The Danger of "Looking Back"

Shake it off (like Taylor Swift said to)

These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. [https://account.venmo.com/pay?recipients=WakeForestPresbyterian-Church] https://account.venmo.com/pay?recipients=WakeForestPresbyterian-Church Scripture: Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. Consider: Imagine you’re Paul in this story…you’ve just survived a shipwreck, among so many other things. You’re probably soaking wet, cold, and all you want to do is light a fire. And as you do…you get bitten by a snake. That’s it, I’m done. It feels unfair and very much like insult to injury to me. At this point I think, if I were Paul, God would be on my “naughty” list. I would have very little to no trust in the idea that God was with me through it all. Wasn’t surviving the storm proof that he had endured enough trouble for one season? Yet immediately after one crisis ends, another pain appears. That is often how these “halts” in life feel. We already feel like we are carrying the baggage of all past injuries, all the failures, the faults and the mistakes of life that seem to be so much more memorable than any miracle or joy… and here comes one more. We survive the failure, the heartbreak, the closed door, the ministry setback, the financial collapse, the betrayal, the burnout—and then we carry the aftermath with us. Even after the storm is over, there’s a snakebite out there waiting for us. Sometimes the greatest obstacle is not the original storm but the emotional and spiritual baggage left behind by it. We replay mistakes, relive embarrassment, and carry invisible weight into every new step forward. But God never intended for us to carry that snake with us just because it bit us. What if the very presence of God in your life is where you are meant to throw the shame, disappointment, and exhaustion you’ve been gripping? There’s no chance of moving graciously into tomorrow when today’s baggage is still on our backs. So, today we look at a few things we need to do (perhaps while singing a little Taylor Swift in the process): shake off the shame of a failed attempt, shake off the bitterness of a delay in plans, shake off the fear of another disappointment. God’s call on your life is not defeated by a storm, a setback, or even the painful season that followed it. There comes a moment when faith looks less like understanding everything and more like refusing to stop walking forward. Respond: What aftermath from a past failure, mistake, disappointment or injury are you still carrying? What baggage have you allowed to stay “checked” in your brain for entirely too long? Visualize throwing that failure, that shame, that guilt or grief into a fire…and warm yourself today with the new freedom of mind and spirit you have with that freed up headspace. Pray: God, You know the storms I’ve survived and the wounds I still carry from them. Help me release the shame, frustration, and fear that keep me stuck in the aftermath. Teach me to shake off what tries to stop my calling. Renew my courage to move forward again, trusting that Your purpose for my life is greater than any setback. Amen. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com [https://wfpc.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The Divine Detour

Scripture: And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” Consider: I will be the first to admit that when I’m on the road, I want NOTHING standing in my way of my destination (especially if I’m driving…if I’m riding, I can nap and all is right with the world). Bathroom breaks are very strategically timed, people driving slow in the left lane are clearly out to get me, etc. It’s serious business on the road to somewhere for me. And so, you can imagine the words I utter when I see the “detour” sign in the distance. It is not met with curiosity or even begrudging acceptance…it is met with full blown anger. So when I read these verses of scripture where God speaks to both the Magi and the holy family, insisting on a detour, or outright change of plans in the midst of presumed chaos already in place, I find myself being a bit embarrassed and rather humbled about my road rage over a slight imposition to my schedule. You see, the literal life of our savior hung in the decision making of the Magi and his parents. They could heed the warning and take a different route, or they could get frustrated with the detour and plug ahead on the planned route. Thank goodness I wasn’t the one making this decision. When we become so clearly focused on “the plan” or “the route” we believe is the best one for us, so very often we miss the blessing, or even salvation, of the detour. That thing which God places before us to slow us down, to have us take a different route, is inevitably the better way, even if it might take more time, or feel like the more difficult path to tread. All too often we don’t slow down long enough to even notice that God is offering an alternate route, but when we do, it always leads us somewhere fruitful. So the next time you get a nudge, or “detour sign”, don’t ignore it, don’t throw up your hands in frustration, don’t be like me and cuss at it and then continue on your way…take note, change course, and see where God is leading you. It just might change your life, or someone else’s… Respond: Take notice today of your set plans or routes…are they well worn and so familiar that you cannot see the alternate route God is asking you to take? Are there possible places you have avoided the detour because it feels scary? Like you may have to change an opinion, or reach out in ways that you haven’t before? Are there dangers in the well worn path for you or others that God is inviting you to notice and move away from? Dangers of old patterns that keep others down, or even old ideas that lead to the chipping away of God’s kingdom building? Pray: God, we know that through You all things work for good…detours are not something we enjoy in our overscheduled, too busy lives. Help us see the saving grace in the change of plan, the alternate route you set before us. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. [https://account.venmo.com/pay?recipients=WakeForestPresbyterian-Church] https://account.venmo.com/pay?recipients=WakeForestPresbyterian-Church This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com [https://wfpc.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The Scenic Route

Scripture: When Pharaoh let the people go, God didn’t lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, even though that was the shorter route. God thought, If the people have to fight and face war, they will run back to Egypt. So God led the people by the roundabout way of the Reed Sea desert. The Israelites went up out of the land of Egypt ready for battle. Moses took with him Joseph’s bones just as Joseph had made Israel’s sons promise when he said to them, “When God takes care of you, you must carry my bones out of here with you.” They set out from Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. The Lord went in front of them during the day in a column of cloud to guide them and at night in a column of lightning to give them light. This way they could travel during the day and at night. The column of cloud during the day and the column of lightning at night never left its place in front of the people. Consider: One of the GPS apps I carry on my phone promises to get you there faster than any other app. Most of the time, I just settle on the run of the mill GPS which comes with my phone, but every once in a while I’m in a hurry and want to get to my destination as soon as physically possible. That’s when I fire up my special, “break glass in case of emergency” map which doesn’t pay attention to how “easy” the route might be but simply gives you the shortest route between two lines. This means occassionally you might find yourself trying to cross four lines of traffic to get to the other alley on the other side of the road. From time to time it takes you through sketchy neighborhoods which inspire you to drive even faster. Every once in awhile, you have to make a u-turn and go back the way you came because the shortcut turned into a dead end. On my trip back here from visiting my grandmother up north, I usually take a stretch of 1-81 which may have more accidents per square mile than any other stretch of road in america*. It also has the most tractor-trailers, which means when a back-up happens the road is shut-down for hours. One memorable time driving south from back home, my adventure GPS took us up on the Blue Ridge parkway, where it took us up and over, down and around, through parts of Virginia I’d never seen. I often went 10 miles without seeing another car and lost access to internet to play music or podcasts, so I pulled up an old audio book on the History of the American Civil War which seemed to be the only thing actually downloaded to my phone. It was incredibly strange as we kept passing the sites mentioned in the book. The author would talk about Cold Harbor and, oops, there it went. The book talked about the farms the soldiers raided and barns they slept in on the march through the mountains as they went to march on Richmond. It was surreal and grounding at the same time, this wonderful marriage of the story I was told and the sites I was seeing. And none of that would have been possible without the re-routing of my GPS. Sometimes God takes us the “long way” because we aren’t yet ready for the destination or there are unanticipated traffic jams along the way. The detour isn’t a delay; it’s but a rerouting, inviting us to explore the new scenery around us and consider it with awe and wonder in our heart, instead of complaining about the extra mileage on our car. *Not a scientific data point Respond: When was the last time God told you to “recalculate” and take another direction? What did you learn along the way which you might never have experienced otherwise? Pray: God, when life takes me through valleys I do not understand, help me trust that You are still working. Teach me to surrender the illusion of control and depend fully on You. Help me trust that even painful detours will be used to shape my character and deepen my faith. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. [https://account.venmo.com/pay?recipients=WakeForestPresbyterian-Church] https://account.venmo.com/pay?recipients=WakeForestPresbyterian-Church This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com [https://wfpc.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

When all you've got left is God

Scripture: So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe he was wearing— and they took him and threw him into the cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it. As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt. Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed. So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt. ____________ You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. Consider: When Joseph’s brothers threw him into a pit, his life seemed to collapse in that very moment. Betrayed by family, abandoned without rescue, and eventually sold into slavery, Joseph’s journey looked nothing like the dream God had given him or any expectation he may have had for himself. At first glance, this passage feels like a story of cruelty and family drama. But underneath what seemed to be a terrible outcome for Joseph is the deeper truth: God is at work in the pits and valleys as well as in the mountaintop experiences…sometimes it seems to be in the pit that we stop long enough to truly notice and take note of God’s work. Joseph had the dreams in hand, but didn’t have the understanding of how to make the dreams work for others rather than live endlessly on the favor and status he already enjoyed. Favor alone was not enough. The pit stripped Joseph of control, status, and certainty. There was no status that could rescue him in this experience. All he had left was God. That is often where surrender begins, in the lowest places where we have no other resources left. It quite often takes a stripping down of all our self-reliance to realize God at work in our world. In seasons of comfort, we lean on our abilities, our plans, and our confidence. But in the valley, we discover how fragile those things really are. The detour becomes the place where noticing, listening to and relying on God is no longer theoretical — it becomes necessary. The breaking of self-reliance often becomes the birthplace of spiritual maturity. When we recognize where our own abilities end, we can truly look to where God’s work is taking shape. The pit did not destroy Joseph. It humbled him, refined him, and positioned him for what was ahead. May we find the refining nature of God in the pits and valleys of our lives, not just on the mountaintop! Respond: What would it look like to surrender your self-reliance today? Think about how much you rely on your own thoughts, your own skills, your own ability to “make things happen” or “get your way” in order to move through your day…what would it look like/feel like to let go of that for just a day? Pray: God, when life takes me through valleys I do not understand, help me trust that You are still working. Teach me to surrender the illusion of control and depend fully on You. Help me trust that even painful detours will be used to shape my character and deepen my faith. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. [https://account.venmo.com/pay?recipients=WakeForestPresbyterian-Church] https://account.venmo.com/pay?recipients=WakeForestPresbyterian-Church This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com [https://wfpc.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Strategy in the Stall

Scripture: While they were eating together, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for what the Father had promised. He said, “This is what you heard from me: John baptized with water, but in only a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” As a result, those who had gathered together asked Jesus, “Lord, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now?” Jesus replied, “It isn’t for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has set by his own authority. Rather, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” After Jesus said these things, as they were watching, he was lifted up and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going away and as they were staring toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood next to them. They said, “Galileans, why are you standing here, looking toward heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you saw him go into heaven.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem—a sabbath day’s journey away. When they entered the city, they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. Peter, John, James, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James, Alphaeus’ son; Simon the zealot; and Judas, James’ son— all were united in their devotion to prayer, along with some women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. Consider: There are few places more frustrating than the shoulder of a highway. As cars zoom past at eighty miles an hour, you sit there, hazards blinking, watching your schedule disintegrate in real-time. Whether it’s a sudden flat tire, an overheated engine, or a flashing blue light in your rearview mirror, being forced to pull over is an aggressive interruption. It signals an immediate halt to your progress, leaving you stranded while the rest of the world keeps moving. In life, we experience spiritual shoulders all the time. You are cruising along, hitting your milestones, and executing your five-year plan perfectly. Then, out of nowhere, comes the forced stop. A sudden medical diagnosis, a corporate layoff, a broken relationship, or a season of inexplicable closed doors. Suddenly, you are sidelined. You watch your peers zoom past you in their careers, marriages, and personal achievements, while you feel stuck on the gravel, hazard lights flashing, wondering why your momentum was so abruptly stolen. Our natural reaction to the shoulder is anxiety and frustration. We view it as lost time. But in the kingdom of God, the shoulder is never a waste of time; it is a place of realignment. Human beings are obsessed with speed, but God is invested in strategy. We want the shortest distance between two points, but God sees the entire map. When He forces us to pull over, it is often because our current trajectory or timing is misaligned with His master plan. We think we are just late; God knows He is protecting us from a multi-car pileup five miles down the road that we couldn’t possibly see coming. Consider the life of Moses, who spent forty years on the backside of the desert—a massive, decades-long detour on the shoulder of life—before he was ready to lead Israel. Consider Joseph, sidelined in an Egyptian prison, or even the Apostle Paul, whose global missionary journeys were repeatedly halted by the Holy Spirit. In every case, the forced pause was not a denial of their destiny, but a strategic setup. When God pulls you over, it is an invitation to shift your focus from the speed of your life to the source of your life. It is a grace that detaches your worth from your productivity. On the shoulder, you are forced to realize that you cannot control the road, but you can trust the One who built it. He uses the quiet, frustrating stillness of the sideline to check your spiritual engine, realign your character, and fuel you with a perspective that prosperity could never teach you. If you find yourself on the shoulder today, take a deep breath. You haven’t been abandoned; you have been positioned. God’s timing is never late, and it is never accidental. He is preparing you for the road ahead, ensuring that when it is finally time to merge back into traffic, you are running on God’s power, completely aligned with a strategy that is infinitely greater than your own. Respond: Waiting can be frustrating, but when was the last time you chose to wait? We can actually learn to wait. You can put yourself in situations when the answer eludes you, at least for the moment. The next time you’re tempted to rush ahead to find out how a movie or novel turns out, slow yourself down and force yourself to focus on the situation as it unfolds. Maybe you’ll find a newfound appreciation for a style of writing or directing that otherwise you wouldn’t have noticed. Pray: God, when life takes me through valleys I do not understand, help me trust that You are still working. Teach me to surrender the illusion of control and depend fully on You. Help me trust that even painful detours will be used to shape my character and deepen my faith. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. [https://account.venmo.com/pay?recipients=WakeForestPresbyterian-Church] https://account.venmo.com/pay?recipients=WakeForestPresbyterian-Church This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com [https://wfpc.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]