Growth Hope

Perspective

This is my annual birthday post. To read previous posts, you can click here.

As a child I had a toy kaleidoscope. Like all kaleidoscopes, when you looked in, you could spin the wheel and make a variety of different yet mezmerising images. However, when you looked from the outside, the colorful pieces just looked like a jumble mess at the bottom of the toy. The change in impression had nothing to do with the placement of the pieces, and everything to do with your perspective on them.

Over the last year, I’ve learned a lot about perspective. I’ve learned that my trust in God has nothing to do with my understanding of how the pieces fall, but everything to do with Who I understand Him to be. If God is just, I need not fear my enemies; If God is truth, I need not fear lies; If God is good, I need not fear my future; And if God is love, I need not fear eternity, as long as my trust and my faith are in Him. My perspective on this life changes when I consider things from the perspective of Heaven. Whatever befalls me here is incomparable to the riches of glory that await me there.

And unlike what many well-intending Christians say, I’ve come to believe that we may never understand the “why” of events on this Earth. We may not ever fully know how God uses our grief for His glory, or how the loss we’ve experienced brought about His Kingdom’s gain. From what I can tell, Scripture never promises us an understanding of the detailed plans of God. But we are promised Him. If we turn and put our confidence in Him, we are promised an eternity with the Creator of the Universe. And when we maintain that perspective, all the pieces are beautiful.

Continue Reading

Growth

The Big 3-0

In keeping with my tradition of writing a blog post for my birthday, (see here, here, here and here) I present to you the latest in the series.

The Big 3-0.

Today I finally turned 30. Now for some people this milestone is a cause for weeping and gnashing of teeth, but not for me. I love birthdays because they provide a reason for celebration, and I appreciate them even more because they provide us the occasion to look back and see what God has done in the preceding year.  I’ve never really minded that I would be another year older, and in fact I always thought the 30th birthday was kind of special, since it was at this age that Christ started His public ministry.  Thirty seemed like a turning point, but not in a bad way. It was an age in which one can look back and see how far they’ve come, and look forward to all that God can still do.

This birthday though, as much as I appreciate the opportunity for reflection, it’s hard to see past the last six weeks, when my life was changed by my father’s sudden and unexpected passing. I never dreamed that I would be celebrating this day without him, and as it was always my dad who worked so hard to make sure my birthday was special, it was especially bittersweet. However, it was my dad who taught me that pretty much any situation in life was analogous to a baseball game, and as any baseball fan knows, when a batter is 3-0, that’s a good place to be.  I pondered this, and I thought about the days and weeks gone by, as well as the days and weeks ahead. Here are my reflections:

1) Don’t be afraid to swing. When a batter is 3-0, they can risk going after a ball that they normally might be too afraid to chase. In much the same way, in life we have to recognize that as much benefit as caution can provide, it can also inhibit us from experiencing the unexpected. Look for those opportunities when you are up in the count, and get a little out of your comfort zone. It may not turn out how you desire, but that’s o.k., you still have two more pitches to go. Don’t let your fears drive your pursuit of God’s plans.

2) Wait for your pitch.  The converse of the preceding point, is that when a batter is up 3-0, they can be picky about what pitches they take. You can’t be afraid to swing, but you don’t have to go chasing after anything that’s close. In life, we tend to rush after a good opportunity, afraid to wait for God to present us with the opportunity He wants us to take. Don’t go chasing someone else’s dream, or try to walk the path that God intends for another. Wait for Him. Knowing that it’s His desire for you to be great in His kingdom, not merely an average player.

3) It’s o.k. to take the walk – A walk is a free base. It can turn into a run scored just like a swing for the fences can. However, it means that your teammates will have to bring you home. Build up a community of people that are on your team, that are working alongside you to bring about God’s will for your life. Have godly people in your life that will cheer you as you run the bases, and who celebrate along with you when you finally reach home.

I’m looking forward to the rest of the game. And for the celebration when I join my daddy at Home.

Continue Reading