Would You Have Chosen the Life You Have?

When we’re young, anything seems possible. Options are many and the future seems filled with unlimited opportunities. As we advance well into our adult years, however, we discover some of the doors that seemed wide open have closed – if they were ever really open in the first place. Some dreams will never be realized, and the future looks different than what it once did.

 

We don’t have the luxury (at least yet) of entering a time machine and going back into the past to make changes and course corrections for our lives. Most of us can still make some adjustments for the future, but guardrails have been established that limit the path we’ll be able to take.

 

So, perhaps in a reflective moment or two, we might ask ourselves: “Would I have chosen this life, the life I have now?”

 

Some people might respond with an enthusiastic, “I wouldn’t change a thing!” Others wish they could make a few changes but are relatively satisfied with how things are turning out. Still others are less positive, with thoughts filled with “woulda, shoulda, coulda” types of regrets. 

 

Looking back over the course of our lives, we recognize some things were out of our control. Other things, however, resulted from choices and decisions we made, and we’ve had to deal with the consequences, good and bad. Since we can’t change the past, how do we handle the present – and the future?

 

Joni and her husband, Ken Tada,
on the cover of her 1986 book,
"Choices & Changes."

Years ago, when I was a magazine editor, I had the privilege of interviewing Joni Eareckson Tada, an internationally known and greatly admired quadriplegic. She became paralyzed from the neck down in a diving accident as a teenager, yet became an accomplished author of many books, artist, speaker, and even singer. Joni has achieved more, despite her disabilities, than most able-bodied people could dream of doing.

I’ve not talked to Joni since then, but from her subsequent writings and interviews I’ve learned she has experienced ups and downs in life similar to what we all have. What if Joni hadn’t chosen to dive head-first into that shallow lake? If she could, would she have chosen a different life?

 

Thinking back to that interview, I feel confident she would not choose a different life. Joni told me, as she has said many times in various settings, “I shudder to think what my life would have been like if I had not become paralyzed.”

 

What an amazing statement! I recall her explaining that the trajectory to her life prior to the accident had not been good; her relationship with God had not been growing. After her injury, the process of adjusting to her life and limitations was extremely difficult, but she gradually began drawing closer to the Lord. Joni started tapping into the creative gifts and abilities He had given to her, and she discovered a very special calling.

 

Over the years, her books, artwork and spoken messages have touched millions of lives and inspired many to accept and overcome whatever their earthly limitations might be. She founded a wonderful ministry, Joni and Friends, dedicated to serving children and adults with disabilities. It’s unlikely she could have accomplished anything approaching these things had she not become disabled and forced to trust and rely on God every moment of every day.

 

One day she will shed the shackles of her earthly body and enter the presence of God, being able to jump, run and dance. But if given the chance to press “Rewind” to prevent her life-changing dive into that lake, I doubt if Joni would, given the course her life has followed since.

 

My own life certainly hasn’t followed the track I anticipated, even though it can’t compare to what people like Joni have experienced. If I had been able to plan things out, I couldn’t have guessed what opportunities God had in store for me. My marriage, family, career, relationships and travels all have far exceeded my greatest hopes.

 

This is why two of my favorite Bible verses speak of how God delights in doing the unexpected and unimaginable. In Jeremiah 33:3, for example, He declares, “Call on Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things which you do not know.” 

 

And Ephesians 3:20 assures us that the Lord is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.” I have seen this to be true not only in Joni’s life and my own, but in the lives of countless other people I have gotten to know through the years.

 

Ultimately, it comes down to having faith that God knows exactly what He’s doing and is never surprised or caught off guard by what we do or fail to do. A promise He gave to the Israelites thousands of years ago still applies today for everyone who is a member of His eternal family, His chosen people. He said, “For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 33:3).

 

If at times we’re prone to wonder if the life we have is the one we would have chosen, it might be reassuring to know that from the Lord’s point of view, it’s exactly what He had in mind for us.

Faith: Like the Credit Card, Don’t Leave Home Without It

From time to time, someone is described as “a man (or woman) of faith.” That sounds nice, but occasionally I’m inclined to wonder, “Faith in what?” Because the world around us gives us so many options. For instance, there are numerous religions – the big, name-brand ones, as well as obscure ones seemingly invented by somebody that had nothing else to do. And even a cursory look at them shows they advocate very different precepts and dogmas.

 

Some people have faith in government, although I suspect their numbers are steadily declining for a variety of reasons. We can have faith in ourselves, but honestly, we know we’re not always as reliable or trustworthy – even for ourselves – as we’d like to think we are.

 

Having faith in family members and friends can present a similar dilemma. Since they’re imperfect human beings as we are, inevitably they’ll fail to keep commitments or live up to our expectations. That might not be their intent, but that’s reality.

 

Then there’s the all-inclusive, “You just have to have faith!” Sounds encouraging, but again, the question arises: faith in what, exactly? The cosmos? Good fortune? Perfect timing – being at the right place at the right time? Serendipity? Kismet? They’ve actually made movies about the last two – if you don’t believe me, just take it on faith, okay?

 

Even atheists act upon a kind of faith multiple times every day. Driving down a two-lane road, we all must believe the oncoming car won’t suddenly veer into our path. If we didn’t trust other drivers to stay in their own lanes – with the awareness that on occasion some have not – we’d never leave the garage. 

 

Boarding an airplane is an act of faith, trusting in the competence, skills and experience of the pilot and crew, the integrity of the aircraft’s design, and myriad other factors necessary for achieving a successful flight. Belief is looking at a commercial jet and saying, “Yes, I believe that if I got on, it could take me to New York City.” Faith requires acting upon that belief – by actually boarding the plane, sitting down, getting buckled in and fully expecting to arrive in the Big Apple on schedule. 

 

I’m not discounting or disparaging faith. It’s important, and like the old American Express commercial used to say, we shouldn’t leave home without it. But as our pastor commented recently in starting a series of messages on genuine faith, it’s not about blind optimism or wishful thinking.

 

Christianity, of course, is rooted in faith. The Scriptures clearly assert, again and again, what – or rather, who – is the basis of our faith. The Bible’s declarations about faith begin in the book of Genesis and continue through its concluding book of Revelation. One entire New Testament chapter is focused exclusively on the subject of faith.

 

Hebrews 11 opens with the declaration, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Chew on that for a moment. I like the New King James translation of it even better: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Because in the physical world, things that we hope for lack substance until we’ve obtained then, and evidence that’s not seen wouldn’t hold up well in a court of law. But that’s exactly how the Scriptures describe genuine, life-transforming faith.

 

The remainder of Hebrew 11 is a parade of examples of people through the Scriptures who lived out their faith in extraordinary ways. The list starts with Abel, the son of Adam and Eve who was killed by his brother, Cain. Of Abel it says, “by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead” (verse 4).

 

Verse 6 tells us how important faith is to the Lord: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Everyday life gives us numerous opportunities to exercise our faith, realizing that despite our best efforts, much of what is transpiring around us is beyond our control.

 

Hebrews 11’s “hall of faith” cites numerous other individuals, including Enoch, who did not experience death; Noah, who labored many years to build an ark at God’s command, saving his family from the global flood; Joseph, Moses, Gideon, Samson, David, Samuel, and even a prostitute named Rahab. 

 

Abraham is a classic example of faith, of whom it says, “when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8). It says he was rewarded for his obedience, being blessed with a son – Isaac – by his wife, Sarah, after they were well-advanced in years: “And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as murderous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore” (verse 12). 

 

The existence of the nation of Israel today and the presence of Jews all around the world stand as proof that this promise to Abraham continues to be fulfilled.

 

This incredible chapter closes with the acknowledgement that the objects of faith are often long in coming, sometimes not even realized during one’s earthly life: “These were commended by the faith, yet none of them received what they had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:39-40).

At the same time, as we study the Scriptures, we find hundreds of instances when deep, unwavering faith in God was indeed rewarded. And these should serve as encouragement and inspiration for us all. As God declares in Jeremiah 33:3, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” That sounds wonderful to me. How about you? 

Have You Ever Stopped and Turned Around?

People who know me are aware of my “traveling disability” – I’m directionally challenged. Whenever I go to a new place, I either need clear directions or must rely on my good friend, Gladys Penelope Snodgrass (GPS). In fact, I can somewhere 10 times and, if the route is complicated in any way, will probably need directions again. 

 

I admire people who can travel to a new location and from that first visit will have the directions down pat, even years later. That doesn’t describe me. A common stereotype about men is that they never stop for directions, insistent on finding the way on their own. However, acknowledging my directional deficiencies, I’m usually quick to stop to ask someone – or consult GPS – for guidance.

 

One time I did attempt the “find it yourself” approach, but after a while realized the farther that I drove, the more distant I was getting from my destination. I’d rather humble myself and admit I’m lost – or suspect I might be – than keep following the wrong route. 

 

I marvel at the account in Exodus of how the ancient Israelites, after being freed from bondage in Egypt, wandered in the desert for 40 years before God guided them to the Promised Land. In that culture, women were expected to submit to the authority of men. And the men of Israel probably were too proud to ask for directions.

 

There’s a spiritual parallel here, but it’s not limited to the male species. Many of us have spent considerable time wandering through life, often in a tremendous hurry, but we seem to be going in circles. We’re going nowhere, but at least we’re making great time. Or as a friend used to describe people trying to live without Jesus Christ, “They’re lost, but they don’t know they’re lost.”

 

Recently I heard a story about C.S. Lewis, a one-time atheist who became a stalwart theologian and apologist for Christianity. Although raised in a Christian home, he rejected the faith at an early age and for a time thought he was doing just fine, on the right path, right on schedule. Then, as recounted in The Most Reluctant Convert, a biography of Lewis by David Downing, came an “aha” moment.

 

Lewis was enrolled to attend the esteemed Oxford University College, but when he exited the train in Oxford, he mistakenly began walking down the street in the wrong direction. He had never been to the town before, so Lewis grew disappointed at the nondescript houses and shops he saw along the way. He continued for a while until he reasoned that perhaps he was going the wrong way.

 

Not long after turning around, Lewis began to see the beautiful towers and spires for which the college is noted. Recalling this experience in his own book, Surprised by Joy, Lewis states, “This little adventure was an allegory of my whole life.” This became an important step in his journey of returning to the wonder of a life of faith, realizing the futility of following the path that had absorbed him into “the mundane inanities of modern life.”

 

Only when he turned around did Lewis find his way to the college, and this “turning” served as an important moment in realizing his need to turn back to the God he had encountered as a child. And what a turning it was – he became the author of many books about the Christian faith, including Mere Christianity, A Grief Observed, and the Chronicles of Narnia fantasy series.

 

Tragically, countless men and women are traveling in the absolute wrong direction, thoroughly convinced it eventually will get them to where they want to go. They have no idea that unless they turn around and proceed in the opposite direction, which the Bible calls “repentance,” they will never arrive at their desired destination. As Acts 3:19 declares, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”

 

The many religions of this world suggest there are many ways of finding the peace, joy, sense of purpose and fulfillment we all long for. But Jesus Christ boldly declared, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

 

This opportunity is available for anyone who will call out to God, acknowledge their need for Him and the fact that they have been headed in the wrong direction for much too long. If we do so, we’re told, “A highway will be there, a roadway, and it will be called the Highway of Holiness” (Isaiah 35:8).

 

Is it time that you – or someone that you know and love – admitted going the wrong way and decided it was time to consult a new GPS: God’s Positioning System? 

There was a time in my life that I was far off-course spiritually, knowing nothing about a real, transforming relationship with the Lord. But I finally “saw the light,” no longer directionally challenged spiritually. Ever since then, following Jesus has become an incredible adventure I could never have imagined. When God said in Jeremiah 33:3, “Call on me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know,” He wasn’t kidding. 

When We Don’t Know What to Do, Do What God Said

Since I write my posts a couple weeks in advance, one of these days the COVID-19 virus pandemic will thankfully have passed, making my thoughts about it outdated. But until then, I continue to ponder what God might be seeking to teach us through this unsettling “season” of our history. Maybe, among other things, He wants to remind of what He’s said all along.

For instance, the significance of prayer. We tend to regard prayer for emergencies only, a last resort. Or as something we indulge in for a few idle moments – which, until we’re engaged in social distancing and staying in place, seem scarce. But prayer is important throughout the Scriptures, and we see repeatedly that when people pray, amazing things happen.

For instance, in Jeremiah 33:3 we read, “Call on Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things which you do not know.” I don’t know about you, but I’m excited about the prospect of seeing “great and might things” these days, especially if the Lord is doing them. When things seem darkest, that’s when the light of Christ shines brightest.

Another of my favorite verses about prayer offers this simple admonishment: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). As I understand it, prayer is not something that occurs only at a certain time, when we’re in a certain place or in a certain position. To pray without ceasing means engaging in it continually, kind of like a face-to-face conversation – which we haven’t had much recently – or chatting with someone over the phone. There might be a pause in the exchange of words, but after a few moments we pick things up where we left off.

Of late, when followers of Jesus have mentioned praying about the coronavirus crisis, skeptics have scoffed, as if to say, “What good will that do?” In actuality, it can do a lot. Praying about any situation doesn’t mean passivity; in fact, the Scriptures teach whenever we have the opportunity, we’re to take appropriate and prompt action. But when we pray, we’re not only acknowledging and praising our God, but also recognizing His power and that He can do what we cannot.

Jesus told us, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8). Too often we fret and spit and moan and groan, when the most productive and meaningful thing we can do is pray.

There are some who have suggested COVID-19 is God’s judgment on America, or the world. I don’t know about that; such an idea is far beyond my theological pay grade. But when it comes to doing what God has said, especially when we’re unsure about what we should be doing, we have a powerful exhortation that we rarely consider.

Imagine if the millions of true followers of Jesus were to diligently and intentionally put into practice the instructions from 2 Chronicles 7:14, "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Occasionally we see this passage trotted out for a community prayer breakfast or a similar event, but it’s something we all can do – individually and collectively – at any time. On numerous occasions we read about the people of Israel doing this in the Old Testament. They had lost interest in worshiping and following God, choosing instead to go their own way. Much as we’ve done in our nation. 

Then, when things turned bleak, the Israelites seemed to have one of those “Aha!” experiences. They repented, turned back to God, and He restored His blessings and protective care. Maybe that’s what the Lord is asking of us today. Things had been going well overall, seemingly without God’s help, but suddenly we’ve hit a major bump in the road. “What do we do?” we cry out in fear and despair.

Perhaps God is using this time to ask, “Are you willing to humble yourselves, and pray, and seek Me, and turn from your disobedience and rebellion? If so, I’m listening and eager to respond in ways you could never imagine.” Imagine that!

Cure for a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Whenever I want to get my day off to a bad start, I have a fool-proof strategy. I turn on the morning news and hear about all the awful things that happened yesterday, or while I was sleeping. It’s kind of like the guy who said, “My day was going just great. Really well. Then I got out of bed, and it spiraled down from there!”

Like Alexander in the book, we
all have terrible, horrible days.

Reminds me of the classic children’s book, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst. If you’re not familiar with this award-winning story, poor little Alexander finds that from the moment he wakes up, things seem determined not to go his way. Things get so bad, Alexander wishes he could move to Australia, where he feels certain things would go much better for him. (In an Australian version of the book, Alexander expresses a yearning to move to Timbuktu.)

You might not face the same set of setbacks that Alexander does, but we’ve all had our own version of a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, haven’t we?

Sometimes circumstances we encounter are beyond our control: Someone backing into our car in the shopping mall parking lot; dropping an egg or bottle of milk on the floor while preparing to make breakfast; not noticing that icy spot on the sidewalk; or having one of the kids get sick just before we’re heading out for a special evening with our spouse.

But what we can control is our attitude. As my friend used to say, “We can’t keep the birds from flying overhead, but we can keep them from building a nest in our hair.”

It’s not about becoming a Pollyanna, or insisting on wearing rose-colored glasses – or drinking out of only half-full ones, for that matter. It’s about understanding what we can rely on even when a day serves us with its worst.

The Scriptures talk about maintaining a right perspective even in the midst of negative news and circumstances: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things” (Philippians 4:8). It’s hard to remain pessimistic when we surround ourselves with reasons for optimism.

We also can escape negativity when we concentrate on God’s assurances. For instances, in Jeremiah 29:11, He promises, “For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Several chapters later the Lord instructs us to “Call on me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3). In the midst of difficulties, big or small, it can be extremely hard to see or understand the big picture. Sometimes we need to drive through mud to reach the paved road.

Then there’s one of my all-time favorite promises, that we can release whatever burdens us to God’s attention: “Cast all your anxiety of him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

Having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day? Take heart – it will pass sooner than you think. And trust in the Lord who’s expert at turning terrible, horrible, no good, very bad stuff into something really good!