Hurt By the Church

Over the years I’ve had numerous conversations with people who said these words: I’ve been hurt by the church. 

While some folks made this statement in a counseling session where deep wounds and hurts were possibly being shared, others have actually been very casual, in a conversation at the gym or even simply in passing. When someone made this comment to me most recently (just a few weeks ago) for some reason it was like someone shoved a stick in the spokes of my bike. It stopped me dead in my tracks. Some very clear thoughts flooded my mind and I felt I needed to share them.

The first thing that needs to be communicated is that I fully and firmly believe there are individuals, couples, and even families who have been wounded by people, pastors, groups, and decisions made within the church. Groups have been so exclusive that new families could never find their way in. Pastors have misused their authority and acted more like King Herod than King Jesus. Theological differences have been expressed as dogma and isolated people to the point that they felt pushed out. I could go on and on, but the fact remains: people have been hurt in the church.

It's imperative that we key in on that last statement.

SIDENOTE: I get really hung up on words. So much so, many close to me might even say I obsess over them. Words can be like a scalpel or a bulldozer; two very different tools for very different uses and purposes. You better choose the right one. Back to the point.

Every single time I have had this feeling or experience shared with me, it has been expressed with the words: I've been hurt by the church. Here's why this statement and idea can be so detrimental and destructive, both to the churches being referenced and the individuals who feel they've been wounded: the Church didn't hurt you.

The Church is the Body of Christ.

Granted, the Church (and the local churches through which it is expressed) is made up of people. Fallible, sinful people. Those people often make mistakes, make self-centered decisions, and put themselves first. People hurt people. Even in the church. Pastors and priests have abused church members. Congregations have split over utterly minuscule disagreements, leaving many members in shock and confusion. The list of circumstances is much longer than any of us would like to admit. People are hurt in the church all the time. And maybe you're one of those people. If so, I hope to encourage you with some thoughts.

People are hurt in dating relationships all the time as well. A boyfriend doesn't listen to the word, "No." A girlfriend convinces herself it's OK to cheat. Someone goes to dinner expecting a possible greater commitment, only to be told, "This isn't working out. It's not you; it's me."

OUCH! You can almost feel the dagger going through your heart.

In this instance, dating didn't hurt you; your boyfriend did. The "institution" of dating didn't break its commitment; your girlfriend did. And while it may take weeks or months - possibly even years - to come to the point that you feel like you can open yourself back up, become vulnerable, and begin dating again, you eventually tell yourself to get back on the horse, get back in the game, stick your neck and your heart out there and date again. It's what you do. You're a little fearful. You wonder how it's going to go. But you know it's worth it. And eventually, you date again.

The Church is not your boyfriend. The Church is the Body of Christ.

Someone or something in your church may have hurt you in the past. Many have been there. When I was still fairly young in ministry, I dropped the ball with a few things I'd been asked to do. The way those "over me" handled the situation left me hurt, embarrassed, and even bitter for quite some time. A year later it took a shouting match on the side of the road between me and the Lord for me to leave those wounds at the Cross and turn them over to Him. But I knew from the outset, the Church didn't hurt me; those individuals did. I didn't leave or divorce the local church. That was never an option. Through the mercy and grace of God - through the power of the gospel - the Lord healed those wounds. And He's used them in my own heart and life to pay close attention to how I disciple, lead, affirm, and even rebuke those that the Lord has called me to shepherd.

I am part of the Body of Christ. And if you are a follower of Christ, so are you. Divorce is not an option.

I don't know how long the wound has festered or the hurt has been hardening in your heart, but I exhort and admonish you today: come back! 

If you forsake the bride, you are rejecting the bridegroom. 

Jesus says, "The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.' And let the one who hears say, 'Come.' And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price." Right now, the Bride of Christ is crying out to the Lord, "Come, Lord Jesus!" It's a corporate groaning and longing for all things to be made new. I encourage you today: Come. Come and find your place in the Body of Christ and join the cry that is going to ring through eternity: "Come, Lord Jesus!"

Christ loves the Church. He gave His life for her.

We are the Body of Christ. We are the Church.

May our love for one another show a lost world the love of the Savior!

"Come, Lord Jesus!"

The Fruit of Forgiveness

Jesus said, “I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

Later on he also gave this instruction: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” Matthew‬ ‭5:22-24, 18:15-17‬

As the body of Christ it appears that we suck at following these instructions.

We take our grievances to everyone except the one who has wounded or offended us. We gossip and slander. We fail to give the benefit of the doubt. We most certainly don’t give the offender the opportunity to defend himself or make things right. And we now seem to be offended and wounded by just about anything and everything. This is not the way of Christ.

Jesus told the disciples, “The world will know you are my disciples by your love for one another.”

Peter said, “Love covers over a multitude of sins.”

John put it very simply: "We love because he first loved us."

Paul told the Corinthians that “love is not easily offended or provoked… Love keeps no record of wrongs.”

Love is not easily offended. But we are.

Love keeps no record of wrong. But we do.

Following Christ is often manifested in the things you no longer choose to partake in: sexual immorality, drunkenness, idolatry. Those are the "no-brainers." But it’s also about no longer partaking in slander, gossip, bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness. Those are the hard ones! But that’s what the love of God demands.

Love has hard conversations.

Love realizes that pride is the enemy.

The invitation from Jesus is not, "Believe in me," but, "Come, follow me."

Some believe but don't follow. No one follows without believing.

Jesus said, "Go and make things right. Go and seek reconciliation. Go and extend the grace and mercy that you yourself have been extended." Leave your gift at the altar - save your songs for later - and go be reconciled to your brother. This is worship in the sight of the Lord.

The hard way is to "Go." The easy way is to leave.

Pride says, "I've been hurt and wounded and wronged. I'm out. I'm gone."

Humility says, "I will walk across fire to see the Lord restore me to my brother or sister."

Paul said, "Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth." If we make assumptions and don't seek to know the truth, we are essentially rejoicing in wrongdoing. To use a better translation: We are delighting in evil. Ouch.

We must cast off and repent of our desire to curl up with our bitterness. It's not a warm blanket; it's an evil enticement. And it will eat us from the inside out and tear down the Body of Christ. To be clear: Unforgiveness is tearing down the Body of Christ!

We must do the hard work of going to our brother or sister, bearing our soul and confessing our wounds, and seeking reconciliation, restoration, and forgiveness.

We must cease just believing and actually start following the one who "bore our shame in his body on the tree." He doesn't demand we come. He invites us to follow. He's clear that the road is hard and narrow and runs completely counter to the instincts of our flesh. The road actually leads to death. Our death. Death that leads to new life. New life that bears the beautiful fruit of forgiveness.

I pray that you and I can taste that fruit today.

The Benefit of the Doubt

 I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt.

Have you thought about what this means anytime lately?

Have you exercised this judgment recently?

Have you considered this concept at all?

I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you have.

Let's talk about the meaning of this idiom.

benefit of the doubt : the state of accepting something/someone as honest or deserving of trust even though there are reasons for doubt.

To decide that you will believe someone, even though you are not sure that what the person is saying is true.

I’m pretty sure most of us understand the definition and meaning of this phrase. The greater issue today is that fewer people seem to be practicing it. If we hear that someone has said something we disagree with, we don’t go to the person; we simply pass judgment. If a decision is made that we disagree with, rather than seeking to understand why, we rush to condemn.

The well of our grace seems to have run dry.

If you’re a Christ-follower, there’s an enormous conflict with this. The one we claim to follow is full of never-ending grace toward us. His mercies are new every morning.  His well of grace never runs dry. In fact, it's overflowing.

In a previous post I wrote 9 years ago I pointed this out:

In Proverbs 18:17, Solomon writes, "Any story sounds true until someone sets the record straight." Hearing this wisdom, isn't it good practice - biblical practice and principle - to "set the record straight", get the facts, go straight to the source before we believe anything? Isn't this a courtesy that we want others to extend to us? Of course it is. We WANT the benefit of the doubt! But for some reason, we often seem to be a whole lot slower to extend it to everyone else.

In Acts 6, Luke writes: "Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food." People were getting saved. And because the early church in Jerusalem was not only rapidly growing, but also multicultural and multilingual, the conditions were ripe for someone to get overlooked. And someone did. The Hellenist widows. And so "...a complaint arose." We quickly discern this word "complaint" to be negative. Mainly because none of us like receiving complaints. But sometimes a complaint - someone pointing out where something isn't right - is necessary. This is one of those cases. But rather than badmouth the Apostles behind their back or gossip about the travesty of someone playing favorites, the Hellenists came straight to the Apostles.

You know what they did? They gave the benefit of the doubt.

They chose to believe something good about someone, rather than something bad, when they had the option of doing either. They chose to believe that the Apostles might not be aware of this oversight. They decided to look for a solution rather than just point out a problem. And if you go on reading (Acts 6:1-7) you find that the result of this instance of the benefit of the doubt resulted in the first deacons being affirmed in the church.

Let's ask the Lord to fill us today with as much grace as we've received.

Let's ask Him to grow those fruits of the Spirit in us like patience and kindness and gentleness.

Let's give others the benefit of the doubt. Lord knows, it's most certainly been extended to us.

We Have No Other King

I’m lying in bed, unable to sleep, praying for my country. What hits me hard is the realization that I am actually engaging in spiritual battle; engrossed in a war that has ultimately already been won, but is still being fought. It’s a war of kingdoms. Actually, a kingdom and an empire.

While I know I’m a Gentile, I’m quite certain that I very often live like an Israelite. I know this because in spite of the fact that I am a citizen of heaven, a follower of King Jesus, I’m still in the crowd demanding a king be anointed, crowned, empowered and enthroned. I have a heavenly Father...but my flesh wants a king.

This world is not my home. This kingdom is not where my first allegiance lies. So, as I lay here this morning in the silence I wonder how many others are asking themselves the same question: Which king am I going to serve? Which battle am I going to fight?

The battle I'm fighting is the evidence of which king I'm living for.

I think I often forget that this great country we live in is really still a pretty fresh experiment. That said, I believe it’s one of the greatest civil experiments in history. And yes, millions have fought and bled and died to keep this idea going. But it’s really not about a place. It’s about a principle: freedom. The experiment started because men and women refused to bow any longer to an earthly king. They sold all they had, left all they knew, and bravely broke those chains of bondage. Understanding this, it comes as an even greater shock that many of us have now unknowingly chained ourselves back to the earthly throne that ruled over us not so long ago. We have a heavenly Father, but our flesh still wants a king.

This is nothing new.

"But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.... And "the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey their voice and make them a king.” (1 Samuel 8:6-7, 19-22)

We fled a country with a king. Now...we seem to just call it by another name.

No matter what side of the fence or the aisle you sit or stand on, if your President is your king, then he is King Saul. It's not about who got your vote; it's about who or what gives you hope. If your hope in this world is in the democratic republic of the United States of America, then make no mistake: Saul is your king.

Yes, we have a duty, responsibility and privilege to vote, to participate, to listen, and to engage. That's what people fought and died for. That's the principle - not the place - that makes America what it is.

But we also have a calling and command to first seek the Kingdom of God - to first love our brothers and sisters as Christ loved us - to be ministers of reconciliation, not division and condemnation. That's what King Jesus lived, died, and resurrected for.

If you don't think there's a tension in the life of a Christ-follower in America, you need to think again. For instance...

As an American, someone fought and died for your right to protest.

As a Christian, our Savior says, "If you want to follow me, you must lay down your rights." Jesus lived and died that you might no longer be a slave to your "rights".

That sounds like tension. That sounds like there's a decision to be made.

Paul told the Ephesians: "We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." This is the truth of who the people of God should be and what it is we should be doing. But we must understand: When we get consumed with the lusts and loves of this world and we begin to think our hope lies in King Saul, we ultimately wind up wrestling against flesh and blood. We wind up tearing each other down. When we wrestle against flesh and blood, the spiritual forces of evil have distracted us from realizing that the true enemy over this present darkness is getting just what he wants. He wants us to want King Saul. 

As Christ-followers, I exhort you that we should listen to Peter's letter to the persecuted and scattered believers as if he was writing directly to us: "Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation." (1 Peter 2:11-12)

This world is not our home. We have a Heavenly Father and a King Eternal. We fix our eyes not on what is temporary, but on those things that will not pass away. We are ministers of reconciliation. Jesus said, “The world will know that you are my disciples by your love for one another.”

Friends, the last year has been filled with one season of trial after another. We are all weary. May we all cry out to our King to give us strength, humility, and courage. May we bear one another’s burdens and carry one another during the weariness. 

May we always remember that our only hope is in our crucified and risen Savior.

And may the anthem ring through our hearts and from our lives: “Glory, glory, we have no other King but Jesus, Lord of all!”

How Is Socialism Unbiblical?

I’ve seen this question raised numerous times on several platforms over the last months. Many people, particularly millennials (who are disillusioned with what they perceive to be the greed of corporate America) are wondering why socialism isn’t more received by Christians and the church. The straightforward question that I've seen posed is: How is Socialism unbiblical? 

I’d like to take a few moments and answer that question.

After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, the New Testament Church begins. Listen to Luke's account of what it looked like:

"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved." (italics mine)

This particular scripture is often cited by those who are advocating for Socialism and attempting to come up with a biblical defense for this worldview. The thought is: No one was concerned with holding on to what was their's. They gave freely to one another. And engrained in that very thought is actually the explanation as to why Socialism is in fact not biblical or Christian. Let me explain.

In Socialism, the government takes from everyone. But the taking is not equal. The more you earn, work for, own and possess, the more they take from you. That said, they also take from the poor. Then the government "redistributes" equal amounts of wealth among all the people. At least, that's what they would like you to believe. Here's where this is not only fundamentally wrong, but clearly unbiblical and unChristian.

Socialism makes earthly wealth the greatest good. Julie Roys, in her article Why Socialism is Not Christian, she lays out this fundamental understanding: "To socialists, all that really exists is the material world. In fact, Karl Marx, the father of socialism/communism, invented the notion of dialectical materialism — the belief that matter contains a creative power within itself. This enabled Marx to eliminate the need for a creator, essentially erasing the existence of anything non-material. To socialists, suffering is caused by the unequal distribution of stuff — and salvation is achieved by the re-distribution of stuff. There's no acknowledgment of spiritual issues. There's just an assumption that if everyone is given equal stuff, all the problems in society will somehow dissolve."

"This worldview contradicts Christianity, which affirms the existence of both a material and a non-material world — and teaches that mankind's greatest problems are spiritual. The Bible says the cause of suffering is sin and salvation is found in the cross of Christ, which liberates us from sin. Because of sin, though, there will always be inequalities in wealth."

Bernie Sanders is a leading proponent of this ideology in today's society. He once posted on social media: “Let us wage a moral and political war against the billionaires and corporate leaders on Wall Street and elsewhere, whose policies and greed are destroying the middle class of America.” Here, Sanders is mimicking Karl Marx, who viewed history as a series of class struggles between the rich and the poor – and advocated overthrowing the ruling class. This is in no way biblical or Christian. Jesus told the Rich Young Ruler, "Go sell all you have and then come follow me." Jesus wasn't about seeing classes toppled, but transformed.

The Lord's response to the inequalities among us is for His Spirit-filled people to care about, give to, and carry the burdens of those around them "as any has need." Speaking in practical terms, if the government takes all my money to "redistribute" it as they see fit, I am robbed of the opportunity and the privilege of living generously. Socialism is actually completely opposed to a life of generosity. And in that way, it robs people of exercising that spiritual gift and obeying that biblical command.

As Roys points out in her article, there are many more reasons why we can clearly call Socialism an unbiblical worldview and ideology. She explains that Socialism punishes virtue, it endorses stealing, it encourages envy and class warfare, and it subversively attempts to undermine (and ultimately destroy) marriages and families. While I know these claims may sound extreme, there's a reason for that: they are. And this is because the end result of Socialism is extreme as well. The logical conclusion of Socialism is Communism. The end result is always mass poverty and authoritarian power. The exact opposite of what it says it advocates.

Aristotle once remarked, “Men start revolutionary changes for reasons connected with their private lives.” If you look closer and dig deeper, you will almost always find that those advocating for Socialism are not only hungry for power, but are themselves hoarding wealth. Karl Marx was a financially irresponsible sponge, who took from others for most of his adult life. Bernie Sanders owns 3 homes and is said to be "worth" over $2 million. You can argue that that's not nearly as wealthy as many other ideologues or politicians. That may be true. But most of those other politicians are not suggesting that they have a right to take what's yours and give it to me as they see fit.

The Bible makes it very clear that Socialism is not the way of Christ. And history, economics, and good sense make it very clear that Socialism is a dead end path to misery and authoritarianism. Here are some thoughts and quotes from some folks who are smarter than me.

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." – Winston Churchill

"The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples’ money." – Margaret Thatcher

"A socialist is someone who has read Lenin and Marx. An anti-socialist is someone who understands Lenin and Marx." – Ronald Reagan

"Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word, equality. But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude." – Alexis de Tocqueville

"The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries." – Winston Churchill

Seek to Understand

It is not an understatement to think or suggest or believe that almost everyone in the world has been emotionally affected by the circumstances we have faced over the last 6-7 months. Dr. David Rock, a neuroscientist who specializes in leadership development, said in an interview earlier this month with Inc. Magazine that "during the pandemic, almost the entire world is reacting neurologically to higher levels of threat perception than normal." No one is exempt. We have all felt the weight that this season has dumped upon us. 

Here's why this matters: There is a 99% chance that whatever you are facing, dealing with, carrying, confronting, arguing or debating, or even rejoicing over or celebrating in this season, you are more emotionally involved, engaged, and spent than at any other point in your life. 

Allow me to repeat that: You are more emotionally involved, engaged, and spent than at any other point in your life. 

Make sure you grasp this.

Whatever good or bad thing - fractured or healing relationship - positive or negative situtation you may have faced just one year ago, if it was a campfire then it will be a raging forest fire now. 

So, here's how considering this might help you and me during this season.

Whatever your child's teacher did or does that infuriates you, remember: that teacher is easily carrying the same weight you are. Have grace and mercy.

Whatever your student's parent did or does that infuriates you, remember: that parent is easily carrying the same weight you are. Have grace and mercy.

However irrational or overbearing your friend or coworker is being on social media or in the breakroom at work or over that Zoom call, remember: he is probably not even aware of how harsh or brash he is coming across. Extend some grace and mercy. And maybe privately let him know.

Realize and accept that most people who think differently than you do politically do not genuinely have a desire to see the country burn to the ground. They do not intend to use their vote to move this great nation toward socialism or toward slavery. Most people are genuinely trying to think with conviction and conscience to make the best decision they can. If you want to discuss politics with them, you're going to need to do it somewhere other than on Facebook or Next Door. Invite them over for coffee or go grab a burger. And for heaven's sake...extend some grace and mercy. (And if you haven't had a good hamburger lately, that could be adding to your stress!)

Never before in my lifetime (or yours) has literally anyone and everyone in the entire world been able to say, "I understand." They can right now.

But, do we? 

Are we being understanding?

Understanding - having empathy and knowledge - almost automatically demands a certain level of grace. Of patience. Of longsuffering. 

Are we being understanding?

Are we listening?

Or are we all just yelling, screaming, steaming, accusing, pointing fingers, and hellbent on delivering the final death blow to someone we used to like but now just think of as "one of those idiots?"

How did we get here? What's happened to us?

King Solomon may have put his finger on it. He said in Proverbs 18:2, "A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion." 

Ouch! That stings a little. Only because it's true.

We've stopped listening. We've stopped working and trying to understand. And make no mistake, trying to understand takes work. We have to be intentional about it. 

We all not only have an opinion, we now have a place to freely express it.

But it's no longer an arena of ideas and thought; it's an echo chamber of blah blah blah...I totally agree.

We've replaced empathy with suspicion.

We accuse rather than question.

No, we're not being understanding! But there's still time. 

We can do this! 

But how?

Well, spiritually by recognizing that the Lord calls us to humbly seek to understand those around us, specifically anyone we're praying will see His light shining in and through us. Practically, I find Patrick Lencioni's wisdom incredibly helpful here. In his book, The Advantage, Lencioni describes 2 very different approaches to communication. The first is Advocacy. As implied, with advocacy a person seeks to get his point across ("I think this..." or "We should..."). The second approach, which is rarer to find these days, is Inquiry. With this approach, a person seeks to understand another person's point of advocacy by asking questions ("Why do you think...?" or "What led you to this conclusion?"). 

If we're seeking to understand, INQUIRY TRUMPS ADVOCACY.

Seek to understand before seeking to be understood.

Stephen Covey said that this is a habit - a formed and determined pattern or character trait - in the life of effective people. 

Seek to understand before ramming your opinion through like a rhino. 

Seek to understand before declaring your new manifesto and nailing it on the wall.

If you don't, Solomon says you're a fool. 

The Lord tells us through the prophet, Jeremiah, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and test the mind." (Jeremiah 17:9-10) Our hearts were deceitful long before COVID-19 was a thing or the world was in a pandemic. Your heart and mine. Now, more than ever, you and I need the Lord to search our hearts and test our minds. He will do it. If you seek Him and ask Him.

You want to be understood. I get it. So do I.

But so does that friend or coworker of yours. 

You can be bold and compassionate at the same time. The world may not think so, but Jesus tells a different story.

Maybe in seeking to understand, you and I will learn something new. Maybe we will change our minds. Or maybe we will change someone else's. But if we just keep yelling....we may never know.

Time

Some things take time. 

Not more time than you or I have, but more time than we would like to give.

Last week I tweaked my back lifting weights. I felt it tighten up and knew what was about to happen. The first 2 days I was in such pain I could barely concentrate. This is what happens when you have herniated discs in your lower back and set one of them off. Move the wrong way and it’s like a pinball unleashed in your body. As a result, over the last week I’ve been to the chiropractor 3 times for stem and heat therapy, ultrasound, and adjustment. I’ve easily spent an accumulated hour on the floor stretching, at home and at the gym. I had to pass up playing golf. And needless to say, I haven’t done any deadlifts in the last 7 days. But every day, it’s loosening up. Each day it’s getting better.

When this happens though, what I WANT is to take a pill and it all be fixed.

But when this happens, what I NEED is to treat what caused the problem in the first place. What I NEED is to stretch and strengthen my leg and back muscles. What I NEED takes way more time then I WANT to give. But not more than I have.

Time requires waiting.

Waiting requires patience.

Patience demands priority.

Priorities require evaluations and decisions.

And very often those decisions are not between bad and good, but between good or better. 

Sometimes those decisions are between better and best. 

But choosing between better and best demands that I decide: What’s my priority? What’s more important?

And so if I choose best over better, this will demand that I choose patience. This is because (very often) the process and the waiting are just as important as the end result, outcome, goal, or destination. Our character doesn’t microwave. We are a slow burn people. And so what is best is almost always going to require waiting.

And waiting is going to require time. God set it all up this way.

The good news is, you & I have time. 

We just have to decide what we’re going to do with it. 

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:15-16