I had breakfast with a friend the other day and we agreed that what’s going on in our world and country today was unimaginable 3-4 years ago. I won’t go through the litany but suffice to say that the disorder, distrust, division, and destruction are all significant.
Internationally, nationally, in our communities, and impacting many families. I know some who have turned off the news because it’s too depressing. Cyndi and I watch much less today for that reason.
Couple the above with the everyday challenges most people have…the outward ones we talk about like paying the bills, loss in our retirement accounts, sickness, etc. Then those that we don’t dare share with others, i.e., feelings of doubt, despair, lack of confidence, lack of self-worth, etc. I suspect that how we react to all of this is based on our worldview….and whether that view involves faith.
In my men’s group, where we use Steubenville’s Discipleship Quad Model, I’ve joked lately that this surrender thing is great theory…surrender to God’s will, living our faith to the fullest. In these times, some may be asking “is our faith real…or is it just theory?”
Our Faith is Real
Given my life experiences, including and maybe especially since my conversion in 2006, God is very real to me. That reality is based on His love that I feel on a consistent basis, coupled with the efforts that I’ve continued to make in growing in faith.
The question then…what do we do for ourselves and others in these challenging times? I’d suggest we:
- Surrender
- Serve
Surrender
You can only get to surrender by understanding that God loves you more than you’ll ever know, no matter what you’ve ever done. He not only knows what’s best for you, but what will make you happy…having created you with unique gifts and talents for a specific purpose. It’s also believing that all happens for a reason, according to God’s grand plan for your life. Lastly, it’s getting yourself out of the way and allowing Him, through prayer, to guide your life.
Easier said than done, it’s like standing at the edge of a cliff, with one leg on the ground and the other dangling…and Jesus saying to you “jump, I’ll catch you”. While not always being at this place, the times I’ve experienced surrender have been incredibly freeing. I yearn to be there more consistently…knowing that God knows and loves me so much more than I do.
Serve
I’d suggest that in prayer we discern how God is calling us to serve. That may be in some public way or in joining an organization. Or it might be within our families or with neighbors. Regardless, I’d suggest it’s one person at a time, one soul at a time. If we all did this with intentionality and others did it too, it’s my thought that we would be making an impact on all the disorder, distrust, division, and destruction…and feel peace, joy, and fulfillment in doing it.
Like so much of life, it’s simple although not easy. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is always there for us. Just reach out and He’ll reach right back. Together let’s pray for our world, country, communities, and families…and let’s pray that we do our part…surrender and serve.
As always, please email me at Mark@MarkJosephMinistries.com with questions, concerns, comments, or prayer requests.
God Bless you on your Path to Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment!!!
Remember…God made you for Greatness!!!
Mark Joseph
