Reconcile

I promise no spoilers! I am a big Marvel fan and one of the recurring themes in the last two installments of the Infinity War series was reconciliation. I think most of us think that reconciliation is things going back to the way they were or restoration. However, to reconcile means to bring harmony. It does not mean that relationships are restored, it means you are at peace with the current state of things. It means you are willing to let go and let God. It means you may not understand or agree, but you trust that God is in control. Reconciliation is a necessary part of our growth and our process.

Peace

Some of us exist in a perpetual state of chaos. We go through life like a chicken with its head cut off. Peace is like some unattainable, abstract notion. Peace is doable. Peace is attainable. Peace is a dose away for most of us, if we choose to take advantage of it. Peace has to be chosen. You have to make a conscious decision to choose peace. You have to ensure that you protect your peace at all cost. Peace is easily lost. Peace is yours if you really want it.

Profess

I want to tell you a story about a tin can. My husband and I had a friend of ours make us two custom cans with the names of our future kids on them. At the time, we were just dating. We knew we wanted to get married and have kids, but we just weren’t there yet. This can sat along side 4 other tin cans with our names on them. We celebrated anniversaries and other milestones and still the cans sat. We moved and packed the cans away without a second thought. The cans sat for years. Three to be exact. Then, on resurrection Sunday we pulled out one of those cans and stuffed it into an egg for a gender reveal.

Sometimes, we pray. We decree. We declare. We profess and nothing materializes. Our hopes and dreams sit on a shelf. We pack them away without of a second thought, because they just haven’t come to pass. Well, I’m here to tell you that one day you will unpack that dream. You will pull your “hope” off the shelf, and it will be relevant in due season. Just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean it’s never going to happen. Just because you don’t feel it doesn’t mean that God didn’t hear you. Profess your heart’s desire. God is always listening.

The Plan

The Plan was always redemption. The Plan was to be born to a virgin. The Plan was to live a blameless life. The Plan was to reconcile man back to God. The Plan was to make disciples to spread the gospel. The Plan was perform miracles so that people would believe. The Plan was to be accused. The Plan was to be condemned. The Plan was to be beaten. The Plan was to be crucified. The Plan was to be resurrected. The Plan was executed thousands of years ago. The Plan was that you would come to know Christ as your Lord and Savior. The Plan was that you would be forgiven. The Plan was for you to believe. You were a part of The Plan all along. Happy Good Friday! What’s your plan?

Purpose

I can't imagine what God felt like to realize that he was born to die. We are all born to die, but to know that you will die tragically for a crime you didn't commit...that's hard. His death had a purpose. His pain was not in vain. His life was a ministry. Many of us don't understand why our paths have taken us through the valley instead of the mountaintop. We don't understand our pain. We don't know why we hurt or why we hurt others. Life seems like there is no rhyme or reason.

There is a purpose in every tear, in every misstep, in every mistake, and in every regret. There is a lesson in your heartache. There is a seed of maturity in the soil of your doubts and fears. There is a ministry in your series of unfortunate events. There is life in your spiritual death. There is purpose in your pain. 

Passion

Can you imagine knowing that you’re going to die in four days? Can you imagine a friend betraying you for money? I can’t. No matter how hard I try. I find it difficult to imagine giving my life for the very people who would decide to murder me. I struggle with basic forgiveness. I’m so grateful that God saw fit to save a wretch like me. I’m so grateful that God’s passion does not compare to my own. This week I’m reminded of God’s sacrifice for me. I’m grateful for a debt being paid that I would have cost me my life. I’m grateful for the passion of Christ.

Outlook

My favorite part of riding on a airplane is taking off and landing. I prefer a window seat. I love seeing landmarks getting smaller and bigger during the ascent and descent. It’s really all about perspective. How we see things, people and circumstances have a lot to do with our vantage point. Are our problems bigger than our God? Do we see ourselves bigger than our trials and tribulations? Do we see ourselves defeated or victorious? What’s your outlook?