Sacred Mundane: The Blog

I felt that familiar flip-flop feeling, that quick catch in my breath. Oh good grief, Kari. Really?! Yes, really. It would seem so innocuous, this thing, but it tripped up some insecurity switch and as I slipped into bed, in the safety of the darkness the tears slid down my face, onto the pillow. Why, Lord?! Why still? Why do old wounds still produce this ridiculous response? Why am I so emotionally unstable?!

Sorry for TMI, but of course our lovely friends Hormones had something to do with it. Their other friend, Fasting, seems to has the same effect. When Hormones and Fasting are both visiting my house? Whoa Nelly. Things can spiral down rather suddenly.

But. I embrace both because they weaken our defenses, our self-protective thick-skin, and make us painfully vulnerable. They bring things to the surface, and that’s the whole point. When we fast, or experience any circumstance where we’re weakened, the things that surface were already in there, we just didn’t know it.

When tears surface, there’s always something under the surface.

Years ago a wise friend recommended a simple 3-day approach toward responding to painful remarks. I’ll call it the “Resurrection Response” to criticism or hurts. When we receive the painful word or remark or situation, we respond in step with Jesus’ death and resurrection.

1. Die.

Don’t respond. Don’t defend yourself. Allow the pain of the remark to actually sink in and hurt. Don’t brush it off, ignore it, or pretend it didn’t matter. If necessary, grieve. Even if you feel petty or silly, honestly acknowledge the hurt before God (NOT another person at this point).  Even if you are wrongly accused or misjudged, reflect on how Jesus stayed quiet and bore the shame and pain of the cross.

2. Rest.

The next day, do nothing. Just rest. Wait. Again, don’t respond. Don’t take action. Allow a full day to just give the Lord space to work in your heart, show you your own areas of brokenness of weakness. Or just rest in His presence and let Him minister His love to you.

3. Rise.

Take action. This might mean responding (if God leads), or it might mean just rising from the “grave” of pain and hurt and walking forward in the newness and life and power and freedom that God worked through the painful process. His Holy Spirit will show us what it means to Rise, but we take action to move forward in overcoming sin, selfishness, insecurity, pettiness. We forgive. Always. We refuse revenge or pride, and we rise out of the hurt and move forward in love and generosity.

Friends, this simple 3-day method has OFTEN kept me from saying or doing really stupid things. It’s protected me from lashing back, reacting, or making rash decisions out of hurt. I pray this simple practice can be helpful for you too. Thank You, Jesus, for showing us the way to die, to rest, to rise. We pray your resurrection power will give us the strength to love others lavishly. Thank You for your grace.

Thanks for reading.

I sense this urgency now more than ever. Not a panicky urgency, just a sense that time is short, that these are critical times, that “as in the days of Noah” there will be many who are oblivious to the times and be caught off guard by His coming.

No, I’m not talking about stock-piling supplies, that sort of thing. I mean that Jesus urges His followers often that in the end, as the time draws near, the love of many will grow cold. There will be widespread deception, even among believers. The Scriptures will be twisted to say whatever pleases the masses.

For me personally, PRAYER has been megaphone-loud message I keep hearing and receiving from the Scriptures, from the Spirit.

Now is the time to pray. For our loved ones, for our country, for ourselves. Now is the time to be discerning. Please, for the love of Jesus Christ and for the sake of the world, we must be discerning people.

How? By immersing ourselves in the truth of the Scriptures, the whole scriptures, by spending more time in the presence of God in prayer than in the presence of social media. By fighting fiercely not against people, but against the enemy of our souls, the one who comes only to steal, kill, and destroy, the father of lies, the deceiver of the brethren, the roaring lion. Only as we are discerning can we truly love people but hate evil, only as the full-gospel guides our view can we purely pursue God’s glory and help rescue people from the burning building of sin, of deception, of bondage.

The Good News is good news! It is GOOD! It is that even though we are all lost in our trespasses, we don’t have to be! We don’t have to live in slavery to our sin, to our fleshly passions, to our selfishness. The gospel sets us FREE! 

There is a great opportunity right now to do the Armor of God study by Priscilla Shirer, online over the summer. They are offering her videos (slightly shortened) for FREE, so the only cost is the book. What a great way to suit up! To put on the truth of God’s Word and take up the sword and be prepared to walk in boldness and discernment.

Here is the information: http://blog.lifeway.com/womenallaccess/2016/04/22/the-armor-of-god-online-bible-study-sign-up/?emid=women-AOGOBS-announcement-20160428

I guess this is less of a post and more of a plea: Let’s suit up, friends. Let’s seek the Lord in prayer. Let’s get in the Word of God and let His truth guide our hearts and lives. Let’s not waste our lives. Let’s give generously, love lavishly, and surrender fully. I’m with you on this journey, in this battle. Let’s suit up!

Thank you for reading. 

This is from last year, and I want to say, with JOY and a grateful heart, I have been blown away by the difference in this past year, of seeing people truly step up and show up. We’ve seen almost 100% of people stick with each Bible study session, which makes my heart soar. But re-reading this struck me that it’s worth considering again, for us all. I believe God’s heart comes through clearly. So good to be reminded. Thanks for reading… and for showing up. 

~

I’ll admit, it began as an irritation.

Why are we the ones ALWAYS here? Of course, the pastor’s family has to show up at church, right? Of course the Bible study leader has to show up. Of course the retreat speaker has to show up.

After 16 years leading Bible studies and small groups, I get what it’s like to be the one who has to show up. And I’ve always counted that a blessing. The reality is, whenever we just show up we are blessed. We only benefit. I’m grateful for all these years where leadership has forced me to be consistent, because I know my tendency to be hit-and-miss.

But this year, something began aching in my heart. I always knew it was there. After years leading small groups, you know the attrition rate by heart:

Usually by the end of the study half the participants … aren’t participating. 

But it becomes heightened, more clearly seen, in something small like a church plant. Although this thing certainly isn’t “ours,” there is a very real sense that our very hearts and souls are poured out into this little ragtag band of believers called Renew. Paul clearly had this same burdened heart for all those he invested in for the sake of the Kingdom.

And so the inconsistency, the attrition, the hit-and-miss … is keenly felt. 

And yet, my optimism constantly reminds me: God uses exactly who’s there for just the right purpose. He can move mightily no matter who comes and who doesn’t. 

And this is true. Of course God is so powerfully and gloriously sovereign, He can work gloriously with two people or two-thousand people.

And yet.

(Now my heart’s doing this crazy-thumping thing because I’m pretty sure I’m going to offend a bunch of people right now.)

I poured out my heart to God about this recently, sharing honestly with Him how hard and lonely it is to be the one always showing up. Do you know what I heard crystal clear in my heart?

“How do you think I feel?”

Tears flowed as I realized how we have hurt the heart of God. 

I believe the heart of God is deeply grieved that we have made him last priority in our lives. That we have made spiritual matters of least importance. That we put more thought into the state of our financial portfolio than the state of our souls. That we put soccer schedules ahead of Sunday morning worship. That we have financial needs and yet blatantly ignore God’s clear commands on giving to Him first. That we neglect morning prayers and time in the sacred Scriptures because we really “need some sleep.”

I’m not talking about legalism, I’m talking about LOVE.

I believe the heart of God is broken because He waits and waits and waits and waits, for us to just show up. Like a husband who plans a date with His wife every Friday night, who reserves a table for 2 and sits alone in the candlelight, waiting, waiting, waiting for His beloved bride to show up.[bctt tweet=”Like a husband who plans a date with his wife, reserves a candlelit table for two, and waits … God waits for us to show up.”]

But she never does. She needed sleep. Something came up. A friend stopped by.

He sits there, alone, waiting for us to just show up. 

I read a story recently of a family in the 60s, in Communist Russia. They loved Jesus. Every weekend, they would walk 30 miles to get to the nearest church, then walk 30 miles home, traveling all night long Sunday night, to be ready for work Monday morning.

This undoes me. Oh God, forgive us. We know nothing of carrying our cross, we know nothing of commitment.

We know nothing of true love. 

Again, this isn’t a message of condemnation, it is a PLEA that the people of God would know the heart of God, that He does not come last. Matthew says that as the end nears,

“The love of many will grow cold.” (24:12)

Please: Do not let your love grow cold. He waits for you.

Just show up.

{Thank you for reading.}

Their little eyes widened as the words sunk in: One HUNDRED times as much!

We giggled to ourselves thinking of receiving back one hundred toys, or one hundred cookies, or one hundred houses or sisters or brothers. Of course the essence of this promise isn’t about calculating or counting, it’s written to convey an important promise:

What you give up for God, He’ll give back in a better way, beyond what you can imagine. 

We were studying the Rich Young Ruler, and how sad he was as he shuffled away from Jesus, as he gave up the greatest opportunity that had ever presented itself to him. I actually found myself tearing up as I told the story, thinking how tragic it is that so many (sometimes myself included!) give up the greatest invitation ever because we can’t let go of our stuff, our rights, our way.

But it’s so fun that immediately after this story, Jesus gives a promise. And it’s a big one! He marvels at how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom, but then makes this mind-blowing statement promising that all those who give up things for God’s sake will receive back one-hundred times as much. Wow!

I have seen this wildly lavish love from God so many times recently. I even have a crazy story about a literal 100-fold return. It’s nuts! I’ve been amazed at this truth that when we seek our own pleasure, our own way, our own stuff, we end up poor, we walk away sad, nothing satisfies.

BUT. When we seek the kingdom, when we give up our stuff, our way, our life, we find ourselves spoiled rotten by a generous God, lavishly loved and blessed. Sure, there’s still tribulation, trials, challenges. But the abundance so outweighs the burden.

God is GOOD. His way is good. His plans are good. Oh that we’d give up our own way to seek His and discover the goodness! When we seek our own we lose, but when we seek Him, the find the rest tossed in as well. It reminds me of the CS Lewis quote:

Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither. -CS Lewis

Or this: this weekend Jeff shared this quote, and its truth captures this beautifully. So true! Not seeking our own, in a selfish sense, is the directest course you can take to secure your highest happiness. Amen!

“If you are selfish, and make yourself and your own private interests your idol, God will leave you to yourself, and let you promote your own interests as well as you can.

But if you do not selfishly seek your own, but do seek the things that are Jesus Christ’s, and the things of your fellow human beings, then God will make your interest and happiness his own charge, and he is infinitely more able to provide for and promote it than you are. The resources of the universe move at his bidding, and he can easily command them all to subserve your welfare.

So not to seek your own, in the selfish sense, is the best way of seeking your own in a better sense. It is the directest course you can take to secure your highest happiness.” —Jonathan Edwards (Charity & Its Fruits)

May we take this route. When we seek His kingdom, the rest is tossed in as well. Let’s go this way! Happy Monday. Thanks for reading.