Sometimes we get in our own way

Sometimes everything goes wrong at the same time.  I am not complaining, I am just surprised by it.  I shouldn’t be surprised, but I always am.  Life is hard, the things we go through are stressful, and we struggle to trust God’s plan.

My hard weeks are sometimes similar to other people’s and very different at the same time.  We have spent the last 6 weeks walking our way through Lent, Holy Week, and Resurrection Sunday.  As a pastor in our community, it is my desire to make this season meaningful, purposeful, and relatable to many people.  We plan and prepare sermons and worship experiences that allow people to re-engage in community while calling all of us to a deeper relationship with God.

It is a tough balancing act of planning, prayer, outreach, and love for our community.  Then in the midst of planning, life happens.  You know what I mean, a car breaks down, it snows keeping family away, someone starts or continues a family fight, or it just doesn't meet expectations.  Our best intentions are to worship God through the difficult times, but the distractions of life can hinder us and become a barrier to worship, growth, and faith.

Hebrews 12:1-3 calls us to focus on God and His work of the cross.

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Sometimes it is our own choices that hinder us from a deeper relationship with God, this “sin that so easily entangles” needs to be confessed and turned over to God.  Other times we carry the burdens of worry, developing a faith in God’s plan will bring us closer to Him and help us to “throw off everything that hinders.”  Still there are times when we work really hard at getting it just right, and we realize we aren’t running “the race marked out for us.”

We have been called to fix our eyes upon Jesus, fully and completely.  He took joy in His work of salvation, how are we to respond every day?  He endured the cross, He accepted the shame of it, and He overcame it for His glory and our good.  His call to us is to do the hard work of a deeper relationship with Him.

The problems of this world are myriad and I wish we would never have to go through them.  If you are in the midst of a stressful life situation, reach out for prayer and support.  If you are questioning God and His plans ask Him to reveal Himself to you in ways that you would understand.  In all things though, don’t focus in on the problem, turn your eyes to Jesus, don’t grow weary or lose heart, ask God to strengthen you.