Mindful Sojourning

This morning I was reading and thinking about a verse we discussed last night in Life Group. Paul tells the church at Ephesus in 3:14 that his tribulations and sufferings were for their glory—not his, not God’s, but theirs. I asked, “What does it mean that his suffering were for their glory?” We essentially came to the conclusion that Paul meant these suffering served to establish them, the Gentiles, in Christ and serve as an example to them of what a Christ-centered life looks like. Do we not learn more by example than by transfer of knowledge or statements of facts? I read a line the other day in The Forgotten Ways by Alan Hirsch. In it he referred to how we learn as infant, toddlers, and young children. We learn to walk, talk, and feed ourselves by observing and following after our parents. So our conclusion was simply that Paul’s sufferings were to establish the Gentiles in Christ and to exemplify a Christ-centered life. According to further study we were not too far off. Many assume the glory Paul is talking about is their salvation—faith in Christ. And no one denies Paul’s model life of bearing his cross.

Paul’s resume of suffering and tribulations found in 2 Corinthians 11 is pretty intense–stoned, whipped, beaten with rods, imprisoned, going without food and drink, etc. This is pretty heavy, but fortunately I discovered something deeper about Paul’s suffering. Paul’s sufferings were a part of God’s plan for him, or they were appointed to him (Acts 9:16). Jesus gave Paul a real sense and understanding of His place in building the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. So maybe we are not all called to take off our shirts, beat our chests, and cry out: “bring on the rods!” Neither do we need to start singing Bob Dylan’s holy anthem: “everybody must get stoned!” However, God has a part appointed to you in building the same Kingdom Paul was building, and it is still for the glory of the those who do not know Jesus. And for some more than others, the part you play may include great sufferings.

As you examine your life and current situations, how are you exemplifying a Christ-centered life? How are you establishing others in Christ so that they may receive salvation—their glory?

I hang out in coffee shops for two reasons. I began hanging out in coffee shops because of my love for coffee and the atmosphere. There is nothing better than the smell of coffee and good acoustic or jazzy music in the background while you read, study, and write. Unfortunately I became such a coffee fanatic that I started roasting my own coffee beans, which has caused most coffee shops coffee to taste pretty bad to my coffee taste buds. However, there is another reason I spend my days in coffee shops and that is because I find the most amazing conversations in these places. Most people are friendly and many are regulars. I do nothing to hide my love for Jesus, but neither do I stand on a table and preach to the multitudes. This has allowed me to gain the respect and trust of my coffee family.

Many of my conversations are with grad students and professional people who have traveled the world and experienced many things I could never truly understand without being there myself. The question on everyone’s mind generally tends to be, “why do bad things happen to good people?” And these conversations usually gravitate towards a philosophical level while we discuss extreme tragedies—Hiroshima, the Holocaust, Rwanda, or 9/11. And many I’m sure also have reservations against tragedies like disease, abuse, and accidents. These situations are tragic and sorrowful.

I doubt I’ll ever have a completely satisfactory answer for why bad things happen to good people since this question has continued throughout the ages and only increases as our days move forward. And though these issues require discussion because they are valid concerns, my feeling is they tend to drown out more immediate and personal questions. Often times I feel we use these extreme events to ask why bad things happen to us. We may look to the Jews and say, “they did nothing wrong and look what happened to them.” As if this may relinquish our own responsibility in a bad situation.

I find it interesting that we all assume we are generally good people. But how often do we cheat to get ahead? Do you cheat at work to get a higher reward? Do you cheat on your taxes to get a higher return? Do you cheat on a test or homework assignment to get a higher grade? How often to you do you desire something you don’t need? Or in Christian terms covet something? Is your goal to have a nicer car, maybe one like your neighbors? Do you desire a bigger house? Want a higher position at work? Do you desire one thing or one person above everything else in life? Even at the expense of others? These desires seem innocent but often cause us to cut corners we shouldn’t cut. They cause us to ignore those people most important to us while our minds are set on the “goals/idols” we have made. How often do you allow your mind wonder about a man or a woman who is not yours? How often do you lie to a friend because you don’t want to do something? How often do you ignore a phone call from a friend you know will talk your ear off about their problems?

In the midst of these minor infractions and many others, we ignore God and a relationship with Him. Yes, we may go to church, say a pray, or give a tithe, but God will not be mocked. He wants your heart and your friendship. The list of questions above are based around a few of the 10 Commandments. These commandments are more like guidelines to healthy friendships and communities, and not the strict rigid rulebook we assume them to be.

Often our bad situations are a result of our bad choices or habits. It is important to point out that this is not always the case, but I would suggest that it is more frequently the case than we may want to acknowledge. God desires our heart and our friendship. As I was reading Hosea this morning I witness God speaking to Hosea about how He was going to bring calamity on Israel for ignoring Him and acting against His ways. God often allows bad situations in our lives as a manner of humbling us. Is it not true that we are often oblivious to God and our actions when everything is going well, but when the bottom falls out we are willing to examine ourselves. God told Hosea that He was going to remove them from their current positions and take them to the wilderness to woo them and draw them back to Him. Once He was able to recapture their heart, He would then restore them.

If the bottom seems to be falling from under you, don’t resist it. Go into the wilderness and willfully examine your life. Establish or reestablish your relationship with Jesus, and watch as He repairs your life. Know that God is hopelessly in love with you and desires your attention.