PINIMAGEOften when I ask women, “How are things going?” the usual response is, “Well, life is crazy.” Many times if I ask this question in a group of women, that response is met with an affirming “YES!” from everyone.
Life.Is.Crazy.
I was talking with a friend the other day. I told her that I have said, “When things slow down…” so often that I want to have a 
PINIMAGEt-shirt made.
Are you saying that, friend? When things slow down…(fill in the blank).
I know when I say this, I usually fill that blank in with often seemingly important things:
- I’ll get more rest.
- I’ll do that thing with my child.
- I’ll put that important time into caring for my home.
- I’ll buy groceries…(Yeah, it gets that bad.)
But life goes on at a rapid pace.
Since we can’t tame the ambush on us from the outside, what can we do?
How do we defend ourselves from the tyranny of the urgent? from the craziness of life?
As a Christ-follower, it must begin with being.
You may ask what I mean. Well, when I forget who I am and Whose I am, I live in a state of haphazard energy, checking off my daily to-do list but really touching on nothing of eternal value.
That’s why it’s crucial to ground myself in the truth of who I am each morning. When I get up early (before the kids, before the noise, before the world starts calling) and I go to a quiet place to meet with the Lord, I am reminded of who I am. And I’m reminded of who He is.
On Sunday, a godly, precious friend, holding up her Bible to me, said, “Tammy, there are many who attend church that, during the week, do not open this book. Not once.” She wasn’t condemning. I could see the burden in her eyes.
I honestly thought, “Really? Could that be true? How can we even try to follow Christ without His Word?”
If it wasn’t for the transforming truth from God’s Word, I would be shipwrecked. He has been so good to me!
PINIMAGE2 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Hebrews 4:12
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. 2 Tim. 3:16-17
Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path. Ps 119:105
How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. Ps 119:9
Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. Matt 7:24
The teaching of your word gives light,
so even the simple can understand. Ps 119:130
For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. Prov 2:6
I could go on and share many more verses that tell us about the benefit and life that comes from God’s Word to us but I’ll stop there. His Word is vital to living!
So we see that we can calm the crazy when we meet with God each morning and take time in His Word. Still, I have had to be on guard. The enemy doesn’t like me going to my Source of Strength each day. The other morning, I sat down in my prayer closet and I realized something. I’ve become used to the habit of getting up and setting aside time for the Lord. But I’ve noticed that I’ve begun to say to myself, “I’ll read, but not for too long. I’ll pray but not for too long. I have too much to do today.”
The lie of the enemy had crept in.
When I’m in a hurry, I have no time to remind myself what the day is about.
When I rush into the presence of God and then go on my way, I have no time to remind myself that God is over all and He is my Father. I forget who I am and the fact that He delights in me and has a purpose for me today.
Friend, when the “being” suffers, the “doing” isn’t done well.
Let that sink in. When’s the last time you opened God’s Word and sat before Him, letting Him speak to you? Are you, many times, the one doing all the talking?
Are you discouraged? Are you disquieted? Perhaps you have forgotten to take time to “be,” and to sit before the Lord in the quiet of the morning.
What does your quiet time look like? How much time are you setting aside to be still before the Lord? Are you short-changing God? A better question is, Are you short-changing yourself?
My mind was turned recently to a verse in Psalm 43.
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Psalm 43:5
Here we see the writer asking himself, “Why is my soul cast down?” “Why am I in turmoil?” I can hope in God. He is my salvation and when He saves me from this difficulty I will again sing praises.
When I feel things reeling out of control I always come back to this verse? Why am I disquieted? I can hope in God.
But as we look at a few of the preceding verses in this chapter we will learn “the HOW” to coming to this place of hope and rest.
Let’s look at the writer’s plan to return to hoping in the Lord.
3 Send out your light and your truth;
let them guide me.
Let them lead me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you live.
4 There I will go to the altar of God,
to God—the source of all my joy.
I will praise you with my harp,
O God, my God!
Psalm 43:3-4
It starts with prayer. Tell God you have gotten caught up in the crazy. Pray to Him and then ask for what you need. The writer gives us a wise request to ask of God.
He asked God to send out His light and His truth.
Where do you and I find these? In His Word, the Bible.
How can we know the truth, how can our lives be illuminated with His light if we don’t seek these things in His Word?
(His) Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Ps 119:105
Here we see, he trust’s God’s truth and light to guide him.
So, friend, not only will you be guided through your present difficulty, but let’s look at where the writer says God’s light and truth will lead him.
To where God dwells.
God’s light and truth will lead us to Himself.
Are you looking for solutions or are you looking for God?
The writer is looking for God. Here’s what I find interesting. As he approaches His dwelling, he says “I will go to the altar of God.” I love that this imagery is included in the text.
What takes place at an altar?…sacrifice. A laying down of something.
An altar is also defined in the Bible as a place of consecration. God’s altar is a place where we consecrate ourselves – set ourselves apart for His Glory.
See the beautiful picture here?
I was struck by the fact that coming to God often involves a sacrifice of something.
It also involved a dedication/consecration of ourselves to Him.
Friend, are you willing to sacrifice what has hindered your communion with God? Are you willing to surrender yourself wholly to Him?
Let’s continue to look at the verses. Next, we see that what results from this sacrificing in the presence of God is joy.
We experience joy of communion with Him. Joy is not temporary or dependent on our circumstances.
He gives us joy.
The passage ends with,
God—the source of all my joy.
I will praise you with my harp, O God, my God!
As I wrap up today’s blog thought, I want to point out what the writer sees in this act of surrender and pursuit of God. He sees that not only will God give him joy but GOD is the SOURCE of ALL his joy.
God, help us see that all our fountains are in You!
Finally, Want to know what results from finding joy in Him?
Praise. Unrestrained praise.
We can go from discontent to joy to unrestrained praise – all by going to God.
Let’s look one more time at verse 5.
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God.
Are you disquieted? Are you overwhelmed? Are you running on empty?
Because life is crazy, it’s important to make a priority to sit before the Lord. Begin your day with “being.”
Start a new habit today and do what the writer of Psalm 43 did. Pursue God in His dwelling place. Rest and find joy!
