Velocity
During a recent conversation with a friend, we talked round and round about being blessed, and minimizing our struggles in light of all that God has done in our lives. How can we do anything but praise Him for the roof over our head, running water (hot water!), full bellies, and more? How could our hearts have anything less than constant gratitude for the goodness of God?
“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
“Cast all your anxieties on Him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7
“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10
We can be joyful, grateful, content, and praise-filled, and still feel the sting of betrayal or the heartache of loss. His Word tells us that we’ll have trouble. We’ll encounter things that make us anxious, or we might consistently battle with anxiety. We’ll be met with people who would try to tear us down, situations that bring us to our knees: loss, betrayal, hurt, and sorrow. Across this broad range of emotions that we’ve been given, we will soar to heights of euphoria, and crash into despair.
God foreknew this, and calls us to share with each other those heavy loads, and allow others to speak truth into our life. He tells us not just look to Him, but seek Him, and come.
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2
“Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.” 1 Chronicles 16:11
“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
What's your velocity?
Velocity: the direction and speed of motion of an object; the speed of something in a given direction
Measuring velocity assumes two things are happening simultaneously: that an object is moving, and that it is moving in a particular direction.
We can be pointed toward God and spinning our wheels, not moving in any direction. We can step forward and back, over and over, essentially remaining in the same place despite our movement.
We can be running full speed away from God, or constantly knocked off course as we allow tribulations, anxieties, and suffering of this present life to turn us in a different direction.
Godly physics says that to draw nearer and nearer to Christ, we must be both pointed toward Him and moving.
Sometimes movement looks like stillness. Resting in His comfort, resting in His peace, resting in His Word. He makes us lie down in green pastures (Ps 23) and stillness is sometimes what He requires for us to draw nearer to Him.
Sometimes movement can look like a sprint, as we run to Him in desperate need. Or a crawl, whether from shame, doubt, or exhaustion.
But first: we fix our eyes on Jesus. We let the noise of the world fall away. We choose to trust in the God who works all things together, for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28). We put to death the earthly desires and inclinations we walk in, and set our mind on compassion, kindness, humility, patience, forgiveness, and love (Col. 3).
"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." Col. 3:1-2
Set a course toward Jesus. Adjust for speed bumps, detours, and breakdowns. Hold fast to our eternal hope in Christ, steadfast and unwavering, and go.
“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
“Cast all your anxieties on Him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7
“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10
We can be joyful, grateful, content, and praise-filled, and still feel the sting of betrayal or the heartache of loss. His Word tells us that we’ll have trouble. We’ll encounter things that make us anxious, or we might consistently battle with anxiety. We’ll be met with people who would try to tear us down, situations that bring us to our knees: loss, betrayal, hurt, and sorrow. Across this broad range of emotions that we’ve been given, we will soar to heights of euphoria, and crash into despair.
God foreknew this, and calls us to share with each other those heavy loads, and allow others to speak truth into our life. He tells us not just look to Him, but seek Him, and come.
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2
“Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.” 1 Chronicles 16:11
“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
What's your velocity?
Velocity: the direction and speed of motion of an object; the speed of something in a given direction
Measuring velocity assumes two things are happening simultaneously: that an object is moving, and that it is moving in a particular direction.
We can be pointed toward God and spinning our wheels, not moving in any direction. We can step forward and back, over and over, essentially remaining in the same place despite our movement.
We can be running full speed away from God, or constantly knocked off course as we allow tribulations, anxieties, and suffering of this present life to turn us in a different direction.
Godly physics says that to draw nearer and nearer to Christ, we must be both pointed toward Him and moving.
Sometimes movement looks like stillness. Resting in His comfort, resting in His peace, resting in His Word. He makes us lie down in green pastures (Ps 23) and stillness is sometimes what He requires for us to draw nearer to Him.
Sometimes movement can look like a sprint, as we run to Him in desperate need. Or a crawl, whether from shame, doubt, or exhaustion.
But first: we fix our eyes on Jesus. We let the noise of the world fall away. We choose to trust in the God who works all things together, for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28). We put to death the earthly desires and inclinations we walk in, and set our mind on compassion, kindness, humility, patience, forgiveness, and love (Col. 3).
"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." Col. 3:1-2
Set a course toward Jesus. Adjust for speed bumps, detours, and breakdowns. Hold fast to our eternal hope in Christ, steadfast and unwavering, and go.
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