I Like Big Buts and I Cannot Lie
Hey! If you read that and thought I was writing about something else and some song is stuck in your head, that's on you and your poor music choices! And, I'm sure I have no idea what song that might be … just saying.
First of all — small buts (our "buts" will remain lower case through this post to designate their smallness). We all have what I'd call small buts. And it has nothing to do with your diet.
Here are a few examples of small buts:
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- but what if God doesn't come through?
- but I worry all the time!
- but I'm afraid if I give to God, I won't have enough!
- but I don't have time to serve God!
- but my life is just going crazy; I can't get to church.
- but I don't know if God will do what I ask.
- but they won't like me if I talk about Jesus.
- but Sunday School ethics don't work in the real world.
- but I'm scared about the future.
- but I'm not motivated.
- but I don't have all the answers.
- but I don't know where to start.
- but I can't.
- but I'll fail.
- but I've lost hope.
You get the idea. And honestly, it's implied in all of those buts, "I don't trust/believe God" and/or "I'm not sure He'll come through in the end."
I'd summarize the above mindset this way: God is small. And I am all. Meaning, "I'm all I have, and God can't take care of business."
"But David! One of those on your list is my but, and my but is HUGE! Big as a double-wide! And I don't like my big but!"
No no no no no. No matter what your but is, it's a small, tiny but. You just think it's big because you lack perspective.
Check this out: I feel really small on an NBA basketball court, and I feel REALLY big in a preschool room full of toddlers.
That's all about perspective.
If you're comparing your but to yourself, your friends or the world around you, your but may seem big. But it's not.
What's bigger than your but (no giggling)?
God's BUT (all caps to indicate it is large).
God wrote a book. It's FULL of big BUTS (over 50). Life-saving, wonderful BUTS!
BUTS like:
BUT God remembered Noah and dried up the earth. Gen. 8:1
BUT God saved David from Saul. 1 Samuel 23:14
BUT God wakes me up, fills my lungs with air, puts a beat in my heart and keeps me alive day after day after day after day. Psalm. 54:4
BUT God is the strength of my heart. Psalm 73:26
BUT God brought me up from the pit. Jonah 2:6
BUT God raised Jesus from stone-cold dead to alive forever. Acts 13:30
Those are all live-or-die BUTS. "BUT God" is a powerful phrase!
It turns reality upside down.
It saves the day.
It makes the bad good.
It makes the tired strong.
It makes the old new.
It makes the dead alive.
It makes the future bright.
"BUT God" changes everything.
Where have you lost hope? Where have you given into worry? Where have you given up trying? Where has fear kept you from doing what God has called you to do?
For every small "but" you and I have, God has a bigger "counter-BUT".
You say, "But I'm worried." BUT God controls the future.
You say, "But I'm too tired." BUT God gives power to the weak.
You say, "But I will fail." BUT God always wins.
You say, "But what if God doesn't come through?" BUT God always comes through.
You say, "But I'm afraid." BUT God says, "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I willuphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10
No matter what small but is bringing you down, holding you down, keeping you from doing what God has called you do, God is bigger and badder and stronger, and is willing to act for His kids.
Remember I said it's about "perspective?"
It's NOT "God is small. And I am all." That is the very definition of "stinking thinking" (thank you for a great phrase Zig Ziglar).
It is: I am small. And God is all.
God is all and proved His great love and willingness to act for you in this … BUT God showed His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
So every time a but enters your mind, or is spoken to you by some naysayer or weak faith person, that contradicts what God has already said, you answer back, "BUT God" … and you fill in the blank with God has said.
And there is no bigger but than what God has said. He always gets the last word. And it's always a good word.
Got it? Now go try something great for Him today.
Amen.
Originally posted at ilikemycoffeeblack.com.
