Truth in the Tangles

This morning my 8 year old and I had our usual routine of me trying to brush her hair while she jumped and twitched and let out an occasional scream. Those tiny little tangles are a constant source of grief in our house and it got me thinking of how easily we can become unstuck from small set-backs.

We were overseas last week, being inspired and encouraged by international pastors and leaders from all over Asia; encountering powerful moves of God; being equipped with new mindsets, attitudes, principles and strategies for impacting our culture...and today I’m staring at a floor that needs serious mopping, while fighting with my daughter…

I said to God this morning, I need help navigating these extremes and He said to me “My joy is always here - those negative voices and emotions you hear and feel are not from me and you don’t need to listen or take them as your own.” And then I remembered - overcoming isn’t about walking constantly in grand displays of cultural impact; it’s about winning one small victory at a time.

So I will tap into the Holy Spirit’s fruit of self-discipline to pull out that mop and clean my floor, I will find peace and patience as I interact with my 8 year old, and I will definitely find joy as I travel one step at a time through this day...then cultural transformation will follow.

”You are of God, little children, and have overcome them [spirits that don’t resonate with Jesus], because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.” 1 John 4:4,5 NKJV

Trash or Treasure

On our recent trip to the Philippines, I noticed this sign in one of the supermarkets. It reminded me of how fleeting our possessions are. One minute you buy an item and the next minute you’re throwing it in the bin. Alot of things in life really are that temporary - they have a very short lifespan before we have no need for them anymore.

This past week I met so many people who are investing their lives, time and resources into things with lasting impact; things with eternal value. And you could see the difference they were making in the culture around them. It was both humbling and inspiring.

Living with the hope that we’ll see the same cultural transformation in our own city of Melbourne is what gets me out of bed in the mornings! Imagine what a difference it would make with our time and effort if we knew what would have eternal value...

”Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.” 1 John 2:15-17 NLT