away just as quick as they came. I said, ‘wow, that was weird. I think I just had a heart-attack, but it’s gone now. I’m okay.’ And I went on with my day.”

If any of you believed my story to be true, you’re wondering what happened after that. Did I go to the hospital? Is everything alright? Did I spill my peppermint mocha? The truth is that it never happened (and by God’s grace I pray it doesn’t. Although, I did have some crazy dizzy spells on New Years Eve day while at lunch with a friend that left me in bed for 24hrs.  Too ironic that I made this post a couple of days before then).  Yet stories like these do happen all the time in the sense that we notice problems in our lives or cry out for help and then the moment we feel better, we assume the problem went away.  There’s suddenly no need for help. We say, “never-mind, I’m okay.”

I’ve seen it many times in people who ask if I’d be willing to talk or counsel with them and then suddenly it seems like the problem took care of itself.  Certainly there are times when problems do get resolved or wisdom illuminated itself at that right moment. Other times, the pain only lessened, we overlooked the severity of the issue, or we realize how embarrassing it is going to be to share the closet full of baggage. Larry Crabb and Dan Allender in their book Encouragement: The Key to Caring describe a basic human drive:

“So we come to fear exposure, knowing almost intuitively that beneath the make-up of decency, kindness, generosity, and stylish clothing is someone who, if truly known, would provoke disapproval and criticism. All of us, even those whose make-up is thickly applied and has been in place for years, are aware that at some level the wrinkles are there” (p. 32).

If at all possible, we don’t want to mess with our messes. If at all possible, we’re going to ignore our problems so they will just go away. If at all possible, we’d love to think that it was nothing to begin with.  If someone ever asks for help, if at all possible, it’s important to go ahead and connect with them. It’s important to find out if the problem really did get resolved. It’s important to make sure things really are okay. It’s important for you and me to go get “checked” out. Just as much as a physical heart-attack shouldn’t be overlooked, neither should moments of stress, conflict, anger, sadness, grief, loneliness, confusion and feeling overwhelmed be overlooked. Of course the hardest part will be willing to accept whatever truth will be exposed. Yet, we can’t just pretend it’s okay.

It reminds me of what God says through Jeremiah in the Old Testament. The people of God were in pretty bad spiritual shape and judgment from God was being proclaimed.  But the people of God really didn’t want to hear it.  They brushed off Jeremiah’s warnings and prophecies. Actually, they responded in anger. They told Jeremiah that his warnings and prophecies were not right. They thought everything wasn’t as bad as he made it sound. The priests and other prophets addressed the people’s issues with “oatmeal.” And here is what God says in Jeremiah 6:13-17:

“From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit.
They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.
Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when I punish them,” says the LORD.
This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
I appointed watchmen over you and said, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But you said, ‘We will not listen.’ (NIV)

There are often plenty of warning signs if we are willing to pay attention to them. Don’t just address the wound as a skin scratch if it is clearly a heart-attack.

What I like about blogging is that I can look back at what I wrote a year ago. Blogging is like my “Life Journal”, yet without the extreme sharing of personal feelings. I can look back and see how God has been working in my life.  I can look back and see if I’ve changed in any way.  I can look back and see if this year is too much like the year before. All of us desire to have years of growth -whether spiritually or in wealth. To many of us, it seems like we get years of rut-defining repeats.

And as the saying goes, “if you want different results, you have to do something different.” Losing weight is often the first goal or resolution of the new year, yet I’m pretty excited to see many people talk about wanting to get closer to God in 2012.  All of this remind me of what Paul says in 1 Timothy 4:8

“For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (NIV)

Just like defining workout plans and creating time to actually get at it, what kind of plans are you creating to ensure training for godliness? I want to suggest 4 spiritual workouts:

1) Spend Actual Time with God -

There are many ways to spend time with God. Primarily, we have to get into reading His Word, His letter, His story for us – the Bible. Yet, buying a Bible or downloading the Bible app to your device and not using it is like buying a treadmill or a gym pass and thinking that’s the hardest part. The hardest part is actually carving out time to open it and read it. You are going to have to plan a specific and repeatable time to create a “spend time with God” rhythm. The truth is that all of us can create even a few minutes a day to do this. Maybe it’s getting up earlier? Maybe it’s getting the Bible on CD or MP3 to play during your commute? Maybe it’s putting the Bible on top of the TV remote, causing you to catch up with God before you catch up on the news? It’s time to change the classic icon of the bible to an opened one, versus only seeing the words “Holy Bible.”

2) Fast -

Just as exercising and eating whatever you want don’t mix, spending time with God can’t be just something you add on.  We have to cut out the junk and go to the source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals.  Fasting is a way for us to feel “hungry for God.” Fasting isn’t some type of self-righteous test or temptation boot camp. Fasting is about coming to a place of uncomfort and filling our appetite with really getting to know God more.  We fill our appetite with prayer or more bible reading or reflection or journal or confession, to name a few. It’s putting us at a place where we know we need God. The truth is that most of us are comfortable in our lifestyles. We have plenty of food to eat.  We have a car, a house and plenty of entertainment devices. Almost anything we want is right at our disposal. Maybe it’s cutting some of those comforts out as well?

Proverbs 30:8-9 “Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.” (NIV)

3) Journal -

Those who are serious about exercise keep track of where they are at in reaching their goal. They get on the scale and record the weight.  They track how many miles they ran and how long it took them.  They count every crunch and bicep curl.  They count every calorie. Keeping a log of repeat temptations and moments of celebration is a great way to monitor your progress.  It holds yourself accountable if you begin to “slip”a little. You may also begin to notice how you get upset over the smallest things. Keeping a journal allows you to step back and see your week or month as a whole. It’s also a great place to record some really great Bible verses or quotes to look back on and teach yourself what you may have already forgotten.

4) Get a Coach and a Cheering Section -

Every great athlete had people pushing them to be better, stronger, faster. Spiritual coaching is no different. We all need people to prod and push us.  We all need people to encourage and support us. Spiritual coaching happens at church, in a small group or One-to-One with a mentor or friend. God has not designed spiritual growth to happen without someone else. The early church had to be told this truth only several years from it’s beginning in Hebrews 10:24-25:

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (NIV)

Whatever your goals are for 2012, I’m praying they will transform you as God works through you, with you and in you.

We all deal with problems, frustrations and general stress in many different ways. Seems as though the most common reaction to dealing with these things is to do anything but hit them head on.  For me, my common reaction is to sleep.  It’s somewhat easier for me to just block it out of my mind and sleep.  I suppose the thinking process is that if I’m awake, I’ll be thinking about it.  It’s just easier to put off the problem, frustration or stress.

But I’m reminded of Jesus’ words about being prepared and watchful and eager for His return. I’m reminded of the words to the seven churches in the book of Revelation of how they had become less effective, less prepared, and less eager about living strong for God. I’m struck in particular by the words to the church in Sardis:

“I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.  Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.” (Revelation 3:2-3 NIV)

Even if we don’t literally sleep our problems away, we can be living as though we are not awake, aware and pursuing the things that God desires for us and from us.  We find ourselves just doing life without any recognition of our salvation and the joy it brought us long ago.  We forget that we were dead in our trespasses and sins, but because of God we were made alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:1-5).  We live just like those who don’t know God.  We live as though we are dead again.  We live like the seed that is not deeply rooted yet:

“The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.
But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.” (Matthew 13:20-21 NIV)

The good news is that we are not officially and completely dead even though some part of us may already be and it may seem like the rest of us is about ready to be (I’m speaking mentally, emotionally and spiritually more than physically of course). What we need to do is to get a hold of ourselves, get back to reading God’s Word and allow us to remember what God has done for us long ago.  As we continue to abide close with God we will be reminded of things we need to obey and things we need to repent of.  It may not be a comfortable awakening, but it will feel good to feel alive again and to strengthen what remains. So the question remains, how long are we going to sleep? We must not get caught sleeping on the job.

“‘Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’
Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:14-16 NIV)

The church has been around for a couple thousand years. It has changed it’s appearance and it has changed it’s way of communicating a message to an ever changing culture.  The church has always been seeking new ways to communicate a timeless truth. This timeless truth is that God so loved the world, though we are sinful and undeserving of His presence, that He gave his one and only Son to be sacrificed for our sins so that we could have eternal life with Him (John 3:16). The most effective church communicates that message.

The issue comes when we fail to understand what the church is and how we then communicate that message.  For example, some tell us to make sure we get to “God’s house” on Sunday so we can hear this truth or get excited by anticipating the next “amazing” something-something this weekend. Yet, the Bible makes it clear that each believer of Christ is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Going to “God’s House” is simply waking up each morning. In a sense, a believer is carrying God’s House to their friends or to their work, and inviting them to “church” when they come into contact with that believer.  The words and attitudes and actions of that believer communicates that message, or lacks in communicating that message.  As much as a failing pastor hurts the cause of Christ and His church, so do millions of believers who fail to carry the cause of Christ and His church to unbelievers every day.

We can see why Jesus and the apostles (like Paul and James and Peter) were so concerned about how believers lived out their faith. Their “fruit” was evidence of that faith, the truth that was so transforming.

16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
17 Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. (Mat 7:16-20 NIV)

I believe the most effective church happens as believers go to work and live their life day by day according to their faith. Not being perfect, but being honest about how Christ changed them and continues to change how they see the world differently.  I believe one way a pastor can be the most effective pastor is not to preach necessarily about the fruit (although direct examples of application are helpful and we see much of the apostles letters doing this and we just talked about how important the fruit is), but they must remind believers of this amazing message of the Gospel of Christ that produces the fruit.  It’s the message that restores joy to the believer.  A joy that is missing from our day to day living.

I love how Paul ties all these concepts together in his letters to Timothy. He talks about the office of pastors and deacons and encourages Timothy to uphold solid teaching and doctrine and even to encourage believers to live a certain way of life.  Yet, when it comes down to it, we can be certain that the best thing to know and to teach is the great mystery of the timeless truth of Christ to all the believers.

“I am writing you these instructions so that, 15 if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
16 Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.
(1Ti 3:14-16 NIV)

I encourage you as a believer to meditate for several minutes a day on what God has done for you, through you and now with you. Ephesians is a great book to read when you have those few minutes of the day to “relax.”

I don’t think there is anyone who wouldn’t admit about having something in their past that they wish wasn’t there. Whether it’s something we did or something that happened to us, we can be certain that it did something to us to make us who we are today, for better or for worse.

Some of us are more cautious, more reserved, more stubborn, more hard-hearted, more wise about our money, our emotions and our choice of friends.  Some of us now make distinct choices for our careers, the schools our kids go to, where we live, the activities we are (or not) involved in and the religion or church we are (or not) a part of.

Some of us want to dismiss our past and claim that it had no bearing on who we are today. Some of us embrace it more than we think and want to, almost as though it’s our identity. So what should we do if we have a piece of ugly past?

1) Allow the grace of God to be your only identity. Your ugly past does not become your identity.  You don’t have to be an angry person, an adulterer, an abuser, a victim, an addict, an orphan, a loner, a snob or whatever label you think you are wearing. Through the grace of God, Paul was no longer a person to be know of as one who persecuted and murdered people of the early church. He was a preacher of God’s Good News. The ugly past label doesn’t have to be worn by you anymore and it doesn’t have to be placed on you either because it’s not your name! If you have accepted Christ as the Lord of your life and Savior of your sins, that grace of God changed you and continues to change you completely around!

 ”For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it….But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace…”They [the churches] only heard the report: ‘The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.’ And they praised God because of me.” (Gal 1:13, 15, 23-24 NIV)

In God, we are a new creation. We no longer have to look to the past, but we can press forward with confidence. In the bigger scheme of God’s grace, we can honestly consider the past as a worthless pile of poo.

“What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish [Greek word is more like 'worthless trash' or 'dung'], that I may gain Christ” (Phi 3:8 NIV)

2) Admit the truth that our past has helped make us into who we are today.  Some of the things that we can become so passionate for or against is because we experienced it in our past.  When we give our sins or the sins that were committed against us over to God, those ugly things of the past are used for positive growth.  It doesn’t mean sin’s affects on our lives are now gone.  We might have to still work on growing into our new label. This complete change in Paul gave him the passion to live a life that was on fire for God.  He didn’t all of a sudden become perfect (Romans 7:14-25).  And he didn’t hold on to his past, but he did recognize the past and the huge change that took place. No matter the hardships and persecutions he experienced from then on, he endured it.  For him, nothing compared to the glory that was going to be shown in the future (Romans 8:18). Sometimes, the hardships in life prepare us for harder things in life.

“If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?” (Jer 12:5 NIV)

The more sin we did and continue to do and the more sin we experienced and continue to experience, I believe the bigger the grace and the cross of Christ is in our lives. This doesn’t give us an excuse to sin.  This doesn’t excuse the sin we experienced. Nor does this mean that we can use our sin as a crutch or for attention or to wear that old label again when we need to play the pity card.  We use this change to glorify God in our lives and to help others do the same.

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.
7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
(2Co 1:3-7 NIV)

No one said it was easy, but it is possible. There are many different ways to put these into practice. These things won’t happen in a day, but they will happen when you work on them daily.

Accountability is one of those words that can send chills down our backs. To some people, it’s another word for micro-managing.  To some people, it’s  just a catch phrase for two people hanging out and talking over coffee.  Neither one of those is true accountability. Accountability holds me or you to something significantly serious, a habit to change, an attitude to adjust, a checks and balance to life’s reality, a promise to be held to, etc.  Accountability’s intent is to lead to positive growth.  Yet, I would suggest that in one sense, accountability must make you feel a little uncomfortable for it to work.  This kind of accountability can make you feel that you did something bad…and that’s okay.

Jesus and Peter have this conversation long after Peter had denied that he even knew Jesus during Jesus’ trial.  This trial eventually lead to His crucifixion, death and resurrection.  Peter’s last moments with Jesus were moments of letting down a dear friend.  Peter felt utter shame for denying Christ and this was exactly what Jesus said would happen.  Peter didn’t prove Jesus wrong.  And now Jesus and Peter find themselves hanging out and talking over a fish fry. Perhaps Peter was hoping that Jesus wouldn’t bring it up, that thing of shame, that thing Peter said he wouldn’t do but he did.  In his own way, Jesus eventually asks Peter straight up:

“Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” (Joh 21:15 NIV)

Peter’s response was:

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” (Joh 21:15 NIV)

Jesus then went on to ask Peter the same question TWO more times. Each time Peter answered with the same definitive response.  And so Jesus would tell him to take care of, lead, guide, feed, shepherd, and watch over His sheep.  I don’t think Jesus was just making sure Peter heard the instructions clearly. He wanted Peter to feel the urgency, the significance, the expectation, and the trust placed on them to put REAL action to their words. Jesus didn’t nag or harp on the issue of the failure.  Peter knew that Jesus saw the failure. Jesus didn’t have to bring it up. Jesus just simply asked him if he really had the desire within him to make something happen.

Sometimes, when we ask or get asked the hard questions, the first response is to accept the truth and say “yea, yea, I got it. Better next time. Thanks friend, bro, dude for pointing that out.” However, accountability then asks the same question again and again.  The point isn’t to nag.  The point is to get to the truth. Anyone can blow off and say what they are suppose to say once or twice, but eventually the rubber has to meet the road.

Accountability does believe in the other person, but accountability will push to the edge of questioning oneself whether there REALLY is evidence of a desire to see it through. Have you REALLY changed that habit? Have you REALLY adjusted that attitude? Have you REALLY put your career, your marriage, your relationships into perspective? Have you REALLY done what you said you would do? Do you REALLY want it to happen?

High accountability will most likely bring awkward conversations.  It might even produce some sadness.  It might make you feel that you’ve really messed up.  But it’s the kind of sadness that leads to true action of positive growth and change because you know it comes from a person that cares about your growth, not from someone that just wants to shame you. Don’t think it’s wrong when you feel bad.  Own the sorrow for a moment. It may be just what’s needed to push you in the right direction. I like how well Paul says it to the church at Corinth after some long harsh words:

Yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us.

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.
(2Co 7:9-11 NIV)