If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. [1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (NLT)]
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. [2 Timothy 4:7 (NLT)]
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Life is a journey, not a destination;” I thought of that quote when reading an article about a local man who attempted an unsupported solo ski trek from the edge of the Antarctic to the South Pole. This experienced adventurer spent several years preparing for the expedition and rigorously testing his equipment. With extras of nearly everything, he was sure he’d planned for every eventuality. What he hadn’t anticipated was encountering one of the worst summers the Antarctic has experienced, an issue with a ski that caused him constant soreness in his right foot, and a cracked teapot! The teapot (the lone one he had) was the only way he could melt snow and, without it, he’d have no water. Reluctantly, he asked a support plane to airdrop a new pot and, in spite of his best intentions, the trek changed from unsupported to supported. Then, a combination of wind and foot pain took their toll. Although he’d planned on making ten to twelve miles a day, no matter how hard he pushed himself, he averaged only eight and his supplies dwindled. After over 300 miles and thirty-six days alone on the ice, he approached an area where a plane could safely land. If he continued at his pace, he would definitely need more supplies. Moreover, there was an excellent chance that, if and when he arrived at the South Pole, extraction planes would no longer be flying. Although he’d have bragging rights for attaining his goal, penguins could be the only ones who’d ever hear his boasting. Weighing his options, he decided it was time to leave. “For me, turning back is never the wrong decision,” he said.
Not all of our goals are achievable and not every destination will be reached. If we are clearly following God’s plan, He’ll provide a way to continue. If it isn’t, He’ll provide headwinds and sore feet or other valid reasons to stop. I think of Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 10 that promise God will show us a way out so that we can endure. Sometimes, the way out is simply saying, “I quit!” Stopping allows us to heal, grow, strengthen, restock, change direction or learn from our mistakes.
At times, we might even need to quit when things seem to be going our way! In an amateur MMA fight nearly two years ago, the fighter who was clearly winning tapped out and deliberately lost. Realizing his opponent was either too proud or too foolish to quit, and knowing he’d seriously injure the man if the bout continued, the superior fighter ended the match. He could have had bragging rights for the win but understood there would be no joy if that meant he’d caused severe harm to another man.
Whether to continue or quit requires prayer, discernment and common sense. Quitting is often the wisest (and the hardest) thing to do. We get so intent on finishing the race in the winner’s circle that we forget the important thing is how we run the race. Both the Antarctic adventurer and the winning fighter who tapped out made the most of their journeys and successfully ran the race God set before them.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. [Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT)]
The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. [Psalm 37:23-24 (NLT)]
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Having been raised in the Episcopal Church, I’ve always observed Lent and practiced some sort of self-denial during the six weeks from Ash Wednesday to Easter. According to Christianity Today, nearly one in five Americans observed Lent in 2015. In a survey this year, more than 400,000 tweeted about their fasts and food or drink and technology were the most popular categories of denial.
Like any good guest, when the Holy Spirit comes to us, He doesn’t come empty-handed—He brings a gift. It’s neither generic nor a “one-size fits all” sort of thing. He brings each of us our very own spiritual gift specifically designed just for us. Like any appreciative recipient of such a precious gift, however, it is our job to unwrap and use it.
Well, I can’t say that I do – delight in my weaknesses (or, as far as that goes, in insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties). In truth, I find it so much easier to write about God’s word than to live it. While I may accept God’s word in theory, pray about it, try to act in line with it, and even write about it, my weakness (one among many) becomes clear when I must actually put my faith into practice. In the last month, I’ve written several devotions about keeping Christ in Christmas, trusting God, keeping priorities straight over the holidays, staying calm, and finding peace. So, with a shipping deadline looming, what was my first reaction when faced with a list of family members to whom I wanted to give gifts but had no idea of what to purchase? Complaint, panic and tears! In fact, I considered becoming Jewish for the month of December until I realized that, instead of just one day of Christmas presents, I’d have to find eight days’ worth of Hanukkah gifts. I quickly abandoned Judaism and wondered about temporarily becoming a Jehovah’s Witness. That way I could skip everything from Thanksgiving through New Year’s (including the three December birthdays). With my luck, however, I’d be in a car accident and need a transfusion; besides, I love birthday cake and singing Christmas carols! Of course, I’m just joking—I’m not about to abandon Christ over Christmas! In spite of the words I’d written for the past month’s devotions, however, I felt anything but calm and peaceful and was having a hard time finding any joy in celebrating Christ’s birth. No, I can’t say that I delight in my weaknesses; in fact, I wish I didn’t have any of them.
I never thought attending a concert by the U.S. Army Field Band and Chorus would make me feel so out of touch with social media, but it did. It began when the audience was asked to choose the evening’s encore by voting on Twitter or Facebook. As the evening progressed, we learned that we could get the latest band news on Google Plus, see a live video stream on Periscope, watch webcasts on the band’s website, sign up for an email newsletter, see band videos on YouTube, tweet about them on Twitter, like and follow them on Facebook, view photos on their Flickr gallery, and purchase their music on Google Play. Since most of us had never even heard of Periscope, we stuck to watching them perform on stage rather than on our phones!
Devotions of the Heart 