In Stagnant Times

                I have discovered that it seems my son is always in danger of hurting himself through the day. When he is fully awake in the morning and full of energy, he thinks he is indestructible. He tries to climb to the highest point he can reach and then dive head first off of that point. Little tumbles and crashes here and there do not slow him for a minute, but some of the worst pains in his life have come during these moments of high energy and indestructibility. On the other hand, when he gets tired, every little bump or unexpected nudge is intolerable. Sometimes just missing a step or not being allowed to have what he wants results in screams of pain. Regardless of his being high energy or very tired, I always try to keep a close eye out for disaster.

                 Sometimes I feel the same way in my spiritual life. There are times when I feel so close to the Lord that I think nothing can derail me and that I am ready for anything. It is in these times that I have experienced some of my most defeating moments. At other times I feel exhausted and it seems like even the smallest things can get under my skin, but regardless of my state I know in my heart that the Lord is watching out for me. The hardest of times for me is not when I experience a high or a low but indifference in my spiritual walk.

                It is times like this that I like to read from the book of Psalms and focus on who God is. Writers in Psalms express their feelings toward God with extreme passion and often describe God’s character. When thinking about the Lord our God as a peace bringing Warrior or a mercy lending Judge, all the trivial worries of self seem to melt away in light of his awe-inspiring nature. Psalm 116 describes the Lord as follows: “The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is compassionate. The Lord guards the inexperienced; I was helpless, and He saved me.” When I reflect on how the Lord has saved me I become humbled by Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast.” How have I begun to boast in my own accomplishments? How have I allowed my daily life to cloud my view of the Lord? How does God’s character change the way I live and interact with others?

                Dear Lord, forgive me for my pride. Help me to remember Who you are and allow that to continue to shape my life. Amen.