Kim Rettmann

Seeing Vaguely

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 1 Cor. 13:12

I remember the first time it hit me. It was one of those things that I should have already realized, something that was easily observable, but had never dawned on me before. After all, I knew a lot, right? I knew most of the answers in Sunday School and Youth group. In fact, I was so far advanced compared to my peers that I pretty much had it all figured out. Ha!

Thankfully, God brought someone along to mention in a passing comment, “You know, the Bible doesn’t tell us everything about God. It only reveals what God wants us to know.” What!?! There is more that I don’t know!? (Let’s be honest, even if the Bible contained everything there is to know about God, I still would NOT know or understand it all).

This meant that all my assumptions had to be reevaluated. My ‘little’ Sunday School story God suddenly became much bigger than I could handle. He became a mystery. He became elusive.

I imagine this may have been how the Israelites felt as they wandered in the wilderness, following the Lord as a cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. There was no doubting His presence or His power, yet He had no discernable form. I wonder how many looked intently into that cloud and that fiery pillar hoping to see something more clearly. It is much easier to follow what you can easily discern and understand. Maybe that is one reason the nation continually struggled with idolatry – it is in human nature to want to see clearly, to understand, to know.

But this is not God. God is almighty, all-knowing, all-powerful, all-present, and altogether too weighty for us to handle. It is because of His grace that He only reveals to us the bits and pieces that we can swallow, otherwise we would surely die.

As I grow and mature in my relationship with the Lord, I am thankful for those moments when, through His Word, the Holy Spirit allows me to see the faintest passing shadow of Himself through the veil. But how I do yearn for that day when in glory I will see Him face to face! Oh, to know Him more!

Still, what comfort it is to be known by Him, more completely than I even know myself. And what merciful kindness He has given us by revealing even more of Himself through His Son, Jesus Christ! And whoever has seen the Son has seen the Father (John 14:9).

Do you understand the mind of God? If so, your God is too small and of your own making. Can you trust Him even though you see dimly?

We are veiled from God, for our own good, not He who is veiled from us. Just as Moses was hidden in the cleft of the rock as the glory of God passed by, we see dimly and are protected from what we cannot bear in this earthly form.

Sometimes it’s hard to keep on following in the path of uncertainty. To keep seeking after a God who is unsearchable. The truth of His abiding in us and our abiding in Him is difficult to pin down and act upon. But what He has chosen to reveal is enough. And there is more to come!

“This age of ours will one day be the distant past. And the Divine Nature can change the past. Nothing yet is in it’s true form” (from C.S. Lewis’ ‘Til We Have Faces’).

Why You Should Get Your Hopes Up

“Don’t get your hopes up.” I’ve heard it and said it hundreds of times. In fact, in an effort to prevent disappointment, this has been part of my inner dialogue since childhood.

Right now, I am excited by some of the possibilities on my horizon. But as swiftly as any of those thoughts enter my mind they are immediately rebuffed with ‘don’t get too excited, it probably won’t happen…..’ You know the rest of that story. Is it any surprise that in my early teen years I was so generously bestowed the nickname ‘Eeyore’?

Even as I look around at the world today I find it easy to despair. And I don’t think I’m the only one. We see evil, corruption, murder, lies, immorality, wars, sickness, poverty, hatred. We see it in our own homes. We see it in our communities. We see it in the numberless hopeless headlines on our news feed.

It all makes me lose hope sometimes. I begin to assume that no matter the scale, big or small, nothing will turn out well. It makes sense to guard myself against disappointment by just assuming the worst. By not getting my hopes up.

But I have been so wrong.

I see now how my efforts to temper earthly hope have unfortunately had the same effects on my heavenly hope.

That has resulted in a life that is lacking: lacking joy, lacking happiness, lacking love, lacking peace. Oh, I have these things on occasion, but not as steadfastly as I know my Heavenly Father desires.

Hope should be an earnest and driving force in a believer’s life. It should be clearly evident to those around us. It should be one of our distinguishing characteristics. The world should marvel at the hope we have, and want it too!

1 Peter 3:15 calls us to a great endeavor. An endeavor that requires hope and preparation.

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you.”

This verse is convicting because it requires more that just telling the world about Jesus. It requires that we first manifest an undeniable hope.

In order to begin to live daily with such a noticeable hope we have to go back to the beginning. Why do we have hope?

We have hope because God has made us promises. We can hold fast to our hope because “He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)

The God who promised He would never leave us or forsake us is faithful.

The God who is preparing a place for us is faithful.

The God who promises that we will one day be like Him is faithful.

The God whose glory will one day be revealed to all is faithful.

The God who will wipe every tear from our eyes and heal all wounds is faithful.

His promises are sure. They are so unshakably certain that the word hope seems inadequate to describe the trust we can have in them. What He has promised will be. God is not a liar.

So, how will the unbelieving world recognize hope in us? Scripture is full of answers to that question, but here are a few to get you thinking.

A hope filled life is:

Rejoicing (Romans 12:12)

Persevering (Romans 5:4-5)

Eagerly waiting (Romans 8:25)

Unwavering (Hebrews 10:23)

Prepared and sober (1 Peter 1:13)

Pure (1 John 3:3)

(Take time to look up these passages – you won’t regret it!)

This is what the unbelieving world should recognize as remarkable about us – so much that they want what we’ve got.

That’s why we need to get our hopes up! That’s why we need to get excited about the certainty of what we hope for! Earthly hopes will disappoint, but we don’t need to despair because our heavenly hope is guaranteed.

And you know what? I’m gonna shake off Eeyore and let myself get a little more excited about the little things too. Because even if they do disappoint, I still have a secure hope that will beautifully unveil itself in the end.

I would love to hear what you think about this topic! Do you have a favorite passage of Scripture that reminds you of the hope you have in Christ? Do you ever feel convicted, like me, of not manifesting the hope you have in Him for the world to see? Can you think of anyone you have observed who has shown undeniable hope in God, even in the midst of difficulties?

Overcomer

I bought a new pair of running shoes today. Out with Nike and in with Brooks. Though I must say, it saddens me a bit. I’m not a brand-loyalist, but as some of you may know, the word ‘nike’ is a Greek word that means victory. And, as a Christian, I just love the idea of running in ‘victory.’ 🙂

Another way the word ‘nike’ gets translated in the Bible is ‘overcome.’ Just the thought of that word makes me kind of giddy inside. Because, guess what? That word defines me, and you too, if you’ve trusted in Jesus.

We are overcomers!

Let me show you:

You are of God… and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4

Whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:4-5

We are overcomers because of our unity with Christ who has already done the overcoming!

I have overcome the world. John 16:33b

What is in the world that we need to overcome? Sin, darkness, death. Worry, anxiety, fear.

It’s hard to wrap my mind around the idea that even though I am still living in the midst of a fallen world, I am an overcomer. Present tense. Not in the process of overcoming. Not striving to overcome. Not hoping to overcome. An already-won-the-victory overcomer. And I didn’t have to do anything to win the victory!

It was already won the moment Jesus rose victoriously from the grave. And because He is in me, so is His victory.

Even spending just a few moments contemplating the implications of this truth leaves me overwhelmed with privilege, awe, humility, courage, thankfulness, and praise!

By this point, you’re probably wondering what this has to do with worry. Let me explain.

The first part of John 16:33, which I shared above, says this:

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

And there we have the key to overcoming worry: peace.

And not just any peace, the Peace of God.

As believers, we have the unique position of being an overcomer as well as dwelling in a peace that only God can offer. His true peace is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22). Jesus came to bring this peace to the world (John 14:27).

But how can we grab a hold of that lifeline of peace when we are sinking in worry and anxiety?

The apostle Paul, who at the time of writing his letter to the Philippians was imprisoned and awaiting his death, had this to say to his readers:

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (4:6-7)
So much has already been written, taught, and preached about these verses, but I want to hone in on one main point. Worry attacks the mind, but God’s peace acts as our mind’s bodyguard against anxiety.

Maybe you’re like me, and sometimes your bodyguard has dozed off or become more of a couch potato than a protector. That’s why Paul goes on to share in verse eight how we can get that bodyguard in a state of active anticipation so that we might enjoy God’s peace.

Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.

That’s our mental training program. And that’s what strengthens our bodyguard and allows us to experience peace.

Isaiah 26:3 says it in a different way:

You will keep him in perfect peace,

Whose mind is stayed on You,

Because he trusts in You.

Is there really any more I can add?

I will still be running whether I wear Nike’s or not.

But I get to run my spiritual race in ‘nike’ every day. Because I’m an overcomer, and you are too.

Let’s get comfortable in those spiritual nike’s, and start training our minds to think Philippians 4:8 thoughts. Then the peace of God will swiftly chase away our worries!

Confronting Worry Part Five: Assurance

I was only about six or seven, so I didn’t completely understand what I was witnessing. I stood in the doorway of my parents’ bedroom. I saw my mom, kneeling by the bed with her head pressed into her folded hands. She was praying, but this wasn’t a ‘normal’ prayer. She was audibly crying out to God, begging for His salvation. She rocked back and forth, and cried, and repeated herself over and over again.

It wad strange because I knew my mom was already a Christian. She had trusted Jesus as her Savior in her early teens, after listening to a Billy Graham broadcast. She grew up in a Christian family and her dad had helped start a Christian school and also did his fair share of preaching.

Why was she begging for something God had already given her?

I learned many years later that those were some of the darkest moments in my mom’s life. She had suffered many deep wounds – spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. These wounds led her to anxiety about her standing before God. She doubted her salvation. She feared she had committed the ‘unpardonable sin.’

At one point she sought counsel from a well-known Christian leader. But this leader’s heretical teaching led my mom down an even darker path; she was led to believe that because of her struggles she just may not be one of God’s ‘elect.’ This left her with almost no hope. Hell seemed like her only option.

As I grew older, I began to understand, to a lesser degree, some of those same feelings. Feelings of unworthiness, spiritual uncertainty, doom, and worthlessness. And I can’t imagine someone telling me, in the midst of such darkness, that because I struggled I just must not be chosen by God to be a Christian. How devastating!

Our Adversary thrills at the chance to plant seeds of doubt in their relationship with the Lord. That doubt can cause crippling worry and anxiety.

Worry about our relationship to God can darken every square centimeter of our being so that even experiencing the best circumstances in life is still miserable. Because why does life even matter if we can’t be sure of God’s salvation and love? What else is there?

If we cannot find rest and peace in Christ, there is no rest or peace to be found anywhere else.

Have you ever felt like God is just waiting for you to mess up? Or that He will be angry with you if you make the wrong choice? Does it sometimes seem like God is constantly putting you to the test to see if you will measure up? Do you fear His punishment? Do you dread His disappointment? Do you feel like you have to be the perfect Christian in order to receive God’s love and approval?

You are not alone.

But when we dwell in these feelings we dwell in lies.

We must continually fill our minds with God’s truth so that we don’t drown in the false feelings Satan delights in feeding to us.

I have learned to be confident in my salvation, but I still often struggle with the ‘now what’ aspect of my walk with the Lord. There are still trials, temptations, difficulties, doubts. I know I am saved but sometimes I don’t always feel loved or cradled in His caring arms. But those feelings are a lie.

The only cure for a lie is the truth.

So, prepare yourself to be invaded with some serious Truth!

When you feel guilty or ashamed:

“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 8:1

When circumstances lead you to despair:

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

Romans 8:28

When accusations come:

“Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

Romans 8:33&34

When you doubt God’s love for you:

“Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”

Romans 8:35

When life seems pointless, hopeless, purposeless:

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 1:6

When you feel like you don’t belong:

“For our citizenship is in heaven”

Philippians 3:20

When you feel overtaken by fear:

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

2 Timothy 1:7

When you feel unworthy:

“Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Hebrews 4:16

When you feel trapped in sin and darkness:

“For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:13

You know what my favorite part is about all these beautiful truths?

They are unconditional.

Not a single one of these verses says that we have to do anything to be accepted, loved, secure, forgiven, rescued, or receive grace.

We do nothing. He does everything. That is a PEACEFUL place to dwell.

No fear, no worry, no care, no trial, no sin, can disrupt our identity in Christ.

My mom’s story does not end in a place of despair. By the grace of God and her determination to travel through the valley of the shadow of death, in order to break free from Satan’s foothold in her life, her story is one of victory. She sought out and found God’s assurance.

Now, she is the most godly woman I know! She knows God’s Word better than I do and probably better than a lot of pastors out there! She is grounded in His truth and seeks to live it out day by day.

I praise God for the work He has done in my mom’s life and in my life too – helping us both to renew our minds with His Word.

I know He can do the same for everyone.

Remember, if you have trusted Jesus as your Savior, you already have all the assurance, love and acceptance you could possibly imagine.

There is absolutely no need to worry about how God views us. He loves us as much now as He did before the foundations of the earth and that same love will continue on through eternity!

“And I’ll stop this pretending that I can somehow deserve what I already have.”

Barlow Girl – I Need You to Love Me

Confronting Worry Part Four: Acceptance From Others

We all need love and acceptance and that can lead us to anxiety about other’s opinions of us.

I am judgmental. In those deepest, darkest places of my soul, that do their best to remain hidden, I can chew someone up and spit them out, maybe better than most. I hate that it is a part of me, and I’ve seen the Holy Spirit’s work in that area of my life, but it still lurks – ready to seize the day if I give but a millimeter.

That intimacy with judgment makes me keenly aware of being judged by others in return. I hate that too.

The result is that I have become most cruelly judgmental of myself.

Maybe you know the feeling?

I want to feel love and acceptance. It was an especially agonizing desire in my teens and early twenties. A desire that led me astray. Away from my identity in Christ.

I gave control of my identity to my peers and family. I sought people’s praise instead of God’s. And through that I lost myself. I was comfortable in academics, but insecure in relationships, so I became a friendless good student. I was so anxious about being judged by my peers, so cautious of every move I made, that I made almost no attempt to take any relational initiative. The me God made me to be was swallowed up by the me that craved acceptance.

I was anxiously ill before and during school, church functions, and family get-togethers. I lost my capacity to function as a child of God. And I was an unfit conduit for God’s love to anyone around me.

Maybe you know that feeling too?

We are not alone in these feelings.

The Bible is full of people who worried about what others thought.

Moses was worried about being God’s mouthpiece because in the eyes of man he was no great orator. So he argued with God. (Ex. 4)

The reverse was the case for the prophet Samuel. He took on the role of judge, assuming that God would choose one of Jesse’s tall and handsome sons as the future king, not young David. God corrected Samuel’s misguided judgments. (1 Sam. 16)

Annanis and Saphira sold some property and wanted to look good to others by appearing to give all the proceeds to the church. So they lied. And then they died. (Acts 5)

Peter succumbed to pressure from the Jews and so fell back in to certain Jewish practices that Christ specifically had come to free us all from! He ‘began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision’ (Gal. 2:12) and so failed the gospel. So Paul rebuked him.

And one final example – my twin. Yep, I didn’t know I had one for quite some time, but then I found her. She was busy preparing food and keeping house during Jesus’ visit, while her sister Mary just sat there and listened to the conversation.

Martha. I cringe to admit it, but I see so much of myself in her. Martha was obsessed with duty and responsibility, probably out of an unhealthy concern for what others thought of her. This had a tremendous impact on her decision making process. I can identify, can you?

Martha’s decision to spend her time taking care of the details aroused anger inside of her towards her sister, Mary, who sat listening to Jesus. That led Martha to ask Jesus to reprimand Mary. The audacity! But she didn’t get what she wanted. Quite the opposite. Instead, Jesus reprimanded Martha for neglecting Him and His words. Ouch! Oh, and he praised Mary for her choice to be with Him (that rubs salt in the wound!).

Because Martha let her sense of duty and worry about other’s opinions be her guide, she ultimately ended up displeasing God and missing opportunities with His Son!

(See Confronting Worry Part Two for more on how worry divides our devotion to God.)

Martha gave up control to those she thought would judge her instead of to the One who already loved her.

We give control to those who judge us, and love to those who accept us.

Who is your judge? Whose acceptance do you seek? This is the one who controls you.

In reality, God alone is our judge. It’s because of Jesus Christ that we are accepted by God too! This is such good news! Because He has judged His Son as righteous, and we are in His Son, He has judged us as righteous too. Not only that, He gives us the love and acceptance He has for His beloved Son, Jesus. And living in His perfect love will cast out our worries and fears.

As I have come to let that truth settle down in my mind and heart, it has been easier to fall under God’s control rather than people’s. And it’s been a joy to experience more love between My Savior and me!

I don’t know in what way you may be living for the approval of man. But know that God’s approval is eternal and it’s yours if you have trusted Christ as your Savior! How I hope and pray that you might journey along with me and come to a place of peace and rest in our Heavenly Father!

There is an old hymn that I can’t help but think of as I write about this topic. The title is “Accepted in the Beloved.” I especially like verse two and the chorus:

In the Beloved – how safe my retreat,

In the Beloved accounted complete;

Who can condemn me? In Him I am free,

Savior and Keeper forever is He.

In the Beloved, God’s marvelous grace

Calls me to dwell in this wonderful place;

God sees my Savior and then He sees me

In the Beloved accepted and free!

Let’s live in the freedom God has so powerfully provided for us!

***If you missed the first three parts of the series ‘Confronting Worry,’ go back and take a look. May you find encouragement as you live your life besieged by God!***