goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

Good as Gold

By Linda Tancs

We often ascribe the expression “as good as gold” to someone exhibiting good behavior. It takes on an interesting twist in Japan, where the art of kintsugi is the practice of using gold lacquer to repair broken pottery. In a real sense, the broken object becomes as good as gold.

Life is like kintsugi. There are lots of broken places—physical, mental and emotional—that, when mixed with brighter things, ultimately yield something good. Out of the ash, the broken places, comes beauty (Isaiah 61:1-3) if you’ll let the Lord fill in the cracks.

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES, Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Learn more at goforwardinfaith.com. Follow us on Twitter @moveonfaith and join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

 

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

Let the Darlings Go

By Linda Tancs

In the world of fiction writing, an oft-used expression is “kill your darlings.” It generally means to delete any aspect of your story that, notwithstanding your fondness of it, does not advance the narrative. It’s an agonizing process, particularly if you’ve grown attached to a certain plot twist, character quirk or whatever the case may be.

You may not be a writer, but you undoubtedly have darlings of your own that do not advance the narrative of your life. Maybe you can’t let go of a friend’s broken promise or a colleague’s betrayal. Do you feed on 40-year-old regrets like a hungry child? Is there too much focus on your backstory and not enough forward action? That’s like a book that no one would want to read. Throw out the script that’s hindering you and move forward (Hebrews 12:1; Ecclesiastes 3:6).

It’s time to let your darlings go. Improve your story.

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES, Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Learn more at goforwardinfaith.com. Follow us on Twitter @moveonfaith and join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

 

 

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

Mind the Gap

By Linda Tancs

The British use the expression “mind the gap” to call attention to gaps at train station platforms—that abyss bridging where you are from where you want to be. The gap is a good metaphor for life transitions, where your “now” is not where you ultimately want to remain.

Sound familiar? Sometimes we sidestep life’s gaps—it’s too hard, too lonely, too uncertain. We stay stuck in the “now” but then try to avoid even that by reminiscing about the “good old days” (Ecclesiastes 7:10).

Don’t fall into that trap. Instead, embrace the gap and all its messy steps and details. Contrary to popular thought, the devil isn’t in the details—God is (Proverbs 16:9).

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

In Sync

By Linda Tancs

The belief that all things work together for good to those who love God (Romans 8:28) is a recognition of Divine order. It’s an abdication of the need to know how things will work out (Proverbs 3:5). Instead, it’s an acknowledgment that things will work out. All things. Not some things or even most things. God is the ultimate timekeeper, syncing all the times of your life into a harmonious whole. You can probably look at some circumstances already and see how it worked out for the best. God’s not done yet.

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

More Than a Conqueror

By Linda Tancs

There’s no shortage of famous conquerors in world history, like Napoleon—renowned for his strategy and command of the battlefields of war (until Waterloo, that is). For most of us, there’s a different battle brewing. It’s in the mind, where nagging thoughts often plague and condemn us that we’re not where we need to be, not up to the task, not able to navigate life successfully, and so on. When the mind wages war we need to remember that we’re more than conquerors (Romans 8:37). What does it mean to be “more than a conqueror?” It means that, unlike Napoleon, there is no battle and, therefore, no need to conquer. We’ve already won. Through Christ, we are ready for anything and equal to anything that comes up in life (Philippians 4:13). Victory is assured; you needn’t worry about meeting your Waterloo.

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

Young at Heart

By Linda Tancs

Do you consider yourself “over the hill?” Maybe you can relate to King Solomon’s description of aging in Ecclesiastes 12:3—the body grows feeble, your teeth decay and your eyesight fails. Don’t be discouraged. The Psalmist promises fruit, freshness and flourishing in old age (Psalm 92:14). Indeed, some of the greatest heroes in the Bible were advanced in years. Moses got the call to deliver Israel when he was 80 years old. Isaac died full of years at 180 (Genesis 35:28), as did Jacob at 147 (Genesis 47:28). King David reigned until the age of 70, and Anna the prophetess was anywhere from 84 to 103 years old when she served in the temple at the time of Jesus’s birth (Luke 2:36-38).

Think of age as just a number. It worked for our heroes in faith. As the song Young at Heart says, it’s worth every treasure on earth to be young at heart. Remember, you can do all things through Christ who is your strength (Philippians 4:13).

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

An Early Start

By Linda Tancs

You may remember the adage “children should be seen and not heard.” It seems a bit old-fashioned by today’s standards, considering the many contributions to society thanks to whiz kids in fields like science, technology, engineering and math. It was pretty old-fashioned by biblical standards, too, considering God’s anointing of youths like David, Jeremiah and Timothy to advance the Kingdom. David was a young lad of about 15 years when the Lord instructed Samuel to anoint him as a king (1 Samuel 16:12). Likewise, the prophet Jeremiah was just a boy when called to minister to the Israelites, denouncing idolatry, greed and false prophets (Jeremiah 1:1-8). And Timothy was a young man (perhaps a teenager) when he first met Paul and would become one of Paul’s most trusted missionaries, serving the church in Ephesus (Acts 16:1; 2 Tim. 1:5). The bottom line? You’re never too young to make an impact.

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

It Came to Pass

By Linda Tancs

The renowned artist Auguste Renoir was an Impressionist painter, best known for his paintings of bustling Parisian modernity and leisure in the last three decades of the 19th century. He suffered terribly from arthritis in the last decade of his life but continued to paint. When asked why he continued working in such agony, he replied, “The beauty remains. The pain passes.”

That quote reminds me of the Bible phrase, “it came to pass.” It occurs with great regularity, especially in the Old Testament. You might be tempted to just brush it off as a transitional phrase, a way to mark the passage of time in a story with a flourish. But this simple phrase has the potential to mean so much more. Imagine applying it to your difficulties—a job loss, financial reversal, broken relationship, health challenge, or whatever it may be. The problem, or event, didn’t come to stay; it came to pass. Solomon’s Book of Ecclesiastes teaches this principle of coming and going (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). In every storm of life, the pain will pass but the beauty (the ultimate good) will remain. In other words, as Paul reminded the Romans, “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 KJV).

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

Joy to the World

By Linda Tancs

Joy is the essence of a Christ-centered life. Indeed, Jesus reminded his followers that He came for us to have and enjoy life (John 10:10). Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, an attribute of the Christian life (Galatians 5:22). It’s good medicine (Proverbs 17:22). So how do you acquire it? One way is to avoid fear, worry and control. What do you fear? Abandonment? Failure? Death? Fear is sometimes instinctual but often learned behavior. Paul reminds us that God did not give us a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7). Worry is closely associated with fear. But why worry when you can pray (Philippians 4:6-7)? As Matthew pointed out in his gospel, worrying won’t add one cubit to your life (Matthew 6:27). Another joy-robber is a need for control. Are you a control freak? Don’t be a slave to your own agenda. It’s not about you (1 Corinthians 6:19). Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to advance God’s agenda, the common good, which is to look to the interests of others above your own (Philippians 2:4). Imagine how joyful you’d feel contributing to the needs of others, especially the poor and needy.

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

Sticks and Stones

By Linda Tancs

An old childhood rhyme begins, “Sticks and stones may break my bones.” In the Bible, stones (and clubs) are often depicted as obstacles, even instruments of death. For instance, we’re reminded of stoning as a punishment for sin in the story about the adulteress brought before Jesus for sentencing (John 8:2-5). Also, Jesus reacts disappointedly to his arrest with the use of swords and clubs, as if He were a robber (Mark 14:48; Matthew 26:55; Luke 22:52). And then there’s the imposing stone placed before the entrance to the tomb following Jesus’ crucifixion (Mark 16:3).

What are your “stones” in life? Age? Infirmity? Anger? Resentment? Fear? Don’t let them break you. There’s no stone so big that He can’t roll it back. Focus on building a better foundation based on the One who is the cornerstone (Psalm 118:22; Acts 4:11).