Losing Sight
Life is hard. That statement may be the understatement of the century. If your life hasn’t had difficulties yet, it will eventually. I’m not saying that to sound bleak; it’s just true. We all face trials and struggles in our lives at some point. What can be even more difficult in our struggles, though, is how overwhelming they can feel. It can feel like a scene out of Indiana Jones on those hardest days. The character(s) are trapped in a room and then the walls start closing in tighter and tighter. It seems like there’s no hope, and they can do nothing to stop the walls from closing in. Our struggles can do the same thing to us. Their weight and scope can take away our hope, and it’s in that space where we lose sight of the good things God is still doing in and around our lives.
Quick Look In: John the Baptist
Sometimes, I think it’s really easy to see people in the Bible and think that what they experienced or went through isn’t the same as what we go through today. Take, for instance, John the Baptist. John was the cousin of Jesus. While there’s not a lot of discussion on the two of their relationship growing up, we can, at the very least, believe they knew each other and probably spent some time together. As adults, though, we see that John knows his calling is to make way for the Messiah. We see evidence of this in Matthew 3 as John teaches on the importance of repentance and then is baptizing those making this decision. Not so they will follow him, but so that they will be prepared for the one coming after him whose sandals John doesn’t feel worthy to carry. We see further evidence of John’s belief in Jesus as the Messiah in John 1:29-34 and in John 3:22-36. Through all of these passages, John’s faith in Jesus is extremely clear, and in an instant, even his faith begins to waiver.
If we look at Matthew 11, we see that John has been arrested and is in prison. As he sits in his cell, no longer seeing and experiencing what Jesus has been doing, he sends some of his followers out to find Jesus and ask an interesting question. “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” Yes, you’re reading that right. John, Jesus’ cousin, who has been proclaiming Jesus to be the coming Messiah. The guy he’s spent his life preparing and pointing people towards is now questioning whether Jesus is who John believed him to be. If anyone wouldn’t question, you’d think it would be John, but in the middle of his struggles, the literal walls surrounding his life, have blocked him off from that truth. Here’s the part where things really get interesting. Jesus gives them an answer.
You’d think this should be a relatively straightforward answer: “Yes, I am. Please send that back to John.” That’s not Jesus’ response, but this is, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” Jesus could’ve given John the obvious and easy answer, but He didn’t. He gave John the answer John needed to hear. Miracles were still happening. The Gospel was still being preached. Not only that, but blessed are those who do not stumble, give up, lose hope, or become offended on account of me. That last line is the one that hits me the hardest. When God doesn’t give me the answer I want, it’s because He’s giving me the answer I need the most. The answer I need to keep going. To keep hoping. To keep believing. To be patient in the midst of the hurt, fear, doubt, anxiety, illness, grief, or suffering I may be facing. All because He still has a plan bigger than anything I can see or understand.
The Song
By this point, you’re probably thinking this blog is supposed to be about a worship song, and we’re talking about John the Baptist. Yes, you’re right. It is about worship, but sometimes, we need to search our hearts and lives before we can truly stop and worship. The song I wanted you to listen to is called More Than Able by Elevation Worship. I wanted you though to think a little bit before you hear the song because, for me, the words of the song can hit home from time to time, but the reminder is that in every situation we face, God is more than able! Lastly, I want to preface the song with a reminder of the truth in John’s life that is true in ours. Just because God can answer our prayer to take away that problem, pain, struggle, trial, or situation, the promise is not that He will. The promise in Scripture is that He is faithful to carry us through it, so as you listen to the song and think through those lyrics, think about it from the perspective of how He can move and use anything we’re facing for His glory.
More Than Able by Elevation Worship Lyrics
[Verse 1: Chandler Moore]
When did I start to forget
All of the great things You did?
When did I throw away faith for the impossible?
How did I start to believe
You weren't sufficient for me?
Why do I talk myself out of seeing miracles?
[Chorus: Chandler Moore]
You are more than able
You are more than able
You are more than able
You are more than able
Who am I to deny what the Lord can do?
[Verse 2: Tiffany Hudson, Chandler Moore, Both]
Now I see all that I have
And I've got my confidence back
I'll put my trust in the One who still does miracles
You do miracles
[Chorus: Chandler Moore & Tiffany Hudson]
You are more than able
You arе more than able
You are morе than able
You are more than able
Who am I to deny what the Lord can do?
[Bridge: Tiffany Hudson, Chandler Moore, Both]
Can you imagine with all the faith in the room
What the Lord can do, what the Lord can do
It's gonna happen, just let the Way Maker through
He's gonna move, He's gonna move
[Refrain]
Anything is possible
Anything is possible
Anything is possible
Who am I to deny what the Lord can do?
[Chorus]
You are more than able
You are more than able
You are more than able
You are more than able
Who am I to deny what the Lord can do?
[Verse 3]
I’ve come a long way
I've seen how You work
There’s so much goodness and grace
Much more than I deserve
'Cause I know who I am
But I can't stay where I'm at
We've come this far by faith
And I just can't turn back
[Tag]
You're not done with me yet
You're not done with me yet
There's so much more to this story
You’re not done with me yet
[Outro]
Who am I to deny what the Lord can do?
Who am I to deny what the Lord can do?
