Raised From Exhaustion

 

Raised From Exhaustion

Philippians 3: ⁸ Not only those things; I reckon everything as complete loss for the sake of what is so much more valuable, the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have thrown everything away; I consider it all as mere garbage, so that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be completely united with him. I no longer have a righteousness of my own, the kind that is gained by obeying the Law. I now have the righteousness that is given through faith in Christ, the righteousness that comes from God and is based on faith. ¹⁰ All I want is to know Christ and to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings and become like him in his death, ¹¹ in the hope that I myself will be raised from death to life.

 

============

 

After running out of gas again, I vowed to keep a couple of gallons in the tank. Being on the side of the road without gas was frustrating! I woke up, needing to be someplace; jumped in the jalopy of a car and it would not start. The battery was dead. “Ugh! I just got gas!”

 

• Just when I thought I did everything right, something else went wrong.
• “When will it all come together for me?” was my cry in disappointment.
• I had lost hope and was exhausted because there were too many things “I” needed to fix.

 

“Achievement” and “Self-Righteousness” were attitudes Paul addressed. Following the Law to the letter was something he no longer wished to “achieve.” GOD had opened his eyes to the fact that he had become “self-righteous” and was persecuting those who sought JESUS. He looked at his actions as a loss.

 

My Observations

• JESUS is my only true salvation.
• Believing that I can change GOD’s mind by acting good for a short period of time, causes me to be exhausted.
• Connecting my “dead battery” of trying too hard to the power of JESUS’ resurrection gives me endless hope that cannot be exhausted.

 

Running on empty could mean I was trying too hard to please GOD. I mean, JESUS died for me, was raised from the dead and sent the HOLY SPIRIT to live inside me. I had nothing to do with that. I should praise HIM continually, but I find a way to attempt to control GOD so everything will go “my” way.

 

When “bad” things happen, I try to do the Law “better.” BUT GOD sees through this filthy righteousness. All HE wants me to do is to place my faith in JESUS. I am glad I can place my hope in HIS resurrection and look forward to being with HIM eternally.

 

Challenge

• What does the writer consider a complete loss?
• Have you ever thought you were doing things perfectly and still not pleasing GOD?
• Have you ever tried to convince GOD that you deserve better because you sinned less last week?
• Will you place your full hope in JESUS and allow HIM to guide you through life without needing to achieve HIS love that HE already has for you?

Giving Instructions

Giving Instructions

John 11: ¹² Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” ¹³ However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.

¹⁴ Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. ¹⁵ And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.”

¹⁶ Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”

============

Pressure was building as the week’s end was getting closer. Not seeing the results I hoped for, I gave very specific instructions to everyone to follow, step by step. Too much was on the line and we had to be successful. When I stepped back, I noticed people were moving slower, because they were waiting on my next set of instructions.

• I made the mistake of managing every little step.
• I made the mistake of thinking I could control the situation by having everyone perform just like me.
• I made the mistake of making everyone feel nervous instead of inspired.

Thoroughly misunderstanding the situation, the disciples spoke up about Lazarus. Rationalizing what was said to them, they immediately thought he may be asleep. JESUS made it plain that he was, in fact, dead. Thomas braced himself for the situation. If Lazarus is dead, then we must be going there to die too. I mean, why go to a place where killers are lurking?

• JESUS wants me to believe that HIS ways are not my ways.
• JESUS wants me to know that HE clears things up in amazing ways, not the way I think.
• JESUS wants me to understand that HE can and will do anything, especially when I cannot see how the situation could possibly be resolved.

“Pray” is what people have told me when I am facing difficulty, so I do. But I find myself nervously giving GOD instructions to handle things the way “I” would like to see them resolved. Fortunately GOD doesn’t listen to the instructions but listens to my heart.

HE clears up the situation in HIS way and I always find HIS way was better than what I was thinking. HE tells me to let go of trying to control the situation so HIS power can be seen by many, so they can believe. I am glad HE is in control.

• Are you facing a difficult situation that you feel there is no way out?
• Do you pray for specific things to happen with your limited sight into the situation?
• Will you admit that you may not know why “this” is happening but allow GOD to work out the situation HIS way, in HIS time?

Driven Achievement

Luke 18: ¹⁸ A certain ruler asked him, ‘Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’

¹⁹ ‘Why do you call me good?’ Jesus answered. ‘No one is good – except God alone. ²⁰ You know the commandments: “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.”’

²¹ ‘All these I have kept since I was a boy,’ he said.

============

“How do I become successful?” I asked a mentor, thinking he would impart some great words of wisdom. “Be early to every meeting” were the only words given to me. “What? This is a lesson on punctuality!?” I skeptically tried the suggestion and I found out he was right.

• There were times when I wanted to succeed.
• There were times when I wanted to get ahead.
• There were times when I desired to climb to the top.

JESUS is met by a rich man who may have been driven by achievements. The rich man used flattering words to put people at ease and called JESUS “good.” JESUS quickly sees through the flattery and says “Good is reserved only for GOD.” This confuses the achievement driven person.

• GOD says to me “I AM GOD alone.”
• GOD says to me “Your righteousness is like soiled diapers.”
• GOD says to me “Humble yourself. The first will be last and the last shall be first.”

GOD is a relationship, not an achievement. HE wants me to want to do the things HE says, not muscle through a set of rules that are sometime quite impossible to keep. GOD knows I need HIM and HE has given me grace beyond measure.

HE also knows that if I base our relationship on how “good” I think I am, I will set HIM up for failure. I can never be good enough to demand GOD to bow down to my desires. HE simply wants to know me and have me seek HIM as my GOD. I am glad I do not have to achieve HIM. HE is always with me.

• Do you look at GOD like HE wants you to “achieve” HIM?
• Are you exhausted thinking HE doesn’t love you because of some sin you recently did?
• Can you stop thinking of GOD negatively and simply have a loving relationship with HIM?

Exhaustion Solution

Zechariah 7: ⁹ “This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. ¹⁰ Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’

============

“I’m going to get that person back!” were my words. I used a lot of energy developing my plan. I lost several nights’ sleep while I brooded over situations that I would replay in my mind. “How dare they!” would come to mind as I think of more retaliation.

• There were times in my life when my immaturity led me to anger.
• There were times in my life when my immaturity led me to rage.
• There were times in my life when I wanted to harm those who harmed me, or at least in my mind they did!

After a while I believed the lies my mind told me about “that” person. I would replay old videos and negate positive imagery. I was not at peace. Soon I found myself mad at the world because I wanted people to justify my rage. I became exhausted. What was I to do?

• GOD said to me “Show mercy and compassion to one another.”
• GOD said to me “Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor.”
• GOD said to me “Do not plot evil against each other.”

When I reviewed my rage I realized I had no compassion, extended oppressive thoughts and an evil plot. I had not let go of the situation or the person, for that matter. GOD sees every heart and knows the wickedness of all souls. HE allows us to be prodigals and has compassion to enable our return. HE wants me to see HIS example and to give my stony heart to HIM.

Only GOD can change a person, it is not my job. HE is busy trying to change me! HE wants me to have perfect peace within HIM so I can drop my rage in exchange for mercy and compassion. I can release my anger and exchange it for peace. I can get rid of my evil plot and exchange it for encouragement. GOD gives me peace.

• Are you exhausted because of your evil thoughts?
• Are you tired trying to justify your oppressive thinking?
• Will you stop trying replaying old issues and live for GOD today?

Exhausted Trying to Please

Micah 6: ⁸ He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God.

============

Figuring out what the boss wanted was a puzzle and I was losing sleep. I would wake up in the middle of the night thinking about work so I would jump out of bed, labor for a couple of hours then fall asleep for the remaining fifteen or twenty minutes before the alarm. I would then try to present my work only to be brushed off to do more laborious tasks. “What does he want?” I would exclaim!

• Sometimes I get exhausted trying to please others.
• Sometimes I get weary trying to guess at what others want from me.
• Sometimes I get fatigued trying so hard to get things right that I lose sleep and feel even more tired!

“What do YOU want from me?” is an expression I have also used on GOD. I mean when I wasn’t getting my way I would try to do what GOD wanted me to do in a measured way. I would pray more, give more and show up to church more. I would even reduce my sins for good measure.

Then when I did not get my way, I would tell the LORD the list of things I had done so HE could eventually relent on holding back from my long past due rewards. I would then ask again “What do YOU want from me?”

• GOD says to me “I want you to act justly to MY people.”
• GOD says to me “I want you to love the mercy I have shown you.”
• GOD says to me “I want you to walk humbly with ME, your GOD.”

CHRIST walked the earth showing me how life really should be done. HE set the example by showing even HIS enemy’s compassion. HE expressed HIS unfailing love in an extreme gentle way. The problem is sometimes the things I want may not be part of HIS plans. In fact they may conflict with HIM.

Any time I am anxious, nervous and afraid I must ask myself “Am I fighting GOD or serving HIM? GOD is not hard to please. HE was so pleased that HE became a human to die in my place. HE simply wants me to look at HIS example and follow them daily. That’s all.

• Are you exhausted trying to please others?
• Are you exhausted trying to please GOD?
• Can you stop “trying” so hard and just “be” the person GOD wants you to be?
• Will you stop downing yourself and others around you so you can add praise back into your life?

Yes HE sees

Hebrews 6: ¹⁰ God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

¹¹ We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized.

¹² We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

============

We were all working hard for what seemed to be an eternity. When we finally finished the project I got on stage and recognized my team for all their hard work. Everyone clapped and cheered then I left the stage only to find a person with a very long face.

My assistant approached me and said “you forgot to mention her.” That was like a dagger to her.

• Sometimes I doubt GOD sees what I try to do for HIM.
• Sometimes I think GOD is only out to punish me instead of recognizing my efforts to serve HIM.
• Sometimes I feel GOD forgets about me and allows others who want to be, as evil as they want to be, to get away with their antics.

When I think GOD doesn’t care I get tempted to act like those who don’t love HIM. I consider not serving others and focus on getting all I can for me. BUT GOD says “HE sees me.”

• GOD sees when I serve someone in secret.
• GOD sees when I simply smile at someone who is having a bad day.
• GOD sees when I encourage people to continue through their difficulty.
• GOD sees when I forgive those who are difficult to forgive.
• GOD sees

Yes HE sees the large things I attempt to do but HE definitely sees the tiny things I do for HIM.  HE jumps for joy when I stay in the race and focus “just a little” on HIM. HE loves when I imitate those who have faith and patience and can’t wait to give me what HE promised me!

• Are you tired of serving and not being recognized?
• Do you feel GOD isn’t hearing you?
• Can you take a moment to hear GOD sees you and is excited about what you are doing?
• Won’t you encourage someone else to continue on their journey with HIM?