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Think about a challenge you’re facing right now.

Maybe it’s the anxiety of a new season starting — school, a job change, a move. Maybe it’s something at work that’s been weighing on you. Maybe it’s a relationship, your finances, or your health.

Got it in your mind?

Now ask yourself: how have you tried to fix it?

Most of us fall into one of three responses. We pray. We plan. Or we run — which really just means we do nothing and hope it goes away.

I have found that in a lot of Christian circles, prayer and planning get treated like opposites, like you have to pick a side. You’re either “a planner” or “a pray-er,” and your personality decides which one. Many of us will often fall into one category or another.

But prayer and planning aren’t in competition. They work together.

Prayer and planning aren’t in competition. They work together.
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And I think understanding how might be the key to actually living out what you feel called to do.

It might surprise you how much Scripture has to say about planning, not just praying. The book of Proverbs — written by Solomon, widely regarded as the wisest man who ever lived — returns to this theme again and again:

• “Where there is no guidance, the people fall; but in abundance of counselors, there is victory.” (Proverbs 11:14)
• “A wise man thinks ahead; a fool doesn’t, and even brags about it.” (Proverbs 13:16)
• “Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors, they succeed.” (Proverbs 15:22)
• “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” (Proverbs 21:5)
• “A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.” (Proverbs 22:3)
• “Get the facts at any price, and hold on tightly to all the good sense you can get.” (Proverbs 23:23)
• “Any enterprise is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts.” (Proverbs 24:3-4)

Now, as a planner by nature, I can tell you, planning has a shadow side. Taken too far, it becomes an attempt to remove all uncertainty from life — to engineer outcomes so completely that we no longer need God to show up. That’s something planners have to watch for. But the opposite extreme — having no plan at all — isn’t wisdom either. Scripture doesn’t celebrate that. It calls it foolish.

If you’re a planner by nature, here’s your check: it’s entirely possible to plan so hard that you squeeze God out of the equation. Nehemiah’s planning grew out of his prayer life — he was literally praying in the middle of his conversation with the king (Nehemiah 2:4-5). The plan didn’t replace the prayer. It flowed from it.

If you’re not a planner, here’s yours: refusing to plan isn’t more spiritual. It just removes God from the equation in the other direction — hoping something works out instead of preparing for it to. We often only start planning once something has already happened, and by then it’s too late.

I heard someone say once, “opportunity without preparation is just a missed opportunity.”

The goal isn’t to choose between praying and planning. It’s to pray for the opportunity and plan as if you actually expect God to answer.

The post Pray, Plan, or Run appeared first on JoshuaReich.org.

One of my favorite books of the Bible is Nehemiah. Here is a man who is not a pastor or theologian, or even a political leader. He is a cupbearer to the king. A king whose nation conquered his nation years before. And what we see is a man whom God speaks to, moves through, and does incredible things by doing the next right thing in front of him. 

But how do we get from Nehemiah chapter 1, where his heart breaks for the city of Jerusalem that is still broken down, to months later, the wall is rebuilt? A big part of that journey is prayer. 

Nehemiah prays a lot. 

Depending on which translation you use, the book of Nehemiah explicitly says that he prayed 12-14 times. 

It starts in chapter 1. After he learns that the city is still destroyed and lies in ruins, he weeps, fasts, and prays. 

This sets the tone for the whole book. 

In the place of our hearts being broken by the world around us, we can do all kinds of things. We can jump into action, protest, post on social media, start an organization, and gather some friends. He does none of those things. He weeps, prays, and fasts. 

When he begins his prayer, he doesn’t begin with asking something of God; he starts in verse 5 by praising God for who He is: Lord, the God of the heavens, the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps his gracious covenant with those who love him and keep his commands.

Then, in verse 6, he confesses sin. Not just his but those who have come before him. 

Then, in verse 8, he prays God’s word. This practice has been used by so many throughout church history. When we don’t know what to pray, we can pray the psalms and remind ourselves of God’s promises, character, and how He has worked in the past. 

After all of that, he finally, in verse 11, prays for favor: Please, Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant and to that of your servants who delight to revere your name. Give your servant success today, and grant him compassion in the presence of this man.

The post The Prayers of a Difference Maker appeared first on JoshuaReich.org.

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It’s the middle of summer.

The year is more than halfway over.

Hopefully, you are closer to the goals you set at the start of the year.

If not, don’t fear.

The year isn’t over, and it isn’t too late to hit restart and try again.

Here in New England, we are in the middle of record heat! So perfect time to catch up on some reading!

In case you missed them, here are the top 10 posts of the month of July. Hopefully, they are encouraging to you and help you reach the goals you have as a leader and as a person. Thanks for reading!

1. 5 Lessons from the Upper Room Discourse (John 13 – 17)
2. The Power of Sex, Love, and Intimacy in Our Lives
3. 8 Things I Wished People Knew about Enneagram 8’s
4. 18 Things Every Husband Should Know About His Wife
5. Why We Run and Hide from God

The post The Halfway Point of the Year & the Top 5 Posts of July appeared first on JoshuaReich.org.

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One of the struggles many of us face in spiritual growth is not knowing what it means to grow and mature. We have all kinds of ideas and focus on all kinds of things, but we often spin our wheels because we go after the wrong ones.

In Titus 2, Paul not only lays out for Titus the intergenerational relationships and what mentoring can look like, but also what it means to grow as a follower of Jesus, depending on your age. He looks at older men, older women, younger women, and younger men.

And while everything he writes can apply to everyone, regardless of age or gender, he brings up things that people in those age brackets tend to struggle with more than others.

First, older men. Paul says that Older men are to be self-controlled, worthy of respect, sensible, and sound in faith, love, and endurance (Titus 2:2). 

They are to be Self-controlled or sober-minded. This is the idea of clear, level-headed thinking. Everyone struggles with self-control, as we’ll see, this will be a theme in Titus 2. Being able to make wise decisions and control yourself, or to be free from all forms of excess or life-dominating patterns. 

They are to be Worthy of respect or Dignified. Meaning they carry themselves in a respectful way. In many ways, they act their age. They are not trivial, frivolous, or superficial. They are 50 and not trying to be 25 or recapturing the glory days. 

They are to be Sensible. Meaning they are striving to be self-disciplined, self-restrained in all of their passions and desires, and able to keep their lives on track. They handle their finances, aren’t controlled by substances, porn, money, or their job.

They are to be Sound in faith, love, and endurance. If you are an older man who has been walking with Jesus for a while, you should be mature and continue to grow in maturity. So you’ve seen God work and answer prayers, so the things that make newer believers stumble are just speed bumps for you because of the faith you have. You have a list of prayers God has answered, and times you were at the end of your rope when he came through, so your confidence is not easily shaken.

Let’s pause and ask a heart question: Are you a person of self-control, worthy of respect, sensible, and sound in faith, love, and endurance?

What older Christian men are to be.
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Paul then moves to older women in the church. He says, they are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not slaves to excessive drinking (Titus 2:3). 

Reverent. Older women are worthy of respect and honor in their actions, words, attitudes, and the way they carry themselves.  She is someone people respect and hold in high regard for her character, not her accomplishments.

Not slanderous. Not prone to gossip, speaking behind someone’s back. They don’t listen to gossip; they don’t take prayer requests that are gossip. Obviously, in this church, older women were sitting around talking about other people. A mature follower of Jesus is not known for gossiping; she is trustworthy and will not be party to division.

Not slaves to excessive drinking. In this culture, many women were slaves to alcohol as a way to numb life and forget about things. The same can happen in our culture. And not just with wine, but also with food, romance novels, sleeping, and working out. Anything to numb the pain or forget about things or to escape.

Let’s stop and ask again: Are you a person who is reverent in behavior, not a slanderer, not slaves to excessive drinking?

How older Christian women are to carry themselves.
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Paul then tells these first two groups how they are to interact with younger men and women. 

Older women are to teach what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and to love their children, to be self-controlled, pure, workers at home, kind, and in submission to their husbands, so that God’s word will not be slandered (Titus 2:3 – 5).

Teach them to love their husband and children. In our culture, love can be fleeting; it comes and goes. We often see it as a feeling we fall into, but love is a choice, not an emotion. 

Teach younger women to love their husbands and children. 

Why?

Because they won’t feel like it every day, your romantic love for your husband and children will wane, sometimes daily. You will have to choose to love them continually.

We will all grow old, and our looks will change. Over time, the other person’s habits that annoy you will continue.

Love them in a way that communicates love to them, not the way you want love communicated to you. Too many people think, I have the love language of quality time, so everyone wants to spend quality time with people. No, they don’t. Not everyone feels love from a gift, even if you do. Cultivate a love for your husband that doesn’t just sacrifice, but is affectionate, believes the best, respects him, and admires him.

They are to be self-controlled and pure. self-controlled. Here it is again. Do you see the theme?!

She is sober-minded, clear-thinking, not driven by emotions, and level-headed. Composed in her life and relationships. She is pure and modest in her appearance, in how she carries herself. Too many women dress as if they want men to lust after them, while many women want that visual attention from men, it also reveals, many times, a dissatisfaction in their hearts.

The way you dress communicates who you are, how you see yourself, and ultimately, how you believe God sees you. 

To work at home and be kind, in submission to their husbands. Paul is not saying that a woman is to confine herself to her house as a prisoner. To be barefoot and pregnant all the days of her life. He is not saying that she is supposed to do whatever her husband wants. He is saying where her focus should be in life. 

In this church, the men and women were out of their houses, obviously lacking self-control and drinking, and not raising their families and discipling their kids. 

It is easy for men and women to chase things that don’t matter, to sacrifice their most important relationships for things that aren’t eternal. In our culture, a husband or kids can get in the way of a woman’s dreams. She may feel claustrophobic and like she gave up things for her husband and kids. Chances are, you did. 

Part of the gospel witness is recognizing the value of the sacrifices you make as a wife and mom. This doesn’t mean your husband shouldn’t make sacrifices. 

Are you a person who loves your husband and loves their children? Are you self-controlled, pure, workers at home, kind, and in submission to your husbands, so that God’s word will not be slandered?

What younger Christian women are to be.
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Finally, the younger men: In the same way, encourage them to be self-controlled in everything. Make yourself an example of good works with integrity and dignity in your teaching. Your message is to be sound beyond reproach, so that any opponent will be ashamed, because he doesn’t have anything bad to say about us (Titus 2:6 – 8).

Self-controlled. This has shown up a couple of times. It is obviously a big deal to Paul, but also something most of us and this church struggle with. 

Be self-controlled in everything. What is included in everything? Everything!

Your finances, desires, actions, reactions, self-control of your words, your anger and emotions, calendar, and pace of life. Not carried away in the moment. They control themselves financially, sexually, emotionally, relationally, educationally, career-wise, as a parent, in a marriage, recreationally, and spiritually. They control themselves in eating and drinking.

Self-controlled in what? Everything he says. 

Make yourself an example of good works, not evil, not violent, a fighter, they do not abandon anyone, especially a wife and children. An example means people can point to you and say, “You should be like him when you grow up. Model yourself after him.” Can people say that of you? Or do they hope their sons don’t grow up to be like you?

Integrity, purity, keep their word, they can be counted on, purity of mind, and their eyes.

Dignity in your teaching: not unfaithful, perverse, can hold their head high, they have character. In chapter 1, Paul says they know their bible. 

What you say is above reproach or Sound speech. not lying, deceiving, not hurtful, kind, encouraging. They do not make fun of their spouse or tear them down. They don’t tear others down. 

Let’s pause and ask: Are you self-controlled in everything? Are you making yourself an example of good works with integrity and dignity in your teaching?

How younger Christian men are to live.
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The post Spiritual Growth for the 4 Groups in Your Church appeared first on JoshuaReich.org.

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All of us follow people. Whether they are bosses, parents, pastors, podcasters, or sports heroes. Everyone has someone in their life that they follow.

Rarely do we step back and ask, “Is this person worth following?”

Too often, we take advice from or listen to people we shouldn’t.

But connected to this is another question: “Are you someone worth following?”

Someone is following each of us. We are influencing those around us, whether we realize it or not. The words we say, the way we react, and the things we post and like on social media all influence those who follow us.

And at its most basic level, this is what leadership is: Influence.

Leadership is influence.
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You can influence others for good or bad, towards healthy or unhealthy ends. Other people can influence you for good or bad, towards healthy or unhealthy ends.

You can influence others for good or bad, towards healthy or unhealthy ends. Other people can influence you for good or bad, towards healthy or unhealthy ends.
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This is why, when the Bible talks about leadership and influence, it spends the majority of its time talking about the character of the person, who that person is, and who that person is becoming. In our day and age, though, character isn’t what gets people noticed; it is charisma.

But as Carey Nieuwhof says, “Charisma will get you in the room, but character will keep you in the room.”

Charisma will get you in the room, but character will keep you in the room. -Carey Nieuwhof
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When the apostle Paul, in particular, writes to Titus and Timothy about the kinds of people who should be leaders in the church, the kinds of people whom somebody should be following, he focuses almost exclusively on character and who they are, not what they do. 

He says they should be above reproach, faithful in their relationships, and mature in their faith. 

Let’s start with above reproach. 

Above reproach means to be above question. Not perfect, but to strive to live in such a way  that when someone says, “I heard so-and-so did _____.” Their character would cause people to say, “That doesn’t sound like him or her.” 

Having a character that is above question. Why? Because character matters more than charisma.

The kind of leaders the church should have, the kind of people you and I listen to, should be above reproach. 

They aren’t perfect. All leaders are sinners in need of grace. But above reproach means that we confess those sins, and we strive to live in holiness. 

It means we are committed to letting the teachings of Scripture shape the words we say and the way we live. 

Paul gives examples of what blameless means: not arrogant, not hot-tempered, not an excessive drinker, not a bully, not greedy for money, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled (Titus 1:7 – 8). 

Ask yourself about the people you listen to, who influence your faith, politics, health, and relationships. Are they arrogant? Hot-tempered, excessive drinkers? Bullies? Greedy for money? Are you these things? 

The next is faithful in their relationships. 

An elder is the husband of one wife and has faithful children who are not accused of wildness or rebellion. An elder is a one-woman man, a one-man woman. They are faithful to their spouse in word, deed, thought, action, and reaction. 

Are the people you listen to faithful in their most important relationships?  Are you?

Think about the people you get advice from. Is faithfulness in relationships a value? Or is survival of the fittest? Is cheating okay? Encouraged? 

For our culture, faithfulness is not a value; selfishness is. 

For our culture, faithfulness is not a value; selfishness is.
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Then Paul says they have faithful children. Paul wants to keep in front of them. If you are a parent, you are your child’s primary disciplemaker. 

The church isn’t the primary disciplemaker for children; the parents are. 

The church isn’t the primary disciplemaker for children; the parents are.
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This doesn’t mean a leader must be married or have children. But if they do, this becomes a proving ground. 

Why?

The reason Paul uses marriage and family as qualifications for influence and leadership is that our closest relationships are where we see the real us.

The reason Paul uses marriage and family as qualifications for influence and leadership is that our closest relationships are where we see the real us.
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It is where you are most comfortable. The family is where your character is proven. 

What is the environment of your home? Is it open and hospitable? How is that being hospitable if you never have people in your home? 

Finally, they are to be mature in their faith. 

We would expect this on a list of influence and maturity in the Bible. But many of us do not expect our leaders to have mature faith. 

In the list in 1 Timothy 3, Paul says they can’t be a recent convert, they can’t be a new follower of Jesus. 

Why?

They are new to their faith. That doesn’t mean they can’t be used by God or do things for God, but it does mean they should mature and grow more before stepping into certain formal leadership roles in a church. 

A mature faith has depth; they have walked with Jesus through highs and lows, mountains and valleys. 

This is important: There is a difference between being a mature follower of Jesus and someone who has followed Jesus for decades; they aren’t always the same thing. 

There is a difference between being a mature follower of Jesus and someone who has followed Jesus for decades; they aren’t always the same thing.
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Too often, we have the wrong definition of maturity. 

In some churches, it is the person with the most bible knowledge, that isn’t maturity, that’s part of maturity. It isn’t the person who is the loudest or the strongest leader. 

Among other things, maturity comes from testing your faith, walking through the valleys of life, and holding on to Jesus, not being swayed by the crowd or by difficulty. 

Maturity comes from testing your faith, walking through the valleys of life, and holding on to Jesus, not being swayed by the crowd or by difficulty.
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Look at what Paul says is maturity: He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught…They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for doing anything good (Titus 1:9, 16). 

Hold firmly to the message that was taught to you. 

Their actions will not deny Jesus. 

They are not detestable, disobedient, or unfit. 

Let’s recap: Are the people that you listen to and who influence you above reproach, faithful in their relationships, and mature in their faith? Are you becoming that person?

The post Becoming a Person Worth Following appeared first on JoshuaReich.org.

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One of the things that so many of us struggle with is legalism. The idea that we can earn our way to God, that our obedience to God can make us more loved by God, and get more of God’s attention or pleasure. 

What makes legalism so attractive is that it is about keeping score. It is something I can do on my own, without God. And it can make me feel superior to others. 

What is sneaky about legalism is that the list of rules we focus on is found in the Bible, but it is selective. When we focus on “what a good Christian should do,” we focus on things we are already doing. Things that come naturally to us. So we can feel better about things. 

We rarely choose things we aren’t good at or don’t like doing. 

For many of us, after following Jesus, we start to focus on following a list of rules. Slowly, though, these rules become all about us, and we begin to see our actions as our salvation.

We don’t need Jesus for any of this.

Christianity becomes about self-imposed rules, which makes us feel safe and happy.

But Christianity has never been about following rules; it has been about following Jesus.

Christianity has never been about following rules; it has been about following Jesus.
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How do you know if you’re falling into legalism? Here are 4 questions:

Why do you feel guilty for something?

We all have guilt. We feel it for different reasons.

I remember when I first became a Christian, I would try to read my bible and pray first thing in the morning. I was told that Jesus got up in the dark to pray, so that’s what I was supposed to do. The problem was that I’m not a morning person, so I would fall asleep. Then I would beat myself up about it because a good Christian didn’t fall asleep while praying.

Why did I feel guilty? I wasn’t good enough.

The reality is, though, a good Christian can read their bible and pray at any time of day. And, falling asleep while praying isn’t a sin. In fact, I can’t think of a better time to fall asleep.

Good guilt would’ve been feeling guilty for missing out on being with Jesus.

4 questions to ask about legalism.
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Do you feel more or less free after doing something?

This gets at how you handle guilt when it happens in your life, because we all carry guilt and shame.

We all have defense mechanisms that protect us when we sin or do something we wished didn’t do:

Some of us lash out. We hurt those closest to us. We try to push people down so even if we feel low, we can make them feel lower.

Some of us say, “It’s fine,” and just shut it down. In relationships, you might stonewall and walk out of the room during an argument. This is the same. It is a power move, but it protects us from having to deal with things. What this does is keep us from feeling guilty (or so we think) and from having to deal with everyone else’s feelings about my actions.

Some of us go for attention. Whether that is our bodies and sex appeal, playing up the victim card, or being babied by someone.

Some go to the funny guy. This is one that many people stuck in addiction do. Humor often is a deflection in our lives, especially when guilt rolls in.

And lastly, we use the religious defense. This is the “yeah but…” or “what about…” reaction. Yeah, but they’re worse. Yeah, but I memorized all those verses, went on that mission trip, did all that other stuff. We do this to ourselves, to others, and to God.

Here’s why this question lines up with legalism: what I’ve learned about rule followers is that we don’t know how to feel anything but guilt. 

Rule followers tend to have an overwhelming amount of guilt.
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Most of us don’t know what freedom actually feels like, and because of that, we don’t go for it. 

Paul is trying to give us a vision of what could be and show us that it is greater than you could imagine.

Do you want people to know, or are you fine if it is anonymous?

This is a good one.

When you follow one of your rules, do something that makes you feel more spiritual or superior to someone; do you want people to know?

Do you want people to know how much you give? Serve? Can you read your bible without posting a verse on Instagram? Do you spend more time posting something good you did than actually doing something good?

The flip side, do you post things to get sympathy from people to tell you that you aren’t a failure? 

This is the “well that happened” post on Facebook. Parents do this all the time. We do this with our boss. So people will say, “I see you, and you are awesome.” But why does their opinion matter? Why does your kid’s opinion matter? Have you noticed that someone else’s opinion can crush us? Why?

Because we struggle to live free.

Do you feel more alive and closer to Christ or less?

Jesus said in John 10 that he came to give life. Be honest for a moment, if you’re a follower of Jesus, do you feel alive? Or do you feel exhausted? Do you feel like you are overflowing with life, you can’t handle how much life you have in Jesus?

Keeping rules is exhausting. Impossible for us. It is a burden we carry that we aren’t meant to carry.

Legalism is a burden we carry that we aren’t meant to carry.
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The post What is Legalism? appeared first on JoshuaReich.org.

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I just wrapped up a series on the book of Habakkuk. In it, Habakkuk wrestles with God to try to understand where God is in our pain, what God is doing when life seems out of control, and why evil seems to prosper. 

The book begins with Habakkuk questioning God in prayer, asking, “How long, O Lord,” and ends with a prayer of praise. 

Habakkuk ends by saying, “God, I have found you in the joy, the sunshine. I have found you in the storm, when life is hard, and because I have found you in both places, when the silence comes, when I don’t understand what is going on, I know you are still there.”

But we are still left to wonder, why? Why do we have to walk through this? Why are there trials? Can’t we get to that place of trust and praise without the valleys?

The answer seems to be no. 

Over and over in the Bible, we are told that we cannot become who God has called us to be without adversity.

James tells us: Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

The only way endurance is produced is through trials. The only way that endurance will have its full effect to bring us to a place of being mature, complete, and lacking nothing, is through trials. 

Tim Keller, in his book Walking with God through Pain and Suffering, said, “There is no way to really learn how to trust in God until you are drowning.”

There is no way to really learn how to trust in God until you are drowning. -Tim Keller
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So, how do we do that?

Keller goes on, “To walk with God through pain and suffering means we must treat God as God and as there with us. It means we speak to him, pouring out our hearts to him in prayer, like Habakkuk. It means to trust him. But it also means to see with the eyes of your heart how Jesus plunged into the fire for you when he went to the cross. This is what you need to know so you will trust him, stick with him, and thus turn into purer gold in the heat. If you remember with grateful amazement that Jesus was thrown into the ultimate suffering for you, you can begin to sense him in your smaller sufferings with you.”

If we don’t walk with God in pain and suffering, and go it alone, we will not find God there. We will walk all alone.

What we have seen from Habakkuk as he walked with God is not an instantaneous answer. He got some answers right away, but some questions God did not answer. He got some deliverance, but not all of it right away. He received the peace that passes understanding, he gained new insights, but what we see is the slow and steady movement towards the person God calls him to be.

Notice what Habakkuk didn’t do: He didn’t pretend his pain, suffering, and questions weren’t there. He didn’t act like life was okay. He didn’t put on a smile and pretend.

Often, our culture says the way forward when life is hard is to think positively, pretend it doesn’t hurt, numb it with ice cream, shopping, alcohol, work, exercise, sex, or sleep. The problem is, after you do that, life still hurts. You can’t relax it away.

Instead, Habakkuk faced life. He faced the hardship and, in it, found that peace is there because God is there.

God’s presence enables us to face anything. 

God’s presence enables us to face anything.
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One of the hardest questions to wrestle with in our faith journeys is the question of evil and suffering. Why does God allow the things he does? Why doesn’t he stop wars, famines, or hurricanes? Why does he allow abuse and broken relationships? Why doesn’t he stop evil corporations or governments?

These questions aren’t new to us. They are all over Scripture. It is the question that is the center of the book of Habakkuk.

As we make our way to the end of chapter 2, God answers Habakkuk with “5 woes” to the Babylonians. These “woes” show that while God used Babylon to punish Judah, he would hold them accountable for their evil actions. But as you read through the woes, we can also see the evil in our day and age. And if we are honest, we can see the evil in our own hearts as God names each one.

Woe #1: The Woe of Money and Greed (2:6 – 8). 

Money and greed are an enormous part of evil. We see this all around us and throughout Scripture. 

Paul told Timothy in the NT that “the love of money was the root of all evil.” Money isn’t evil in and of itself, but how we view and use money can be. 

God is talking about the way the Babylonians handle money, and when money is used for evil and suffering. 

Underneath this woe about money and greed is really pride. A lot of pain and suffering comes from pride. People cheat because they think they deserve something. We hurt people with our words out of pride. We feel hurt or not good enough, so we put people down so we feel better. We are greedy; people are so greedy that we hurt others. People are oppressed, used, abused, left, and cast aside when they don’t serve a purpose.

The question we need to ask ourselves is, Where does money and greed show up as evil in your life?

Where does money and greed show up as evil in your life?
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We can talk about politics and corporations and compare them to Babylon and the evil of Habakkuk’s day pretty easily. But what about us? Are we causing any evil with our money, greed, and pride?

Woe #2: The Woe of Dishonesty and Self-Serving Behavior (2:9 – 11).

Another way to see this woe is as unjust gain.

This might seem obvious, but when we gain by lying, by not telling the whole truth, we gain by being self-serving. 

The superpowers of Habakkuk’s day did this, and so do they today, and so do we. 

This is when we want to take care of our family, to provide, but in our desire, we end up hurting people, using people, and doing wrong. This can also be when we gain money dishonestly. Like this past Thursday and Friday, when you “worked” while watching March Madness!

Underneath our actions in this area is often an “I deserve this.”

This can also be when good motives turn bad. 

This happens to all of us. 

Maybe you’ve experienced hurt because of a parent who couldn’t stop working. They said it was because they wanted to give you things, but it was their pride.

Maybe it was a spouse who couldn’t set boundaries.

This is the thinking that if you make enough money, you can keep pain and hurt from your life. Or, if you can make enough money, you will be somebody, important enough, you can make someone jealous, or get a parent to notice you.

The question we need to ask ourselves is, Are we taking any shortcuts in life? Are we being honest in all areas and all relationships?

Are we taking any shortcuts in life? Are we being honest in all areas and all relationships?
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Woe #3: The Woe of Violence (2:12 – 14). 

God denounces the splendor of the Babylonian empire because it was built on blood, corruption, and they did it all in an effort to gain their own glory.

God is calling out the people who build empires and legacies on the backs of others. That can be the wealthy over the poor, this can be about race or gender. 

But it can also be closer to home. 

How many of us have built our lives, our glory, our little empire on the tears of someone who asked us to slow down? To pay more attention? To care about something else more? How many of us have seen someone try to build their life on the hurt and tears of others?

We also have to be aware of how desensitized we have become to the violence of our world. 

Am I helping to keep violence alive, or am I working to end it?
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This doesn’t mean we turn away and pretend it isn’t happening. 

But now, because we can play Grand Theft Auto and steal a car, play a first-person shooter game, and then watch bombs explode live on TikTok, we are desensitized to the cry of violence and oppression. 

There are now whole social media accounts that are just videos of people dying or getting hurt. 

And we have to ask, “Am I helping to keep violence alive, or am I working to end it?”

Woe #4: The Woe of Hurting Others (2:15 – 17). 

This is exploitation. Degrading those around us. 

This is the person who takes joy in others’ pain. The one who laughs at others’ tears. The one who is callous to the pain of those closest to them. 

The Babylonians would get someone drunk, get them naked, and take advantage of them, degrading and disrespecting them.

This can also be when we watch someone be degraded, ridiculed, and made fun of, and do nothing. This can happen at work or school when someone is bullied, harassed, or made fun of, and we do nothing. 

This can happen when we watch porn and see someone being degraded and humiliated. 

And we tell ourselves that we do it not because we want them to be hurt but because we don’t want to join them.

For some, watching others in pain is enjoyable. 

Here is a question: Do your actions or inactions exploit anyone in any way?

Do your actions or inactions exploit anyone in any way?
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Woe #5: The Woe of Idolatry (2:18 – 20). 

An idol is not a statue you bow down to. An idol is anything you look to, anything you place your trust in to do what only God can do.

It is looking to someone to approve of you instead of God. 

It is looking to your kids, spouse, parent, or teacher for affirmation instead of to God.

It is trying to rest in your control instead of trusting in God’s control and power.

It is seeking to find pleasure and identity in sex and relationships instead of Jesus.

It is whatever you would lose that would make your life not worth living. 

That thing, that person, that dream or hope is something you have placed above Jesus. 

What idol does your life revolve around instead of Jesus?

What idol does your life revolve around instead of Jesus?
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To help you figure out what idols are lurking in your heart, click here to work through a series of questions. 

God tells Habakkuk in verse 20: But the Lord is in his holy temple; let the whole earth be silent in his presence.

God says, I see all of these things. I hear the cry of the oppressed. I see the tears of the broken. 

But I also see the evil that the Chaldeans do. He also sees the evil that we do. 

Verse 20 is crucial to this book and to the question of where God is when life hurts and why God allows suffering and evil in the world.

After saying, “I see all that the Chaldeans do. I see their sin. I see how they exploit people, harm them, and abuse them. I see it all. Justice is coming. Because I sit on my throne in my temple.”

The word temple is the same Hebrew word that the Old Testament prophet Isaiah used to describe God as a judge and the day of judgment, when everyone will stand before God and give an account of their lives.

Tim Keller, in his book Walking with God Through Pain and Suffering, said,

The biblical doctrine of judgment day, far from being a gloomy idea, enables us to live with both hope and grace. That all wrongs will be redressed. If we are not sure that there will be a final judgment, then when we are wronged, we will feel an almost irresistible compulsion to take up the sword and smite the wrongdoers. But if we know that no one will get away with anything, and that all wrongs will ultimately be redressed, then we can live in peace. Judgment day tells us that we don’t know exactly what people deserve, nor have the right to mete out punishment when we are sinners ourselves.

The post How the Justice of God Answers Pain and Suffering appeared first on JoshuaReich.org.

Photo by Alex Shute on Unsplash

Trust isn’t easy for many of us. 

We have been hurt, betrayed, fired from jobs, cut from teams, broken up. And people we love and care about have experienced these things as well. 

We navigate our relational worlds, wondering who is safe and if the bottom will fall out on a relationship. 

We then take this feeling and fear into our relationship with God. We wonder, like the prophet Habakkuk, “Can I trust God? Is God good? Is God really in charge of things?”

In Habakkuk 1:12-2:5, Habakkuk questions God and says, “I get that you have a plan, but I have questions about your plan.” All of us can relate to this on some level. We see God’s hand and think, “I would’ve done that differently.”

But God tells Habakkuk something key in 2:4: “The righteous shall live by faith.” 

Where is our faith put? In God. 

Trust starts with who we are trusting in.

Trust starts with who we are trusting in.
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How do we know whether to trust someone? Should we trust God?

Henry Cloud’s book on Trust: Knowing When to Give It, When to Withhold It, How to Earn It, and How to Fix It When It Gets Broken, says there are 5 essentials of trust: 

5 essentials to trust in our relationship with God.
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The first is understanding.

According to Cloud, understanding is feeling known and understood by the other person. 

This is important in any relationship. To feel safe and trust the other person, I have to know that they know me, that I’m safe, and that they understand me and my feelings. 

Do you feel like God understands you? Knows you? Do you feel safe and secure in your relationship with God? 

Habakkuk would say he felt understood by God. He was safe and secure enough to tell God what he thought and felt. 

The second is Motive.

According to Cloud, motive is believing that the other person has your best interests at heart. This is believing that God does want what’s best for you. 

The best for us isn’t always comfortable or easy. A doctor will tell us to change our diet to improve our health. Is that the best thing for us? Yes. Do we want to stop eating certain things? No. A financial planner or coach will tell us to make this choice with our money or that choice with our life or health. 

Will we want to do that? Not always, but it is best for us. 

Habakkuk believes God has his best interest at heart. He just doesn’t understand why God is doing it. 

The difference is crucial. 

Habakkuk believes God has his best interest at heart. He just doesn’t understand why God is doing it. The difference is crucial.
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The third is ability. 

The third essential to trust is ability. 

This is believing that God is able to do what He promises. That God can do what we need him to do. 

Can God come through? Yes, God can heal. Yes, God brings about miracles. 

The bible is a resounding yes to God’s ability to do what He promises. 

The bible is a resounding yes to God’s ability to do what He promises.
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The fourth is character.

The fourth essential is character. 

Who God is, that his character is trustworthy. 

That we trust God is good, true. 

5 essentials to trust in our relationships.
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The fifth is track record.

The last essential is track record. 

This is looking at who God is and what God has done in our past, others’ past, and throughout scripture, and seeing his track record. 

For me, this is one I will struggle with as it relates to God. 

When God doesn’t do something at present the way he did in the past or in the same time frame. 

But this is the testing of our faith.

When we trust someone, we are trusting their character. Who they are, their past performance, and whether they have proven themselves trustworthy.

When we trust someone, we are trusting their character. Who they are, their past performance, and whether they have proven themselves trustworthy.
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The post How to Trust God (When It’s Hard to Trust) appeared first on JoshuaReich.org.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

As we begin our new series in the book of Habakkuk, Wrestling with God, we see Habakkuk wrestling with God and complaining about what seems like God’s lack of activity. As Habakkuk opens in chapter 1, God does not scold Habakkuk for lamenting and bringing his complaint to God. 

This is something we see throughout Scripture. Weather in the Psalms, the books of Job, Jeremiah, Lamentations, and others, but we also see Paul ask God to remove his thorn and Jesus in the garden asks for another way. 

How to lament.
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Depending on your church background, view of God, or prayer, it might surprise you to see Habakkuk speak to God the way he does. Yet, this is so important: God invites our complaints. He doesn’t push us away or scold us. He listens. He embraces us, which is what Habakkuk’s name means. 

An important part of our Christian walk is a prayer of lament. Herman Gunkel said, “The prayer of complaint is the backbone of the Psalms.”

The prayer of complaint is the backbone of the Psalms. -Herman Gunkel
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To help you, I want to encourage you to click this link to work through your own prayer of lament to God. This has been incredibly helpful to Katie and me in times of pain and difficulty as we try to stay open to what God is doing. The moments in life when we find ourselves in the valleys are dark and difficult, but they are also the moments when deep growth in our faith journey happens. 

How to grieve.
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The post How to Write Your Own Lament appeared first on JoshuaReich.org.