On Wednesday night, Benji and I had a conversation in the youth room closet. Ha, ha, go ahead and make your jokes; yes, we eventually did come out of the closet. Hang with me, I'm making a point here. Done laughing? Good. Moving on.
So the fact that we were in the back closet isn't really important but it is relevant because I was struck by the fact that church doesn't always happen in church. You see, what happened in the closet was I received a word from God, through Benji, that turned out to be the real Spirit-moving event of the night.
I went to church in a foul mood. I was cranky. Lack of sleep, lack of food, a rotten day at work, and just me being a butt in general. So I went to church not really wanting to be there in the first place. I knew the atmosphere would be light and jovial because of the New Year's party and I did not feel like being the least bit light or jovial. But I found Benji, in the closet, just to say "hello," and see how his day went.
Then he asked how my day was. Big mistake.
I unloaded on him. I don't typically pour it out like that to people but he opened the door. So I went on about how the day sucked, how I wanted to be anywhere but there around all those stupid, happy people having fun (you people, that I dearly love, by the way), and how on the drive there I asked God just to help me have a little fun. Not for any great spiritual awakening or revelation, just fun.
Well, as he always does, Benji laughed at me. I think his exact words were, "You're an idiot." Thanks, pal. That helps a bunch.
But then he went on to talk about the things that God is about to do, things we have previously agreed will be awesome. Disciple Now, JGen, and Romania are going to be special. Special as in earth-shattering, God-moving, and life-changing. He talked about his personal life and mentioned how Satan was working against him there in a familiar way and pointed out that I was facing the same thing.
So I started shaking off the funk and talked a little more and soon I was breathing easier. I went on to have one of the most fun evenings I've had in a long, long time. And I single-handedly won one of the quickest games of "Psycho" in modern history (my greatest contribution to Stock Creek in five years). Thank you very much. No autographs, please.
All I'm trying to say is this. Some days are tough. Our emotions are fickle and will betray us. Bad moods happen. But when we turn our focus on ourselves and think "woe is me," like I did, we run straight into Satan's arms. And right now is definitely not the time for that.
Satan is not pleased with the way things are going. He is starting to turn up the heat on us. Be stronger than I was. Don't let despair and anxiety take you down. Here is what I came away from that night with:
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12
And also:
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:2,3
