The Power of Thankfulness After Hours

Hey this is Mike Zwick from if not for God podcast our show stories of hopelessness turned and I hope your chosen Truth Network podcast is starting in just seconds. Enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and for choosing The Truth Podcast Network. This is the Truth Network and French in the heart. Masculine journey after hours time to go to be more transparent, topic covered, so sit back and visit venture. Masculine journey starts here now welcome to masculine journey after hours and during the middle of a thankful top meeting is for everything before I okay so tell us a little bit about the topic well we would talk about. You can't kill thankful heart in the process that looks like not only you can live there and if I said that you would scold me on that. You can't live there so then the counselor in the room but the process in that it what that looks like and how we get there sometimes or not. Sometimes I just don't get there, but the process of life that your life has its troubles and its term goals and somehow you find a way to walk through that there's definitely at least one or two situations in my life that I still am very struggling to be thankful for. I know God's hands and it and I wish you would hurry a very candidate it. I it's just hard to be in limbo on some things and and you know I do have at least some histories you talk about the first show to look back and sticking out of your hands and all these other things I had to trust her hand is in this and I can, I can't see it or feel it or know and I just have to believe it.

Hello share a story my former job I had come to a place where physically I could do what I used to do and it was tough and God opened up the door there and I moved into lower management upper management cut Athenian the got me out off the road off my knees and my back and leg and it was really but then it became a place where thought is no doubt a heart attack was a stress level was unbelievable and I was having a hard time goes when it happened.

I'm rejoicing because God gave me this awesome job and I have a you did. All of a sudden it's like Adam. That woman you gave me this job you gave me you and it flipped and you I came to avoid when you have to leave and I'm thinking I'm wind up taking a pay cut or you all this, stuff, and I just couldn't see couldn't figure out like you said the limbo of okay got.

I know you open this door. I know you did this, but here we are, what are we doing and he opened the door where I'm at now and it was even better than begin and sometimes I have to remember in the frustration days of work.

If you have a job is getting it frustrating. Sooner or later, and reminded that you were in the midst of this, and you open the door and that kinda helps me get out of the okay think I'll just pack up my bags and quit goes into old it is walk out and quit anymore. Yeah part what you're talking about is in weaving time on the show is in not being able to see what's going on in the background what's going on. Jim your clip kinda does that right.

I mean it in this movie.

If the culture comes into a situation where the players don't really care for in his tactics and that's kind of an understatement. They are at odds from the beginning. The kids think their only way out of their bad situation is for school but their excellent basketball players there to make it out with basketball and he comes in and said no at the teacher you had a B man I will you're going to make good grades. Are you not going to play many really came down hard on, and that this cleared up is at the end of the movie. It hasn't worked out the way any of them expected or wanted necessarily until this point because the coaches actually walking out the kids are in the gym studying and this is the same when that happens I deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. I deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you will all meant to shine, as children is not just in some of us and everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same as we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. So I just want to say thank you saved my life. Thank you soon Jim on this in August of this, we develop solution man develops a thankful heart and it's across the entire team. What really hit me in this is the coach could easily be easily be God, he took them through a lot of rough things to get them where they had integrity, and where they were doing the right thing and that they appreciated it and getting their man. What I loved about this is the coach said thank you and I think we need to hear that from God because when we do what we expect to do living in his Holy Spirit. I think he's just as thankful for us as we are for him. If we are living in that glory, that he was talking about the green what's this is a segment of the show or we go deeper right visited the interim, I listen to at this time against it, but we go deeper more into the topic. So who has a story to share out there that got in late on your heart about this whole topic of being think I have so many of you, but nonetheless helped all share the one that just jumps out at me was the you know we were fairly well off financially. We thought it was a mask that we are wearing. We didn't realize we had on like so many my mask and and when the Chrysler Financial ripped it off and we realize that all my goodness. Not only were we let loose a dealership that were to lose her house rooms or cars were to lose everything and I was employing a lot of employees and even when I thought I was doing all the stuff that was godly.

How was involved in church and teaching and men's groups and everything else that you can also I'll never forget the prayer I'm coming up what's called depot Hill in my old rent out there and I'm praying and I might God, you know things are really looking bad for you was sincere in this prayer like nobody knows I'm a Christian and you drag me through the mud here in the realize of the duty reputation is hilarious prayer.

What I think about it now, but it was completely authentic from my heart. At the time like you realize you know what you're doing to your name, hereby drag me through the mud like this if he was so clear that they'll never for Robby, if you'll take care of your stuff just let me take your mind like I have my reputations intact and I remember like where did that come from an ally, I was so sincere that, but as I processed you know now I am 15 years later.

Right as a time if you sit Rob you're grateful right now unit was I ready to confess God's hand was in this light, and obviously not. I thought he was. You know, sleep at the wheel and then the nightmares came and every night I was trying to sell one more car or meet some goal that Chrysler had and I it's really hard for me to explain to anybody what that feels like to wake up and that kind of a nightmare where you've been been under this pressure that Danny was talking about it work for so long you didn't know what it was doing your heart you didn't realize you were being corrupted.

You didn't realize were your goals and your thoughts and all these things had been and you realize that God has extracted you from something that was killing your heart you didn't know your heart wasn't made for the car business. You grew up in it.

Your dad was in it. You thought it was all you ever wanted that God is an outcome in and rescued you from in a prostitution, and and you're still a prostitute. You know, it just is how it is at an it's a beautiful thing now for me to say all yeah oh yeah he was. His hand was all over that.

But at the time you know it was just something to walk through and I'm so grateful for all the people that walked with me through and walked with me through the healing and brought me to places like this group to be able to see God's hand in all that that really is taking place. Yeah, go back to word Jim was that really the small things just little things that happen in your life that are day-to-day kind of things that just kind of jump out at you like my guys thank you God for showing me some something that I didn't know so I just recently took a trip to Illinois to go visit my family, how may gather notably broadcast, North Carolina news had a revelation with someone that I thought oh no we were broadcasting locally in a different show.

You do Robby. So it's like were going to take plane trip just for a quick trip my aunt had passed back in March we went out there in February to visit her for a full week drove out spent much time is wonderful at the family get to see her before she passed. Now it's time to actually have the services because everything is delayed right so we just got a flat flight back had some cousins make it in that ought not everyone is able to but it was just a joyous time for the family to get together and celebrate her life and I'm like okay here were coming out of this pandemic. Everybody's flying like normally I'm even worried about getting to the airport getting through security getting into the flight, but I might and we do get there early so I'm told the kids movie. I get there early. Let's get up in the morning isn't the easiest thing for now €20. Even today the teenagers are bad between worlds have really grown out of it yet, so we get up just barely make it out the door, on time, then it's the hay. Sunday might really I've been up. I've Artie eaten. I'm good to go wireless. Helios is going to my head and then it's okay.

I will stop will be okay. I'm already thinking okay got it what what was going on here how Baz is going to be organ to get there in time we go through little slow to get through the drive-through because it is no buddy working right and now it's just going to get going. Drive-through takes a while to get through. We get on our way. I'm driving a little extra fast because Mike okay we got our make up some time and next thing you know there's all kinds of construction since the last time I had went to Charlotte. This direction I might, I completely missed my turn.

Next thing you know through Statesville. Denny Benoit went to Statesville yet and I see the convention center overweight you follower 50 minutes off course. Now, what might we never got to make this I my son really quickly look up directions like okay 321 we get back okay. Was ETA really gets an hour before a flight takes off island thinking is this is a good, but I do remember going through my head of do I trust you Lord I do I not an I just kind of settled back in because I was young. The immediacy of something like that you like on text my head blows up ticked him testament wheat that was not to make and will driving the get there. We finally get there, I parked close we get in the other part of the story that had me really upset is the night before, but I could get a boarding pass Sonoma because I don't have a seat assignment that's all know the story, but weren't we can lock in will get the phone out get to get to the kiosk and hit the app and it's like I was a boarding pass. We hit it okay boarding passes are downloading. Let's add to the gates we can walk very far. The gate is at the other end of the terminal and were not even in the midway point in the line stops right again framing are you waiting for IDD down there were standing way down like see in going what you get in that I find out why Chiasson is a or EE one and the other nothing in the middle is even open other than the TSA pre-check select kids were not to make this if we see somebody we need ask him so I I did. I asked one of the guy things Nathaniel that helped us and is like mine wouldn't come close to making this insight look up the flock came to me like no there any way you can get this up because I know sometimes you know if you I've seen people get pushed to the head of security that relate there were no they need to go because her superlong lines unexpected so they asked people who's got whatever flight time and move his now I can't, but it's you need a wheelchair.

My daughter does as I knew what he was saying like I get I daughter and we go through get hurt on no wheelchair. He gets us through the whole security thing. We make a fly because there was any. It was at least a two hour wait to get through and is one of those things in sight were on the flight and were drunk and were flying and also my son Lynn's artist dad.

This is what you just did what had lasted happen so is Luke 11 nine so I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you seek and you will find knock and it will be open to you and I'm one of these guys. I never asked directions. I don't like to ask anybody for anything that I had to. In that case ask a I needed help dude can you help me. What can you do for me and I was little persistent with it like gas in a couple times a week to do any site I can I can help you this what we can go do any was funny was his push my daughter in sight. Donate gap isn't the first time will be the last. I do that she fairly often with trying to get people through and it's like one of those God things were like okay so what is in this God. Now, I'm very thankful that you got me through all this when I was really it was.

I was thankful on the way there, when I knew it was like disaster written all over it for his sovereignty existed. Whatever's in this you got something your hands playing on Mike okay I'm I'm good with that. I kind of settled into that.

On the drive as I can calm down and is it is a story go back and share consider some unbelievers in the family, and your share this God moment site was in this liquid and where it will do this and then at other family members are believers able to share some stories of all yeah because God was an art are trip and we did this and this happen. It was just wonderful to have some of the nonbelievers in the family being able sit around in here and so some that in and because it was just when you hear joyous people talk about what they get from God and its genuine it's authentic is just wonderful to be around those people. It is a go get a little bit of a long story to keep it short meant when I was going through my divorce. It was and had a pleasant time. Obviously it was an unpleasant time for my wife for me in very painful hurting time and I would not have had a thankful heart. I did not have a thankful heart in the midst. That is, it was not what I wanted. I really don't think it's what she wanted, but it was happening in on. It seemed like that was the only alternative. In looking back I can look back and say well because I wasn't you were separated and and I had my kids 50% of the time at 50% my time available in; Amanda have never had 50% of my time available you that kids for as long as I can remember any incest. I just decided that an insured on he reported to hop on a plane or some cheap flights out of Greensboro down to not far from where my mom lived in. I can go down there and back for less than hundred bucks most times and I would fly down there statement brothers house and go see moment my mom and I had had a plan to do that every other month and I made it through rotation and half a I cheated and went in extra time instead of waiting to go in.

My mom passed away before I could make another trip down that that time was so rich with her.

She didn't know she was near her and it came up quickly and she can initiate is near, and because she is a lot elderly. You know that pointedly I think they can to live at the end at some point, you know, and instigating that time with her. You know just the perspective she had and just having one-on-one time with my mom, which had not had in years was really cool and then the other thing that I've become very thankful for in the midst of his situation. That was not pleasant was it God redeems things right. God redeems a Caesar game time with my mom that I would have had that you and your parenting as a team you don't truly parent the way you would if you were by yourself for either person. That's a true statement and so for the first time in my father time you being a dad. I was able really just parent the way I wanted to parent you know it is a result I think you know the boys have gotten closer and in my daughter's event closer to their mom and closer to me because they seem more authentic sides of us.

Instead of this shared team method being married and in raising kids, the others batting announcing that but I think God redeems that in the fact that the closest relationship with with my kids have ever had in for the most part and it's just a very joyful thing to be thankful for. You know that the guy was able to take that out of that situation and provide some really really rich and and good fruit. I have a story about when I was chaplain and this is the residency program fairly early. We had two other chaplains that I became good friends with and we had one of the other chaplains had a couple they were married yet, but they were engaged they were 19 family. She had leukemia and he asked us to all come together to pray. I knew he was a godly man still is and so I we joined him. We went down there.

I really felt God impressing on me she was going to be healed so we prayed over her length and had a joyful time. They were planning on becoming missionaries is that you, God, these are your children they can do wonderful things for the kingdom of within a week she died and that rocked my world is first I thought God had said no do this and he did, but not to the outcome. I expected and that did a couple of things in my life that I wasn't thankful for it at the time I was questioning God like Robby, this makes no sense what you do this, but it made me realize that his plan is not something working.

I understand it's okay to be in the dark. Never thought that as a kid, but when you can trust God.

You'll have to worry about the details and through that in my prayer. Since then, unless God absolutely tells me pray this way. I will always pray in a way that your will be done as I don't know it and that was something I now joyful for after that one very painful experience. I do know my prayers are heard, but I know I can trust him with the outcome regardless of whether it makes sense to me or not. And that's that's key. United will have our desires how we want things turn out. I think sometimes God has his desires that are the same as yours. It doesn't mean that that's always going to work out that way.

It's hard to can you say that you know Guy doesn't get his his way. But when you live in a place of free will, especially relationships.

It takes two people to want the same thing and got right. It doesn't always work out that way anywhere that you saw talked about it a little bit on the first show but before I do I want to clarify statement I made of this I have just quote a little bit wrong but I really like this life is understood backwards but lived forwards and John Eldridge references that a lot and it was a time in my life that I want clearly in doesn't always come with the Christian faith is that you always have clarity, but I think you do whatever you able to look at things like like that understood standing things backwards.

But for me when I talk a lot. Probably the biggest thing that came my life like you famous separation from a life in and of our family splitting apart and thought for a long time, three, four, five years. I wasn't mad at God. I was still pursuing. But I did know that I necessarily could trust him, but not that I wasn't really put in on him, even I knew had my part to play in. I just didn't know where I was that for a while but but I did praise him.

I continued to but not like all the time, but there were times when I would just see his hand in his goodness and thing but I remember some really dark times of just really like this is, this can go on forever and I'm never going to get any United. I think the Scripture say.Hope deferred makes the heart sick and I felt like my heart was sick and it is stated there with them in overtime.

No, I think was really finding that work wasn't really that fulfilling at the time and and about that time I made a job change and I got involved with this ministry and I continued to this you know pursue God in the way that I knew how I was learning new things, you know, just the while the art message really impacted me but this going forward in the last 2 to 3 years distant and incredible amount of changes happened to where my default has become much more like that. Philippians 46 Scripture about, be thankful and everything that it with Everett with prayer and thinks giving. Make your request be known to God and to really thinking because I see where he brought my heart from us see how broken it was in the see also how much I came there was things that were limiting me in the way understood things that you know something something like a broken relationship had to get me to a point to where I would really look at things differently, but I can remember. You know I told the guys at the job that I took opened up a lot of opportunity for me to travel when I did I would go out of that which is giving cards, creation, and I will look for opportunities to praise him and I can remember was just couple years ago where I just stood on this thing with the Colorado River in Arizona at Moab and this raise my hands and praise them of where he brought me from and you know I'm still in the store but you know just to know that his he had done so much in those few years that I've spent time with him and draw him teaching me things they just change my heart, where I could truly pray. Next thing I think that that's something we can all focus on this week is looking back. As we talked about in the lessons in God. Where have you rescued my heart when I didn't see you stepping in to do that this week and work with this is that Truth Network