journey onWord with us

Convincing another person of anything can be an effort in futility. Issues of incredible importance to me, often barely hit the radar screen of others in my world. How could that be when my positions are so valid (at least in my mind)?! In reality, I am comfortable with diversity of thought and appreciate that many come from different life perspectives. But one area of life where I do struggle is in convincing others on issues of faith (which is where life really matters). Because I know that God’s Word changes lives, and that applying His truth is the key to a joyful journey, I get discouraged that there is so little passion for a fully devoted life.

In examining a statement by Benjamin Franklin, I began to see more clearly the weakness in my thinking. “People are best convinced by reasons they themselves discover.” I cannot transfer my relationship with Christ to another, nor can you. It is possible for others to see a brand of Christianity in my life that works, and God can certainly use me to influence them on their journey. But to think that others will be convinced just because they hear me say words like “prayer works”, or “you can tithe and trust God with your money”, or “give thanks in everything” sounds more like my truth, and not His truth.

Benjamin Franklin told us that individuals are convinced by reasons they personally discover.  But life has taught me that I am not the great convincer. So how do I (or we) deal with this when in the most critical of issues such as life, death and eternity, it is imperative for everyone to be convinced of the truth. I believe the answer is in acknowledging that we have not been created or called to be the great convincer.  My purpose is to reflect my Creator, and live a life that points others to Him. If you have ears that are listening and eyes that are open to His Word, you will be convinced, and radically changed.

If you are a fully devoted follower: keep believing, growing and see God’s blessing!
If you are in Christ, but hurting: by faith, go to the Word and just trust it!
If you are in Christ, but drifting: commit by faith to try the Word with a new zeal!
If you are searching for answers: seek Him through His Word!

Psalm 19:7-11
The law the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; by keeping them there is great reward.

Our hope for eternity is found in Christ. Joyful living is possible for Christ followers. Open your heart to the reality that God has a design for your life. He has provided us with His Word and within it you can discover hope if you need it, and joy for your journey. My role is to simply point you to the place where you can discover what the only and true Convincer has for you.

From my vantage point, 21^st century living is all about fast-paced lifestyles, expenses rising, house prices declining, social networking and weary people. And have you noticed that it is rare to find a person who is relaxed and joyful? Writing two articles a week gives me a chance to encourage fellow strugglers, but not to avoid the pitfalls of our overworked adrenaline-driven culture. If I am not careful, my journey is too much about daily events, and too little about living with joy. See if you can relate!

After a few days of traveling recently, I was alone for the weekend and doing some work around our house. Being on a schedule and moving at a fast clip, I made a few mistakes. One of the lenses in my glasses came out (my fault). Because I had to drive about 75 miles that evening, I just wore the glasses with one lens. It was a helpful strategy until I stopped by the drug store on my way home. After completing my business and returning to the car, I realized that the clerk probably enjoyed viewing a one-eyed customer (you can laugh…I did). During the same weekend, I inadvertently received a shock (electricity will do that). To top it off, my phone died (not my fault), and it was off to the drug store for a cheap phone. You may laugh at my weekend, but I am sure you have your own story.

Finding balance seems elusive in our fast-paced world. My weekend illustrates that some struggles are self imposed (glasses, shock), and some are part of living (cell phone). Could it be that if I had been relaxing in the day God had given me, some of my mistakes would have been avoided? It is easy for all of us to use our pace of life and busy schedules as an excuse. And it doesn’t take much energy to be diverted by yesterday’s failures and tomorrow’s fears. But when I (and you) live in the moment, excuses aren’t necessary.  In his book, God Is Closer Than You Think, John Ortberg shares that the greatest moment of your life is right now. We cannot change yesterday, nor control tomorrow.

So how are we to live “in the moment”, when the pace of the world we live in is not likely to slow any time soon? House prices will always fluctuate, expenses will rise, there will be Facebook and Twitter, more to do than there are hours in the day, and a million reasons to excuse our weariness. But believers in Christ are to be people of joy, whether in the 1^st or 21^st century. Maybe another quote from God Is Closer Than You Think can give perspective.

“We are not meant to embrace moments, but to embrace God. Moments are not always good; God is never anything else but good. Moments are simply the place where we meet Him. Every moment. Starting now.”

Not tomorrow, but right now, embrace God in this moment. It is all we are guaranteed. I shared my crazy weekend because I struggle, just like you. But when I consciously seek to embrace God in each and every moment, something is different. God gives me better perspective, and I am not as bound to the issues of yesterday and tomorrow. We will all battle our fast-paced world until He comes. But we can embrace Him in each moment and enjoy the journey. As you start this week, give it a try!

Whether we verbalize them or not, most of us have some very strong opinions. From a political standpoint (democrat or republican), we all wonder why the other side just can’t see what is so obvious to us. Your cultural roots also play a role in shaping your opinions. Growing up in the south gave me far too much exposure to the wrong side of strong opinions. Are we any different spiritually?  Many of us are not.  And in spiritual things, it is so easy to become strongly opinionated about non-essentials. The gospel of Christ is essential, but so much of what we are opinionated about is not. I could ramble on, but hopefully the point is made. We are all opinionated.

In the course of our everyday lives, we rub shoulders with people who have different perspectives on life politically, culturally and spiritually. And although we may never verbalize it, our opinions of them lie just below the surface. Growing older has taught me that my opinions won’t sway others politically or do much to bridge cultural divides. I guess we all do have a right to our own opinions.

How about spiritually? If you are a Christ follower, I would assume that you are concerned about the spiritual lives of those you rub shoulders with. And in our own opinionated way, we often view others as not interested in the claims of Christ. With a quick mental inventory, we could all name individuals that probably will never accept Christ … in our opinion. One man who would have been on my mental “never-coming-to-Christ” checklist is the apostle Paul. Those who knew him as Saul would have undoubtedly agreed.  Look at his testimony!

Acts 22:19-21
‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these men know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’

He stood there giving approval when Stephen was martyred! But the love of Christ reached down to Paul and dramatically transformed him. God took this zealous Pharisee and brutal man and used him to shake the world with the gospel. Where I would have condemned him to the “never-coming-to-Christ” checklist, God had a different opinion. Sometimes we all view others with jaded opinions. Our thoughts are, “he or she will never come to Christ”. But the truth is that Christ died on the cross for each and every person on our “never-coming-to-Christ” checklist. Our opinion of their lifestyle, political views or religion has nothing to do with God’s desire for them to know Him.

You and I will always have opinions. But we should never doubt the worth of a soul to God. His love reached Paul, and He desires to reach every single one of those who, in our opinion, won’t ever be interested. Heaven will be full of men and women who others thought would never come to faith in Christ … but they did! And that, in my opinion, is why you and I should tear up our “never-coming-to-Christ” checklist. Better yet, erase the title and rename it “earnestly-praying-for”, or “model-Jesus-in-front-of”.

Traveling for me has become a great adventure. There are times when I feel so blessed by God’s grace, and others where frustration over events and my mistakes weigh me down. Gaining clients and encouraging someone on a plane has been fun. Leaving my cell phone in an airport was not. My most current trip has given me some new adventures. The opportunity to help others has once again been fun, but my cell phone dying and my glasses breaking have not. Try being away from home on a Saturday night with no cell phone and your wife can’t reach you (thanks to a Walgreen cell phone, all is well). Can you relate to the daily highs and lows?

Without a firm grasp on our spiritual moorings, the highs and lows will create spiritual scars for Christ followers. Romans 12:11 prompted my thoughts earlier this week.

“Never lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”

It’s just my opinion, but I believe that for many sincere believers, spiritual fervor has been beaten down by the journey highs and lows. You may even know someone who feels like a “spiritual has-been”(still loves God, but the zeal is gone). It doesn’t have to be that way. If God says, “have spiritual fervor,” He will provide the way. Let me illustrate from my own life.

It was well over 20 years ago when I met a sweet elderly woman on a plane. Over the course of my life, I have been taught to share my faith. I didn’t share with her on our first flight, but as I was preparing to board another flight (I can’t remember if it was a month or a year later), that same woman shows up again. There was no question in my mind during that second encounter, what I must do. And can you believe she was seated in the row right behind my wife and I … with an empty seat beside her?!  Of course you can, this is God we’re talking about. I struggled with courage, but moved back and took the empty seat. After sharing Christ, I asked her if she wanted to accept Him. She said yes. It was just that easy. We have never crossed paths again, but Heaven awaits.

Along my adventuresome journey, on planes and otherwise, it has become easy to settle in and not show so much zeal. I still talk about business and try to be an encourager, but maybe it has become too easy to not offend. When I was young, I didn’t know any better. Have I really grown up?  Maybe God will put some “sweet elderly woman” in my path again. Maybe he already has.

Your journey is different, and you may not talk much on planes, but your opportunities will come. If you have lost some of the zeal, even some of your spiritual fervor, you can get it back.

Back in childhood I learned, “What we give God, God takes. What God takes, God cleanses. What God cleanses, God uses.” Renew your spiritual fervor, not tomorrow, but today. I will let you know what happens on the plane.

I’m not sure how long it has been for you, but think for a minute about the last time you had the joy of using a freshly sharpened No. 2 pencil.  I’m not talking about these new-fangled mechanical ones that are always standing ready to advance an adequately sharp 1/16 inch section of lead at the next click.  OK, maybe new-fangled was a bit much.  But no, I’m talking about an old school bright yellow or a natural wood tone Dixon Ticonderoga.  When was the last time?  For some, this question may find answer in a memory as far back as grade, middle or high school and the associated crippling anxiety of pop quizzes, mid-terms, or finals.  Ah, those dreaded bubble answer sheets!  For others it might be a recollection of yesterday, and a grocery list or a doodle.

For me, it was an opportunity not that long ago to be in need of something to write with, and catching a glimpse of a coffee mug stuffed full of No. 2’s all arranged with points up.  I smiled when I saw it, thinking back to the last time I actually used a No. 2 pencil, which had been a while.  I walked over to the mug and proceeded to spend the next 5-10 minutes in search of just the right one.  I looked first at the available points, and their varying degrees of sharpness.  They ranged from broken-off to razor-sharp.  I settled on a slightly rounded one, sharp enough that it would write cleanly, but not so sharp that it would break off if you put too much pressure on it.  My attention then turned to it’s eraser.  I was disappointed to find almost no eraser left, a disqualifying characteristic for sure.  So back into the cup it went, and I moved on to my next best.  I was very pleased to discover that my very next selection, one that had been a close second in the lead category, had a slightly used, but very adequate eraser.  I had found the “perfect” combination of lead, eraser and overall pencil length.  Lest one forgets, pencil length is crucial also.  A pencil that is just the right sharpness and has an adequate eraser, can be nearly useless if it does not fit comfortably in your hand.  But all that being said, I had found my “perfect” No. 2 pencil, and I was pleased.

I am trying to live my life practicing the presence with my eyes and heart open to what God is doing, even in the smallest and seemingly insignificant moments.  Little did I know as I sat back down to put pencil to paper, God was ready to hit me with a reminder about a big truth.  As I positioned the pencil in my hand and began to put downward pressure to initiate my writing, the lead from the pencil fell out.  Yes, I said “fell out”.  Not broke off … fell out.  With no audible trace, a quarter-inch section of lead simply succumbed to the slightest of pressure, and dropped out of the wood that seemed to be holding it securely just a few seconds ago.  My joy bubble burst.  And in an instant, God had presented me with a weighty reminder that, like the current state of my “perfect” No. 2, I am broken.

In front of those I love, and those whom I come into contact with everyday, I have sometimes nearly exhausted myself in an effort to appear as this pencil did to me when I picked it from amongst all the others.  Useable lead, not ultra sharp, not the sharpest, but pretty sharp and useable.  Sightly worn eraser, showing the effects of being used, not pristine and perfect, but surely adequate, and maybe even desirable.  And certainly comfortable when held.  Not out of the box, maybe showing a few bite marks on the exterior, not flawless, but comfortable, maybe even desirable when compared side-by-side with another No. 2.  And not only in front of those I love, and whom I see everyday, but also in front of God.  Admitting imperfection, but hopefully useable and maybe even desirable.  Except the real truth is, God sees through to the heart of my No. 2.  He doesn’t stand in front of the pencil cup and peruse and critique, and pick out the one that looks the part.  He knows my lead is not as it appears.

Now, I could go in any number of directions in drawing out (no pun intended) this pencil illustration.  I could talk about the truth that God can still choose to use me in spite of my broken lead.  I can further illustrate how He could pull out that loose section of lead, and throw it away as far as the east is from the west.  And how He could sharpen me again, and make me into a No. 2 that can be used for a very specific purpose.  But I will choose instead, to stop at the broken part.  And sit a while with the reminder that I am broken.

No matter what I might look like to others that may walk up to the cup looking for a new friend, or team member, or Sunday school teacher, the truth is that I am broken.  And only the One that sees through to the heart, is the only One who is never disappointed in the discovery of that brokenness.  My balloon burst when I sat down after choosing and began to write.  He rejoices.

Personality assessments fascinate me. By just answering a list of questions, I have seen my life presented in living color. Attributes about me, both positive and negative, are pinpointed with incredible accuracy. You too have probably had the same experience.

One particular test highlighted my personality characteristics to be that of a lion. There were several attributes listed in the feedback from the test that made me proud. But lions can also be too driven, spill their coffee with regularity (my wife says that is a lion trait), drive too fast and generally push themselves and others too hard. How do you and I process and respond to the not-so-desirable parts of our personality?  Many times we try to excuse our weaknesses with words like, “that’s just the way I am”.

When it comes to living out our faith, we should never use our personality as an excuse. Whether you are as driven as a lion or as passive as a golden retriever, God has a design for you. My premise comes from a quote in the book, God is Closer Than You Think, by John Ortberg. In a chapter about practicing the presence of God, he states: “My task is to meet God in this moment.” What a spiritual statement! But quite frankly, most of us don’t live this way, or even believe it is possible. We may agree with the concept intellectually, but our lifestyles, personalities and preconceived notions get in the way. So, is this really possible for me, to meet God in this very moment? Is is possible for you?

My easy out is my strong-willed, fast-paced lion personality. You can also probably name an excuse or two. It is so easy to put meeting God in this moment within the confines of a worship service, or our devotional time. But do we really believe that God just shows up at specific places, and at predictable, prescribed times? Of course not! So why isn’t it logical to practice His presence all day long, in the midst of our every day. Seeking to meet God in this moment changes the way we respond in tense meetings, traffic jams (sorry), at the grocery store, and in every other part of our day.

Now, if you are anything like me, meeting God in this moment sounds like monk stuff, not something that is possible in 21^st century America. In the same book mentioned above, I read a quote about a man named Nick, later known as Brother Lawrence. He determined his life would be a “habitual, silent, secret conversation of the soul with God.” His life has challenged generations, and he wasn’t a monk or a preacher. He worked … in a kitchen. He lived out his “habitual, silent, secret conversation of the should with God”, amidst the washing of pots and pans, and scrubbing of floors.  If you want to practice His presence, invite Him into each activity of your day. Don’t believe that meeting God in this moment is monk stuff. It is His design for Christ followers.

As a driven lion, my flesh so often wants to roar. But when I meet God in this moment, my perspective changes. And no matter what your personality is, you can also find excuses to live outside His design. But for one day, would you consider inviting Him into each detail and activity.  Prayerfully and intentionally invite God to each meeting, each phone conversation, the 3am feeding and diaper change, each class, and yes, even the traffic jam on the drive home.  Living in the reality of His presence will change your perspective and deepen your relationship.  He longs to be with you, and never turns down an invitation to this moment.

Some are good, some are not so good, but we all have them. Habits are those repeated acts that become automatic in our lives. Take a journey back through your life. Can you point to some habits that had their roots early in life and remain to this day? One of my big struggles growing up was biting my fingernails. It is easy to look back now with disgust, but what a hard habit to break. When any of us become habitual about anything, we are hooked. Have you ever said of someone, “he is a habitual liar”? Just as we can all list a myriad of our not so good habits, I trust we are cultivating good ones also. Especially in areas where life really matters!

Recently in my reading of Scripture, I was reminded of something that became habitual in the life of Paul. He was a man who cared deeply for others, as is evidenced by his proclamation of the gospel. His journey led him through deep trials, and he had what I would perceive to be a full calendar (can you relate?). But in the course of his spiritual walk, there was a constant that he often mentioned … A habit if you would!  He must have thought that this habit was of value, to the Father, and to others. It was! What Paul cultivated is just as meaningful for me (and you), but it will take effort .  Do I have your attention yet?

From my perspective, Paul was a man who became habitual in praying for others. We can all say we pray for others, but notice the habit that was Paul’s prayer life. There is something to be gleaned from God’s repeated emphasis in Scripture of Paul’s praying. Take a look:

For the Romans!

God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times —  Romans 1:8-9a

For the Ephesians!

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love all for the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.  — Ephesians 1:15-16

For the Philippians!

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.  — Philippians 1:3-5

As you begin Colossians and I Thessalonians, Paul also gives emphasis to praying for others. It sounds so “ultra-spiritual”, but he really did it. What is more astounding to me is that he was praying for the Romans, and had not even visited them yet. He said that God was his witness of how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times. No one prays like Paul did without a deep concern for others, and a heart-felt conviction that prayer matters. Speaking personally, Paul’s emphasis has challenged me about my prayer focus on others, or lack thereof.

Who are you praying for, and is it sporadic or habitual? Our Father placed emphasis on Paul’s habit of praying for others. My desire is not to tell you who to pray for, but just to pray … and become habitual about it. There is absolutely no doubt that the Lord will give you direction, and you can believe that it will matter. Eternity will reveal the value of Paul’s good habit. I trust the same can be said of me (and you).

Each new day seems to bring a new crisis. Just two short years ago gas was four dollars a gallon. Then it was the global economic collapse. Before we knew it, the recession was in full throttle, and our housing industry was in shambles. Stimulus money came to help, but unemployment still continued to rise. We moved from a war with Iraq to serious conflict in Afghanistan. Europe went into survival mode this year, and then most recently, oil in the Gulf. So goes life in a sin-stained world. For as long as we live, there will continually be a new national, or world crisis to observe. Most of us would relish a day or a week when the nightly news spoke of a world not in crisis mode. Correspondingly, Christ followers long for seasons when life is not so tough.

How often do you observe someone whose life is just plain easy street? No money issues, no job conflicts, no church struggles and the family is, in a word, perfect. You are probably smiling, as you say, “NEVER!” And although we would like some days or weeks of relative calm, life in a sin-stained world is difficult. With the fall, came the end of life on easy street. From what we see in Scripture and history, along with our observations of global and personal issues, is there any doubt that life will always be tough? But to all who claim the name of Christ, there can be peace in the midst of our chaos.

Perspective is important. We all have moments of frustration over why life is hard, and why God doesn’t seem to intervene quicker. But if we view our journey in the context of His will, and trust His sovereignty, our outlook changes. You, or someone you care about, may be going through a season of difficulty right now. Have you noticed how your flesh wants to cry out, “Hurry up God”?! But when you are convinced He is absolutely in control, and deeply cares about the situation, your spirit can be calmed. Perspective really matters as you navigate in a sin-stained world. Corrie Ten Boom said it well:

“God is using the experience of our life to weave a pattern. We only see the knots and tangled threads, as if viewed from behind. Someday when we enter God’s presence, we will see the beautiful design on the front that He crafted with exquisite wisdom and skill, during our earthly existence.”

Our Father in His grace will give us joy on our journey. But that doesn’t change the fact that there will be those seasons of difficulty when the heavens seemed closed. Accept by faith that, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry”. (Ps 34:15)  Determine to live each moment knowing He is watching and listening.

We can almost be assured of new economic stress, oil spilling somewhere, gas prices going up, and wars breaking out. Life in a sin-stained world is just that way. From a personal standpoint, there will always be a new circumstance or crisis. But in Christ, we have absolute availability to the throne of God. In knowing that He cares and sees, and then living that out daily, absolutely changes the way we view life in a sin-stained world.

That’s why I don’t think there’s any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. (Romans 8:18 – MSG)

If you are a collector, know someone who is a collector, or know of the world of collecting, you will be familiar with the term “authenticity”.  Collectors insist on it, since an item’s intrinsic and monetary value rests heavily on it.  The collecting world is full of priceless originals, but also of clever, detailed, nearly indistinguishable fakes.  It can be so easy with some items to be fooled as a casual observer or collector.  Which is why a true collector wants documentation, and searches for stamps or special markings, all in the effort to confirm an item’s authenticity.

Proof is the only way the collector can truly know whether they have the genuine item.  Words in the form anecdotal evidence or stories will not suffice in determining authenticity.  They require another source to corroborate the story.  Words, in and of themselves, rarely speak definitively.

The same can certainly be said of us, if we look at ourselves as the collected item.  We can profess to be the genuine item, but if there is no other corroborating evidence, then our words are meaningless.

The Bible is not vague in its definition of authenticity, and it is the definitive documentation source.

I John 2:5
But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him:

John 13:34
By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

Matthew 7:16a
By their fruit you will recognize them.

All three references leave no doubt as to the stamp and special markings that prove whether we are authentic.  And as an extra point of emphasis, I would also encourage you to read the verses that bookend Matthew 7:16.  In them, Christ provides a strong warning about the clever, detailed, nearly indistinguishable fakes.

All analogies fall apart at some point, and I stopped short of describing God as a collector of souls.  But if I had, would you pass the authenticity test?  Would you hold up under close examination?   Would  the Love God, Love Others “special markings” be obvious to both the casual observer and the trained eye?  Is His love so evident in who you are in the secret, anonymous places and opportunities, that you can easily be distinguished as the genuine item?  Can the story that your life tells be corroborated in the lives of others?

I find great personal challenge and conviction in those questions, and in my intentional pursuit of being authentic.  Let them simmer for a bit, stir them around and let them settle again, don’t be too quick to give an answer.  Our value to God is incalculable, known only to Him, and not determined by what we do.  Our value to His kingdom rests heavily on our authenticity.

From my golf game to my spiritual life, I find that doing the right thing is often counter-intuitive. Logic tells me that if I swing the club harder, my golf ball will go further. But when I swing slower and smoother, the ball goes just as far (and more often in the right direction). Looking at my spiritual journey, I also find that my logic and God’s design often collide. In reality, it’s not surprising that our natural inclinations will be at odds with walking in the Spirit. Slowing my swing down makes for a more enjoyable round of golf. Becoming a person who trades natural inclinations for Biblical instructions makes for a blessed life.

Would you call it counter–intuitive to love your enemies, forgive those who hurt you, honor others and their needs above yourself, pray for those who persecute you and overcome evil with good? I will speak for us all … yes, living like that is counter– intuitive. When we sit in church and hear messages, or read Scripture, it seems to all make sense. But in the moments during our week where we confront that truth, our natural inclinations cry out to be heard, and often win out. Just like with my golf game, swinging slow sounds easy, but it is not.

One of the strategies we all too often employ, is to just try harder. We determine that we will forgive, honor others, pray for our enemies, etc….but in our own strength. My journey has taught me that I cannot manufacture spiritual character by the force of my will.  Does that lesson sound familiar? Since we know that our logic and God’s design are often in conflict, daily submitting our will to His is vital. This conflict can be summarized well by the words from an old Larnelle Harris song, “it’s not in trying but in trusting that we find the strength of the Lord”.

In your mind you may be saying, “ it makes sense, just like in church, but natural inclinations still cry out”. It is proven in scripture, but still seems counter-intuitive to think that trusting will get us farther than trying. I say, look no further than Christ as the greatest example of a counter-intuitive lifestyle. He left heaven, was born in a stable, came to serve and died on a cross for us. That is certainly not the way we would have drawn up God’s plan of redemption. But God knew what He was doing with Christ, and He knows what He is doing with us. We can live His way!

As your eyes consume these words, does your heart reflect a counter-intuitive faith? You are probably living somewhere between natural inclinations and Biblical truth. Some days are better, and on other days the swing gets fast, and you try too hard. Seek and submit to His design daily, with a trusting heart. I know I can have a slower golf swing, and I believe that God has given you the capacity to live with a counter-intuitive faith.

My golf game matters little to God, but your faith means everything!