Monthly Archives: August 2020

Back in June I shared a post, “Why I Wear a Mask”. It was well received, getting shared 56 times on Facebook and generating 36 comments. Most of the comments were very positive, but two were negative. Guess which two I kept playing over-and-over in my head? You guessed it! In spite of all the kind, positive responses I received, I couldn’t stop thinking about those two negative ones. This taught me 2 things. First, I’ve got a problem with pride and second, I need to change my focus.

This tendency to focus on the negative seems to be a natural part of our fallen human natures. You can see it every day on the news and hear it every time a politician opens his mouth. The problem is, this negative mindset holds us back from reaching our full potential.

Ryan Hall, Olympic athlete and American record holder in the half marathon, discovered this when he was training in college. One day he read some reviews about his running on the internet. The majority of the comments were positive, but a few were critical. Those few negative words really bugged him.

Working out later, Ryan couldn’t get those negative reviews out of his head. He decided to prove the naysayers wrong, using their comments to help motivate him to run harder. However, when he tried this Ryan soon discovered the truth of Proverb 23:7, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” The more he thought about those critical comments, the slower he ran. He’d get angry and tighten up and tight muscles don’t run as fast as loose ones.

What we focus our minds on is what we become. When I focus on problems at work I just end up making myself miserable, but if I look for something positive to think about, it changes my whole attitude.

The apostle Paul understood this. That’s why he wrote in Phillippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

This Sabbath and in the coming week, let’s purge the negative from our thoughts and focus on the wonderful positive things all around us. Let’s stop and smell the roses, lift our eyes to the hills, bask in the sunshine, and share a kind word or just a smile with a friend. Most of all let’s fix “our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” (Hebrews 12:2).

There’s plenty of negativity in the world already. Let’s not add to it. Instead, let’s focus on the positive. Let’s focus on Jesus!

This is the best time of the year!

Ana’s garden is growing like crazy and I’m reaping the benefits!
Garden-fresh tomatoes, crisp just-picked cucumbers, delicious zucchini, mouth-watering summer squash! I am a lucky man!

All this bounty didn’t just happen, though. It took a lot of hard work. Tilling up the soil, fertilizing, fertilizing, planting seeds, and endless watering. It was a lot of work, but If we’d left the soil as we’d found it, we’d have grown nothing but weeds. We had to break it down, till it up, before we could hope to reap a harvest.

God’s been doing something similar to me in the last few weeks. He’s been breaking me down, teaching me submission, surrender, acceptance. He’s been tearing down my pride, helping me learn to trust, even when life doesn’t seem to make sense.

It hasn’t been a pleasant experience, which is why I haven’t been able to write the last couple weeks. The inner struggle has left me so drained I had nothing left to give. Yet, I find it’s been worth it all.

Through it all, I am slowly learning true victory is found only in surrender and to grow in Christ I must first bury self. I’m finding I don’t need to understand the “why”, because I know “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28).

I suspect many of you are going through similar experiences right now. Some of you are out of work, dealing with illness, or have had plans fall through. You’re left wondering why God’s abandoned you, why you can’t hear His voice, why He leaves your prayers unanswered.

The truth is, it is in times like these, when God seems the farthest away, He is actually the closest. He is at work in you “to equip you with all you need for doing his will.” (Hebrews 13:21). Like a loving father He is using these trials to prepare the soil of your heart, break down your pride and self-reliance, and teach you to trust in Him.

The process is not always “enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” (Hebrew 12:11).

Trust the Master Gardener. He knows what He’s doing. Let Him “plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.” (Hosea 10:12) Ask Him to plant in you “the good seeds of righteousness” that “you will harvest a crop of love.”

God promises “what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.” (Romans 8:18). “At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” (Galatians 6:9).

So hang in there! Let God work and remember, “Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy.” (Psalm 126:5) So rejoice – Harvest Time is almost here!