Spiritual Jet Lag (Summary)

Here are some of the symptoms of jet lag that I chose to reflect on.
http://nojetlag.com/jetlag1.html

Lack of concentration and motivation, lack of ability to really enjoy, confusion and fuzziness, getting uptight or "losing it", dryness, susceptible to infection.

Here are some of the causes of jet lag that I chose to reflect on.
http://nojetlag.com/jetlag1a.html

Children under three don't seem to suffer jet lag as badly, as they are more adaptive and less set in their ways. Adults who adjust readily to changes of routine also seem less susceptible to jet lag. Those who are slaves to a fixed daily routine are often the worst sufferers.

If you're over-tired, excited, stressed, nervous, or hungover before the flight, you are setting yourself up for a good dose of jet lag. How many times have you heard travelers say "Don't worry, I'll catch up on the flight"? Well you don't. The wise traveller who wants to get the most out of a trip has a good night's sleep prior to departure.

The air aboard passenger jet aircraft is dry...Water is what your body wants.

I have found reflecting on these symptoms and causes helpful in terms of my journey with Jesus. I realize that there are times in my spiritual life where there is a "lag". Some of this comes in anticipation of the journey ahead. Some comes during the journey. And the effects are felt afterward. But the good news is that Jesus has already prescribed what is needed to get over this lag and what is needed to prevent it from even happening in the first place. So there is grace to keep walking with him.

As I look again at the title of my blog I see both the journey and the destination. I see what is ultimately needed for the journey and the best way to not experience any lag on the way. It is the reason I am writing this blog. I want to keep moving from ταράσσω to πιστεύω.

The spiritual jet lag experiences will decrease in intensity as I move from . . .

ταράσσω,v \{tar-as'-so}
1) to agitate, trouble (a thing, by the movement of its parts to and fro) 1a) to cause one inward commotion, take away his calmness of mind, disturb his equanimity 1b) to disquiet, make restless 1c) to stir up 1d) to trouble 1d1) to strike one's spirit with fear and dread 1e) to render anxious or distressed 1f) to perplex the mind of one by suggesting scruples or doubts

http://www.greekbible.com/l.php?tara/ssw_v-3ppd-s--_p

And move towards . . .

πιστεύω,v \{pist-yoo'-o}
1) to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in 1a) of the thing believed 1a1) to credit, have confidence 1b) in a moral or religious reference 1b1) used in the NT of the conviction and trust to which a man is impelled by a certain inner and higher prerogative and law of soul 1b2) to trust in Jesus or God as able to aid either in obtaining or in doing something: saving faith 1bc) mere acknowledgment of some fact or event: intellectual faith 2) to entrust a thing to one, i.e. his fidelity 2a) to be intrusted with a thing

http://www.greekbible.com/l.php?pisteu/w_v-2pai-p--_p

Thank you Jesus for your patience while I learn how to walk in this way!

Spiritual Jet Lag (Part 4)

Here's something else that causes jet lag - Dry Atmosphere. I know all about being dry when I'm in a plane 30,000 feet up in the air, but what does this look like for spiritual jet lag?

The website I have been referring to in the past few blog posts states the obvious:

The air aboard passenger jet aircraft is dry...Water is what your body wants.

http://nojetlag.com/jetlag1a.html

I am intentionally leaving out their recommendation to not drink coffee. How else can I stay awake to watch the movies? :)

But seriously...dryness is a huge part of jet lag and especially spiritual jet lag. Water is what the body and the soul want. I find that fighting dryness is one of the bigger challenges in my journey with Jesus. For me, my dry times tend to be when the journey is at a more dangerous or difficult part. Even though that is when my soul needs the Living Water the most, I tend to drink less in the midst of difficulty. When things are calm, smooth and we are flying with little turbulence, I will take in my daily portion of Living Water. I seem to be more self aware - aware of my thirst. But when turbulence comes I forget my need for water. In fact, I will often distract myself with movies, coke, coffee - things to keep me awake rather than the one thing that keeps me from experiencing "lag" in this journey.

Movies, coke, coffee - they are all great. But I will be dry and dehydrated if I think I can survive this journey, especially during long and turbulent flights, without consuming the Living Water in large quantities on a regular basis. Short flight. Long flight. It doesn't matter. Turbulence. No Turbulence. It doesn't matter. Dryness is bad and to be avoided.

Spiritual Jet Lag (Part 3)

I found another parallel between jet lag and spiritual jet lag which is worth some reflection.

Your pre-flight condition
If you're over-tired, excited, stressed, nervous, or hungover before the flight, you are setting yourself up for a good dose of jet lag. How many times have you heard travelers say "Don't worry, I'll catch up on the flight"? Well you don't. The wise traveller who wants to get the most out of a trip has a good night's sleep prior to departure.

http://www.nojetlag.com/jetlag1a.html

This is pre-flight stuff! We're always talking about the morning after, but this is more about the day before. I wonder how many "days before" I have had in my journey with Jesus where these pre-flight conditions had an adverse affect on the next day.

Often over-tired from work I have sometimes had a difficult time in the morning reading the Bible, praying, and and writing in my journal. Sometimes I just fall asleep.

Sometimes I'm excited about something that's coming up in the journey - a ministry opportunity or an invitation to be a main speaker in a conference. Whatever it may be, rather than getting a good night's rest, I'll pull an "all nighter" and obsess over what I'm going to say.

Stressed? Yes. Nervous? Yes. I am not the most pleasant person to be around when I'm packing or preparing for something big that is coming tomorrow.

I hear a lot about there being "joy in the journey" but sometimes I sabotage that journey before it even gets started!

Maybe this is why Jesus so often got away from the crowd and the disciples to a quiet place. I tend to interpret this as post-ministry rest and prayer time. But maybe it is actually pre-ministry rest and prayer time. Knowing where he had to travel the next day, knowing the people he had to encounter, knowing their needs, and knowing the ministry he would do - he got his rest he needed and prayed. So Jesus was able to maintain good pre-flight conditions and therefore did not suffer from spiritual jet lag.

Spiritual Jet Lag (Part 2)

I'm too jet lagged to write about it right now ...

Saying Goodbye to Skyler so he can say Hello

I knew I was going to cry. I have cried for each one of my children when I sent them off to post-high school education. I think it is natural. It's what it means to be a father.

One of the big themes in John 14-16 is the disciples being distressed and troubled over Jesus' announcement that in a little while he would be going to be with the Father. They didn't want to let Jesus go. They didn't want Jesus to go anywhere. They didn't want to say "Goodbye". But Jesus made it very clear to them, that unless he goes to be with the Father then they will not be able to receive the Holy Spirit. If they don't learn to say "Goodbye", they will not be able say "Hello" to the Counselor (Helper, Advocate, Comforter).

"But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." John 16:7 NIV

I'm not trying to twist the meaning of this important passage around, but I could not help but make an immediate application. As sad as it is, I have to say "Goodbye" to Skyler so that he can go on, attend Redeemer Ministry School, and say "Hello" to experiencing the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in new and refreshing ways.

Goodbye Skyler. I love you.

(Skyler as Captain Hook)

(Skyler the Catcher of Big Fish)

(Skyler the Baseball Player and Fan)

Hello Holy Spirit. I love you.

Where have you been all this time?

I started this blog over a year ago. I wanted to find a way to process what I had been learning in my studies from the book of John. But as you can see I have let time go by. And now here I am a year later. I have thought about changing my picture and my blog title because it may appear to be only negative. I don't want to be forever labeled as the ταράσσω Man! The agitated one! But I'm not going to change it just yet, because ταράσσω is a heart problem and my heart is in the process of being changed. I am moving from agitation toward more trust and faith in Jesus. So I want to communicate that in my blog and hopefully continue to put up new posts along the way. Hopefully, I will post more than once a year :)

When Accidents Happen

Accidents happen. But I don't believe things happen by accident. An accident is an event and it is not an accident. There is a purpose in it somewhere. Finding that purpose or trusting the fact that there is a purpose is, for me, a step away from ταράσσω and toward πιστεύετε. I was reminded of this on the phone yesterday. I called Brother Joe, an elder at Redeemer, and told him the bad news. (Maybe first you should see the picture of the rental car before I go on)

That's just the front left side of the car. But, yes, I had an accident. I fell asleep at the wheel on I-294 South of Chicago, cruise control set at 65 mph and fell asleep. Praise the Lord no one was injured (my son Skyler and daughter Kristina were in the car with me). Also praise the Lord that I didn't hit anyone else.

Now, back to Elder Joe . . . "Joe, I got the call from the rental car company this morning. They said I will be charged $6,000." I confessed to Joe that I was feeling terrible, guilty, depressed, down on myself, and felt like I have brought financial ruin onto my family.

Joe is a great elder and after some words of encouragement he took me to the scripture and reminded me that there is a purpose in everything. I need to look for the purpose and trust God. And then he prayed for me. I don't really remember the words of his prayer but I know I cried.

My wife Annie is praying for me also. And only today did I begin to pray for myself.

There are no accidents in life. But I had an accident and accidents happen. Now I have to find out what the purpose is in all of this so that I can indeed begin to move away from ταράσσω and toward πιστεύετε. I want to not have my heart be troubled, but I want to trust in Jesus in all situations. I'm not there yet, believe me. I'm still on a journey. I feel like I have a long way to go. It's tempting to wallow in guilt and self-condemnation. ($6,000 !!!!!). But that will do me no good. It never does. The only good that can come out of this is to trust and believe Jesus in and through it all.

It might also help if I get plenty of rest so that I don't fall asleep while driving.