This is the second post on dealing with disappointment with God. While this post stands alone, it may help to have some background context. You can find the first post here. Thanks for reading. I’d love to hear your feedback!

In my last post, I promised a point of hope as you deal with your disappointment with God. To work our way toward this hope, we must begin with your origin story.

The best stories have a good backstory. This is known as an origin story that shapes who you are. 

When I was a kid, my mom would tell me the story of my birth. When I came out of the womb, the umbilical cord was wrapped around my neck, and I turned blue. I was rushed from the birthing room to an incubator, where I stayed for a few hours. If I had heard that story once, I would have heard it a hundred times.

The story of my birth shaped me. 

As I recall hearing that story repeatedly, it told me there was a purpose for my life. My life had meaning. I was meant to be alive. As a kid, listening to my mom tell me that story shaped me.

Super Heroes

All superheroes have a good origin story. These origin stories aren’t always clear in the Marvel or DC movies popular today, but they almost always are embedded within the original comic book versions. I only know this because my kids tell me about it (via their YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok research). 

If you are a superhero fan, you probably are familiar with this famous line:

“With great power comes great responsibility.”

Uncle ben

This is, of course, from the origin story of Spider-Man, who is a favorite superhero in our home. A large part of Spider-Man’s appeal is his backstory. This is it in a nutshell.

Peter Parker is a nerdy high school kid who is picked on and struggling to find his place. By chance, He is bitten by a radioactive spider, which gives him supernatural powers. Suddenly, Peter can climb walls, has amazing strength, and can process information rapidly. Initially, he uses this power for personal gain, leading Peter down a dangerous path. But a robbery gone wrong finally gives weight to his story.

Peter’s uncle was the victim of a robbery that turned into murder, for which Peter is partially responsible. At this moment, Uncle Ben utters those famous words to Peter. Sensing that Peter has these new powers and abilities, he challenges Peter to also take the responsibility attached to them. 

This tragedy, wrapped in poignant words, shapes Peter Parker into the Amazing Spiderman.

As followers of Jesus, we have origin stories too. Our stories go beyond our lives to the beginning of time – Genesis. These are the stories that shape you into a true follower of Jesus.

Noah, Abraham, and Joseph: Origin Stories of Disappointment

When we think of the stories of the men and women in the book of Genesis (and most of the Bible), we think of their amazing faith. Noah trusted God, so he built a Titanic-sized zoo. Abraham believed in God’s word, left his home, and wandered the countryside searching for God’s promises. Joseph heard God in dreams, and he rose to second in power in the known world, saving his family along the way.

They and so many others fill us with faith, but their stories are much deeper and nuanced than that. 

None of those men could display such deep faith without experiencing great pain along the way. Noah saw the world destroyed. All he knew and loved (outside his family) was gone. Abraham was promised not just a family but a nation, yet he waited 25 (long) years to see a legitimate son born to his wife.

But these don’t come close to Joseph’s story of heartache.

Pain was a part of Joseph’s story

Joseph was the next to the youngest of twelve brothers. All twelve brothers shared the same father but had different mothers. This, along with their father’s overt favoritism, caused a deep rift between Joseph and the older brothers (that and Joseph flaunting his dreams of the entire family bowing down to him in the future). 

So, his brothers deal with him in an unbelievably cruel way. They toss Joseph into a pit and only pull him out to sell him to a band of slavers. 

Joseph spends the next 13 years of his life as a slave and prisoner after being unjustly accused of rape. Before rising to power and saving the world, Joseph endures horrific pain.

Pain was a part of Joseph’s story.

I think you see where I’m going with this, but let me give you one more piece of your origin story.

Pain was a part of Jesus’ story

Our backstory is deeper than just the book of Genesis. It encompasses the entire Old Testament—Moses, Deborah, Gideon, Ruth, David, Solomon, Elisha, Esther, and many more. Yet, it’s the New Testament that allows all of these stories to take shape and make sense.

The coming of Jesus changed everything, but Jesus’ life wasn’t easy.

His difficulties began at birth. He was born on the road, in a cave, and his first bed was an empty feeding trough. His earliest years were spent on the run, living in a foreign land, with his parents constantly looking over their shoulders. 

We love the stories of Jesus healing the blind, raising the dead, and casting out demons. We are amazed at the teachings and the insight into life Jesus gave. Everyone applauds Jesus for pushing back against the religious leaders who oppressed the poor in spirit. However, we shy away from Jesus, living on the generosity of others, being threatened by the power brokers, and ultimately assassinated by a ruthless empire.

I hope you see it, but I’ll be blunt if not.

Pain is embedded into your origin story.

Disappointment will be part of your story, too.

Heartache was in the story of our Old Testament heroes. Pain was weaved in Jesus’ story. The great leaders of the New Testament church knew disappointment in their physical realities, and it shouldn’t have been a surprise. Jesus promised them (and us) that this would be the case:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  -John 16:33 NLT

Jesus top follower, Peter, told a faithful group of Jesus followers something similar in his letters:

“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.”  -1 Peter 1:6 NLT

The term ‘Christian’ literally means ‘little Christ’. Your goal as a follower of Jesus is to be like Jesus. We should always stretch to transform from corrupt and evil to righteous and holy. This transformation requires heartache, pain, and disappointment.

So, where’s the hope?

I’m sure you are asking, where is the hope? In my last post, I promised this to be a note of hope as we suffer through disappointment with God. God may seem far away, distant, or even hidden to you right now.

You may be dealing with the loss of a loved one, a marriage that is falling apart, or a child who refuses to speak with you. It could be your dreams that seemed so possible and clear just a few years ago are all but lost.

Where is the hope?

Here is the hope…there is purpose in your pain.

Purpose in your disappointment.

In Joseph’s story, he ascended from his jail cell (really the cell of a foreign slave, which might be the lowest of all society). He interpreted the Pharaoh’s dream through the hand of God, so Pharaoh appointed him as the second most powerful man in the nation (and by proxy, the 2nd most powerful man in the known world). Joseph developed a food program preparing for the coming famine, and 20 years after he was sold off into slavery, he met his brothers again. 

Joseph saved his family by moving them to Egypt. Not long after this move, Jacob, their father, died. This caused great anxiety for his brothers. They feared Joseph would finally exact revenge on these brothers. In desperation, they fell on their knees before Joseph, but Joseph’s response shocked them. It should shock you, too.

This is not just for Joseph and his brothers. It is for me and you, too. 

“But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.”  -Genesis 50:20 NKJV

In other words, God used Joseph’s heartache for a greater purpose.

Again, this is reason for hope. Pain alone does not shape you; purpose is also part of your origin story.

The heartache, pain, and disappointment you are suffering is for a reason. God is not the author of your pain, but God will use your pain for good.

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” -Romans 8:28 NLT

This, friend, is the hope you are looking for. 

God’s purpose is your good.

Yes, you may be disappointed with God. He may not be acting as you expected, but God is not unaware. God is preparing to move through you in a way that would not be possible without the pain you are walking through right now.

To be clear, God did not create the heartache you are experiencing. He is the father of light — all good things come from him (James 1). Our fallen nature leads to horrible things (like being thrown into a pit, slavery, murder, divorce, broken relationships, or financial hardships), but God finds a way to use them for good. God’s design is to transform our pain into our good and the good of those around us.

The key is your willingness to move through your pain to find healing and wholeness so that God can do incredible things through you. I’ll share more about this in the next two weeks — being real with God, yourself, and others, and holding onto Jesus.

So prepare yourself to begin walking purposefully through your pain. This will be your guide through your disappointment with God.

Writing Playlist 

I don’t know if we have the same taste in music, but here are some songs to explore. All the links go to Spotify. While writing this post, this is some of what I was listening to:

• Jazz-Funk Playlist – Spotify Curated
• Worship Music 2024 – Spotify Playlist
• Squabble – Miles Minnick + Key’ijah

The post Disappointment + Origin Stories appeared first on Andy Bondurant - Life. Faith. You can know God..

After years of waiting, our family finally embarked on a long-overdue vacation. We exchanged our familiar routines and responsibilities for the pristine shores of Destin, Florida. Days bathed in sunshine and warmth awaited us, providing the perfect backdrop for relaxation. From our idyllic rental home with access to a resort-style pool, we savored moments of leisure, indulging in local seafood joints and basking in the beauty of nature. It was a much-needed escape, a week dedicated to rest.

Amidst this oasis, I found myself contemplating the elusive concept of rest. It was more than just a fleeting break from work; it carried a deeper significance. The idea of rest, promised by God to His followers, resonated within me. The book of Hebrews speaks of a “special rest” awaiting God’s people (Hebrews 4:9, NLT), but what does it truly entail? Is it a future divine vacation or an experience we can embrace here and now?

Entering into Rest

Intriguingly, scholars and theologians have long debated the meaning behind this passage in Hebrews. NT Wright, a distinguished New Testament scholar, suggests that it highlights the tension between the “already” and the “not yet” of a believer’s experience in Jesus. Others, like Martin Luther and John Wesley, perceive it as a rest found through the acceptance of Jesus’ grace and the ongoing journey toward sanctification.

But their understanding didn’t seem to answer this question: How does this promise manifest in our day-to-day lives? Jesus’ words in Matthew echo in my mind:

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest”

Matthew 11:28

Jesus’ words in Matthew are not a new bit of scripture for those who have been around the church for a while. I’ve read it and heard it quoted dozens of times. For some reason, when I read this now, Jesus’ words give me more hope than they did in the past. 

Jesus promised us rest…rest for today. Here. Now.

What about you? Does this line give you hope? Maybe it doesn’t because of what he says (for those of us familiar with this passage).

Yokes of Rest?

Jesus makes an odd statement to my 21st-century ears.

“Take my yoke upon you…”

Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭29A‬ ‭‬‬

Jesus says we are like oxen tethered to a yoke. Okay, let’s be honest. His analogy doesn’t sound like a life of rest and relaxation. If Jesus is comparing me to a beast of burden there doesn’t seem to be much rest mixed into his metaphor. How does this give hope? Where does the rest come into this comparison?

Here are a couple of things to remember about Jesus’ words:

1. Jesus isn’t driving you. He’s not thinking about this from the outside looking in. You aren’t alone to do the heavy lifting. 
2. No, you are yoked to Jesus. Jesus is tethered to you; he is working alongside you.

“Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” ‭‬‬

Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭29‬ ‭

And there it is, true rest.

Rest for your soul.

On my vacation, I had two very different moments that were both “restful” in the sense that I wasn’t doing work. However, only in one of those situations did I experience true rest. 

The first moment was on my way to Destin. We had a several-hour layover between flights. I uncomfortably sat in a noisy, crowded airport during my layover. While waiting in the airport, I ate mediocre fast food, and I had a lukewarm cup of coffee. I waited in a busy lounge so I could cue up in line to board a jam-packed airplane. 

I wasn’t working, but I didn’t experience rest either.

A few days later, after an afternoon of playing in the surf and enjoying the sun, we returned to our rental. On a lazy, breezy Florida afternoon, I lay on the back porch. I read a little; I slept for a bit. 

I wasn’t working, and I experienced true rest.

Jesus offers you true rest.

“For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭30

When you connect to Jesus life is easier. The keyword is easier. Not easy. Easier. Life isn’t going to be easy for us. Jesus tells us, as his followers, to pick up our cross. The cross isn’t a metaphor of ease. But if we yoke ourselves to Jesus this burden is easier to lift. When you tether to Jesus your call is light. Life is manageable. Doable.

Rest + Peace

I’ve been home for a few weeks now, back at work and the normal grind of life. I’ve continued to meditate on this concept of rest. An important element I’ve focused on this year is being filled with the Holy Spirit. A result of being filled with the Spirit is manifesting the fruit of the Holy Spirit. 

Perhaps you remember these fruit Paul tells us about in Galatians 5. When the Holy Spirit fills you, you can expect nine fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. Notice the third fruit in the list above — peace. 

As I live a life constantly and consistently filled with the Spirit, I will display peace. In other words, it is a way to enter into the rest Jesus promises us. Have you asked the Holy Spirit to fill you today?

When I attach myself to Jesus my burden will be light, and my call will be light. When I am filled with the Spirit I manifest peace.

I am calling you up into rest. Will you tether yourself to Jesus? Will you ask the Holy Spirit to fill you? Life will be easier (not easy). Your call will be light. You will experience peace.

The post Vacation Reflections: Finding Rest for Your Soul appeared first on Andy Bondurant - Life. Faith. You can know God..

Welcome to the final chapter of walking through 1 Samuel. We witnessed the rise of Samuel, then Saul, and read about the trials of David. Today is the tragic end to Saul’s reign in Israel. What had begun with so much hope and promise ends with a flicker of pain and destruction.

Start by reading 1 Samuel 31 for yourself, take notes, and compare what you see and hear from God with what I see and hear. The Bible is alive and active. You and I may not see the same things. And if you’ve missed any of the past posts of earlier chapters, you can find them all HERE.

Let’s jump into 1 Samuel 31!

Light in Darkness

Think back to where this story began. A small boy chosen by God to be his nation’s prophet. Another young man chosen to be the first king of Israel. God’s nation uniting around that king. Yet another young hero rising up in their midst, one who can slay giants. The story had such hopeful trajectory.

Fast forward a few decades and it’s all fallen apart. The little boy grew old and passed away. The young king grew to be arrogant, obstinate and now dead without much of an heir to his throne (the perceived heir died with the king in battle). The hero (who would be king) is an outcast, and his life also in tatters. The nation is in retreat. It ends with the king and his sons dead, bodies hung on the walls of their enemies.

The darker the dark, the brighter any light shines.

In the cover of night a band of brave and nameless men perform an act of courage and selflessness. They steal the bodies of their king and princes, giving them the burial they deserve as chosen men of God.

These brave, selfless men let their light shine. How can you allow your light to shine in the darkness around you? It may take an act of bravery and courage. It may mean putting yourself in a dangerous (physical, emotional, relational) situation.

In the dark be the light.

PS – Don’t be fooled. The story isn’t over. Begin reading 2 Samuel, and see God is at work in his chosen people!

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Welcome to the last of 1 Samuel. We’ve read about the rise of Samuel, then Saul, and now we are reading about the trials of David as he prepares to become the next king of Israel. This chapter sees David evading Saul by taking up residence with…the Philistines?!

Start by reading 1 Samuel 27 for yourself, take notes, and compare what you see and hear from God with what I see and hear. The Bible is alive and active. You and I may not see the same things. And if you’ve missed any of the past posts of earlier chapters, you can find them all HERE.

Let’s dive into 1 Samuel 27!

Impossible Places: Is God with You?

David loved Israel. He loved the people. David loved the God of the people. So for David to decide to live with his bitter enemies, he had to be at his wits end.

Sometimes the best decision you can make will still feel like the worst decision you could make. It will feel wrong, and it will seem as if there is no end in sight. David may have wondered if it would be forever.

God doesn’t promise us a perfect or ideal life. Things won’t always work the way we think they should. Sometimes we are forced to places we never thought we would go. When you find yourself in this place, ask this question:

“Is God with me?”

We don’t specifically see David ask it here, but it was a pattern for him. God are you with me?

Last night, I spoke to a mother who had lost her son to homicide. Even worse, he left two young daughters without a father. It is up to this grandmother to tell these sweet children their father is dead. It’s a place she never thought she would be forced to go.

Is God with me? That’s the question she needed as she approached this conversation. What are the right words? How do you tell your grandchildren their father is tragically gone? She needed to know that God was with her.

You need to know God is with you in hard and difficult days.

I’ll be honest, sometimes it won’t be clear. But if you can determine God isn’t against your choice (Scripture, counsel, wisdom), then move forward. Believe He is walking with you. Believe God has a plan and a purpose for a greater good in you and for those around you.

Is God with you?

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Years ago, while sitting in a movie theater watching The Lion King, I had a profound experience of encountering God. The opening credits, accompanied by cinematic brilliance, set the stage for a powerful narrative of kingship, family, and the land they rule. As the heavens opened to shine upon the newborn prince, I found myself immersed in the spiritual practice of contemplation. In this blog post, we will explore the concept of contemplation, specifically focusing on seeing God in the culture that surrounds us.

There are three typical ways we contemplate God:

• Through culture.
• Through creation.
• Through our own world.

Contemplation through Culture in Scripture

When I saw God during The Lion King, I contemplated God through culture. For some people this is a foreign idea — God at work in the things created by non-believers? But we see this in Scripture. The most famous example of this is Paul visiting the city of Athens in Acts 17. 

Paul sees God embedded in culture.

The leaders of Athens invited Paul to speak in front of the city at the famous Aeropagus. It was the center of thought, creative thinking and new ideas. It was an honor and an opportunity for Paul. He begins his talk like this:

“Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about.”

‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭17‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Paul, standing before some of the intellectual giants of the day, uses their own culture to point out God to them. Now here is an important question to ask, so we can have this same impact on our own world: How did Paul prepare himself use the culture around him to see and be God to the Athenian people?

Paul began the process as he walked the city alone with God.

“While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city.”

‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭17‬:‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Paul had just been run out of the city of Berea, and he was forced to wait for his co-workers Silas and Timothy. He didn’t waste the time and anonymity given to him. Paul walked the city taking in its culture. Scripture tells us he was troubled by what he saw. Paul used this agitation in his spirit to talk to God about what he saw. He meditated and prayed about it. He compared what he saw to the scriptures.

This is contemplation. As Paul thought about all he was seeing, God pointed him toward the tomb marked for an “Unknown God.” God opened Paul’s eyes to the fact that God had hidden himself within the culture and within the heart of every man. It was Paul’s job to point it out to the Athenians. In other words, Paul was to ‘be’ God to the people of Athens.

Paul sees God in pop culture

Paul saw more than just that tomb in their culture. In his talk Paul goes on to say:

““His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.”

‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭17‬:‭27‬-‭29‬ ‭NLT‬‬ (emphasis mine)

Some historians have compared the ancient lyrical poets to pop stars of today. These poets were invited to perform at dinner parties and festivals. Paul used their popularity to his advantage. First, Paul was not unaware of them or their messages (see God in culture). Second, Paul let them help make his point (be God to the world).

Just like God placed Paul within the Greco-Roman culture of his day, God has placed us within this Western/multi-cultural world. Paul used that opportunity to contemplate God. Are you contemplating God in culture?

In Culture, Not of Culture

Followers of Jesus tend to fall into one of two camps when it comes to culture. We either reject culture out of fear, or we immerse ourselves in culture, become desensitized and miss God altogether. God doesn’t want us to live in either of these two extremes. Our goal should be to walk the fine balance of that old saying, “be in the world not of the world.”

First, let’s analyze the two negative ways of dealing with culture. Culture in and of itself is not evil. In fact, culture is based on the principles God has created. Let’s take the top movies of 1994 as an example. 

The top two movies of 1994, based on box office gross, were Forest Gump and The Lion King. That same year dozens of movies, if not hundreds, were released to the world. The tenth most popular movie of that year was Interview with a Vampire which grossed $99M. Forest Gump and The Lion King nearly tripled those numbers. Each of those two movies doubled the third movie on the list, the Arnold Schwarzenegger film True Lies. To date, combined, the Forest Gump and The Lion King have made over $2B!

Why? What made those two films so wildly successful during the year they were released and in the 30 years since?

God is the creator of culture

God is the creator of stories. His stories tell beautiful and compelling narratives. Forest Gump and The Lion King were runaway successes because the very essence of God is baked with them — a beautiful, well told story.

The Bible is an example of this. It’s God’s creative and compelling story of the redemption of his creation for his glory. The Bible contains stories of heartache, intrigue, and beauty. It is a book full of twists and turns. There is a reason it is both the best selling book of all time. 

Your life is an example of this too. God is telling a creative and compelling story through the heartache and triumph you have experienced. It may not have the storyline of Forest Gump, but the feelings are just as real for you in the moment to experience it. 

Just like most things, the fall of man wrestled story away from God, but the principles of a great story still point us to God. Great stories have a redemption arch. Beautiful stories are full of heartache and intrigue. We shouldn’t be afraid of the beauty in culture because God has created it. Our job is to wrestle it back from an evil purpose. Sometimes this means making our own stories – through film, art, music, literature. Other times it means seeing God in what those who don’t follow Jesus create. In both cases our ultimate job is to use culture to point people to Jesus. 

Everyone is a disciple.

However we don’t want to be so immersed in the culture that we miss God altogether. It’s easy to use contemplation as an excuse to dive headfirst into culture only to find ourselves drowning in the thing we want to rescue. Or we discount the danger that the anti-God nature culture holds. 

A great way to analyze this is through the context of discipleship. Someone or something disciples all of us. In other words, something or someone is growing you as a person. Are you growing in the values of God through his word, other believers, mentors, worship, etc? Are you growing in the values of culture through any number of media channels? 

Here’s a great barometer for yourself: Where is your free time going? Where you spend your free time is shaping who you are. If your time is spent on social media, cable news, or unbelieving friends they are shaping your walk with God. If you use your time to be in Scripture, with Christian friends and meditating on God you are growing as a follower of Jesus.

Transformed not Conformed

In Romans 12, Paul gives us a useful way of dealing with this tension of being in the world but not of it.

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The NIV uses the words conformed and transformed. We shouldn’t be so immersed in culture that we are conformed to its ways of thinking. We counterbalance this by bathing our minds in the things of God, and this transforms our minds.

At the same time, Paul doesn’t tell us to run from the world. He’s clear on this point in 1 Corinthians 5:

“When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I can’t be sure, but my guess is you aren’t called to become a monk retreating from culture. We are to engage with culture without letting ourselves be conformed the culture around us.

How to Contemplate in Culture

It’s clear through Paul’s actions and Paul’s writing we are to contemplate God within culture. So how do we do it? Here are three tips:

1. Ask God to open your eyes.

I’ve made it a practice as I meditate in the morning to ask the Holy Spirit to fill me fresh for the day. As part of this process, I ask him to open my eyes and ears to see and hear him throughout the day. A great first step to seeing God in culture is asking him to reveal himself to you.

2. Train yourself to see God in culture.

For many of us, we’ve learned to compartmentalize the secular and the sacred. We have taught ourselves to that God belongs in their box, and the world belongs in a different box.  We need to train ourselves to see God doesn’t remove himself from either box. 

When you watch a movie, listen to a song, read a book or consider a piece of art ask yourself where you see God. Here are some common themes you’ll see in art – redemption, love, and a search for truth among many others. All of these are basic principles of how God operates. This is seeing God in culture.

3. Share what you see with others.

Contemplation isn’t just seeing God in culture, it is using what we see to be God to the world around us. So when you are having a conversation about the latest movie, television show, book or song with friends, share how you saw God or His principles in that creation.

God is the original creator. God embeds himself into our creations. Do you see God in the culture around you?

The post Contemplation: God in Culture appeared first on Andy Bondurant - Life. Faith. You can know God..

We’re now in the second half of 1 Samuel. We’ve read about the rise of Samuel and then Saul. You watched the heartbreaking mistakes of Saul. A few chapters ago, we were introduced to the great future king of Israel, David. Now read see the ultimate picture of friendship.

Start by reading 1 Samuel 20 for yourself, take notes, and compare what you hear from God with what I see and hear. The Bible is alive and active. You and I may not see the same things. And if you’ve missed any of the past posts of earlier chapters, you can find them all HERE.

Jump in with me!

A friend closer than a brother.

One of my favorite lines in the book of Proverbs is this:

There are friends who are friends, and there is a friend that is closer than a brother. 

Proverbs 18:24

We’re not sure exactly who wrote this line, but it very well could have been Solomon, the son of David. I sometimes wonder if maybe Solomon wrote this after hearing the stories from his father about his deep friendship with Jonathan. David had lots of ‘friends’, but none were quite like Jonathan.

We need friends. More importantly, we each need a friend like Jonathan. This is one of the great stories in the Bible that displays a deep and caring friendship. The friendship is so deep David will years later find the closest living relative of Jonathan to bless him because of their friendship.

You need a friend like Jonathan.

Who in your life are you turning to for help, comfort and support? Of course, Jesus is the correct Sunday School answer, but we need human support too. We need people in our lives who care about us, who challenge us and who pick us up when we are down.

If you don’t have this kind of friend in your life, ask God to send one. We all need a friend like Jonathan.

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This past November I began my 50th rotation around the sun. Just like I noticed a change in my body during my early 40s (specifically my metabolism), I’m noticing the same thing as I enter into my 50s. I’m still working out like I was a year ago, but the results have plateaued. I wake up more days than not feeling stiff and sore. My eyes are beginning to fail me (readers are just a breath away). My teenage boys have passed me in most physical abilities (though I still got that old man strength). I have more grey hair than dark on my head and face (where I even have hair that is). 

In short, I’m getting old. 

To be clear there is no shame in that statement. I don’t think of myself as old, but I am aging. All the physical things listed above point to this truth. 

This changes so much about how I approach life – in so many different areas. Scripture is one of these areas of life.

young + old

Just this month, as I read through the Apostle Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus, I felt my age. In his writing, Paul addresses age throughout the three letters — younger men and women interacting with older men and women. Timothy and Titus are young leaders, so Paul mentors Timothy and Titus on how to pastor people both older and younger than them. 

In the past, I read these letters from the viewpoint of Timothy or Titus. Here is a classic line from 1 Timothy where I identified with Timothy in the past:

“Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.”

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I typically have thought of myself as a young man and leader, so I didn’t want to allow myself to be diminished as a leader because of my age. However, I no longer see myself as the young leader being mentored by Paul. I now see myself as what Paul writes to Titus:

“Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience.”

‭‭Titus‬ ‭2‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

My role has changed. 

Like most people, I appreciate change that I control. I love to change job responsibilities when I choose the new function. I don’t enjoy a job change when my boss tells me I’m changing roles. But love or hate, that is now my job. I get to choose whether I embrace that role or grudgingly fulfill it.

I can’t choose whether I age or not. I simply am getting older. I do get to choose how I view my age. So, as I enter my 50th year, I choose to embrace my role as an older man and leader. And as with any role, there are ups and downs to embracing this change.

I’m not as hip on all the latest trends and terms. I’m constantly trying to catch up with what is going on in the worlds of my teenage and young adult children. The things I once was able to do physically, I’m no longer able to do. I’m not seen as young and vibrant by most people any longer. However, those things no longer define me.

I am sought for advice on a myriad of issues by a variety of people. I find myself counseling and caring for people like I never have before. I am able to speak to three groups of people with respect and authority. Those who are my age will always listen to someone their age and with similar life experiences. Those who are younger see me as an older and wiser person to seek counsel. Those who are older are now willing to give me credit for the life I have lived (both the wins and the losses) to this point.

I am embracing this role.

Embrace Your Role

I don’t know what role you are in, and how that might be changing. It’s very possible your role has completely changed in the past couple of years, and you may not love that switch. Your reward is choice. You still have the ability to choose to embrace your new role…or not.

One important note: As you embrace your new role, be sure to define what this place means for you.

As I read Titus 2:2, I realized my role meant self-control, respect, wisdom, sound faith, love and patience. In other words, I can’t be the jaded, mean old man. I will earn respect by controlling what I say and when I say it. I will display my sound faith with both love and patience for those I encounter.

Here are three quick questions to ask yourself in response to this post:

• What is your role?
• Have you embraced your role?
• Have you defined the requirements of your role?

The post Your Role: Embrace the Change appeared first on Andy Bondurant - Life. Faith. You can know God..

Welcome back to 1 Samuel! Every Wednesday and Friday, I post my thoughts from one chapter of 1 Samuel – today is chapter 13. Read 1 Samuel 13 for yourself, take notes, and compare what you hear from God with what I see and hear. God’s Word is alive and active. We don’t need to see the same things!

If you’ve missed any of the past posts of earlier chapters, you can find them all HERE.

If you are new to reading the Bible, I encourage you to read my post, How to Understand the Bible. It gives you 5 tools to read the Bible, so you understand it. You can also go back and read through the story of Joseph and his family and all of Luke with me.

So let’s go ahead and jump in!

Slave to Fear

Last week, we looked at the power of emotion, and the importance of recognizing and identifying our emotions. Today, we see the beginning of the downfall of Saul because he didn’t recognize the fear in his life and deal with it appropriately.

While we want to recognize and identify our emotions, and we want to use them to make informed decisions, we don’t want to be ruled by our emotions. Saul allows fear to rule his life. We see the seeds of it when He is named king, and he hides in the baggage, and now it pops up again.

Of all our emotions, fear may be the most insidious. It causes us to project the worst possible outcome in any situation, to lose hope and do make rash decisions. Ultimately, when fear isn’t identified and dealt with, we allow it to rule over God.

Fear becomes our god.

Fear removes God from the equation, and oddly enough, this is what happens to Saul. I say odd because Saul makes a religious decision – make the sacrifice, but it’s done in disobedience. Samuel, the prophet, instructed Saul to wait. Fear told Saul, God was abandoning him.

How do we deal with fear? We identify it, and we speak to it. Tell fear God is in control. We tell God He is in charge of our lives, and we choose to lay our emotions down do Him. It’s amazing the power this has. Just those words alone begin to disapate fear immediately.

You don’t have to be a slave to fear. It doesn’t need to be your god. Choose to rule over it today!

The post Walk Through Scripture | 1 Samuel 13 appeared first on Andy Bondurant - Life. Faith. You can know God..

Welcome back to 1 Samuel! Every Wednesday and Friday, I post my thoughts from one chapter of 1 Samuel – today is chapter 11. Take a few minutes to read 1 Samuel 11 for yourself, take notes, and compare what you hear from God with what I see and hear. God’s Word is alive and active. We don’t need to see the same things!

If you’ve missed any of the past posts of earlier chapters, you can find them all HERE.

If you are new to reading the Bible, I encourage you to read my post, How to Understand the Bible. It gives you 5 tools to read the Bible, so you understand it. You can also go back and read through the story of Joseph and his family and all of Luke with me.

So let’s go ahead and jump in!

Emotions: Feelings for a Reason

God has given you emotions for a reason. He wants you to feel things, so you know what is happening around you at a gut level. We can’t always let our emotions drive us, but we can use them as an indicator of what’s happening, how I feel, and how I should respond.

This is true of Saul when he hears of the tyranny the people of Jabesh Gilead were living under,

“Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry.”

1 Samuel‬ ‭11:6‬ ‭

Saul goes on to cut up his oxen as a w‬‬arning to anyone who won’t help this town. It reminds me of the righteous anger Jesus displayed on Holy Week. Jesus entered the temple, and saw it being treated like a flea market along with corruption of the priests. Jesus upended tables and empties the market out.

The anger they felt was a sign from God, and both Saul and Jesus listened to what their emotions were saying. Then they both made calculated decisions on what to do with that anger. Both led to change.

What are your emotions telling you? Don’t ignore them!

You don’t want to be ruled by your emotions, but you do want to pay attention to them. You need to stop, analyze your emotions, and ask yourself, “What is this telling me about myself, my world, God?” Then act.

The action may be to go on with life as normal, but it is just as likely to mean making a change, confronting evil or injustice, speaking encouragement to yourself or others, or one of any other things.

What are you emotions telling you?

The post Walk Through Scripture | 1 Samuel 11 appeared first on Andy Bondurant - Life. Faith. You can know God..

One of the important things we need to understand about God and the things of God; He is not bound by the same laws and rules as the physical world. God is the originator of the multiverse (though I don’t know that it works like it does in the Marvel universe). God can be everywhere, all the time, at any point in time.

For instance, we operate in a linear timeline. What is to take place next week can’t happen until what goes on today, tomorrow and the rest of this week. I can’t make my house payment until my paycheck arrives. I can’t repair my car until I take it to the mechanic. Our world operates linearly. 

However, God is not bound by our linear time and space. Though I am praying about an event in the future, and I can’t be there until that time comes, God is not bound by those same laws. God can say, “It is finished,” today because he can see and be in next week…now. This is why God isn’t worried about my future. He already knows how it ends, and He has already been at work in areas of my life…before I’ve even been there.

Stripped. Clothed. Learned.

I understand this is pretty deep for a Tuesday morning, but it matters to how we operate in our everyday lives. How God operates matters for me today. Let me give you another example:

“Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.”‬

Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭NLT

Paul is writing to the church in Colossae about the preeminence of Christ above everything and everyone else. Christ changes us. Which is what Paul is saying in these two verses in chapter three. Specifically, Paul says we have:

• Stripped off our old sin nature.
• Put on our new Christ nature.
• Become like God.

Here is what is important about this idea from Paul, all three actions are taking place simultaneously. There are three motions, but they are all done in one act. In our physical world, this is impossible. We take off our old nature. Stop. We put on our new nature. Stop. We become like God. Stop.

This is vital to us who follow Jesus. We are currently being changed – we are losing the old sinful parts our ourselves, as this is happening, they are being replaced by Christ-like parts, and simultaneously, we are becoming like God. There is no in between state.

The future is now.

Let’s go back to the future.

As I imagine it, it is like some sort of machine designed for the family in the old cartoon The Jetson’s. This imaginary machine is stripping me of all my old, unGod-like clothing, and simultaneously printing new Christ clothing on me, while shooting a God-infuser into me.

Here’s my big point: I don’t work on one, then another and finally the last. I am doing all three at once. Don’t just stop sinning, replace it with a Christ quality. Don’t just put on a new, good habit, learn and become more like God.

And of course, it’s not you doing this. As you submit to God, He, through the Holy Spirit, is changing you, completely…now. 

The post 3 Motions. 1 Action. appeared first on Andy Bondurant - Life. Faith. You can know God..