A+B=C or does it?

Over a year ago, I returned to college for my degree in phychology. Currently I am enrolled in my second algebra class and since I never had high school algebra, I am learning and building on the fundamentals.  I am an infant in algebra. My foundational skills are just being set.

Sunday night at The Gathering, our bible study group, Jon used a fundamental algebraic expression as an example for maturity in Psalms 44.

A+B=C.  As we grow and mature in Christ, we build on the fundamental of our faith. Like Israel, we learn the character of God in some ways by applying this expression.  IF “A” is added to “B” then “C” will be the result. We learn about relationship with God in these terms because it is foundational to growing our faith in God. If we A and B then God will C. OR if God C’s and we B then A will be the result.  Israel counted on this cause and effect relationship.  Look at their time in the wilderness. God drilled this into them so they could come to trust his character and more importantly develop relationship.  Psalm 44 is an emotion producing passage.  Read it and see for yourself. What emotion does it bring up in you? I was numb. I was overwhelmed by the depths of despair expressed by the Psalmist;  followed by confusion and frustration. They had the fundamentals, A+B=C, they were operating from that place and now A+B doe not equal C.  Why would this not be true? What had they done? Why was God not playing fair? I think many of us remain stuck here and blame God for our circumstance or at least for not removing them. Many of us stay frozen in this place of basic algebra, never growing to expressions that are more complex and never fully experiencing God, as he desires.

God is God and as my oldest Grandson Noah say, “God is good all the time!” God’s goodness is often expressed in NOT removing difficult circumstances because he is growing us beyond basic algebra. God’s plan is and has always been relationship and fellowship, and for that to occur, we must grow in spiritual maturity, beyond the fundamentals. Jon further taught, our perspective needs to change on our circumstances. Instead of asking God to remove them and being stuck there, as we grow, we need to ask him to sustain us and grow us IN the circumstances. We need to begin to Notice God in the process and trust in his steadfast love for us. Look at how Psalm 44 ends.

Cory Ten Boon’s sister Betsy said this while dying in a German concentration camp, “No pit is so deep that God is not deeper still.”  As Noah says, “God is good all the time!” There are lessons to be learned in the circumstance. Look for God. His steadfast love never leaves or forsakes us.

Read Psalm 44.

              What word or phrase sticks out?  Write it down.

Read Psalm 44 again.

              What emotion rises up in you? Write it down in detail. Spend some time here.

Read it a third time.

              Listen for the Holy Spirit to speak/teach you here. What is your invitation from God? Write it         down. I               often write it as if God were speaking to me. For example, Vicki, I ……