SONG OF GRACE (Personal Reflection)

Lord I come, O Sovereign King

All my hope is in Your hands

From creation's majesty

You ordained redemption's plan

For Your glory's renown

And Your greatness displayed

Mercy came and ransomed

My life from the Fall

Mercy came and ransomed my heart

All the righteousness in me

Shows my desperate need of grace

For my purest thoughts and deeds

Stand to justify the grave

But The Christ intervened

Through the power of the cross

In His death I am freed

From the wages of sin

In His death, I am sealed by His blood

My soul will sing Your unfailing love

My heart will bless Your name

Forever my life will rest in Your grace

My soul will bless Your name

Now my life is not my own

Jesus, use me as You please

Gladly I will share Your pain

Just to know the lasting peace

So I give You my life

That the whole world might see

There is hope in the power

Of Your saving grace

There is hope in the power of Your name

On that day before the throne

When I'm standing as Your bride

There my heart is welcomed home

In the open arms of Christ

I will join the redeemed

In the anthem of grace

Praise the Lamb! Who purchased

His bride from the grave

Praise the Lamb!

Who purchased my heart!

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DISCLAIMER: This post is much longer than usual due to including personal perspective from the songwriter within the body of this reflection/devotion. Due to the richness of the text, this post warranted a deeper dive in order to understand and discern the meaning behind the lyrics, which inevitably produced a lengthy composition. Nonetheless, I pray hearts and minds would be open the Spirit's leading through SONG OF GRACE, for the Biblical foundation it was built upon warrants prayerful consideration. May we glean all the wisdom God has in store for us through the beauty of this song as we sing praises to the glory of His name.

PERSONAL TESTIMONY (Daniel): Rarely am I blown away by a song I've never heard before, but "Song of Grace" by Jarod Espy is arguably one of the greatest songs of worship I have ever heard. I'd rate it as high, if not higher, than anything I've listened to over the years from popular, contemporary worship ministries like Hillsong, Elevation, Bethel, Vertical, North Point, Sovereign Grace, etc. It's not just a great song, but a treasured and timeless hymn, and arguably one of the best kept secrets in Christian music to date since being released a few years ago. My prayer is that the love and popularity of this song receives the recognition it deserves and ignites a revival within worship services all across the world, because it encompasses everything we could ever want or need to know about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I pray this personal reflection and songwriter perspective help provide the spark to ignite that fire in the Church of Jesus Christ for the praise and glory of our Almighty King. Therefore, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer" (Psalm 19:14).

The greatest gifts in life are typically unexpected. After publishing my previous post, LAST WORD, I challenged those within my inner circle of friends to share their favorite songs for overcoming spiritual warfare in their lives. I was pleasantly surprised to receive so many great responses, but a trusted friend and fellow worship leader from Florida sent me a link to his "new" favorite song, which inevitably sparked the inspiration for this personal reflection. Honestly, I had never heard "SONG OF GRACE" before, but the music video immediately captured my attention as I witnessed my extended family in Christ pour their hearts out in genuine praise and worship to God. Make no mistake, I loved the music arrangement from start to finish, but the beauty and richness of the lyrics, saturated in Biblical truth, pierced my heart to the point where I could not stop listening to this track over and over again. Like my brother in Christ, I too had succumbed to the Spirit's conviction that this was not just another worship song. Its spiritual roots ran far deeper than most songs written today, articulating the Gospel from a poetic, hymn-perspective which, in my opinion, echoed the beauty of prayers I've treasured from the Valley of Vision. Therefore, I consider it an honor and blessing to share the same unexpected gift I received from my friend with those who would be willing to open their hearts and minds to the power of this song and its prophetic words.

What makes this particular reflection/devotion so unique is the inclusion of personal testimony from the singer/songwriter, Jarod Espy. Typically when I use a song as inspiration for a devotion post, I research online to find background information on the meaning behind the lyrics. However, none could be found in this instance. Therefore, I decided to step out in faith and personally reach out to Jarod through his website to gain perspective, if he was willing to share. Within a couple hours, he responded with genuine excitement and interest to partner with me on creating a devotional experience that would draw people closer to the Lord and His Word through our collective effort. I must confess it is a tremendous blessing for me to share how the Spirit inspired and spoke through Jarod to compose this masterpiece, because this song and reflection/devotion are intended to bring glory to God alone, not man. In other words, "But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand" (Isaiah 64:8). Make no mistake, the Holy Spirit inspired this beautiful hymn to bring honor and glory to the only One who is worthy of praise, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. I am tremendously encouraged though knowing how prayerfully considered this song was in its revelation, which should be a huge affirmation to the church universal due to the amount of discernment Jarod gave during the 3 months it took to compose SONG OF GRACE.

Jarod's Perspective: Approaching lyrics on a song like this comes with much prayer. When writing songs for the Church, I believe there is a great responsibility to be a good steward of the lyrics. We are literally writing words that people will be singing to God. I don’t take that lightly. With God’s grace, I want to make sure the things I write are coming from a flowing river of what God is doing in my life today and not a stagnant pond. In other words, I need to be actively walking with the Lord and hungering for His Word. His Word is the source and the Spirit is the guide. I happened to be going through a difficult season in my life during the time of writing this song, and God’s grace was something I needed to hear.

The beauty of true, Biblical worship is that it transcends our fleshly senses and aligns our soul with the Creator of the universe. For the born-again believer, true worship exposes the arrogance of our pride, magnifies our sin and need of redemption, focuses our attention on God's saving provision, and unites us eternally with Jesus Christ through His death, burial and resurrection. Therefore, when we reflect upon who we are as sinful human beings and compare that to the beauty and majesty of our holy and sovereign Creator, we cannot help but proclaim unending praise and thanksgiving for what He has done on our behalf to save our souls from eternal damnation."For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation" (Romans 5:6–11).

I love how the opening verse of SONG OF GRACE begins. "Lord I come, O Sovereign King, all my hope is in Your hands. From creation's majesty, You ordained redemption's plan." I believe it is imperative worship begins with recognizing our human fragility compared to almighty God, Himself. Paul put it this way: "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30), because acknowledging Christ as Lord and King is crucial to understanding the magnitude of grace God bestows on His children. Only God alone is sovereign (supreme, ultimate and absolute). Therefore, placing hope and trust in anyone or anything other than His sovereignty is foolishness, for the Lord declares, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end" (Revelation 22:13). Moreover, God cannot be defined from the humanistic confines of our time continuum, because He created it and even transcends our understanding of it. "But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (2 Peter 3:8). Therefore, we are wise to worship God for the majesty, splendor and glory of His Creation, while also understanding that His redemptive plan of salvation required Him to sacrifice His beloved Son to ransom our lives from hell itself. This He foreknew and ordained before the creation of the world to ensure we had ample opportunity to choose salvation over death, because the hope of eternal life rests in the palm of His hands.

"For Your glory's renown and Your greatness displayed, mercy came and ransomed my life from the Fall. Mercy came and ransomed my heart." How could anyone gaze upon the majesty of creation and boldly declare there is no God? It is hard to fathom, yet millions have suppressed the truth of God for a lie without realizing what is truly at stake. "For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse" (Romans 1:19–20). Without a doubt, the greatness of God is immeasurable and His glory famous, yet how many of us truly grasp the enormity of His mercy? Regrettably, far too often we fall victim to minimizing God's mercy in favor of grace, yet both are critical aspects of His love which satisfy one another. While grace is the unmerited favor of God, blessing us with what we don't deserve (i.e. salvation through Jesus' blood), mercy is God intentionally pardoning us for we do deserve (i.e. the sins of mankind), therefore enabling grace. Make no mistake, mercy came through the power of the cross to ransom and redeem our souls for no other reason but the unconditional and eternal love of our heavenly Father. But why? Perhaps the prophetic lyrics of "In Christ Alone" can give us a clue:

In Christ alone! – who took on flesh,

Fullness of God in helpless babe.

This gift of love and righteousness,

Scorned by the ones He came to save:

Till on that cross as Jesus died,

The wrath of God was satisfied –

For every sin on Him was laid;

Here in the death of Christ I live.

Even though God is rich in mercy, his wrath upon sin must be satisfied (Romans 5:9). That is where His grace comes to fruition full circle—pouring out His wrath upon Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins. However, we must choose whether we'll accept that free gift of salvation before our time on earth comes to an end, lest we fall from the throne of grace forever without Jesus to stand in our place at judgment when God's wrath is revealed. For those who have made the decision to surrender allegiance to Christ, forsaking all others, the outpouring of praise from our hearts cannot be quenched. Therefore we sing, "I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable" (Psalm 145:1–3).

Jarod's Perspective: Verse #1 speaks to God’s sovereignty and His plan of grace from the beginning of time. Jesus is "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8). "He chose us in Him (Christ) before the foundation of the world" (Ephesians 1:4). This can be a hard concept to wrap the mind around, but there is great security in it. It establishes the song on a place of God's sovereignty. I can trust Him because He has planned my redemption from the beginning of time. “Lord I come, O Sovereign King, all my hope is in Your hands...” because... “from creation’s majesty, You ordained redemption’s plan.” But I also wanted to make sure it spoke to God’s Glory in our redemption. We are saved "to the praise of His glory" (Ephesians 1:6), because "all things were created by Him, through Him and FOR Him" (Colossians 3:16–17). This keeps God as the focus and the inspiration for the lyric: “For Your glory’s renown and Your greatness displayed.”

"All the righteousness in me shows my desperate need of grace, for my purest thoughts and deeds stand to justify the grave." Simply put, WOW! The more I wash my heart and mind with the convicting reality of this verse, the more I realize how foolish I am to ever consider righteousness as dependent upon my own strength and ability. "We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away" (Isaiah 64:6). Think about it. Everything within us which we proudly consider pure and righteous, only testifies to the desperation of our eternal plight if we stake our hope in self-preservation rather than submission and surrender to Christ. Plainly stated, our absolute best, not simply our worst, testifies to how desperately we need the Lord. That is why Paul confessed, "Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith" (Philippians 3:8–9). 

"But the Christ intervened through the power of the cross. In His death, I am freed from the wages of sin. In His death, I am sealed by His blood." Only through the power of the cross are we freed from the bondage of sin. From death comes life—it doesn't logically make sense, but perhaps that is the point! Logically, we should receive the just wrath and punishment for our sins. However, God ordained an escape clause in the eternal contract (mercy) which allows us to not only avoid permanent separation from Him in favor of continual torment, anguish and regret in hell, but a priceless inheritance in heaven reserved for those who simply accept His free gift of grace. It just sounds too good to be true—AND IT IS! Therefore, we should be overwhelmingly thankful because we are saved by grace through the atoning blood of Jesus, the good shepherd, for the forgiveness of sins. "I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep" (John 10:14–15).

Jarod's Perspective: I came across an old Martin Luther hymn called, “Out of the depths I cry to Thee,” written 500 years ago. I had never seen this one, but there was a lyric on the page that immediately struck me: “Thy Sovereign Grace and boundless love show me, O Lord, forgiving; My purest thoughts and deeds but prove sin in my heart is living.” I had to read over it several times. The message here was, “Lord, forgive me, for even my very best proves that I am a sinner.” Wow! That is deep. “My righteousness is filthy rags.” This became the idea that inspired Song of Grace. Whether our sin is blatant and easy to identify, or not so obvious and even oblivious to us, we are all in need of His grace. None of us can earn it. Not even our best is good enough to earn it. We are all in desperate need of a Savior. Paul said, "My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me" (1 Corinthians 1:4).

What then is our response? PRAISE. "My soul will sing Your unfailing love. My heart will bless Your name. Forever my life will rest in Your grace. My soul will bless Your name." Praise is simply the overflow of joy and thanksgiving from our hearts to God, pouring out like a waterfall upon the rocky landscape of trials and tribulations in our lives. It overcomes spiritual warfare because it testifies to the saving power of Jesus Christ, affirms our faith, and strengthens our trust and resolve in the Lord's will for our lives despite the difficult circumstances we may face. Let us be clear though: Praise does NOT eliminate our trials. Rather, it shifts our focus off temporary trials and directs our attention on the permanency of salvation and God's sovereign provision, which elicits a response of thanksgiving for those who are saved by grace alone. "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8–9). 

Sadly, many people reject the gift of saving grace because it forces them to reconcile whether God is real and His Word is trustworthy. Scripture reminds us, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18), and many who reject God altogether do so because they view Him through the lens of legalistic religion vs. pure and vulnerable faith. Jesus said, "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few" (Matthew 7:13–14). Consequently, the call and response between what Jesus promises to those who trust in Him and the chorus of this song is beautiful. For when we place our hope and trust in Christ, choosing to enter eternity by the narrow gate, our hearts have no choice but to sing of His unfailing love and bless His name for the sheer honor and privilege of resting in His grace and mercy.

Jarod's Perspective: Then we go to God’s intervention, the cross, and the power to free us from the wages of sin. This is the victory of every believer and this is where the song starts to turn to praise, leading to the refrain. The chorus is simply our response to His grace—what we’ve just sung in the verses. Because the verses are so heavy, I wanted to keep the chorus simple. So I thought of songs like, How Great Thou Art: “Then sings my soul!” Then Scripture came to mind: "Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name!" (Psalm 103:1). The chorus is based off that inspiration. When I think about His grace, it overwhelms me. My soul knows its Savior, and simply wants to respond as that Psalm proclaims: “Bless His name!”

"Now my life is not my own. Jesus, use me as You please. Gladly I will share Your pain just to know the lasting peace." It is interesting that the "ownership" aspect of faith in Christ is a tremendous burden to reconcile for many who are lost yet searching for answers. They simply cannot fathom how spiritual freedom results from surrendering one's heart to the Lord. What they fail to realize is that obedience and submission to Christ is liberation, not bondage, because lasting peace comes from knowing and applying the absolute truth of God's Holy Word in our lives. Jesus said, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28–30). When we place our trust in Christ, we begin to cast off fleshly tendencies which perpetuate our love of self. In turn, we embrace our "born-again" identity and endure trial, pain and persecution for His name sake. Why? Because the mark of a true Christian is love—for what we have been given, we willingly share with our neighbor AND our enemy for His name sake, even if it results in trial, pain or persecution. "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34–35).

Unfortunately, over the last 2,000 years wolves in sheep's clothing have sought to manipulate the minds of the weak and exploit their spiritual immaturity for selfish gain, which Jesus sternly rebuked in His seven woes to the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23). "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves" (Matthew 7:15). Make no mistake, Jesus came to abolish man-made religion as a means to salvation, because we are saved by grace through faith alone and not by works (Ephesians 2:8–9). The Bible clearly warns, "Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin" (John 8:34), thus accepting slavery in the form of self-exaltation and self-preservation is futile thinking. We will never be good enough to earn our way to heaven.  However, Jesus offers a far different and unique perspective for eternal reconciliation with God: Marriage. "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish" (Ephesians 5:25–27).

"So I give You my life that the whole world might see. There is hope in the power of Your saving grace. There is hope in the power of Your name." Keep in mind, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). Consequently, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31–32). Because Jesus is the manifestation of absolute truth, we can rest in the eternal assurance that surrendering our lives to Him is not slavery which binds us, but marital covenant which frees us. Marriage begins with a public proclamation of unity, forsaking all others until death due us part—and that is exactly the eternal promise Jesus made to His bride, the Church, when He gave His life unto death for her. That is why hope is not merely an aspiration, desire or wish for a future outcome, but a realistic expectation of eternity based upon the power of saving grace. As Will Reagan famously wrote, "There is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain," and we are wise to heed that advice, grounded in the truth of God's Word which testifies to His glory and majesty. "Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:9–11).

Jarod's Perspective: Living in His grace. Now that we have received His grace, it doesn’t just end there. How do we live in it? We share it with the world. “Now my life is not my own...” (1 Corinthians 6:20; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3). “Gladly I will share Your pain...” (Philippians 1:29; Colossians 1:24; 1 Peter 4:13). The Bible speaks so much on rejoicing in suffering, but this is the idea: Am I willing to do whatever it takes to reach the world with the grace I have found? Often times, worship songs today speak on the idea of suffering as to how God will deliver us and help us. There's certainly nothing wrong with that, but it can almost lend itself toward seeking momentary satisfaction from God. I wanted to approach this song not focused on my personal wants and needs, but actually with a willingness to suffer and be glad in it for His sake because I have all I need in Him, knowing that “lasting peace” is something which transcends our circumstances and even our lives. It is our eternal inheritance, not just momentary. "For this momentary light affliction is preparing for you an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison" (2 Corinthians 4:17).

"On that day before the throne when I'm standing as Your bride, there my heart is welcomed home in the open arms of Christ. I will join the redeemed in the anthem of grace: Praise the Lamb who purchased His bride from the grave! Praise the Lamb who purchased my heart!" Words cannot describe how glorious it will be when we stand blameless and without blemish before the throne of grace ALL BECAUSE OF JESUS! I realize many will still reject Jesus as Lord and Savior for whatever reason, but even the great French mathematician, physicist and inventor, Blaise Pascal, once said, "If I believe in God and life after death and you do not, and if there is no God, we both lose when we die. However, if there is a God, you still lose and I gain everything." What then have we to lose by accepting Christ? Simply, our pride. Jesus said, "I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance" (Luke 15:7). Heaven awaits those who place their eternal trust in the Lord. It's as simple as that. As a result, if we have accepted Christ's death on the cross for the forgiveness of sins and turned from our sin in submission to His will, we can rest assured the Father will welcome us home with open arms and declare, "Let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found" (Luke 15:23–24). Therefore, let us join the redeemed in the anthem of grace and glorify the name of the Lord who is worthy to be praised. "Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen!" (Psalm 72:18–19).

Jarod's Perspective: Finally, in traditional hymn fashion, the heaven verse. I wanted this verse to come from the perspective of the Church as the Bride of Christ. That you and I are part of a Bride from every generation, whom Christ purchased with His blood. I love that imagery. And that one day, we would join the other saints who have gone before, all gathered as His bride, praising Him as it says in Revelation: "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready" (Revelation 19:7). "Worthy are You...for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation" (Revelation 5:9). What an eternal perspective! What a day! With this thought, I wanted the song to culminate in a great point of exultation, which leads back to the chorus “my soul will sing...”

POST REFLECTION: It has been a tremendous honor working with Jarod on this post and understanding the heart of this song and how the Spirit inspired it. I pray those who listen to SONG OF GRACE are blessed beyond measure and would encourage their local church communities to include it in their worship sets. For more information, please visit [http://jarodespy.com/] to access FREE worship resources including sheet music, loops, chord charts, and instrumental video tutorials which he has prepared to help equip and train the local church. My sincere thanks to Jarod for his sincerity, humility and willingness to share his personal testimony in writing SONG OF GRACE, and allowing me to publicly share that perspective with others. To God be the glory forever! 

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LAST WORD (Personal Reflection)

The storm rises from the deep

And rages around me

But I will remember

When doubt wars within my heart

The battle almost lost

I will remember

You have the last word

It is finished

You have the last word

It is finished

My fear is silenced in your love

My hope is endless

Your voice that calmed the violent sea 

Speaks courage over me

So I will remember

The words that wake the sun to rise

Are breaking through my night

I will remember

You have the last word

It is finished

You have the last word

It is finished

My fear is silenced in your love

My hope is endless

Your word stands through the ages

Your voice shatters the darkness

In you we are more than conquerors

You speak and strongholds surrender

Your name overcomes the enemy

In you we are more than conquerors

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I believe every born-again Christian needs at least one song he/she clings to when life gets messy, circumstances overwhelm, and depression begins to infiltrate the mind. For me, "Last Word," by Elevation Worship, is my continual spiritual warfare anthem which helps clear my mind and gives me the wise perspective I need to face another day. For some people, it could be a classic hymn or a contemporary song of worship, but it must grip the heart enough to overpower the mind. Truth be told, we can get lost really quick if we camp out in the mind too long, which inevitably is the battlefield where spiritual warfare is waged. Therefore, we are wise to consider Paul's exhortation that protecting the mind is perhaps the most important task we have as followers of Christ if we are to survive the schemes of the devil which serve to undermine and destroy our faith from within. "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2). It seems in our present day and age that Satan is either significantly downplayed by our culture, meaning the devil is portrayed more as a caricature or cartoon to whimsically disregard as folklore rather than reality, or he is dismissed altogether. Many people simply don't take him seriously, which is quite ironic because his impact and influence can be witnessed firsthand by the onslaught of evil plaguing our world today. Make no mistake, HE IS REAL, and his desire is to draw us away from God's protection where we are weak and vulnerable to attack and defeat. 

Scripture reminds us, "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). The thing most people fail to realize is that Satan invests little time, energy and resources undermining the weak in Spirit. Those who are immature and shallow in their faith require minimal temptation and trial to steer their devotion away from God because their spiritual roots are shallow. Their resolve and resistance to attacks is too easily swayed because their knowledge of the Bible is limited. Therefore, they default to self-preservation when spiritual warfare ensues rather than investing quality time in prayer and studying God's Word for wisdom, hope and discernment. That is why it is so important for Christians to feed upon the pages of Scripture DAILY if we are to withstand the continuous onslaught of the enemy. Jesus put it this way:

"A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear" (Matthew 13:3–9).

The key is understanding how foolish we are to assume we can defeat Satan in our own strength, but also how impossible it is to distinguish the flaming arrows of the enemy without grounding our hearts and minds (soil) in the absolute and life-saving truth of Scripture (seed). Keep in mind, Paul taught that the only offensive weapon at our disposal to withstand spiritual warfare is God's Word. Therefore, if we desire to not only hold a strong defensive position but assert power and strike back at the enemy, it must come through the sword of the Spirit. "Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:14–17).

It is unfortunate that more often than not, many Christians fail to realize seasons of trial and hardship are necessary for our sanctification and identify us as followers of Christ. They refine our character, for trials are opportunities to gauge our spiritual temperature and evaluate the depth and breadth of our faith. Make no mistake, in a world consumed by abortion, gay marriage, and racial injustice, the Bible is not silent in any way on these issues and many others. It speaks plainly and clearly concerning what the world considers "controversial" topics of our day, yet even self-proclaimed Christians cower in confusion when pressed to stand firm on what the Bible says. Why? In some cases, they simply don't know for sure what the Bible says regarding a specific issue because they're not reading it. In other instances, many do know where the Bible stands, but to avoid persecution simply remain silent, allowing the only voices to be heard as those who would rather spite God's Word with every fabric of their being than subject themselves to its supreme authority. How can this be? 

As crazy as it sounds, still others know what the Bible says on a particular social issue and either boldly reject it altogether or justify their personal stance by declaring the Bible's position as "open for interpretation." By doing so, they alone determine to have ultimate authority by judging what is true or not from the pages of Scripture. I understand the dilemma though. Some cultural issues are very personal and emotional for people who perhaps have a loved one who is gay or believe that abortion should be a legal "choice" for whatever reason. It is never comfortable or easy standing on God's Word at the sake of personal relationships where sin and theological confusion are present. Persecution is likely a guarantee if we publicly endorse the Bible's position. However, we also cannot fall prey to the schemes of the enemy which tempt us to believe in 99.9% of the Bible rather than 100%. This is a massive problem in the church today and we must be bold enough to not only address it, but disciple others on how illogical it is to trust and believe in 99.9% of the Bible and not 100%. 

Listen: 0.1% is all the opportunity Satan needs to destroy our faith from within (and the body of Christ universal) if we allow this pattern to continue flourishing. Therefore, we cannot endorse the Bible as absolute truth and consider 1 or 2 issues (it clearly addresses) as false or open for interpretation when Scripture's position is firm and unwavering. It's simply a package deal with God's Word, which we must reconcile in our hearts once and for all if we identify ourselves as Christians. I know because I once faced the same predicament, but ultimately understood that my faith was void if I didn't embrace the Bible COVER-TO-COVER as absolute truth. I had to choose whether I believed the Bible was inerrant or not (i.e. incapable of being wrong) because my faith was inconsistent and hypocritical if I called myself a Christian and disagreed with or discredited the very Word which is the cornerstone of Christianity. "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). Keep in mind, even the great pastor and evangelist, Billy Graham, struggled with the same dilemma but ultimately prayed, “Father, I am going to accept this (Bible) as Thy Word—by faith! I’m going to allow faith to go beyond my intellectual questions and doubts, and I will believe this to be Your inspired Word!” The true crossroads we must reconcile in our hearts and minds is this: Have we forgotten that God truly has the Last Word and it is unequivocal, absolute and unchanging? Or have we fallen prey to our own pride and foolishness by minimizing the importance of defending God's Word and embracing our doctrine at 99.9% because we do not adequately fear Him? 

"Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not. Do you not fear me? declares the LORD. Do you not tremble before me? I placed the sand as the boundary for the sea, a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass; though the waves toss, they cannot prevail; though they roar, they cannot pass over it. But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; they have turned aside and gone away" (Jeremiah 5:21–23). 

A wise, Biblical counselor once told me, "Satan is a genius." As I look back, I cannot remember the exact details of the conversation we had but I can remember those words clearly. It is a peculiar quote and almost feels blasphemous repeating. However, over time I have come to appreciate the truthfulness of that statement because Satan is far more intelligent, crafty and complex than my feeble mind can wrap my head around. He has infinite resources at his disposal this side of heaven, and can easily overpower us at any time unless we are grounded in our faith and the absolute truth of God's Word. It may seem painstakingly redundant, but the crux of our eternal fate hinges upon the prominence and position of Scripture in our lives. In other words, does the Bible sit adjacent to us as an occasional reference point when our logic and understanding are deemed insufficient? Or do we rest UNDER the supreme authority of the Bible in submission to God's Word no matter the cost? We cannot miss this point. For if we desire to withstand the enemy and defeat the forces of darkness in this world, we must relinquish personal control and surrender our lives to Christ and His Word. "Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil" (Proverbs 3:7).

What we must also realize is that when life seems hopeless and Satan is attacking us from multiple directions, we cannot lose faith, for those are the moments when our resolve it tested. Trials are not necessarily a sign we are being punished for some reason or because our faith may be weak. Rather, if we are indeed trusting in the Lord, submitting to the authority of His Word and actively applying it to our lives, we can know we are EXACTLY where we need to be in our faith walk. When we're fighting to apply God's Word while Satan is unleashing his army of demons against us, we can be assured our faith is strong because of the amount of attention Satan is investing to derail us. I have counseled many brothers in Christ over the years (and preached this truth to my own heart many times) because it is essential to spiritual survival. We simply cannot forget that if Satan is focusing so much attention and resources against us, it is for good reason because we are precious in God's sight and not easy prey. Why then would he waste his time? Consider Jesus' explanation: 

"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it" (Matthew 7:24–27).

Satan focuses on the strong in faith because he knows if he can destroy our foundation, which is our devotion and submission to the authority of God's Word in our lives, then our faith will crumble because we no longer trust what is absolute truth and what is not. Moreover, if we abandon our faith in Christ, we are more likely to persuade others in our sphere of influence to do the same and accomplish the enemy's ultimate mission. Consequently, it should come as no surprise why the Bible is under constant attack in our culture with incredible ferocity by those who are threatened by its existence. The audacity that we as Christians believe the Bible is "absolute" truth is considered ridiculous and labeled as judgmental and unloving by those who oppose our doctrine, yet it has not silenced man's fascination with discovering what is indeed true or not. Consider Pilot's cross-examination of Jesus and what question haunted him:

"So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, 'Are you the King of the Jews?' Jesus answered, 'Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?' Pilate answered, 'Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?' Jesus answered, 'My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.' Then Pilate said to him, 'So you are a king?' Jesus answered, 'You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.' Pilate said to him, 'What is truth?' After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, 'I find no guilt in him'" (John 18:33–38).

Perhaps the most honest question we could ever ask is simply, "What is truth?" For when Satan unleashes his fury against us, tempting us to abandon our devotion to God, we must wrestle with the same question Pilot asked Jesus over 2,000 years ago. Reason being, it reveals whose strength we default to in order to escape our plight or alleviate the trials before us. If we're honest with ourselves, our immediate inclination is to self-protect first and rely on God second, which is where Satan seeks to divert our attention. However, the Bible is clear that relying on our limited, experiential knowledge is utter foolishness compared to the omniscient sovereignty of Almighty God. Therefore, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones" (Proverbs 3:5–8). Most of us are familiar with verses 5-6, yet few realize that verse 7 ("Be not wise in your own eyes...") cautions us to resist prideful thinking which elevates our preconceived wisdom over God's. That is why reading the Bible in its entirety is so critical. Anyone can justify virtually anything by taking words out of context, therefore we must discipline ourselves to read a passage in its entirety to avoid misunderstanding.

In the end, our survival is dependent upon the health of our personal relationship with Jesus Christ and His Word. As time goes on, the importance of submitting to God's Word entirely has become "unfashionable" in churches today. Many would rather focus solely on God's love, grace and mercy, while foolishly ignoring the fact that if it were not for His righteous law, His love, grace and mercy would be meaningless. In other words, if there was not an absolute standard for what is right or wrong, we could live as we please. Sin would not exist and the world would be utter chaos because our standard for truth would differ because all truth would be relative, ebbing and flowing based on personal preference. Yet that is essentially the post-modernistic thinking and moral relativism our world is tempting us adopt as our theology today. Proponents of the Bible desire nothing short of its complete annihilation as absolute truth, because if the Bible is absolute then personal accountability is required, and people do not want to be held accountable to anyone or any particular standard of righteousness. However, the Bible emphatically warns, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18). Therefore, we are wise to remember (as Elevation Worship sings) that the Lord alone has the last word regarding all things under the sun, and it is finished for all eternity because of His sacrifice on our behalf for the forgiveness of sin. "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen" (Romans 11:36).

EVEN WHEN IT HURTS (Personal Reflection)

Take this fainted heart

Take these tainted hands

Wash me in your love

Come like grace again

Even when my strength is lost

I'll praise you

Even when I have no song

I'll praise you

Even when it's hard to find the words

Louder then I'll sing your praise

I will only sing your praise

Take this mountain weight

Take these ocean tears

Hold me through the trial

Come like hope again

Even when the fight seems lost

I'll praise you

Even when it hurts like hell

I'll praise you

Even when it makes no sense to sing

Louder then I'll sing your praise

I will only sing your praise

I will only sing your praise

I will only sing your praise

I will only sing your praise

And my heart burns only for you

You are all you are all I want

And my soul waits only for you

And I will sing till the morning has come

Lord my heart burns only for you

You are all you are all I want

And my soul waits only for you

And I will sing till the miracle comes

I will only sing your praise

I will only sing your praise

I will only sing your praise

Even when the morning comes

I'll praise you

Even when the fight is won

I'll praise you

Even when my time on earth is done

Louder then I'll sing your praise

I will only sing your praise


[CLICK HERE] if video does not load.

"Even When It Hurts," by Hillsong United, captures the excruciating journey of the human spirit to endure trials of life with Godly wisdom and Biblical perspective. Written by Joel Houston and beautifully sung by Taya Smith, this timeless song is bathed in honest lyrics, raw, unfiltered emotion, and incredible vulnerability and fortitude to simply recognize that praise should be the universal response of our hearts at all times and in all circumstances. Whether mountain high or valley low, as born-again followers of Christ we are called by God to trust He has a plan and purpose for our lives which exceeds human comprehension. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11). Of course, it is easy to praise Him when life is comfortable and we have little to complain about, but do we remember to praise Him when life turns sour, or immediately turn to prayers of rescue, restoration and healing with defined time limitations? Keep in mind, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8–9). Therefore, we can resolve our minds to relinquish prideful tendencies which demand justification for the trials we face, and embrace the moment with complete abandon to the One who saved our souls and calls us to continually trust in Him, even when it hurts.

"Take this fainted heart. Take these tainted hands. Wash me in your love. Come like grace again...Take this mountain weight. Take these ocean tears. Hold me through the trial. Come like hope again." The process of successfully overcoming trials begins with surrendering our will and expectations to the Lord. Undoubtedly, our flesh will seek out every possible quick resolution to our problems without asking for God's help, or conditionally ask for it to avoid relinquishing personal control. Why? Truth be told, there is nothing more scarier for some people than to cry out, "Jesus, take the wheel," and accept the consequences of what happens next when we can't predict the future or anticipate the outcome. Yet that is the essence of faith, and we cannot expect God to abandon His sovereign will and divine purpose in favor of our fleshly agenda which is devoid of omniscient perspective. Rather, we must honestly take inventory of our hearts and in humility, embrace the promises He makes to us in His Word which declare, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you" (Isaiah 43:2). We may ask ourselves why God would make such a promise to His children, but the answer is clear: "Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you" (Isaiah 43:4a), declares the Lord.

"Even when my strength is lost, I'll praise you. Even when I have no song, I'll praise you. Even when it's hard to find the words, louder then I'll sing your praise...Even when the fight seems lost. I'll praise you. Even when it hurts like hell, I'll praise you. Even when it makes no sense to sing, louder then I'll sing your praise." Consider how prophetic the words of this song are when we examine our hearts and personally identify with the lyrics. Whether we find ourselves presently in the midst of trials, reflecting upon the past, or anxiously awaiting what lies ahead, we know more intimately than we care to admit how true these words are. Speaking from experience, I can attest how difficult it is to admit when I feel out of control emotionally, battered and bruised mentally, exhausted physically, and wounded spiritually, yet that is precisely the moment when God does His most miraculous work. He patiently waits till we've come to the end of our rope, when we're sick and tired of being sick and tired, and extends open arms of love and acceptance if we would allow Him to work in us and through us. "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28–30).

"And my heart burns only for you. You are all, you are all I want. And my soul waits only for you, and I will sing till the morning has come. Lord, my heart burns only for you. You are all, you are all I want. And my soul waits only for you, and I will sing till the miracle comes." The moment we finally relinquish ultimate control is when the Lord begins to heal our hearts and remove the scales from our eyes so we can catch a glimpse of His omniscient perspective. A shifting of the tide takes place as our personal will is brought in unison with God's, and intimate fellowship ignites a passionate fire of submission and obedience to His Word that is not easily extinguished by the enemy. However, waiting on God to do what only He can do is perhaps one of the hardest spiritual disciplines to master because our natural inclination is to take personal control (which in part, is not necessarily wrong). Discerning when we should act vs. waiting patiently on God to move is a skill mastered only by quality time in Bible study and prayer, because peace, wisdom and discernment are ultimately found in Him. In other words, we identify with the Psalmist's cry, "I wait for the Lord, my souls waits, and in his word I hope" (Psalms 130:5), yet when trials consume us we often wallow and fester in a self-imposed pit of worry, doubt, impatience and fear. Do we not believe singing praises to God for His faithfulness in the face of utter hopelessness is not a testimony of our faith to those around us? Make no mistake, our fleshly reaction or Godly response will likely be one of the most influential opportunities for evangelism we will ever partake in whether we like it or not, for the world is continually holding us accountable to the faith we profess in Christ.

Keep in mind, there is nothing more "illogical" than singing praises to God when the enormity of life comes crashing down on our psyche. No matter the cause or effect, it just doesn't make sense from a fleshly perspective to encounter trials and genuinely smile right back at them, yet that is (figuratively) what Scripture calls us to do as Christians, even when it hurts. I've often wondered when I read, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds" (James 1:2), whether we as the body of Christ seriously believe it. Consider what James is challenging us to reconcile in our hearts and minds:

• "Count It" - Take time to calculate the trials before you as if you were analyzing your personal finances with pinpoint accuracy.
• "All Joy" - Shift your attitude from negative to positive and embrace the opportunity with thankfulness and praise for every aspect and consequence the trial presents.
• "My Brothers" - Recognize you're never alone in the trials you face because you have a family of believers coming alongside you in prayer and accountability.
• "When You" - Don't be surprised when trials arise, but expect they will unpredictably come and impact your life universally.
• "Meet Trials" - Anticipate a direct confrontation with trials intended to test your character and countenance and gauge your spiritual maturity.
• "Of Various Kinds" - Appreciate the complexity of trials intentionally designed to drive you to the brink of surrendering your will for a greater purpose.

The beauty of trials is that they refine who we are in Christ, just as gold and silver are purified by fire. However, we cannot underestimate the severity of trials to which the Lord will allow in order to test our faith and grow us spiritually. Peter certainly understood this, for the Lord prophesied that he would not only be tested by fire but fail miserably. However, in the same breath Jesus exhorted Peter to learn from his mistakes and strengthen his brethren as a result by teaching them to rejoice in trials. "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:6–7). That is the power of reconciliation and restitution, forgiveness and healing, grace and mercy, and it is freely available for all who humbly call upon the name of Jesus in repentance. The Lord knew Peter would fail, yet that didn't negate the importance of Him praying for Peter nonetheless, which should emphasize to us how intimately God participates in our lives even though He knows the future and can predict our reactions and responses. I believe that is one of the greatest mysteries of heaven, that the Creator Himself would willingly absorb the wrath of our fury when we're overcome with irrational emotions and unfair accusations toward His character in the midst of trial. For He already knows every detail of our lives (past, present and future), yet His Word simply declares, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:6–7).

I believe the reason why I love, "Even When It Hurts," so much is because it echoes my heart more often than I care to admit. "When my strength is lost, when I have no song, when it's hard to find the words, when the fight seems lost, when it hurts like hell, when it makes no sense," I must resist the urge to give up all hope by casting off human instinct and embracing the unthinkable: Praise and Worship. When Taya Smith bellows at the top of her lungs, "I will only sing your praise," I am literally brought to tears because I can recall past trials when my heart echoed the same sentiment of faith under fire, and ashamedly times when I should have cried out those same words with unashamed abandon, but failed to do so because of selfish and prideful reasons. Make no mistake, our lives are a melting pot of righteous intentions and prideful choices, yet the Lord loves us unconditionally and uses us as instruments of His grace despite our shortcomings. We may never tame our unquenchable desire for answers and reasons why in the midst of trial, but this song of praise helps us recognize why we must preach the Gospel to ourselves on a daily basis. For trials will come and disrupt our fleshly comforts to the extent God allows in order to stir our hearts, awaken our minds, and stretch our faith. Why? Most notably, to guard us from becoming lazy, indifferent and complacent to the world around us. But more importantly, as a testimony of faith that God is forever glorious and worthy of our praise, even when it hurts. 

Paul said, "I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life" (1 Timothy 1:12–16). May we emulate his example and embrace trials from a different angle and fresh perspective than we typically would, in order that souls may be won for Christ based on the testimony of our lives, witnessed by those who would otherwise reject the faith altogether. "Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil" (1 Peter 3:13–17).

NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS (Personal Reflection)

I've always been intrigued by the notion of making "New Year" resolutions, probably because I've never been successful holding true to them for any length of time. Why? Perhaps I'm not disciplined enough or too lazy, or maybe my motivation starts and stops at good intent with no time or energy for execution. If I boil it down to one specific reason though, I am convinced that PERSPECTIVE resides at the core of my failure. In other words, how I measure success or failure impacts my desire to continue or quit. Granted, while believing I can achieve success is a step in the right direction for positive thinking, it does not guarantee my goal will be achieved. Rather, it exponentially increases the likelihood I will make progress toward my goal. The key (for me, at least) is simply believing enough in the process to begin the journey and not becoming complacent like a sluggard so as to not try at all. "The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied" (Proverbs 13:4). Far too often in my life I have measured success or failure based solely on whether I've reached my ultimate goal or not, when I should have been focused on the process of achievements and milestones along the way rather than solely the end prize itself. Consider the following hypothetical examples of perspective gained when the resolution process is recognized and appreciated as much as the primary goal.

Which can you personally identify with?

• I may not have exercised every day, but I usually worked out 2-3 days/week.

• I may not have conquered my sweet tooth completely, but I no longer eat dessert every night before bed.

• I may not have lost 30 pounds on the scale, but I lost 10 pounds.

• I may not have read through the entire Bible cover to cover, but I read through the Gospels this year.

• I may not have spent an hour of quiet time with God each day, but I found at least 5-10 minutes most days to pray and read a highlighted Bible verse or short devotion on my phone.

• I may not have taken my wife on a special date each week, but I was able to meet her for lunch once a month.

• I may not have attended every sporting event my kids participate in, but I made it to every home game.

• I may not have received the promotion or sales contest I really wanted, but I achieved good quarterly bonuses nonetheless.

• I may not have closed the sale I worked so hard for, but I built good credibility in the process with my client. 

• I may not have completely tamed my tongue from speaking hurtful words, but I now intentionally think before I speak to avoid creating dissension in my home.

• I may not let every care in the world roll off my shoulders, but I have learned to manage my stress levels and anxiety much better.

• I may not express my emotions very easily, but I have learned to verbally affirm my wife and kids with how much I love and appreciate them each day.

• I may not have given up drinking alcohol altogether, but I now limit myself to only one drink just on special occasions.

• I may not have eliminated all the prescription medications my doctor prescribes, but I take far less than I did a year ago because of healthy changes I've made.

Whether any of these examples relate to resolutions we have actually made before is irrelevant as long as we recognize that the process of change carries as much, if not more importance than the end result itself when we look back in hindsight. The reason so many New Year resolutions are abandoned so quickly is because they are narrow in their focus regarding the success being measured. For example, should someone quit eating right and exercising regularly if they have not achieved their ideal body weight? Or should he/she celebrate the weight they have lost thus far and perhaps other residual benefits such as the reduction of medications, increased self-confidence, or all-around well being? Bottom-line: It's a matter of perspective to help stay positive and determined rather than frustrated and defeated. I liken the shift in thinking to a t-shirt I once purchased [CLICK HERE] as a powerful reminder to celebrate progress over perfection when working toward healthy changes in my life.

"I'm not the man that I ought to be, 

but thank God I'm not the man I used to be." 

That motto carries immeasurable perspective we can apply to the resolutions we make going forward, but it begins first with surrender to God who is the author of heart change. King David once said, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10), and we are wise to begin our resolutions with the same posture and perspective by elevating Him first. "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). For the recovering addict, that simple truth can be the difference between continuing the journey toward recovery and healing through counseling and rehabilitation vs. giving up and embracing the scarlet letter of shame, regret and failure. Or for the workaholic (i.e. overworking as a "want to" vs. "have to") who struggles to disengage from work to spend time with family, that truth can be the difference between leaving the office early to attend a sporting event for their kids vs. working late under the false justification of provision over quality time. In any case, perspective is the key to not abandoning our resolutions altogether but understanding their benefit in the grand scheme of things. Resolutions begin the process by setting a goal and building a blueprint for success, while perspective takes into account the bumps along the road which derail and detour our plans as we navigate toward our goal. I prefer to think of perspective as the most important aspect of mental clarity needed when trials arise, plans change, and life happens! Because make no mistake, "The best laid schemes of mice and men go often askew, and leave us nothing but grief and pain for promised joy!" (Burns, R. 1785, "To a Mouse").

One trick I have picked up along the way to manage trials which seek to derail my resolve is recognizing that when I fall, I can pick myself up from the point at which I fell and move on. I don't have to give up or default back to the starting line. I can simply stand at the point of my trial, dust myself off, learn from my mistake so as not to repeat it, and continue making progress from that point toward my end goal. That is why Jesus encouraged Simon Peter to continue his journey of faith and not give up even though He knew Peter was about to endure a major trial and fail miserably. "'Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.' Peter said to him, 'Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.' Jesus said, "'I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me'" (Luke 22:31–34). Make no mistake, this conversation likely played out in Peter's mind countless times after the fact through incredible remorse, disappointment and regret. However, Peter eventually did arise from the ashes, learned from his mistakes, and strengthened his brothers as a result. Far too often we believe that trials and failures along the way (like a binge day eating junk food during a weight loss program) are proof we will never amount to anything or reach our goal. But we must remember we have free will to choose our own path, and with those choices comes invaluable wisdom and perspective which aid us in the future if we learn from them and continue progressing.

The truth is we are promised many things in life and one of them is trials, but the Bible challenges us to embrace them rather than resist (which most definitely runs counter-culture) as a means to a greater end. "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness" (James 1:2–3). If we think about it, our personal growth and maturity grow exponentially through our valley experiences compared to our mountaintop triumphs. Why? Because if we've never endured hardship and trial, how could we ever truly appreciate the perspective of standing upon the mountaintop and gazing down on the valley below from which we came? We look out across the landscape of our lives when we've reached our summit and appreciate the journey far more when we've struggled along the way and endured various levels of trial and pain. It is no different than a mountain climber reaching the peak of Mount Everest or a single mother graduating college far later than she originally anticipated. Perspective is gained and appreciated far more when we realize that the testing of our faith produces a firm resolve and maturity we never would have fully achieved without trials along the way.

Keep in mind, knowing trials will likely alter our course or derail our momentum does not mean we should abandon our resolve altogether toward our goals. Paul reminds us, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it" (1 Corinthians 9:24). The key is not being so dogmatic on the timing involved to avoid getting frustrated and quit. For instance, I may not read the entire Bible in a year like I planned to, but perhaps I finish it in 2 years. Practical goals like that are fairly easy to measure and adjust, but what about emotional or behavioral goals? Those are much messier and will ebb and flow perhaps in a pattern of "2 steps forward, 1 step back" at times. Therefore, Scripture exhorts, "Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil" (Matthew 5:37). What Jesus taught is that the integrity and trustworthiness of our word is paramount. If we say we're going to do something, then we need to do it or simply not make that oath/promise to begin with. What this does is eliminate the "escape clause" which our minds gravitate toward to justify cheat days or break free from reality. That may not seem like a big deal for someone on a weight loss program or disciplining to pray with their kids each night before bedtime, but for others perhaps in rehab or counseling, a cheat day can have catastrophic consequences on far more than themselves. Again, perspective is key as some of our resolutions carry greater weight than others and we are wise to discern which deserve serious consideration and zero tolerance because of the severity of the issue. Bottom-line, our word must be held in highest regard to ensure integrity is not compromised in the resolution process as we manage our course of action accordingly.

In the end, whether we make new year resolutions or not is irrelevant, for every day we make decisions which carry consequences for better or worse. I dare say that in some way, shape or form, grandiose or minute, each of us will build a plan to achieve something or set a goal for the future to work towards. It may not be an official "New Year" resolution, but it will be a resolution nonetheless which will test our character along the way as we set goals and determine to achieve some level of success or achievement. What we cannot forget is to appreciate the process and not give up so easily when trials arise along the way. That is why spiritual markers (i.e. Joshua 4) were so prevalent in the Old Testament because their intent was to remind future generations of the mighty works God performed for His people in the midst of incredible trial. Why? To strengthen their faith and give them invaluable perspective they would need in the future to not give up, but press on when they encountered similar crossroads. For when we consider trials as joys, we silence the enemy who intends to use them for our demise and gain incredible perspective for the journey ahead to ensure our success regardless the outcome. Therefore, may we never forget God allows trials to impact our lives so as to not crush our spirit, but strengthen our character so we can appreciate the small triumphs along the way when we stumble and fall. For it is absolutely critical we depend on His strength rather than our own if we are to be ultimately content and satisfied with the end result of our resolutions, Lord-willing. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:11–13).