My dear one…where have you gone? Why do you always choose to run instead of trust?

I often think God spends a good deal of effort trying to teach us how to stop running away. Running from Him, running from pain, from potential, from change, from truth. Running, running, running. No wonder we’re all so dang tired all the time. It takes a lot of effort to be on the run, especially when we’re running away from the path of the Lord. We feel the pressure and the fatigue of living on the run, frequently without awareness of why we’re getting so worn down and becoming so easily agitated.

The perspective of the photo above is very striking to me. From the perspective of the shell, the world is big, the ocean looks to be a mile away, and yet the shell itself appears to stand out prominently from all the surrounding shells. However, as I was walking along in the glow of the morning sun, the shell itself wasn’t nearly as prominent as it appears. The ocean was only about 20 feet away, not half a mile, and it was only when I looked at the ground from a perspective closer to that of the shell itself, that I was able to find it.

It seems that many of us see God as a being who walks along looking at us the same way I was walking along and looking for shells…and I think all too often we assume that we are just blending into the landscape of a million other shells. We forget that God is all around us, so He sees us the way we see the shell in that photo. He sees us inside and out at all times, because He literally lives inside of us. We never have to reach out to find Him because He’s already there. He understands and is aware of every thought, action, and event we experience because He’s walking through it with us from the inside out. Faith is an awareness, acceptance, and trust in that presence and His capacity to care for our every need.

“But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor–Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him (the Holy Spirit) to you [to be in close fellowship with you].” John 16:7 AMP

Over recent weeks, our pastor has been walking with us through the book of James. I think this is the first time I’ve come to understand just how important and useful this particular area of scripture is in maneuvering life in the world, while maintaining an honest relationship with the Lord. One visual analogy my pastor made that drove God’s message home to me was this: imagine standing at the altar of marriage with the person you love, holding hands and gazing into each another’s eyes…then, a third person walks up and takes one hand of your beloved and stands there in the middle of your ceremony. Can you even begin to wrap your mind around the awkward and likely angry reaction you would feel at that situation?

The point my pastor was making was to say THAT is what we are doing when we try to stay faithful to God and to the world at the same time. You can’t hold hands with both and claim total commitment to just one. We make a lot of fuss about how hard it is do find a balance between faith and life here on earth, but there is not supposed to BE balance. Faith is supposed to win out, hands down, no matter what we are facing in the world. This is not to say we are supposed to disregard our human lives and relationships. Quite the contrary. All through the Bible, we’ve been given very specific instructions on how to manage both, and none of those instructions place more importance on getting what we want in the world over doing what we are told by God in all situations.

• What do we do when we are hurt or offended by another person? “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens and pays attention to you, you have won back your brother.” Matthew 18:15 AMP.
• What do we offer others, especially those who we feel offer us hatred? “But I say to you who hear [Me and pay attention to My words]: Love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies, [make it a practice to] do good to those who hate you” Luke 6:27 AMP.
• What does God say about those who choose the conflict of their own human understanding? “They do not know the way of peace, and there is no justice in their tracks. They have made them into crooked paths; Whoever walks on them does not know peace.” Isaiah 59:8 AMP.
• Why do we get lost and drift away from the truth of God so easily?? “For the sinful nature has its desire which is opposed to the Spirit, and the [desire of the] Spirit opposes the sinful nature; for these [two, the sinful nature and the Spirit] are in direct opposition to each other [continually in conflict], so that you [as believers] do not [always] do whatever [good things] you want to do.” Galatians 5:17 AMP.
• How do we recognize when we are being led by our sinful nature?? “Now the practices of the sinful nature are clearly evident: they are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control), idolatry, sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies], envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21 AMP.

My favorite, and one I have always worked hard to exemplify, is Philippians 2:4, “Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” Going back to the book of James, it is confirmed once again that our troubles and issues stem from our focus and need for the things of the world over the things of God.

What leads to [the unending] quarrels and conflicts among you? Do they not come from your [hedonistic] desires that wage war in your [bodily] members [fighting for control over you]? You are jealous and covet [what others have] and your lust goes unfulfilled; so you murder. You are envious and cannot obtain [the object of your envy]; so you fight and battle. You do not have because you do not ask [it of God]. You ask [God for something] and do not receive it, because you ask with wrong motives [out of selfishness or with an unrighteous agenda], so that [when you get what you want] you may spend it on your [hedonistic] desires.” James 4:1-3 AMP

All of these words may seem harsh or even cold, but they’re not meant to be. They are just reality for me. What I want, what I feel, what I fear…none of that needs to impact me unless I allow it. What I know and what I believe is that God is with me and will ALWAYS make sure I have what I need. When I came to understand that the only thing I truly NEED in this human world is Him, it became much easier to keep everything and everyone in proper perspective. When I feel bent out of shape, regardless of the situation, the first question I ask myself is whether or not I’m wrapped around the axel because my own perceived needs/expectations weren’t met. The truth of life in this world is that we can, and will, experience some of our greatest joys and deepest pain at the hands of people who love us.

The truth is that people often act out of selfish needs and desires, and sometimes that results in truly unexpected cruelty. Still, we cannot place the status of our faith and joy on the actions of other people. And no matter what, “Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 AMP and, “So, as God’s own chosen people, who are holy [set apart, sanctified for His purpose] and well-beloved [by God Himself], put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience [which has the power to endure whatever injustice or unpleasantness comes, with good temper]; bearing graciously with one another, and willingly forgiving each other if one has a cause for complaint against another; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so should you forgive.” Colossians 3:12-13 AMP.