God is bigger than my problems.

It sounds kinda Captain Obvious, but sometimes it’s easy for me to focus on the problem and not on the Problem Solver. I can get fixated on the wind and the waves and forget to look for the one walking on the water.

The problems look big. Sometimes, they’re all we can see. They take up so much of our sight, our time, our energy, our resources. It’s easy to forget that God is bigger. Even if whatever we’re facing is the size of the sun, remember that the sun is a speck in light of the universe. So is your problem next to an infinite God. It’s a grain of sand on the beach. A single star out of the night sky.

Even when the problem seems to go on and on, remember that God was before the problem (from eternity past) and will be after the problem (to eternity future). He is eternally before and after whatever you’re facing. To God, a thousand years is like a second, so my big huge dilemma that occupies so much of my waking life is like the blink of an eye to God. Less than the blink of an eye.

Better still, God knows. It’s one thing if God is so far above my problems that He’s oblivious to them, but He sees me. He sees the tiniest sparrow falling. He sees the hurt and suffering of every one of His children.

Whether God calms your storm or calms you in the storm, He is with you. Whether God removes your hardships or gives you grace to endure, He is with you.

And He is still bigger.

Do you ever get songs stuck in your head? If you’re me, then yes. All of the time. ALL. OF. THE. TIME.

I literally have songs playing in my head non-stop from when I wake up until I go to bed at night.

It’s nice when the song is a worship song. Recently, I had the song Always running through my brain. It’s from 2011, so it’s not super old school, but the words are great. I’m putting the entire song on here for your edification, but the main part that ran through my head was “I will not fear the war/ I will not fear the storm/ My help is on the way/ My help is on the way.”

My pastor said recently that one way to keep a mind set on the Spirit was to play praise music throughout the day. You can also listen to Christian radio or streaming. Or you can be old school like me and pop in a CD.

Here are the lyrics as promised, written by Jason Ingram and Kristian Stanfill:

“Verse 1

My foes are many
They rise against me
But I will hold my ground
I will not fear the war
I will not fear the storm
My help is on the way
My help is on the way

Chorus

Oh my God He will not delay
My refuge and strength always
I will not fear
His promise is true
My God will come through
Always always

Verse 2

Troubles surround me
Chaos abounding
My soul will rest in You
I will not fear the war
I will not fear the storm
My help is on the way
My help is on the way

Chorus

Oh my God He will not delay
My refuge and strength always
I will not fear
His promise is true
My God will come through
Always always

Bridge

I lift my eyes up
My help comes from the Lord
I lift my eyes up
My help comes from the Lord

Chorus

Oh my God He will not delay
My refuge and strength always
I will not fear
His promise is true
My God will come through
Always always

Tag

Oh my God He will not delay
My refuge and strength always
Always”

At one point I was not a fan of the vinyl revival. I stuck to my CDs and thought those who were into records again were purist snobs. Plus, I thought the new vinyl was crazy expensive.

I get it now.

A couple of years ago, I got a turntable for Christmas and then my musical OCD kicked in, and it has been game on ever since.

There’s something special about dropping the needle on a record that brings back once dormant memories for me. Hearing the warm analog sounds wafting from my speakers makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.

Plus, there’s the hunt. There’s finding a good record store and then searching out for a good find. Recently, I picked up Kate Bush at Barnes and Noble. Then a day later I ventured over to Luna Records inside the Factory in Franklin and found two more — one Petra and one Joni Mitchell.

When it comes to musical tastes, there are pretty much three categories: 1) normal, 2) eclectic, and 3) they should make pills for this.

I think I fall under category 3 because I am a fan of just about every genre there is. I personally am not a fan of most rap or uber heavy metal music (the kind where the singer sounds like he’s gargling with razor blades and singing at the same time). But I like everything else. Oh, and I’m not as much into most pop or country music after the year 2000. But I like everything else.

Sometimes, I believe my cat thinks I have lost my mind.

I can think of so many scenarios that I would much rather skip. If I had my way, I’d avoid things like child trafficking, slave trafficking, crime, drugs, and wars. On a more personal level, I’d much rather not face things like work stress, health issues, the death of a loved one, or anxiety in general.

But God allows these things for a reason. God never promises us a life free of suffering and pain. God never said if we trusted Him and prayed the right words, He’d take us and transport us over and past the hardships.

What He said and what He promised is that He would be with us in the middle of the hard things. He promised that if we held on with the faith of a mustard seed, He’d be our Prince of peace and give us peace beyond human understanding. We can be brave because we won’t ever face anything that Jesus hasn’t already overcome on the cross.

I’m reading through Job currently. I see Job declared as a righteous man. I see God allowing Job to suffer. I see Job railing at God, questioning God, wrestling with God. But in all the chapters not once did Job quit going to God. Even if it was to yell and scream at God, Job still went to God. As a writer once pointed out, you can’t wrestle with something far off. You can only wrestle with something up close and personal.

In the end, God set Job straight on a few points, but God also rewarded Job for his faithfulness. Job held on to his faith, though almost non-existent at times, and saw God past the end of his suffering.

Bravery isn’t the absence of fear. It’s being scared to death all the way and still going forward and trusting a God that you might not be able to see or hear at the moment but you know He’s there because He said He’s not going anywhere.

I think instead of using T. G. I. F., from now on I’m using T. G. F. E. D.

As you know, T. G. I. F. stands for Thank God It’s Friday. It means that you’ve made it to another weekend. It implies that Monday through Thursday aren’t really life, but just days we survive to get to the good stuff — the weekend.

The only problem with that is that those week days tend to drag and then the weekend days fly by. It’s like Mooooooooooonday, Tuuuuuuuuuuuuuuesday, Weeeeeeeeeeeendnesday, Thuuuuuuuuuuursay, FridaySaturdaySunday.

I think a better acronym is T. G. F. E. D. That stands for Thank God for Every Day. I’m sure someone somewhere has used it before, so I can’t claim it as original. But I can live it.

The old adage goes that not every day is good but there is good in every day. Every day has value, and every day is a new opportunity.

I don’t want to get to the end of my life having only really lived 3/7 of my existence. I don’t want to say that I really enjoyed less than half of my days.

T. G. I. F. takes a lot for granted. It assumes you get a Monday through Thursday. It assumes that you can auto-pilot through those four days and then really pay attention to the next three.

T. G. F. E. D. is a mindset where each day is a gift. You understand that the only reason you’re alive to experience each day is because God chose to wake you up. You’re too busy being grateful to even think about mailing in a Monday or taking Tuesday for granted or wasting your Wednesdays.

Each day is a blessing. Another old adage says that the day you’re living in is referred to as the present because it’s a gift. No one is entitled to tomorrow. No one automatically gets another 24 hours.

So live each day to the fullest. You can live like you were dying, like the song says, or you can live like you get to be alive today. Either way, thank God for every day you get.

I’m learning that when the Bible calls us sheep, it’s not so much a compliment. Sheep are kinda dumb. They will wander off, get lost, fall into water, and generally make poor choices. They’re pretty much helpless without a shepherd.

But the Good Shepherd in the Bible loves His sheep. Not because of their inherent goodness or intelligence or charm. He loves them because He is the shepherd and they — we — are His sheep.

That takes a load off my mind, because my job isn’t to navigate my future and anticipate every possible danger that may or may not come my way. It’s not to worry about what grass is safe to eat and what streams are safe to drink from.

My job is to trust the Shepherd. That’s it. If I read Psalm 23 correctly, He’s the one who supplies all my needs, leads me to green pastures and still waters, guides me in right paths, and leads me through dangerous valleys. I only have to heed His voice and follow.

I still love how Psalm 23 starts off in the third person — He leads, He guides, He restores. But then it changes to second person — You prepare, You anoint. The point where the change happens is in the middle of the valley of the shadow of death. That’s where the Shepherd becomes personal and my faith goes from theoretical to practical, from head assent to heart assurance.

When you trust the Shepherd and follow the Shepherd, you come to know the Shepherd and learn His heart. That’s the best part.

I love things like this. They’re so ridiculous that they’re funny. Plus, every now and then you just need something to take your mind off all the crazy in the world. I’ll do my best to give credit where credit is due at the end of this post:

GENERAL:

1. Never take a beer to a job interview.
2. Always identify people in your yard before shooting at them.
3. It’s considered tacky to take a cooler to church.
4. If you have to vacuum the bed, it is time to change the sheets.
5. Even if you’re certain that you are included in the will, it is still rude to drive the U-Haul to the funeral home.

DINING OUT:

1. When decanting wine, make sure that you tilt the paper cup and pour slowly so as not to “bruise” the fruit of the vine.
2. If drinking directly from the bottle, always hold it with your hands.

ENTERTAINING IN YOUR HOME:

1. A centerpiece for the table should never be anything prepared by a taxidermist.
2. Do not allow the dog to eat at the table, no matter how good his manners are.

PERSONAL HYGIENE:

1. While ears need to be cleaned regularly, this is a job that should be done in private using one’s OWN truck keys.
2. Even if you live alone, deodorant is not a waste of good money.
3. Use of proper toiletries can only delay bathing for a few days.
4. Dirt and grease under the fingernails is a social no-no, as they tend to detract from a woman’s jewelry and alter the taste of finger foods.

DATING (Outside the Family):

1. Always offer to bait your date’s hook, especially on the first date.
2. Be assertive. Let her know you’re interested: “I’ve been wanting to go out with you since I read that stuff on the bathroom wall two years ago.”
3. Establish with her parents what time she is expected back. Some will say 10:00 PM. Others might say “Monday.” If the latter is the answer, it is the man’s responsibility to get her to school on time.

THEATRE ETIQUETTE:

1. Crying babies should be taken to the lobby and picked up immediately after the movie has ended.
2. Refrain from talking to characters on the screen. Tests have proven they can’t hear you.

WEDDINGS:

1. Livestock is usually a poor choice for a wedding gift.
2. Kissing the bride for more than 5 seconds may get you shot.
3. For the groom, at least, rent a tux. A leisure suit with a cummerbund and a clean bowling shirt can create a tacky appearance.
4. Though uncomfortable, say “yes” to socks and shoes for this special occasion.

DRIVING ETIQUETTE:

1. Dim your headlights for approaching vehicles, even if the gun is loaded and the deer is in sight.
2. When approaching a four-way stop, the vehicle with the largest tires does not always have the right of way.
3. Never tow another car using panty hose and duct tape.
4. When sending your wife down the road with a gas can, it is impolite to ask her to bring back beer too.
5. Do not lay rubber while traveling in a funeral procession.

I got this from the Ted Bell Fans Facebook page. I tried to provide the link to the actual page, but couldn’t figure out how to do it, so use your imagination.

“If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me”  (Robert Murray McCheyne).

That is mind blowing. Not only did Jesus take my place and die for me, but He lives for me and intercedes for me. The very one who is both God and man prays for me by name.

I’m always flattered and grateful when I know the people in my life are praying for me. Yet how often do I routinely take for granted that Jesus Himself prays for me. And His prayers are the ones God always hears and always grants and always blesses.

That in itself gives me great comfort. That gives me such an overwhelming peace. Even when I don’t know what to pray to Jesus (which is often these days), Jesus knows what to pray for me. Even when I have no words that I can articulate, God the Spirit takes translates those groans and sighs into petitions, God the Son takes my longings to God the Father, and God the Father knows how to give good gifts to those who ask in faith.

“But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf” (Hebrews 7:24-25, NLT).

This applies to so much in life, not just employment. I think God can even the most uncomfortable situations and use them as teaching moments if we are willing to stay under and learn.

I don’t for one moment use this to advocate for staying in an abusive relationship or toxic environment where your safety is in question. By all means get out of those as soon as you can.

But if it’s not an ideal work environment or situation that is less than the best, then you can learn to be faithful until God calls you away to something else. You can work not for the employer or the supervisor but as for God directly. You can make your workplace your mission field and your job can be your act of worship.

I think so many times you learn how to give yourself grace. You’ll have days when you don’t respond to stress as well as you probably should, when you lose your temper, when you generally have a sucky attitude all day.

The point is not to stay in that place. The point is not to beat yourself up about it. The point is to make the next day a brand new start and pray for grace to do better. After all, it’s not about perfection but progress. And mostly it’s about trust and faithfulness.

That blows my mind. It’s also very true.

How many times do I take my eternal security for granted and then turn around to get stressed out by something that I probably won’t remember five years from now? How often do I go to thanking God for saving me to a future in Heaven to worrying about how this current situation will play out and how I (and not God) will fix it?

Which is harder to manage? An eternity or a day? Forever or a week? Whatever my present anxiety is about is fleeting. The Bible calls it a light affliction in comparison to the eternal weight of glory that awaits.

I suppose I could beat myself up for being dumb. Or I could choose to say that in this moment I am trusting God for my eternity and for my present, because both are in good hands. Both are in nail-scarred hands.