Casandra Martin

We get set in our ways, don’t we? We have our comfort zones, our spots that are safe, and we guard them fiercely. Change is not a welcome visitor inside the comfort zone. Change asks us to step outside of patterns established by desire or necessity and find a new balance. It asks us to adjust our attitudes, expand our vision, or adopt a new habit. It can be unsettling, even when we know it is a good thing.

The church pew is an interesting place for a comfort zone. If there should be anywhere less likely to be a comfort zone, it should be the church pew. Worship is an encounter with God. It is the moment when we should be the most deliberate about entering His presence, experiencing His grace, and being transformed by His purpose. It isn’t the place to stake a claim or draw a line in the sand. Rather it is a place of surrender. Too many times I come in guarded, intent on shielding my heart from disruption of what it finds comfortable. Grace, by its very nature, demands vulnerability, transparency, and humility. The only way to become saturated with Christ-likeness is to step out from under the umbrella of self into the downpour of His delight.

My Jesus Resolution today is to take a deep breath and step into the Discomfort Zone. Comfort has a gravity-like pull on my heart. My comfort with the status quo, with my sin, and with my selfishness is the heaviness that keeps my soul from flying free. Worship shakes our hearts free from the grip of comfort’s gravity. The habits of praise, prayer, community, study, and service reshape me into someone less comfortable with the world and more in tune with God. Grace understands that the only comfort zone that will truly satisfy my heart is found when I step outside of myself and into the arms of Jesus.

“The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season! Now, please don’t ask why. No one quite knows the reason. It could be that his head wasn’t screwed on quite right. It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight. But I think that the most likely reason of all may have been that his heart was two sizes too small.” – Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss was a philosopher. He nailed the human condition in his stories to children, using simple words and bright pictures to teach us in ways that make us smile and see ourselves in the absurdities of his characters. The Grinch is my favorite.

Everywhere I look, I can see the Grinch. People whose hearts are squeezed tight by bitterness, anger, jealousy, or grouchiness. The size of their hearts gives them tunnel vision. Their misery defines the boundaries of their world. They can’t see past it, and their too-small hearts prevent them from enjoying what is beautiful about the moment they are standing in.

The Grinch makes frequent appearances in my mirror. Worry, frustration, and fear squeeze at my heart making me grinchy with ingratitude. Negative thoughts overflow into whining as I allow my burdens, rather than my blessings, to define how I see others, my circumstances, and even myself.

There is a prayer in the Bible for those of us who suffer with Grinch-itis. Psalm 119:32 says, “I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!” We can ask God to enlarge our hearts. Stop and think about that. We don’t have to be satisfied with shriveled, squeezed, or skimpy. His Word teaches us how to stretch our faith, expand our perspective, and increase our capacity for joy.

My Jesus Resolution today is to ask God to enlarge my heart. Just like the Grinch, my heart can grow. I don’t have to stay stuck with a shriveled soul. Running in the way of God’s commandments is the exercise my heart needs to strengthen what is weak, heal what is broken, and stretch what is squeezed. What kind of commands will make that type of dramatic difference? Love God. Love your neighbor. Rejoice always. Be thankful. Listen. Wait. Follow Me. In the story, the Grinch’s heart grows three sizes in a single day. How much might I grow when I ask God to enlarge my heart to make it look like Jesus?

I know you are scared. So scared that it never seems to go away. It plays like a melody in the back of your mind, always there, sometimes blaring, sometimes a haunting whisper. Occasionally, for a just a moment, you forget that it is there. Yet even in that heartbeat of time when you realize that the fear is silent, it comes roaring back, consuming your peace and devouring your joy.

I wish that I could tell you that it is all going to be okay. At least okay in the way that we want to define okay. We all wish for sunny days, gentle breezes, and careless comfort. Unfortunately, storms can strike with a fury that surprises us, causing us to lose our balance and sending our worlds into a tailspin. I can’t promise no pain, no heartache, no tears, or no fear. I can only wrap my arms around you and whisper the promises made to both of us by the One who holds us next to His heart.

You are not alone. God is still in control. He sees your pain and catches your tears. His grace is sufficient. You are deeply loved. Wisdom is a prayer away. His timing is perfect. His answers are always saturated in His purpose. The cross blazes with God’s determination to call you His own. Waiting on Him is the work of faith. His mercies are new every morning.

My Jesus Resolution today is to realize that fear only has the power that I give it. Fear will whisper, “You can’t.”  God assures me that He can. Fear says stop. God says follow Me. Fear prods me to give up. God promises strength for the journey. Fear encourages me to whine and worry. God calls me to worship and rejoicing. Today I am going to breathe in grace, exhaling the fear that is suffocating my spirit. It isn’t wrong to be afraid. It is wrong to let fear have the last word.

How long has it been since you played Follow the Leader? Marching behind a little one is a great way to get a new perspective. Their imaginations take over, and there are no boundaries to where we can go, what we can accomplish, or the enthusiasm it takes to get there. This children’s game is a great picture of our walk with God. In Follow the Leader, the followers imitate everything that the leader does. They walk where the leader walks, move like the leader moves, mirror the leader’s timing, and learn from the leader’s steps. The followers find joy in following. No need to worry about where to go next. The leader knows the way. No reason to rush or run ahead. The leader sets the pace.

Psalm 37:5 says, “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act.” I love the confidence that flows from this promise. Commitment and trust open the door for God’s movement. God’s action will always bring God’s blessings. His movement will allow His purpose to take shape in our lives. His presence will inspire the transformation that is at the heart of His desire for our hearts. When God acts, He brings the full measure of His goodness, grace, power, and faithfulness into our lives.

My Jesus Resolution today is to Follow the Leader. Following will require me to walk in step with God, rather than rushing ahead as I often do. It calls me to not be in such a rush to reach the destination, but rather enjoy the journey. There are smiles to be had on the way, conversations to be savored, little delights to be noticed. In the end, following the Leader isn’t just about getting where we need to go. It is primarily about learning to imitate the One who leads us.

Prayer is a privilege of those whose hearts belong to God. In prayer, we pour out our hearts to the Father, understanding that He is listening, loving, and looking out for our best. Prayer, ignited by faith, believes that people, relationships, circumstances, and hearts can be changed by the power of God.

Here are ten things to pray about today –

1. Pray for an opportunity to extend grace to a stranger.

2. Pray that your neighbor will see Jesus next door.

3. Pray for a child who is not a part of your family.

4. Pray for the most difficult person you know.

5. Pray when you pass by a funeral home or hospital.

6. Pray for courage to take that step of faith.

7. Pray for the last person who sent you an email, text, tweet, or message.

8. Pray to be brave enough to forgive – yourself or someone else.

9. Pray for time to laugh today.

10. Pray to look more like Jesus.

My Jesus Resolution today is to pray. I want to learn how to pray. I don’t want to pray a rote recital of self-imagined remedies. I want to pray bigger prayers, more humble prayers, deeper prayers, prayers that resonate with His grace. I long to experience mercy, kneel before glory, surrender to sovereignty, and be overwhelmed by awe. I don’t want to pray primarily for God to work in the world around me. I want to pray that He work in me.

Coincidence: A striking occurrence of two or more events at one time apparently by chance.

Every once and a while, you just have to sit back and smile at the way God works. He always knows when we need a hug, word of encouragement, or gentle push to help us move forward. Yesterday, I ran into a road block. Nothing really big, but something that caused me to stop and worry. I asked two friends to start praying. Ten minutes later I received an email with just the encouragement I needed to take the next step.

Some might say that it was coincidence that someone across the country sent me a message at just that time. I know better. God has done this for me too often not to recognize His fingerprints all over the moment. He is doing it for you too. He is watching your worry, seeing your need, and moving to fill your heart with an extra measure of assurance and grace. Keep your eyes open for the moment today when God steps in to help you take the next step. Pay attention to events that apparently happen by chance and seek out the divine fingerprints on the situation. Sometimes we aren’t able to see how His plan is unfolding in the middle of our circumstances. Time and distance allow us a perspective we are not able to see in the moment. But trust His heart. God is at work for your good even when we don’t recognize it at the time.

My Jesus Resolution today is to trust that God is in control. My life is more than a series of coincidences, chance events, and random encounters. God is working all things together for good. He is using every moment to fulfill His purpose in me. He is moving in each step I take to transform me into the image of Jesus. Today when something “just happens,” I am going to stop, look, and listen. I just might catch a glimpse of God.

“It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad.” – CS Lewis

Mention change and people get a little wary. Change is inevitable, but it is amazing how we fight it, get frustrated by it, try to forego it, or feel intimidated by it. Change makes us uncomfortable because it requires a step into the unknown. Even when it is a change we know is good for us, we tend to drag our feet just a bit, make excuses, and look for alternate paths. We are addicted to comfort.

God is in the change business. He changes hearts, changes lives, changes minds, changes attitudes, changes circumstances, changes perspectives, and ultimately, changes our realities. He changes us from being sin-infected, guilt-encrusted, and shame-saturated souls to being people of abundant joy, light, peace, grace, and purpose.

Transformation is at the center of how God wants to work in our lives, but, as with any change, we hesitate before surrendering. Like the chick in the egg, it is hard for us to imagine what life might be outside of the shell. Fear reasons that maybe we would be better off staying where we are. Faith empowers the trust that allows us to break out of the confines of our own imaginations and live in the immeasurably more possibilities God has in store for us.

My Jesus Resolution today is to breathe in the truth that I am meant to fly. Too many times I let the world confine me, convincing me that cramped comfort is better than the freedom of faith. Today when I have choice between being afraid and being courageous, I am going to choose to take a deep breath, trust God’s grace, and fly.

There is a beautiful promise contained in Isaiah 55:10-11. “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”

Do you catch the deep rhythm of God’s movement and joy in this verse? Every drop of rain that falls does so according to God’s purpose and design. Each little raindrop and every snowflake works in the cycle of God’s will to nourish the earth and bring forth fruit. Every one of God’s words does the same thing. Every time we open our Bibles, His word has the opportunity to soak into our hearts and nourish our souls. Each one of His words has a purpose to fulfill – to fix our eyes on Jesus, to invite us to the cross, to cover us with His love, and to shine a light into our darkness.

My Jesus Resolution today is prepare to be drenched. As I open my Bible today, I want to ready my heart for the refreshment He is preparing to rain down on my soul. I am going to look for the ways His word accomplishes His purpose in my life. I am going to anticipate the success He is going to have in transforming me to look more like Jesus. I don’t just want to play in the rain. I want to be drenched in the overwhelming, overflowing flood of His grace.

I have a friend who will tell you that ice cream is the world’s most perfect food. His son agrees. We ate dinner together recently, and there was a moment at the table that frames a perfect picture of faith for me. We enjoyed a delicious meal and even better company. Relaxing around the table, we continued to talk and laugh, valuing the doesn’t-come-often-enough time together.

All of the sudden, the little boy got a gleam in his eye. Despite having explained a few minutes earlier to his mom that he was full, he set his eyes on dessert. “Dad, can we go get some ice cream?” he said, with all the intensity, sincerity, and full-out cuteness of a six year old. I started giggling. His mom rolled her eyes. My husband nodded in approval. Dad, seeing his love for ice cream reflected on his little guy’s face, considered the request with deep thought.

The little one knew exactly who to ask for ice cream. If you want ice cream, ask an ice cream lover. He also asked with a boldness that makes me grin. He knew what he wanted and confidently, persistently, and passionately made his request. I want to be just like him.

My Jesus Resolution today is to have ice cream faith. Prayer requires this kind of faith. Often we go to friends, the internet, the refrigerator, the mall, or a celebrity to find what we need when the first lesson is to go to the One who is both able to answer our soul cravings and loves us beyond measure. Prayer also requires a bold courage. I tend to offer timid prayers, reasonable prayers, prayers that don’t stretch beyond my own imagination. You know, one scoop prayers. Big prayers help our faith reflect the glory of our big God and make room from Him to answer with triple scoop delight.

The rich blessings that come from living in His presence and spending time in His Word are almost too many to count! We live in a world that makes it challenging to be attentive as we open our Bibles and listen to His voice. There are so many voices that try to pull at our hearts and command our attention. It is difficult sometimes to embrace the quiet stillness of God’s presence when we are swamped by the storms of stress and shame and the crashing waves of worry and fear. God has a remedy for our souls.

The wisdom writer wrote in Ecclesiastes 4:6, “Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.” Busyness gets to us all. It can take over our days, command our time, dominate our thoughts, and pull at our spirits. Just a handful of quietness makes all the difference. A little stillness calms the storm in my soul. A touch of silence can open my ears to His voice. A moment of quiet refocuses my eyes and refreshes my heart. It helps me adjust my perspective and calm my anxious spirit. In the middle of the whirlwind that is life, I often find myself struggling to just stay upright as all of the responsibilities, expectations, and pressures swirl around me. Being still, even for just a moment, allows me to breathe in grace.

My Jesus Resolution today is take time for a handful of quietness. I am going to be deliberate about soaking in the presence of the Lord. I want to sit still in His love, allowing His mercy and grace to wash away my tension and stress. I am going to respond to the still, small voice that invites me into peace as I put my hand in His hand and rest in the quietness of His presence.