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The wandering, praying mind

Have you ever been praying, and start to think of your to-do list for the day?

Suddenly, things pop into your mind out of nowhere that take you off to another place, and your mind is adrift at sea.

I’ve been told that those things are a distraction. That I just need to concentrate harder and seek God more, and that when my mind wanders, I need to have more discipline to stop thinking about ______, or ______. I’ve been told that my wandering mind is a sign of weakness.

But I’m not sure that what I’ve been told is right. I’m not convinced that a wandering mind is a weak, undisciplined mind. I’m beginning to wonder if it’s not so much a sign of weakness, but a sign of

what I’m valuing at the moment. This is both a heart-check (what’s really important to me?) and a “Wow, I’ve really been thinking about that a lot…maybe I should pray about it.” Our mouths speak (or, in this instance, “our minds think”) what our hearts are full of. (Luke 6:45)
God helping me remember things that I need to do. Is it not God that is the creator of the mind? Does He not know all things, including what we need to be in the business of doing? Does He not hold all things together? (Colossians 1:17) We are commanded to ask God for wisdom…don’t be shocked when He gives it. (James 1:5)
God reminding me people and situations I need to pray for. Ever have someone or something, seemingly random, pop into your head when you’re praying? I do. And I’m not so sure that’s a bad thing.

I know that prayer is not all about me and my situation and my relationships and my life. I realize that connecting with God through prayer is essential for simply building my relationship with my Creator.

But I’m going to be easier on myself when my mind starts to wander. I’m taking every thought captive. (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Do you think that God speaks in this way?

Does your mind wander when you pray?

Play the back 9

April 16, 2011 / Ben Reed / 4 Comments

You may have seen this, but let me fill you in.

Kevin Na, 27 year old PGA Tour golfer from South Korea, turned pro at age 17. He skipped his senior year of high school. He’s no slouch of a golfer.

He was playing in the PGA Tour’s stop in San Antonio, the Valero Texas Open. During round 1, on the 9th hole, Na had…um…one of those holes. If you’re a golfer, you know what I mean. It’s one of those holes where nothing goes right, and you feel like you have no clue what you’re doing. You begin to wonder why you’re even playing golf, and if in fact you have ever played before.

After going right, into the trees, off of the tee, re-teeing, going right again, and proceeding the knock it around in the woods for a while, Na finally sunk a 6-footer for a cool 16. He set the record for the most strokes in a PGA tour event on a par-4.

Here’s his meltdown.

But here’s the rest of the story. Na turned and played the back nine at -3. He didn’t give up, even after an epic meltdown! Here’s what he said in an interview:

“I was pretty proud of the way I handled the situation. And after that, I shot -3 on the back nine.”

That takes some courage, doesn’t it? Likely many people would’ve just walked off of the course and quit the tournament. They would’ve packed up their bag and been done for the day. But not Na. He knew he still had work to do.

Maybe you’ve felt like Na.

You’ve had an epic meltdown. You’ve failed your work, your church, your home, your family. And it feels like it’s time to hang it up. Call it quits. Give up on any significant dreams or goals. And just give in to a life of insignificance.

But thankfully, God’s in the business of restoration. And He loves to redeem His people. He’s done it throughout history. And He can do it again in your life.

Na may have still missed the cut. But he didn’t quit.

You may have lost your job, your career, and some significant relationships in your failure. You may feel like there’s nowhere to go from here.

But don’t quit. If you’re still alive, God has plans for you on this Earth.

Take a step of faith in the right direction.

Thankfully, God hasn’t quit on you.

Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. – God (Hebrews 13:5)

Love is patient and kind; love never gives up. (1 Corinthians 13:4, 7)

Give yourself a break

March 9, 2011 / Ben Reed / 0 Comments

I remember the day my son started walking.

He had been pulling up and cruising for a few weeks prior, so we knew he was just about ready to start letting go and walking on his own. My wife and I were sitting across from each other in the middle of the living room floor, and I stood Rex up in between us. He could barely get his balance. In fact, he was so wobbly he fell down before he even got started. So I stood him back up.

Then it happened.

He took a small step, then started to fall forward. Just before he reached the point of no return (where he would fall flat on his face), he stuck his other foot out in front of himself. His momentum carried him forward, and he forgot to put his other foot out in front, so he fell face first into my wife, who, along with me, clapped and cheered for our son. He had started to walk!

So we stood him up again, and he tried once more. Then he fell. And smiled.

Then he got tired, so we quit for the day.

Notice this: he wasn’t so hard on himself that he wouldn’t try again.

Part of the hindrance to our spiritual growth is that we’re too hard on ourselves. We beat ourselves up over and over again, when we’ve got a Father who, while we’re still a long way off, is filled with compassion for us, and is running towards us so He can throw His arms around us and kiss us. (Luke 15:20-21)

We, like the Prodigal Son, still beat ourselves up. We respond, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” (Luke 15:20)

To which our Father says, “Let’s celebrate!” (Luke 15:23)

I’m not saying that we should act like we’re perfect, and can do nothing wrong. But I am saying that we should not be so paralyzed in our sin that we don’t take another step forwards, towards our Father who’s running our way. We could live in the reality that we’re sinners who are “no longer worthy to be called your son.” But wallowing in our guilt and shame doesn’t help us move towards God.

Maybe we should start reminding ourselves that our Father is cranking up the music, getting His dancing on, and grilling up a feast for us. Because He loves us that much.

Do you ever find that you’re too hard on yourself?

Is it time to give yourself a break, and celebrate even a small step in the right direction?

Do you know someone who needs to be reminded of this truth?

It’s time to fail

March 8, 2011 / Ben Reed / 7 Comments

Maybe it’s about time you failed.

(image by ArtMoth.com)

I remember when I didn’t make the varsity baseball team in high school. I was crushed. But through that, I ended up quitting baseball to pursue golf, a sport I turned out to be pretty good at.

In seminary, I absolutely bombed a paper that I thought was one of my better projects. Through that, I worked hard to refine my writing, and in the process, found a great love of writing.

The first small group my wife and I were a part of (in Louisville, KY) was an abysmal failure. I didn’t want that to happen to us, or anyone else, again. Now I’m a small groups pastor.

The New Testament Church was led by a guy named Peter. Don’t forget that he had an epic fail, where his pride was kicked in the teeth. He thought he was ready to die for Jesus. He wasn’t (John 13:37-38). His pride would even need to be kicked again a little later. (Galatians 2:11-21) And it needed to be in order for God to use Peter.

Why you need to fail

It’s through failure that we learn what we’re not that great at. Here’s a shocker: you’re not great at everything. God’s gifted each person uniquely…you included. We may not always find that gifting on our first shot. Be open to other ideas than what you’ve always thought or been told. Maybe your failure is a good indication that you need to try something else.

It’s through failure that we find out which ideas aren’t the best. Failure becomes a way of culling out the ideas, projects, programs, and directions that needed to go.

It’s through failure that we are motivated. Who wants to fail twice? Failure pushes you to work harder, more efficiently, and lean more heavily on others. Failure is a great deterrent to future failure.

It’s through failure that God comforts us. It’s hard to experience comfort without some level of failure. (see Lamentations 3:16-23)

It’s through failure that our pride is sucker-punched. If you were as awesome as you thought you were, you’d not have failed. As John Ortberg says, “There is a God, and it is not you.”

As valuable as failure is, I still find myself consistently praying, “Lord, please help this _______ to go really well.” Or, “Lord, you want this __________ to succeed more than I do…” Or, “Lord, help this idea to not fall flat on its face.”

Maybe I should start praying, “Lord, maybe this needs to flop. You know best. Help me grow in the process. Chip away the parts of me that don’t look like You. Grow your Church. Knock down my pride. Renew my faith in Your plan.”

Is there an area of your leadership or your life that needs to fail?

Have you seen God grow you more through failure or through success?

George Washington on Courage

February 16, 2011 / Ben Reed / 4 Comments

George Washington was a courageous man.

I knew this to be true…you can’t go through the United States public school system without studying about our country’s first President. But I’ve recently been reminded of his heroism while reading 1776 by George McCullough.

In September of 1775, Boston was under siege by British troops. Washington was the commander of the American military forces (which were a mishmash of untrained and largely unorganized farmers and other Yankees), and he was ready to make a bold move to recapture Boston, ending the siege. However, there were two problems.

1. The British forces were powerful and abundant.

2. An attack on Boston, to remove the siege, could mean the destruction of the city.

But Washington wasn’t one to sit around and wait for something to happen. So he began petitioning Congress to move troops, and begin attacking the British at Boston, because he knew how strategic and valuable the city would continue to be for the future success of the Revolutionary War.

In a letter to the governor of Rhode Island, Washington said this:

No danger is to be considered when put in competition with the magnitude of the cause.

Washington was facing lots of dangers. Loss of significant lives. Loss of his power and authority. Loss of his reputation. Loss of the city of Boston. Loss of supplies. Loss of time. Loss of effort. Loss of the colonies to the British. But he was willing to not consider those dangers when he compared them to the magnitude of the cause…winning independence.

We could learn something from this, even today. Because far too often, when we count the cost, we show by our actions that we believe the task is too dangerous for us. We show fear when we don’t

Share our faith
Press in to know our own heart
Have a tough conversation with a friend
Take on that new project
Stop and build a relationship with someone new
Press in to know the heart of our children
Give financially until it hurts
Serve expecting nothing back
Do what God’s clearly calling us to do
Step out of our comfort zone

When we put the above in competition with the magnitude of the cause…they pale in comparison. They are still dangerous…highly dangerous. You could get burned, misunderstood, shamed, abandoned, discouraged, and broke. But, like Washington said, these dangers aren’t to be considered when we compare them with the magnitude of the cause. What is the cause that has such magnitude?

The health of our family.
The health of our heart. (living a life worthy of our call, Ephesians 4:1-2)
Serving our King faithfully.

There’s nothing else greater.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. – 1 Timothy 1:7

Have you ever felt yourself crippled by fear?

What was it that got you going again?

Theological laziness

February 2, 2011 / Ben Reed / 7 Comments

Image by Redeemer Fellowship

We tend to take the easy road. The one that’s quicker, easier, and microwaved. And that’s not all so bad with a lot of things. Emails are much faster than letters. Cell phones are much faster and more efficient than landlines. Buying a book on Kindle is faster and cheaper than buying a physical copy and paying for shipping.

But when it comes to theology, don’t do it. Becoming a parrot is much easier than becoming a theologian. But it’s not helpful for the Church. And in the long run, it will leave you intellectually and theologically paralyzed.

At points in my life, I’ve felt pigeonholed into giving the right answer, quoting the right author, and listening to the right preachers. Learn to think, talk, and write like the good guys. Sure, I was encouraged to read the other writers/pastors, but just so I would know their side of the argument.

But we need to think for ourselves. Read. Study. Listen. And arrive at our own conclusions…not just haphazardly arrive at the same conclusions as the popular conservative, conference-speaking, book-writing pastors of our day. Because we can read the Bible for ourselves. And we can think for ourselves. And we can develop theology ourselves.* We don’t have to consult other men and women when we are articulating our theology. And when we consult them in place of thinking for ourselves, we miss out on a great benefit of study: discovery.

God still speaks

Call me crazy, but I still think that God speaks today, and He’s not just speaking to the popular pastors. He’s speaking to me. And you. And all other believers.

Standing on the shoulders of giants is different than standing behind them yelling, “Yeah…what he said!” Standing on the shoulders of giants means that we learn and grow from those who have gone before us. Standing on their shoulders means we don’t simply lay hold of their conclusions…the ones it took them years to arrive at. That borders on intellectual thievery.

Most people tend to take the easy way out. When it comes to theology, don’t short-circuit the work on God in your heart.

Have you ever been lulled into taking the easy way out when it comes to understanding the things of God?

Disagree with me? Leave a comment below and let’s discuss it!

*Hear me correctly: I’m not trying to divorce myself from our church fathers. There’s a depth and richness to their writing that’s difficult to find today. And there’s great wisdom in learning from those who have gone before us, and who are continuing to presently pave the way. I’m just not linking myself so tightly with them that I can’t use the brain that God has given me to actually do what it was intended to do. Think!

Unity, 11s on the 1s

February 1, 2011 / Ben Reed / 0 Comments

If you’d like to catch up on this series, click HERE.

Unity

Let’s not divide and condemn concerning secondary matters. God loves unity.

Yours to tell

January 27, 2011 / Ben Reed / 3 Comments

image by Rob Gros

The beauty of your story isn’t that it’s

clean

pretty

tidy

extravagant

shocking

intriguing.

The beauty of your story is that it’s

messy

raw

confusing

chaotic

unfinished

unpolished.

**The beauty of your story may be that it’s**

normal

tame

boring

expected

small

lame.

The beauty of your story is that God

redeems

reconciles

magnifies

deepens

clarifies

forgives.

The beauty of your story is that

it’s yours.

It’s time to tell it.

The Old is Gone, 11s on the 1s

January 21, 2011 / Ben Reed / 5 Comments

Graphic by Matt Gruber

In a concerted effort to use fewer words and drive home a more powerful point, I’m writing 11-word posts. You can see other posts in this series HERE.

They don’t attempt to answer every question you may have. They aren’t going to change your life. But, hopefully they’ll make you think. And since they’re so short, you don’t have an excuse not to read them.

The Old is Gone

God’s love is much bigger than your past failures. Believe it.

Why you can’t see God right now

January 5, 2011 / Ben Reed / 1 Comment

You can’t see God right now because you don’t want to.

I read 95% non-fiction. The fiction I read is stuff like The Pilgrim’s Progress.

I know…I’m a nerd. But I’m a learner (StrengthsFinder confirmed that), and am always looking for some new concept to engage. Fiction doesn’t necessarily offer something new to learn…it offers a fun experience. A story that is engaging, funny, or exciting. And though there are definitely messages and truths to be found in fiction writings, be honest…that’s not why you read them. You read them because you enjoy getting lost in a good story.

And there’s nothing wrong with that.

Which is why, throughout the month of December, I decided to put down my nonfiction and pick up a good story. I’m reading (almost done) through the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. Rick is a good storyteller, and I’ve enjoyed reading through the books.

The Mist

In the books, monsters and half-bloods (half-human, half-god) live, work, and fight right among mortals. There’s a Mist that’s present on Earth (hang with me…I’m going somewhere…it’s fiction, okay?) that causes mortals to see supernatural people and events in a way that is not supernatural…which explains why we never “see” any of these events. The main character (Percy Jackson) wields his sword and fights with a god in the city of Los Angeles…and the newspapers report that damage has been done by an earthquake. When he fights 3 demons in a city bus, mortals see something completely different, explaining away what they saw as a natural occurrence. In another instance, mortals saw a homeless boy that was big and goofy…through the Mist, he was really a Cyclops.

A little silly, yes. A little childish, maybe. But there are implications here for us.

We choose the Mist

Because we do the same thing every day. God is at work all around us. He’s causing the sun to rise and the rain to fall. (Matthew 5:45) He’s changing hearts of stone to hearts of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26). He’s turning the hearts of fathers to the hearts of their children. (Malachi 4:6) He’s holding the universe together. (Colossians 1:17) He’s healing relationships. Overcoming fears. (2 Timothy 1:7) Breaking the bonds of addiction. Restoring marriages. Drawing those who are far from Him closer. Answering our cries for help.

And yet we choose to still ask, “Where’s God?!?”

The reason you can’t see God right now is not because He’s absent. Or abandoned you. He doesn’t work like that.

The reason you can’t see God right now is because you’ve chosen not to. Even when you’re far from Him. And your story has taken you off the best path. And you’ve got more junk in your life than you’d like to admit.

God’s not far away (Acts 17:27). You’ve just got to look through the Mist.

Have you seen God working lately?

Have you ever chosen to not see what He’s doing?