One of the privileges I have being a musician on a church worship team is knowing what songs will be sung in the services ahead of time. So this past Saturday night I could hardly sleep I was so excited about a new song we were gong to play the next day. The chorus of it replayed in my head over and over all through the night and when I woke up early Sunday morning (even with loosing an hour due to Daylight Savings Time), the song was still in my head! 

And I have to tell you — I’m still hearing it in my head several days later.

Have you ever heard the expression: “Garbage in, garbage out”? This means what we put in to ourselves affects that which comes out of us. I personally believe this principle involves all realms — spiritually, mentally, and physically. Negative input equals a negative output. 

If we’re listening to “garbage” like negative news or unhealthy entertainment, then our thoughts, speech, and actions will reflect that “garbage.” If, however, we fill ourselves with the Word of God, positive music, teachings and influences, then we will communicate faith and life-giving responses to the situations and people around us. 

Now I admit, there are times when I wake up hearing Dancing Queen in my head instead of a worship song. Nobody’s perfect. (I was a big ABBA fan and had many years of putting their songs into my mind.) But what we invest in is what we are established in. 

One of the physical things I try to invest in is getting enough sleep. And what goes into my mind right before bedtime affects my sleep. As a kid I remember watching this horrific movie called Soylent Green (1973) and I didn’t sleep well for weeks after that! (What’s worse is it supposedly took place in 2022!) This made a huge impression on me (I’ve never forgotten the ending) and is probably why I don’t like movies like that!

So my dear friend, whatever we’re putting in to us is contingent to what comes out. It’s pretty simple. Put garbage in, get garbage out. Put wholesome stuff in, get wholesome stuff out. In a nutshell: input equals output. 

Philippians 4:8 — Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things. 

 I saw this small weed popping out of a tiny little hole in a shell and thought, “This plant found a way to get into the sun and flourish even under complicated conditions. It found a way to thrive.” 

Life comes with ups and downs, trials and triumphs just as Jesus told us it would. (Jn.16:33) Peter tells us to not be surprised by these challenges (1 Pet.4:12) and James tells us to rejoice in these times (James 1:2). Romans 5 even shows us the process: trials lead to patience, which lead to experience, which lead to hope, which leads to the love of God being shown to others. 

Which leads me to this question — are we growing in the midst of our trials? Are we pushing through, looking for that tiny hole to emerge from?

Experiencing difficult situations are an opportunity to see what’s in our hearts, what we really believe. If our faith isn’t tested, is it really faith? How can we say we truly “have faith” or believe in something if there’s not some form of assessment or verification? I believe if we take the posture of a learner and desire to grow in every circumstance, we will. 

Years ago, freshly on the mission field in a small little town where the electricity wasn’t always on, having to wash my lettuce in bleach three times before eating it, and trying to learn a new language, I distinctly remember looking out our back window one day at the clothes hanging on the line as I washed dished. Feeling a bit discouraged at that moment and tired of this new lifestyle of living for Jesus, I pondered: “Do I really believe all of this?” ‘All of this’ being everything I’d believed about God and the Gospel. “What was I doing here and why? Was it all true or just something I’ve assumed for years?”

This was a huge test for me. 

Fortunately, God revealed Himself and His love to me as I sought Him out. The trials I was experiencing led to hope and eventually a true peace and firm confidence in my God, Who He was, and why I was there. I’d found my tiny hole in the shell. I grew. My faith grew. And my love for God and others grew. 

Yes, it’s uncomfortable. Yes, there are tears sometimes. Yes, there may be losses, failures, and misunderstandings. But there’s also an occasion to develop and sprout. Find a way to get into the “Son” — read the Word, fellowship with others, meditate, journal, get counsel, repent, forgive. 

Seek growth. Embrace the difficult challenges as opportunities. Lean on His love and emerge stronger in the power of His might. (Eph.6:10)

By Cyndi

Recently a house was torn down in our neighborhood. I don’t think anything was terribly wrong with it; they just wanted to build something bigger and better. So it was crushed and hauled off in pieces. Then even the foundation was dug up and all that concrete was removed too. Now it sits as a raw plot of land, untouched and ready to be built upon. 

Seeing this process take place the last few weeks reminded me of our first year on the mission field. We began pastoring a church formerly under a previous couple and, of course, we were different from them. Our ways of doing things weren’t the same so we lost many members at first. Actually, we got down to only a handful of people, but we had to create a new foundation from us, not from the previous pastors. Like the house, there was a tearing down before a building up.

Sometimes you have to step backwards — seemingly loosing ground or even destroying something — before you can move forwards and gain ground. At times it can be painful — the letting go, the releasing of the older/known/familiar past for the newer/unknown/unfamiliar future. 

I’ve been physically detoxing this past month and it’s been the same principle with my body. After a couple weeks off of sugar, breads, dairy, and other stuff, my body reacted in not a kind way. I had cramps, headaches, and felt horrible for a few days. On the surface this looked like I was going the wrong direction, but I had to get worse before I could get better. My body went through purging out all this bad stuff I had in me till I could get cleaned out and feel better. Now I’ve reset a superior foundation to build my health on.

God even used this principle with the flood. He “cleaned out” the earth — just took Noah and his family and rebuilt from there. Of course, He put a rainbow up to remind us He’ll never do that again, however, the principle of going backwards in order to move forward happens in everything. 

Even as I write this post, I can simply highlight and delete whatever I’m not happy with and start over. Clean slate. Cleared lot. New foundation. 

You can’t put new wine in old wineskins. (Matt.9:17) In certain situations you might can build on previous foundations but if it’s gonna be bigger, better, stronger and improved, you need something new to base it on. Don’t waste the new wine in those old wineskins. 

My dear reader, you may have to step backwards before you can move forwards, but remember — it’s progress and you’re still advancing. 

Ps. 133 — Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running don on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountain of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing — life evermore!

I love this psalm. It explains how spiritual authority works. And with so many things happening in this world right now, it’s good to be aware of how this principle operates.

Biblically speaking, oil represents anointing. Mary, in John 12:3, anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive oil then wiped them with her hair. Exodus 29:5-7 explains some of the priestly anointing process of Aaron, where they put on him the breastplate and poured anointing oil over his head. “At his consecration the high priest symbolized unity—he bore on his breastplate the names of all twelve tribes, so when the oil depicting the grace of God was poured on him, it ‘flowed on’ all the tribes.” Those under his spiritual authority received blessings. 

My dear reader, this is simply a principle. It’s like sowing and reaping, if you sow, you’ll reap. And whatever you sow, you’ll reap — be it good or bad. And as a principle, it works in all of life. Whatever anointing is at the “head,” it will flow down upon the rest. Maybe it’s a deceitful CEO; if so, there will be deceit and fraud throughout the company because that’s the standard he/she has set for others. If it’s an honest, transparent leader, then those underneath will fall under that model. 

I once had a Bible teacher in 9th grade who was wonderful. Our class was going through all the books written by the Apostle Paul. Mr. Schottletner, my teacher, very much encouraged us to state our views and interpretation of the scriptures without condemnation or judgment, yet he led us to the truth of the Word. To this day I remember him because of his openness to silly and sometimes rude and obstinate teenagers, while gently guiding us into truth. His precious anointing of patience and humility flowed blessings onto his students. 

As an adult I had a job where at one point I was asked by my boss to falsify documents (basically lie) to be able to return some product. Afterwards I quit that job because what “flowed from the head” was, for me, corrupt and unethical and I didn’t feel comfortable in that job anymore.

So whether it be a scout leader, an executive, or even a president, their anointing will flow down from their authority onto us followers — one of the reasons we need to choose wisely who we will follow, and another good reason to observe how we ourselves lead. Whatever standard a leader presents, those under them will conform and present a unified front in agreement.

The Word tells us that Christ is the head of the church. (Eph. 1:22) As we, the body of Christ, follow and submit to Him, His anointing will flow down upon us creating unity and blessings. 

 

By Cyndi