What Will Your Legacy Be?

“‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’” Acts 17:28 (NIV) 

  

  Recently a dear neighbor died. She was amazing. At just a few years shy of one hundred years old, she was always outside, raking her leaves in the fall, shoveling snow in the winter, mowing her grass in the summer. Always active. Always busy. She had family and friends that would have done those things for her, but she enjoyed activity. She was unstoppable. 

  After I heard that she had died I thought to myself that they should write the following on her tombstone: 

  

“The Only Thing That Could Stop Her Was Death” 

  

  I admired her tenacity and zest for life. I envied it. Up until she died I would have truly said she was in better shape than I. To live your life fully until death stops you in your tracks, that is the way to go. 

  Sadly, too many of us crawl rather than run through life. We would run if we could, but life has slowed us down through disability, disease, and various afflictions. We envy those who can go with stopping, run without slowing down. For it is hard to be a spectator in life. 

  Yet I believe we can find ways to run our race, to forge ahead when affliction would stop us in our tracks. We may not be running. But with cane, wheelchair, even hospital bed–we can forge ahead, keep moving, run our race in the best way we can. Affliction may stop us, but we can choose to move forward in whatever way is available to us, for we do not move alone. 

  Those of us who have fellowship with God understand that He is with us in our affliction. We have a Partner in the race. When life itself has thrown roadblocks in our path, we can call upon God to aid us in the fight, to give us strength to lift our head when we are too weak to move otherwise. And within we are standing up, fighting, rising to the challenge by having our spirit fortified with His Spirit. 

  Be encouraged by those who can run well, those who keep moving when life should have stopped them in their tracks. And when you are weak and can barely walk, lift up your head, rise up in your spirit, and call upon the Father to give you strength to move forward. Continue your race. Perhaps when your life is over they will write on your tombstone: 

  

 “The Only Thing That Could Stop Them Was Death”. 

  

  Prayer: Dear Lord, life throws many things in our path to stop us, help us to continue running the race, and to finish well. Amen. 

Karlton Douglas 

Copyright 2017 

When Your Illness Makes You Feel Betrayed By Your Body

“My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak.” Psalm 31:10 

  

  Do you ever feel that your body has betrayed you? Has it left you feeling embarrassed, disappointed, or discouraged? There are times our body feels more like an enemy than a friend, times when no matter what we do, no matter what treatments or medications we give it, our body responds by letting us down. 

  Sometimes it seems like we are in an endless battle with our bodies, we think we have gained some ground, that we have turned the tide in the war, and yet it rallies against us and sets us back once again. It can get discouraging after a while. 

  The truth is that our bodies are not our enemies. Our bodies have been afflicted by diseases common to this world. To see our body as the enemy, rather than the victim of affliction, is to see our body as something foreign rather than a part of us that is subject to illnesses and weaknesses. 

  

  While it is true that a new body awaits the Christian believer, it is also true that our lives on this earth will be spent in a body subject to affliction. Rather than see our body as the enemy, we must make peace with it and do our best to keep it in the best possible condition. 

  Often, I long for my heavenly body, and I suspect you do as well. The Philosopher Epictetus said essentially: 

  

We have the mind of God but we drag about a dead body. 

  

  I know that sometimes seems the case. And dragging about these “dead bodies” can be quite the challenge. Yet it is also true that we are redeemed, not just our mind, but also our bodies will be redeemed, and renewed: 

  

“Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. Romans 8:23 

  

  We suffer much because of our bodies, yet these physical temples are a part of us. Without them we would be dead. While we live we must do our best to make peace with these afflicted vessels, and with God’s help we will survive them as we drag them along with us toward redemption. 

  Don’t let your body drag you down. You are more than your body, more than a flesh and blood vessel. You are more than your afflictions. 

  When you feel frustrated and betrayed by your body, try to keep in mind that it is part of you, and along with you it is also on its way to redemption. 

  Prayer: Dear Lord, so often these bodies let us down and at times we feel we are at war with them, help us through until we receive the redemption of our body. Amen. 

Karlton Douglas  

Copyright 2017 

Life Is Too Short To Waste It

“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” James 4:14 (NIV) 

  

  Those with afflictions can get into the habit of putting their lives on hold waiting for a “better day”, perhaps a day when their thorn does not hurt so much. The illusive day when they are feeling well before doing the things they want to do. 

  I will never forget the time we were visiting some relatives in the mountains of east Tennessee. We came across two houses sitting side by side. 

  One house was brand new with brightly colored paint and sparkling windows. It was a picture perfect house. The other house was a rundown tar-paper shack with rotting wood, it did not look viable to live in. Yet my relatives told me that there was a family who owned both homes. That family had just built the new home beside the rundown one, but was living in the old decrepit home because they did not want to mess up their new house. That is one of the craziest things I have come across in my life. Imagine choosing to live in a rundown tar-paper shack when you own a nice new home. 

  How many times have we saved new items, perhaps new clothing or shoes while wearing old, worn out items? What are we saving such things for? Why not enjoy and make use of them instead of storing them away and making them useless? Then there are those who make big plans and promises to themselves and their families to do things, perhaps take a nice vacation, but are always “too busy”. 

  “Tomorrow” can be a terrible word for those who are always awaiting that magical day or opportunity that never seems to arrive. Don’t put off, or put away, something good for tomorrow that you can enjoy or do today. And don’t “live in a tar-paper shack” when the Lord has blessed you with better things that you’ve been afraid to use because of foolish reasons, or because you are waiting. 

  Don’t miss a blessing by holding off for a perfect day to arrive before doing the things you want to do or using the nice things God has given you. Don’t wait to live your life. Tomorrow may never come, but today is here before you. 

  Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to use every day and every good thing You have given us. Help us not to count on tomorrow but to live life today. Amen. 

Karlton Douglas 

Copyright 2017

Understanding The Dark Valley Of Depression

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4 (NIV) 

  

  For most people suffering chronic health problems depression is no stranger. Many illnesses bring with them secondary depression. This affliction is not something people are comfortable talking about. We admire those who go through life with a cheerful disposition, and positive thinking is almost a religion. Too many people think being depressed is unacceptable and something to be avoided at all costs, but what if it can’t be avoided? 

  I have gone through many periods of very dark depression. I’m not talking about a “blue mood” or a bit of melancholy, but about walking around with your head inside a very dark cloud, being stopped in your tracks by a force that can bring you to your knees with the weight of darkness. There are levels of depression, from a sad mood to a case of major depression and at its worst it is a terribly oppressive force. 

  With depression, medication and/or counseling may be necessary. It is a serious illness in its own right. Secondary depression accompanies various afflictions and draws its strength from the weight of other oppressive illnesses. With either of these types of depression it is a good idea to seek medical advice and counseling, but I believe we are also to take our difficulties to the Lord and find help and strength and recovery in Him. 

  In this world we face many challenges, and the afflictions and challenges of life can get us down. Sometimes our affliction is depression. It is not through a lack of personal strength or lack of moral strength that people are stricken with depression. I believe it is just another malady of living in this broken world and within these broken bodies. Sometimes our brains are also affected by disease and sometimes chronic health struggles can open us up to depression. 

  If you are suffering from depression, for whatever reason, I would encourage you to get help, medical help, counseling, go to family members and friends who can help and encourage you. And, as always, with every problem and challenge go to the Lord and ask for His help. Yet, whatever you do, do not suffer depression alone. 

  Prayer: Dear Lord, when we are in the dark valley of depression take our hand and lead us back into the light. Amen. 

Karlton Douglas  

Copyright 2017

Be A Results Oriented Christian

By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Matthew 7:16 (NIV) 

We like to see the results of our efforts. When I know I have been sticking to my diet I expect to see good blood test results for my diabetes, and when I step on the scales I like to see that my weight has decreased, or at least has not increased. 

Good results motivate us. When we work toward a goal and the results are far better than we expected we receive a bountiful harvest for our efforts. And then there are times when we expect no harvest, when we put a little bit of effort into something and we end up receiving an unexpected harvest. 

Recently, I met a family member I had not come across in many years. He said to me: "Do you remember when you taught me to shoot a bow and arrow?" And I did recall many years earlier the time I shared my love of archery with the middle-aged man before me, who back then was a teenager, and I was quite young myself when I taught him to shoot. He told me how he had purchased bows and arrows and was teaching his son archery. 

Seedtime and harvest are principles God set in motion long ago. When we plant seeds of various kinds into the lives of others, or even when we just plant good things into our own lives, there will be a harvest much bigger than the few seeds we planted. 

What began as just a little bit of time showing my young cousin how to shoot a bow, has become a generational activity in that family that may carry on long after I'm gone from this earth.  

So it is with spiritual things. Fill yourself with God's word, take time to pray and strengthen your spiritual life, then share that love of God's word and your love for the Lord with others. That passion for God you share may be passed on to others far beyond the little bit of time you take to share your love of God with just one person. 

Sow good things into your life, and sow good things into the lives of others. You will reap a harvest for your efforts, perhaps far beyond what you could have imagined. 

Prayer: Dear Lord, we have opportunities every day to sow good things into our life and the lives of others. Help us to be fruitful, and to never fail to share You with those around us. Amen. 

Karlton Douglas 

Copyright 2017