Today is Holy Saturday—the day between heartbreak and hope. The sanctuary stands quiet. The week has been long. Holy Week always carries its own weight, but this year, it feels heavier. Maybe it’s the rain tapping gently on the windows, or maybe it’s the fire that startled our rhythm and left its mark—small but unsettling. Smoke lingers longer than flames, and so does disruption.
We’re grateful the damage was minimal. The building still stands. The cross is still there. But the unexpected has a way of rattling even the strongest faith. This week we’ve walked through the betrayal, the cross, the silence—and we’ve carried more than just the usual Holy Week weariness. We’ve carried the stress of plans interrupted, the ache of uncertainty, the fatigue that comes from trying to hold it all together.
And now we wait.
Holy Saturday is not a day of action. It’s not loud. It doesn’t clamor for our attention. It simply invites us to sit with the sorrow of Friday and the promise of Sunday. It is the space in-between, the breath held tight before the sigh of resurrection.
The rain outside feels fitting. It slows us down. It quiets the soul. And maybe that’s what we need—to be still for just a moment, to remember that even in the ashes, God is preparing something new. The tomb may be sealed, but the stone soon will be moved. We may feel stuck in the silence, but resurrection is already stirring beneath the surface.
So today, let the rain fall. Let the silence speak. Let the ashes remind you that God is never finished—not with churches, not with people, not with you.
Sunday is coming. And with it, the hope that rises—not just from the ground, but from the very heart of God.
It should be no secret. Ministry can wreck you. Spiritually. Mentally. Physically. Emotionally. I work with a lot of pastors and the comments are like a chorus that’s being sung over and over by so many.
Wayne Cordeiro’s Leading on Empty is not just another leadership book. It’s a wake-up call for every leader who’s ever wondered if they can keep going… and for those who haven’t realized yet that they’re dangerously close to the edge.
I just finished reading it, and I’m still sitting in the weight of it all. This isn’t theory. This is the honest, gritty story of a pastor who hit the wall—hard—and the way God met him in the middle of his burnout. If you’re leading in ministry, especially in the church, and you haven’t read this book yet, stop everything. Read it. Then read it again. Your soul is too valuable to ignore. If you’re not in ministry, this is a great window into the daily battle that many pastors and ministry leaders face.
Burnout Isn’t a Buzzword. It’s a Battle.
Cordeiro, founding pastor of New Hope Christian Fellowship in Honolulu, was leading one of the fastest-growing churches in America. From the outside, it looked like success. But inside, he was depleted. Exhausted. Numb. He describes waking up one morning and realizing, “I had nothing left to give.” The scary part? He is by no means the exception—he’s the mirror for many in ministry leadership positions.
Pastors, church staff, ministry leaders—how many of us are sprinting on fumes? We’re busy preaching grace but living like it doesn’t apply to us. We tell others to rest in Christ while wearing our exhaustion like a badge of honor. That disconnect is not only dangerous; it’s deadly.
Cordeiro pulls no punches. He names the lie that so many have come to believe: that the church can’t survive without us. He calls out the internal pressure to do more, be more, give more, until there’s nothing left. And then he gives us a better way—one rooted not in striving, but in sustainability.
Key Takeaways (That Might Just Save Your Life)
You can’t give what you don’t have. Ministry flows from overflow, not obligation. If your cup is dry, what are you pouring out?
Your soul has limits. Cordeiro introduces the idea of a “personal sustainability plan.” It’s not selfish; it’s stewardship. Build your life with regular rhythms of rest, exercise, solitude, and joy.
Rediscover your life-giving zone. Not everything you do fuels you. Learn the difference between what drains you and what feeds your soul—then adjust accordingly.
Sabbath is not optional. It’s not legalism; it’s life. Cordeiro learned (the hard way) that even Jesus rested—and we’re not stronger than Him. If we’re not finding regular rhythms of intentional and total rest, we will hit the wall and for many that crash is something they can’t come back from at all.
You’re not alone. Perhaps the most healing part of the book is knowing you’re not crazy, weak, or faithless. You’re human. And God meets us there.
From Empty to Alive
This book doesn’t just describe the problem; it models the path to restoration. Cordeiro talks about stepping away, going to a monastery, walking by a lake, journaling, and letting God speak into the silence. The book itself becomes a quiet retreat—an invitation back to the God who called you in the first place.
Cordeiro’s book should challenged us. Convicted us. Comforted us. But more than that, it invite us to live and lead differently—to stop pretending that burnout is just part of the calling.
Final Word to Fellow Leaders
We don’t need more heroes in ministry. We need more healthy leaders. Leaders who know how to say no. Leaders who lead from rest, not adrenaline. Leaders who take care of their souls before they try to save someone else’s.
Don’t measure yourself by what someone else can do. We don’t all run at the same speed or with the same capacity. You need to be self aware.
If you’re running on empty, this is not the end. It might just be the beginning of something better. God doesn’t need you burned out. He wants you whole.
Take the time. Do the work. Read the book. Let God refill what’s been running dry.
When was the last time you just stopped? Not a quick social media break or a mindless TV binge, but a full-on pause? If you’re struggling to remember, you’re not alone! if life is a race, then most of us are sprinting through it without ever catching our breath. But here’s the kicker—if you don’t hit pause, life or your health will eventually hit you. And trust me, it’s not going to be pretty!
The Hustle Myth
We’ve been sold this ridiculous idea that productivity equals worth. Our hustle culture has brainwashed us into believing that slowing down is equal to weakness. We wear busyness like a badge of honor, showing off our exhaustion like it’s some kind of medal. Spoiler alert: It’s not. The constant grind will not make you superhuman. It will make you miserable.
You see, the hustle myth feeds our egos, but it starves our souls. It tricks us into thinking that if we just work hard enough, do enough, achieve enough, then we’ll find real happiness. But where’s the joy in rushing through life like you’re trying to outrun a pack of coyotes? At some point, you need to stop and ask yourself—what the heck is the point? Why are you running?
Your Emotional Health is Begging for a Break
Your emotional health isn’t just something nice to have. It’s something essential to protect. We spend so much time ignoring the warning signs: anxiety that’s a constant hum in the background, irritability that turns us into snapping turtles with fangs like Dracula, and an underlying sense of dread that never seems to go away. These are some of the alarm bells, friends, and for many of us they’re getting louder.
When was the last time you checked in with yourself emotionally? Do you even remember what it feels like to be at peace? Probably not, because you’ve been too busy filling every waking moment with distractions! How do I know? Because that’s me too. But your emotions, our emotions, don’t just disappear. They pile up, and eventually, they’ll demand your attention—usually in the form of a breakdown of some sort.
You can avoid that breakdown by taking control now. That means hitting pause, sitting with your emotions, and actually dealing with them. It’s not easy. It’s uncomfortable. But it’s necessary. Because if you don’t, you’ll be dragging that emotional baggage through life like a dead body.
Mental Health is Not a Luxury
But it’s not just emotional health! Your mental health isn’t a luxury either. It’s not something you can just shove to the side while you focus on “more important” things. There is nothing more important than your mental well-being. Full stop.
The problem is, we often treat our minds like a computer that can keep running as long as we don’t reboot it. We shove more and more into it, thinking it can handle everything without crashing. News flash: your brain isn’t a machine, and burnout is real. And once you’re burned out, it’s not easy to bounce back.
Think of it this way—if you’re running on fumes mentally, everything else in your life is going to suffer. Your relationships, your work, your faith—they’ll all start crumbling because you didn’t take the time to pause, reflect, and recharge. Mental health isn’t something you can “deal with later.” Later will be too late.
Perfect the Pause
So, how do you hit pause? It’s simpler than you think, but it requires intentionality. Start by carving out time every day—yes, every day—to stop. I’m not talking about filling your pause with another activity like scrolling through social media or watching TV. I mean really pause.
Sit in silence. Pray. Breathe. Reflect. Do something that feeds you. It doesn’t have to be for hours, but it does have to be consistent. Use this time to reconnect with yourself, with God, and with what truly matters. Because if you don’t, life will steamroll you, and all the busyness in the world won’t save you from burnout.
The harsh reality is that no one is going to give you permission to hit pause. You’re going to have to claim it for yourself. The world will always demand more from you, but you don’t have to give in. You’re allowed to slow down. You’re allowed to rest. You’re allowed to take care of yourself.
So stop waiting for the right time or the perfect conditions because that will never happen. The time to pause is now. Take a break before life breaks you. You owe it to yourself, and trust me, you’ll be better for it.
In today’s rapidly changing world, the concept of missional living has never been more relevant or necessary. At its core, missional living is about embodying the love and teachings of Jesus in our daily lives. This is done through a focus on serving others. It’s not just about attending church on Sundays; it’s about living out our faith every day, wherever we are.
The Foundation
The foundation of missional living is love—love for God and love for neighbors. Jesus himself emphasized the importance of love when He said, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself – Matthew 22:37-39.
This love goes beyond mere words; it requires action. It calls us to step out of our comfort zones, to reach out to those in need, and to make a tangible difference in our communities. When we truly love God and our neighbors, our lives become a living testimony of God’s love and grace.
Don’t overthink this whole love idea. It can be as simple as sitting with a person who’s hurting, feeding the hungry, clothing the homeless, cooking a meal for a set of new parents in the neighborhood. Loving is way easier than you think!
Living with Purpose and Intentionality
Missional living is also about living with purpose and intentionality. It’s about being intentional in our interactions, seeking opportunities to share the gospel, and making disciples. It’s about recognizing that every encounter, every conversation, and every act of kindness can be an opportunity to reflect God’s love and point others to Him.
Living missionally means being attuned to the needs of those around us and responding with compassion and grace. It means being present in our communities, listening to people’s stories, and offering hope and encouragement where it’s needed most.
The goal of missional living is not to get them in the door of the church. The goal is to live for Jesus that those around you might see His love for them in you.
Transformation
One of the most powerful aspects of missional living is its potential for community transformation. When individuals come together with a shared vision and purpose, incredible things can happen. Communities can be transformed, lives can be changed, and the kingdom of God will be advanced.
Missional living invites us to be a part of something greater than ourselves—to join hands with others and work towards a common goal. It’s about building bridges, breaking down barriers, and creating spaces where everyone feels welcomed, valued, and loved.
Recently we did this by simply bringing a meal to some storm victims in our community. It wasnt’ anything super extravagant. We placed an order for the food. We gathered volunteers and drove over to the neighborhood. Then we set up and served anyone and everyone who came to eat. We loved them and left them changed by that love.
Enduring
Living on mission isn’t always easy. It requires courage, persistence, and a willingness to embrace the journey, with all its ups and downs. It means we have to endure! There will be challenges along the way, but there will also be moments of joy, growth, and transformation.
As people on mission, we are called to lead by example, to inspire others to join us on this incredible journey of faith. We are called to be ambassadors of Christ, shining His light in a world that desperately needs it.
The heart of missional living lies in our love for God and our neighbor, our commitment to living with purpose and intentionality, and our passion for transformation. It’s about embracing the call to love, serve, and make disciples, wherever God leads us.
As we continue to walk this path of missional living, may we be reminded of Jesus’ words: “Going therefore, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).
There’s been an accusation levied against me quite frequently that shows how little people actually know me. I’ve been called a control freak. I assume it’s been done in a kind way. You know poking fun at my need to seemingly take control of everything.
I guess to an extent those people might be onto something, but those who think I have a control complex really don’t know me. There are some people who are fairly close to me who actually think this. And often I just allow the comments and let them slide off like they’re no big deal, because it’s not as true as they think. Unfortunately people form their opinions based on the portion of your life they choose to see.
In my case, I will generally take charge of a room when I walk in. I like to prepare for contingencies. I like to know what’s going on when I’m in a leadership role. I tell the truth even when it’s hard to hear. But the part that most people mistake for control is my desire for communication.
I’m a big stickler on communication. In a world that’s become super divided and pretty much all things virtual, face to face is the best kind of communication. There are nuances to things that need to be conveyed and it can only happen when we’re looking at one another in the eyes.
But it’s this desire to know what’s going on and to be kept fully informed that is misconstrued as control. If those people who accuse me of being a controlling person would simply go back and listen to the conversation over again, they’d likely hear me asking to be in the loop, to be informed. Rarely will I push to put a cold stop to something. Rarely will I bull something through an organization if the appropriate amount of communication and behind the scenes legwork hasn’t been done.
This came up recently at a bible study I was leading. It was interesting because the person made a comment about being in control and she baited me, in a good way. She knew that my desire wasn’t to control every scenario but to be in the know on the things I need to be in the know about. It’s really not that complicated if you think about it. If you’re having a discussion that will impact someone else’s life, faith, family, finances, friendship – then you probably should have the conversation with the person in the room.
The long and short is that I tend to spend a lot of time preparing for events which makes it seem, when they’re happening, like I’m controlling things. But if you knew the time that went into preparing for many of these moments, you’d realize that it’s a huge investment of time and effort that makes something a success. It’s not about control. It’s about making sure communication is happening so that everyone is on the same page.
Do I like to be in control of a situation? Sure I do. That’s one of the reasons I don’t really love flying or sailing on a cruise ship. I haven’t yet found a pilot or captain who’s willing to give me the controls. I also make a terrible copilot in a car. The pedals never work on my side of the car. But in most situations if the direction is clear and communication open and transparent I can go with the flow.
Part of the issue with my seemingly controlling demeanor is that I enter a situation willing to interject my opinion. And I don’t offer that opinion without giving it a quick once over to make sure it makes sense. There’s a big difference between knowing something and controlling something.
Go ahead and poke fun of me for being controlling. I can take it! Just know that what some people see as controlling is really more about communication and getting all the facts. Questioning something doesn’t always mean I’m trying to control it. Give me a little slack and you just might see the method behind the madness.
Have you ever had to make a really important decision? I mean one of those life altering decisions where each option has its distinct benefits, while at the same time there could be some drastic problems if you do things wrong. How do you decide what you should do? What’s your process for discernment?
Ok so there isn’t really a one size fits all approach but here are a few things that I’ve found helpful in times when I’ve been faced with an important decision.
Prayer
If you’re not a praying type of person, then maybe you don’t agree here. But I believe that prayer is the most important thing we can do when it comes to making decisions. But what do we pray?
This is the part that’s a bit trickier. I’m the kind of person who likes to pray for a super tangible sign showing me to go one direction or another. You know something like: write it in the sky for me please. Or have someone I haven’t seen in a while, who knows nothing about the scenario come over and tell me to make a certain move. Unfortunately, however it doesn’t always end up quite that easy to decipher.
So my prayer has shifted over time to something a little less sky writing and more a confident heart or easy stomach. You see when we have life altering decisions to make that could impact many people, it has a tendency to sit heavy on us. I’m the kind of person who wears this like tension in my shoulders, a migraine, or even one of those uneasy upset stomach feelings.
When I pray through the discernment process, my prayer shifts toward a self awareness of what makes the uneasiness go away. What causes the headaches to be less intense? What releases the tension in the shoulders?
Talk to People
Now this one is a bit easier and harder at the same time because there are two main audiences we will want to make sure to include.
First you will talk and listen to the people who will be directly impacted by the decision. Ask questions. Listen to their concerns. Gather information from them about what they are feeling.
Then you should also talk to people not involved in the scenario. These need to be trusted people around you who won’t be directly impacted by the decision. These are your friends or family who will be able to stay unbiased through the discernment process. Ask their feedback on your feelings. Run scenarios past them and let them weigh in.
Ultimately you want to have help seeing this thing from a variety of angles. It’s easy to get lost in the weeds of the decision and totally miss something that is really important. This process helps you see more of the decision than you would have otherwise.
The Spouse
Admittedly, this one won’t be true for everyone because not everyone has a spouse. But if you share your life with a husband or wife, then you need to take a minute and listen to what they are hearing as well. One of the things we believe about marriage is that two people become one person in marriage. And that means, sometimes my wife is the ears and hears things I can’t. So when there’s a major decision to be made, take time to pause and listen to what God is saying to your spouse because it’s all too easy to hear only what you want to hear.
Scripture
Again, not everyone is a follower of Jesus. I get it. But I really think the Bible has something to say about many of the concerns and challenges we have in life. If we take time to dig around in the pages of the Bible, go back through some of the verse we learned as a child, or just open up and start reading we might just find some sort of answer nested in what’s there.
A word of caution here however, you can make the Bible say whatever you want it to say if you just pull a verse or word out of context. When you read something and it kind of strikes you in one direction or another, look around and see if you’re actually reading it in context.
Look, none of this is fool proof! I totally get that. But there is something to be said for each of these approaches. And if I’m being totally honest, you need more than one thing to help you make a big decision. I use all of these when I have a significant decision to make.
I hope this is helpful as you navigate what you’re supposed to do and how you’re supposed to do it. And there’s one final step. Move boldly and confidently no matter what you decide. You can’t second guess yourself because that can negatively impact you and the people around you. Walk forward with the confidence that you made the right decision. And remember, you can’t mess up more than God can fix.
Perhaps this letter comes far too late. The things I wish I would have told you while you still stood among us. But maybe the words found here will bring comfort to someone. Maybe they bring closure. Maybe they let people know who you really were.
Brother, I’m sorry I wasn’t there. When you were at your hardest moments, you felt like the world was empty. You talked of loneliness and darkness and felt like life had a major void, but you knew in your heart you weren’t alone. You craved the connection that you had lost. The love of your life was so far out of reach and you didn’t know how to cope. You cried and crumbled and called out for help, and no matter who was there or how close we stood to you – you still felt alone.
You carried a weight under which many of us would have broken a long time ago. You were husband and spiritual leader in your home. You were a 24/7 nurse who lovingly stood by your bride and prayed with her for years as she battled cancer. You took your responsibility seriously. You had little close family of your own so her family became like yours. You were guarded because you didn’t think anyone could really love someone like you. But what’s not to love brother. You were something special.
I’ll miss our weekly calls and more than weekly texts. I’ll miss the way you gently reminded me that I forgot to change colors on the church furnishings. I’ll miss our brotherly banter over politics, denominations, religion, relationships, how much cancer sucks, and what it means to be a man of God. But most importantly I’ll miss you my friend.
You taught me more than you probably will ever know. From how to love people deeply to what it means to really have hope in Jesus when there’s nothing else left. Thank you for the lessons my friend, I only wish there were a few more to come. I’m a slow learner you know.
But brother there’s one thing I think you might have forgotten so I want to put it here. It’s too late for you to hear it but maybe it will make a difference for someone else.
No matter how lonely you feel, you are never alone. No matter how dark the nights, a little light is glimmering in the corner. Even in those final moments, the moments that were the hardest, the moments when there was little time left – even in those moments that would change our lives someone was changing yours.
You fought like no one I knew. You fought for what you knew was the truth of scripture. You fought for your bride and for your church. You even fought for me a time or two. I only wish I would have been able to fight harder for you. But as I sit and write this final note I’m reminded that someone far more capable than me already did that fighting and won.
To the friends and family you left behind I pray they always know that what you saw and what you knew can change their lives too. I hope they look beyond the pain and despair, the slow fade and the abrupt end to see where your hope was. There’s one thing we all need to know about Joe. He had two loves: his bride and his Jesus and today we rest in the hope that he sits with them both. And he’d love nothing more than to see you there one day too!
Until we meet again brother. Rest well in the arms of Jesus.
Most people who are church going people will know some of the bigger names in the Bible. Names like John or Mark or Matthew or Peter are all pretty common. But what about some of those odd ones in the Old Testament? Or what about the ones who really don’t have a lot of references made to them?
I’m currently leading a group of people at the church I serve through some of the lesser known books of the Bible. We’re in the book of Joel, so I thought it would be a decent time to unpack a little of what’s going on in the book of Joel and better yet – why we should even care!
We’ll do a quick flyover of this book. Don’t worry it’s only three chapters long! We’ll focus on four quick things: who wrote it, what is prophecy, what was the fulfillment they saw, what can we take from it.
Who is Joel?
First of all, names mean something in the Bible. Joel is no different. His name means the Lord is God. It’s pretty cool how names can actually tell you a little bit about what the person is going to do or what they do shed light on their name.
What is prophecy?
Biblical prophecy has two parts: foretelling something and forth telling something. Foretelling is essentially what we would call predicting the future. However it’s not really as sci-fi as we like to think. Biblical foretelling was when a prophet would tell the people something that was going to happen based on what God told them was going to happen. So it was really passing along a message from God about their future.
The second aspect of prophecy is about forth telling. The idea here is basically interpreting what’s going on in a way that makes it relatable and understandable for the future. We’ll unpack both of these in the next section.
But first we also need to see that there are generally multiple layers of fulfillment to a prophecy. There is often an event that triggers the prophet to speak which is the first layer. Then, at some point in the relatively near future, there is another layer which will give the initial event a little spin and that the initial event helps us understand better. And ultimately there is a fulfillment that occurs in the person of Jesus at some point in the often very distant future.
When you think of these layers, think of the eye doctor. They put different lenses on that help you see what’s on the little screen on the opposite wall. These different events help bring the next one into focus a little more clearly. Another way of seeing it is like ripples in a pond. Each inner ripple pushes the next ripple further from the center. One directly impacts or influences the next one. The same is true with how we see Biblical prophecy.
What did the people of Joel’s day see?
Ok so here’s where we get into the types and layers of prophecy. Let’s take a quick look at what Joel is using as the impact event. Evidently there was a swarm of locusts that had come through the nation. If you’ve never seen them, locusts are nasty little buggers. They eat everything in sight making the land impossible to live off of for just about anyone. From crawling immediately after birth to hopping when they’re a little older to flying which makes them a real terror, there is essentially nothing out of their reach.
Now the locusts were bad, but God was using the locusts to show the people that something far worse was on its way. They were like a swarm of locusts but even more devastating. The locusts pointed the people to an army that was going to invade and terrorize the nation even worse than the locusts did!
But it’s not done there. Because there is this final ring or lens of fulfillment that was of great concern to people of the Bible and should be for us today as well.
Why should we care about Joel?
Perhaps you’re a history buff and just love historical narratives. Well if that’s the case then you love the book of Joel for the style of literature it is. But if you’re like the rest of the world, then what’s so important about Joel? I mean Jesus isn’t mentioned by name in there. There’s no reference to the church or outreach or worship or anything like that in it. And I sure hope we don’t have to see a swarm of locusts anytime soon!
The importance of Joel is found in the not yet part of the prophecy. Remember the rings of prophecy ultimately end with Jesus? Well this is one of those type of prophecies. The final swarm of locusts or army of devastation is coming in an even worse form than the previous. Every generation thinks it’s living through what some call the end of the world.
But ultimately there will be a final ring of fulfillment that will awaken the swarm of locusts that will bring about the end of the world as we know it. But there are a few things to keep in mind. Light comes after darkness. Good comes after bad. Morning comes after night time.
That might seem a little abrupt and out of place but hang in there. This culture would mark the day starting at night. Which meant that day came after night and light after darkness. Throughout the ending period of Joel’s writing he talks about light and day verses dark and night.
There will be a period of darkness, much like the invasion of locusts or the nasty army of Joel’s day. But just like after the locust and army invasions there will be a new day after the final ring of darkness. The Bible calls this time the Day of the Lord. It’s a phrase that is used several times in Joel and it’s a designation of this end of the world time period.
Put it all together.
Joel means the Lord is God. The one who made everything is in control of the ending. The locusts destroyed much of the nation of Israel of Joel’s day but the people, in large part, survived. The army invaded and many met their end but many were saved through the whole invasion. Even though they were captured and taken in to exile and had some really hard times, God brought them through. And they saw the light of day on the other side of their exile.
The same is true for you and me today. As we go through these moments getting closer and closer to the end of the world or the Day of the Lord, we shouldn’t think that God is going to zap his people off the earth before the bad stuff happens. That just isn’t how God works. No matter how much you’d rather it be that way, nowhere in the Bible does God take his people away from the bad stuff. Instead he shows how he is with them through it and brings light after the darkness.
One final example
There’s a famous Bible verse found in Jeremiah. It says that God has plans for us, to make us prosper and give us hope and a future. People love that verse! I mean who wouldn’t? Right? But you should probably read right before it. That hope, future, blessing, good stuff all happens after the darkness and crap of life piles on them.
So Joel is important because he helps us realize that life will suck and God won’t always keep us from the suck of life. But in the end God wins and light prevails and a new day happens. And that new day is for us.
Pressure. It’s not always a bad thing. When I wash my truck, I like to use pressurized water. When we blow up a balloon we pressurize the air going in so that the balloon will inflate. But pressure applied in the wrong way or at the wrong time can lead to bad results. Take that same pressurized water that goes through a pressure washer and you can cut your skin.
Pressure isn’t a bad thing but when it’s the wrong pressure applied in the wrong way at the wrong time it can lead to devastating results.
Recently we talked about a type of pressure that we all go through in life. In some places we call it testing. In others it’s called trials. And in other circles it’s called temptation. They all three essentially are the same idea. The end result is generally what determines the word we use.
A test is something that isn’t intended to cripple us. A trial is something that makes us struggle and often rely on other people to help us through. And a temptation is generally something that leads us into a bad scenario that often bites us in the butt.
So the Bible uses these three words almost interchangeably. And be totally honest it’s super confusing the way we do it! In several cases we see these words used in a variety of scenarios and think they mean totally different things. But in actuality it’s the same original word that we translate differently based on the context.
In one place it says we are going to face trials of various kinds. In another we read that with every temptation there will be a way out. And in yet another we see that faith that is tested genuine will be like gold refined by fire. Three words trial, test, temptation and they all are the same root word. Confusing huh!?
One way that I tend to look at this is by the outcome. And this is where I kind of disagree with how some have translated the Bible throughout history. For me a test or a trial is something that is intended to cause us to slow down and consider what and who we know. Often these types of events can be overcome if we use the resources that are at our fingertips. But a temptation isn’t the same.
A temptation is something that often brings defeat. Temptations will generally put us in the driver seat and lead us to rely on our own self centered ways. What makes me happy? What can I do to overcome this? What’s in this for me? Why is this happening to me? I deserve better. These are all things that come out of temptations.
A famous, and generally misquoted, bible verse about temptation says that God will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear but in every temptation there will be a way of escape that he provides for us. Note that the testing, trial or temptation will be greater than we can bear on our own. The point is that we will go through these things, and if we don’t look for the way out we will be overcome. The point is the way out.
What’s the way out in your temptation? Where has God put an open door in the midst of your struggle? Are you so busy trying to figure out the problem that you fail to see the open door right in front of you? If so then perhaps you’ve turned a test or trial into a temptation.
Look for the way out. It’s most assuredly there. You just have to look for it.
There are two words in our language today that are seemingly the same but have vast differences in meaning. The two words are punishment and discipline. We don’t really care for either of these words, and I believe that’s because we don’t truly understand either of them.
Punishment is the easier one. It’s pretty much what one would imagine. You do the wrong thing and there’s a punishment waiting for you. You break the speed limit and you get a ticket. That’s a just punishment for a broken law. You disobey your parents and you get a punishment, whether that’s a time out or a spanking or some other creative tool up the parental sleeve. Punishment is generally a painful experience that follows our neglectful action or our willful disobedience. The purpose is to show us the wrong in our actions.
Discipline however isn’t like this at all. Even though we’ve tucked both of these words into the same basic definition, that’s not really how it’s supposed to be. As a matter of fact, discipline has nothing to do with the right or wrong in our actions at all. Discipline is about creating a new way of life, a better way of life, a healthier and more fulfilling way of living.
It’s super easy to mix these two up because we really don’t like the idea of either. But sometimes discipline is vital in life. Runners can’t run a marathon without training. That’s discipline! Weight lifters can’t increase their capacity to lift without the discipline of working at it constantly and making sure their diet matches their weight lifting goals. Discipline is the idea of creating a habit in life, often through challenge.
This week we talked about punishment and discipline. Here’s video of that talk. I hope you can see the difference between punishment and discipline and lean into the moments of discipline in your life.
