A Practical Application...

Happy April first everyone!  What does that old poem say about how April showers bring May flowers?  Well, we had a few showers yesterday that brought April sunshine today… but then there is rain forecast for tomorrow! Oh Well, it doesn’t really matter since our sunshine should emanate from the inside and not be dependent on the outside circumstances… or weather!

How did your weekend go?  As far as my usual “I miss Piper-itis” goes, I had a pretty good weekend.  That’s not to say that I didn’t have an occasional emotional memory that evoked a tender thought or tear, but overall, it went fairly smooth… PRAISE THE LORD!  I did find myself though, thinking quite a bit about the benefits of living with a “Practical Faith.”  Now, what do I mean by that?  Well, I would define it as a simple faith in God and His Word that intertwines and works… almost unconsciously… with very practical applications in your daily life.

I was sort of raised with the idea that one’s religious beliefs were to be kept to yourself and were separate from your daily life.  I am not sure that I ever totally bought into that concept and when I met a vivacious young lady named Piper in High School, who simply lived her faith like it was just a part of who she was, I threw that part of my upbringing into the wind!  I rapidly learned that with her, it wasn’t a constant matter of thinking about when and how you would insert your beliefs into a situation but that it just flowed naturally throughout her entire life.  Her faith was meticulously weaved into the very fiber of her being… that’s the only way I can explain it… it is just who she was!

And to be perfectly honest… I still am not really sure as to where she got that since I didn’t see that same simple intimacy and practicality with God and His Word in the rest of her family or friends.  I guess it backs up my theory that God just puts certain things in different individuals.  As I’ve stated before, I was also a bit different than the rest of my family.  My burgeoning interests in Christianity after I’d been with Piper for a while actually had my family wondering if I was being brainwashed by Piper!  That mis-notion was quickly dispelled though, as they got to know her and her honest sincerity.

The thought that really got me going in this direction over the weekend was the realization that I took the time to write down in my Piper’s Story Journal (book 2) that, “I have no other choice right now but (as Proverbs 3:5 commands me) to ‘Trust in the Lord with all my heart, and not rely on my own understanding,’ because without Piper I now have NO physical or mental concept of my future.  According to Proverbs 3:6, I have no real choice but to ‘Always let Him lead me, for He is the only One I can trust and depend on to clear the road for me.’” (Proverbs 3:5 God’s Word ©/ Proverbs 3:6 CEV)

You see… that ‘s where the physical application of my faith comes in.  Without a working, actual and complete trust in Him, I would be overwhelmed by an unfillable emptiness, a hopelessness that could easily cause me to do some stupid and regrettable things and be filled with an ever-increasing depressive attitude and outlook on life.  I’ve seen it in other folks through the years when someone lost a spouse or were overwhelmed with changes in their lives.  I’ve seen their lives go from bad to worse and ministered to them as they fought bitterness and self-pity while walking around like zombies!  And many of these folks were fellow Christians in the church!

I know that God has more for me to accomplish in this life before I move on to be with Him… and Piper again.  So, in order to move forward I have to continue to put my faith to work in very practical ways on a daily basis.  Without it… well… I would be a lot more than a mess!  I’ll share more on this important subject of the simple understanding and practical application of our faith in our daily lives in more posts to come.   But in the meantime, I would encourage you to take some time and look inside to see just where your relationship with God and the application of your faith in YOUR daily life is.

This could be a very exciting journey for us to take together!  STAY TUNED!

Have a wonderful new week, and as you do, say with me… “I am expecting the practical application of my faith to greatly increase in my life today!”