The Seed of Hope

Tunnels

What matters most is not the darkness entering the tunnel, but the promise of light that waits on the other end.

Tunnels and kids…

I remember the anticipation and thrill of riding through tunnels when I was a kid. Looking back, I don’t know which part was the most exciting…driving down into a hole in the ground, or the lights, or trying to be the first one to get a glimpse of the light at the other end. Maybe it was just the idea of riding under buildings, streets, and sometimes, water that made it so exciting! I’d always ask my Dad to drive a little slower so the experience would last a bit longer…he’d always laugh, but he never slowed down…at least, not enough for me.

I can’t remember what I thought of tunnels when I was really young, say as an infant or a toddler, but I can remember what my sons Brian and Christian experienced the first time they entered a tunnel: absolute PANIC! The same thing happened (three years apart) with both of them…toolin’ down the road, lookin’ out the window…enjoying the view…sudden darkness… “Waaaahhhhh!!!”

It’s funny how they both reacted to the darkness of the tunnel in the exact same way. I wonder if I did the same the first time I went into a tunnel.

The sad thing was that because of their age, I couldn’t make them understand that the darkness was only temporary. My assurances that everything was gonna’ be okay were drowned out by their terrified screams. In both instances I sped up as much as I could, pushing onward toward the light at the other end. And in both instances, Brian and Christian stopped crying the moment we exited the tunnel!

Tunnels and adults…

It’s been a long time since I experienced that “We’re gonna go in a tunnel! Slow down and blow the horn Dad!” rush I got when I was a kid (I’m fifty-seven now, so perhaps I should say that it’s been a really long time!). But you know what? I still get that tingling sensation when I drive through a tunnel, especially one that I’ve never been in before. Of course, there’s no element of fear…I know what waits at the other end…better yet; I know that there is the other end…

Have you figured out where I’m going with this?

I want to talk about the “mental tunnels” that we enter as adults. Unlike clearly visible tunnels that lie ahead as we drive in our cars, these mental ones come out of nowhere. There are no signs saying Tunnel ahead. Turn on lights. Drive with caution. No flashing lights. No nothing. You’re cruising through life, enjoying the ride, taking in the view, and BAM…you’re in a tunnel…in the darkness.

Of course there are many kinds of mental tunnels, including, but not limited to, anxiety, anger, indecision, depression, hopelessness, loneliness, and despair. Much like traditional tunnels, they are east to enter. Unlike traditional tunnels, these are quite often very, very hard to get out of.

What now?

What do you do when you find yourself in one of these tunnels?

Ironically, I believe that at times many of us are so blinded by the darkness that envelops us that we can’t even see a speck of a light that’s always there; God’s light.

I feel the need to interject something here…

I’m going to share this based on the assumption that you’re reading this post…visiting this blog…because you’re a Christian…or perhaps you believe in God, but you haven’t accepted Christ in your life yet…or perhaps you’re just curious. In any case, you’re always welcome here. And on the premise that my assumptions are correct, I’ll move on…

I think that there are many “believers” who look upon atheists (those who don’t believe in God) with a sense of disdain, almost as if they were second-class citizens.

I actually pity them. Why? Who does an atheist turn to for comfort, strength, hope, direction, etc? All the things that, in their purest form, only God can provide me for me.

Sorry…back to the subject at hand…

So what do you do when you find yourself in a tunnel?

You turn to God (if you’re not already seeking His face). You pray (if you’re not already praying). You ask God to help you (if you haven’t already asked.) You pray some more.

“I’ve already done that, and it hasn’t worked. I don’t know what else to do.” Sound familiar?

Try something else!

Like what? Talk to a friend. Seek the counsel of your Pastor. Talk to another friend.

Well, for some of us, this is easier said than done. Sometimes our ego gets in the way of reaching out for assistance. I believe that many of us would rather try to find our own way out of the darkness, even though we may not have the slightest clue as to what we should do or where we should go. And I’ll go ahead and say it: I think that men have the hardest time swallowing their pride and asking for advice, all the while knowing that someone may just have the solution to the problem. Go figure…

They grope in the darkness with no light; he makes them stagger like drunkards. JOB 12:25

I have this theory that I want to run by you…

Quite often when we are enduring a particular hardship in life we tend to think that God is trying to teach us one of life’s lessons…something that we need to learn to be a better person…something that just hasn’t “sunk in”…

Do you think that maybe, just maybe, one of the lessons that He’s trying to teach us is to reach out to others for help? That maybe the way out of the tunnel and out of the darkness is found through a friend? That the light that we so desperately seek, God’s light, may be found in the eyes or in the voice of the person sitting directly across from us? That the real lesson is not about finances, or relationships, or anger, but about surrendering?

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of the darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.               2 CORINTHIANS 4:6 (NIV)

The bottom line…

What we must remember is that God’s light never goes out…He never turns it off. Ever. It doesn’t even have a dimmer switch! It’s always there for us, burning brighter than the sun. I don’t know how we could possibly lose sight of it, or how we could lose sight of Him, but we do.

When you find yourself in one of those tunnels…lost…alone…desperate…don’t expect the light at other end of it to come looking for you! Pray. Seek His face. Pray some more. Seek the face of a friend. Do whatever you have to do to get out. Never settle for the darkness. Never give up.

You see, it’s not just the promise of any light at the end of the tunnel…it is the promise God’s light, and it is unlike any other!

See you next week!

BUGS

A couple of years ago my wife Jackie and I were driving down to Biloxi, Mississippi to catch a Cirque de Soleil show at one of the local casinos. Biloxi is located on the Gulf Coast, and before the arrival of the big hotels and legalized gambling, one of its biggest claims to fame was being slammed by Hurricane Camille in August of 1969. Depending on who’s behind the wheel, the drive can take from four to five hours from Birmingham.

Okay, before I can continue I have to tell you about one of my pet peeves. A pet peeve is a minor annoyance that an individual sees as a major annoyance. Some examples of pet peeves are poor table manners, gum smacking, solicitors, and inconsiderate drivers. Have I struck a nerve yet? Are going down your mental checklist of pet peeves right now, reliving moments and situations, your blood pressure rising as you do?

Well, stop it; this is about my pet peeve, not yours. I just wanted to get you in the mindset of the aggravation that is associated with a pet peeve.

This peeve, this irritant, this annoyance, this aggravating, drives-me-up-a-wall thing that I want to tell you about is:

BUGS ON MY WINDSHIELD!

Go ahead, laugh if you’d like (it’s not that I could stop you anyway!). Look, I don’t even like a dirty windshield, much less one splattered with bug guts. I figure that God gave man the idea to come up with the little built-in windshield “water guns” and windshield wipers so that we can see where we’re going as we drive from destination to destination. You still think that I’m kidding, don’t you? I’m so bad that if I get into someone else’s car, and their windshield is covered with whatever, I’ll simply ask, “Somethin’ wrong with your car? Why don’t you use your window washer?”

Back to the story…

So we’re heading down I-65 South towards Mobile, Alabama, we’re making really good time, and I’m thinking “This has been an easy drive. We’re gonna get there early, so we’ll have some time to unwind and relax.”

Splat.

There’s a bug on my windshield! I quickly reach for the button to activate the “wash-wipe” feature on the car. The water sprays, and the wipers begin to do their job. Whew!

Splat. There’s another one! My wipers haven’t even cleared the remnants of the first one…now there’s two of ‘em!

Splat. Splat. Splat. Splat. Splat. Splat. Splat. Splat. Splat. Splat. Splat. Splat.

No, I’m not exaggerating…it was that bad and worse!  There was hundreds of ‘em. I kept hittin’ that wash button repeatedly, and, quite simply, my wipers couldn’t keep up with the bugs. Worse still was the fact that I could barely see what was ahead of me.

I started freakin’ out! And I’ll go ahead and admit it…I started cursing like a sailor! This only served to startle Jackie, who had been napping in the passenger seat. She was up like a shot, her spine board-straight, and her hands trying to find purchase on anything that may protect her from the impending doom! “What’s wrong?” she shrieked, terror in her voice.

“It’s bugs!” I shouted, my eyes never leaving the windshield, my fingers frantically hitting that button.

“WHAT?”  Jackie questioned.

“Look at the windshield! Look at all the bugs! What the hell is going on?”

When I thought that things couldn’t get any worse, they did…the reservoir that holds the fluid to clean the windows ran dry! Now, the wipers are wiping, but there’s nothing to wipe, except for the bugs. I’m really starting to panic; I couldn’t see! Oh crap!

Thank goodness, it was about that same time that we made it through the “swarm.” I pulled off onto the shoulder of the freeway, parked the car, and got out to clean the windshield and assess the situation. There were cars parked everywhere, their drivers stepping out to do exactly what I was doing! Not wanting to sit there all day, I retrieved a bottle of water and a handful of napkins from the car, cleaned the windshield as best I could, and continued on to Biloxi.

(Upon our return to Birmingham I learned that we had run into a swarm of  “love bugs”, which are members of the family of marchflies. The lovebug is common to Central America and the southeastern United States, especially the Gulf Coast.)

Bugs

I believe that we all get bugs on our windshield from time to time; distractions that cloud our vision, cause us to veer from our destination, and stand in the way of us becoming what we are supposed to be. Perhaps, most importantly, they take our vision off of God. These bugs may vary in type and nuisance “level”, as is how much they aggravate us. Independently, they may not pose much of a problem…collectively, they can change the course of our lives.

I’m talking the “big bugs” that face many of us today, such as unemployment, health care costs, and dwindling retirement accounts.  

I’m talking about the “little bugs”; things in life that we just have to overlook, like rush hour traffic, inconsiderate drivers, and those aggravating solicitors that call our homes after we’ve put in a hard day at work.

And I’m talking about the bugs that fall in the middle…bugs that have a way of sneaking up on us…that have a way of impacting our lives more than we may realize. Like the conversation that you’ve been putting off having with your friend that hurt your feelings…or that “situation” at work…or that escalating credit card bill…or those hideous numbers on your scale when you check your weight…or the life-lesson that you really need to share with your child…or that talk that you need to have with your boss…or the fact that you haven’t been to church in a while.

If you have a “laundry list” of things that you need to do and situations that need to be addressed, you’re probably having a hard time living for today, much less planning for tomorrow; and you’re probably not very happy with your life. And as you’ve probably figured out by now, life doesn’t come with a washer button and wipers! These bugs won’t magically disappear.

I made a list.

A few years ago I sat down to make my first “bug list.” My list contained everything that I’d like to get done that day, everything that I needed to get done that day, and all those things that I’d been putting off that should have been done the day before! 

Here’s where it gets interesting…I put the one thing that I dreaded doing the most at the top of my list! I figured that if I could find the guts to do the hardest one, the rest would be a snap. I was gonna attack my list that next day, and I wasn’t gonna do anything else until I’d taken care of that first bug (a confrontation with someone that I’d been putting off for a long, long, time).

Life came to a screeching halt!

Two days came and went, and my list remained unchanged…and I have to tell you that with each passing hour that bug became bigger and bigger. Whereas before I could “forget” about the bug for brief periods of time, I found myself totally consumed by the thoughts of my inability to overcome my fear; which only served to make matters worse. One bug, one mental obstacle, became a barrier that I couldn’t go over, under, or around.

I awoke on the morning of the third day, tormented by my own conscience! Miserable in my own self-made “prison”, I turned once again to my list...staring at the paper in my now-trembling hands…looking at that thing (it had taken on an identity) that I couldn’t wish away. Closing my eyes, desperately needing some relief, needing a solution…

Dear God, I need some help with this. Would you give me the courage to overcome my fear and stand up for myself? This thing is eating me from the inside out…I know it’s something that I need to do…it’s something that I have to do…I just cannot bring myself to do it. Please, please help me.

I picked up the phone, dialed the number, and held my breath waiting for an answer on the other end, all the while hoping that there wouldn’t be one. There was. I exhaled and began talking…

Fast forward…

four years later, and I’m still talking! Oh, I still have a list of things that I avoid doing from time to time…you know, more of those bugs on my windshield. And I still have to ask God to give me that shot of courage to get them done. Funny…He always does.

Look, life is full of bugs that cover our windshields. Why don’t you stand back and take a long look at yours…are you having a hard time finding your way because there’s just too much stuff in the way? Can’t really see where you’re going?

Make your own bug list. If you ask God to help you with it, I have a feeling that He’ll do exactly that. It’s amazing how much easier life is when you can see where you’re going…especially if He is your destination!

See you next week!

Putting God on The Shelf

A few weeks ago I received an e-mail from my good friend Cindy that read:

“My life revolves around God, but at times I put Him on a shelf and call on Him when I need Him.”

I thanked Cindy for her message, and then spent a few moments reflecting on what she’d said. I never really considered the notion of putting God on the shelf, but I think that it’s a pretty good analogy. I guess that many of us have, at some point in our lives, put God on the shelf…especially when life is good.

Friends…

How do you define a true friend?

Someone to laugh with? Cry with? Someone with whom you can share your darkest secrets, your fears, your hopes, your dreams? Someone that you know will be there for you, regardless of the situation, regardless of your need? Someone in which you may place all of your trust? Someone who will celebrate your victories, and offer consolation in your defeats? Someone that “has your back”, that’s gonna cover you, that’s gonna put you first? Always?

Do you have a friend like that?

I believe that true friends help us to grow…they push us to be better through encouragement, sharing, and nurturing.

True friends are very rare indeed. If you’ve had at least one true friend, consider yourself fortunate. If you’ve had more than one, consider yourself to be blessed.

Good time friends.

I think it’s safe to say that most friendships spring from good times. I mean, how many times have you attended a funeral or a foreclosure to strike up a new acquaintance? I know that’s a bit extreme, but I think you get what I’m trying to say…new friends are more often found at venues such as church, social functions, and sporting events. We meet someone with a common interest, passion, or personality trait, and a friendship grows from that meeting.

It is from those good times friendships that true friends are found…friends that help us get through the bad times.

How about God?

Do you consider God to be your friend? If not, well maybe you should.

He’s always there for you, especially when you need Him. He knows your darkest secrets, your fears, your hopes, and your dreams. You can trust Him with all that you have, and cry out to Him in times of need or despair.

And as far as making you a better person? Take a look at what He has to offer you…

The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him-the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord-and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. ISAIAH 11:2-3 (NIV)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. GALATIANS 5:22-23 (NIV)

To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 1 CORINTHIANS 12:8-10 (NIV)

All of these “gifts” are available to us through a relationship…a friendship, with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

And that part about putting you first?

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. JOHN 3:16 (NIV)

Do you get what I’m trying to say here?

If you let Him, God will be the best friend that you ever had. Think about that for a moment.

My wife Jackie is an amazing lady…she nurtures me, pushes me to be better, does all the things that a friend should do, and is all the things that a friend should be. Be that as it may, there are things that Jackie cannot do for me, things that she cannot give to me, things…blessings, that I can only receive from God.

And remember: true, meaningful friendships are developed first through the good times. It’s the same way with God. Get to know Him when life is good. Run after Him when things are just right, when your life seems “perfect.” Enjoy His company, and love Him, and laugh with Him, and talk to Him when all is well. Thank Him for the good in your life…tell Him that you love Him…bask in His glory! Don’t just wait until you need Him.

You see, having a relationship with God when things are really good makes the bad stuff seem really, really, small.

Never put God on the shelf. Let Him be your constant companion. Your life will never be the same.

See you next week!