Author: Christine Wyrtzen

Can I Trust God With My Child?

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         When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.  Psalm 56:3

         We can watch our children suffer from many causes.  They may get sick just because we live in a fallen world.  They may groan under the consequences of their own choices.  If they have followed the call of God on their lives, we will see their faith tested.  Perhaps we’ve walked a similar road and we know how crushing testing can be.  There will be moments when we cry out, “Lord, it’s hard to trust You with my child.  Please strengthen my faith!”

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         As I watch my child come to the end of their resources as Jesus did in the desert of His testing, I will do about anything to end their torment.  But the worst part of divine shaping is not the physical pain but spiritual anguish.  To see childlike faith crack into pieces rocks a parent’s heart.  I stay on my knees and ask God to preserve my child’s confidence in His love and promises.

Continue reading “Can I Trust God With My Child?” →

Patience. The Virtue of a Fool?

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Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.  Psalm 37:34

In the midst of desert experiences, the call to wait on the Lord can sound hollow.  I want to know how long suffering is going to last?  King David doesn’t throw out this challenge without personal experience.  He had to wait over a decade to inherit his kingdom and had to also wait to see God’s purposes come to pass against his enemies.

James calls me to remember the prophets.  As an example of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.  James 5:10   Abraham received a promise but he never saw it fulfilled in his lifetime.  Knowing that, would I ever say, “What a fool!”  Instead, his faith inspires me.  He believed that endurance would yield a nation, even if on the other side of his own death.

What about a parent who prays for a lifetime for the spiritual return of a child?  Fifty years of praying amidst little encouragement can appear to be futile. Yet, when that child returns to God, yet when that child comes to Christ, would they say that their patience in prayer was wasted? Continue reading “Patience. The Virtue of a Fool?” →

Living Amidst Hostility

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 The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?  Psalm 27:1

         Many have prayed for the will of God, followed His voice, and experienced complete disillusionment when they found themselves in hostile surroundings.  They blame God for being unloving or they blame themselves for being poor listeners.  Hostility within the will of God is common and should not surprise God’s children.

         Some years back, our family lived in a hostile environment.  We begged, daily, for release.  We were willing to move anywhere and do anything to escape our surroundings.  Surely, we reasoned, God wouldn’t want for us to endure such a place.  Yet, every request for a move away was met by the silence of God.  Continue reading “Living Amidst Hostility” →

Crying Out Is a Holy Expression of Faith

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I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue.  Psalm 66:17

         There are many times I don’t know how to pray because I don’t know what God’s purposes are for a certain situation.  If I know I’m going to lose my job, do I bear down in prayer to keep it, or do I just assume God is using that loss to lead me somewhere else?  If I’m experiencing a tragedy, do I ask God to take it away or do I assume that, like Job, God has ordained this chain of events to further His glory in some way?

This is where a prayer life gets stuck.  I don’t know what to pray for because I don’t know the will of God.  Because I don’t know, I can abandon prayer altogether.  That would be, and has been for me, a mistake.  Continue reading “Crying Out Is a Holy Expression of Faith” →

Empowering Your Personal Mission

Published on by Christine Wyrtzen2 Comments
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me. Psalm 138:8
         When God chose to birth Daughters of Promise through me, I was sure He picked the wrong birth mother.  He gave me a mission that immediately exposed my sense of inadequacy.  I knew I lacked the wisdom and skill that the calling required.
         I felt like Moses who, after God gave him his orders, reminded God that he was not eloquent. He felt that one fact alone disqualified him. In response, God asked him one simple question. “Who made your mouth? I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to say.” When Moses’ objections ceased and it became evident that he would indeed obey, I wonder if God sat on the edge of His seat, anxious for show to begin. He knew what Moses would accomplish with His power behind Moses’ efforts. He had already planned the future and written the last chapter of Moses’ life.  The Trinity had already thrown a party over the parting of the Red Sea.
         I am continually comforted by the truth that God is not wringing His hands in despair over any of the things that rob me of peace. Why should I worry about anything in 2016 since my life is in His hands? God’s wisdom has already conceived a solution to every single thing that troubles me today, every single thing that He has called me to do.  It it were not overwhelming, it wouldn’t be God’s mission.
        As I watch the parade of my life, I only see what passes in front of me. From this vantage point, it’s easy to despair because I can’t see what’s coming nor how long it will be until the end comes my way. God looks down, however, and views the beginning and the end of the procession. He not only knows tomorrow’s challenges but also has already made provision for the answers. He is a King who rules with kindness.
My inadequacy is irrelevant. I rest in anticipation of Your provision, God. Amen

What Will Come Out Of Your Mouth?

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WHAT WILL COME OUT OF YOUR MOUTH?

My soul magnifies the Lord.  Luke 1:46

Words of faith do not originate from a vacuum.  What spills out during the times when I am stretched to my limit reflects the kind of faith I have cultivated previously.  A well known bible teacher said, “Who I am when hard times hit is really who I am.”   True!  The words I speak during my most painful moments are mirrors that reflect the foundation of my life.

Hannah endured the scourge of barrenness.  When she was finally touched by the divine hand of God, she delivered a famous discourse that spanned a dozen verses.  It is one of the most prophetic passages in all of scripture.

Elizabeth also suffered the heartache of being childless yet through it, she also cultivated her faith.  She learned the Word of God, built the precepts of it into the fabric of her life, and when God visited her with a child in her old age, she also rose to prophesy.

Eloquence is not just confined to adults either.  Mary was merely a teenager when she was visited by an angel. Given a task that would have crushed most grownups, she rose up to deliver the famous Magnificat.  The fact that such words could flow from a twelve year old is astounding.  She didn’t speak shallow words of praise.  She reviewed God’s history, the ‘ways of God’ that could only be known by one who immersed herself in the stories of her ancestors.

Human nature wants to coast during the good times, only drawing close to God when the fires of adversity get hot.  God is gracious and will certainly answer us whenever we cry out for help but there is a better way.  I can fortify my heart today.  If feeding my spirit is a priority, I create a storehouse of spiritual food that will serve me well when there’s a famine.  When everything appears to have fallen apart, I will not hear patterns of hopeless and fearful words come out of my mouth.  Ultimately, I’ll hear the language of faith.

Have I painted a picture that fails to embrace my own humanity?  No.  I’m not naive enough to believe that each of our spiritual heroes failed to have low moments.  Hannah wailed in the temple and was so distraught that the priest accused her of being drunk.  I’m also confident that Elizabeth wept her way through the scourge of barrenness.  A lifetime of longing unearths pretty strong emotions.  And Mary?  We’re not given a lot of details but I can’t believe that she didn’t worry about abandonment, and about being hauled before the elders to face harsh punishment.  I need to remember that there is no judgement against, what Job calls, ‘words for the wind.’  Each of us utter feeling statements when the fires are hot.  “This will never work out!”  “I’m headed for ruin.”  “I’m so angry, I could kill him.”  “I can never forgive this.”  What proves or disproves our faith is what happens after the initial crisis.  Will we embark on a lifestyle characterized by fear and unbelief or will we engage in some rugged introspection to place our feet, once again, on the Rock of Ages.

Lord, I walk in the shoes of Hannah, of Elizabeth, and of Mary.   I may have my low moments but You raise me up to do what I was created to do ~ love You, worship You, and praise You.  Bless every righteous seed planted in my spirit.  Amen

Journal Question:  Write a short script for yourself for your next crisis.  What would you like to hear yourself say when trouble comes?  Craft a short paragraph that contains the language of faith.  Keep it close and begin to re-shape your defaults.

I Should Second-Guess Myself

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I SHOULD SECOND-GUESS MYSELF

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.  Proverbs 14:12

            A twenty-four hour day is filled with dozens of decisions; some minor, some major.  Most decisions won’t appear to present a challenge.  I will think I know the right thing to do.  I will argue that it’s pretty obvious.

            But, what if my own common sense is leading me astray?  Scripture says it will and I might take the wrong course of action completely unaware.  My ‘take’ on things, though it seems so right, can be flawed and lead me to unpleasant outcomes.

            I face ministry decisions daily that could be made by the laws of marketing.  I tried that on and off for twenty-two years and the success left me void of spiritual confidence and void of a God-connection. In 1997, I made a vow unto God to never do ministry like that again. The difference has been huge.

            Jesus, who was perfect, didn’t move without praying to discern the will of His Father.  If He didn’t do it, how can I pretend to think I can!  He didn’t heal everyone who needed it.  He didn’t go everywhere He was invited. He didn’t spontaneously announce, “I think I’ll go to Capernaum today.”  Everything was guided by a Father’s agenda who saw how all things fit together.

  • Someone today will seek a promotion.  They will assume they need to advocate for themselves or risk getting lost in the lineup.  God may tell them to do nothing and trust Him.  That course will feel disastrous to their flesh and they will need to flex new faith muscles.
  • Some will have grounds to discipline their children.  Without guidance, they will assume they know the right measure of severity.  God may say, “Probe, listen, understand. The root of their disobedience is not what you think.”
  • Someone will be wronged in a close relationship and it will feel like the last straw.  Their first instinct might be to deliver that speech they’ve been saving for just such an occasion.  God may say, “It’s not time to talk.  It’s time to fast for their turnaround and your perseverance.”

Continue reading “I Should Second-Guess Myself” →

How Far Will I Go To Earn Other’s Respect?

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HOW FAR WILL I GO TO EARN OTHERS RESPECT?

And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-paneah. And he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt. Genesis 41:45

         I can learn a lot from watching the lives of heroes like Joseph and Daniel. Both stood strong in a foreign land. Both paid dearly. But both were eventually honored by heads of state and given new names. They graciously accepted them but managed to keep themselves from embracing a pagan religion. To further honor Joseph, Pharaoh gave him a wife from a region called On. This city was the worship center for the sun god – Ra. Joseph was surrounded on all sides by people who lived and practiced idolatry. How could he rule this nation without becoming like them? To be followed, wouldn’t he also have to be popular?

         Throughout history, God has been generous with instructive protocol when we find ourselves living in alien territory. Learn to dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. These seem mutually exclusive but it is possible to be among the people but not of them. To dwell and still be faithful. Poor leaders, however, feel they must blend in and become like the people they serve. Otherwise, they fear they won’t be respected and certainly won’t be elected again.

         I don’t have to move to a foreign country to feel like a foreigner. I can feel that way in my church, at work, and I can also feel that way in my own family. I am God’s daughter before I am anyone else’s friend, employee, daughter, wife, or sister. Continue reading “How Far Will I Go To Earn Other’s Respect?” →

Why Anger Explodes

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WHEN ANGER EXPLODES

A quick tempered man acts foolishly.  Proverbs 14:17

            Take a glass that is mostly full of water, add a little more, and it will spill over.  Take a man or woman who is already full of rage, add one small incident, and their anger will also overflow.  Many who erupt today over the smallest issues aren’t really reacting to the incidents at hand.  They were simply filled to the brim with rage before the episode ever occurred.  The ‘straw that broke the camel’s back’ got all the attention because there was no more room left in their container for any more anger.

            Each of us was created with a lot of elasticity in our spirit to withstand the pressures of life.  Many have plenty of stretch left in their elastic in their early twenties but by the time they experience multiple injustices and disappointments, that elastic is stretched to the limit when they reach mid-life.  With no more ‘give’, it’s pulled taut and it snaps easily.

            What is the answer for any angry person?  He must discern what it is he’s really angry about and take the initiative to deal with it.  Living in perpetual rage is not fair to friends and family.  Children live with an angry parent and never know when the lid is going to blow.  It is usually over a gallon of milk left out on the counter or something else equally as insignificant.  Husbands live with an angry wife and tiptoe around the house, not knowing what it will be that will set her off.  The angry one usually holds everyone around him hostage. Continue reading “Why Anger Explodes” →

Am I Lazy and What Is The Cost?

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AM I LAZY AND WHAT IS THE COST?

The way of the sluggard is as a hedge of thorns.  Proverbs 15:19

Life happens to the lazy man as opposed to being shaped by him.  He will see challenges come but, because of his slothfulness, he will not massage each one with prayer and problem solving.  He will sit and let his problems slowly overwhelm him.  One challenge is then joined by another, and sooner or later, he is beset by a hedge of thorns too numerous to tackle.  At this point, he usually throws up his hands in defeat.  Inevitably, he lives overwhelmed and with a sense of futility.  He will often give a martyr’s speech.  “I just can’t win! Nothing good ever happens to me.”

The way out of such a mindset is a heart change.  Laziness is a spiritual problem, not a mere character flaw.  The one who is lazy fails to answer Christ’s call to discipleship.  A follower of Jesus redeems the time for he knows the days are evil.  Each moment wasted is time and opportunity lost.  Never do we read that Jesus was prompted by His Father, only to respond, “I don’t feel like doing that today.”  Not that He never rested.  He did.  Not that He was never led into solitude for restoration.  He was.  The point is that rest is for those who work.  Restoration is for those who are poured out for others.  Rest is for those who are weary in obedience. Continue reading “Am I Lazy and What Is The Cost?” →