Have you ever been told that “things need to change” or “you need to change,” but you have no idea what that really means? You know you need to be less like this and more like that, but you don’t know how to get to this or that. You can’t seem to break your ultimate goal into action steps, so it all feels rather lofty and vague. It’s as if someone has told you to paint the sky a different colour. Where do you even begin?
Last weekend I returned home from a women’s conference to a heart to heart talk with one of my children. That conversation challenged me with some things that need to change — in our communication and interactions, in my responses, and in our relationship. The thing is, so much of it is related to attitudes and atmosphere — not easy stuff to get a practical handle on.
It would be so much easier if I knew what to do. If someone said, “Go outside every day at 1:00pm and stand on one leg on your bottom step for 15 minutes,” I could do that! (Well, maybe…that would require quite a bit of balance now that I come to think of it.) But I could add it to my checklist and make sure it happened. If I knew it would help me become the kind of person I need to be, I would do it religiously, without fail. But, alas, it won’t.
As I was lamenting these things over the past few days, it dawned on me that I had stumbled upon an opportunity to practice what I had been preaching at that women’s conference last weekend. You see, I had walked the ladies in my breakout session through the unexpected blessings of the Beatitudes, telling them the Beatitudes are not platitudes. They are not simply feel good, sentimental statements. They outline for us God’s power to literally transform a life.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:3-10 (NIV)
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Going into the empty places, the sad places, the humble and hungry places, learning to forgive and be forgiven, purifying past the level of our actions and right down to the level of our heart, bringing peace, suffering persecution — the Beatitudes are not for wimps! They are not easy or pleasant or natural. But they are an invitation to meet Jesus in the corners of our lives where we are lacking most and hurting most in order to find what we need the most.
We can only live out the Beatitudes with Jesus. They are not some sort of spiritual checklist that we can tick our way through with grit and tenacity. We cannot do these things in our own strength. But when we start taking God at His word, when we start taking steps of faith through His promises, we quickly discover that meeting Jesus in these difficult and practical areas of our lives is the real blessing of the Beatitudes. It’s His presence and power that works in us and through us to transform and heal.
So, in my confusion and immobilization this week, I decided to apply what I know to be true about these promised blessings. I started with the first one, acknowledging my poverty of spirit in this situation. I talked to God about all the ways I was coming up empty. I poured out my frustration to Him about not being able to see my way forward or find a first step. I sat with Him in my unknowing and emptiness and inadequacy.
And, believe me, it didn’t take long for the tears to come. I moved quite easily to the next step on this Beatitude journey — mourning. I cried and cried and allowed Christ to comfort me with His presence, as only He can.
And after my tears dried, I started thinking about the next Beatitude way-post — humility. I still didn’t feel like I could see a clear path. I still didn’t have an action-packed, practical list of changes I needed to make. But that’s when it hit me — my desired destination feels just about as preposterous and out of reach to me as Jesus’ promise to the humble. I mean, the whole earth?! That’s quite a promise!
And Jesus didn’t make this unbelievable promise to the “strategic” or to the “clever” who are able to chart their course and figure out a way to reach their goal. He promised it to the humble. In other words, to those who depend completely on Him.
I cannot communicate with pen and ink the hope that thought brought to me in that moment. Even though I don’t know how to change myself or how to change my situation, I have hope. I don’t have a plan, but I have hope in sticking close to the One who does. It reminds me of that verse that says…
…we do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.
II Chronicles 20:12b (NIV)
So, I am going to make humility my litmus test over the next while and see what happens. In what I say and do, I am going to ask myself which would be the humble choice? And then I’m going to trust God to deliver on His promise. I’m going to trust that if humility can lead to inheriting the whole earth, it can surely usher me to my impossible goal as well. I refuse to be frustrated by my own inability. I will depend on God to bring about the change He desires in me and around me.
This morning I read the following verses:
…at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly…While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:6, 8 (NIV)
God always acts at “just the right time.” And I believe the right time is when we are powerless. It allows Him to have His perfect way and to gain all the glory He deserves!
If you find yourself in a similar situation today, here is a prayer for both of us:
Lord, You know how powerless I feel about _________. Protect me from discouragement due to my own inadequacy and shift my focus toward hopeful dependence on You to act. You know exactly what to do when I don’t. Please intervene in ways that I can’t anticipate or plan. Change me in ways that I can’t change myself.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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