Power with Purpose!

I was taking the opportunity for some down-time the other day. It's been a very busy time filled with work, band rehearsals, photo shoots, and preparing for my daughter's 16th birthday party. At times like this I limit myself to 5 minutes a day on Facebook and shelve a lot of other time wasters. I decided during this down-time to hit some Netflix which we watch through a game console. Lately, and I suppose thankfully, this is the only use for our Wii. We simply don't have time for much else.

I found a Discovery Channel series called, "Surviving the Cut." It was a short series of episodes that chronicled the experiences of soldiers and sailors undergoing testing to the enter into some of the most elite fighting units in the world. From US Special Forces Combat Divers to Air Force Para-Rescue to US Navy EOD, these men volunteered for weeks of pure hell; not necessarily to get into the elite unit itself, but often is was just to get into the training program! These men were some of the most physically fit you will find anywhere, and this testing pushed them to, and beyond their absolute limits. It was difficult to watch each episode and not, in some way, feel for myself what they were enduring. Hats off to the producers at Discovery because this was real, in-your-face stuff!

After I had finished watching the series, the Spirit spoke to my heart. You see, I have been enduring some tremendous spiritual strains lately but then again, Jesus said in this world we would have tribulation, and James spoke of enduring temptations and trials in the first chapter of his epistle. The Spirit reminded me a of common theme that intertwined its way through the entire Surviving the Cut series: Everything was designed to be more of a mental task than a physical one. I suppose every soldier has to discover for themselves the answer to this question: When I have given everything I can give physically, when my body is spent and I feel like I have nothing else to give, what am I prepared to do then?

The answer many of the cadre gave as the tests and exercise continued was, "These men are going to discover that they can go far beyond what their mind tells them are their limits."

Do you remember the "death crawl" scene in Facing the Giants? Coach Taylor told Brock that he was blind folding him because he did not want him stopping at his own perceived limit. By depriving Brock of his ability to see the finish line, Coach Taylor was able to coax a maximum effort from Brock, allowing the player to go far beyond his perceived abilities and to discover new confidence and strength in himself, and it turned out to be a great motivational example for the entire team and everyone who has watched the movie.

Jesus veiled our eyes from tomorrow for a reason. We endure suffering on all levels for a reason. God is preparing us for an eternity of ruling and reigning with him and this life is a very, very short training course in which we are to prepare ourselves for that never-ending task. We need to take a long, hard look at this concept and make up in our minds that our efforts have been wholly inadequate. Let me use myself as the prime example here:

The past year has been tremendously trying for me. Both my natural and spiritual mothers died in the last year, and the attacks of the enemy in coordination with my own perceived personal failures have served to direct my thoughts and effort inward onto myself instead of where they should be - outward towards the lost and dying world that Jesus commands us to reach. I believe the Lord speaks to us through many avenues that we do not recognize because they are the de-facto religious standard. I believe He spoke to me after watching that series and helped me to reaquire the correct path on which I can reach the objective He has for me to reach.

I can see the effects of my struggles bleeding out into other aspects of my life and affecting others besides myself. I believe God was right on time with His observation (as He always is...). I am not where I need to be yet, but He is giving me the tools that I need to overcome my current situation so that I can get off the defensive and take up the offensive with Him. Like those men at the US Marine Scout Sniper School, and those at the US Army Ranger School, we have a lot of testing ahead of us. We need to be in the best shape of our lives in order to endure it and that means doing whatever is necessary to push through and press ahead. God is telling us that we can handle more than we think we can. We just need to learn to ignore the limits that our fleshly mind tries to invoke upon us.

The men in this series also learned that teamwork is vital to the success of the mission. So it is with our calling and election. We cannot handle these trials on our own. We are called "the Body of Christ" for a reason. I am thankful that I have some good, loving brothers and sisters in my life that are willing and able to help me see this time through. Together we will overcome what the enemy has tried to place in our way to halt our advance. Together we will press on to God's objective and step into the victory that He has already won. After all, that's our Power with Purpose!