The whole $.02...

I have been in a funk the last couple of days and I really think the enemy is attacking me. I got plenty of sleep last night, spent time with the Lord this morning, and still i feel an irritability I can't seem to shake. Is something really wrong? I don't know. I can only conclude I need to seek God more and more and He will help me work through it. Have you ever felt that way? What gets you through it? I'll update more on here as I work through it...

Maybe I need peace. I read an awesome article in Relevant Magazine this past week. Mark Steele had an article on fast food entitled "Rock the Cash Bar." Two things struck me. First was his analogy on how we often search for the easy way to get things done (i.e. drive thru at McDonalds) rather than the harder, more wholesome way. Often the fast food fix is damaging (if not always), leading to a billion calories and bad habits. I really liked the analogy and can clearly see how that relates to our faith in God. We always seem to want the quick fix, the easy way to be laid out.... We pray, "Lord, let your will be done," but what we are really saying is, "Lord, can you just do this for me now?!" Rarely does God work that way. Mark went on to share a personal illustration from his life. His wife went in for a checkup at the doctor's office and they found a mass in her abdomen. After many specialists and back-and-forth trips, every doctor concluded the same thing - a mass that may or may not be life threatening, but needed to be removed. Mark and his wife prayed for God to take it away, but time and time again they were told it was there. Mark's wife finally said one day, "You know, I'm at peace with this." On her last checkup before surgery, the doctor announced there was no lump to be found - it had disappeared. Wow! Now, God could have showed up sooner. Why did He wait and allow the stress levels to rise? I think the key is that his wife found peace and comfort in the Lord. When she finally reached that point God showed up in a big way.

When we allow God's peace to be central in our lives, He's with us. This doesn't mean healing from all affliction, but it's definitely a huge step forward in our faith. I want that.

-jim