“The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.”

Samuel Johnson

Funny how we yearn for “normal” when our sense of “normal” has been disrupted. So often, I talk with people who have had major stresses, such as physical ailments, relationship problems, employment issues- you name it. When those events change the normal routines to which we have become accustomed, we yearn for a return to normal- a return to what we know, the things that are soothing and give comfort to us. Even enjoyable vacations get to a point where we just want to get home and “return to our normal routines”.

I suppose the corollary of this is that we may not appreciate “normal” when we have it. In other words, we can feel bored, or under stimulated with the “same things day after day”. We all establish our own sense of normal, and even people who live in somewhat of a chronic stressful situation can eventually come to see their daily lives as normal to them.

So, I guess that when we are in our daily routines, we probably should be thankful for those comforting habits. I admit that I default to that a lot. I like my routines, which give me a sense of control and predictability. Nothing wrong with that, I think. I am remembering to be grateful for such mundane routines that I have established.

In fact, gratitude should always be one of those habits.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the little daily things that make “normal” for us, Amen

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.                              James 1:27

-lig- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning “to tie;
bind.” This meaning is found in such words as: ligament, ligature, obligate, oblige, religion.

Random House Learner’s Dictionary

Interesting, isn’t it, that the words like ligament, obligate, and religion have a common Latin root? The idea of binding together is a nice concept, but religion is not the first thing I would think of these days as something that binds us together.

Religion is an attempt to bind together people of a common faith. That concept fell apart many centuries ago as people of the Christian faith splintered into numerous denominations and sects. Christians aren’t the only ones whose followers drifted off into various derivations of a once somewhat singular belief system. Just look at other religious orientations to see that.

The point here is that the idea of religion is supposed to be a binding force. Instead, it has become not only a source of differences, but one of bitter fighting, wars, hatred, and enmity. In other words, it is the exact opposite of what it was supposed to be.   

James tried to explain what “pure religion” was, but that seemed to have been lost on those who would try to complicate a beautiful gospel.

 Maybe we should worry less about religion, and concentrate more about acting out our faith.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for our forays into religion and away from your simple truths, Amen

What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations                                                      Psalm 104:24 (The Message)

My wife and I recently returned from a trip to the Black Hills area of South Dakota. The trip was great! We saw the amazing “Badlands” area, Mt. Rushmore, Devil’s Tower, the Crazy Horse monument, and many other great wonders of the west. The topography of this area is a testament to the wonders of Nature. Forces like erosion and complicated geological upheavals have produced wonders and spectacles. 

We were reminded not only of the amazing hand of God’s creation, but also of an American history that deprived Native Peoples of land, heritage and culture. Manifest Destiny was the concept that God had ordained White culture to take the entire continent and secure it for Christian management and order.   

I won’t blame our ancestors for such thought. Indeed, had I lived then, I don’t doubt that I would have subscribed to that same “tribal” theory in the name of God. Yet, as we reflect, we see that our nature can dictate theories that we can claim as God-ordained, when in reality such theories were serving only our interests, and not that of other people.

So, my friends, let’s reflect on the beauty of God’s creation, remembering that we have the power to build on it, or simply use it for selfish interests.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for our self-interests when your interests are the ones we should be uplifting, Amen.

I cry out to God; yes, I shout. Oh, that God would listen to me!
When I was in deep trouble, I searched for the Lord.
All night long I prayed, with hands lifted toward heaven,
    but my soul was not comforted.I think of God, and I moan,
    overwhelmed with longing for his help. You don’t let me sleep.
    I am too distressed even to pray!

Psalm 77:1-4

Nights can be hard. Fall has once again begun to descend, and with it comes less daylight. The night period is longer and it changes our rhythms. We get accustomed to these changes in light, generally, but many people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, and they dread the onset of winter. The amount of light we receive affects our brain chemistry, and it causes us to have changes in mood. This, I believe, is both psychological and physical. The amount of serotonin is affected by these changes, and that results in less availability of that natural chemical which signals us to feel good. Often, these changes are subtle and minor, but sometimes, they can wreak havoc with our moods.

Night time is also hard for people who are struggling with depression and anxiety. Every thought seems to be compounded by the absence of comforting light. Light seems to give us hope and reassurance. Night time can be isolating and lonely, exacerbating fears and giving a sense of gloom that may not be present in the daytime.

David struggled with depression it seems, and he wrote about this in Psalm 77. He too was beset by problems sleeping. He had thoughts that would not quit, and they kept him from restful sleep. He wondered where God was in his time of need. He cried for help and seemed to come up empty. He felt helpless and hopeless.

Have you been there? You are not alone. Even David felt this sense of profound hopelessness, and it took him a while to finally get comfort.

Tomorrow we will look at some of his remedies.

Prayer: Father, we turn to you in time of trouble. We seek you for comfort. Be with us in time of need, Amen

Like apples of gold in settings of silver Is a word spoken at the right time.                                    Proverbs 25:11

I read a book several years ago titled A Theology as Big as the City by Ray Bakke.  Lots of good stuff in the book, but one of the big takeaways for me was the idea that the church ought to serve as a chaplain to the city, or the area where it is located. Chaplains serve people with spiritual and emotional care at times of stress and crisis. We have hospital chaplains, military chaplains, hospice chaplains, police chaplains, even a chaplain for the U.S. Congress. That tells me that we value the spiritual care for people in critical situations.

The same goes for just us ordinary folks too. Heaven knows that there are daily stresses in our life that could be helped with the aid of a chaplain once in a while. The local church- that is the people who are part of that church (all of us, not the “pastor” necessarily), should be chaplains to the community we live in. We need to be ready to serve as the chaplain to the neighbor, friend, or even stranger who needs help, giving spiritual and emotional support.

If people saw the local church as a place where healthy, caring chaplains came from, they may be more inclined to check out what that church has to offer.

Just a thought…

Prayer: Lord, help us see the needs around us, and give us the will and courage to reach to help, Amen

A person’s conscience is the Lord’s searchlight exposing the hidden motives          Proverbs 20:27

I spoke with a client not long ago who was struggling with inadequacy, especially regarding his income. While he was earning a decent living, and was not in debt, he was triggered to feel inadequate when he discussed finances with his wife. After some discussion about this, I asked him what his “self-talk” was about how he felt. How did he internally process the feelings he was having?

He talked about his family of origin, as well as some past financial plans he had made, etc., and I asked him to consider in his self-assessment the difference in outcomes vs. motives. I explained that we often default to looking at certain outcomes in our life- “did this work out well or poorly for me”? At the same time, we often do not consider our motives. Did I mean to do the right and loving thing? Were my intentions geared toward the best interest of my family or others? Did I do the best I could given the information that I had at the time?

These are motive questions. I am a believer that outcomes are not totally under our control, but our motives are. There can be other circumstances that may hinder the outcome that we desire, but our motives are ours, and we must own them. They are totally under our control. If our motives are good (not perfect, they seldom are), then we can give ourselves grace about outcomes. We may be too hard on ourselves for outcomes without considering our motives.

My client considered that, and that was his takeaway from the session. He recognized that he did have good motives, but the outcomes were not always what he had hoped for, and indeed that is what he judged himself upon.  

So, consider motives when judging yourself. Self-aware people do judge themselves, and that is fine, as long as we do it in a way that is balanced.

 That allows us to give ourselves grace in the process.

Prayer: Lord, help us to extend to ourselves a portion of the grace you give to us, Amen

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.                                                                                                         Matthew 5:8

So, what does it mean to be “pure in heart”? It does not mean a “perfect heart”- that is not possible. It does mean that we have looked into our heart and we have seen it for what it is. It is selfish and pleasure seeking, if left to its own devices. Our job is to cut down on how often it is “left to its own devices”. In other words, we are to be stewards of an inherently selfish nature.

In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet asserts “The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out. But I, God, search the heart and examine the mind. I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things. I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be. Jeremiah 17:9-10

We are clear that we are not perfect in heart, but we can be pure of heart. We can do that by agreeing with God on it. He knows our frailties, and he detests the practice of trying to cover it up, pretending we are something that we are not.

The counseling principle of ownership of our innermost being frees us to become who we are truly meant to be. Truth in agreeing that we are sinners in need of a Savior is the step of freedom and change. It is the “moment of clarity” for those in addiction who now see the need for help in overcoming the addiction. It is the moment of salvation for those who see that they cannot solve the sin problem alone.

I have been fond of writing about the relationship of faith and science. Science can explain and solve many world problems. It cannot solve the sin problem. That is the work for faith.

Prayer: Thank you Father for the solution to our heart problems, your son, Jesus, Amen

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.                                                                                                        Matthew 5:8

So, what does it mean to be “pure in heart”? It does not mean a “perfect heart”- that is not possible. It does mean that we have looked into our heart and we have seen it for what it is. It is selfish and pleasure seeking, if left to its own devices. Our job is to cut down on how often it is “left to its own devices”. In other words, we are to be stewards of an inherently selfish nature.

In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet asserts “The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out. But I, God, search the heart and examine the mind. I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things. I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be. Jeremiah 17:9-10

We are clear that we are not perfect in heart, but we can be pure of heart. We can do that by agreeing with God on it. He knows our frailties, and he detests the practice of trying to cover it up, pretending we are something that we are not.

The counseling principle of ownership of our innermost being frees us to become who we are truly meant to be. Truth in agreeing that we are sinners in need of a Savior is the step of freedom and change. It is the “moment of clarity” for those in addiction who now see the need for help in overcoming the addiction. It is the moment of salvation for those who see that they cannot solve the sin problem alone.

I have been fond of writing about the relationship of faith and science. Science can explain and solve many world problems. It cannot solve the sin problem. That is the work for faith.

Prayer: Thank you Father for the solution to our heart problems, your son, Jesus, Amen

“Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”                                                                                                                                                         Jeremiah 29:7

This passage from the book of Jeremiah has always intrigued me. The context is that God is speaking to and through the prophet Jeremiah, who is crushed in spirit about being carried away from his beloved Jerusalem. Jeremiah and the captive Israelites were lamenting that they were no longer in the Promised Land, and that they were now cut off from their destiny.

God gives Jeremiah a new plan. Really, I am thinking it was the plan all along. Jeremiah was to tell the captive Israelites that they were to plant gardens in Babylon. They were to marry and have children. They were to participate in the economy of this pagan Babylon and to help make it prosper. I’m sure that this was hard for Jeremiah to hear, and then to relate to his people, about participating in the hated Babylonian society and economy.

I think that message was also for the Church today. It was a cornerstone of my philosophy at New Creation Counseling Center. Christian organizations ought to be an integral part of society, helping in every way possible to enhance the physical, social, economic and spiritual health of where we are planted.

The history of the Church involvement through the centuries has been to start schools, hospitals, and benevolent organizations to help people in every walk of life- especially carrying out the mission Jesus set forth to help the poor and disenfranchised.

So, we grow where we are planted, and as our city prospers, so do we.

Prayer: Thank you Lord for this simple plan- to grow where we are planted, Amen

I look up to the mountains;
    does my strength come from mountains?
No, my strength comes from God,
    who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.

Psalm 121: 1-2

As we approach the 22nd anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World
Trade Center, I thought back to a blog I wrote in its aftermath. I share it
with you today in hopes that the message at the end is one of hope. That the
very effects of the attack actually brought to light the hope in the night.

As you read this, consider how life has changed in America since
September 11, 2001…

The effects of the murderous terrorist attacks last week will be felt for a very long time. There are many painful, sad, gut-wrenching results, of course. But there have been, and will continue to be, good things that come out of this awful tragedy.  The terrorists intended pure evil, but some of the effects will be to our everlasting good.

The terrorists intended to cause pain and death, fear and chaos. They wanted to plant the seed that we are not safe anywhere. They wanted us to see that we are vulnerable, and that we can no longer feel insulated from the events around the world that some people live with daily. They correctly understand that we have depended upon our national intelligence network, the FBI, CIA, and various other governmental agencies for our security. While these agencies are now under scrutiny, and even attack, by many Americans for not having protected us, I do not join in that attack.  I recognize that no agency, no government, is able to totally protect us. 

Americans want guarantees. We want to make sure that someone is responsible if something goes wrong. We want to feel like we are a special people, never having had foreign invaders on our soil at least since, perhaps, the War of 1812. We want to feel that we are safe from the wars and killing on foreign shores. The events of Tuesday, September 11, 2001 changed all that forever.

What the terrorists did was to wake us from that unreality. We are vulnerable to attack, and we cannot totally guarantee safety. Indeed, the terrorists taught us a painful lesson. But at the same time, the terrorists sowed in us the seed of new growth. They unintentionally reminded us (or taught some of us for the first time) that our safety and security is not in the hands of the government, as great as that government is. The terrorists sparked the nation to turn in unprecedented numbers to God for protection, guidance and comfort. Immediately after the attacks that day, people were mobilized to turn to God in prayer. Churches, synagogues and mosques opened their doors to people to come together and pray. We were instantly reminded that our help is in God.  So, unwittingly, these evil men helped to turn us to dependence on the only One who can protect and heal us.

Indeed too, out of the physical rubble in New York City, comes the renewed resolve to rebuild. We will rebuild the buildings, and we will renew our love for our country and one another. America has always responded to challenges, and she has always come through it stronger and a little wiser. The terrorists did not understand that in the rubble and pain that they caused, they also planted seeds of hope, strength, and renewal. Those seeds will grow and make us stronger as a nation.

Earlier in this column I mentioned the War of 1812. One of the things that came out of that war was the Star Spangled Banner, written, of course, by Francis Scott Key as he watched the British attack on Baltimore. As I listened intently these past few days to the words of the National Anthem, I heard at a new level the words “… and the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there…” The very bombs that were meant to rain destruction, actually lit up the night, and gave proof that our flag still stood. The same aggression that the terrorists rained on us on September 11, will give proof that we still stand, stronger than ever.