By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, MA, BCC

Most of us have heard the story of “how to catch a monkey.” Find a jar with an opening large enough for a monkey’s hand to enter when the jar is empty. Yet, the opening also needs to be small enough that when the monkey’s fist is full he/she cannot pull it out. Then put something in the jar that monkeys love, a honey comb for instance.

Bottom line, here, is that a monkey becomes so fully absorbed with its need for the thing it desires that it will not let go once grasped. So the monkey is easily captured.

The story shows how our self-serving desires often capture us when we will not let go. That desire could end our freedom, or even our lives.

I am learning currently of another way we can get stuck when big uncertainties roll down on our well planned lives. We definitely feel out of control and “what if” questions can become huge, over-shadowing the totality of my comfort zone—even interrupting sleep.

Cancer is rattling around loose in our house. My once nice, little life held comfort as I had my tendency to get anxious under control. Now, I am battling in prayer for what I want! And, I don’t want to lose this battle. At times it has felt like maybe God isn’t noticing what is going on.

Anxiety can get us stuck as much as bad habits. God does not want believers to fear, but rather to trust. 

This morning I read in the Bible, “Whosever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil,” (Proverbs 1:31). I think, I am listening and trusting in most areas of my life, but with ‘this one’ my knees shake here and there. I have no control—and there is no way I can imagine losing this loved one!

What helps is realizing what is true. James 1:1-6 makes it clear that when a trial comes along that is strong enough to test our faith we can rejoice because something great can happen: Patience can grow. And patience with what life brings opens doors through which we can reach deeper into our faith, reminding ourselves that God loves us so much. He knows what is best for us when we put our trust in Him.

I am reminded of a time earlier life when I was selling real estate in Boise, Idaho, making more money than I ever dreamed of making, I stopped at the chapel of our church while on the way to the bank. As I walked in the door, I heard these words as clearly as if they had been spoken aloud, “Lay your purse on the altar.” That was a shock. Given some time to rethink things, I knelt and did exactly that.

Self-sufficiency can blind us. Life can become so easy through good management and can produce great comfort. At this point it seems clear that we do not grow at our best rate when fully comfortable.

What has become evident within my current grasping for life to be “normal again” is the fact the “faith walk” calls for laying every concern of life on the altar (symbolically). Peace of heart comes through loosening our grip . . . letting go, letting God be in control of all aspects of life.

About the author: Joy Le page Smith, MA is a Board Certified Clinical Chaplain. Visit Healing-with-Joy.com for Joy’s blog along with many helpful articles addressing life’s difficulties. Her books and blogs are read in up to 32 countries.

By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, M.A.

Intelligence finds human beings wanting to know, “Is there a God.”

Many people lean into intelligence, wanting to know what God wants of us humans. This leads to reading the Bible where it is made clear in Psalms 111:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding has all those who do His commandments.”

Comprehending this “fear of the Lord” is a major step in feeling safe with God. People who best succeed in this quest read the Bible concertedly as a practice within their daily or weekly endeavors. This is the key to finding what God desires for each of our lives. And, the support that comes to us within this practice indelibly marks the path in ways that define us as “God’s people.” A very nice part of this is that we find no need for any addictive escape patterns, such as leaning on alcohol and drugs. Our only addiction (if we can call it that) is seeking to know more about God and the love He has for us.

So, for sure, a practice of studying the Bible does not find us shaking in fear of God. This lifetime journey brings comfort within the trials of life, along with a peace (“that passes all understanding”) and a felt joy that uplifts one’s soul.

Scripture says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” This is not about dreading harm from Him. It is about the reverence we hold for God the Father, Jesus the Son and their presence, experienced through the Holy Spirit at work in their lives.

Once a person hears the Lord’s “knock on the door of her or his heart” and consequently opens up to wanting God in their lives—communication quickens, and the most amazing things begin to happen. Wisdom finds us seeking to learn everything we can about God. We want to be close to Him—as love, peace and joy abound within the interaction we now have with God through prayer and watching Him work within our hearts each day. We thirst to follow where He leads us. When we do something wrong, His Holy Spirit within quickly “speaks up.” We want to repent. We want to “abide” in the beautiful relationship we have with our Lord. (By the way, being “righteous” simply means “right living.”)

Isn’t this similar to the way we are with our human loved ones? It is not that we are in fear of them. No. We treat them the way they deserve to be treated because we want to be in continuous connection with them. If we fail to be respectful of a loved one, we know it quite quickly–and do what we can to set things right. That is not about “fear” that cripples us. It is wisdom that keeps prompting us to stay in good stead with our loved ones. We want their presence in our lives. What we fear is losing the closeness we enjoy within our loving relationships. This is wisdom. The same is true of “fearing the Lord.” Offending Him makes us feel insecure within our relationship with Him–one that keeps our lives in the fulcrum of God’s goodness.

So, which is greater, intelligence or wisdom? There can be no comparison! These go hand-in-hand. Without the one, we don’t have the other.

In today’s world, we see what happens when one prefers to only listen to their own voice from within to decide what is right or wrong for them. Bankruptcy happens–in ways that are even more harmful than losing their property or money.

This is why “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Psalms 111:10, promises, “A good understanding has all those who do His commandments.” No more sense of loneliness or loss. God promises a life of provision and protection—a life that holds meaning and purpose for those who want to live in a right relationship with Him.

See website Healing-with-Joy.com for multiple free helps with depression, disillusionment, disappointment and many matters that derail us in life. Her books and blogs are read in up to 32 countries. You may also enjoy Joy’s new Google site at Healingwithjoy.blogspot.com

Joy Le Page Smith, MA, BCC

The following will help you know why billions of people–those of the past and of those of the present–trust the Scriptures, using them as a guide for their lives.

For instance, the Bible has 66 books written by approximately 40 men. These authors lived in numerous places over a 1500 year course of history with varied backgrounds: one was a physician, another was a priest—and one was a tax collector.  King David of Israel wrote much of the book of Psalms. Several were prophets correcting and guiding the people through their books within the Bible. Peter, a disciple of Jesus, wrote the book of Acts. He was a major player throughout the New Testament, alongside ten other disciples who authored numerous Biblical books.

 Aside from the Bible being penned by different authors over 15 centuries, its multiple books of holy inspiration hold no contradictions. Imagine that, along with the fact no errors can be found in any of the Biblical books.

Each author presented different angles and assessments, but they all proclaim the same truths about there being one God. Plus, the ultimate message totally supports the fact God has expectations of us while also being helpful, merciful, forgiving and loving.  

 The Bible shows many truths about us, our lives and what is to come. And, here is what we see about God: We humans are comprised of one person with three parts: body, mind, spirit.

Believers recognize this truth about God: Our Creator has a vastness beyond us as Jesus was both one with Father God and one with the Holy Spirit. So God is three persons in One. The term used to describe the Son, Father and Holy Spirit (three-in- One) is “the Trinity.”

The Holy Spirit of Jesus and the Father–through the power of the Holy Spirit–breathed the truth into the minds and hearts of writers recorded in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. That is why the Bible is believed to be “the Word of God.”

The ultimate proof that the Bible is God’s authentic message to humankind comes from the explicate fact that it changes lives powerfully and wondrously. Ask people you know who are Christians, “How did you come to believe in Jesus Christ being the Savior of the world, the Son of God?” You will hear some amazing and absolutely awesome stories.

“O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed [are those] that trust in him,” (Psalms 34:8).

About the author: Joy Le Page Smith is a Board certified clinical chaplain. Her articles and blogs are read in up to 32 countries. Joy’s four books are available on her home page at Healing-with-Joy.com where readers can view FREE her children’s book titled, The Little Mountain Goat Who Was Afraid of High Places.