August 7

Day 146: A Year From Now

I grew up under the southern California sun. Ironically, I've spent most of my adult life living in rain country (Portland, Seattle, here.)

I cannot remember a wetter summer than the one we are currently enduring. If I could change it, I would've already checked that off my to-do list.

There are some things in my life, my work, etc. that I could change. But choose not to. How can that be?

Sometimes, I don't like any of what I believe to be the available options. Or maybe I remain willingly detached from the root source of a problem.

Or more likely, I can be guilty of trying to get a little more out of something I do not want.

We all do it. We do it every day. We all ask ourselves the question, "Is it better to press on? Or is it better to make necessary changes?" (HR managers know this all too well.)

This questioning is really centered on one deeper question. "What will result in the greater pain?" Unfortunately, we can easily see the short-term pain, while being unaware of the long-term gain.

So our present comfort can put shade on our careening toward long-term pain. (Picture the addict who does not want to go to rehab.)

For some of us, "the monster we know is better than the monster we don't know."

Nehemiah faced more than enough reasons to quit rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. He was falsely accused of aspiring to be king. He was falsely accused of treasonous behavior against their Persian overlord.

His enemies had even hired Nehemiah's in-house prophets to deliver the false accusations. Nehemiah had few trustworthy friends. Those who followed Nehemiah were becoming discouraged with all the negative.

Nehemiah had already proven he could make changes, even radical changes, if it aided the cause.

But rather than quit, run away and hide, Nehemiah made a hard decision. Keep working. Stay the course. This was not a non-decision, but a radical decision in its own right.

Nehemiah was willing to continue to bear the short-term pain, to see the Jerusalem walls built. He could see the long-term gain, for his nation, if not for himself.

But rather than pray for new ideas, or an out-clause for himself, Nehemiah prayed for one thing.

"But now, O God, strengthen my hands."

Nehemiah (in chapter 6) was offered the chance to go and hide in the recently rebuilt Temple. It was a death trap. Nehemiah knew this, and said, "Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in."

Nehemiah did not pray for personal protection. He did not seek is own comfort. He sought for what was right; for what God had commanded him to be and do.

Nehemiah was therefore willing to endure short-term pain for long-term gain. I can learn from this.

Sometimes, the right decision is to make necessary changes, even painful decisions; to cut things out, like a surgeon cuts in order to heal.

Some reading this will admit there are things in his/her life that keep them back from wholehearted devotion to Jesus. Others may be tempted to run away from that which is best, but currently difficult.

Rather than run and hide, what may be required is strengthened hands for the development of a gospel-centered life.

Sometimes, it's hard choices that result in radical change. Sometimes, it's the "change" of staying the course.

In any respect, the question for us in our day might be, "A year from now, if nothing changes, will I be happy with who and where I am?"

-Mike Rydman, Lead Pastor, Radiant Church | Juneau