Reluctant Retiree

The international distress signal is SOS. A cry for help is understood to mean that someone is in distress and we should find a way to help.

Our bodies often find a way of letting us know that we are in distress. These signals could be as simple as pain, irritability, nausea, or headaches. The signals may be more serious like depression, suicidal thoughts, or addiction. Whatever the signal, we need to take action to alleviate the distress.

Often we need help to relieve the distress. We can look for this relief in good or bad places. The bad places, like drugs or alcohol, don’t work and delay progress. The good place to look for help is God. He is available, reliable and able to provide help. Psalm 107:6 says, “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble; He delivered them out of their distresses.” Whatever our problems may be, God can and will help if we call Him.

I know that Thanksgiving Day is long gone and that we are all thinking about Christmas now. But this blog is not about the holiday, but rather it is about the act of giving thanks.

Our culture doesn’t think much about giving thanks. We are more into complaining. It is socially acceptable to complain about politicians, the government, our marriages, our relationships, the weather, store clerks, customer service and almost any other subject. There are even websites and apps that allow you to register any complaint. They proudly boast that they care about your complaints. Mind you, they do not do anything about your complaint. They just let you post it.

On the other hand, I have not heard of such a site that asks you to post thanksgiving. Why is that? Why are we so willing to post complaints and not thanksgiving. We surely have something to be thankful for. We overlook many of the things we can be thankful for like reasonable health, food to eat, sunshine, a friendly hello from someone, good customer service occasionally, shelter, a smile, friends and family. I understand that some people are dealing with bad circumstances and have fewer things to be grateful for, but we all have something we can give thanks for. Studies have shown that grateful people are happier, healthier and more successful. So it is worth trying to be grateful.

Of course, the Bible tells us many things we can be grateful for. Not the least of which is found in Psalm 107:1, which says “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” God loves his people with a love that lasts for eternity and never changes. I think that I will thank him for that. How about you?

There are several commercial building projects going up around us. A Popeye’s Chicken is going up around the corner and a solar farm is under construction down the street. It is interesting to watch these projects progress. You notice that different people with different skills contribute their abilities and knowledge. The timing of each person’s contribution is critical. Coming too early or too late hampers progress.

God expects us to do good works. He gives us talents, abilities and wisdom to contribute to these good works. He gives us these gifts through His grace. Often we are contributing as a part of a group, but sometimes God calls us to do good things without others.

One of my favorite verses is II Corinthians 9:8, which says, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.” God promises to pour out his grace in abundance, so that we always have sufficient power to do these good works.

John Newton was engaged in slave trading while rebelling against the faith of his mother. By his own admission he was consumed with all forms of wickedness. Yet, God called to him in mercy and grace and Newton surrendered to God. Newton then wrote the iconic hymn, “Amazing Grace”. This song speaks of a wretched man saved by God’s grace and has been sung by church congregations and recorded by Christian and secular artists for decades.

Saul was a man driven by his religion. So much so that he pursued and arrested Christians. These Christians were then put to death for their faith. Then, on the road to Damascus, God stopped Saul in blinding light and spoke to Saul. God, in His grace, called Saul to be His voice and witness to the Gentiles. Now called Paul, because he had been transformed by God’s grace, he went on to write much of the New Testament and witness to most of the known world at the time.

I did not grow up in the church. My family did not speak of any God, lovingly or otherwise. During my first year of college I heard several fellow students talking about their relationship with Jesus. I had never heard of such a thing. Through a series of events and searchings, I came to know this personal and loving God. By His grace He called me into His family and offered me forgiveness of my sins. Since then He has used me to tell the story of what He has done for me in several countries and in books.

Like Newton and Paul, I don’t deserve the forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life I have been given by Jesus. It has all come through His grace and mercy. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is a gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” The same grace is offered to you. What will you do with this gift?

During the pandemic we have changed our habits. Besides social distancing, wearing a mask and washing our hands, we’ve changed how often we go out and where we choose to go. We must really need to go any place we choose to enter. The benefits must outweigh the risks of entering their doors.

God gives us a special invitation to enter into His presence. Psalm 100:4-5 says, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name. For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.” He offers us His goodness, lovingkindness, and faithfulness. But we must approach Him with thanksgiving and praise.

We’ve all heard the expressions “good things come in threes” or ” bad things come in threes”. I am not sure if these expressions are true but they are pretty much universally accepted. Whether it be deaths within a family or births, three of these events seem to happen within a short period of time. I don’t know if we are just sensitive to these occurrences or are actively looking for them.

The apostle Paul tells us about three gifts God gives us in Colossians 1:3-5. “We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel.” Faith, hope and love are the greatest gifts you can receive this Christmas. They are also the greatest gifts that you can give. Ask God to give them to you so that you can pass them onto others.

I went in for my annual health assessment today. All the signs were good and I was pleased. That was just my physical check-up. What about my emotional and mental health? I don’t get those checked very often. In fact, it has been over ten years since those parts of my soul were evaluated.

I would wager that you are the same. When anything in our body is not functioning well, we go to the doctor. If something in our mental or emotional state is malfunctioning we think we can handle it, if we notice at all. What makes us think we are so capable in the mental and emotional realms? Everybody around us can probably tell we are having problems as these problems affect interpersonal relationships.

What about spiritual problems? Where do we go to evaluate our spiritual health? Only God can tell us how we’re doing in this area. We have to ask him to reveal the state of our spiritual health. Psalm 139:23-24 says, “Search me, Oh God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there is any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.” I encourage you to ask God to search your heart and reveal any hurtful ways in you.

The leaves have all fallen and the trees are bare. The fields have all been plowed under so that only the dirt remains. Flowers have wilted until the blossoms of spring. Creeks and ponds are drying up and mud is coming to the surface.

The landscape, once colorful, is now mostly shades of brown. The only fruit or produce to be found is on grocery shelves.

This is the natural cycle of things. Barrenness will yield to fruitful seasons to come. God implemented the seasons in part to remind us that we were created to be fruitful as well. He doesn’t want us to live in barrenness, but rather he wants us to experience the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience and goodness.

He has made the way for us to be fruitful through his son, Jesus Christ. As we know him more each day and become like him, we will bear fruit. Colossians 1:6 says, “the gospel which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing even as it has been doing in you since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth.” The gospel is the kingdom of God coming to us in Jesus Christ. Accept this truth and live for him, then you will bear the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, and goodness.

When our daughter was in middle school, she wanted to be a cheerleader. Frankly, I was hesitant. In my experience, cheerleaders wanted to be seen more than they wanted to support the team and the fans. We relented, however, and she, and the squad, did a good job of supporting the team. It’s funny, at our grandson’s high school football games, there are more families of cheerleaders than of the team.

A good cheerleader knows the score and the team’s overall situation. The cheers are then designed to encourage the team in those situations. They believe in the team and want them to succeed.

Everybody needs cheerleaders in his or her life. I am not talking about somebody with a uniform and megaphone. I am talking about somebody who believes in us. Somebody who is ready with an encouraging word. Somebody who understands our situation and walks with us through our struggles. I believe that Jesus does all these things and more. But each of us can be cheerleaders for someone. Perhaps it is for our spouse or a child. Perhaps we can cheer on a friend.

Hebrews 3:13 says, “But encourage one another day after day as long as it is called ‘Today’, so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Without encouragement we risk becoming overtaken by sin. Don’t let this happen. Encourage someone today!

Have you noticed the great things that people are doing all around you? On the news, they tell the story of kids starting charities to positively impact those in need. They also tell of the heroic acts of first responders and of lives saved by ordinary strangers. We hear of organizations established to meet needs through the keen observation of our neighbors. I watch athletes do amazing things on the field. We hear of family members making huge sacrifices for their families. Then there are the people who donate kidneys to make another person’s life better.

I see and hear all these stories and wonder why I am not doing anything great. Perhaps you have the same feeling. First, I want to encourage you by saying you are probably doing some of these things. You probably are making sacrifices daily to make the lives of other people better, especially your family. You probably are generous with your time and resources to help others.

Secondly, we have to draw upon the right source of power to do great things. Doing good things depends on the right motivation and strength. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” So if you are ever tempted to think “I can’t do this”, go to the God of this promise and ask Him to strengthen you for the task. You and I can do great things if we are hooked up to the right power source.