By Dan Coflin, Pastor, River of Life Church
I am sitting at a car dealership waiting for my car to be serviced. Since I have a couple of hours to wait, I begin answering a few emails and make some phone calls. All is going well “until” I get a call from the engineering firm our church has hired to build a storage building on our property to store tables and chairs and other supplies. It seems the building permit has been held up again because of new regulations. We are required to build a sidewalk to nowhere and do several environmental surveys that have absolutely nothing to do with the simple, small storage room location. These new regulations will add another $10,000 to a project that has already doubled in cost since we began over two years ago. Yes, I am frustrated, but the most important thing I need to ask myself is what should I do with my frustration. Getting angry with the building department will not help my cause. Screaming, throwing things or pouting will not change a thing. So, what should my response look like?
Jesus said, “…come unto me all you who are burdened and heavy laden and I will give you rest (ease, repose, refreshing or patient expectation) Matthew 11:28. The first thing I need to do is to take my frustration to Jesus. I know some will ask, “So is Jesus going to get you the building permit?” Well, what I really need right now is more important than a permit and it is what I really need that Jesus is faithful to supply. The scriptures also say, “Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns once and for all] on him…” 1 Peter 5:7. You see Jesus has what we need and what we need is found in his grace. Grace covers a wide spectrum of need. “By grace are you saved” Ephesians 2:8. That little Greek word we translate saved is “sozo” and it means to be rescued, delivered, set free, made whole, made to do well…. Jesus wants us to be whole, well, and set free from the worries, fears, and cares we so often encounter. Yes, it is faith in the grace God has provided us because of the redemptive work Jesus accomplished by taking our sin and judgment to the cross, dying, and rising again, but just as we take our sin and failures to Jesus to receive forgiveness, we can also run to him with our frustrations and fears. His grace is big enough to comfort us in our distresses and his wisdom and favor is great enough supply our every need. Yes, even a solution for a seemingly elusive building permit.
River of Life Church
410 E. Chapman Rd.
Lutz, FL 33549
813-949-9931