MRC | From WHY to HOW

Sometimes life does not make sense! Sometimes our prayers do not seem to be answered. The answers fail to come. Peace seems elusive. Sometimes all that we can do is scratch our head and wonder. Wonder what God is up to, what are His plans, why is this happening. Oh, I’m not talking about a crisis of belief or faith in the goodness and grandness of God the Father. God is in control and we are not. This becomes more evident with every passing day. But even with that unshakable belief and trust in God, sometimes…… life doesn’t make sense.

I’ve shared on and off about my beautiful bride of 31 years, Anne Marie. Sweetest, most loving, Christ-like person I know. Since about 2012 she has dealt with some back issues that have adversely impacted her ability to walk at times. Over the last few months her condition has deteriorated to the point where she can’t walk at all. We have prayed, we have anointed her with oil, we have made proclamations of faith claiming her healing based upon the promises of God’s Word and yet her condition remains. My church family at CHR1ST FELLOWSHIP has installed a chairlift in our home allowing Anne Marie to come downstairs to join the family when the kids and grandkids come over. They are also going to install a ramp to make it much easier to leave the house. They are the absolute best! If you are looking for a church home in the Chesapeake/Norfolk/Va. Beach area give me a shout. At CHR1ST FELLOWSHIP we don't talk about love, WE LOVE!

Oh we still look to God to heal her, in fact we know He will, sooner rather than later! But in the meantime, if not careful I can find myself slowly creeping towards the deep dark places in the Land of WHY? Have you ever spent time there? My guess is someone reading this right now may own property in the land of WHY. Who knows I might be speaking to the Mayor of WHY. Regardless, that is a bad place to call home. Nothing good ever comes from calling the Land of WHY home. To take up residence there is to move into a neighborhood of despair, self-pity, un-ending sorrow, emotional, spiritual and physical paralysis. It’s just not a good place to call home. 

So as of this very second I have put the brakes on the Land of WHY. No friends, there is another option, another neighborhood we can lay claim to… the Land of HOW. How can we make the best of this time until the Lord heals Anne Marie? How can I be a better husband, father, grandfather, pastor and friend during this season of our lives? How can I make the most of this opportunity to flesh out the love of Jesus Christ? How can we glorify God?

Friend, if you are stuck in the Land of WHY, let me challenge you to begin to change your focus to HOW. You see why leads to depression and inaction, that sense of paralysis I mentioned earlier. BUT HOW, now that leads us to action. That helps us get our eyes off of ourselves and to put them on others. HOW can return to us our passion and purpose, even in the midst of the storm. 

Friend, if you have been living in the Land of WHY, with God’s help I promise you, you can pack your bags and move into the Land of HOW, today!

See you at the finish line!