Does God hurt people?

This week the idea of God hurting people was laid before me in a group setting. Knowing the person who said it because of previous conversations with him/her I also know why it was said and the story is gut wrenching involving the death of a child. Even though my wife and I had a very close call with our own son and his near death experience and we shared how we cried out to God to have mercy on him and God did but not once did we blame God or was angry at God because of it happening but the story had no effect on this person. We were told if our son had died we would have been angry at God but this person was wrong because regardless of the outcome we know that God is good and this life’s conclusion is not the end but the beginning.

In the conversation that happened this week both my wife and I sat there without a response (it had such a great impact we still haven’t talked to each other about it) but others did speak out to say that’s not who God is, which made me glad. The comment was made that God hurts people and it’s not right. Our pastor has been teaching about the character of God and having relationship with Him and how good He is and this same person said they feel like screaming at the pastor when they hear him describe God that way. These words have haunted me ever since they were spoken, feeling like I should have had a quick response defending who God was and is but I know this person is hurting and in this case time is not healing wounds. My concern is if this person really knows who God is and what eternal impact that will have on any individual who is feeling this way? In this case does going to church make a difference if I am that angry at God? I am reminded of this scripture…

Matthew 7:21-27 MKJV  Not everyone who says to Me, Lord! Lord! shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven.  (22)  Many will say to Me in that day, Lord! Lord! Did we not prophesy in Your name, and through Your name throw out demons, and through Your name do many wonderful works?  (23)  And then I will say to them I never knew you! Depart from Me, those working lawlessness!  (24)  Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock.  (25)  And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house. And it did not fall, for it was founded on a rock.  (26)  And everyone who hears these sayings of Mine and does not do them shall be compared to a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  (27)  And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the wind blew and beat on that house. And it fell, and great was its fall.

In this group we went on from there to discuss people being sick and God not healing them, even though they do great things for God, implying how can God allow this and still be just? At that point I did speak up and said this, “I believe in the law of reaping and sowing, many times we do things in our youth that is bad for our body but as we grow up we turn towards God to serve Him and when we get older we blame God for poor health but in truth it is the result of decisions made in our youth.” I know this first hand to be true and yes I do believe God is gracious and merciful but His ultimate mercy will be made known when we pass from this life to the next. This is what I am experiencing now, God leads us (His true believers) by His spirit, we have a choice to either humble ourselves, listen, and obey or we can be completely oblivious to His call and do our own thing because we like being comfortable. It is not God who causes us to get sick but rather, in many cases, He warns us, if we will listen, to make healthy choices. Here is a simple example. Because of not eating right and lack of exercise I have had low energy for some time now as a result I started drinking coffee so that I was coherent at work. Unfortunately, that temporary boost of energy allowed me to make things even worse by not keeping a good schedule and going to bed on time! What was my answer? Start drinking two cups of coffee in the morning. It came to my attention that I was doing something wrong when I took the family to CoSi science museum in Columbus not too long ago and there was a machine that when you grabbed the handle it would cause a kick drum to beat according to your own heartbeat. My wife’s was nice and slow like it should be but when I grabbed it you would have thought I just got through running five miles but I had done nothing strenuous. You see God had been telling me for a long time to eat right and it was then I was reminded that I should pray before eating and ask that God bless the food and guide me so that what I do eat is good for me and that my portions are according to His will. You want a diet plan that has results, then start here.

I am happy to report that I am eating less red meat, regularly drinking veggie blends, and exercising more. I cut out drinking coffee all except once or twice a week I’ll have one small cup. You see it wasn’t about me doing more or drinking more or eating more but it’s about me stopping and listening to God’s quiet, still voice. Had I kept going I know it would have led to me to a hospital bed somewhere and if I were like many in the church today I would no doubt say, “God how could you have let this happen? I was serving you at church, I was tithing, I was providing for my family.” Yes I understand how the enemy will lie to people to get them to believe God hurts them but it’s not true. I also know it is easier to blame God than it is to change bad habits or to move out of our comfort zone but where will that lead us? Will that way of thinking be profitable for us in the end?

On judgement day those who have not had real relationship with God’s Son will have all of their excuses ready but when they see God’s face their defense they worked so hard on will have no ground on which to stand for all the sand beneath their feet will have washed away and for those who do trust God and have relationship with Him, even we will have questions. We will ask, “God why did you not heal?” and “Is healing no longer for today?” God will say, “Child I was ready to heal, why did you not listen and follow me? For my will to heal you was as strong in the last days as it ever had been but it required you to listen and obey.”  You see the law of reaping and sowing is not set up to punish but to remind us that God’s ways are higher than our own. The more sensitive we are to the leading of God’s Holy Spirit and the more determined we are to obey the higher the heights we experience on this path to righteousness in which God is leading us. Our determination to step exactly where He has stepped is in direct relationship with the things God has prepared to show us this side of heaven. And who are we to tell God what He does or does not do is right or wrong, for we are the ones that are strangers to righteousness! True heaven is being with the One who gave everything so that we might have relationship with Him, it is not a place! Are we going through a list of “Do’s and Don’ts” so that we can go to a final destination and why do we want to go there so bad? Is it to see those who have passed before us or is it to come face to face with the One who has led us on this journey, the One who allows us to feel the consequences of not following, putting us in a place of temporary discomfort so that the eternal is made secure? What kind of God would we serve if He made us comfortable now but we missed all that He’s planning on the other side? And should we get it wrong and this life end prematurely does that mean God does not love us or He gets pleasure from punishing us because He wants to hurt us? No, I tell you the truth, God’s grace and mercy is long suffering but you must understand these things must be experienced because this life is not the end of the adventure! Yes, we will celebrate and finally the earth will know peace and it will cease to moan for the coming of God’s Son because His glory will be revealed in that day but the purpose God has placed in us has not come to its final destination, even then but I tell you all of the things we have experienced in this life will be nothing more than preparation for what God has planned next, of which we cannot know now but one day it will be revealed and all our questions why will be answered!

A dark valley

I know many have wondered what’s going on with me not writing and sharing what God is doing in my life the past couple of months. I believe there are many reasons but only a few of them I am aware of at this time. Behind the most relevant reason is the ideal that from the beginning of me keeping a journal, which was late 2009, each time I sat down at my desk to write I sensed God’s presence and His Holy Spirit leading me but early this year I heard God say gently and almost understated, “A test is coming your way.” I remember thinking to myself okay some trial will be here soon, God has faithfully led me this far, I know right from wrong surely this is an opportunity to prove how much I love God. I did not know the test would be that for a period of two months I wouldn’t feel His presence or leading! With no compelling force bringing me to His table each morning what was revealed were the things that was keeping me from growing in Christ Jesus, the things that my flesh craved. Surprisingly it’s not what you think I simply didn’t come to Christ as I did previously; though I continued to pray for this short period I wasn’t hungry or desperate for Him I just felt drained, which led to lack of purpose, which ultimately led to despair. I know this thought pattern was more than just my flesh being self-serving by getting up later or allowing other things to take that place with God each morning because of where it led me. I started feeling like everyone was against me and the more I felt this way the more I wanted to retreat, I even started to plan how to make it happen but fortunately God had other plans for me. My thought life began to race and it headed straight down like after coming up the long first hill of a roller coaster but something which looked almost unrelated happened. My diet and health started to decline and I started seeing real warning signs that if I didn’t do something to change I believe my life span would have been greatly impacted and seemingly unrelated as well God brought someone across my path who is not even a believer but was used by God to begin speaking to me about eating healthier. Since then my thought life has become noticeably brighter, I’m thinking more clearly, I have purpose once again, I’ve even lost some unwanted weight but the best thing is that I’ve heard God’s call to come to His table and rest with Him once again.  

I’m not sure the test is over or how much I’ll be writing but I do know I’ve made it past one of, if not the lowest part of this valley. I also know journaling about what God is doing in my life is part of who I am and that will continue but it will be in His time. I pray that the Lord our God blesses you in this time as well and no matter if it is on mountain tops or in valleys where it’s hard to get a glimpse of the Son at times know that His eye is upon you and His staff will protect you. For only God knows the purpose of these types of tests and we know if He calls us to it there is a reason. You see we were not there when God’s story began and the end has not yet come all we know is a very short time in the middle of His book. Only God knows what is needed and when, who is man that he should think the ways of God are obtainable? This one thing I know God is good at all times regardless of what circumstance look like, trust in Him now and when this race is run you will have no regrets.

A Christian Perspective to Project Management

The role of Project Manager is largely a balancing act… meeting all the needs of the client (those they want you to know, those they need to know, and those they don’t care to know), while knowing your team well enough to give them the information they need to do their work without getting in their way, hindering productivity. Do these things and at the same time keep the team on time, on target, and on budget, checking in but not impeding, offering your help when asked but all the while respecting the individual team member’s perspective and contributions; all these things and more are necessary parts of successful Project Management. What’s more your success as a Project Manager, by definition, is measured by the success of your team not as an individual; make them look good and your role becomes ever more important not only to your firm’s leadership, your peers, and team mates, but also to the client. In the end you build relationships with your team and your client while building their trust in your abilities to lead as you show them what a Project Manager is meant to be. Your objective as Project Manager is to put others first by giving them the tools they need to do their craft and do it well. In Luke chapter fourteen Jesus instructed us this way… Luke 14:8-11 When you are invited to a wedding feast, don't sit in the best place. Someone more important may have been invited. (9) Then the one who invited you will come and say, "Give your place to this other guest!" You will be embarrassed and will have to sit in the worst place. (10) When you are invited to be a guest, go and sit in the worst place. Then the one who invited you may come and say, "My friend, take a better seat!" You will then be honored in front of all the other guests. (11) If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored.

Inspire confidence in your team by keeping them up to date on current and relevant events throughout the project such as emails, schedules, equipment updates, owner comments, etc. don’t make them spend time looking for answers. You are the eyes and ears of the team; knowing the individual team member’s needs and deciphering between necessary information and that which only serves to bottle neck team efforts; this requires relationship and relationship demands that you work with your team to understand what they do. If you can do that then you can head off questions that are relevant to the client but do not require the immediate attention of your team. It is your job to satisfy the client’s concerns while allowing your team to stay productive, as much as possible. On the next team huddle it is your responsibility to update the team on these types of decisions as they relate to project progress.

You want a team that is full of energy, where productivity flows, and members take ownership of each project. Then update your team at the appropriate times, empower them to impact outcome, and remember your perspective is contagious. Don't be afraid to give away ownership, your value isn't found in owning achievements but instilling creativity, in leading a team that can tackle any obstacle, meeting, and exceeding the expectations of your clients. Adversely, you will wear yourself out pushing and prodding each team member and you will be left wondering why Project Managing is so much work. Fulfilling the role of Project Manager the wrong way is often to blame for many not wanting to do it. We’ve all known those who rely on micro managing to get work done. In the short-term it is easier to tell someone what to do than it is to lead and inspire but you’ll not only burn yourself out but you will have a group of people who are unwilling to follow you beyond your given authority. Additionally, no one likes being kept in the dark, only working on their small part and not knowing how it fits into the big picture. Instead people want to know how their contributions have helped to solve the needs of others; for fun follow up a project with news articles of how it has impacted the community or how it has helped your company to grow. Too many times people who are given the role of Project Manager were chosen because of their abilities but they are also people who already have plates full of other responsibilities and as a result they don’t have the time to give themselves fully to the position. When it comes to being a successful Project Manager time is just as important as abilities. Those without both either concentrate their efforts on client management or damage control after a problem occurs as a means of their own time management and is therefore unable to get the entire package right, not realizing a partial effort causes much inefficiency and worse runs the risk of a client being dissatisfied. In Exodus chapter eighteen we read about a similar situation. Moses was over all of Israel and when they had a problem they would look to him to resolve it but when his father-in-law saw it he instructed Moses to build leaders to meet the people’s needs and only the most important matters would be brought to him. This kept both Moses and the people from being worn out and all leadership positions require the same of us. We are to give it away! You know when you are doing what you are supposed to do when you have trained others to do what you are doing now. I have been in situations where I took on responsibility, gathered a team, built up leaders, and worked myself out of a position so that I could go on to do bigger things. The problem starts when we measure our own value through the positions we acquire, thereby causing productivity to be stagnate because we fear the unknown.

Your role as Project Manager should be transparent meaning the information you have gathered should be readily available to all team members and kept in an orderly fashion. When team members miss out on obtaining a client goal because an email sat in your inbox unseen by anyone but you they become frustrated and as a result they, to some extent, feel their trust was betrayed thus causing the role of Project Manager to become devalued or diminished. Too many times I’ve heard stories or have seen designers reluctantly assuming the role of Project Manager because the person assigned to that role was too disconnected from the project for one reason or another. Maybe they did not fully understanding what is required to fill the position or how important the role of Project Manager is in the development of a design is not understood, after all the PM doesn’t do the design work, right? If the picture you have of a Project Manager is a person who initially meets the client, answers occasional phone calls, and takes meetings then lets the team do the rest, then I would venture to say you are not well prepared for that role. There is a difference between allowing your team to take ownership and being disconnected or distracted.

A person who is meant to fill the role of Project Manager has more than just abilities and time but also the desire to see their team succeed. They are willing to invest his/her own time even if their efforts are not immediately recognized; having a good understanding of each team member’s part, they have the willingness to get in the trenches and help when needed and they genuinely are interested in offering solutions that not only meet the client’s expectations but have the means to deliver the results efficiently and through industry leading methods. Additionally, for many solutions the Project Manager seeks out the collaboration of different team members so they are also invested in the effort. Though project design details are not their priority they should understand each intricate detail to the extent that is required to explain all the reasons why to the client. They have the ability to make work fun and instill vision. Ultimately they make their team look good to the clients and their clients look good to the owner.

The heart of the best Project Manager knows what service is all about and is not afraid to lead by example, they are genuinely enthusiastic about building relationships, are excited about seeing others succeed, understanding the unique contribution of each team member and are able to maximize their potential for the best outcome. The Project Manager, though he/she has a desire to resolve issues through effective design, is first people-centered or should I say others centered and is able to keep sight of the big picture at all times so their team has space to work out each detail efficiently while inspired and invested in the outcome.

Not ruled by emotions

God made us to feel but He gave us minds to think as well; though our feelings allow us to be compassionate they can also cause us to be self-centered. Knowing God by reading His Word and through prayer we not only talk to Him but learn to listen so that His Holy Spirit might lead us differently than what our emotions would dictate. For all who are of Christ Jesus become like Him. We the Body of Christ use our feelings and our emotions to sense what is happening but no longer allow them to direct us. Instead when we feel jealous we turn to Jesus knowing that is not like Him and when we feel compassion we are compelled to action, not because we feel compassionate but because it confirmed how the Holy Spirit was already leading us. Our feelings are important and when used properly can cause us to have a greater awareness of the purpose of Christ in our lives.

Often we see Jesus stop on His journey to heal someone because He felt compassion for them. What He did for them depended upon their faith, as we see Him many times ask what He could do for them.

Luke 8:43-48 MKJV  And a woman who had a flow of blood twelve years (who had spent all her living on physicians, and could not be healed by any)  (44)  came behind Him and touched the border of His garment. And instantly her flow of blood was staunched.  (45)  And Jesus said, Who touched Me? And all having denied, Peter and those with Him said, Master, the crowd presses and jostles You, and You say, Who touched Me?  (46)  And Jesus said, Someone has touched Me, for I know that power has gone out of Me.  (47)  And seeing that she was not hidden, the woman came trembling. And falling down before Him, she declared to Him before all the people why she had touched Him, and how she was instantly healed.  (48)  And He said to her, Daughter, be comforted. Your faith has saved you; go in peace.

Now Jesus is God’s Son and so He is aware of all that is done, said, or even thought but He is also man and being such He is touched by the feelings of our infirmities. This is good Jesus being moved by the Holy Spirit senses our needs through His own feelings for us.

Hebrews 4:15-16 MKJV  For we do not have a high priest who cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted just as we are, yet without sin.  (16)  Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

And so we are not to put away our feelings or hide them because they can mislead us but rather understand why Father God gave them to us in the first place. Like a cool summer wind blowing and causing the hair on our arm to tingle so too can our emotions make us aware of things unseen. If we know and depend on Father God to lead us first through His Word but also by His Holy Spirit then like Jesus we are to move beyond our emotions to go where He leads us or do what He tells us. Yes, this is where depending strictly on feelings causes us to fall short but through faith and obedience we go beyond being made aware to being vessels used by the Master to bring water to the thirsty and sight to the blind. For Christ Jesus displayed this when He went to the cross; He felt deeply yet He was obedient, for Isaiah calls Him the man of sorrows.

Isaiah 53:3-12 NLT  He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.  (4)  Yet it was our weaknesses He carried; it was our sorrows that weighed Him down. And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for His own sins!  (5)  But He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.  (6)  All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on Him the sins of us all.  (7)  He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet He never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, He did not open His mouth.  (8)  Unjustly condemned, He was led away. No one cared that He died without descendants, that His life was cut short in midstream. But He was struck down for the rebellion of My people.  (9)  He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But He was buried like a criminal; He was put in a rich man's grave.  (10)  But it was the LORD's good plan to crush Him and cause Him grief. Yet when His life is made an offering for sin, He will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD's good plan will prosper in His hands.  (11)  When He sees all that is accomplished by His anguish, He will be satisfied. And because of His experience, My righteous Servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for He will bear all their sins.  (12)  I will give Him the honors of a victorious soldier, because He exposed Himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.

The fingerprints of God

Jeremiah 1:5-7 MKJV  Before I formed you in the belly I knew you; and before you came forth out of the womb I consecrated you, and I ordained you a prophet to the nations.  (6)  Then I said, Alas, Lord Jehovah! Behold, I do not know to speak; for I am a boy.  (7)  But Jehovah said to me, Do not say, I am a boy; for you shall go to all that I shall send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.

This is where faith leads you; for your questions go from is God real to does God really love me to can God use me in spite of all my faults and each step in this growing of your faith the fingerprints of God can be seen, if you know where to look.

1 Samuel 3:5-10 MKJV  And he ran to Eli, and said, Here am I. For you called me. And he said, I did not call. Go and lie down again. And he went to lie down.  (6)  And Jehovah called again, Samuel! And Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, Here am I, for you called me. And he answered, I did not call, my son. Go back, lie down.  (7)  And Samuel did not yet know Jehovah, and the Word of Jehovah had not yet been revealed to him.  (8)  And Jehovah called Samuel again, the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, Here am I, for you called me. And Eli saw that Jehovah had called the child.  (9)  And Eli said to Samuel, Go, lie down; and it shall be, if One calls you, you shall say, Speak, Jehovah, for Your servant hears. And Samuel went to lie down in his place.  (10)  And Jehovah came and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel! Then Samuel answered, Speak, for Your servant hears.

So often I believe Jehovah comes near and calls to us but like Samuel we don’t realize who is calling so we cling to people or things only to find out they do not fill that God-shaped hole in our hearts but as we draw closer to God through studying His Word, through constant prayer, and through humbling ourselves before His feet in worship His Holy Spirit acts like Eli in that He shows us that it is not these things or individuals calling us but God Himself and our response to Him is to be, “Speak Lord for your servant is listening.”

Something significant happens once you cross this threshold in your life… you begin to see God in everything. Every day conversations are no longer about you as much as it is about what God is doing through you to speak to others. At the end of the day you ask God why something went the way it did and He reveals to you things that remind you He is God, He is in control, and like Jeremiah you see God has sent you places and God used you as His vessel to pour out His message of love to someone. It’s these times in your life that your faith grows exponentially and you, at least for a while or as long as your faith allows it, stay in a state of amazement and awe of what God is capable of, even through a broken vessel such as yourself.  

You see you can never return to where you came from because God has ruined you for any lesser love. A place where I can see God’s fingerprints in my life is in things that He has kept from me throughout my life or in things I once enjoyed but are no longer able to. Now listen carefully, these things were not bad in and of themselves but I would have tried to fill that God-shaped hole in my heart had God allowed these things or people to be present. Several years ago I noticed something very strange, things I said I loved were beginning to be taken from me such as certain types of food. These foods, in moderation was not bad for me but God showed me that some part of me I would have given away, some part of me that belonged to Him and so I have learned to be very selective about saying I “love” certain things , as a matter of fact I simply won’t do it or if I do checks the Holy Spirit has placed in my heart go off like warning signals.

This has happened with people in my life as well. Don’t misunderstand God hasn’t told me not to love anyone but there was once a girl whom I was sure I would be with for the rest of my life and even though we only went out on one date I was sure who she was fit perfectly with who I was but God said, “No.” For a long time I thought a mistake had been made but I see now God has set me apart for His purpose. Now I love my wife with everything I have and would lay my life down for her but the relationship I share with her doesn’t draw me away from God but closer to Him. I am not saying this other girl would have drawn me away from God had we been married for she is a beautiful child of God; no what I am saying is that I would have idolized her and placed her on a pedestal in my heart and therefore God did what was best for me and for her. The same is true with wealth, I’ve often wondered why God’s people, the ones He is closest to seem to many times just have enough but it is for the same reason… God doesn’t want anything coming between Him and His children and until we learn what has true value and what is worthy of giving our hearts to things we reach for God will gladly take away. Like a child reaching for the hot stove and the parent stops them before they get hurt. Sometimes the child is stubborn, trying many times but eventually the child begins to understand the father said no because he cares for and loves the child more than the child could possibly know and so it is with God and His children.

Where can you see the fingerprints of God in your life? If you are honest with yourself start with what you could have easily allowed to take the place of God but instead was mysteriously taken from you, either abruptly or your interests slowly faded away and see if God didn’t have something to do with it, look to see if God’s fingerprints aren’t there. Always remember God’s ways are higher than our ways and we not being able to see the whole picture must trust God with our very lives. We can choose to stumble around in the darkness thinking we know what’s best for our own lives but I choose to trust God knowing my life is not mine at all but instead His and He knows the plans He has for me when I am young and when I am old therefore I will serve the Lord all the days of my life.