CS 08.9 - Don't Get Stuck on Stupid!

Wow, what a summer... once again, so much has happened since my last post. Nearly one month later and I have completed my USAF Chaplain Candidate Internship, taken a wonderful vacation with my family at the beach as well as starting work again with the world's largest evangelical university and leader in online education as the Supervisor for Admissions Consultants.

Before I share more recap of the summer with you however, I thought it best to keep my commitment and post the devotional that I had promised. This devotional stems from a message offered to the Chaplain Candidate Course students from class 08A but I have adapted it for a broader audience here.

I'm sure that in your life, as has been the case in mine, there have been times in which you had seemingly lost hope or simply become frustrated with your place in life. Perhaps you wondered if there was a point feeling as though you had seemingly lost your direction. I'd like to share with your three key words you can easily remember that will help impress the following Biblical principles on you.

1. Remember
2. Recall
3. Rely

I'm not normally one who goes for alliteration but, it seems to work here. Take a moment to read through Lam 3:19-27 then follow along with me through the following.

It's so easy to remember all the reasons for your pain, frustration, and overall loss of hope when you are in the midst of a tough time in life. Moreover, it's even easier to sit down and have a pity party for yourself while you wallow in sorrow enjoying your misery. Doesn't it seem to come as nearly second nature to a number of people? You know what I'm talking about. There seems to one in every crowd. The person who is unnecessarily needy, aimless in life or just enjoying the low spot in life because it allows them to draw the attention of others. Well, here in verses 19-20 of this passage we see the writer doing just that--remembering. But he is allowing his soul to be downcast as a result.

However, although the author is remembering the root of the feelings he does not end there. The remembrance turns into recall of how past circumstances have been orchestrated and what the outcome was in verses 21-23. He does not get stuck on the past but begins to move forward as he recalls the faithfulness of God time and time again. God's mercy is truly new every morning and the author recognizes that God's faithfulness is not dependent upon anything he has done but solely upon God's character.

Finally, in verses 24-27, having remembered his pain and affliction, recalling God's faithfulness, He is able to rely upon the Father and move forward!

This summer I was shared a story of a three star General who was giving a media briefing (see the video inset) after hurricane Katrina and just prior to hurricane Rita. During his briefing the reporters kept addressing the past--all of the frustrations that the public was dealing with after Katrina. The General reminded the reporters that the purpose of this briefing was to move forward and get information out to the public about what was about to happen. He encouraged them not to get stuck on stupid. In other words, he didn't want them to get so wrapped up in the past that they could not move forward and help those who were in the path of this new hurricane. Immediately following his comments, what was the first question from one of the reporters? He wanted to compare this storm to the last storm. Immediately the General points out that the reporter was stuck on stupid.



The point I'd like to make is, "Don't Get Stuck on Stupid. Remember, Recall & Rely."

It's entirely too easy to get stuck on stupid while getting caught up in the frustration, stress, pain and merely the ebb and flow of life and forgetting the faithfulness of God. I would like to simply challenge you to follow the heart of the author of Lamentations.

Remember why you are feeling what you are feeling.

Recall that God has been faithful throughout generations. His faithfulness is not dependent upon you or anything you do. Simply put, God is faithful.

But do not let it end there. Take action. Rely upon God's faithfulness.

It is in remembering and recalling that there is renewed hope found in a faithful Father. He will continue to carry you through the difficult times and allow you to find joy once again. Don't get stuck on stupid.