The Ultimate Example

Philippians 2:5-8

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death- even death on a cross!”

To say that this is how I pictured my last semester of undergrad would be a lie. The past few months have been nothing short of a wild roller coaster for which I don't even remember getting in line. More than that, it feels like someone blindfolded me, forced me into the seat, and conveniently forgot to strap me in. Plus add the fact that this ride feels never-ending AND I’ll be missing the free ice cream scheduled at 2 that I’d been looking forward to all day. Honestly I could go on and on with this analogy.

If you’re like me, then you kind of want to shut off all forms of media just for a little bit. I’m not promoting becoming less informed but sometimes it feels like you’re being told a million different ways to “do quarantine right”. However, I think it’s important to know that (besides well-educated healthcare professionals) the example we are called to live by is Christ’s.

So why is Jesus our perfect quarantine lifestyle to live by?

To me, everything that Jesus represents is beautiful, heart wrenching, soul stupefying grace. And it’s the gift I find most comforting about Him. Right now, I think it’s probably the most difficult it’s ever felt to cultivate grace-for others and for myself. Even under normal circumstances, I often struggle to have grace with myself. I set too many expectations for myself. So as these new waves of emotion began tossing me around, I find it increasingly difficult to show myself kindness. I feel sad for the losses I was experiencing yet guilty because my circumstances aren’t as difficult as others. I feel anxious and fearful about the future but wrong for not having enough faith. I feel angry because I don’t understand why things are happening this way but doubtful because I was questioning God’s mysterious plan.  And sometimes I feel that overall I am too emotional and I need to tame the feelings. It’s nauseating. And when you don’t have enough grace for yourself, it can be difficult to have grace for others as well. But I also think it is the most critical time to have it.

This passage in Phillipians is powerful for many reasons and gives us 3 main messages on how and why we should follow Jesus’ example.

1. Exercise humility by sharing grace with others.

Our world is hurting. Physically, mentally, spiritually, financially. It always has been but now on a pandemic-level scale. Our hearts are broken. We are all on this emotional rollercoaster: we’re furious, we’re grief-stricken, and-most evidently-we’re afraid. But just as Jesus carried the burden of our brokenness, he calls us to live out his example. His gift is not mine to amass for myself.

I’m not saying don’t hold people accountable. We all can reference the sassy remarks Jesus delivered to a Pharisee or even a disciple on many occasions. I’m simply suggesting to ponder the damage of another person’s heart, their circumstances, and experiences, just for a minute. And choose to share the gift of grace.

2. Exercise love by allowing yourself grace too.

Jesus was fully human for a reason. He was fully God and fully human, not simply to have a standard to live by but to have a soul with whom we can relate and be in relationship. Someone who is fully God, with fully divine intent and action, and yet still experienced the depth of human emotions, the devastation of a broken heart. In the garden of Gethsemane, before he was arrested, Jesus prayed to God aware of the events on the horizon, “Father...everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:36). And later as he was being crucified it is said that as he died “Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34) Even the Messiah, King of Kings, fully divine does not deny his broken heart. He bears 8 billion broken hearts in the beating flesh of his own. Because this heart, broken like the world He loves, is part of what leads us to the greatest gift in history.

Reading this scripture helps me know that it’s okay to be on this crazy roller coaster of emotions and thoughts. Because Jesus is right beside me, at times shouting with fear and joy in the same way, but always holding my hand. And that means I can have a little grace with myself: for feeling fearful, angry, and sad; for feeling clueless; and for wondering if I’m doing anything right. It is human nature. And to deny my broken heart would be to deny the workings of His grace.

3. Exercise empathy by taking action.

Jesus is fully man and fully God. He suffered the greatest trial and bore the greatest burdens of our broken souls. The intertwining of his ability to bear the greatest burdens of our souls and in doing so relate to our human nature while simultaneously saving it, should in some way not only inspire us to take action but compel us to do the same.

I often find it difficult when I talk about suffering because I know that I come from a place of privilege. It’s something we all possess in some capacity but it exists differently for each of us. The point is that it is not earned necessarily and it usually isn’t something that you asked for; sometimes you can’t even control it. But the importance is in the times that you can and how you use that power for the good of others. The greatest first step is to start with empathy. The divine nature of Jesus provided us with an eternal priceless gift. But don’t forget his human nature which provided us the eternal example of empathy. Learn to empathize. Help take on the burdens of those who are suffering from this situation. Because-the Lord truly knows-there are so many. So many of us have had to sacrifice something because of this. Yet there are things we can be doing to help relieve the weight of others. I’m not encouraging you to forget about your own struggles, compromise your safety, or shaming you to meet some impossible standard. But I am inviting you to contemplate what this looks like in your life. Don’t be afraid to recognize the privilege you possess as well.  Our circumstances are all different, but I challenge you to find a way in which you can help do this within your individual means. We can’t possibly bear the broken hearts of 8 billion people, but we can try to share the weight of some of the broken pieces of another.

*This blog was written by, Loren Pierce, who is studying speech therapy at South Alabama. Loren is a senior and the ministry assistant at the Wesley Foundation.*

Finding Joy

Storms. We are well acquainted with them down South, and they can be terrifying. Whether you are faced with a physical or metaphysical storm, they are inescapable and unpreventable. However dismal storms may be, how you respond to them is what truly matters.

The illustration shared in this post was drawn when I was in the midst of an internally bitter and dark storm. It was such an awful time that one night, all I could do was sit there and stare at a blank page in one of my sketchpads, not knowing how to voice my hurt and pain to God. All I wanted was to talk to Him and tell Him how much I hurt, but no words escaped my mouth, no thoughts compiled in my head, and my heart seemed devoid of emotion.

I have heard several times in my life the message of Romans 8:26-27 stating this:

26 “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.”

That night, the words the Apostle Paul wrote centuries ago materialized as I believe the Holy Spirit guided my hand and led me to draw “Finding Joy.” I’ve always been able to draw based on what I feel, but that night when I could not seem to feel anything, God showed me where to find the light at the end of the tunnel in such a way that it was almost as if he was saying “It’s going to be ok.”

Throughout the rest of that trying time, I was able to audibly worship and cry out to God. Worship can take many forms like drawing, singing, dancing, writing and anything else that allows you to outpour your adoration. In my case, I worship best by playing the piano, and drawing. I have a hard time finding the words to express what I’d like to say to God and I’m convinced He knew that long before I was born and gave me the gift of the piano to be able to “talk” to Him in a different way.

God is omniscient like that and knows us far better than we know ourselves. Even when times seem impossible and uncertain, God has not abandoned you or me and never will. It is hard to worship when you do not know what to say or do. It is hard to worship when no one around you is worshiping. It is hard to worship when you do not understand what God could possibly be doing in your life.

But God.

But God is all powerful, all knowing, all wise, and all loving. He has provided a direct line of communication with Him when the veil was torn in the temple as we just observed in Good Friday and Easter Sunday. He has provided us with so many different avenues to worship him through like music, spoken word, art, and much more.

Most importantly, when it seems like the last thing you could possibly do is worship in the midst of a storm, God knows the innerworkings of your heart and the Holy Spirit will intercede for you. So, while the rest of the world is in chaos and despair when circumstances beyond our control disrupt our way of life, take a moment and connect with God in a way you know he has provided just for you. Taking just a moment a day to reflect on the goodness of God and worship Him in thankfulness for what is good, and right, and true can make a difference in how you view the world and what is going on in it.

As much love as God has for us, let us return as much of it as we can daily in a personal act of worship.

*This blog was written by Emma Holm. Emma is a sophomore at South Alabama studying Computer Information Systems.* 

The Contentment of the Lord Triumphs Over Fear

Upon hearing the word “contentment,” many of us would immediately envision scenes of picturesque landscapes, accomplishing goals, or doing the things we enjoy with the people we love the most. At first glance, it almost appears as though our contentment stems from a setting, achievement, or situation itself. However, true contentment—synonymous with serenity, fulfillment, and satisfaction—cannot be found within our worldly pursuits.
Now more than ever, the world is faced with widespread uncertainty, anxiety, and fear. COVID-19 seems to have infected every facet of the lives we lived just a few short months ago, threatening not only our physical health, but also the mental and spiritual components of our overall well-being. This virus has taken away many of the things we took for granted or were looking forward to. Graduations, trips, time with our friends, jobs, internships, and much more disappeared almost overnight. When we believe that our serenity, fulfillment, and satisfaction come from such things, only to have them taken away, it can very easily create the illusion that we are left with nothing; we have lost sight of the reality that our contentment should be rooted in God and his divine love for us. The contentment of the Lord triumphs over any and all fears.

I have seen our Heavenly Father moving in this country in awe-inspiring ways these past few weeks, in spite of the fear that continues to try to overshadow His grace. People are home and are getting to spend time with their families. Children are learning about Jesus and are writing Bible verses all over the streets in chalk. Communities are banding together to give back to our essential workers and serve those in need. Most of all, more people are stopping to pray and acknowledge the goodness of their Savior, and either begin building their relationship with Him or deepen it, than ever I have seen in my lifetime. So yes, these days are uncertain, but allow me to say that life has always been uncertain. It took a virus for humanity to fall to their knees in prayer, and for us to be reminded that God is in control. So fret not, for our God is the most essential worker of all; He will never stop working to show us His love.
With this being said, our contentment does not come from circumstances, people, wealth, possessions, victories, grades, or any other earthly thing you can think of. We find our contentment in the Lord our God, in His perfect love, unwavering strength, and unfathomable power. Because of God, we can find his divine contentment no matter what our realities may look like, especially in the midst of a global pandemic. The light of God seems to shine brighter when adversity puts a shroud over our eyes; where there is darkness, God’s light will always prevail. COVID-19 has been our reminder that our contentment had been placed in the wrong hands: our own. Let this be the turning point in everyone’s life when we make the conscious decision to keep our contentment in Christ. 2 Corinthians 12:10 says “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” When I read this verse earlier today, I knew it was right for the topic of contentment. I had been struggling with my own feelings of discontent, grappling with fear, and succumbing to the lies of the enemy. What a powerful statement, to acknowledge that we only become strong when we first admit we are weak, and then allow Christ to work within our hearts.
To close, I would like to include a “serenity prayer” that I found in some of my mom’s old college things earlier this afternoon. I had prayed that God would lead me to the right words to say, and sure enough, I find this little prayer card with a focus on serenity, one of the synonyms of contentment I had mentioned previously; to me, this was a clear sign that it ought to be included.
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, accepting hardship as the pathway to peace.

Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;

Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this life, and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.”

*Trinity Walker, a Freshman at USA majoring in Hospitality and Tourism Management*

Endurance for Today

Endurance is described as the ability to withstand hardship or adversity. Endurance tends to be a word that we use for physical activities. But often times, we do not consider what it means to have mental or spiritual endurance. 

Right now more than ever, we are having to endure, not only physical hardship for some, but mental and spiritual hardship. The world we are living in today seems like something we would read in a science fiction novel. We seem to have found ourselves in this strange limbo land between reality and a dream.

We have all had to create something that we can perceive as a new normal and then try to to adjust to that new normal. Now that we know that this is something we will live with for the foreseeable future, we have to find a way to endure it. 

If I were to guess, I would say that many of us, myself included, are probably looking for this endurance from the wrong source; we tend to look to ourselves and other earthy things first. We think, “What can I do to make this easier?” or “How can I occupy my time to relive my stress?” But these are the wrong questions to ask ourselves. The question should be “How can God help me through this?”

If the only place we search for hope and endurance is within our own thoughts or externally, we will find very quickly that the answer is simply not there. We search so many other places (social media, the internet, music, or whatever it may be) looking for something we’ll never find. Not to say that these things are bad, but they are certainly not the answer to our problems. God is the only one who can and will get us through this unprecedented time we’re living in now. 

We’ve all heard the old cliche “everything happens for a reason.” Now I’m not sure how true this is but what I do know is that things happen that we can’t control. Some things happen that are unexpected or unwarranted, and we have to know that while the specifics of each instance may be different, our spiritual response should be largely the same. There is nothing that has said things are always supposed to be easy. In fact, trials will most certainly come. But, if we put our faith in God, we become stronger through them. 

As said in James 1:2-4:

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

I would like to challenge all of us to do exactly that. Although this may be a trying time, let’s use this time to strengthen our faith. Let’s use this time to grow closer to God. Let’s put all of our trust in God. During times like these, that’s something that sounds easy but can sometimes be difficult to do. But just because it’s difficult does not mean that it is not worth it.

While this is surely nothing like we have experienced before, that does not mean that an answer or solution is found any differently. We may not know what that answer or solution is, but we should know right where to find it. 

I believe this a perfect opportunity to allow God to witness to us. He can empower us to endure and persevere through this by relying on him. The strength to endure any hardship we may go through, is always found in God. It is found in God’s word, it is found in prayer, it is found in God’s community. We can not only strengthen our own faith, but also continue to grow in fellowship with one another, encouraging each other to use this time wisely.  

Instead of feeling down or lost right now, let’s make the most out of it. This is surely a time where in the future we can look back and say, if I put my trust in God then, I can put my trust in him now. We have all of this free time to do as we so choose, so let’s choose to focus on God. Let’s choose to focus on how God can help us endure this together and come out stronger in every way on the other side. 

*This blog was written by Blake Batchelor. Blake is a sophomore at South Alabama and he is majoring in International Business.* 

God in the Little Moments

So many things that we once viewed as part of our normal daily routine has been stripped from us these passed few weeks and has left us in an awkward place of idleness. At least, this has become my new reality. Being forced to move back home away from friends, school, and normalcy has taken a toll on my life as I am sure it has on yours. My weekly routine was set which included doing something church related five out of seven days a week. One of my biggest worries about coming back home was how I was going to maintain and continue to grow in my faith and serve the Lord as I was doing at school. I’m sure many of you felt this same sense of anxiety whether you acknowledged it or not. It was easy and comfortable to gather together with fellow believers and fellowship together week in and week out, but when that is taken away it is solely up to us to seek out the same sense of community and fellowship.

 I know for me, it is easier for me to set time aside to spend with the Lord when I am busy and in the throws of daily life, but when I was left with nothing but time, I struggled. After getting over the pity party I was throwing for myself, I realized that this new-found time could actually be a blessing and a tool to grow in Christ. One way I have personal found to be the most impactful in my life, and I encourage all of you to do the same, is to look for God in the little moments. Psalm 46:10 says, “He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’” I encourage every one of you to take time during this quarantine to take time to be still. Stillness is not idleness. Stillness is listening and standing firm. For me, I am able to find stillness in the morning with a cup of coffee and standing on my back porch listening to creation around me. Though a simple and what could easily be a missed opportunity, I am able to focus and hone in on what the Lord is speaking into my life at that moment. Another way I am able to find stillness is listening to praise music as I do something as simple as cleaning my room. I use the powerful words from the songs to worship and give praise to the God of the Universe no matter my circumstance. Another way I have found that centers my thoughts on Christ is thanking Him for the many blessings He has bestowed on us. I’ve also found that starting a Bible study with a friend helps to recreate the sense of community we lost when we were separated. 

Some of you might be wondering how these things I have just described are little moments, but the truth is, these are my little moments. Each one of us has our own little moments where we feel God show up and show up big. I just want to encourage you to go after and chase your little moment with God. Do not be overwhelmed with the amount of free time you might have but use that time to search your heart and fall more in love with God Almighty. Find your small moment with the Lord and dwell in it. When you encounter a moment with the Lord, share it with someone else. Encourage one another as I am attempting to encourage you. Matthew 7:7-8 read, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Use this week to seek out your own little moments with the Lord and be encourage by Him even in the midst of our chaotic world.

*This blog post was written by Ashley Parker. Ashley is a Freshman at South Alabama.*