Living in an Unstable World

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Living in an Unstable World Part 01 - Finding Hope

by Gail Rodgers
He called from across the country today. “Is there work out your way?” he asked. He couldn’t hide the concern in his voice. He’s looking for hope.

The evening news brings vivid pictures of despair in people’s lives.
“Lord, where is the hope?” I silently asked.
Immediately a parade of faces flashed through my memory. Faces of people I knew personally who found God to be their anchor and strength in times of great distress and personal loss. These were people who put their trust in God in spite of seemingly insurmountable circumstances. People whose faith anchored them as I witnessed, first hand, the peace and comfort they received from God. I saw the calm that God gave when they were shaken to the core.
Did they brave the storms of life without tears or fear or moments of loosing it? No, for they are people just like you and I, and storms can be overwhelming. Yet their eyes always turned back to the God they knew. They choose to run to Him and not from Him in their pain. He was there. He is there. For every breaking heart and every hopeless situation He is still there… today… for you and me.
The words in Psalm 13 from the Bible echo our own at times, as David laments over the agony of his life. He cries out to God with anguished questions.

“How long, O Lord, will you forget me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and everyday have sorrow in my heart?” Psalm 13

Having spent himself he then makes a decision…

“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord for he has been good to me.” Psalm 13

God is big enough for you to beat on His chest and cry out your questions. If you let Him, He will encompass you with His love and quiet your heart and bring rest to your body and soul. He will remind you of blessings you still have in spite of loss.
We choose. When the job is gone, the money won’t stretch to the end of the month or our health or relationships leave an uncertain future, God is still there.
Determine to trust Him. Ask Him for guidance and stability every step of your journey. He can navigate you through the maze with comfort and peace that prevails after the tears are spent.
Do you need His hand to steady you today? Do you need to beat on His chest and release your anxiety to Him? He can take the anger, the fear, the hopelessness and give you instead a peace that is beyond understanding… a peace that steadies you in spite of turbulent surroundings. Have you invited God to share the journey with you?
Invite Him…
prayer & reflection

Father God in Heaven,
I am tired and spent from the cares of my life and the circumstances that are overwhelming me. Forgive me for going my own way and not acknowledging You in my life. Today I want to change that. Today I want to invite You to lead me and guide me. My own resources are simply not enough. I need Your strength and Your wisdom to help me know the next step. I want to trust in You. Increase my faith and help me walk daily with You. Comfort me, reassure me of Your love and take my life into Your hands.
In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

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Living in an Unstable World Part 02 - Keep A Soft Heart

by Gail Rodgers
Do you notice how easy it is to get a hard heart? God’s value system is so often in direct contrast to the values of our world.

God knows that our hearts will be pulled in directions away from Him. He also knows that when we go with that pull we will find our hearts hardening. We will become aware of a nagging sense of dissatisfaction and impatience with life and with those around us. He cautions us…

“See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” (Hebrews 3: 12 & 13)

Many times we don’t even notice the hard crust that settles around our hearts. We compromise in “little” things and think it won’t matter. Yet for the believer, there is inner frustration when we allow things into our hearts and minds that we know are in contrast to God. When we ignore that we find our heart moving toward unbelief. God calls us to be vigilant about keeping our heart soft. It’s not always easy but it is always worth it.
1. Keep tabs on sin in your life. It slows down your reflex to God.
Be sensitive to the nudging of the Holy Spirit in your life. Don’t cancel out the warning when your conscience bothers you. It’s easy to justify “small” wrong doings as we live in this world’s economy. Yet the toll it takes on a believer’s heart is simply not worth the momentary satisfaction.
2. Guard your heart against unbelief.
If you find yourself justifying wrong doing and telling yourself it’s just small or it’s justified because of someone else’s actions toward you… be careful. This path will take you down a road of unbelief. The joy and blessing comes in the obedience to the ways of God. He warns us that these compromises are deceitful and the end is a hard heart.
3. Don’t blame God in the midst of hard times.
Run to God when the storms of life come. Let His arms of comfort enfold you. Let His Spirit empower you with wisdom and help from God as you ask Him about each step in the midst of difficult days.
4. Give encouragement daily and seek it as well.
We sharpen each others faith as we share together.
prayer & reflection

Father God,
Keep my heart soft. Don’t let me allow sin to slow down my reflex to You. I need You in my life. Increase my faith and help me to encourage someone else today to stay firm in their faith too. Guide me and hold me close to Your heart.
In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

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Living in an Unstable World Part 03 - Keep Training

by Gail Rodgers
Challenges come to all of us. Sometimes they can feel overwhelming. When they do our tendency is often to become discouraged in our faith. My friend called today. She is in the middle of some very stretching circumstances. Her voice cracked as she asked, “Why would God let us go all the way down this road only to close the door now?”

She was in a tough and confusing spot. Together we prayed that God would reveal the next step to her. And He will. We both know His track record in our lives. He can be depended upon.
When life is tiring and confusing it’s easy to loose hope in God’s ability to work on our behalf. We can become weary and not bother picking up the Bible to hear what His Spirit has to say to us. We can cease to pray, feeling that God isn’t hearing us anyway.
God knows our nature is to fall away when times are hard and we are confused. He knows we will tend to neglect His Word. He reminds us not to…

“Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” Hebrews 5:13 & 14

Righteousness means choosing a “Yes Lord” attitude in all of life. Spiritual discernment grows as we live in the mature state of being able to say…

• “Yes Lord” I will trust You, even in the dark.
• “Yes Lord” I will believe Your word, even when I feel confused.
• “Yes Lord” I will obey what I know You are asking me to do.
• “Yes Lord” I will continue to commit my every step to You.
• “Yes Lord” I will continue to grow in spiritual understanding.

Hard circumstances in life can be times of equipping. The roots of a mighty tree must go deep so it will be grounded when the fierce winds blow.
During times of deep challenge make a choice to trust God. Make a decision to allow God to equip you with spiritual understanding and wisdom for your next step.
Stay disciplined. Keep equipped by standing on the promises of His word. Keep the door of your heart open with an invitation to Him to lead you every step of the crooked way.
He will build a track record in your life that will secure you in your faith. He is faithful. Be determined to continue to equip yourself with prayer and His word.
Though circumstances and people may disappoint you, God never will. His strength will hold your hand and your heart through those times when your world is shaken.
prayer & reflection

Dear Heavenly Father,
Help me, during times of uncertainty, not to fall away from You and Your word. Help me to keep a disciplined spirit and continue to equip myself with Your promises and an open heart for You to be at work, even in the midst of confusion. Thank you for Your Holy Spirit who will help me grow in spiritual understanding.
In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

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Living in an Unstable World Part 04 - Keep Unity

by Gail Rodgers
Sometimes we find our world shaken from the challenges that come with emotional hardship. It can be devastating. We can feel helpless when our world is shaken emotionally by disunity that puts relationships on edge.

In the steps to stability that God outlines for us, we find a strong call to live in unity with one another.

“See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” Hebrews 12:15

When your world is shaken by emotional turmoil, guard your heart from harboring a bitter root. God tells us that it will show up when we least expect it and cause no end of trouble.
Be on your guard to keep unity in the relationships in your life. Bitterness cannot take root without first planting the seed of hurt and watering the sprouts of resentment. Watch for this cycle that begins in the heart.
1. Hurt
We all experience it and we often cause it. When we find our heart has been bruised by hurt we can choose our response.

• We can let it go, knowing the heart of the offending person was not set on causing us pain.
• We can choose to forgive even if the offender meant to hurt us.
• We can nurse the hurt in our heart and allow it to grow. This choice begins a destructive cycle.

2. Resentment will be the result
When resentment is left to stew in our heart it becomes a filter for all interactions with the other person. This must be dealt with before God and sometimes with the other person. If left, resentment will smolder.
3. Anger is the result.
Anger can manifest itself in many different ways. Harsh talk, depression, general meanness, blocked communication and even violence can be signs of an inward anger. Left alone it will continue to grow. Intervention is often needed here to discover what has caused the hurt and resentment that continues to fester.
4. Bitterness is the result of anger not dealt with
Bitterness will show up at unexpected times and in hurtful ways. Relationships will become tarnished and the cycle of hurt will begin all over again in the lives of others.
Called to unity
God calls us to unity. Deal with hurt as soon as it happens. Go first to God and if He directs you, then go to the other person. Clean it up and get rid of it. The cost of disunity is much too high.
If hurt has grown into resentment, acknowledge it and ask God to help you defuse it in your heart. Consider talking to a trusted friend who will pray with you and for you.
If anger is causing tension in your life or if bitterness has soured your soul, seek out a counselor who can help you work through the steps to understand your hurt. Find someone who will pray with you and for you.
God’s desire is for your heart to be free. Acknowledge hurt when it happens and choose your response carefully. God will be your rock and your help as you work it through.
prayer & reflection

Father in Heaven,
I need Your help to deal with the hurts that come my way. Show me how to let Your grace flow through me. Show me how to discern the heart of the one causing the hurt. When their heart is not set against me, help me to be able to release the hurt to You. When someone is set to hurt me, help me to be filled with Your grace and to forgive. Keep me mindful of this cycle that builds toward a bitter root. Give me grace to live in unity by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Replace the sandpaper in my relationships with the oil of Your Spirit.
In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

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Living in an Unstable World Part 05 - Keep Going

by Gail Rodgers
Have you ever found your faith to be in a dry spell and you’ve felt like giving up as a Christian? Sometimes we can find ourselves in God’s waiting room and begin to believe He has abandoned us and we are tempted to abandon our faith.

God’s word addresses this very thing. Jesus’ death and resurrection cleared the way for you and I to come boldly into the throne room of God. We can come to God with confidence…not because we deserve to but because Jesus made it possible for us. We are invited to draw near to God with full assurance that He is there… even when we don’t see or feel Him.

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. 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.” Hebrews 10:23-25

Don’t throw it all away!
Know with confidence that you are presentable to God because you are forgiven. His blood has cleansed you from a guilty conscience.
Resist the whispers that try to drag you into former guilt.
His word even says your body has been cleansed with pure water when you come to Him for His forgiveness. (Hebrews 10:22) It is a new day!
Draw near to Him with faith that knows no hesitation in trusting God.
Keep active in pursuing your walk with God.
Keep a firm grip on the promises of God and do not give up the faith. Find one promise He has given you. Write it out and put it where you will see it. Ask God to knead the truth of it into your heart like you knead flour into bread.
Let others cheer you and challenge you in your walk with God.
Find people who will help you on your spiritual journey. Encourage someone else along the way. It will boost your own faith as you share with one another.
prayer & reflection

Father God,
You know the tendency of my heart to stray. Help me to hold unswervingly to the hope You have given me in the past. Give me courage to seek out other believers to help me grow my faith. Help me to be determined to draw near to You with confidence that You are there and You will be my strength and my hope. Thank you for Your persistent call upon my life.
In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

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Living in an Unstable World Part 06 - Receiving the Unshakable

by Gail Rodgers
God invites us, in the midst of our instability and times of turmoil, to be brimming with worship and deep reverence before God.

How is that possible? The 5 steps we have discussed in this series take us to a place where our roots go down deep into all God is and all He offers us as we trust in Him. He helps us to:

• Keep alert
• Keep a soft heart
• Keep training
• Keep unity
• Keep going

When all is said and done it is His kingdom values that will strengthen our lives in the very core of our being.
Even though we know we will share in God’s Kingdom in eternity, there is still hope for today in every maze of life we find ourselves in.

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:25

As we put our roots down and tap into the strength and resources of God, we will find an unshakable source in the kingdom of God to steady and strengthen us. This knowledge brings us to a place of thanksgiving. As we experience the unshakable kingdom of God within us our hearts are filled with worship and awe. We begin to experience the deep well of all our God is.

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit…” Romans 14:17

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.” 1 Corinthians 4:20

“The kingdom of God is within you.” Matthew 17:21

prayer & reflection

Father God,
It is only by the power of Your Holy Spirit that I can keep the faith in trying times. Fill me with Your Spirit. By Your Spirit give me a heart that is thankful for all You are as my Provider, my All-sufficient One and my Strength. Let reverence and awe fill my heart with worship as I look up from my circumstances to You, my faithful and true God, my Rock and my Hope.
In Jesus’ name, amen.