A Light-Bulb Moment

It's an incredible adventure. I'm learning to appreciate each twist and turn on this road called life. Instead of focusing on a particular destination, God's teaching me to enjoy every step along the way. More often than not, He uses simple examples to get His point across. And He uses our dogs regularly to convey His message.

It hadn't been an issue before. Our Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Joe, was good about taking medicine when it was necessary. One of his toenails had been torn off, making it a priority for him to take antibiotic twice a day. I poked the pills into a piece of hotdog, anticipating his eagerness to devour the treat.

With tail wagging and toy in his mouth, Joe trotted over to see what I had for him. A sniff of the tasty morsel and his ball hit the ground. But instead of gobbling up the pill-containing hotdog, he ejected the fragment onto the ground. He was suspicious. After two more failed attempts, he carefully nibbled the meat, leaving the pills on the porch of his doghouse. His sheepish look and quick lick of my hand made me realize he knew I wasn't pleased.

What could I do? He was on to me. He realized these special treats contained something he didn't like. Cleverly, he had figured out how to remove the pills, yet still enjoy the hotdog. I, on the other hand, still had to come up with a way to get Joe to take his antibiotics.

 

Frustration aside, I experienced a light bulb moment. There was a bigger lesson here. And it was for me. How many times had I approached my Heavenly Father much like Joe had approached me - excited to see what He had for me in His Word? But as I took in the passage of scripture, the hard truth rubbed me the wrong way and I rejected it. I still clung to the promises and passages that encouraged me, but carefully skirted around those verses that pointed out the things I needed to change.

Just like the antibiotic was necessary to clear up Joe's infection, the difficult truths in God's Word are necessary to purge the things from my life that stunt my spiritual growth. The book of Hebrews describes this truth as a well-honed sword, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart," (Hebrews 4:12; KJV).

All of God's Word is relevant for my life - even the parts that are hard to swallow. Today I have the opportunity to embrace each truth, knowing that it is designed to make me whole - conforming me to the image of Christ.

What step will you take to embrace the truth today?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for everything You put in Your Word. I know every bit of it is designed to help me grow into the person of God You'd have me to be. Forgive me for having a bad attitude when I'm faced with difficult truths. Help me embrace them today. In Jesus' name, Amen.

*I'm hosting over at Living by Grace today. Come join in the discussion!

Light Bulb Moment

The wind was powerful. It was the kind of breeze that was strong enough to rock the car as we drove. And completely destroy any hairdo subjected to its force! My daughter and I were enjoying the beauty of the beach. The white sand and gorgeous blue-green waters seemed almost tropical. Yellow flags along the coast warned swimmers to take caution while in the water. And we were advised to avoid the strong rip current.

High overhead, colorful shapes dotted the sky. They appeared to be enormous kites. But as they moved closer to us, we saw cables running from the sails down to men on surfboards. Kite surfers. Instead of bemoaning the fact that conditions weren't ideal for swimming, these guys had determined to take advantage of the wind and enjoy the opportunity to speed effortlessly across the surface of the water.

A light bulb moment. How many times do I allow myself to be discouraged from doing something because things don't line up as I think they should? These kite surfers were driving home a point. It was true that due to the wind, swimming was a poor choice, but the wind was creating the perfect opportunity to kite surf!

Oftentimes in life, I have a plan sketched out in my mind of how I'm going to accomplish something. When circumstances don't occur exactly as I think they should, I'm stymied, and stop dead in my tracks. I see the obstacles rather than focusing on the options. Can anyone relate?

The kite surfers reminded me of a valuable truth. There are always options. If I'm willing to seek God's direction every step of the way, He will show me how He wants me to proceed; whether it's a minor tweak in plans or climbing the obstacle that's before me.

Remember the story of Mary? A girl intent on doing the will of God. Things were going well. She was engaged to Joseph, a respected carpenter, and she was thrilled to be planning the details of their wedding. Then it happened. And everything changed. An angel appeared to her with some pretty shocking news, "Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus, " (Luke 1:30-31; KJV).

We all know the story. But think about the stigma attached to an unwed mother in those days. At best, she could attempt to hide the pregnancy, at worst, she would be stoned to death. And what about her wedding plans? Surely Joseph wouldn't want to marry her now! No doubt, a multitude of questions plagued Mary. Yet she chose to respond with the following words, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word..." (Luke 1:38). She demonstrated her trust in God, confident that He would help her overcome every obstacle in her path.

I have the same choice - be overwhelmed by circumstances, or trust God to help me see the options and overcome the obstacles.

Where is your focus today? On obstacles or options? Choose to trust the One who is able to help you overcome!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for this simple lesson learned from some kite surfers. When I face obstacles, help me to seek You. As You reveal Your will, help me to follow in obedience. Thank You for guiding me one step at a time. In Jesus' name, Amen.