sister, you were made to thrive

Rest, Trust and Spiritual Inheritance

Who knew a year ago that I would become a daily passenger on the “Struggle Bus”? Certainly not I. I would have pronounced to you – or anyone who would listen - “Sister, you were made to thrive!” and yet here I am months into my very own season of survival. I know and keep reiterating to myself that it is only a season. Most things in our life are temporary – like our lives! One day I will be with the LORD and I will know full well what I suspect now… Thriving is what I was made to do. But why wait until then?! And how do I accomplish this now?! Especially in this season of mental exhaustion. I’ve had to learn to think about what I’m thinking about. Cliché? Certainly. True? Most certainly!

Instead of giving thought to what others think of you, I want to you to give thought to what you think of others. This Holy Spirit directed principle has become one of the mainstays of my Christian life. It came, of course, in the midst of a struggle with other believers. The truth and paradox of this principle has guided my life for the past 30 years and has never been truer than in this season of struggle. I do not have the bandwidth for people pleasing. The best I can muster is trying to see the value in another and it really has been a gift to myself.

Instead of giving thought to what others think of you, I want to you to give thought to what you think of others.

Paradoxical truths are peppered throughout my Christian Walk and I believe these upside down truths are a way to put the fun back into the dysfunction that is our world these days especially when it comes to the idea of thriving. One such paradoxical truth involves Masterful Inactivity. Look it up – it’s a thing. Masterful inactivity is defined as “a strategy of deliberate inaction that involves a capable authoritative restraint from interfering when it’s believed that doing so would be ineffective, potentially harmful, or unnecessary, allowing a situation to resolve itself or for individuals to grow through their own actions. That’s what I’m talking about! Not having to feel responsible for other’s behaviors – meaning other adults – is a particular kind of sweet freedom.

I do like a good rhyme and it seemed only natural that thriving and striving should work together; or at the very least, I would cease striving because I was thriving. Turns out I’m not as smart as I thought I was (biggest lesson of this past year for which I am hugely thankful). Realizing that thriving comes as a result of the basic truths learned during that difficult season has led to my internal change during the striving.

This truth was exemplified years ago I watched our precious youth pastors walk through a season of grief after losing their 1 year old daughter. That was the first time I remember the phrase “better not bitter” hitting home. The fruit I saw in their lives because of the striving through the struggle is astounding. Tens of thousands of people are being ministered to daily because of their ministry.

That was the first time I remember the phrase “better not bitter” hitting home. The fruit I saw in their lives because of the striving through the struggle is astounding.

As much as I like a good rhyme, I NEED a good RHYTHM. The Word and working out are keys to having a better day than I would have otherwise. Such a basic truth yet I can struggle here. Counting myself down: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… Just do it! Post it notes on the mirror… Putting my workout shoes at the top of the stairs as a visual clue… Leaving my Bible in the middle of the kitchen table… whatever it takes to re-mind myself. Let’s take a moment to ponder the idea of watchful waiting. This is different than masterful inactivity in that it is not passive but an active, hopeful, and prayerful posture.

Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Incorporated in this principle is the beautiful practice of waiting on God. Isaiah 40:31 says, “He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tired and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles. They run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind.” (MSG) What astounds me about the paradoxical idea of the spiritual discipline of waiting is that it involves trust, consistent prayer, Scripture study, sober-mindedness, and endurance through suffering. All of those principles require active faith but very little physical energy. It’s not so much about “doing” as it is about “being”.

Here’s the basic truth I’ve been standing on these past months: “There remains then a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works s God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest…” (Hebrews 4:9-11a) So as I take my seat on the Struggle Bus this morning, I am striving to enter His rest as I await the thriving I KNOW will come at the end of this route. I invite you to have a seat with me.