Suffering and Bitterness

 There is much to learn and receive from Martin Luther King, Jr. We celebrate his life and legacy today. Tucked away in my readings, I found a quote from MLK that I’ve been chewing on all week:

“As my sufferings mounted I soon realized that there were two ways in which I could respond to my situation…either to react with bitterness or seek to transform the suffering into a creative force. I decided to follow the latter course.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

Now, I did some research on that quote and it appears to be 1960 that he wrote those words. His editor at the time, Harold Fey, urged him to include more personal experiences. Luther was cautious as he didn’t want to be the type of person that called attention to his trials and sufferings. But, he felt justified in mentioning them because of the influence his trials have had in shaping his thinking.

During the time of this quote, he knew very few quiet days. He had been arrested five times and put in jails in Alabama. His home had been bombed twice. He and his family received countless death threats. He had been a victim of a near fatal stabbing. At times, he reflected, he could no longer bear such a heavy burden. He was tempted to retreat to a quiet lifestyle. Each time that temptation reappeared, he was strengthen with determination to go on.

King, though his trials, learned the value of unmerited suffering. He saw, as the quote so aptly said, that were two ways he could react to suffering. He could chose bitterness or seek to transform the suffering into a creative force. You and I both know his chosen path.

Many reading this today have gone through trials of some kind this last year. It may be nothing like what King went through, but we can learn from King HOW to walk through our trials. Bitterness is just resentment that has been held on to. Bad stuff happens? We get bitter. Then more bad stuff happens? The bitterness grows like a cancer. We see it in others, but so often fail to see it in ourselves. Bitterness has become our “go to” way of dealing with our anger, resentments, political issues, and disagreements. God gently gives us a different way.

For King, he was able to retain a tender heart even in the midst of persecution, hatred and racism directed towards him. King said “So like the Apostle Paul I can now humbly yet proudly say, ‘I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.’” (Galations 6:17) His suffering that he had experienced had drawn Him closer to His God.  Does your suffering draw you to the heart of God? God gives us a different way. King lived it.

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

What Can We Do?

A few days ago, I overhead my husband, Ben, on a zoom call joking with some of his students saying “Maybe I should immigrate to Australia?” Not a half bad idea, I thought, given the events of this week. I have family there, so it would be a perfect spot!

But, the fact is, we can’t go to Australia and we need to stay here. But, how do we live life here amidst the atrocities that took place in the Capitol?

I believe that God has given each one of us an opportunity to thrive in our country, right here, right now. We may not think we can make a dent of a difference, but the truth of the matter is, we can! In our own little cranny of life, we can make an impact that can change lives!

Make Prayer a Priority- On the day of the riots, I heard about a national prayer zoom call responding to the situation. It was already in progress, but I tried to jump on. There were already 1000 people on the call, so I got bumped out. Imagine having TOO MANY people praying! Now, what would it be like if we all gathered with a few of our friends/family and began to pray for our country? As my pastor said “It’s not time to be battling with our thumbs, but battling on our knees.” (Pastor Ed Newton)

Overcome evil with good- Romans 12:21 says “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” We have a tendency to have a gut reaction in the moment. Someone’s mean on social media. We’re mean back. I challenge you to be different. Your words matter. How you treat people matter. How you respond to the events of this past week matter.

Outdo one another in love- Romans 12:10 says “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.” Can you imagine outdoing one another in honoring and loving others? How would your words, actions and responses change? Paul, the writer of Romans, was challenging his readers to do something they couldn’t do on their own. They needed Christ in them to love this way! So many people are hurting. But, you can make a difference. Find people to speak life and encouragement into. Think of others as more important than yourself. Listen well. Ask good questions. Care. Don’t give up on people different than you. Accept all people as we’re all created in the image of God. So many people need your love today.

 Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio. 

I Didn't Know

Ben and I had super early reservations for dinner on New Years Eve. Perhaps we’re just old. Perhaps it's because we couldn’t wait to bring 2020 to an end. Maybe a bit of both? Suffice it to say, we were ready for 2021!

There’s one thing for sure about 2020. Ben and I didn’t know what 2020 would bring. I didn’t know we’d be grieving the loss of our five year-old pup. I didn’t know I’d get super sick before COVID hit. I didn’t know COVID would hit. I didn’t know about the hailstorm destroying our stuff. I didn’t know that Ben would break his pelvis. I didn’t know my dad would end up in the hospital and eventually assisted living. I didn't know I'd struggle with crazy anxiety. I just didn’t know.

I bet each one of you have an 2020 “I didn’t know” list. It ‘s not fun to look back on stuff that’s hard, but I find some solace in the fact that God actually got us through 2020! We just didn’t know all that 2020 would bring, did we?

But, wait, I don’t think we know what 2021 will bring. I believe we’re hopeful. We anticipate better things ahead. But, the honest to goodness truth is that none of us know what 2021 would bring!

I’m counting on 2021 being good because of what I DO know. The promises of God will never fail me. He does not change, no matter what changes around us. His promises remain the same year after year. Here’s a bit of what I’ve been thinking about as I head into the new year:

Why am I hopeful? “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.” Jeremiah 17:7

Who doesn’t change? “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”  James 1:17

What keeps me from being consumed? “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new ever morning, great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-24

Where’s my focus? “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

What calms my anxious heart? "Casting all our anxieties on him, because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

I'm hopeful that 2021 will be a better year because I'm hopeful in God. He's for real. Happy New Year!

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio. 

Popularity

Popularity is something most of us at least thought about growing up. We may have been in the “in” group or the “out” group or somewhere “in between in and out.” But at some point in time, we could have “felt” the pressure of climbing higher toward the “in” group. Isn't higher better?

Popularity is the quality of being well liked and having a lot of friends and admirers. I guess when we think back to Jesus’ day, the folks who would have been in the “out” group would have been the shepherds. You would not describe shepherds as the “popular” people.

In fact, they were the least likely people to be included in the Christmas story, simply because they would be the ones who would feel excluded. Shepherding was a big business in Bethlehem, but the shepherds were seen as ceremonially unclean. They were outcasts of their day. And do you know what? They smelled like sheep! Did I forget to mention that being popular meant that you probably smelled good?

So, in Luke 2:8-12, 15 it says: “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger”……When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So, off the shepherds went into town to verify the news they had heard and share it with others. These humble, lowly, rejected, stinky and unclean shepherds were right in the center of the Christmas story! Their first response after seeing the angel was fear! Sure enough, most of us would be filled with great fear when faced with the unknown. But in time, the shepherds were filled with peace and couldn’t wait to go and see! Just think....God chose the unpopular shepherds to see Jesus first and tell others.

Have you felt rejected? Outcast? Less than? I certainly have! But, you know what? I celebrate that God came for all of us. Lowly. Rejected. Stinky. Unclean. Let’s be like the shepherds and never get over Christmas. Jesus gave up heaven to be born as a baby… for us.

“You must have the same attitude that Jesus Christ had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges, he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” Philippians 2:5-8

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

The Names of Jesus

How would a friend who knows you well describe you in just five words? When a person knows you well, they know about you! And it's easy to come up with five words...and more!

The same is true for Jesus. Richard Longenecker writes “In Semitic thought, a name does not just identify or distinguish a person, it expresses the very nature of his being.” The names of Jesus are worth getting to know because when we do, we know about Him. Isaiah prophesied about Jesus long before He was born:

"For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

With Christmas a few days away, let’s get to know the Jesus we celebrate in five words. Let’s look closely at these descriptions of Jesus:

Wonderful- What gives you a sense of wonder? Waking up to a beautiful hushed snowfall comes close for me. But, knowing Jesus, the glory of who He is and what He’s done for me gives me a sense of awe and wonder. I truly can't imagine life without Jesus! The more we know Him, the more wonderful He is! Do you know how wonderful He is?

Counselor- Jesus is our counselor. He is able more than anyone to guide your life. He may use His presence or speak to you through others to guide you. Jesus’ counsel is totally FOR you. As my counselor, I don't have to figure things out on our own, and that makes me so grateful! Where do you need guidance and direction from Jesus today?

Mighty God- His might is a sure sign of safety and security. Knowing He’s mighty is a call not to be afraid. What do you fear? Jesus is near to you.

Everlasting Father- King Jesus is a father that will provide for us forever. He knows us intimately and cares for our needs. His love and concern for you is like a parent with their own child. Do you know his fatherly love for you?

Prince of Peace- Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross has made peace between God and man. He invites us to be ambassadors of His peace to the rest of the world. In the chaos of the pandemic, He is the prince of peace that calms our anxious hearts. How do you need his peace today?

May Jesus be these five names and more to you this Christmas! Merry Christmas!

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Born in a Barn

One of my favorite memories of childhood was the week of our county fair. Not only did my horse stay at the fair all week, but we humans joined the horses! I suppose they don’t allow such a thing now, but it was sure fun then! I don’t remember getting a ton of sleep, but barn life was great. So many smells…the hay we slept on and those other smells we horse people actually didn’t mind. So many sounds…horses kicking around and whinnying throughout the night.

I don’t suppose most of us give much thought to barn life. My parents would remind me as a kid “You weren’t barn in a barn!” which was my subtle cue to clean my room. But, I still enjoy barn life as I visit my horse each day. Those same sights, sounds and smells are still there. It feels like home.

For Jesus, the barn was his very first home. Jesus was born in a barn, otherwise known in Bible times as a stable. Why? The time came for the baby to be born and Mary placed him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:1-7)  The manger was actually an animal feeding trough. So Jesus was born where the animals had eaten their grain.

Why do you think Jesus was born in a barn? Just think, if Jesus was the Son of God, couldn’t God have chosen the finest of hotels? Why not experience luxurious treatment at some fancy place? He was Jesus, the Messiah! But, wait, it was God that chose for Jesus to be born in a stable. Let that sink in.

Jesus, the King of Kings, chose the path of humility and simplicity. His incarnation was a reflection of God’s heart and character. God’s character is one of humility, as is His Son. Christ is the perfect example to each of us as to how we approach God, in humility. How did Jesus express his humility? Check out his invitation:

“Come to me, all who labor and our heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Jesus invites us to join Him in His life. Most of the times we shy away from a humble life, we are really saying we don’t trust God. We want to do life on our own. Yet Jesus depended on His Father and trusted Him. (John 5:19) He chose to love his enemies. He forgave those who persecuted Him. He didn’t gossip or show envy or conceit. He didn't try to prove His importance. He loved all people perfectly. 

There’s something to be said for barn life.

“Brother, are you clothed with humility? Ask your daily life. Ask Jesus. Ask your friends. Ask the world. And begin to praise God that there is opened up to you in Jesus a heavenly humility of which you have hardly known and through which a heavenly blessedness you possibly have never yet tasted can come to you.” Andrew Murray (served as first president of the Young Men’s Christian Fellowship (YMCA)

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Nothing is Impossible with God

I’ve questioned God a lot this year. Trials seemed to roll in one by one starting in 2019 and have continued through 2020. We’ve grieved. We’ve hurt. We’ve tasted trauma. We’ve ached for normalcy. We’ve wrestled with emotions. We’ve questioned God more than once with questions like “How much more?”  

Today, in the midst of the sadness of this year, I see a flicker of light. No, I’m going to say a big bright light. I have seen God answer our prayers for my husband’s healing.

Ben experienced a horrific bicycle accident over Labor Day that involved 2 fractures in the pelvis. Here we are three months later and he stepped out of that wheelchair and began to walk TODAY! Listening to the doctor, Ben’s results could have been so much worse. Yet, nothing is impossible with God.

Check out two folks in the Christmas story who knew a bit about the ‘impossible.’ Zechariah was one of God’s priests serving in the Jerusalem temple. He and his wife were childless and in the Jewish culture this was seen as missing out on God’s blessing. An angel appeared to him and announced that his wife, Elizabeth, would give birth to a son. Zechariah’s first response was one of doubt. In Luke 1:18 “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” Because of his doubt, the angel silenced Zechariah until John, the son, was born.

Mary had a different response. When an angel appeared to Mary to announce that she would carry God’s son, Mary responded with “How will this be?” (Luke 1:34)  Even though Mary couldn’t possibly understand what was going on, she believed the angel! She knew that God was going to do something special through her. The last thing that the angel said to Mary was the words ”nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37) Mary’s response was beautiful “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” Don't miss the beauty and belief found in her response.

God always answers prayer in his own time and his own way. He may not always have the answers we want, but we still trust in God, knowing that He will see us through the darkest of circumstances. He worked in two impossible scenarios in the Christmas story. Zechariah doubted. Mary submitted and believed.

What impossible situation are you facing today? Will you doubt or believe? God is the God of the impossible.

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.