Nae's Notes

Attitude affects everything. Websters Dictionary of 1828 gives 2 definitions for this word: one concerning the posture of a person in a figure or sculpture and one referring to the overall posture or position of a person. For example, it describes one having a firm attitude when faced with trouble. The current Websters Dictionary has many more definitions, including references to the ones listed above. There were two related to each other that drew my attention: a mental position and a feeling or emotion with regard to a fact or state. For example, an optimistic attitude. Together “attitude” can be interpreted as the thoughts or feelings toward a situation show up in your posture. These attitudes not only show up in our physical state, but also what words are used to address the situation. A positive attitude toward a situation brings about positive words and many times works to ease the attitude of those around us. However, a negative attitude toward a situation brings negative words and puts others on edge as well, affective their attitude toward the situation. It’s at these times that it’s challenging to not hurt others with our words. Proverbs 18:21 says” Death and life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (NRSV) Actual physical death is not going to strike when chosen words bring hurt to others. Harshly spoken words will bring distance between you and that person and more importantly, distance between you and God. Distance from God is where the destruction comes for those who don’t control their words and attitudes. Choosing the right words and keeping attitudes in check is a daily struggle. It is possible to survive giving and receiving harsh words, but wouldn’t it be better to thrive by working to control our words and attitudes?

Out of the box thinking. Not something that comes easily to some, including myself. When faced with situations it’s easy to resort to the way of thinking that is familiar and the actions that are comfortable. Seeing situations in a new light is difficult based on a few things.

1. Past history-“This is the way I’ve always done it.” Eventually it worked in the past, so why change the course of action.
2. Doubt-“Nothing turns out right for me.” When it appears others get something that you want, it’s easy to make yourself believe that it will always be that way.
3. Fear-“I’m afraid to try new things.” The unknown is a scary place where many people won’t go because of fear.

Most people resort to familiar ways and ways of thinking due to a combination of all three things listed above. What if you could move past that? Even though we live in this world, we have a God who does not operate on the principals of this world or under the restraint of the things listed. A few weeks ago was Easter. This is the time many people celebrate Jesus dying then being raised from the dead. The principals of this world dictated that when Jesus died he be placed in a tomb. However, God saw to it that Jesus not be restrained by the principals of this world or common human thinking. To everyone who witnessed the event, the tomb was permanent because that’s how it worked. Jesus didn’t stay in that tomb. God went against what was supposed to happen and brought Jesus out of the tomb. We serve a God who doesn’t operate under the principals of this world or our in the box thinking. God is an out of the box thinker. He can take whatever you are facing today and provide a solution that goes against what “should” happen and make it better than you expected. You can survive each day with in the box thinking. However, you can thrive by letting God out of the box, so he can show up in a way that is better than you expected!

We’ve all had days and times where we wonder if those around us hear what we’re saying. Parents to children, children to parents, bosses to employees, employees to bosses, co-worker to co-worker just to name a few. Most people just want to be heard and know someone is listening to them no matter the situation-in good, bad and normal everyday occurrences. Sometimes we get irritated if we think we’re not being heard and give up on trying to communicate the point.

That can happen in our relationship with God. Where we can just text, email or call people to communicate, those are not options when it comes to God. There’s no instant feedback or recognition of the communication. Silence-that can seem like the worst thing depending on the current situation. However, something happens in what we call silence. For a moment, our words aren’t messing with the purpose and plan God has for us. Our earthly brains only see so much of a situation and calculate what seems to be reasonable answers to our situations. We tend to insert those words and outcomes into our prayers because we can’t comprehend any other way through the circumstances. However, God sees everything-the beginning, the ending, and everything in between. What we interpret as unwanted silence should really be viewed as us taking our limited thinking out of the equation, which allows God’s infinite wisdom to take over the situation.

Don’t be afraid of the silence. God hears everything we say every time we say it. We can survive by trying to dictate our own outcomes, but we will thrive when we let the silence show us God’s way!

Each day comes with challenges-some are new challenges and some are the same things that have been hanging around for awhile. Some days it seems the challenges stack themselves up against us and form walls that can’t be penetrated. Feelings of isolation and despair set in, take over, and seem to be unending much like the multiple cloudy days experienced in winter in some places. When will the sun shine again? When will the light break through the walls?

When this happens, remember a few things that are listed in Isaiah 49.

1. We are God’s creation and He cannot forget us-v. 15.
2. God is faithful and chose us as His own-v. 7
3. God is our strength-v. 5
4. God comforts and has compassion on His people- v. 13
5. God will save and vindicate His people from those who try to put them down-v. 25
6. Those who wait hopefully for God will not be put to shame-v. 23

There are so many things coming at us from all directions every day. It’s so easy to get caught up in what we see, kind of like the cloudy winter. The sun is actually shining-we just can’t see it because of the clouds. When you can get above the clouds, you can see the sun. Instead of just trying to survive the cloudy days, remember the 6 things listed above and you will begin to thrive again and see the sun!

Today’s world brings many trials and troubles. Things that can’t be explained trip us up from time to time causing us to doubt or lose our way temporarily. This is not unlike the Israelites in the Bible. Their lives took many twists and turns. They encountered things they wish they could have avoided. Some of it probably could have been avoided if they had not gone astray, like worshipping the idols of the nations around them. No matter the reason for the trials, the Bible reminds us that it doesn’t have to stay that way. Isaiah 48:11 says, ”For the sake of my reputation, for my own sake, I will act…I won’t give my glory to another.” (CEB) The “my” and ”I” in this verse are God speaking. God started good works in all of us, and He is not going to let that go to waste. He wants us to know that He’s going to finish what He started. Verses 17-18 tell us how. ”He’s our Redeemer, the Holy One, and the Lord our God, who teaches us to profit and leads us in the way we should go when we follow His commands.” (paraphrased from NRSV)

It all comes back to obedience and trying everyday not just to survive but to thrive by seeking the one who made the plan and will see it through!

Strength. Who doesn’t need strength in their lives to face the day. Isaiah 40:31 is often quoted when looking for strength. Looking back to verse 28 reveals a few extra things to note.

1. God is the Everlasting God who does not become weary or tired. That’s hard to comprehend as a daily part of our lives is experiencing tired or weariness either emotionally or physically. God does not become tired or weary waiting for us to focus on what He has for us.
2. Verse 28 also states that God’s understanding is inscrutable (NRSV). Inscrutable means incapable of being analyzed; mysterious; unfathomable. Therefore, we cannot understand God’s understanding of us. That can sound confusing at first. We don’t understand sometimes why we do things or others do things. God’s understanding of us is something that cannot be analyzed, which is a good thing. Most of us would have given up on ourselves or others at some point in the journey because we can’t understand things the way God does.
3. Verse 30 talks about youth growing tired and weary and vigorous people stumbling badly (NRSV). Some people feel they were much more energetic and capable when they were younger, especially physically. The next sentence in v. 31 says that “those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength”. Many people rush to do things or make judgements about situations or wish they could have something right now. We often lament the fervor of our youth. However, the word ”new” is the key. Think about it: If we wait on God, He will not only give us strength but ”new” strength. New-fresh-something we haven’t had before. This can be better than anything we had, even our youthful strength and energy!

New strength and a fresh perspective can only come from waiting on God, the one who understands us and doesn’t grow tired or weary in helping us thrive toward our best!

The following verse is quoted often:

“You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast (that is committed and focused on You in both inclination and character) because he trusts and takes refuge in You (with hope and confident expectation). Trust (confidently) in the Lord forever (He is your fortress, shield, your banner), for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock.” Isaiah 26:3-4 AMP

There’s a a lot packed into that verse, especially in that version. So many times we tend to gloss over the familiar or things we think we know. We all know that we can have peace if we trust in God. However, upon reading this, there seems to be a little more to it. Look at the Google definitions of a few words from above:

• Perfect-absolute, complete
• Constant-occurring continuously over a period of time
• Inclination-a person’s natural tendency or urge to act or feel in a particular way
• Character-the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual

So it starts with confident trust-unwavering, in a mind that is inclined to focus on God as part of their character. The result is absolute and continuous peace. Most people would say they have never experienced absolute and continuous peace, but it’s because we don’t make trust in God part of our character. There are so many other things to focus on today. The surviving comes when we focus on the other things and forget that we can thrive and have peace when we make trust and focus on God part of who we are.

Not a word anyone wants to hear or admit they have experienced. Reality is that everyone has been lost at some time in his/her life. Physically lost when going to a new place or trying to get back to a place you’ve only been once and don’t use directions. Mentally lost when there’s a change in your job and you have to start a new routine. Emotionally lost when families grow and change and you’re trying to find your place in the new situations. Spiritually lost when you are out of church for awhile or let the busyness of the world invade your time. Most people have probably experienced all of the above examples at different stages of their lives.

Lost is defined as having gone astray or missed the way (dictionary.com). Webster’s 1828 dictionary uses the following definitions: not able to find the right way or the way intended; bewildered; perplexed; alienated. Definition number 7 says, “not perceptible to the senses; not visible”. All of the above are different levels of “lost”. However, they all lead to the next step being “not perceptible to the senses; not visible”. So how does the next step become visible?

First, you have to want it. You have to want to stop being lost and be found. It’s easy to start the pity party and wallow in your feelings. Unfortunately, that won’t yield any results or point you in the right direction to be found. We are surrounded by people who know us and may be able to help based on their own past situations. There is, however, only one who truly knows how to help you be found…God. When you’re lost, you typically feel far from God and don’t know how to get back. The good news is that God has not moved away from you. You can still communicate through prayer. You can also find some scriptures to help you focus on God and not on your situation. The book of Psalm is full of prayers from David for the Lord’s help. You can also read a Proverb a day to help gain wisdom and give examples of how you should live. That will help take your focus off being lost and put it on to finding your way back.

We are not intended to live life alone or wandering through each day as if we were lost. Each day has a purpose just as each person has a purpose. Seek God and God’s purpose for your life so you can stop surviving and start thriving!

Goodness…what is that really? Merriam-Websters’s dictionary says “the state or quality of being good”. The Webster’s 1828 dictionary includes words like “favor shown”, “compassion”, “mercy”. These days it can be a struggle to find good things to say to others or good things to talk about. I know people who have had some things happen that aren’t good. It’s hard to stay focused on “good” when all you see is not good. And what do you say to them as friends or colleagues? “Everything’s going to be fine? Don’t worry… this will pass.” Nice words but probably not what they want to hear. That’s where you have to turn off your brain to logic and turn on your brain to faith.

That’s where goodness jumps in the picture. A well-known example of this in the Bible is the children of Israel wandering through the desert. It started with God showing his goodness (favor) to them by having Pharaoh allow them to leave the slavery they were in during their time in Egypt. It continued with them being saved from the army when crossing the Red Sea. Then in the desert, He provided food for them when there seemed to be none. Next came the grumbling, complaining, and doubt about entering the promised land. God could have halted everything there and left them to create their new home in the desert. Instead, progress was delayed. He did postpone their entering the final destination by allowing them to wander in the desert for 40 years. However, it was only postponed. He continued to show them goodness (compassion, mercy) while in the desert because they had food and things they needed in order to live. The promised land was the main event of goodness, but the provisions in the desert were another type of display of goodness. Without the provisions in the desert, the Israelites would not have survived to make it to the promised land. Surviving was good. We will also survive our trials through God’s goodness (compassion, mercy). Staying faithful and focusing on God during the trial will lead us into thriving in His goodness (favor) when the trial season ends.

Don’t give up in the midst of your trial. Take time each day to focus on at least one good thing, even if it seems small. You want to survive so you can thrive!

Regret. Mistakes. Missed opportunities. We all have them. Some may have been life changing while others may have only helped our daily lives run more smoothly. I was thinking about some future things the other day and caught myself regretting the fact that I missed some opportunities to plan for some things. I started to wonder, “What will happen when….?” I ultimately know the answer based on the events I have already experienced. The answer is, “God will show up.” I know this because He has shown up for me in the past.

The Bible says, “It is the LORD who goes before you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy‬ ‭31:8‬ ‭AMP‬‬ A good example of this is the story of Abraham in Genesis 22 when the Lord asked him to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham was sensitive to God’s voice at the beginning of the chapter when he responded with, “Here I am,” when God called. Then God asked him to do a difficult thing, but Abraham obeyed. When he arrived at the mountain, he was prepared to complete the task at hand. However, a messenger of God again called to him and he answered, “Here I am,”. God showed up and provided an animal for the sacrifice. It’s like somehow Abraham knew God would show up because He had showed up for him in the past. However, I found myself wondering how different that would have turned out had Abraham not answered the messenger immediately. Abraham wasn’t so distracted that he missed God showing up and providing for him.

Abraham had to tune out everything around him in order to hear God and what he was supposed to do. Our lives are so busy with things that distract us from seeking God and spending time with Him. Our minds are filled with more clutter than clarity. Make a conscious effort to tune out the clutter so God can show up and you can thrive instead of survive!