We are just into the new year and I find myself acutely aware of the Lord's favor in my life. Kim and I just celebrated our 10-year anniversary last week and I am so excited about reaching this milestone. I never had any doubt of our commitment to our vows, but it feels good to look over our past and see how the Lord has orchestrated our lives for His purposes and our good. There were a number of downright uncomfortable moments as we grew through life's circumstances, but in hindsight those "mountains" were simply bumps and not as daunting as we once thought they were. Debt and discouragement were trivial in light of God's abundant provision of grace.

As I reflect on the past, I am emboldened, but often as soon as I look ahead, I regain an angst about the path before me. I have begun calling this feeling a "funk", though I am sure you have your own label for it. Things could be going amazingly well for me; I have money in the bank, the wife is madly in love with me, I'm in the best shape of my life and still, this "funk" creeps in. It is not so much a feeling of fear or depression, but more a sense of uncertainty, blind-sight or, as the Lord would probably label it, a lack of faith.

Many of us move through our days with a preset notion of how life should unfold. We view life so linearly and expect "A", "B", & "C" to always equal "D". When it doesn't, we begin to question. We begin to wonder if  "B" or "C" should have even been part of the equation. We scratch our heads (sometimes beat them against the wall) wondering why "D" is not the "D" that we had envisioned for ourselves. "What is the Lord doing here?", we may ask. "Why can't He simply drop 'D' into my lap without all the drama associated with 'B' & 'C'?" "Why can't He just give me a crystal-clear picture of what "D" is?!?"

OK, enough with the Algebra. I think you get my point and the more I type about this line-of-thinking the more frustrated I get with my lack of reverence for the God of the universe.

Proverbs 3 reads:

1 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commandments,
2 for length of days and years of life
and peace they will add to you.

3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;
bind them around your neck;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So you will find favor and good success
in the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
7 Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your flesh
and refreshment to your bones.

There it is! The equation which equals fulfillment and a funkless or less-funk life.

"So, John, you've have read this passage a number of times. Why the funk?"

"Do you really trust?"