What We Can Learn from Moths (yuck!)

I can’t stand moths.  To be more precise, I am deathly afraid of them.  They are hairy and can fly into your hair.  Let just say I wasn’t the same after Silence of the Lambs.

Still, if I can get past the heebie jeebies, there is a lot I can learn from the moth.

Legend has it that the Chinese empress Leizu discovered silk when some moths were eating her mulberry trees.  She was probably pretty annoyed by this problem.  She decided to sit down to tea to consider how this was to be solved.  As she sat pondering, one of cocoons fell into her cup.  The heat of tea unraveled the cocoon to produce a long thread.  She soon realized that this thread could be woven into cloth.  Out of this seeming problem came one of the most valuable and beautiful materials in all the world, silk.

Your circumstances right now may seem troublesome.  You didn’t ask for the situation and you are praying desperately for it to end.  Keep in mind, God uses those situations to draw you near and teach you about his character.  He is the God of miracles.  You can’t learn that when everything is going well.  Instead of looking at your circumstances as a problem, try to see that God is weaving something beautiful.  Thank him that he has trusted you with the glorious revelation of himself.  He trusts you to discover the beauty in the circumstances. 

Notice that the silk wasn’t discovered until it was exposed to heat of the tea.  Tough circumstance may make you feel like you are in hot water and it certainly doesn’t feel good.  It is through these circumstances, however, that your character is revealed.  They also allow God to demonstrate his power to transform even the most trying situations into his glory.  The heat of life produces the beauty of life.

It is significant that this beauty comes from the stage of a moth’s life that is one of radical transformation.  God matures us through trying circumstances until we are transformed into someone more like Christ.  It isn’t pretty and it involves a lot of struggle just like coming out of a cocoon does. 

Watching a moth or butterfly emerge from a cocoon you witness the struggle they go through to come out.  You may be tempted to help it along by opening up the cocoon so the moth finds it easier to emerge.  The struggle, however, strengthens its wings.  Helping it along may prevent it from flying.

You may be praying for your situation to end, but know that it will last long enough for you to strengthen your wings.  Trust in God’s timing.  You will find that you will emerge to fly among God’s glory.  It isn’t pretty and it is a struggle but in the end it is worth it to be able to fly.

Psalm 90

14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
    that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

¹⁵ Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
    for as many years as we have seen trouble.
¹⁶ May your deeds be shown to your servants,
    your splendor to their children.

2 Corinthians 4:17 

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

The Rose and the Thorns

If you want to bloom where you are planted then you need to learn to deal with thorns effectively.  Thorns are the things that cause us ongoing pain.  They are those people or circumstances that seem to plague us.  It could be failing health, an unhealthy relationship, or an emotional scar that doesn’t seem to heal.  It is something we feel plagues us and we can’t seem to do anything about it.  Oh, you will try to pluck out the thorns, but getting rid of your own thorns is impossible.  It is impossible because the author of the universe uses thorns to teach us.  If a thorn remains when we beg for it to be taken away, it is because there is still something that we need to learn.

Too often we use thorns as an impediment to victorious living.  We say to ourselves “If only I didn’t have this thorn, I would serve more, read my Bible more, be more. “ But what if we stopped waiting for our thorn to be taken away and look at it in a different light? What if we thanked God that he cares enough about us that he wants to teach us about his love and the only way he can do it is through our thorns.

One thing that our thorns can teach us is to have humility.  Thorns keep us teachable.  They make us feel weak and at the end of ourselves.  When we are at the end of ourselves, that is where God begins.  He has all the power of the universe at his disposal and can work his glory into any situation.  When we are weak, he is strong.

Paul suffered terribly from a thorn.  Three times he begged God to remove it.  It is only when he stopped begging for it to removed that he discovered the secret of contentment.  He discovered that he “could do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

In thinking of thorns, I thought mine was cancer.  Maybe it was in the beginning when everything was new and freshly painful.  But now it is part of my life.  I don’t have to even think about the meaning behind it all.  I know, with absolute certainty, that God is using it for my good and his Glory. 

If I am not careful, I could get a big head when it comes to how I am dealing with my cancer.  I get complements all the time about how strong I am and how I am such an inspiration.  I try to give the glory to God because I know that without him, I would be a big puddle of mess on the floor.

But Cancer isn’t teaching me humility.  You know what does? My kids.  I soon realize, as my seven year old pitches a fit or I have to change my 5 years olds pull up ( I know?? Five??) that I am little and life is not in my control.  Motherhood is rewarding, but it is also thankless.

I often find myself thinking “If only my kids were older I would write more, serve more, be more.”  If only my kids would behave better then I could get more done.  But what if God wants to teach me through my kids?  By focusing on the negative side of motherhood, I am missing the beauty of my life and family.  By focusing on the thorn, I am missing the beauty of the rose.

My kids teach me that I can’t be a good mother without God.  Control is an illusion and I need God to work his glory into my life and I can’t do that if I am doing it all in my own power. Dealing with the unpleasant side of motherhood draws me to my knees where (in my stronger moments) I pray “Lord, help me be a better mother”  not “Lord,  make my kids behave!!!” 


If you concentrate on the thorns, you will never enjoy the beauty of the rose, either.  And life is beautiful.  Don’t waste another minute asking “why this, Lord?”  We all have our own thorn to bear, unique to what God wants to teach us.  He loves us enough to not leave us with meaningless, shallow existences.  We could just have a picture of the rose, the beauty of the rose without the pain of the thorn.  But a picture doesn’t smell or have depth.  The picture pales in comparison to the real thing.  


Embrace your thorns.  Learn from them.  Thank God for them.  Don’t miss the beauty of the rose because you are afraid a few thorns.      

2 Cor 12:9  “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”                                
      

The Promise of the Ark and The Rainbow

The other day, I had a real struggle with my five year-old trying to get her ready for preschool. She wasn’t feeling good and didn’t want to go, but I knew that she was just backed up and if she got active then she would feel better (sorry for the TMI).  Every step was a negotiation—“I’ll let you stay home if you want, but you should change your pants so you feel better”  “You will have to at least go  with me to drop off sissy so you might as well get dressed.”  “We are going in to look at the book fair so I have to brush your hair.”  “if you come  in with me then I’ll buy you a book.” “If you go to preschool and don’t feel good, I’ll come back to get you.”  Finally came the big one “If you don’t go to preschool, then you can’t go trick or treating.” All I heard from the backseat was sniffling.  “Well? What is your decision?” “I’m thinking.. . . “ she paused for a long moment or two and said in a small, squeaky voice“O.K.  I’ll go to preschool.” She was just fine.

I know that a lot of that fight was over control.  She wanted it, but sensed that I had it.   I was struggling with maintaining it and not losing my cool.  I was so frustrated becauseI knew what was best for her.  I wanted to scream “Your life would be so much easier if you would just go along with me.  Trust me! “

Aren’t we the same way with God?  We want all the control and panic when our life seems to be spiraling out.  We try to desperately hang on to any scrap of control. How utterly ridiculous to believe that our lives are better off in our hands rather than the creator of the heavens and the earth!  All the while God is whispering, “Your life would be so much easier if you would just go along with me.  Trust me!" 

God doesn't negotiate, but he may just give us one simple step at a time.  We are then more likely to say "O.K.  God, that is doable.  I can go along with that, but don't ask me that big thing over there."  Sooner or later we realize we are headed down the right path, doing the very thing we felt was too difficult for us to do.

Most days are a power struggle with all my children.  Some days are so sweet because it all comes together and our mornings flow smoothly and are full of peace.  Those are the days I treasure, because I feel so in control.

But, I’ve come to realize that control is an illusion.  Even on those peaceful days, God is control, not me.  He knows that allowing my kids to cooperate is just what I needed at that moment.  Although I don’t relish it, chaos is only a reminder that I don’t hold the reins. While I might think that peace is what I need, God knows that there is something in me that needs to be reminded of His sovereignty.

I can’t help but think of Noah.  When the floods came it must have been very chaotic.  He had spent 120 years being in control as he built the Ark.  He went day by day, building the ark and obeying God and not a drop of rain had fallen yet.  Even then, God was in control and had given Noah the exact specifications for the building.  His life was characterized by days of quiet dependence and faith.  Then the rains fell. The springs of the earth erupted and all he could do was hang on tight.

I just recently realized that in all the directives that God gave Noah, there is not one that mentions putting in a rudder or captains wheel.   The ark was at the mercy of the waves the whole times.  Each large swell was a reminder that Noah had to trust God. God was in control despite what it looked like.

Sometimes we may feel that life is tossing us around in the storms.  We must realize at those moments God is in control.  He holds us in his loving arms and will keep us safe and sound. He knows exactly where we need to be and after the storm will guide usto the shore to await the next storm, for the next time we need to be reminded that we are utterly dependent on God.

Noah and his family were saved by God and so are we.  We will get through the storm if we keep our eyes on our Father.  After the storm,  Noah was given the blessing of the rainbow because he stayed the course. It was a reminder of God’s everlasting covenant with his believers that He had opened up the clouds and He had closed them. Noah was safe in God’s very capable, very sovereign hands forever and so are we.

I find it interesting that when we see a rainbow, even one that we call full, it is only part of the full circle of what is actually created.  On earth, we have life to block our view of God’s everlasting love. Sometimes life circumstances can interfere with our view of God’s love.  Someday, when we are in heaven and can look at our life from God’s perspective, we will see that the full circle of God’s love was always there.  During the storms, the rain prevents us from seeing it, and even in the bright sunlight, we only see a portion of the blessings we receive.  

God is always in charge. We may feel like we are at the mercy of the waves, but He hold us in the ark of his love until we reach the safety of the shore.

John 14:27
“I am leaving you witha gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannotgive. So don’t be troubled or afraid. 

Romans 8:37-39
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. ForI am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, norany other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God,which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Deuteronomy 7:9
"Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, whokeeps His covenant and His loving kindness to a thousandth generation withthose who love Him and keep His commandments;

What We Can Learn from Bees

I am deathly afraid of bees.  I’m not sure why, having never been bitten.  The mere hint of the presence of one puts me into a tizzy.  I’m sure that half the fear is that I have built up the pain in my head.  The fear either freezes or makes me run away.

Emotional pain is like that too.  You build it up in your head so that the mere hint that it might be coming makes you frightened.  It isn’t the pain, however, that makes us freeze or run away.  It is the fear.   If we would be still and calm, we might escape the pain altogether.  We certainly build up the idea of pain in our heads, to the point that the fear is most assuredly worse than the pain itself. 

Philippians 4:6 ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

That got me thinking that there are other lessons I can learn from the bee.  Though fearsome, bees are very useful creatures.  The pollen they spread produces growth.  Pain too produces growth.  Like pollen, the growth from pain isn’t automatic.  You have to do something with it—process it, see what you can learn from it.  If it just sits there as you are praying for it to end, pain will not produce any growth.

Romans 5:3-4 also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Bees also produce honey.   Pain can produce a sweet joy in life in feeling the real presence of God in your life and his comfort.  Bees return laden with nectar in sacs—to the point that they waddle around with the burden.  “The worker bee returning to the hive with a load of nectar is almost immediately greeted by other workers ready to relieve her of the load”  (“How do Bees Make Honey?”).  We too are social creatures who should immediately come to our fellow workers aid, and with the load lightened, the work of turning pain into sweet honey can begin.

Galatians 6: 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

“Nectar returned to the hive at this point is barely recognizable as honey,” being mostly water  (“How do Bees Make Honey?”).  The bee must add the enzymes from their own bodies, allowing the water to be evaporated, leaving behind the honey.  We too must add to the pain—we can add more pain, or we can add from our own deep sense of who God is, as revealed by the word and by our experience of His love, and the Holy Spirit that lives in a believer’s heart. Adding His love to pain produces the sweet victory that allows up to rise up out of our circumstances into the loving presence of God.

Psalm 119:103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

All this takes time.  We must trust God that he knows what he is doing.  If you are heavy laden with the pain that you have begged God to free you from, trust that he must still want you to learn from it.  Unload some of it on your fellow workers and go to the work of turning the pain to honey. 

Romans 8:28²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose.

“How do Bees Make Honey?”  Beeswax  Co. LLC. Online. 11 Oct 2012

 

Trust the Driver

As a mom, I do a lot of driving around town, especially now that my daughters go to three different schools.  I am always amazed that my kids, who are 9,7, and 5, will question my driving.  I will hear “why are we going this way, Mommy?  I want to go that way.”  “Go faster, Mommy” and “We are going the wrong way.”  Talk about back seat driving in the worst way!  Is there such thing as car seat driving?  I keep telling them to trust me, that I know where we are going, and I know the best way to get there.

It is annoying, but aren’t we the same way with God? We too try to tell Him where we want to go. We urge him to go faster.  We question the direction He is leading us.

The truth is that we don’t really know how to drive.  We have limited vision and don’t know where we are headed.  We want to take the wheel when the truth is we don’ t know what is best.  Who are we to question the omniscient, all-powerful creator of all time and space?

We just need to sit back and trust that God knows where we are headed and the best way to get there.  We will encounter some roadblocks a long the way, likely causing us to question His path for us.  But he put those roadblocks there to protect us.  To make us turn around and go down a better path—the best path--a route that will get us to our destination at just the right time. 

But what is our destination?  Remember that I said that we don’t know where we are headed?  We often loose sight of our ultimate destination in favor of the pit stops along the way.  Maybe we think, “I just need to get over this illness” or “My kids just need to grow up and move out.”  With these pit stops as our destinations we are apt to take what we think is the quickest route.  But God always has our ultimate destination in mind---to give him glory by becoming more like Him.

We were created in the image of God, but we because of our nature we continually fall short of that image.  Our final destination is to become more like Christ.  The only way that it can happen is if we trust God with our path.  We may question the purpose of certain circumstances in our life, but that is because we don’t understand how it can work for our good.  We see only that the circumstances are in our way preventing us from reaching what we believe is our destination.  But God know our ultimate destination, and the best way to get there.

I’m thinking of the life of Abraham.  There he was prospering when God suddenly told him to pick up and move.  God didn’t even tell him where he was going, just that He would show him and bless him.  Abraham had to trust God with his path and his destination.   Along the way, he experienced many roadblocks and occasionally questioned God’s leading.  He even tried to take the wheel a couple of times.  Ultimately, as God proved Himself a faithful, loving God, Abraham came to a place where he was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice—his son.  God had led him down a path where he had become more like God—who also made the ultimate sacrifice of his Son.

I have my dark moments where I question this disease and I just call out to God “heal me—but go faster!”  But I need to trust that there is a purpose for all of this and that God will deliver me to my destination safe and sound.  This illness is simply just a roadblock.  Because I trust the driver, I can have beautiful moments of pure bliss--wind in my hair, sun on my face, perfectly content.

So sit back, relax and enjoy the ride!

Romans 8:28

New International Version (NIV)

²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose.

Hope Springs Eternal

I love the beginning of the school year. Fresh starts and new school supplies abound. Hope is in the air. I wish that hope was accompanied by cooler weather and the coloring of the leaves but alas I live in Vegas where it is 95 degrees at 8:00 in the morning and Palm trees and mesquite remain pretty much the same. Where there are three seasons-- pleasant, bearable, and Hell.


I wish too that I was starting fresh. That I was done with treatment and facing the excitement and hope that comes with new beginnings. But no, I'm still facing weekly chemotherapy with no end in sight. It seems like everybody else has something to look forward to -- a new baby, a trip, a new home. No, Hope in not in the air for me; I can't just breath it in as easily as I would take a breath. It is more elusive.


And yet, I still have hope because it is in Christ. Rom 5:4-5 says that perseverance develops character, character, hope. Hope is a matter of character that doesn't fluctuate due to circumstance. Hope isn't looking forward to events in your life, but a joy that looks forward to the good that God can make come from the worst of situations. Hope is not happiness in what is "happening" but a true joy in the Lord. That joy is not without tears; the difference is that when your hope is in the Lord those tears are not wasted. They don't just go down the sewer but soak into the soil of our heart and produce growth. Without hope, tears are wasted.


I don't have an end in sight with chemotherapy, but hope is being sure of what we don't see (Heb. 11:1). I don't see all the good God can make come from this ugly disease.  I must trust because I know God. I look at my circumstances through the eyes of God. I don't look at God through my circumstances because that would distort his image. Instead I focus on God alone.


So for now I will hope in the Lord. I will continue on my journey that is not without tears, knowing God will use them to water the garden of my soul.



A word study of hope:

The word hope is mentioned directly 166 times in 158 verses

The book that mentions the word hope most (besides Psalms) is Job (16 times).  Job certainly didn't have the best circumstances.

Most of the new testament (outside of the gospels) is attributed to Paul.  He mentions hope 70 times.  Have you read what happened to him?  Read 2 Cor 11:23-28 just to name a few trials.

Rom 4:18 Abraham hoped didn't see realization

Rom 15:4 we can have hope through endurance and the encouragement of scriptureRom 15:12 We serve the God of Hope

Eph. 1:18 open the eyes of your heart to know the hope to which he has called you

Eph. 4:4 We have one hope

1 Tim 6:17-- we are not to hope in riches

Heb 6:17-18  God makes the unchanging nature of his purpose clear so that we that have hope may be encouraged

Heb 6:19 hope is an anchor for the soul, firm and secure

1 Peter 1:3 through the resurrection of Christ, we are born to a living hope

1 pet 3:15 believers should always be prepared to give a reason for the hope

1 John 3:3 hope purifies

Romans 8:24-25  24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

Not Wasting the Water

Earlier this week I wrote about the storms of life. It is funny that storms involve a lot of water, but you can hardly call them refreshing. In order to bloom, however, you do need water, but a soft, gentle rain or a bubbling spring is best for that. Often after a storm the water runs off and you are left with the dry cracked earth of the desert. So what then?

Sometimes God is gracious and provides us a season of rest after the storm or more often small breaks, or breathers as I like to call them, even in the midst of longer storms. But if we aren't careful we could use these breaks as an excuse to rest on our laurels, as though we are “entitled” to these moments.

I went through this a couple of years ago. I had gone through chemo, lumpectomy and then radiation and, though I was still getting herceptin, it was only short trips to the chemo chair every few weeks and seemed like nothing compared to what I had gone through in the last year. I thought the cancer was gone and that I was finally able to rest. The problem is that I decided that was a rest from everything—my household duties, my health (eating right and excercising), and most appaling of all, my prayer life and quiet time with the Lord. By doing this, I actually was self imposing desert living. I grew complacent and distant from God and as a consequence was not growing.

I had a rather jarring wake up call when friends had to confront me with the knowledge that I was neglecting my children to the point that the day care had mentioned calling CPS. Thank goodness that never happened. I could have wallowed, put up a fight exclaiming “but look what I have gone through?” or “why aren't you accusing Brian of the same things?” O.K. I did a fair amount of this at first. But then I woke up and confronted myself and it drew me closer to God as I prayed about what I needed to do. First things first is that I had to get back to the Word and use it to water my soul back to green. I also reflected on how God's goodness had gotten me that far. Finally the brown, cracked earth of my heart began to come back to life.

Think about the Isrealites. They went from having too much water when they were threatened by the Red Sea, to grumbling about being thirsty to the point of death. Maybe if they had reflected on God's goodness in saving them out of Egypt, they would have realized that God was not going to let them go. God provides what we need, if we rely on him for the giving.

That is the key to bringing the refreshment of water back to the desert moments in our life. Go to the true source of the Living Water—Christ's love as reflected in the Bible and in our own life through his loving provision. Spend time in prayer and in the Word even if it feels strange at first, like you are going through the motions. The pump needs to be primed a bit before the water begins to flow. That isn't any fault of God's though, but a by product of our neglect. Look over your life and record even the smallest of merciful moments where Christ's love brought you through the storms of your life. Then watch how God brings you back to life again. And don't forget to reflect and record that blooming.

We don't have to wait for rest to bring the Living Water into our lives. We need to stay in the Word while we are going through the storms. In doing so we are catching the rain water so it can do good to our souls, rather than running out into the gutters of life. We should reflect on and record the littlest provisions, the strength and peace God provides through it all. Then maybe we can experience more of the gentle waters of the cool garden and less of the cracked earth of the desert. Then when we are given rest, it won't be wasted, but will be times of true blooming.

Psalm 1:2-4

New International Version (NIV)

2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.

John 7:37-39

New International Version (NIV)

37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”