Power

Remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him…  and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 1:16-17, 19-20

Powerless. That is how I feel sometimes, but that is not what God has given me. I often forget that my generous God has given me his power…the same power that he used to raise his son Jesus from the grave. 

So, why do I have seasons of feeling powerless? Because…Life can be difficult…even unbearable at times…health challenges, financial issues, rowdy, even rebellious children, work despair, fractured relationships, broken dreams…Yet my generous God gives me His powerful wisdom and grace to not just get through life but to thrive in life. One of His most powerful strategies (though not always intuitive or practical) is generous living. I ask myself, so, Lord, where do I start to experience the power of generosity? 

Generous living starts with a prayerful mindset of gratitude to the Lord. The power of generosity begins with gratitude to my generous God.

I learn to lean into being grateful for His blessings of life, relationships, and freedom to enjoy Him, freedom to be loved and to love. As my wife Rita reminds me often, who gets to do this? Who gets to live a life of generosity because of the radical generosity of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, who…

“Though he was so very rich, yet to help you he became so very poor, so that by being poor he could make you rich”  (2 Corinthians 8:9, TLB).

So, for us to better understand and acknowledge the power of God at work in our lives, we need to first look at how Jesus, when at the beginning of his ministry, was confronted by Satan to use power for building a kingdom on earth for Himself, refused and instead gave His power away to save the world for all who would believe and to build the kingdom of heaven…

“Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ‘All this I will give you,’ he said, ‘if you will bow down and worship me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only” (Matthew 4:8-10).

Satan tried to tempt our Savior Jesus with power when He offered control over the kingdoms of the world… and then abruptly, Jesus called out the evil one to worship and serve God…the only One who has all power. 

The most powerful man who ever walked on the planet…Jesus Christ…gave away his power for the benefit of saving, healing, and blessing the world.

You have been given the power of God to carry out the purposes of God. His power is at work in you to will and to do His good pleasure. Use it, don’t abuse it; furthermore, use it for the good of others or lose it! Invest God’s generous gift of power through a life of generosity. Relational generosity finds joy in connecting those you know and love with one another. Financial generosity invests resources in funding the work of God’s kingdom. And generosity with your time is free to volunteer your expertise and experience to serve. Leverage power for the Lord

Win them back

If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. Matthew 18:15

Relational conflict is an unavoidable part of life. We as are broken and imperfect people, and when my sickness bumps into yours, it is inevitable that we will struggle to see eye to eye. This plays itself out in every sphere of influence: work, home, and yes, even within the church. Though we are the people of God who are filled with the life of God, we are also works in progress who continue to struggle against sin, and we therefore must learn to navigate conflict, not if, but when it comes.

So often, in a heated moment of disagreement, our first and only instinct is one of self-preservation. Rather than being open to the possibility that our brokenness somehow contributed to this breakdown, we rush to our own defense, showing how we’ve been wronged, misunderstood, or falsely accused. When this posture is taken, no longer do we see the other as a brother or sister in Christ, but they transform, sometimes instantaneously, into an enemy and opponent, someone who must be wrong in order for me to be right.

In truth, this impulse can grow to the point that our only aim in the disagreement is to secure our innocence at any cost. Yet, in this confusion, the words of Matthew 18 invite us to consider another way. The aim and end of relational conflict is always the restoration of intimacy and trust. We engage in difficult conversations, not to win a battle but to win back a brother. Undoubtedly, this is hard work. And it is work that we will only engage if and when we learn to value and treasure the gift of a spiritual family, brothers and sisters in the faith that have been given to us by God for our mutual growth and flourishing in faith. 

When relationships in the church are viewed through this lens, we reject any outcome or solution that includes the loss of a brother or sister as an acceptable outcome. Let us always turn toward the other, even in times of pain and confusion, asking God to preserve and keep us in his love and in our mutual affection for one another.

No worry zone

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Philippians 4:4 

I am learning that worry and joy in the Lord cannot coexist; worry is not welcome where joy is the host. The same goes for being angry; a hot head cools under the influence of a calming, joyful heart. The Apostle Paul is writing to the church at Philippi to remind them not to allow the conflict from their differences to define their relationship. Different perspectives born from a variety of life experiences are meant to mold us more like Christ if we learn in love to value each other's uniqueness. Of course, sinful behavior needs to be addressed and corrected, but how many times could bad behavior have been avoided if a joyful focus on Jesus was the conversational starting point? Not naively ignoring the discomfort but keeping accusations at bay and choosing a better way. A joyful attitude elevates discussions in loving respect for others.

Why even fret for five minutes if we can start by rejoicing in the Lord? Rejoicing for how He provides for our wants and needs. Rejoicing for His Word, a personal love letter penned in Scripture, is a guiding light for our lives. Rejoicing in rich relationships gives us a healthy understanding that we are beloved by our heavenly Father. Rejoicing in our assurance of salvation in Jesus Christ. Rejoicing in hard times, knowing He walks with us through the shadows of suffering and the dread of death. Rejoicing is the Spirit’s remedy for healing. 

The act of rejoicing is not merely a fleeting emotion but a deliberate choice to find joy in God’s presence and promises. In doing so, we align ourself with a source of unwavering love, guidance, and grace. The word of God encourages believers to “rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16), highlighting the transformative power of joy in various circumstances. This practice fosters a grateful heart, cultivating contentment regardless of external conditions. Furthermore, rejoicing in the Lord strengthens our faith, serving as a reminder of His sovereignty and faithfulness. It provides a solid foundation for resilience in the face of challenges, as the joy rooted in God transcends temporal difficulties. In community, shared rejoicing creates bonds among believers, growing a sense of unity and encouragement. Ultimately, embracing joy in the Lord leads to a deeper understanding of divine love, peace that surpasses understanding, and a life marked by gratitude and spiritual abundance. I’ll close with Henri Nouwen’s insights into joyful persons:

Joyful persons do not necessarily make jokes, laugh, or even smile. They are not people with an optimistic outlook on life who always relativize the seriousness of a moment or an event. No, joyful persons see with open eyes the hard reality of human existence and, at the same time, are not imprisoned by it. They have no illusion about the evil powers that roam around, “looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8), but they also know that death has no final power. They suffer with those who suffer, yet they do not hold on to suffering; they point beyond it to an everlasting peace. 

Indeed, joyful living happens in hard times and good times; looking to the Joy Giver.