I'm Ticked Off!

It's hard to manage anger.

I find it so easy to be angry. Angry at other drivers, airport employees, the President, the DOT, friends, family...you name it. Occasionally it makes me feel , well, it makes me feel correct-even superior, and at times righteous. Then there are times I don't feel like being angry; I am ashamed of losing my temper and aggravated that my feelings become public and I have allowed my weaknesses to be exposed.

Has it ever occurred to you that the bitter root of anger is really disappointment? Let's face it, there is plenty of disappointment in this earthly life. When I examine my disappointment I realize that it typically boils down to things not going my way, and that's just my pride! When my life doesn't go my way, I get frustrated, moody and difficult to deal with.

I really wish I could say that I get angry on other's behalf or that my anger is always a righteous anger...well it's not. As a matter of fact, I doubt if it's ever righteous unless it's truly self-righteous.

All that might be true of you too, but what if we were a people that could allow our frustration to be directed toward evil and trust God to run this world His way? What if I could set myself apart long enough for God to do His thing and allow grace to to wash over my disappointments without engaging my futile anger. What a massive relief, believing and trusting that God is really in charge allows me to dilute and dissolve the anger that at times consumes me.

How about you? Does He consume you?

May we be filled with the grace to see that this world's creator knows best, and He alone can turn the world right-side up.

Peace, Chuck Micah 6:8

Faith Happens

While on the plane out of Orlando I watched a new film from Rick Garside that truly touched my life. “Faith Happens” is the story of one church and the impact it had on the lives of very real people in one very real California community. I don't expect it to win an Oscar, but I do believe it will change many, many lives.

I’ve spent much of my ministry career helping churches and ministry leaders grow numerically, improve their communications, better their image or strengthen their staff. I’ve helped them raise money, build facilities and strategically plan their futures.

While watching this film I was reminded that the church Jesus died for and will someday return for is not a strategic plan or a growth strategy. It is not an image, brand or logo. The church is a body of believers that passionately love God through His son Jesus and through that passion they are serving and loving those around them.

Jesus said that He didn’t come to be served, but to serve. He also said that if we are to be great, we too must serve. Based on that truth, I’ve been a long way from greatness and a long way from the church He intended me to be.

Maybe the most effective strategic growth plan or brand might be that we invest our lives into those around us. That we serve those in need; care for those that cannot care for themselves and love even the most unlovely.

I know, that’s not much of a strategic plan, but it is strangely New Testament in its model. Maybe the problem isn’t the modern church or the emerging church or the traditional church…maybe it’s me. Maybe if I stopped trying to brand me and brand the church long enough to serve those around me I might become part of the solution and really be used strategically.

I fear that if my servant heart was measured by how I responded when someone treated me like a servant, well ouch, that smarts.

As you look in the mirror tonight, when you are brushing your teeth, may you see part of the solution. May you see a servant full of greatness. Within each of us is the capacity for greatness, which means there is the capacity for service. Peace, Chuck

forgiveness

forgiveness

I taught on forgiveness today and felt as though I was speaking to a mirror.

In the book of Genesis, Joseph is such an awesome example of forgiveness. If anybody had a reason to be bitter, jaded, angry or resentful, it was Joseph. He could have been angry with his Dad for not reeling in his 12 brothers who sold him into slavery, left him for dead, and harassed and hated him as the favored son. He could have been angry with Potipher's wife for accusing him of rape, or Potipher himself for not investigating the accusation. Maybe it was his cellmate who he simply asked to remember him after assisting him and of course he was not remembered. Maybe he could have been mad at God for allowing him to suffer, even though he had been faithful...even through all the pain and betrayal.

When given the chance to "get even" with his dastardly brothers, Joseph aided tham, he loved and helped them. He forgave them.

I'd like to think I would do that, but my first reaction is to think, "I'll get them". I too often think of how I'll build a wall around them or get even or simply discard them.

Jesus taught us to forgive 7 times...NO...7 X 70 times. But is the real issue to forgive 490 times or is it to simply forgive. He said that He is faithful to forgive if we forgive others. This isn't just the big things that are offenses against us, it's also the little things that we harbor in our heart and remain unforgiven and unresolved.

Harboring bitterness, anger or resentment is like swallowing a poison intended for the one who offended you...it's eating YOU up from the inside out.

Forgiveness isn't natural or easy. It isn't part of our human makeup. It is a process that begins in your head and concludes in your heart.

May we be a people that choose to forgive, so that we may thrive in the joy of Christ and in the peace that comes through forgiveness, heartfelt, God-honoring forgiveness...even in the little daily issues we all face.