Proverbs 18:8

Let's be real. When I ask the question of who has gossiped about someone you call a friend, don't go looking over your shoulder with that innocent expression that reads, "Well, certainly not me, but let's see who is raising their hands!"

Unfortunately, gossip is one of those sins that proves extremely enticing. We easily say that we just can't help ourselves at times. But the tricky thing about words is that they can hurt. A lot. Take a look at what Proverbs says when it comes to gossip.

Proverbs 18:8 ~ "The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts."

The next time you are about to use your words against someone, think about how those words would taste to the other person. Would it shame them? Impose guilt on them? Accuse them? Before you speak, ask yourself that if you can't say it to their face, do you really want to say it behind their back?

And most importantly, pray. The Spirit wants to guide you, and He fights for you. He is fighting to keep those words from slipping out of your mouth. Allow Him to transform the way you speak so the temptation grows weaker as you grow stronger.
   

Trust: It's not a four-letter word

Shattered glass.

In a split second, a smooth, clear sheet of glass can break into a thousand pieces. The edges that, just a moment ago, were smooth and round to prevent cuts could now slice your skin without a second thought.

So it is with trust.

When created, it provides a clear view of someone. You see them for who they are, smudges and all, yet it's in the smudges that we learn where we need to clean the glass.

But like glass, trust can shatter in a split second. With one word, one action, your grip on the glass slips, and it hits the ground.

Why, then, should we even bother building trust with anyone? People lose their balance all the time, causing the glass to fall from their hands. And so we'd rather just keep our glass tucked inside our jacket where we know it will always remain safe.

The thing about trust, though, is that it's something we all crave to use yet fear to use.

Who can you trust?

In his book "The Search for Significance," Robert S. McGee asks a question along the lines of if you aren't willing to trust God, then who are you willing to trust?

When struggling with trust issues, the first question you need to ask yourself is, "Who do I trust?" If you're placing all your trust in another human or even yourself, then there's problem number one.

We're commanded to trust in the Lord with all our hearts (Proverbs 3:5). When we place all trust in someone besides the Lord, we set ourselves and the other person up for failure, and we'll be sure to walk away with even more trust issues.

Why should we need to trust?

Placing our trust in the Lord does not mean only placing our trust in the Lord. God created us as relational beings, and that means we can dare to trust others.

We all have stories from the moments when our glass shattered. Most of those moments include the sting of cuts as we try to pick up the pieces.

But you know what those moments also include? Someone else coming alongside you to help pick up the pieces. Someone who's hands already have scars on them, scars that go much deeper than the sting of cuts. And He tells us to stand up and keep going.

We are not only commanded to trust the Lord, but we're also told to trust others. 1 Corinthians 13:7  tells us that love always trusts.

Not sometimes. Not when it's easy. Always.

This does not mean we trust every person we come in contact with. We are not commanded to trust all. The person who breaks into your neighbor's house, maybe you shouldn't trust that one. The person who shatters glass everywhere they turn, maybe don't trust that one either.

But we're given the opportunity in this life to be vulnerable with people who walk the same road we walk. There are people who desire to know you, live life with you , love you and trust you. Why would you want to keep them at arms length simply out of the fear that your glass will break?

The Challenge 

Trust isn't something we should stay away from in order to protect us. Don't cringe when you think about trusting people. Don't treat it like a curse word, a word you're trying to keep out of your vocabulary.

Here is my challenge to you: Find at least one person in your life who has given you reason to trust. This person has never given you a reason to not trust, yet you're still holding out as a result of fear.

Take your glass out of your jacket. Trust them with it. You may find them stronger than you thought.

Psalm 116:7-9

Sometimes, you just need to rest in the beauty of all that the Lord has done for you. 

Psalm 116:7-9 ~ "Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living."

What has God delivered you from today? Whatever it is, find rest in all the good accomplished, all the tears wiped away and all the stumbling corrected. For the Lord has been good to you. 

How to come back from vacation

Going on vacation always causes the inner struggle of what it means to go back to work.

It means no more sleeping late, no more constantly inhaling junk food, no more sitting in the sand reading for hours, no more snuggling with your nieces and nephews.

Vacation causes you to think: What's the purpose of my work, the reason I'm needed there? Why do I exhaust myself day after day, year after year?

And then come the voices of others: How long do you see yourself there? Are you making enough money to live off of, or do you ever wish you were doing something more closely related to your degree?

While these are all good, genuine questions, they can cause you to doubt why you do what you do.

I've been reading Ecclesiastes and thinking about how all work and toil under the sun is meaningless. Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, said so, therefore there must be some truth to that statement. So why even bother to go back to work?

Going through the book of Ecclesiastes is a great example of how you should never take Scripture out of context. Simply reading a few passages from Solomon's depressing revelations of meaningless work can cause one to stop and think, "Well, what's the point?"

But you can't stop there. After struggling with thoughts of, "Should I really be doing this," the Lord led me to a passage in Matthew where Jesus sends out the twelve disciples. Paired with Solomon's warnings about meaningless work, I realized that Solomon was right. All work is meaningless. But there shouldn't be a period to end that sentence.

All work is meaningless if you are working for man, but all work is meaningful if you are working for the Lord. 

Jesus told His disciples to go preach about the kingdom of Heaven. He told them take no money, no bag, no extra clothes. He wanted them to be completely dependent on God for their provisions. 

He told them to stand firm, to not be afraid. He promised them that they were worth more than many sparrows, a bird that was nearly worthless in Jesus' day. Jesus pointed out that not one of these nearly-worthless birds were forgotten by God. If the God of the universe did not misplace a single sparrow, why should we be afraid that God will not provide for us in the midst of our work?

Jesus has given us a great task: Go out and tell the world about His good news, no matter your job or your lifestyle. Do not fear a lack of possessions, a lack of income or a lack of security. Know that He provides for you in all things, in all circumstances.

Working is not about what you do, who your boss is or what your friends think about your job. It's about realizing you work for your Creator. Only then will you find meaning in what you do. Only then will you find motivation to come back from vacation excited and ready to go!

Isaiah 50:10

Don't you hate it when you tell someone you're praying for something specific, like the ability to trust more, and that person tells you, "You better be careful when you pray for something like that, because God will just give you an opportunity to trust instead of just giving you the ability to trust!"

While the Christian sayings that we all have memorized can prove annoying and sometimes frustrating, I have to admit that I agree with the above statement in a way.

Just like working a muscle, you won't simply become strong by saying you want to have strength. It takes moments of working hard to grow strong. But don't you love the moments when you know your strength is growing?

It's a beautiful thing when opportunities come where you obviously must choose to trust or not to trust God. Moments when all seems dark and the only thing getting you through is the hope found in your Savior.

Those are the moments that people are talking about when God "gives you the opportunity to trust" instead of just giving you trust. Here's a verse to spur you on to trusting the Lord.

Isaiah 50:10 ~ "Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of His servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God."

A word of caution, though. The verse that follows the one above warns those who try to create their own light. Who use their own means to get through the darkness. Isaiah warns that this will only lead to torment.

Remember these words as you walk through whatever darkness, temptation or difficulties come your way. Remember these words even in the times of laughter and light. Trusting isn't just about times of struggle, but also about times of joy. In any and all circumstances.

When the truth comes by accident

Ever hear a lie in the corner of your mind that you know is a lie?

It starts as a small whisper. You ignore it at first, knowing it's useless falsehood. But then, for some reason, it inches its way to the front of your mind.

Why? You know this is a lie. You know in your head, yet your heart starts to believe otherwise. It's maddening.

This frustrating situation is how we, as Christ-followers, grow discouraged. We grow distracted. All from a single thought we know to be false.

I recently struggled with this dilemma. I knew what I was thinking and believing was a lie, yet I couldn't shake it. I felt powerless. I tried crying out to the Lord, I tried Scripture, I tried talking to people of wisdom.

I wish I could say I knew the reason that nothing seemed to help. I must admit my stubbornness came into play. I hated admitting that I felt this way. I didn't want to appear weak to anyone. And yet I felt like a hypocrite who, like Jesus pointed out, appeared white and clean on the outside yet was dirty on the inside. 

For the purpose of getting my point across, here's a glimpse into the lie I believed: How can God love me uniquely if He loves all perfectly? How could I be special to Him if He would've sent His Son to earth regardless if I were on it or not?

Sounds silly, right? And yet for some reason, I began to believe it. Why? I'm not sure. Maybe Satan wanted to distract me. Maybe he wanted me to doubt myself as a leader. Maybe he just wanted to give me crap because I'm a child of God.

Whatever the reason, God used for good what Satan meant for evil.

The night came when I felt the full weight of this lie. I was driving home and felt burdened by it all. The road I traveled on was foggy and curvy. I let myself crawl into the hole that was this lie right before a little raccoon raced across the road. My foot slammed on the break.

And yet I hit it.

The thud from this hit proved more than I could stand, and I crawled further still into the darkness of that lie. I soon realized that it was too much, and I decided to simply numb the emotions instead of face them.

Knowing this was the wrong thing to do, I ignored the tug at my heart from the Holy Spirit, and I swallowed every emotion until the only thing left was the winding road in front of me.

And the deer that suddenly appeared out of nowhere. I don't remember it walking out onto the road. I don't remember seeing it before it was right there. My foot slammed on the break.

And yet I hit it.

I still shudder when I remember the deer turning its head, literally caught in my headlights, and the front of my car making contact.

I cried out to God. Why? Why this? Why now? Haven't I been struggling with enough?

And then what Satan meant for evil, God used for good. 

The Lord gave me a physical representation of the way He uniquely loves me. He protects me, a way that I feel most loved. When I see or hear someone protecting me, I feel more loved in that moment than if they had actually wrapped their arms around me and told me so.

I can't even count the number of times my Heavenly Father has protected me. Physical, emotional and spiritual protection. He has done this for me. Because He loves me. Because He has purpose for me. 

What lie are you believing in this moment? What lie came to mind as you read this? Here's some advice someone gave me, advice that enabled me to see all the ways God protects me.

Write down every way the Lord has proved whatever you are believing to be a lie. Are you believing God doesn't care about the details? Write down every time He has worked out the details for you. Are you believing you have no future? Write down all the times God has brought you through difficult moments.

If you're having trouble combating the lies, when you see the physical proof, those lies don't stand a chance.

Also, remember that you don't need to feel ashamed for those lies. Sometimes we need to struggle first before we can understand more clearly what God desires to teach us.

While saying I'm glad I hit that deer would be a stretch, I'm thankful God brought me out of that dark hole into the light, regardless of the way He accomplished that.

One last thought: If God is trying to get your attention with a little raccoon, don't ignore it and wait until He sends a deer.    

The swans didn't know what we had planned

There are always fun adventures working at camp. One of the most recent adventures included a couple of swans that were donated to camp.

After learning that swans need to live in an enclosed space for a few weeks when they're in a new environment, the guys set up a fence in the lake for the new family members.

Side note, the swans were named Jack and Diane after John Mellencamp's song. But don't feel bad if you have no idea who that is – I didn't until these swans came into our lives, which resulted in gasps and wide eyes of unbelief.

After a few weeks, the big moment of cutting the fence came, and we all excitedly gathered around the enclosure. It was like Jack and Diane knew something was up, because they began to press against the fence, appearing frightened.

The boys cut away at the fence and began pulling at it, creating an opening. With bated breath, we all watched as the swans ... went to the opposite corner of the cut-away fence. What were they doing?

They were so nervous about all the attention and now cheers and instructions from these well-meaning humans, that they pushed harder and harder against the other end of the fence. Soon, feathers were flying off from their struggle.

With one side of the fence still in the ground and the other side in the hand of one of the guys who cut the fence, the opening grew larger as he pulled at it, hoping Jack and Diane would see the opening and swim under it. As he pulled the fence higher, the side in his hand twisted upwards, giving Jack the chance he had been looking for.

But instead of swimming under the fence where the opening was, Jack stepped on top of the side of the fence that was twisted upwards, and he started climbing up the fence, wings beating furiously.

At this, we all burst into laughter. His attempt to climb higher was painful to watch, but he eventually made it up and over with Diane close behind him. Talk about working harder, not smarter!

And yet there was something vaguely familiar about the situation. This might be a stretch, but bear with me.

We can all struggle with feeling trapped where we are in the present. The next step couldn't feel farther away from us at times. It's like we've been swimming around in this fenced-off section of a lake. We can see what's out there: a big, beautiful lake. It looks endless from where we are.

But this fence called the present. It's holding us back from something amazing. We don't know why we're trapped here. We're told it's only for a time, that it won't always be like this. Do we really believe that?

I was struggling with contentedness one afternoon more so than normal, and God spoke to me in a quiet whisper. He said, "If only you knew what I had planned for you."

Wow. I was not expecting that. Like Jack and Diane, I could not see the whole picture. I still don't know what the future holds.

But I know one thing. I won't fight against the fence. When God's perfect timing opens the hole in the fence, I won't be so obsessed with getting out of my current circumstance that I miss the opening. I don't want to search so desperately for a way out that I leave God out of the equation and make my own plans for the future.

Not only does that make everything more dramatic and much harder, but it tells God that I think I know better than He does. How arrogant does that sound?

Also, I want to point out that if we look at our circumstances, we'll see how blessed we truly are. God does not just drop us somewhere and expect us to tread water. There are always people, places and situations to be thankful for.

So what is your fence? Is it your singleness? Your job? Your neighborhood? Whatever it may be, know that God desires for you to hear one thing: If only you knew what He had planned for you. Maybe then we would stop struggling, and we would enjoy the here and now.  

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." ~ Jeremiah 29:11

Psalm 86:11-13

How often do we simply read the words in front of us without letting them truly sink in? Or we say things flippantly because we know it's the "Christian thing" to say? If you read the verses below, are they something you can truly mean? Or are they just Christian phrases that have a nice ring to them?

Psalm 86:11-13 ~ "Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave."

I think the two hardest aspects of these verses are the request for an undivided heart and the statement of praising God with all my heart.

If I ask for an undivided heart, does that mean I have to give up the things that might be in battle for Christ's spot in my heart? The hard truth is: absolutely yes. Which is why that statement is like a smack in the face. Am I willing to pray this and mean it? I sure hope so.

If I tell God I will praise Him with my whole heart, does that mean I have to stop giving my heart, time and energy to things that pull my attention away from my Savior? Again, the hard truth would be that, yes, I do.

But once I get past the things that I think bring me pleasure in the moment, I realize that my attention is much better spent giving my whole heart to the One who delivered me from the depths of the grave.

How I left what I love most behind me

When I was younger, I would read "God sets the lonely in families" found in Psalm 68:6 and think how lucky I was to grow up in a family of seven. For someone who loves to be around people, this promise rang true in my life.

Growing up with four siblings, two loving parents and a dog who was always around to play with, my family was by my side through thick and thin. My siblings are my best friends, and my parents are two of the wisest people I know. 

But a year out of college has taken me 10 hours away from my family, and I often wonder what God is thinking. While I could be described as an independent soul, and I don't often feel homesick, I do sometimes feel family-sick. 

I ache at the thought of my niece growing up recognizing me mostly from pictures. I hate knowing two of my sisters plan for a bachelorette party for a third sister, something I won't be able to attend. 

When I thought of everything and everyone carrying on with life without me, I cried out in the words of Peter, "I have left everything to follow You!" My cry, however, flew out somewhat bitter, and I immediately heard His calm and loving response of, "Why should I expect anything less?"

In that moment, knowing that following Jesus meant doing whatever it took to obey Him took on a new meaning. If you know there is something or someone in your life that you fear living without, here are a few things to think about. 

• Jesus might ask you to give up what you love most to see if you are willing to follow Him, no matter the cost. 
•  Leaving behind something important to you means you place it at the foot of the cross instead of idolizing it and setting it above Christ in your heart.
• Stepping out of the comfort zone of whatever you love most allows you to strengthen your faith and lean on Him more than you have in the past. 

Jesus explains in Matthew 19:29 that anyone who has left their family or their possessions to follow after Him will inherit eternal life. Knowing you are obeying God despite the difficulties provides comfort in moments of weakness.

So while I left my family behind me on the East Coast, fancy inventions like telephones and Skype, along with cars and airplanes, have enabled me to keep in touch with my best friends and continue to gain wisdom from my parents. 

And God is showing His faithfulness by providing me with a church family and a work family, both made up of people I wouldn't trade away for anything. 

In response, then, to my outburst of telling Jesus what I have left behind for Him, He reminded me that I am not called for anything less than that. We are not called to give just some of what we love. We are not called to follow him halfheartedly. We are called to place everything at His feet and follow Him. No matter what. 

Ephesians 4:31-32

How can we possibly hold on to anger and bitterness when Christ forgave us of all sins? It can be extremely difficult to forgive someone who has wronged you, but once you think about Jesus hanging on the cross for your sins, it becomes a little easier to practice compassion.

Ephesians 4:31-32 ~ "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

I'll never be content

In the search for happiness and purpose in this life, it can grow frustrating when people toss around the phrase "learn to be content." You hear it when you voice a desire. You tell it to yourself when your left ring finger remains bare. 

I can't even count how many people I've talked with who have discussed the necessity of learning how to be content. I hear sentences along the lines of, "Once I'm completely content with Christ, then ..." (fill in the completion of a desire).

I could not disagree more.

While Paul does state that he learned how to be content, I think we have changed the meaning of this. I have too often heard people use contentment as a way to get what they desire. What they don't realize is this: The kind of contentment they are searching for, they will never attain. At least not on earth. 

I believe we have mistaken Paul's words with an unrealistic expectation. For those who are single, this expectation means they must find themselves completely content with God before He will bless them with a significant other. For those who are trying to have kids, unhappy in their career or nervous about the future, the concept remains the same.

Webster's Dictionary defines the word content as "not needing more." If we push for contentment in order to feel like we don't need anything else in life, we fool ourselves.

We were made for more than this life will ever give us. We were made for eternity.

There will always be a longing inside us that desires the need for something more. A feeling of discontentment. That need is the desire to stand in the presence of our Creator and worship Him forever.  

As a result of this, we can learn how to rely on God more, which is what I believe Paul was referring to when he talked of being content, or sufficient, despite his circumstances. 

  

This is not about arguing over the use of the word content. It's about realizing what we truly desire in being content.

When we can understand that we will never feel content – not needing more – until we stand face to face with our Savior, then we will understand Paul's contentment. It will not come wrapped in our desires or have the appearance of laughter through trial.

It will look like strength to bring us through a place that we were never meant to dwell in alongside evil. It will look like sufficiency to bring us home to Jesus.

Because of this, I know I will never truly be content. Not in this earthly body on this sin-filled planet. I know I will never be able to use the wonderful things God blesses me with each day to feel as if I am no longer in need. While things in this life can bring joy and can truly be good, they will never bring complete contentment.

How will you fill the areas of your life where you feel a desire not met? Will you turn to people, success or property? Or will you fill the voids with the only One who can give us strength until we are made whole before His throne?

Then will we prove completely and utterly content.  

Psalm 73:21-22

While not your typical Psalm you go to in order to feel that emotional pull so many people desire when they flip to this book of the Bible, Psalm 73 focuses mainly on the actions of the wicked.

The author, Asaph, who was a Levite and worship leader appointed by King David, discusses how frustrating it is to watch those with sinful intentions live a life free from burden while he tries in vain to remain pure.

That's where verses 21-22 come into play.

Psalm 73:21-22 ~ "When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you."

The moment I read this, I felt convicted. I knew that there were people and circumstances that I had grown bitter against. That I was allowing my heart to grieve as a result.

But what did that make me? It made my spiritual sensitivity like that of a wild animal. How could I possibly allow my bitterness for circumstances and people get in the way of my relationship with my Creator?

What areas of your life are causing your heart to grieve and your spirit to grow embittered? In what ways are you allowing yourself to become senseless and ignorant before the Lord?

I challenge you to hand over each and every bitter thought, each frustration that causes your heart to grieve, and allow Christ to carry those burdens. After all, we know how the story ends. We know we will one day stand before God, and we know our race is not in vain.

My revelation on war

If I were to use the term warfare, I would imagine that images of tanks, air strikes or soldiers would flash through your mind. Pictures that come from the news, or places on a map such as Iraq or Afghanistan.

But how many of you would imagine a legion of angels? Or an army of enemies desiring your soul?

We tend to forget about the spiritual warfare that rages all around us. Warfare we cannot see the same way we see pictures, videos or, for some, live action of the war going on around the world. Satan thinks he's pretty clever that way.

 And, I hate to admit it, but he is clever.

Satan has us so distracted by the things of this world that we rarely think about the war for souls. Yes, the war against the things of this world hold extreme importance, but Satan can use them to take the thoughts of our minds and hearts off of the battles that last through eternity.

My purpose is not to discuss the theology of spiritual warfare or rant on how Christians need to provide more awareness for it. In fact, I think discussing this subject too often gives the devil a foothold for fear in our minds.

My purpose right now is to simply share a moment when the Lord showed me another aspect of His character.

The way God chose to reveal Himself to me last month was through an intense spiritual battle. I can honestly say I have never felt such an attack on my soul before this.

At the time, I had just told a friend how I was drawing strength the past few days from placing a few things at the foot of the cross. I explained to her what I had been holding on to and how I had finally released my grip on these things that were overwhelming me.

Not 24 hours later, Satan began to test me, asking me through the situations around me if I had truly handed over what I had verbalized earlier that day. Was it really worth letting go of forever?

The worst part was, it wasn't even as if he dangled a cookie in front of my face to see if I would snatch it. He showed it to me just before smacking me again and again with it, allowing it to crumble before my eyes.

What I had just given over to God was presented in front of me to tempt me moments before the rug was pulled out beneath me. While this situation may not have been as dramatic as it is in writing, the enemy intensified every moment, every emotion, to make this weight heavy upon my soul.

It wasn't until that night when I realized what was going on here. Satan hated the decision I had made, and he would command his cohorts to make me as miserable as possible for as long as possible.

Waking up the next morning, I felt exhausted and drained. I knew there was a battle underway. I also knew I was not strong enough to fight.

In His loving kindness, Christ revealed to me that I was never strong enough. I could never win a battle over evil on my own. That is why I left my burden at the foot of the cross.

In that moment, I saw the Lord as my Shield, as my Protector, as the One who goes to battle for me.

While that week proved extremely difficult, I wouldn't trade it for anything. Christ fought for me. Not only did He die for me, but He continues to fight for me. How could I possibly be satisfied with holding on to anything but Him?

So here it comes. The question to leave you thinking. What are you holding on to as Christ fights to protect you? He died for you in the past. He carries your burdens in the present. He will fight and win against the enemy in the future. Does anything compare to a love like that?

Ecclesiastes 3:10-11

As I read through Ecclesiastes, I have mixed emotions as I connect on different levels with what Solomon says.

Part of me thinks how right he is when it comes to the meaningless acts of work, pleasure and what we acquire in this life. The other part of me, a wild guess being the Holy Spirit, reminds myself that when we act for the glory of God, everything holds meaning.

These two verses brought about similar pulls as I saw both sides to the argument.

Ecclesiastes 3:10-11 ~ "I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

Solomon creates quite the contrast here. He attributes God with giving men a burden to carry, a burden of the longing for something greater – eternity – only to discover we cannot possibly understand this longing.

Sandwiched between these two revelations sits an expression of God's beauty.

In Matthew Henry's commentary on these verses, he says that we need to patiently wait for God to reveal what we cannot comprehend.

For Solomon, this proved frustrating. For myself, I can't help but grow excited.

God set eternity in our hearts. That thought alone brings comfort and amazement. We can rest assured that this life is not our permanent home. We were created for something so much more. And we will not be completely satisfied until we are home.

I don't see this as a burden. I see it as a reason to find the beauty that God created while I live out my time here, knowing that if I cannot even fathom what God has done, then the future holds more than I could possibly imagine.

The tree I didn't climb

When I took a business trip to Michigan at the beginning of the year, I found myself faced with a choice that appeared ordinary at first. But, of course, God used the ordinary to open my eyes. 

It was a balmy 38 degrees on camp, about 40 degrees warmer than it had been all week, and I ventured out not entirely sure where I was going. Needing peace during my walk, I decided to follow the path that didn’t contain any noise, hoping to steer clear of people. 

Filling this time with prayer, I felt a sense of excitement in wondering what God would reveal to me as I listened for His voice.

The temptation

After about 20 minutes of walking, there stood an amazing tree to my right that caused me to stop. This tree screamed “Climb me!” Its branches stuck out in just the right places for feet to stand on and hands to grasp.

Naturally, my first thought when spying this tree was, “I need to climb it.” So, I left my path and walked to the base of it, staring straight up through the bare branches to the top. It was beautiful.

Before I started climbing, I went through a few scenarios in my mind.

Scenario one included someone important on camp driving past and catching a glimpse of me climbing this tree by myself. After yelling at me to come down, they would see my blue name badge, which signifies I’m full-time staff, and I would feel extremely stupid for doing something so irresponsible.

Scenario two included me half-way up the tree. With the snow forming cold blankets on pretty much every limb, there was a solid chance I could slip and fall during this climb. Then, unable to make the walk back, I would have to call for help and feel humiliation as I explained how I hurt myself doing something so irresponsible.

Both scenarios had my responsibility on the line. Naturally, I started to climb.

I hadn’t even reached the second branch when I asked myself what the heck I was doing. Sure, the thought of climbing higher and reaching for branch after branch was slightly intoxicating, but my responsible side began to take over, and I stepped back on the ground.

As silly as it seems, part of me was frustrated with myself. If someone had been with me, I definitely would have continued climbing. But thinking of what could have happened by myself, when nobody knew where I was, that caused me to pause.

The frustration grew from the fact that I didn’t just throw responsibility out the window for five minutes. Then there was the frustration of the temptation. It really wasn’t that big of a deal when I thought about it. But the consequences could’ve been a big deal.  

While this wasn’t a sinful temptation, more of an irresponsible one, I can still imagine this is how Satan works in my heart. The temptation he dangles in front of me appears minute, silly even. Those who don’t hold to the same set of values would probably make fun of me for not giving into the temptation.

What do you have to prove?

And so it’s easier to give way to the “small” temptations to show I don’t always color inside the lines. I’m not a “stiff” Christian.

How easily I slip, though, on the branches of my temptations. What once appeared innocent and only potentially dangerous has left me wounded and stranded.

The question I have to ask myself is not, “What could it harm to just give in for once?”  I should ask myself, “Why and to whom am I trying to prove myself?”

When temptations come your way, set aside the opinions of others, the whispers of the devil and your own voice trying to talk yourself into it. Focus only on the truth of Christ.

When your focus remains on Christ, you will begin to see beyond the amazing tree waiting for a climber. You will see the icy branches and the empty road with nobody around for miles.

In the end, I know I don’t have to prove myself to others. I don’t even have to prove myself to me. What I have to do is stay on the path, no matter how enticing the tree looks. 

Philippians 2:5-11

How often do we praise God for everything he has done for us? Probably quite often. When things are going great in life, it's easy to praise him for it. When things aren't going so great, it's a little harder, but still common, to remember all God has blessed us with in the past and praise him through the trials. 

I have come to realize this pattern in my own life. In and of itself, it is a wonderful thing to praise and give God glory for his mighty works. But how often do we praise him simply because of who he is? 

I must admit I am guilty of putting the character of Christ side by side with what he has done for me. Stop and think about that. I put him side by side his works. Side by side. 

Should I not be placing him above all things? My praising him is not based on what he does, but who he is. Read these verses from Philippians with new eyes, no matter how many times you have read them. Think about his character, and praise him for it.

Philippians 2:5-11 ~ "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death -- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him a name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."