Beauty Among the Flies: Finding God Amid Distractions

On the way to our cabin is a peacefully flowing mountain stream that tumbles between boulders. It sits in the middle of a forest with pine trees towering above it. As I drove past it during my sabbatical I felt very clearly that God was encouraging me to take the time to walk out into the stream, sit on one of its large boulders, and pray. I felt that I should just sit with God and enjoy Him in the beauty of what He created. With time on my side, a prayer journal in hand, and sandals on my feet, I was happy to oblige. I waded into the stream and found the perfect rock to sit on, feet hanging in the cool water, just letting it all pass by…communing with the Creator.

It was perfect for about 3 minutes and then the mosquitos found me. Apparently, I looked as good to them as the stream looked to me. They relentlessly swarmed, buzzing about my head, and landing in my ear. It didn’t take long for them to ruin the moment. It was such an odd mixture of two very different realities; there was the reality of something beautiful and soothing, and there was also the reality of something nagging and frustrating. It was like listening to a symphony while nails screeched across a chalkboard. I did my best to focus, but it should come as no surprise that my journal entry was the shortest of any I had written that summer. It was maddening trying to appreciate the beauty through frustration.

It took a while for me to see the greater picture that God was showing me.

There are plenty of times when God is doing something incredible, something truly beautiful. Simultaneously issues are buzzing around us. There are people coming to Christ, and there are complaints. There are teens being baptized and there are staff concerns. There is incredible beauty, and yet it often exists within a cloud of maddening issues.

If I think back over 20 years of ministry, ‘beauty amongst flies’ seems to summarize it fairly well.

How do we operate in these circumstances without losing our minds and ministry? I don’t think the answer is a series of steps (If we had steps, the flies would make us forget them). I would rather us consider it from another perspective, and honestly, I would love for you to share your experience of how you appreciate beauty through the flies in your ministry.

For me, I think of Pslam 23. Many of us have preached on and greatly enjoyed this incredible psalm. It’s such a comforting message. I love all of it, but recently I was struck by the line I had most overlooked. It comes at the end of the psalm as David switches metaphors from shepherd to dinner host.

He writes, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”

Do you see the flies? I didn’t. I saw green pastures and still waters…I didn’t see the enemies. And yet, there they are. God is the host of a lavish banquet and we are the guest.

But, there are enemies.

The imagery is true to life… there are flies at the meal. The key is that they’re in the background. They are helpless and can only watch as we enjoy the meal. They could make noise but it would be drowned out by the laughter and joy of those at the table. As simple as it sounds, that has always been the key for me to personally navigate this ever-present reality. I must make my heart and mind focus on the one I am called to enjoy, even while flies buzz around me.

I know that’s easier said than done, but our sanity (not to mention our ministry) is at stake. We must become those who are skilled at enjoying God, even in these moments. Sure we have to address the flies, but that is always something we do while not forsaking the primary thing in front of us…enjoying God.

There is a foreground and a background and I cannot get them confused.

Again, this sounds simple but it puts our faith to the test. Do I trust God to be capable enough to deal with these flies if they don’t get my primary focus?

That was put to the test for us a few months ago. We had several new people want to attend our church. The only issue was that their attendance would require a brand new set of policies. I would need to meet with elders, make plans with staff, talk with insurance companies, write the policies, and field complaints…plenty of potential flies. Yet the path that God had for us clearly walked through all of these steps while we focused on enjoying God and loving people. There were flies, but the beauty of God and what He was doing was kept in the foreground.

If we’re going to be able to see beauty through the flies, we can’t just be task managers or problem solvers, we must always be those who enjoy God.

Psalm 119:37 (ESV): Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

What are the current flies that make it hard for us to appreciate the beauty of what God is doing?

How do we manage to have longevity of health knowing that there will always be a swarm?

What is a telltale sign that you have allowed God to slip into the background and flies (fatigue, lack of motivation, sharpness towards others…) to take the foreground?