It’s that time of year when many people are exploring corn mazes. The corn maze is a giant puzzle you walk in that leads you through loops, curves, and sometimes even to a dead end. You could get turned around, you might circle back to places you’ve already seen, or you may even get lost. Most mazes are open only during the day, but occasionally one will be open after dark and you are navigating by a flashlight or the moon, which just adds to the challenge. Corn mazes are designed for entertainment, but when life gets puzzling, it’s not fun.
We can have so many questions! What happens when we’ve gone in circles, when we’ve come back to that same old spot we said we never would, or when we feel lost? Here’s the good news-we have a guide that is always standing ready to show us the way. From James 1:5, “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will given to him.” Not sure which way to turn? “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” (Psalm 32:8) Feel like you’ve been here before? “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand.” (Psalm 37:23-24) And finally, feel like you’re in the dark and can’t see where your life is headed? From Psalm 119:105, “Your Word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Trust God’s GPS, (the Bible). It’s free, it will never say ‘recalculating,’ and it gives perfect directions.
Everyone should have an inner circle of friends. We need people we can be real with: straight up honesty-hold nothing back-no judgment-and total freedom. It’s the trust, support, and love that make these friends so valuable. With life’s schedules it’s challenging to find the time, but the effort spent with a good friend is always worth it. I visited one such friend last night and all we did was sit around a campfire sharing life, giving support, and laughing with abandon. There’s something special about not having to dress up and ‘put on airs,’ to be able to wear those worn jeans and that comfortable t-shirt, and to have no expectations but a simple visit. That kind of friend is valuable.
None of us like to be kept waiting. We are easily frustrated by long check out lines, slow traffic patterns, and even the popcorn we just put in the microwave seems to takes too long. But there’s a group of people who know a little something about waiting: American farmers. They prepare the land, sow the seed, irrigate, fertilize, and then patiently wait. I know a few farmers and I’ve never seen one try to make it rain, (but I would absolutely video tape it if they did). Farmers know what to do to get good results: work hard every day, put in a FULL day, use techniques to ensure success, then step back and wait for the harvest. From Galatians 6:9, “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Let’s face it, farmers know how to wait.
This summer was a hot and dry one in Northeast Ohio. There were relentless, unforgiving temperatures in the 90’s day after day. A once-thriving lawn became brown from the scorching and arid summer. Although we looked ridiculous, most of us in my neighborhood strategically mowed our lawns where the persistent weeds continued to grow. But here’s an enigma, throughout the dog days of summer, the trees in my yard were still green and thriving. By looking at them, you’d think they received a perfect allotment of sunshine and rain. But we know better than that! Their secret is in the roots. The roots grow deep to keep the tree stable, to absorb water from the soil, and to get much-needed nutrients. For that reason, even in a drought, the tree remains healthy and continues to grow.
Why do we waste any time worrying? Winston Churchill said he heard a story about a man who on his deathbed said he had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which never happened. Isn’t that the truth? Why do we lose sleep fretting about things we can’t change?!? Here’s a sample: We can’t change someone’s mind, we can’t make money appear in our bank accounts, and we can’t make someone do the right thing. Yet we still spend time worrying about it! Jesus said in Matthew 6:27, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” He went on to say, “Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Today can have its fair share of problems, so we need to address them as we are able. But let’s not waste our precious time, energy, and emotions thinking about the challenges that could happen tomorrow.
As Christians, we’re called upon to be more like Jesus. Most of the time, we do this by focusing on His love. And that’s the right way to start. Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-39, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and with all your mind,” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Those commandments are a big undertaking in any life, and we must continually pursue them, but today let’s focus on another character trait of Jesus. The disciple Matthew tells a story about when Jesus and the disciples were crossing over the Sea of Galilee. He said in Matthew 8:24, “Without warning, a furious storm came up…” Sound familiar? Had any furious storms come up in your life? Have any of them come without warning? In this case, the disciples panicked, and surprisingly, many of them were experienced fisherman!
When the military needs to dig in, they make foxholes. These are considered ‘defensive fighting positions.’ When we go through tough times, we definitely need a fighting position. Taking the militaries lead, we need to address two things regarding ‘digging in.’ First, we have to make the hole big enough. We might think digging in means praying about the problem and asking others for prayer, and that certainly is part of it. But remember, we have to make the whole big enough, so we must do even more.
Seemingly from out of nowhere, a friend of mine had to take her mother to the hospital with serious health concerns. She was fighting fluid around her lungs, extremely low blood pressure, and a serious life-threatening infection. The family rode a roller coaster for days. There were moments when all hope seemed lost and times when they saw slight improvements. Although the crisis was unexpected, the family ran straight to the only One who could help. Isaiah 41:10 says, “So do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” It’s incredible that at this very moment her mom has been moved from the ICU Unit. And thankfully, she plans to be home soon.
I recently read an article that made reference to ‘God’s Hour’. It didn’t explain what that meant but it really intrigued me. What if we chose to live in God’s Hour all the time? Our lives can get pretty complicated and we can be overwhelmed by all the junk that is thrown at us. Problems in a relationship, a health crisis, financial woes, or job frustrations can ruin our day. These are just a few of the things that cause us stress and fill our thoughts.