Is your but in the wrong place?

I went to church this morning at Kaleo (the church were my friend Jason is a pastor). Justin, the lead pastor, preached on putting your but in the right place. A simple concept, but one I’d never thought of before. He talked about how we so often mess up with this one simple word. Let me give you some examples…

“I know God wants a relationship with me, but I just don’t have much spare time.”
“I know I should be in church, but Christians are hypocrites.”
“The Bible says I can trust God, but this is a really tough situation.”
“God is telling me to go, but that place is really scary!”

See what I mean? Justin said that we oftentimes make our buts bigger than God. By not doing what we know we should be doing because of whatever our “but” is, we’re making that circumstance bigger than him. If I know I’m supposed to do something or go somewhere “but I’m scared” and I don’t go… that fear has become bigger than God. And in reality, nothing is bigger than God. Rather, he said we must strive to put our buts in the right place, like David does in Psalm 31. Have a look…

For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away. Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach, especially to my neighbors, and an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me. I have been forgotten like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel. For I hear the whispering of many-- terror on every side!-- as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life. But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God." My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!
(Psa 31:10-15)

Now, David was having some rough times… being chased down by King Saul and running from just about everyone. He could have very easily said, “God I know I’m not supposed to kill Saul, but he’s trying to kill me, it’s self defense!” Or, “I know you’ve called me to be King, but this is too much for me!” But David didn’t say that! Yes, he has plenty of reason to complain, but he chose rather to make God bigger than the situation. Likewise, we must do the same. Let me show you what I mean by using the same examples I used above…

“I don’t have much spare time, but I know God wants a relationship with me.”
“Some Christians are hypocrites, but I know I should be in church.”
“This is a really tough situation, but the Bible says I can trust God.”
“That place is really scary, but God is telling me to go.”

You see, in these sentences, you’re acknowledging that something is wrong or difficult, BUT you’re recognizing that God is over these circumstances. So I’m trying to focus on my speaking and thinking and when I say the word, “but” I’m trying to make sure I am putting it in the right place! For example, here’s my thought for today, “I love being in South Africa and God has blessed me and used me incredibly and I am sad to leave, but I know God has a plan for my life in the States and I am trusting Him!!

I encourage you to do the same with your thinking this week! God bless!!