May 13
DebDay 60: Faithfulness
Isn't it funny how we can feel radically different from one day to the next? Some days, it's "Everything is awesome," while other days we've flatlined.
Kind of like my daily Bible reading. Some days I respond with a "Wow! This is incredible!" and maybe just a day later it's more like, (said slowly) "Did it. Check."
Some days I think the pandemic is a gift from God, forcing His Church to rethink what it means to be the Church. And how glorious things will come out from this.
Other days, church life and my leadership seems so inadequate if not dysfunctional.
We do waffle (if waffle is a verb.) I'm not nearly as consistent or predictable as I would like to believe I am. But I do trend.
In contrast to my wife, who is a supreme optimist, I am not so much. I like to think of myself as "pragmatic" or a "realist," but the greatest living authority on the "subject of Mike," Deb, will tell you that I can trend to a negative outlook.
Deb sees what's been accomplished. I see what remains undone. She sees the utopia. I see the dystopia.
Deb is Tigger. I am Eeyore.
I do come from Swedish stock, so some of this is at a cellular level. But, I don't see it as a character strength in me either.
I'm glad faithfulness isn't dependent on my own impressions or evaluations. I'm also glad that faithfulness is not defined by success. Or failure.
In what I hope is the beginning of the end of our societal shutdown, like you I am also taking stock of what it means to be faithful. We're all doing this, even if we're not consciously aware we're doing it.
Will we each return to things we were previously faithful to?
Faithfulness is remaining true to what we each believe to be important. Even daily mundane tasks can be done in faithfulness.
Faithfulness is also hoping (and waiting) for God's best, irrespective of present circumstances or gloomy global predictions.
Faithfulness can be an attitude changer.
As Christians, our faithfulness to do what we know brings glory to our Lord also gives us something in return.
Joy.
And...a deeper sense of the Lord's presence, and the Lord's power, even the pleasure He takes in us.
Psalm 4:7 simply says, "You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound."
So the questions for me to wrestle with today is, "Can I be faithful to find joy?"
By myself? No. I'm usually negative.
But by seeking the presence, the power, the pleasure of Jesus, I absolutely can.
And I want to be faithful to that!
-Mike Rydman, Lead Pastor, Radiant Church | Juneau
