Don't Worry About It!

Don’t Worry About It

Recently, Kim and I have spent much time in prayer and discussion regarding the future of our family, ministry, and church.  These topics became more prevalent in our conversations after reading the book ‘Radical’ by David Platt (which I used as the springboard for a sermon series at The Crossing).  

There were a couple of points from the book that really hit home with us, in addition to some specific things which I felt God speaking into our hearts on a personal level. Both of them dealt specifically with our trust in Him.  Specifically, one of these subjects of divine discomfort are as follows:

Either we believe in a literal Heaven and Hell as the Bible teaches or we don’t.

Our position in this debate, will determine our action either positively or negatively for the kingdom of God.  If we do not believe in a literal Heaven or Hell, then we need not take any action at all.  However, if we do, then we must examine our hearts closely in the light of God’s Word to determine not only if we are living a life free of sin (To the best of our ability.  Nobody is perfect, right?), but also if our motives, intentions, and actions are pleasing to God.  Are we doing all we can to reach the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ?  

Platt describes this as “Taking back your faith from the American dream.”  During our marriage, Kim and I have experienced the economic pendulum's entire range of motion.  Some moments where we knew our trajectory carried us upward in the direction of success, and other moments when we had the inescapable awareness that we were on the way down to the buffet of spam and rice.  We’ve had our share of both.

Thankfully, the last few years have been years of great blessing in our family.  I have been successful in my secular career, we have been in good health, and our kids do not seem to frighten to other children.  We were in full pursuit of the American dream.  New house, new car, new clothes, etc.  

However, when I closed the garage door of our new home, sequestered myself from the world, and laid my head on my pillow, God was waiting.  He was waiting on me to slow down.  He was waiting on me to listen to His voice.  

In the darkness, as I began to hear the still, small voice of God, the startling rays of clarity began peeking over the horizon of my comfortable existence.  When our thoughts, agendas, desires, life goals, and actions are not in line with God’s plan, the calm, soothing tone of God’s voice can wreak havoc in the heart.  His voice was not so much loud and threatening as it was convicting as we begin to recognize where our hearts have been directed.  In my heart, a divine discomfort began to grow.  Though at times I tried to ignore it, inevitable change began to stalk me like a lone wolf following its prey.  I was aware of its presence, but could never see it clearly when I looked for it.

While this was ongoing, Kim and I decided to take a few days off.  We loaded our bags with flip flops and sunscreen and boarded a cruise ship.  As we unpacked our bags in the stateroom, toured the ship, and made our first pass by that 24 hour self serve ice cream machine, I realized that God was on that ship.  Yes, God cruises on Carnival cruise lines!  He was there.  He was waiting on me to slow down.  He was waiting on me to listen to His voice.  While I was in full pursuit of the American dream, God was in full pursuit of me.

While I was in full pursuit of the American dream, God was in full pursuit of me.

At one moment on the voyage, God spoke to me with that calm, yet disturbing voice once more, “Either you believe that I am Jehovah-Jireh, your provider, or you don’t.”

At this point, we began to listen to God more intently.  We began making plans to adjust our lives to follow God into His true plan for our future.  

In November 2012, I was invited to speak in a couple of sessions at Worship Arts Collective hosted by The Pentecostals at Royalwood.  God was waiting on me there also.  He was waiting on me to slow down.  He was waiting on me to listen to His voice.

One of the sessions was titled ‘Parallels’, a class providing information on how to navigate the challenges of bi-vocational ministry.  Not many people showed up for my class, so, for the benefit of the session’s audio recording, I said things like, “If you have an empty seat near you, please slide over to the middle of your row to make room for those standing in the back.”  When distributing my handouts, I informed both of the attendees, “If there are not enough copies, share with your neighbor, and I will email a copy to ALL of you who did not receive a printed version.”  Hey, I am a church planter.  Empty rooms are nothing new to me!

As I began to speak, I realized that God had me speaking to an empty room because He did not want me to think I was speaking to anyone other than myself.  As I plowed through my notes, and I listed to my own voice echo against the empty chairs, God’s presence filled my heart in a powerful way.  It was a God moment.  

To the two people who attended my class out of pity, I apologize, but me and God had a thing going on during that class, and you just happened to be along for the ride!  

I preached to myself as I spoke the the empty room, “No one will dispute the power of a locomotive engine.  However, if one desires to impede the productivity of the train, or prevent the train from getting to its destination, it is not necessary to attack the engine, overturn each individual boxcar, or remove the wheels from them all.  One must simply damage the tracks on which the train travels.  The tracks must remain perfectly parallel, or disaster occur.  Remaining on tracks no longer parallel will ultimately lead to destruction.  If you attempt to propel your life on uneven tracks, you will crash in a manner that will damage yourself, your family, and your church.”

While teaching this session, I realized that the tracks of my life were no longer parallel.  My secular career was moving in a direction that no longer mirrored God’s plan for our ministry.  At that moment, I knew change was eminent.  Immediately, I began to doubt and question how we would survive if I did not have my career any longer.  

The evening session of the Worship Arts Collective was a concert by various artists and conference clinicians, including the Christian band, Royal Tailor.  As they took the stage and began to sing ‘Freefall’, I knew I was in another God moment.  The lyrics of this song wrecked me, and I began to weep in the presence of God, as I realized He was in control.  Thanks, guys, for such an anointed song.

Fast forward four months:  I have resigned my secular job, and will be focusing my time at The Crossing.  

Throughout this process, Kim has been my rock.  She has been the one who has kept me grounded and, during, my moments of panic, told me, “It’s going to be ok.  God is in control.”  I am so blessed to have her!

Well, this week she experienced HER moment of panic!  All of the normal questions echoed in her beautiful head.  “How?  What if?  When?”  So, she proceeded to the one place we all should go when we are in panic mode:  Starbucks.

As she entered, Starbucks and began to browse the sandwiches and fruit, a stranger walks to the cashier and says, “I want to purchase whatever this lady is ordering today.”  Kim smiles and responds, “Thank you, sir!”

His response is another God moment.  Instead of responding in the manner we would all expect (‘You’re welcome’, ‘No problem’, etc), He looks at her and says with confidence, “Don’t worry about it!”  He then turns, does not pick up a coffee of his own, and walks out of the store.

Boom!

God goes to great lengths to tell His children, “Don’t worry about it!”

He does this so eloquently in the Gospel of Matthew 6 

24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

God did not design us to be solution oriented.  He created us to be God oriented.  If you and I will seek God before we seek our own solutions, not only will our hearts be fulfilled, but our lives will be fulfilled also.

As we close one chapter of our lives, and, with pen in hand, begin to write the next, God has a way of reminding us...

“Don’t worry about it!”