Today I planned to surprise my wife by completing some household chores. She is attending a workshop in Kansas and visiting friends. So, I got up and began washing all the windows in our home. Really washing them. I took them out of the frames and washed outside and inside. Then I washed the window frames. We have patio doors downstairs and upstairs. I took a toothbrush and the vacuum cleaner to clean the grime from the tracks before washing the glass in the doors (yep, inside and out). I learned several things. It’s nearly impossible to put those removable screens back in the window frames. We have eighteen windows in our townhouse. And washing windows is not easy!
I started with zeal and the intent to have this job down, before I mowed the lawn and made lunch. Guess what! After cleaning six windows and one set of doors it was 3 pm. I stopped to eat lunch and that was enough. Our air conditioner isn’t working and it got hot inside. My back ached. My interest waned. I lost interest in finishing the job (although I did mow the lawn and I plan to finish the windows tomorrow). What happened? The fog and friction of life intervened and I failed to accomplish what I intended to achieve. Friction wears on all of our abilities; physical, mental, and spiritual. The inability to know everything that is happening or is going to happen contributes weariness. We are forced to guess what is around the corner or over the hill. We plan for an unknown tomorrow. Life’s daily pressures, unplanned interruptions, unknowns of the future, the urgent but unimportant accumulate and wear on our ability to be effective. Left unchecked, fog and friction can be much more devastating than a few dirty windows.
Fog and friction are very real things that impact us. However, we do not have to give up because we feel like the weight of the world is on us. The moving parts of your car engine are bathed in oil to reduce the natural law of friction. We study these concepts in strategic education in order to learn how to overcome friction in our lives. Paul understood the effects of friction in our lives. He often used the analogy of a race and encouraged Christians to prepare and persevere. Paul gives us tips on how to win. In Hebrews 12, he draws a picture of victory for us. First, Paul described a crowd of supporters to cheer us on. In that crowd, we see GOD Himself as our Father. Jesus is there too. We know that Jesus has completed the race before and tore down all of the obstacles so that we can make it. There are the Apostles and Christians who have received their crowns are now waiting for us to join them. Running with us are our brothers and sisters in Christ, our teammates shouting encouragement. As we run, we must remain vigilant to avoid pot holes and trash that can trip us. However, we have been training, we know the game plan, and our eyes are fixed on Jesus, the author of our faith.
Paul’s description includes all of the elements we need to cut through life’s fog and overcome its friction.
- First we have to recognize that fog and friction are real and they affect all of us. You are not alone when you’re tired and aching. We all become distracted and our interests wane. This is why it is so important to be connected with fellow believers. We are to “bear one another’s burdens” Galatians 6: 2
· We need a fitness program to build endurance. Fitness is a major key; physical, mental and spiritual fitness. Physical fitness helps us function in stressful conditions. Mental development helps us think clearly when we are fatigued. Individuals with strong spiritual commitment demonstrate remarkable inner strength and dedication. Paul stressed the value of fitness. “…Run in such away as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 “If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed… train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4: 6-8 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of God.” 2 Timothy 2: I5 “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you…May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” 2 Thessalonians 2:15-16 “Finally be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.” Ephesians 6: 10-11
· We need to establish a clear vision that recognizes the vision that our Father has for us. Paul expressed God’s vision to Timothy when he wrote, “God our Savior… desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:3-4
· We need to develop plans that provide us a road map. Key to planning is to know what you are planning for. To have a vision of where you intend to go, what you intend to do, who you intend to be. Proverbs 29:18 reads, "Where there is no vision the people perish". This verse speaks to the necessity for vision to sustain life. Without vision, people degenerate into spiritual anarchy and a lack of clear direction. We must understand GOD’s vision for His world, look at where we are, and develop plans to glorify GOD in His grand strategy. This requires deep study of His Word, intense prayer to commune with GOD and open our hearts to accept His leadership.
· We need to build alliances. As we studied in our Trinity lesson, we need to maintain balance with GOD, the church, and our personal walk with the Father. There is tremendous power unleashed when we keep these three things in harmonious balance. Max Lucado wrote a book entitled “The Cure for the Uncommon Life.” He described three aspects of unlocking your potential in life. We are all given some talent, pre-programmed with some aptitude for doing things. We all develop areas that we enjoy doing. We were intended to glorify GOD. Max’s point is that when we combine what we are good at, what we enjoy doing, and our intended purpose we find our “sweet spot” in life. Just as the golfer knows when he hits the ball with the “sweet spot” of the club, or the ball player hits in the “sweet spot” of his bat, we will know when we are living in our sweet spot. Life’s fullness is released and we find peace in GOD’s plan.
· Through everything we must build faith to rely on our Center of Gravity – GOD, the LORD of Hosts! What must be protected is our relationship with GOD. There is a relationship between our humble pursuit of knowing GOD, seeking to see GOD, praying to GOD; and GOD hearing, forgiving, and healing us. GOD’s people are called by His name when they recognize their relationship with GOD and speak to Him, turn from their own ways and turn to seek His face. When we do those things and accept His grace of a relationship with Him then we are forgiven and our society benefits from the healing of GOD. (read 2 Chronicles 7:14) Our love for GOD and love for one another is the center of gravity for our daily trials and challenges.
I hope that you can begin to see how these various strategic concepts are interconnected. Our vision for our lives and the church will be much stronger with an understanding of these things. The most important thing of all is to seek GOD’s will. We must continually commune with Him through prayer and the study of His word.
In His Grace,
Dan
