Something From Nothing...
This past week i've come to the very real realization how absolutely LAME life is without Christ. Maybe you're thinking like WHAT!? ...don't freak out...most probably, i am even more in love with Christ today than ever. However, let's just say my week was very "dry." There were no insightful revelations that bring me hope and wisdom...or prophetic moments that both encourage and terrorize my soul...or moments of tears in prayer that i have come to love and hate. It was just - dry.
Secretly, i think i knew all week why my times with Jesus were not rich...i stayed away from very pointed or directed scripture addressing sin, direction on behavior in the life of a believer, or our attitude towards others, etc ...anything dealing with me and my attitude/behavior, anything that didn't force me to take a look inside myself, anything that didn't force me to want to change/correct another weakness/failure in my life. Main focus was on God, how awesome He is, His glory, His greatness...you know - HIM (i simply cannot get enough).
Unfortunately, b/c i'm a human that struggles with insecurities, i often find myself comparing myself with others. So as i was reading about the life of our Lord, i couldn't help but compare myself to Jesus and His example on this earth and OH BOY do i not even measure up! This kind of left me feeling a bit hopeless...like there is NO WAY that i will ever get there, and yet we are to strive to follow in His steps? COME ON! Seriously? This is impossible!
...Let me tell you, this summer - i have never been more sick of being the "nice one," cleaning up after other people's messes, forgiving and not complaining, stepping in the middle to be the peace-maker, hearing rejection after rejection and still going the extra mile EVER FREAKN DAY! Every minute of the day my whole body screams to just STOP! -to give in to the way of this world and the attractive "laziness" and the enticing "mediocre" -to stop striving to stand up for the convictions of integrity in my heart, the powerful truth of God's Word, and the testimony of a life changed by God - to stop pushing past my physical and mental limits of patience and endurance - to stop insisting on serving when i hate the task before me - to give up loving the unlovable - to stop smiling when every circumstance around me says not to.
...*sigh*
These thoughts tempt me. Everyday. And if i didn't have hope in Christ...my life would be LAME (and, seriously, not even worth living). HOWEVER! GOOD NEWS - I AM A NEW CREATION! I HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT INSIDE OF ME! I CAN BATTLE THE LIES OF THE devil WITH GOD'S TRUTH! I CAN STAND IN THE CONFIDENCE OF WHO I AM IN CHRIST!
My friends, The battle is heavy...so many times the battle is more "mental" than "physical." STAND STRONG. GO STRONG. AND FINISH STRONG.
"For the Lord God will help Me; therefore i will not be disgraced; therefore i have set my face like a flint, and i know that i will not be ashamed." Isaiah 50:7
"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before hand that we should walk in them." Eph 2:10
Have i forgotten that i am a slave to righteousness? God has pulled me out of the bondage under which i once lived - in fact He PURCHASED my soul! And now i serve a new master. Should i be shocked then that i have responsibility and "work" that has been prepared for me? No.
In fact, i SHOULD be shocked by the ease of which i can do it, by the peace that surpasses all understanding, by the rest of my soul knowing that someone else is carrying my burdens, by the delight of sharing in the work of my Master and the inheritance of the saints! It is not a heavy load that Christ has given us. It is a joy! And there is NO GREATER joy in life than being a bond servant of our King and serving with gladness our Most High God. Though at times, the task before me may seem overwhelming, it is in Christ that i find my strength to keep pressing forward. I pray that you find that same strength :)
Secretly, i think i knew all week why my times with Jesus were not rich...i stayed away from very pointed or directed scripture addressing sin, direction on behavior in the life of a believer, or our attitude towards others, etc ...anything dealing with me and my attitude/behavior, anything that didn't force me to take a look inside myself, anything that didn't force me to want to change/correct another weakness/failure in my life. Main focus was on God, how awesome He is, His glory, His greatness...you know - HIM (i simply cannot get enough).
Unfortunately, b/c i'm a human that struggles with insecurities, i often find myself comparing myself with others. So as i was reading about the life of our Lord, i couldn't help but compare myself to Jesus and His example on this earth and OH BOY do i not even measure up! This kind of left me feeling a bit hopeless...like there is NO WAY that i will ever get there, and yet we are to strive to follow in His steps? COME ON! Seriously? This is impossible!
...Let me tell you, this summer - i have never been more sick of being the "nice one," cleaning up after other people's messes, forgiving and not complaining, stepping in the middle to be the peace-maker, hearing rejection after rejection and still going the extra mile EVER FREAKN DAY! Every minute of the day my whole body screams to just STOP! -to give in to the way of this world and the attractive "laziness" and the enticing "mediocre" -to stop striving to stand up for the convictions of integrity in my heart, the powerful truth of God's Word, and the testimony of a life changed by God - to stop pushing past my physical and mental limits of patience and endurance - to stop insisting on serving when i hate the task before me - to give up loving the unlovable - to stop smiling when every circumstance around me says not to.
...*sigh*
These thoughts tempt me. Everyday. And if i didn't have hope in Christ...my life would be LAME (and, seriously, not even worth living). HOWEVER! GOOD NEWS - I AM A NEW CREATION! I HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT INSIDE OF ME! I CAN BATTLE THE LIES OF THE devil WITH GOD'S TRUTH! I CAN STAND IN THE CONFIDENCE OF WHO I AM IN CHRIST!
My friends, The battle is heavy...so many times the battle is more "mental" than "physical." STAND STRONG. GO STRONG. AND FINISH STRONG.
"For the Lord God will help Me; therefore i will not be disgraced; therefore i have set my face like a flint, and i know that i will not be ashamed." Isaiah 50:7
"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before hand that we should walk in them." Eph 2:10
Have i forgotten that i am a slave to righteousness? God has pulled me out of the bondage under which i once lived - in fact He PURCHASED my soul! And now i serve a new master. Should i be shocked then that i have responsibility and "work" that has been prepared for me? No.
In fact, i SHOULD be shocked by the ease of which i can do it, by the peace that surpasses all understanding, by the rest of my soul knowing that someone else is carrying my burdens, by the delight of sharing in the work of my Master and the inheritance of the saints! It is not a heavy load that Christ has given us. It is a joy! And there is NO GREATER joy in life than being a bond servant of our King and serving with gladness our Most High God. Though at times, the task before me may seem overwhelming, it is in Christ that i find my strength to keep pressing forward. I pray that you find that same strength :)
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