More Joy! How to Focus on 'Being' Instead of 'Doing'

"Tim, my joy is gone. How can I get it back?"
I respond, "What do you think caused the loss?"
"I need to stop...and I need to quit....If they would just..."

No one ever gets joy back by focusing on what they need to stop doing.

People get free when they discover a new way TO BE.

This is what made the teachings of Jesus so radical. He did not go around telling people, "Stop doing that!" Instead, he framed life differently, beautifully, and gave people a new window through which to view the world.

Religious people and political leaders hated Jesus for it. Their control over the masses (power) came strictly from rules, rituals, and regulations.

Consider how different the following teaching must have sounding to his hearers, who were burdened under the heavy yoke of religious bondage:

25“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Matthew 6:25-27


God cares for you...here is some proof. 

Jesus said things like, "28“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you." Matthew 6:28-30.

God cares for you...here is some proof.

The beauty of His life and teachings are still transforming people today. Sure...religious people use Jesus for religious oppression. Power hungry, insecure people use anything they can, but no one ever felt that from Jesus. He set people free! John 8:32

The thing that has broken chains in my own life is focusing on Jesus.

Just spending time with him as though he was in the room with me.

Reading His words as if they were spoken to me.

Sharing my thoughts and concerns with him in the form of prayer.


Psalm 87:7
Then those who sing as well as those who play the flutes shall say, "All my springs of joy are in you."

Health and Holiness

Luke 2:52

"Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and and with all people."

                                     

Christians believe Jesus is our ultimate example in all things. Wouldn't that include our health?

Christ grew and experienced health in four areas. I call this the 252 Health Matrix because all four dimensions are mentioned in one verse: Luke 2:52.

Question: If Christ was God incarnate, how could he grow in wisdom? Click here for an explanation.

My intention for this blog is to help all people, especially those who have struggled with depression, experience more of the "fullness of joy" spoken of in the Bible (John 15:11). A holistic approach to health, that increases our ability to enjoy life, must include a strategy that encompasses all four areas in the 252 Health Matrix. Our outlook and mood are affected by our level of well-being in each quadrant of the 252 Health Matrix. 

Stature (Physical Health)
If we are not well and balanced physically, our mood and outlook suffers. Nutrition and consistent cycles of exercise and rest are essential elements of emotional health. Do you get grumpy if you are hungry? Are you crabby when you don't get enough sleep? Conversely, are you in a better mental state after moderate exercise? Here are some helpful links on key points to consider:

Balanced Nutrition
Physical Exercise
Rest/Sleep

Every person's optimal level of physical wellness will differ due to genetics, illness, injuries, etc. The effort we put into achieving our personal, physical optimum generates a greater internal sense of wholeness.

Wisdom (Cognitive Health)
Cognitive (definition) Having to do with thought, judgment, or knowledge.

Our cognitive development happens through observation and information (data). We observe those around us, parents and caregivers, peers, extended family, teachers, media personalities, etc. These observations shape our patterns of thought.

Intentional intellectual development (schooling, reading, media) is the other avenue of cognitive formation. 

Our thought life can get warped over time. The Bible teaches that all of us need to experience the "renewal of the mind," (Romans 12:2). Our perception of the world and of ourselves can change for the better through the teachings of Christ. 

Click Here to see yourself through the lens of Christ's teaching

Favor with People (Relational Health)

Relational health is achieved when we are making decisions that produce positive effects (blessings) on us, those around us, and bring glory to God. 

Our relational health creates opportunities (atmosphere) for healthy and productive relationships with others. 

Some characteristics of a relationally healthy person are:

• Understands personal worth and value
• Does not manipulate or pressure others
• Communicates assertively but respectfully
• Listens receptively
• Genuinely cares for others
• Considers others when making decisions
• Supportiveness
• Possesses healthy boundaries

Click here for Eight Contrasts Between Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships

Favor with God (Spiritual Health)

Spiritual health is achieved through entering an ongoing relationship with God.
Click here for what Jesus taught about entering this relationship

Spiritual well-being is achieved through practices that strengthen our connection with God and make us sensitive to His leading. These spiritual exercises include:

• Prayer 
• Solitude 
• Collective Worship 
• Engaging God through Bible Reading 
• Reflection and Journaling 
• Secret acts of service 
• Quick confession of sin 
• Fasting 
• Giving
• Sharing Love and Faith with Others

More info on Spiritual Disciplines

Please share your own thoughts or questions in response. Thanks!

Father, 
Help us grow and become healthier in all of these areas so that we can experience all we were created for.
In Jesus' name,
Amen

Beating Depression: Part One

Healing The Crushed Spirit

“The human spirit can endure a sick body,

but who can bear a crushed spirit?”             Proverbs 18:14

Depression. Many of us have found ourselves in that gray void. The struggle is like wading upstream against a chest-deep current. It seems like the awful experience will never end and any ember of hope is extinguished.  Our feelings are real, but they don't reflect reality. Feelings can lie, and they are never more dishonest than when we are depressed. 

I have a friend whose daughter drove a small, white car. One day she was driving to a nearby town to go shopping. My friend got a call that a horrible wreck had happened and it looked like his daughter's little car was crushed. He was frantic. He called the highway patrol and local hospital trying to get information. Just as he was running out the door in a panic, his phone rang. It was his daughter. She was safe in the next town, shopping, and 'just checking in'. It was someone else's car in that wreck. 

Were my friends feelings real? Of course they were. His heart was racing. His blood pressure was elevated. He was anxious, frantic, and afraid. He truly felt all of those things. But did his feelings reflect reality? No. 

When we fight depression, we have very real, very deep feelings...that do not reflect reality. Our perspective gets torqued because we are trying to navigate life with what scripture calls a 'crushed spirit' (Proverbs 18:14).

What is a crushed spirit? 

Our spirit is crushed when we think about the future and have no desire for it. The word spirit in Hebrew is Ruach (Roo-akh). The literal translation of the word is wind. When someone is discouraged we may say, “The wind was knocked out of his sails.” This is very close to the biblical usage of the word in Proverbs 18:14. The ‘spirit’ refers to the power and perspective of the inner life. It is the drive and passion for experiencing life.

What causes a crushed spirit? 

There are five sources of depression spoken of in the Bible. We must be careful not to be one-dimensional in our approach to depression. It is possible to think, “It’s just a moral issue. If he would just read the Bible more, pray more, serve more, fellowship more, etc., he wouldn’t feel depressed."  It is important, if we are going to find healing and restoration (or help someone else) to know that a crushed spirit can happen five different ways and a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution is not adequate, nor is it biblical. The bible teaches that the origin of a crushed spirit can be physical, relational, moral, mental, or spiritual and is often some combination of these things.

“A sound heart is life to the body,
But envy is rottenness to the bones.”            Proverbs 14:30

This verse calls attention to the intricate association of our physical experience to our inner life. Physical illness or malfunction can lead to a crushed spirit. I know of a godly man who lost the desire to live. Doctors discovered cancer in his thyroid gland. After surgery and treatment, he regained a positive outlook and serves God vibrantly today. My friend's crushed spirit was caused by a physical malfunction in his body. Malnutrition can effect a person's mood. Chemical imbalances can skew a person's outlook. It is, however, too simplistic to say that every case of depression (crushed spirit) is somehow physiological and should be medically treated. This kind of thinking fuels the over 400% increase in prescribed anti-depressant medications our country has seen in the last ten years (see footnote). Sometimes medications are needed. Sometimes a person's diet and lifestyle need to be adjusted. Sometimes a depressed person needs medical treatment, but not always.

“…a broken heart crushes the spirit”        Proverbs 15:13b

Relational conflicts can crush a person’s spirit, especially if someone is relying too heavily on another person for meaning, affirmation, and fulfillment. Recently, I received the heartbreaking news that a young man in our community took his own life because his girlfriend broke up with him. His death was a tragic expression of one kind of crushed spirit. A person can lose hope and perspective because of unhealthy relationships. Recovery from this kind of depression requires consistently getting around some people who care about you, talking about your challenges, and gaining a wider perspective. The biblical word for this is 'koinonia' (pronounced coin-o-knee-ah) and it is translated 'fellowship'. It means that we were designed to share in one-another's celebrations and challenges (Romans 12:15). One person's perspective in not enough. We need each other. 

“The wicked flee when no one pursues,
but the righteous are bold as a lion.”              Proverbs 28:1

Immorality can be a fertile place for anxiety to grow and depression to take root. When a person consistently yields himself to a besetting sin, the power and peace in the person's inner life diminishes. Guilt becomes generalized. The inner perspective gets skewed so that a little failure feels like a complete failure. The remedy for depression caused by besetting sins is vastly different than physical depression, or relational depression, but often no distinction is made. When someone with a crushed spirit due to immorality confesses sin appropriately, has someone they are accountable to, and gets in a process of recovery footnote 3, complete healing can happen and fullness of joy can be restored.         
"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." ----Jesus, John 10:10

"Laughter can conceal a heavy heart,
but when the laughter ends, the grief remains." Proverbs 14:13

A person's general thought patterns can crush his spirit. I call this 'stinking thinking'. New patterns of thought and basic viewpoints need to replace the old, damaging ones. Psychologists refer to this as cognitive therapy. It is reorienting a person's thought patterns and general outlook. The Bible refers to this as the 'renewing the mind' (Romans 12:2). The teachings of Jesus are filled with hope. The choice to believe what He says (not necessarily what we feel) is effective cognitive therapy. The truth of our earthbound existence is that all parties (celebrations) here have an ending. All good experiences and relationships in this life have a conclusion. But a mind renewed by faith in the teachings of Christ is not an earthbound perspective. This earthly life is never the end of the story or the last celebration. Ours is an eternal perspective, and one of full and complete joy. 

"You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Psalm 16:11

“The heart knows its own bitterness,
and a stranger does not share its joy.” 
Proverbs 14:10

The human spirit is very complex. There are aspects of the inner life that are impossible for others to fully understand and some difficulties that only God understands. There are forces that bear down upon the human spirit at times that are malevolent and unearthly. Spiritual attack is a clear, biblical reality. Evil forces exist that want to destroy human beings simply because we bear the image of God. 
The Bible says, “…we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

Sometimes a person’s spirit is crushed from spiritual oppression. This person needs believers to stand in the gap, praying earnestly for spiritual deliverance in Jesus’ name. 

Crushed spirits are a part of the human experience. We must minister the love of Christ to one another in these dark seasons of life. Christian compassion requires avoiding simplistic and judgmental assessments. A commitment to "rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep," (Romans 12:15) creates the kind of healing and restorative atmosphere that Christ intended. May God grant that hearts be encouraged and the sails of hope be unfurled by the wind of our inner life in Christ. Amen

1. 1. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/shift-mind/201203/is-our-society-manufacturing-depressed-people
2. 2. 2. http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/astounding-increase-in-antidepressant-use-by-americans-201110203624
3. I recommend a registered/certified Celebrate Recovery program. www.celebraterecovery.com. Programs near you can be found on the website.
4. 
   

Four Ways to 'Be'

I gave some thought last week to the ways we can exist in this world and what the Bible says about it. I had the opportunity to teach about it at The Bridge Church of Belgrade, Montana recently. The first four chapters of the book of Romans each express a certain way we can choose to exist as human ‘beings’. They are:

Romans 1 – Indulging ourselves

Romans 2 – Comparing ourselves to others

Romans 3 – Trying to save ourselves

Romans 4 – Trusting ourselves to God and loving people

Indulging Ourselves
29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. ---Romans 1:29-32

These activities are actions flowing from worldly motivations. Worldliness is defined as the “lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and the pride of life,” (1 John 2:16). Lust of the eyes is materialism. It’s living to accumulate more and better things. Lust of the flesh is sensual. It is living to feel physical pleasure. The pride of life is living for the applause and accolades of others. These motivations are in opposition to God’s intention for our lives, but it cannot be denied that they pervade our culture and media and are destructive to meaningful relationships. All of these motivations are powerful, but their pursuit ALWAYS leaves a person empty and lonely. They are like clouds over the desert of our lives that produce no rain.

Comparing Ourselves

Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. ---Romans 2:1

The expression of this mode of existence is condemnation. It is seen in the condemnation of others, or shame heaped upon oneself. Either way, it shrivels our souls and is destructive to meaningful relationships. This person becomes the umpire of life. My friend, Maston Jackson, says, “a critical person perceives his opinion to be the most critical of issues.” They are arrogantly calling ‘balls and strikes’ on the actions and opinions of others. They are judges. On the other hand, this can take the form of self-condemnation and discouragement. A person can be paralyzed by self-doubt, self-pity, lack of self-confidence, self, self, self, self…ad nauseum.

Saving Ourselves

27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. ---Romans 3:27-28

This is the person who feels guilt for her sins and attempts to atone for them through developing a ‘Mother Theresa’ complex. It says, “I’m going to do so much good in this world that God will have NO CHOICE but to let me into heaven.” The constant activity consumes her and once again is destructive to meaningful relationships. The focus is not on the goodness and grace of God but the achievement of the individual.

Entrusting Ourselves to God
4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.
5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness

---Romans 4:4-5

God is merciful. What His mercy means that we do not get what we deserve as sinners. God is also gracious. His grace means we get more than we could ever deserve! But these graces come by believing. They come by entrusting ourselves to God’s goodness revealed most clearly through Jesus Christ. We yield our lives to Him because He gave His life for us. We trust in the accomplishments of Christ on our behalf. We recognize that we have great value in His eyes, but not greater than any other human, because we are all created in His image. There is no hierarchy. Human beings have worth because we all have the incredible potential of expressing His goodness. We are all broken, but valuable to Him. How do we determine value? By the price someone will pay.

For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. ---1 Corinthians 6:20

The price the Lord was willing to pay for you involved unimaginable suffering and dying in your place. So how will you live in this world? Will you indulge yourself, forgetting His goodness and purpose for your life? Will you compare yourself, judging and condemning others or paralyzed by self-defeat? Will you try to rescue yourself by heaping up good deeds? Or will you entrust yourself to the grace of God and believe Jesus Christ, the Rescuer of us all?

Things Look Different From Up Here

Things Look Different From Up Here

1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. NLT

Colossians 3:1-3

Mount Erie/San Juan Islands

Do you ever feel desperate to rise above the stresses of life and get a new perspective? I do.

I live in the Pacific Northwest and serve as missionary. I am surrounded by the majesty of the Cascade Mountains to the east, the Olympic Range to the west, and the San Juan Islands to the north. But I don’t live in the serenity of the mountains. I live at sea level amidst masses of people, buildings, and concrete. I help people navigate the hurts and hang-ups of life, all the while trying to manage my own life and family well. Down here the stresses of life can rise steadily, like a pressure cooker, and I need periodic breaks to rise above them, both physically and spiritually.

One such place where I have gotten refreshed and gained perspective is Mount Erie near Anacortes, WA. The south side of this mountain is a vertical wall of granite overlooking the San Juan Islands. It is a coveted destination for rock climbers from around the world. In my younger days, I was one of those rock hounds. The first time I climbed this crag, I was intensely focused on each move. Climbers refer to difficult moves as ‘problems’. Near the top, exhausted, I found a ledge to rest on. The day was crystal clear. As my muscles recovered, I drank in the panoramic vista of the San Juan Islands and the Cascade Mountains. I could see Mount Baker and Mount Rainier clearly, though they are separated by more than a hundred miles. These snow-covered volcanoes stand like massive sentries guarding an entire mountain range. After a few moments, drinking in the grandeur, I became aware that I was smiling. It was a big, open-mouthed, wide-eyed grin. But why? It certainly wasn’t about me. Most of the time my sense of happiness and fulfillment is connected to being validated, accepted, or appreciated by others. This was very different.

What happened on that ledge can be summed up in one word, “Majesty.” My souls thirsts for majesty. It is the fingerprint of God on all creation. There is a venue of ultimate majesty. It is throne of God. Jesus Christ sits in the place of honor beside the Father’s throne. Colossians three unveils a critical truth for followers of Christ. Our ‘real life’ is hidden in Christ and we are spiritually seated with Him in this place of honor! Because of this we are destined to share in, “…all of His glory.” Keeping this in mind can give our hearts a good measure of peace in a world where it is a scarce commodity.

Because of God’s grace we do not have to strive, climb, and exhaust ourselves to achieve this lofty position. Jesus did all the work. He climbed the arduous hill to Calvary’s cross. He suffered and died in our place to pay the price for our sins. When we receive Him by faith, we are forgiven of our sins and given this exalted position through the grace of God. But life down here can still be burdensome. A great source of strength for our journey is the grand and lofty view that because of Jesus, our position in heaven is secure, our real life is hidden in Him, and we will someday share in all His glory!

God uses broken bats to hit home runs.

I love reading the bible. Reading the bible is not the same as studying the bible. I think we should do both, but here’s the difference: we tend to study the Bible to get nuggets of truth, but reading it gets you into the lives of the people. These are real people in real stories with real issues trying to live out a real faith. It takes you deep into the struggles of the patriarchs and matriarchs of the faith. They are all straining towards the love, grace, and truth of God as they wade through the swamp of sinful predisposition. They wage war against inner and outer darkness, sometimes losing. They press toward heaven feeling the gravitas of failure. Can you relate? A few examples who made the ‘most righteous’ list in the Bible are:

Judah, the most righteous of the patriarchs of the twelve tribes of Israel, in a moment of weakness, sleeps with his disguised daughter-in-law (thinking she is a prostitute) and gets her pregnant. Yeah…not making it up…it’s in there (Genesis 38:12-30)

Abraham, called the ‘father of our faith’ lies about being married to his wife to save his skin and is willing to give her to another man…twice! Genesis 12 and Genesis 20.

David, the ‘man after God’s own heart’ commits adultery and has the woman’s husband killed (2 Samuel 11).

Peter, the leader among the apostles of Christ, denied even knowing Jesus (John 18:15-27).

John the Baptist, whom Jesus described as the greatest of men, doubted whether Jesus was really the Messiah before he was beheaded (Matthew 11:3).

I could write about so many more: Job, Elijah, Jeremiah, all the rest of the disciples/apostles, Rahab, Samson….on and on.

I am not deeply affected and my soul is not shaped by looking for little nuggets and sound bytes. I do it by reading, thinking, and reflecting on my own experience in light of theirs (1 Corinthians 10:11).

Reading the bible is encouraging to me because I connect with real, historical, fallible people. We all have a dark side and we must wage war against it. We who belong to Christ have a deep longing for holiness, affected and disrupted at times by our own darker and sinister desires that war against our souls (1 Peter 2:11).

I guess what I’m trying to say is: don’t just study the Bible, read it. See your reflection in the struggles of the patriarchs and try to learn from their mistakes. Take comfort in the fact that God uses broken bats to hit home runs!

Church Growth is a By Product

Since I've led some churches that experienced significant increases in attendance, I've been asked on occasion, "What does it take to grow a church?" I think what many church leaders mean is, "How can I get more people to attend worship services." But when I think about growing THE church, I think of something entirely different. We don't grow the church, Jesus does. He said, "...I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it," (Matthew 16:18). Our job is not to build His church, it is to be disciples and make disciples. 

One of my mentors in life and ministry is Dr. Stephen Harris (Steve). His disciple-making efforts around the world have resulted in hundreds of new churches. Steve sent this in an email to me recently:
A couple of thoughts about discipleship.

"Discipleship is not a ministry in the church, it is THE mission of the church." Jesus didn't command us to build a church. He said "I will build my church." He commanded us to build disciples. If you focus on building a church, you may or may not get any disciples, but if you focus on building disciples, you will get a church every time. 

Our mission/commission from Jesus (the Head of the Church) is, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations...," (Matthew 28:19). If a church understands what a disciple of Jesus Christ looks like, and unifies in the intentional mission of making disciples, growth and multiplication is a by product. Disciples make disciples. 

We are commissioned by Jesus to make (produce) disciples. To accomplish this, we have to begin with the end-goal in mind. My next post will focus on what a disciple of Jesus Christ looks like.

Blessings,

Tim