Emotions of the Gap
I was doing some closing remarks for The Journey radio program today, and my mind is stuck on this idea of the gap between the first step of faith and God’s provisions. What are some of the emotions that fill our mind and heart while living in the gap? This idea was sparked by Greg Cromartie who produces our program. To help me craft a 3-4 minute closing, he reminded me of a quote I had used in my sermon from the Jewish Talmud (pious people rush to perform a divine command) and then wrote:
…but in between the decision and the doing there is often time to reflect on what we may be losing—the void. Tell us how to settle our doubts after we have decided to obey the command. Then offer encouragement for the time between jumping in faith into the void, (and feeling the discomfort, sadness, etc., letting go of the known may bring) and being caught by God’s provision.
After reading my comments below, I’d love to hear what you think about living in the gap (or what Greg calls the “void’) between the first step of faith and God’s provision.
Today we have discussed the story of Abraham…a man who stepped out on faith to obey the call of God. Now you have to admit, the call that God gave Abraham in Genesis 12—“Leave your country, your people, and your fathers household and go to the land I will show you”—you have to admit was a bit open ended. Go to the land that I will show you…I mean, how do you set your GPS for that destination? But Abraham obeyed God. And he did the same thing the day God told him to offer his son as a burnt offering.
The Jewish Talmud says: pious people rush to perform a divine commandment. And that is certainly true. Those who desire to make this journey with Jesus follow him with steps of obedience. But let’s make one thing clear. The time between the first step of obedience and God’s provision is filled with prayer and emotion, doubt and discouragement, the excitement of where God is going to take you and fear of not knowing exactly how you are going to get there.
Let me share a personal example. For years we prayed that God would open the doors for us to expand The Journey Ministry. We had been on a station in Pittsburgh for 10 years and believed God was leading us to expand. God answered our prayers in a big way. He presented us a God-sized opportunity to expand into 19 cities across the United States and through www.oneplace.com to expand world-wide. In our time on the air, people throughout the United State and over 20 countries have downloaded our messages.
But believe me, this expansion was a huge step of faith. We had enough monies to begin, but now we are dependent on God to provide in order to continue. I have no doubt that God called us to start this journey with you, and I have no doubt that he will provide—maybe through some of you listening today. But I can tell you that between the first step of faith and the provision—there are some serious emotions of excitement and fear, confidence and doubt, great encouragement and yeah, some days of discouragement as well.
So I encourage you to join me in this journey. Some of you know you need to step out and obey God…take the step of faith. He will provide what you need when you need it. And in between the first step and the provision, you will get a fresh dose of what it means to depend solely on God. I can promised you this…you will be stretched like you have never been stretch before.
Sometimes the gap is very long and our determined enthusiasm to follow hard after Christ can lose it's excitement – especially for someone like me who tends to be a little impatient! The long periods of silence and wondering if God has somehow forgotten about us – THAT'S what hard about living in the gap. Having the faith for the long haul, even if we don't hear any answers for a long time. Discouragement creeps in and can totally consume a person's soul. We doubt that God loves us, that He really cares about our needs, and we start thinking of ways to meet our needs on our own. We launch off into something that we feel we have to do because God just isn't responding quick enough.
The Bible provides many examples of godly men and women doing things on their own when they thought God had forgotten about them. I'm grateful that those stories are written as reminder to me that things never work out for us as they would have if we had just waited on God's provision. By the way, it seems like all those people were living in the gap when they made their poor decisions.
But why do you suppose that God takes us to our breaking point time and time again? Why do you think He enjoys "stringing us along" making us crazy wondering if He's going to come through? It can be emotionally exhausting! We don't respond to our spouses or to our own kids that way – we respond quickly to their needs. We don't close our door and tell them to wait for years until we respond! If that's how I treated my husband I don't think I would be married very long and my kids surely would think I had gone mad. I totally understand the discouragement people can feel and why they feel abandoned by God!
God's ways are HARD concepts to live by. He asks us to live in a way totally foreign to what we know. Faith is everything – total trust that God IS with us in that lonely gap which can seem to go on forever sometimes. I so often wonder why God chooses to remain silent? Why it seems the gates of Heaven are closed for business when are desperately banging on the door for answers? Why He treats us differently than we want or would expect from a loving God.
One thing I know is that my heart has to be completely transformed. My mind has to forget everything it knows about this life and be filled with only eternal thoughts. That's the only way living in the gap is possible. Unfortunately for me, this transformation is a long process.
I believe one of the most important parts of being on the journey is offering encouragement to fellow believers who have fallen along the road under the weight of doubt and discouragement. I think God often times shows His love for us through His children – when we become the hands and feet of Christ and can offer that fellowship and encouragement we long for.
Anyway, I feel like I should be part of a AA meeting. "Hello, my name is Sara Pozonsky, I'm currently walking in the gap, and I'm addicted to this world of quick fixes."
I guess that's why I'm so passionate about worship. It's my cure for this sickness – like a reset button. Worship music totally penetrates my soul and consumes me. I know we're all wired differently but that's the only way I can get through the gap, AND a kind word now and then from a fellow believer on the journey.
Thanks for all your encouragement Ron!
Sara,
Great comments regarding “Living in the Gap.” Like you, I don’t enjoy it, am impatient, and don’t appreciate the time between the step of faith and God’s provision. You’re right, so many people in Scripture make some bad decisions while living in the gap. But here’s some things I am learning.
• The gap forces me to work on the things I need to work on (fear, anxiety, doubt, worry, impatience, etc). I wouldn’t have to deal with those flaws and sins without the gap. Dr. Jowett, addressing Moses’ long wait (40 years) before God appeared to him in the burning bush, wrote this:
• I am learning (again) how to depend on God. Some things I (we) are going through right now are at of my control. I liked your “addicted to quick fixes.” I am not only addicted to quick fixes but addicted to fixing stuff! Someone wrote, “The hardest ingredient in suffering is often time.” That’s the challenge of the gap. We don’t know how long it is going to last.
• I agree that worship is the antidote to despair in the gap. A guy named Rev. S. Chadwick wrote a piece in an old devotional book called Streams in the Desert. His devotion is based on Hebrews 11:6, where the writer says that it is impossible to please God without faith. Chadwick addresses the need for desperate faith and explains the difference between desperation and despair. He closes with these word, “Now get your hymn book and sing your favorite hymn of desperate faith.”
So, like you, I don’t like the gap. And I agree with you, that I don’t want to miss what God has to teach me while I’m in it.
Sometimes the gap is very long and our determined enthusiasm to follow hard after Christ can lose it’s excitement – especially for someone like me who tends to be a little impatient! The long periods of silence and wondering if God has somehow forgotten about us – THAT’S what hard about living in the gap. Having the faith for the long haul, even if we don’t hear any answers for a long time. Discouragement creeps in and can totally consume a person’s soul. We doubt that God loves us, that He really cares about our needs, and we start thinking of ways to meet our needs on our own. We launch off into something that we feel we have to do because God just isn’t responding quick enough.
The Bible provides many examples of godly men and women doing things on their own when they thought God had forgotten about them. I’m grateful that those stories are written as reminder to me that things never work out for us as they would have if we had just waited on God’s provision. By the way, it seems like all those people were living in the gap when they made their poor decisions.
But why do you suppose that God takes us to our breaking point time and time again? Why do you think He enjoys “stringing us along” making us crazy wondering if He’s going to come through? It can be emotionally exhausting! We don’t respond to our spouses or to our own kids that way – we respond quickly to their needs. We don’t close our door and tell them to wait for years until we respond! If that’s how I treated my husband I don’t think I would be married very long and my kids surely would think I had gone mad. I totally understand the discouragement people can feel and why they feel abandoned by God!
God’s ways are HARD concepts to live by. He asks us to live in a way totally foreign to what we know. Faith is everything – total trust that God IS with us in that lonely gap which can seem to go on forever sometimes. I so often wonder why God chooses to remain silent? Why it seems the gates of Heaven are closed for business when are desperately banging on the door for answers? Why He treats us differently than we want or would expect from a loving God.
One thing I know is that my heart has to be completely transformed. My mind has to forget everything it knows about this life and be filled with only eternal thoughts. That’s the only way living in the gap is possible. Unfortunately for me, this transformation is a long process.
I believe one of the most important parts of being on the journey is offering encouragement to fellow believers who have fallen along the road under the weight of doubt and discouragement. I think God often times shows His love for us through His children – when we become the hands and feet of Christ and can offer that fellowship and encouragement we long for.
Anyway, I feel like I should be part of a AA meeting. “Hello, my name is Sara Pozonsky, I’m currently walking in the gap, and I’m addicted to this world of quick fixes.”
I guess that’s why I’m so passionate about worship. It’s my cure for this sickness – like a reset button. Worship music totally penetrates my soul and consumes me. I know we’re all wired differently but that’s the only way I can get through the gap, AND a kind word now and then from a fellow believer on the journey.
Thanks for all your encouragement Ron!
Sara,
Great comments regarding “Living in the Gap.” Like you, I don’t enjoy it, am impatient, and don’t appreciate the time between the step of faith and God’s provision. You’re right, so many people in Scripture make some bad decisions while living in the gap. But here’s some things I am learning.
• The gap forces me to work on the things I need to work on (fear, anxiety, doubt, worry, impatience, etc). I wouldn’t have to deal with those flaws and sins without the gap. Dr. Jowett, addressing Moses’ long wait (40 years) before God appeared to him in the burning bush, wrote this:
• I am learning (again) how to depend on God. Some things I (we) are going through right now are at of my control. I liked your “addicted to quick fixes.” I am not only addicted to quick fixes but addicted to fixing stuff! Someone wrote, “The hardest ingredient in suffering is often time.” That’s the challenge of the gap. We don’t know how long it is going to last.
• I agree that worship is the antidote to despair in the gap. A guy named Rev. S. Chadwick wrote a piece in an old devotional book called Streams in the Desert. His devotion is based on Hebrews 11:6, where the writer says that it is impossible to please God without faith. Chadwick addresses the need for desperate faith and explains the difference between desperation and despair. He closes with these word, “Now get your hymn book and sing your favorite hymn of desperate faith.”
So, like you, I don’t like the gap. And I agree with you, that I don’t want to miss what God has to teach me while I’m in it.
What a great perspective about standing in the gap of obedience before God answers. I so totally agree with you Sara, as you know and I could have written what you wrote! It is so hard and when you are used to everything going your way for so many years and then wham! bad stuff starts happening, it's hard and you start to question what did I do that God would take his blessing away? But God has given me great faith and I am so thankful for the many years of His faithfulness that I have to look back on because I know He was faithful before, He'll be faithful again! (I so love that song !) and while that song says He'll be faithful AGAIN, I know He is faithful NOW! And that is what I am hanging onto, even if it is only by my fingernails! ; )
Lisabeth,
Thanks for the comment. Yeah, hanging on, even by the fingernail, is frequent posture in the gap, between that first step of obedience and God’s provisions. One thing I have done/am doing is to develop a “Promise Pack.” Every time I find a passage of Scripture that speaks of God’s power, faithfulness, protection, instructions to not be afraid, etc. (there are tons of these) I write them on a 3 x 5 card. Then, when the need arises, as it often does in the gap, I pray through my “Promise Pack.” It’s the living and enduring Word of God that brings the comfort, encouragement, and yeah, sometimes the conviction and challenge that I need to keep my heart focused on his promise of provision instead of the gap.
Thanks again for your response.
Ron
What a great perspective about standing in the gap of obedience before God answers. I so totally agree with you Sara, as you know and I could have written what you wrote! It is so hard and when you are used to everything going your way for so many years and then wham! bad stuff starts happening, it’s hard and you start to question what did I do that God would take his blessing away? But God has given me great faith and I am so thankful for the many years of His faithfulness that I have to look back on because I know He was faithful before, He’ll be faithful again! (I so love that song !) and while that song says He’ll be faithful AGAIN, I know He is faithful NOW! And that is what I am hanging onto, even if it is only by my fingernails! ; )
Lisabeth,
Thanks for the comment. Yeah, hanging on, even by the fingernail, is frequent posture in the gap, between that first step of obedience and God’s provisions. One thing I have done/am doing is to develop a “Promise Pack.” Every time I find a passage of Scripture that speaks of God’s power, faithfulness, protection, instructions to not be afraid, etc. (there are tons of these) I write them on a 3 x 5 card. Then, when the need arises, as it often does in the gap, I pray through my “Promise Pack.” It’s the living and enduring Word of God that brings the comfort, encouragement, and yeah, sometimes the conviction and challenge that I need to keep my heart focused on his promise of provision instead of the gap.
Thanks again for your response.
Ron
What's in the gap? Hope.
The discouragement, doubt, fear and impatience that threaten my faith primarily start with thoughts that enter my mind. I love the clarification that I Thessalonians 5:8 adds to Ephesians 6:17. Ephesians says to put on "the helmet of salvation", whereas Thessalonians says to put on "the hope of salvation as a helmet". Since noticing that a few years ago I have tried to remind myself often to put on my "helmet of hope" in order to protect my mind from lies that would in turn deplete my faith. It's part of taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5).
"…we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure" (Heb. 6:18,19).
"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful" (Heb. 10:23).
I can't wear my helmet if I'm not holding my sword.
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Heb. 11:1). When I am expecting God's goodness to take shape in my life and am certain of His plans for me, then I walk in faith. But Satan's age old strategy is to convince us that God is holding out on us. "Maybe His plans for me aren't as good as I thought they were, after all." When those thoughts enter my mind I MUST remind myself of His goodness, His love, His mercy, etc. I do that primarily through Scripture, and also through music. I reminisce about His faithfulness to me in the past and all the other times I have regretted my doubt. I reinforce the reasons I have to trust Him.
It's interesting, Ron, how you mentioned Scripture giving you the conviction and challenge you need to keep your heart focused. The Greek word for "conviction" in Hebrews 11:1 is the same word the NIV translates as "rebuking" in 2 Timothy 3:16 when Paul says that "all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for…" Those are the only two places that this word, “elegchos”, is used in the N.T.
I wonder, just a little, if it was easier for Abraham to set out for a land yet to be revealed than to know it would be Canaan. Might he have thought, "My father tried that– and it didn't work, we got stuck in Haran". Had he heard from his father all the reasons why NOT to continue on to Canaan? I contrast it with his trip to Mount Moriah with Isaac. This time Abraham knew, with every step he took, exactly what God was asking of him. How did he do it?
"Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping…Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God" (Romans 4:18,20 NLT).
Rachel,
Man! I really appreciated your comments. I love the truth of hope you have tied into the gap between the first step of faith and God’s provision. It is that hope—the certain confidence that God will provide what he has promised—that keeps us moving forward on the journey. It is really the living hope that Peter writes about. Every day it is fresh and new and vibrant. It never wears out or gets old. It is not something dead or stale that we leave behind; we take it with us. And quite honestly, it is the thing that keeps us moving forward. It is the loss of hope that puts faith to death.
Really good stuff!! Thanks for your comments.
Ron
Wow, good stuff Rachel!!! I particularly like that version of Rom.4:18,20. And I like what v21 says, that 'being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised.' That is so key, isn't it? That we really believe God when He says He can and will do something….but it's in HIS power and HIS timing, not mine! AMEN!
What’s in the gap? Hope.
The discouragement, doubt, fear and impatience that threaten my faith primarily start with thoughts that enter my mind. I love the clarification that I Thessalonians 5:8 adds to Ephesians 6:17. Ephesians says to put on “the helmet of salvation”, whereas Thessalonians says to put on “the hope of salvation as a helmet”. Since noticing that a few years ago I have tried to remind myself often to put on my “helmet of hope” in order to protect my mind from lies that would in turn deplete my faith. It’s part of taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5).
“…we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Heb. 6:18,19).
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful” (Heb. 10:23).
I can’t wear my helmet if I’m not holding my sword.
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). When I am expecting God’s goodness to take shape in my life and am certain of His plans for me, then I walk in faith. But Satan’s age old strategy is to convince us that God is holding out on us. “Maybe His plans for me aren’t as good as I thought they were, after all.” When those thoughts enter my mind I MUST remind myself of His goodness, His love, His mercy, etc. I do that primarily through Scripture, and also through music. I reminisce about His faithfulness to me in the past and all the other times I have regretted my doubt. I reinforce the reasons I have to trust Him.
It’s interesting, Ron, how you mentioned Scripture giving you the conviction and challenge you need to keep your heart focused. The Greek word for “conviction” in Hebrews 11:1 is the same word the NIV translates as “rebuking” in 2 Timothy 3:16 when Paul says that “all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for…” Those are the only two places that this word, “elegchos”, is used in the N.T.
I wonder, just a little, if it was easier for Abraham to set out for a land yet to be revealed than to know it would be Canaan. Might he have thought, “My father tried that– and it didn’t work, we got stuck in Haran”. Had he heard from his father all the reasons why NOT to continue on to Canaan? I contrast it with his trip to Mount Moriah with Isaac. This time Abraham knew, with every step he took, exactly what God was asking of him. How did he do it?
“Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping…Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God” (Romans 4:18,20 NLT).
Rachel,
Man! I really appreciated your comments. I love the truth of hope you have tied into the gap between the first step of faith and God’s provision. It is that hope—the certain confidence that God will provide what he has promised—that keeps us moving forward on the journey. It is really the living hope that Peter writes about. Every day it is fresh and new and vibrant. It never wears out or gets old. It is not something dead or stale that we leave behind; we take it with us. And quite honestly, it is the thing that keeps us moving forward. It is the loss of hope that puts faith to death.
Really good stuff!! Thanks for your comments.
Ron
For a long time, I have said the value of studying the Old Testament is learning the person of God, how He interacts with His people, and the responses. The narratives of the Old Testament provide us with insight into both God and the response of various characters, and the outcomes.
Yes, we learned about responses in the gospels during the ministry of Jesus, so the Old Testament isn't an exclusive source. The narratives of the Old Testament are a much better source than Paul's epistles, or those of Peter and John.
Rachael focused on hope of being a key element in the relationship. I agree with Rachael's comments, but find the application of the ideas difficult. One way I look at faith is the assurance that God will do what He has promised. This is where the Old Testament narratives play an important role for me. We read of God's promises, we read of a response that is sometimes in obedience, sometimes in disobedience. But, in the end, what God said He would do, He does. This provides me assurance that His faithfulness means He will act in 2010, just like he did in those biblical narratives.
We studied the first few verses of 1 Peter about our eternal inheritance. Peter refers in those verses about hope. I believe that I can know for certain the message of Peter to be true, and know that God will bring it to pass. He did so in the Old Testament narratives, why would I doubt Him in the message of Peter?
The "gap," as I understand what was discussed earlier is how to get from the promise to the action to follow through on God's command, and the associated promise. If I believe the command to be true, and I believe that God is making a call, I cannot doubt Him to bring something to pass. To do so would be calling God out as a liar, or being unable to keep His promise. In Paul's prayer in Eph 1, he talks about the believer having access to the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. Do I need more power than that? No! He has given me all I need to accomplish His work, to push forward through the gap.
Deut 28 provided statements of blessings and curses, for obedience and disobedience, respectively. I don't recall reading any narrative in the Bible where God has blessed disobedience, but read the reverse case often (e.g Tyre, Nadab and Abihu, Uzzah). What can we apply from Deut 28 to ourselves today?
Do I understand the question rightly?
Roger,
Great comments. I agree with you about the OT narratives. They give us the entire story that begins with the first step of obedience and ends with God’s provision. They are great accounts that strengthen our faith…and teach us that there may be some failure along the way. For instance…
In Genesis 12, Abraham begins his journey of obedience to go to a land that God will show him, with the promise that God will make him into a great nation. I am encouraged and amazed by Abraham’s faith. Most people would need to know the final destination before setting out; but Abram, “left, as the Lord had told him.” However, not long into his journey, a severe famine caused Abram to go to Egypt. When he got there, he feared that the Egyptians would kill him in order to have Sarai, his beautiful wife. He came up with the plan to say that she was his sister, and she was taken into the Egyptian palace. You know the rest of the story, but what strikes me is this—what happened to Abram’s faith? He trusted God to make him into a great nation, but feared being killed by the Egyptians just days into the journey.
This is not a dig on Abraham. I experience the same things. So my question is more practical than theological (although I believe theology is practical…for another blog). We know the truths about God. We trust God will do provide all we need. But how do we handle the emotions between that first step of faith and the delivered provisions?
Ron
Wow, good stuff Rachel!!! I particularly like that version of Rom.4:18,20. And I like what v21 says, that ‘being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised.’ That is so key, isn’t it? That we really believe God when He says He can and will do something….but it’s in HIS power and HIS timing, not mine! AMEN!
For a long time, I have said the value of studying the Old Testament is learning the person of God, how He interacts with His people, and the responses. The narratives of the Old Testament provide us with insight into both God and the response of various characters, and the outcomes.
Yes, we learned about responses in the gospels during the ministry of Jesus, so the Old Testament isn’t an exclusive source. The narratives of the Old Testament are a much better source than Paul’s epistles, or those of Peter and John.
Rachael focused on hope of being a key element in the relationship. I agree with Rachael’s comments, but find the application of the ideas difficult. One way I look at faith is the assurance that God will do what He has promised. This is where the Old Testament narratives play an important role for me. We read of God’s promises, we read of a response that is sometimes in obedience, sometimes in disobedience. But, in the end, what God said He would do, He does. This provides me assurance that His faithfulness means He will act in 2010, just like he did in those biblical narratives.
We studied the first few verses of 1 Peter about our eternal inheritance. Peter refers in those verses about hope. I believe that I can know for certain the message of Peter to be true, and know that God will bring it to pass. He did so in the Old Testament narratives, why would I doubt Him in the message of Peter?
The “gap,” as I understand what was discussed earlier is how to get from the promise to the action to follow through on God’s command, and the associated promise. If I believe the command to be true, and I believe that God is making a call, I cannot doubt Him to bring something to pass. To do so would be calling God out as a liar, or being unable to keep His promise. In Paul’s prayer in Eph 1, he talks about the believer having access to the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. Do I need more power than that? No! He has given me all I need to accomplish His work, to push forward through the gap.
Deut 28 provided statements of blessings and curses, for obedience and disobedience, respectively. I don’t recall reading any narrative in the Bible where God has blessed disobedience, but read the reverse case often (e.g Tyre, Nadab and Abihu, Uzzah). What can we apply from Deut 28 to ourselves today?
Do I understand the question rightly?
Roger,
Great comments. I agree with you about the OT narratives. They give us the entire story that begins with the first step of obedience and ends with God’s provision. They are great accounts that strengthen our faith…and teach us that there may be some failure along the way. For instance…
In Genesis 12, Abraham begins his journey of obedience to go to a land that God will show him, with the promise that God will make him into a great nation. I am encouraged and amazed by Abraham’s faith. Most people would need to know the final destination before setting out; but Abram, “left, as the Lord had told him.” However, not long into his journey, a severe famine caused Abram to go to Egypt. When he got there, he feared that the Egyptians would kill him in order to have Sarai, his beautiful wife. He came up with the plan to say that she was his sister, and she was taken into the Egyptian palace. You know the rest of the story, but what strikes me is this—what happened to Abram’s faith? He trusted God to make him into a great nation, but feared being killed by the Egyptians just days into the journey.
This is not a dig on Abraham. I experience the same things. So my question is more practical than theological (although I believe theology is practical…for another blog). We know the truths about God. We trust God will do provide all we need. But how do we handle the emotions between that first step of faith and the delivered provisions?
Ron
[Hoping I'm not stepping out of bounds with two posts in this thread ....]
This morning, I was rethinking the topic, and some of the comments made above. I was listening, at least in part, to a radio program I try to listen each Saturday morning, The American Entrepreneur (WMNY, 1360 AM). I have listened a long time, and also am an active participant in the virtual town square meeting online, TalkShoe. I was busy at task with other things, and did not participate today. The host is a Professor at Duquenese in entrepreneurial studies. His topics are business related, but cover a wide breadth of topics.
The host also writes an Insider Report, an online report that is downloaded to my In box every Friday morning. One of the recent reports discussed evaluating candidates for employment, and how he had been successful in using one particular test in helping him make hiring decisions.
As a follow up, he had guests today talking about Kolbe testing. Like the previous test discussed, this one is also intended to sort through a person's capability, personality, and likely responses to certain situations. In one of the segments I heard today, they were discussing how people are divided into four categories. These categories are best described as how well a person would function in a business environment, such as aggressive, "bottom-liner," activist, and some other similar terms.
So, while listening to these "experts" attempt to lay out their ideas regarding how somebody will respond in a certain situation, I'm now thinking, "… how does this intersect with the 'gap' that Ron was asking about?" In other words, while some people are wired much differently and approach an opportunity from a personality perspective, how does one take leaps of faith, bridging a 'gap,' regardless of personality? These so-called experts believed they had every person well defined from the Kolbe test, and never once considered how somebody would embark on a mission with a confidence that God was in the plan, and would bless their efforts. There was absolutely no spiritual component to their thinking about outcomes.
Or, do I ask the wrong question? Is the 'gap' perspective already built into the personality, and will flush itself out in the Kolbe tests? I think not. How do various personalities cross paths with steps of faith? As I noted in my previous post, Old Testament narratives show us many kinds of people. Some had more aggressive personalities than others. I don't consider those who directly acted contrary to God's commands doing so out of a certain personality trait. They were just plain disobedient.
Summing up my "out loud" thinking here, what is the relationship between various kinds of people in regard to their traits, and responding to God's call out of obedience? I think that obedience and disobedience cuts across all personality traits. I am doubting we can make any kind of assessment about a faith walk when somebody responds in one way or another about a certain situation. I would hope we would respond to God's call out of obedience to Him, rather than responding out of knowing about our personality trait.
Sorry, if this sounds rambling, but I have a hard time putting this into words. Does anybody else understand what I'm attempting to say?
[Hoping I'm not stepping out of bounds with two posts in this thread ....]
This morning, I was rethinking the topic, and some of the comments made above. I was listening, at least in part, to a radio program I try to listen each Saturday morning, The American Entrepreneur (WMNY, 1360 AM). I have listened a long time, and also am an active participant in the virtual town square meeting online, TalkShoe. I was busy at task with other things, and did not participate today. The host is a Professor at Duquenese in entrepreneurial studies. His topics are business related, but cover a wide breadth of topics.
The host also writes an Insider Report, an online report that is downloaded to my In box every Friday morning. One of the recent reports discussed evaluating candidates for employment, and how he had been successful in using one particular test in helping him make hiring decisions.
As a follow up, he had guests today talking about Kolbe testing. Like the previous test discussed, this one is also intended to sort through a person’s capability, personality, and likely responses to certain situations. In one of the segments I heard today, they were discussing how people are divided into four categories. These categories are best described as how well a person would function in a business environment, such as aggressive, “bottom-liner,” activist, and some other similar terms.
So, while listening to these “experts” attempt to lay out their ideas regarding how somebody will respond in a certain situation, I’m now thinking, “… how does this intersect with the ‘gap’ that Ron was asking about?” In other words, while some people are wired much differently and approach an opportunity from a personality perspective, how does one take leaps of faith, bridging a ‘gap,’ regardless of personality? These so-called experts believed they had every person well defined from the Kolbe test, and never once considered how somebody would embark on a mission with a confidence that God was in the plan, and would bless their efforts. There was absolutely no spiritual component to their thinking about outcomes.
Or, do I ask the wrong question? Is the ‘gap’ perspective already built into the personality, and will flush itself out in the Kolbe tests? I think not. How do various personalities cross paths with steps of faith? As I noted in my previous post, Old Testament narratives show us many kinds of people. Some had more aggressive personalities than others. I don’t consider those who directly acted contrary to God’s commands doing so out of a certain personality trait. They were just plain disobedient.
Summing up my “out loud” thinking here, what is the relationship between various kinds of people in regard to their traits, and responding to God’s call out of obedience? I think that obedience and disobedience cuts across all personality traits. I am doubting we can make any kind of assessment about a faith walk when somebody responds in one way or another about a certain situation. I would hope we would respond to God’s call out of obedience to Him, rather than responding out of knowing about our personality trait.
Sorry, if this sounds rambling, but I have a hard time putting this into words. Does anybody else understand what I’m attempting to say?
Dear Ron,
Yesterday, my feet fell into quicksand in the gap. I haven't moved yet. Just as Habakkuk, my cries seem to have fallen on deaf ears. It always amazes me that no matter how many individuals fill the auditorium on Sunday, and how different our individuality is, our hearts desire and needs are the same. We, God's children, all need the same thing. God's love and acknowledgement. Trying to find a spiritual GOD in a physical body is our stumbling block. We have known nothing but physical attributes our entire lives and even after becoming a child of GOd through obedience we still carry that physical need into every aspect of our lives.
God is teaching us HIS nature–spirituality—and that is why we are in the gap.
All that I was blessed with physically, is now gone. My family has been taken away and so my physical safety net is no longer there to catch or reinforce or sustain me in life's trials. The lonliness is all consuming most of the day. Reflecting back, it was always evident that GOD had HIS hand in my life and lead me on the pathway towards HIM. But as my life started to unravel and disappear, desporation and uncertainity settled into the caverns that once sustained my physical need. Through GOd's word, I have come to see that my dependence was not to be on the physical but to be transformed to the spiritual in order to prepare to be with GOD one day. My reliance NOW must be a focus of my spiritual growth and dependency on GOD alone. This is so much harder than I ever imagined. My prayers and pleadings seem to go unanswered and my level of hope diminishes rapidly, it is just at those times a quiet soft voice comes to me out of the darkness and says "I am still here" .
Several of the classes that I have attended have shared the message that we as HIS people must wait on HIS answer. Now that is a tough one, since my patience level is nil. But Sunday morning I found myself in the gap and even deeper in quicksand and could not move so I stayed there (still sitting there) waiting upon HIS answer to prayer. You must hear GOD's voice as to the scripture's and teachings we need as a congregation, because He uses you so perfectly to deliver the message we all need to hear for healing and drawing closer to HIM. To me, HE is teaching me to be spiritual through the gap so when I reach the other side there the FATHER will be standing with open arms—boy do I have a ways to go!!!! See you in the gap.
Diane,
First, let me say how much I appreciate your openness and honesty. Being in the quicksand in the gap is certainly a desperate place. Thankfully, as we learned yesterday, impassioned pleas of desperation is part of true worship. Like Habakkuk, we hold firmly to what we know about God while dealing with our questions, concerns, and doubt.
I love your picture of God waiting on the other side with open arms. And the cool thing is that he is with us in the gap. His promise to never leave or forsake us provides the confidence we need even in the quicksand (or as David described it the “slimy pit”-Psalm 40:2). Thankfully, God is not only there with us but he lifts us out.
May God continue to bless as you follow hard after him.
Ron
The thing we need to remember is we are not called to live in the "gap" alone. Even if we can't feel him, God is in the gap. That's why we need to lean on the Word,because it says he will never forsake us. feelings come and go but his word is forever. And we need to lean on other Christians. I struggle with this the most because for years now people have looked to me for answers. As a youth leader and preacher people might think I got it all together, but I have more questions than answers. But God has brought great men in my life who have my back and that Gap is more bearable when you know your not alone.
Mike,
Great comments. God is always with us in the gap! Thank God for those he has surrounded you with. The pressure of others thinking you have it all together is burdensome. Like you, God has put some people in my life where I can share my doubts, fears, confusion, and struggles. Pity those leaders and pastors who have no place to share all the stuff going on inside their hearts.
Thanks for your ministry at The Bible Chapel. We are blessed!
Ron
Ron, when you spoke yesterday about the Robinson facility dilemna, I smiled and recalled one of my personal greatest tests of faith "in the gap". When we launched Cornerstone Prep high school here in Peters for the fall of 2008-09, we had been through similar challenges along the facility journey. Convinced that we were definitely called to this community at that specific time, one door after another closed and we were desperately nearing the opening date for school. Concurrently, the nation's economic collapse began, reducing enrollment and expected contributions that were necessary to cover operating costs. My posture at that time was often on the floor, which is exactly where the Lord needed me to be. I thought I had already learned the desperation that produces total dependence on Him, but during that season I was brought to a whole new plateau of pleading for a Red Sea-like miracle, trusting in Him alone to accomplish it, and waiting for Him to act- which He absolutely did. Now safely on the other side I often look back and rejoice that during the disappointments along the way, He protected us from longer-term costly leases that would have financially devastated our fledgling ministry, and led us to the oasis where He sustained us and is now bearing "so much more" fruit for His kingdom and His glory! Oswald Chambers from the updated My Utmost for His Highest teaches: I know when the instructions have come from God because of their quiet persistence. But when I begin to weigh the pros and cons, and doubt and debate enter into my mind, I am bringing in an element that is not of God… Faithfulness to Jesus means that I must step out even where I can't see anything. (Matthew 14:29) I thank God for the chapel, worship, my small group, solid Biblical teaching in services, Spiritual Life Journal emails and even Facebook… that strengthen us to survive the gaps! I can't wait to see how He provides for Robinson and the radio Journey too!
Cindi,
What a great story of God’s provision. Desperation is the place where God wants us. It is also great to hear someone speaking “from the other side.” What a great reminder of God’s provision. He always gives us right what we need right when we need it!
I love the Oswald Chambers quote:
I know when the instructions have come from God because of their quiet persistence. But when I begin to weigh the pros and cons, and doubt and debate enter into my mind, I am bringing in an element that is not of God… Faithfulness to Jesus means that I must step out even where I can't see anything. (Matthew 14:29)
Thanks for sharing!!
Ron
Dear Ron,
Yesterday, my feet fell into quicksand in the gap. I haven’t moved yet. Just as Habakkuk, my cries seem to have fallen on deaf ears. It always amazes me that no matter how many individuals fill the auditorium on Sunday, and how different our individuality is, our hearts desire and needs are the same. We, God’s children, all need the same thing. God’s love and acknowledgement. Trying to find a spiritual GOD in a physical body is our stumbling block. We have known nothing but physical attributes our entire lives and even after becoming a child of GOd through obedience we still carry that physical need into every aspect of our lives.
God is teaching us HIS nature–spirituality—and that is why we are in the gap.
All that I was blessed with physically, is now gone. My family has been taken away and so my physical safety net is no longer there to catch or reinforce or sustain me in life’s trials. The lonliness is all consuming most of the day. Reflecting back, it was always evident that GOD had HIS hand in my life and lead me on the pathway towards HIM. But as my life started to unravel and disappear, desporation and uncertainity settled into the caverns that once sustained my physical need. Through GOd’s word, I have come to see that my dependence was not to be on the physical but to be transformed to the spiritual in order to prepare to be with GOD one day. My reliance NOW must be a focus of my spiritual growth and dependency on GOD alone. This is so much harder than I ever imagined. My prayers and pleadings seem to go unanswered and my level of hope diminishes rapidly, it is just at those times a quiet soft voice comes to me out of the darkness and says “I am still here” .
Several of the classes that I have attended have shared the message that we as HIS people must wait on HIS answer. Now that is a tough one, since my patience level is nil. But Sunday morning I found myself in the gap and even deeper in quicksand and could not move so I stayed there (still sitting there) waiting upon HIS answer to prayer. You must hear GOD’s voice as to the scripture’s and teachings we need as a congregation, because He uses you so perfectly to deliver the message we all need to hear for healing and drawing closer to HIM. To me, HE is teaching me to be spiritual through the gap so when I reach the other side there the FATHER will be standing with open arms—boy do I have a ways to go!!!! See you in the gap.
Diane,
First, let me say how much I appreciate your openness and honesty. Being in the quicksand in the gap is certainly a desperate place. Thankfully, as we learned yesterday, impassioned pleas of desperation is part of true worship. Like Habakkuk, we hold firmly to what we know about God while dealing with our questions, concerns, and doubt.
I love your picture of God waiting on the other side with open arms. And the cool thing is that he is with us in the gap. His promise to never leave or forsake us provides the confidence we need even in the quicksand (or as David described it the “slimy pit”-Psalm 40:2). Thankfully, God is not only there with us but he lifts us out.
May God continue to bless as you follow hard after him.
Ron
The thing we need to remember is we are not called to live in the “gap” alone. Even if we can’t feel him, God is in the gap. That’s why we need to lean on the Word,because it says he will never forsake us. feelings come and go but his word is forever. And we need to lean on other Christians. I struggle with this the most because for years now people have looked to me for answers. As a youth leader and preacher people might think I got it all together, but I have more questions than answers. But God has brought great men in my life who have my back and that Gap is more bearable when you know your not alone.
Mike,
Great comments. God is always with us in the gap! Thank God for those he has surrounded you with. The pressure of others thinking you have it all together is burdensome. Like you, God has put some people in my life where I can share my doubts, fears, confusion, and struggles. Pity those leaders and pastors who have no place to share all the stuff going on inside their hearts.
Thanks for your ministry at The Bible Chapel. We are blessed!
Ron
Ron, when you spoke yesterday about the Robinson facility dilemna, I smiled and recalled one of my personal greatest tests of faith “in the gap”. When we launched Cornerstone Prep high school here in Peters for the fall of 2008-09, we had been through similar challenges along the facility journey. Convinced that we were definitely called to this community at that specific time, one door after another closed and we were desperately nearing the opening date for school. Concurrently, the nation’s economic collapse began, reducing enrollment and expected contributions that were necessary to cover operating costs. My posture at that time was often on the floor, which is exactly where the Lord needed me to be. I thought I had already learned the desperation that produces total dependence on Him, but during that season I was brought to a whole new plateau of pleading for a Red Sea-like miracle, trusting in Him alone to accomplish it, and waiting for Him to act- which He absolutely did. Now safely on the other side I often look back and rejoice that during the disappointments along the way, He protected us from longer-term costly leases that would have financially devastated our fledgling ministry, and led us to the oasis where He sustained us and is now bearing “so much more” fruit for His kingdom and His glory! Oswald Chambers from the updated My Utmost for His Highest teaches: I know when the instructions have come from God because of their quiet persistence. But when I begin to weigh the pros and cons, and doubt and debate enter into my mind, I am bringing in an element that is not of God… Faithfulness to Jesus means that I must step out even where I can’t see anything. (Matthew 14:29) I thank God for the chapel, worship, my small group, solid Biblical teaching in services, Spiritual Life Journal emails and even Facebook… that strengthen us to survive the gaps! I can’t wait to see how He provides for Robinson and the radio Journey too!
Cindi,
What a great story of God’s provision. Desperation is the place where God wants us. It is also great to hear someone speaking “from the other side.” What a great reminder of God’s provision. He always gives us right what we need right when we need it!
I love the Oswald Chambers quote:
I know when the instructions have come from God because of their quiet persistence. But when I begin to weigh the pros and cons, and doubt and debate enter into my mind, I am bringing in an element that is not of God… Faithfulness to Jesus means that I must step out even where I can’t see anything. (Matthew 14:29)
Thanks for sharing!!
Ron
It looks like this discussion is "over", but I have not stopped thinking about the gap for two weeks! I am compelled to write once more. This is such a crucial topic for believers. Pin-pointing the emotions I feel in the gap forces me to also consider what I do about them and how I get beyond them. That's why I wrote about hope. But I've tried to go a little deeper, also, because Roger's post made me ask more questions.
I agree that the Bible offers proof of God's character and faithfulness to his people. I believe the Bible is true, so I believe everything it teaches about God. I want to say as Roger did, "How can I doubt Him? What more power do I need in my life than that which raised Christ from the dead?" But if I CAN'T doubt God and I have all the power I need, then why DO I doubt and sometimes feel so weak?
Here's the thing: God doesn't want a relationship with the human race, He wants a relationship with individuals. Faith is personal. It's between me and God, so in a sense it doesn't really matter what He does for other people. I can read about His faithfulness in the Bible and listen to present day testimonies, but when I close the Book and leave the crowd it's just me and God. And there's always going to be a voice in my heart that asks the most important question of all, "Will God do that for ME???" I have to EXPERIENCE God's faithfulness personally if I'm going to stand the gap. It can't just be based on what He does for other people or what I know to be true about Him. I have to know it for MYSELF. Thankfully, God doesn't usually ask us to leap across the Grand Canyon when we take the first step of faith into salvation. Maybe it starts with a crack in the road, a gully, a ditch…but each gap prepares us for the next. My faith is built on what I know to be true about God, and who He says I am in Christ– but it is strengthened and propelled by personal experience. Walking in faith must be upheld by a tangible relationship with God on a personal level, not an abstract, "pie in the sky" belief.
In the introduction to "Jesus Among Other Gods", Ravi Zacharias writes, "A mood can be a dangerous state of mind, because it can crush reason under the weight of feeling." I love this quote. Who hasn't experienced this? If I'm not careful, if I'm not guarding my mind with hope (based on knowledge of God AND experience with Him) then negative emotions will define my mood, and that can be a deep pit to crawl out of. If reason is lost, there's no escape. Our enemy aims only to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10) and wants to devour us (I Peter 5:8). I may never call God a liar in so many words, but Satan does it all the time. He puts thoughts in my head, twists other peoples' words in my mind and uses events in my life in an attempt to send me some false message about God. His attacks are personal, just like my faith and relationship with God, and that’s why they hurt. Satan knows how to push my buttons.
God tests my faith to PROVE my faith. He doesn’t need proof—I’m the one who needs proof.
God IS faithful. I know it, and I’ve experienced it. This is my hope.
Rachel,
Thanks for your comments. I trust that the discussion continues. I have been thinking a lot about the gap as well.
Couple things in response to your thoughts:
First, you are right that we all need personal experiences of God at work. We need to experience utter dependence on God. We need to experience how he provides. We need to see his power in a particular situation. That is why we need to put ourselves in stretching situations where, if God doesn't come through, we fall flat on our faces. We need to go on and send our kids on mission trips for them to hear and see God at work. One of the reasons I love to go on mission trips is that I am stretched and dependent on God outside my comfort zone. So God will give us the experiences and we need to put ourselves in situations where we are dependent on him.
Second, while we do need our own experiences, we can and should learn much from the ways God works with others. The stories of the Bible are there to show how God is glorified in people's lives. Habakkuk 3 is all about developing trust in the gap by reviewing God's work in the past.
So it's a both/and. Keep the discussion going.
Ron
It looks like this discussion is “over”, but I have not stopped thinking about the gap for two weeks! I am compelled to write once more. This is such a crucial topic for believers. Pin-pointing the emotions I feel in the gap forces me to also consider what I do about them and how I get beyond them. That’s why I wrote about hope. But I’ve tried to go a little deeper, also, because Roger’s post made me ask more questions.
I agree that the Bible offers proof of God’s character and faithfulness to his people. I believe the Bible is true, so I believe everything it teaches about God. I want to say as Roger did, “How can I doubt Him? What more power do I need in my life than that which raised Christ from the dead?” But if I CAN’T doubt God and I have all the power I need, then why DO I doubt and sometimes feel so weak?
Here’s the thing: God doesn’t want a relationship with the human race, He wants a relationship with individuals. Faith is personal. It’s between me and God, so in a sense it doesn’t really matter what He does for other people. I can read about His faithfulness in the Bible and listen to present day testimonies, but when I close the Book and leave the crowd it’s just me and God. And there’s always going to be a voice in my heart that asks the most important question of all, “Will God do that for ME???” I have to EXPERIENCE God’s faithfulness personally if I’m going to stand the gap. It can’t just be based on what He does for other people or what I know to be true about Him. I have to know it for MYSELF. Thankfully, God doesn’t usually ask us to leap across the Grand Canyon when we take the first step of faith into salvation. Maybe it starts with a crack in the road, a gully, a ditch…but each gap prepares us for the next. My faith is built on what I know to be true about God, and who He says I am in Christ– but it is strengthened and propelled by personal experience. Walking in faith must be upheld by a tangible relationship with God on a personal level, not an abstract, “pie in the sky” belief.
In the introduction to “Jesus Among Other Gods”, Ravi Zacharias writes, “A mood can be a dangerous state of mind, because it can crush reason under the weight of feeling.” I love this quote. Who hasn’t experienced this? If I’m not careful, if I’m not guarding my mind with hope (based on knowledge of God AND experience with Him) then negative emotions will define my mood, and that can be a deep pit to crawl out of. If reason is lost, there’s no escape. Our enemy aims only to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10) and wants to devour us (I Peter 5:8). I may never call God a liar in so many words, but Satan does it all the time. He puts thoughts in my head, twists other peoples’ words in my mind and uses events in my life in an attempt to send me some false message about God. His attacks are personal, just like my faith and relationship with God, and that’s why they hurt. Satan knows how to push my buttons.
God tests my faith to PROVE my faith. He doesn’t need proof—I’m the one who needs proof.
God IS faithful. I know it, and I’ve experienced it. This is my hope.
Rachel,
Thanks for your comments. I trust that the discussion continues. I have been thinking a lot about the gap as well.
Couple things in response to your thoughts:
First, you are right that we all need personal experiences of God at work. We need to experience utter dependence on God. We need to experience how he provides. We need to see his power in a particular situation. That is why we need to put ourselves in stretching situations where, if God doesn’t come through, we fall flat on our faces. We need to go on and send our kids on mission trips for them to hear and see God at work. One of the reasons I love to go on mission trips is that I am stretched and dependent on God outside my comfort zone. So God will give us the experiences and we need to put ourselves in situations where we are dependent on him.
Second, while we do need our own experiences, we can and should learn much from the ways God works with others. The stories of the Bible are there to show how God is glorified in people’s lives. Habakkuk 3 is all about developing trust in the gap by reviewing God’s work in the past.
So it’s a both/and. Keep the discussion going.
Ron