Leaning In

There is a popular concept today that I have fallen in love with: "Lean In". We automatically lean in when the wind blows so fiercely that we are in danger of falling over. A sailor leans in to the wind, so that the breeze will fill the sails of the boat and propel it through the water.

This term denotes embracing the moment, and paying attention to the detail in body language, words, behavior and attitude, etc. in those around us. We lean in to each moment of our day and listen to God's Spirit as we follow His directives, embracing what occurs.

We can learn from, grow, and effect even negative circumstances in our life when we lean in to them rather than running away from, complaining about or ignoring them. We stand on God's Word in the power of His Spirit, and embrace each issue as it arises.

Looking for possibilities, we trust God in what appears to be impossibilities. We courageously seize the challenge rather than shirking from it, and we successfully accomplish all that God calls us to do in each moment of our life.

For instance, I noticed my neighbor struggling to start a machine he wanted to use. He pulled the cord repeatedly without success. I "leaned in" to his frustration, and prayed that God would allow his next tug on the cord to start the appliance. Immediately that leaf blower sparked into life.

At a restaurant, our server was grouchy and touchy and had a distant look in her eye. I leaned in to her distress, and I told her, "I just want you to know that God loves you and has a perfect plan for your life."

She burst into tears, and allowed us to pray with her right then and there. She started attending our church, and attentively listened to each sermon; daily, she read the Bible that we gave her.

We can fearlessly lean in to each challenge we face in life, knowing that God has a perfect plan for us through each one of them. Rather than focusing on the negative aspects of the trial, we use the Serenity Prayer (see below) to guide us, as we utilize God's supernatural gifts to overcome the issues ahead of us.

Prayer:

Father God, You recommend that we stop leaning on our own human resources, and instead consult You and lean in to You before we do anything (Proverbs 3:5-6). If we follow Your plans for us and walk in Your Spirit, our intimacy with You and our faith in Your faithfulness grow. We learn to step out and fearlessly trust You in the circumstances of our life.

Remind us that sports figures lean in to the waves, snow slope, ball pitch, etc. by shifting their weight toward the opposing forces they experience, and we can do the same thing with our circumstances. We lean in to You, embracing Your wisdom, direction, and power to accomplish Your plans for the moments of our life. We love You eternally; and daily, we snuggle into the shadow of Your wings (Psalm 91).

Thought for the Day:

God is just waiting for His beloved adopted children, the Bride of Christ, His Body to trust Him in every area of our life; as we lean in to each moment of the day, and embrace the possibilities in all of them, He will lead us through a lifetime of many divine appointments and victories.

Serenity Prayer:
God, give me grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.
Amen.