Challenged To The Core - Del Brixey

Benjamin Franklin once said, “In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes”. While that’s a somewhat amusing quote, the sad reality is that many people live like it is true; especially when it comes to their marriage. They hold onto a victim mentality that traps them into the false belief that life will never get better. Day after day they allow their circumstances to dictate their existence. I would like to offer a different take on the topic of “certainty”. I believe that “a better yesterday” begins today. Think about that for a minute; don’t keep reading until you cogitate on that thought. Yesterday actually begins today, everyday. What we do “today” affects what yesterday will look like tomorrow. If you want tomorrow to look like today, do what you did yesterday. If you want yesterday to be better than today, do something better today. Here are a few ideas on how to have a “a better yesterday” today.

Touch the past…

“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me." For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 15:1-4

Our future is dependent on the past. The scriptures teach us about the past so that we may have hope. The examples, good and bad, lived out in Scripture guide us to a better tomorrow. By “touching the past” of our yesterday we can see what corrections we need to make in our life. When we “touch the past” to see how we are impacting others versus living for ourselves we are following Christ’s example. It takes time and a commitment to reflect on yesterday, but we must find the time to “touch the past”. If you were able to “do-over” yesterday, what would you do differently?

Offer the present…

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2

Once we “see” what we must do differently in our life the real work begins; “offering the present”. Every day we make decisions on how to live our life. This offering of our lives to something greater than ourselves (God’s will) is referred to as our “spiritual act of worship”. We stop “conforming” to what we want to do and begin to be “transformed” through a “renewed mind” that has a different agenda. This is where the changes we discovered by “touching the past” get implemented. How can you apply your “do-over” strategy from reflecting on yesterday into action in your life today?

Delete the obvious…

“You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." Mark 7:8

Years ago, my son and daughter-in-law belonged to a church that ministered to people on the fringes; people who were not in the “mainstream” of society. My son even gave me a tee-shirt based on this passage of scripture that I still treasure today. It says, “Forsaking the traditions of men in obedience to the commandments of God.” My son and I differ on a lot of issues, but we both want to live our lives in obedience to the commandments of God. However, to live a life of obedience, a life with “a better yesterday” we must be willing to “delete the obvious”. We have to be willing to put “all” of our life on God’s examination table; the good stays and the obvious contradictions are deleted. Is there some “obvious” contradiction in your spiritual life that needs to go?

Accept the challenges…

“His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!" He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.” Job 2:9-10

Many people use Job as an example of someone who stood up under adversity. As noted in the passage above his wife comes to him at one of his lowest moments and tells him to “curse God and die”. She had had enough. Have you ever been there? Are you there right now? When we hit bottom or anywhere in between we need to “accept the challenges” that come our way. That doesn’t mean we need to put on a “happy face” to convince those around us that we are super saints. It means that we need to transfer the “pain and anger” of our challenges from our shoulders to God’s. Bad stuff does happen. Good people do experience bad things, but our experiences should not be the focus of our life. Our focus needs to be on the one who will get us through anything; God. Our “acceptance” creates an atmosphere to create “a better yesterday”. What “challenges” do you need to accept today?

Yield to God…

“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15

Life changing decisions are never easy. We struggle to understand all of the ramifications of our choices until we are absolutely “sure” of what we will never know for “sure”. Sometimes we just have to “yield to God” because He’s God. Joshua had already lived a full life when he challenged Israel to “serve the Lord”. It was a truth he had learned from Moses, then experienced on his own and now he wanted to pass it on to future generations. If we truly want “a better yesterday”, we must “yield to God” in all things today. Evaluate today, who are you living for? Where do you need to yield?

Today my wife and I are celebrating our thirty-sixth anniversary. We have had many ups and downs. I haven’t always desired “a better yesterday”. Life seemed to get in the way, along with my foolish notion that life was all about me. We have devoted the rest of our lives to helping couples understand that “a better yesterday begins today”. So when you “Check Your Pulse” this week, “touch your past, offer your present, delete the obvious, accept your challenges and yield to God.”