So, I've been struggling. A lot. Usually I write a new post because God has given me some sort of new insight or answer to a problem I've been having, but I deal with a lot of things that I don't have fresh, new insights for. Many times, it's the same thing over and over again, and it's painful.
Life is sometimes really painful. I haven't experienced pain near what other people have - but I can still testify to the fact that everyone knows: life is painful. It's not always painful; there are really good times. Those times can last for years and years. But there are also really bad times. And those seem to go on for (it feels like) ever.
But you know what I realized as I was struggling this time? This time that has gone on for months, but has seemed to last forever?
It's temporary.
Yeah. The pain? That's temporary. Not to be replaced with more pain, but to be replaced with glory.
Mhm. Glory. And good. And Jesus.
Although life is painful, life is temporary. And the pain is temporary. If you are a born-again Christian, your pain (however extreme) is temporary. Meaning, there will be an end to it.
It seems elementary, but it's easy to forget when you're right in the middle of some struggle. Can I say it again, since it feels so good to say? This pain is temporary.
But the Bible says it better than I do. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 says, "That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever."
"Small" troubles? That won't last "very long"? Uh, my troubles are big, and they've already lasted for long enough. That's my knee-jerk reaction to these verses. But, praise God, Paul wrote these verses because God had shown him a glimpse of the bigger picture.
Though the troubles we face in our life may last for years, that time is so short compared to the eternal glory that comes afterward. Though they may be painful beyond belief, they're small, and even 'light' compared to the enormous, beautiful, real glory that you're going to see a little later. I see it as a minute of pain for 100 years of happiness. That minute may be really intense, and it might really hurt during that time-period, but in the end, it's only a minute. And then it's over, never to return again. Because it was temporary.
In the end, life is painful. The struggle is real. But the struggle is also (one last time) temporary. You know what's not temporary? Jesus. And His glory. If you hold out in this minute of pain, you'll get to stay around for the lifetime of His glory. I'd say it's a good trade-off.
6.22.2013
4.19.2013
Light
I imagine if aliens do exist and are somehow watching our planet right now, they'd think we were pretty crazy.
We shoot each other. We stab each other. We blow each other up. What a world.
There seems to be a lot of darkness in the world lately. If it isn't a stabbing at my local community college, it's a huge earthquake overseas or a bombing on the other side of the country. There's a lot of darkness.
But there is also light. John 1:5 says, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it."
In tragic situations like these, there is always the light that shines out brightly, whether in the form of a schoolteacher giving her life for her students or group of teenagers traveling to another country to help give out provisions.
"Light" is not an ambiguous phrase referring to good deeds or goodness of heart. "The light" always refers to the goodness of God.
In the midst of terrible darkness, God is working. To Him, darkness is as bright as day - literally and figuratively. God has a plan in the midst of the darkness of the world. He says in Romans that "all things work together for the good of those who love Him". There is so much light.
He also promises to restore. There are so, so many verses in His word that talk about restoration (read Isaiah or the Psalms). But I love Isaiah 42:16 in particular: "I will brighten the darkness before them and smooth out the road ahead of them. Yes, I will indeed do these things; I will not forsake them." The Light will not forsake us.
Terrible things happen around us, but the light will remain. The Light is Jesus. He is not a historical figure who died 2,000 years ago; neither is He a vague, impersonal being. He is the ever-present, all-sufficient Son of God who is the constant Light in our dark world. All the "good deeds" and figurative "light" that we see amid the darkness stems from, I believe, God's goodness. He works through people and situations in these times to shine His Light.
There's a lot of darkness, and it's easy to get discouraged by it. But there's also a lot of light. And the darkness can never extinguish that Light.
We shoot each other. We stab each other. We blow each other up. What a world.
There seems to be a lot of darkness in the world lately. If it isn't a stabbing at my local community college, it's a huge earthquake overseas or a bombing on the other side of the country. There's a lot of darkness.
But there is also light. John 1:5 says, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it."
In tragic situations like these, there is always the light that shines out brightly, whether in the form of a schoolteacher giving her life for her students or group of teenagers traveling to another country to help give out provisions.
"Light" is not an ambiguous phrase referring to good deeds or goodness of heart. "The light" always refers to the goodness of God.
In the midst of terrible darkness, God is working. To Him, darkness is as bright as day - literally and figuratively. God has a plan in the midst of the darkness of the world. He says in Romans that "all things work together for the good of those who love Him". There is so much light.
He also promises to restore. There are so, so many verses in His word that talk about restoration (read Isaiah or the Psalms). But I love Isaiah 42:16 in particular: "I will brighten the darkness before them and smooth out the road ahead of them. Yes, I will indeed do these things; I will not forsake them." The Light will not forsake us.
Terrible things happen around us, but the light will remain. The Light is Jesus. He is not a historical figure who died 2,000 years ago; neither is He a vague, impersonal being. He is the ever-present, all-sufficient Son of God who is the constant Light in our dark world. All the "good deeds" and figurative "light" that we see amid the darkness stems from, I believe, God's goodness. He works through people and situations in these times to shine His Light.
There's a lot of darkness, and it's easy to get discouraged by it. But there's also a lot of light. And the darkness can never extinguish that Light.
3.14.2013
Untouchable
God's word is so good. People say that God's word is "alive" - I know this is true from my personal experience. Don't you love how you can read a particular passage ten times and pick up different things in it each time? God opens my eyes so much to certain things He's saying in certain verses - verses I've read for years, yet this time, with totally new insights.
I had one of these "lightbulb" moments with Psalm 91 recently, and I want to share it with you.
If you don't recall, Psalm 91 is the, "He will order his angels to protect you....they will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone..." chapter. The same one Satan so famously tempted Jesus with in the desert. Satan continues to use it today. It's a fantastic chapter, but, the way I see it, Satan can use it to make us doubt God, or not trust Him. A good portion of the chapter is about how we, as God's people, should not fear disease, wars, or anything else, because he will protect us, "though ten thousand are dying around you." That sounds awesome. But wait...what about all those wonderful Christians who have cancer? What about those who are struck by "the disaster that strikes in midday"? (Natural disasters, plane crashes, etc.) Where was God then? Wait a second...does God really protect His people?
Please keep reading, because I don't want to leave you with that. Honestly, this is what I always thought when I read this passage. I trust God and always have tried my best to do so, but every time I read this, I was confused, and sort of just ignored it. But my "lightbulb moment" was God's way of shifting my perspective on the verse. (Side note: it's funny and great how God sees things in our hearts that are unresolved, and without us even asking, He takes care of it.) We could take the verse the way I used to, and try to explain it away, but could it be that we've been interpreting it wrongly this whole time?
You should read the whole chapter, because it's great, but here's the chunk of it that I saw in a new way:
Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.
If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.
Disclaimer: You may have your own thoughts on this passage, and I respect that. My perspective is not the only perspective, or even the "correct" one. This is just the revelation I felt that I got. :)
Honestly, I am afraid of the "terrors of night" and the "disease that stalks in the darkness". So if I took this verse to heart and decided not to worry about them...would God really protect me from all of those? Here's the thing: I don't think this passage is saying that death and disease and calamity will never come to me. It says that "these evils will not touch you." These evils may touch my body, but because I am God's child and by virtue of the fact that I "live in the shelter of the Most High", they will never touch my soul.
This passage made a lot more sense to me when I realized that my soul is protected by God, and though a lot of terrible things may happen to my body, "no evil will conquer" me. My soul can never be taken by these things, because it's written in the Book of Life and can never be erased. I may be racked and shaken, but I will not be moved. These things may kill me on the outside, but they can't kill me on the inside. They cannot get to my heart and my spirit, because God protects me.
Rest in the shadow of the Most High. It's very hard sometimes to trust God in the midst of storms, but He will reward you if you do. Remember that this world is temporary. Your troubles are temporary, but God has given you an eternal soul. If you are a child of God, nothing you go through can take your identity away, or crush your soul. Your soul is untouchable.
"The Lord says, 'I will rescue those who love me, I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.'" (Psalm 91: 14-16)
I had one of these "lightbulb" moments with Psalm 91 recently, and I want to share it with you.
If you don't recall, Psalm 91 is the, "He will order his angels to protect you....they will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone..." chapter. The same one Satan so famously tempted Jesus with in the desert. Satan continues to use it today. It's a fantastic chapter, but, the way I see it, Satan can use it to make us doubt God, or not trust Him. A good portion of the chapter is about how we, as God's people, should not fear disease, wars, or anything else, because he will protect us, "though ten thousand are dying around you." That sounds awesome. But wait...what about all those wonderful Christians who have cancer? What about those who are struck by "the disaster that strikes in midday"? (Natural disasters, plane crashes, etc.) Where was God then? Wait a second...does God really protect His people?
Please keep reading, because I don't want to leave you with that. Honestly, this is what I always thought when I read this passage. I trust God and always have tried my best to do so, but every time I read this, I was confused, and sort of just ignored it. But my "lightbulb moment" was God's way of shifting my perspective on the verse. (Side note: it's funny and great how God sees things in our hearts that are unresolved, and without us even asking, He takes care of it.) We could take the verse the way I used to, and try to explain it away, but could it be that we've been interpreting it wrongly this whole time?
You should read the whole chapter, because it's great, but here's the chunk of it that I saw in a new way:
Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.
If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.
Disclaimer: You may have your own thoughts on this passage, and I respect that. My perspective is not the only perspective, or even the "correct" one. This is just the revelation I felt that I got. :)
Honestly, I am afraid of the "terrors of night" and the "disease that stalks in the darkness". So if I took this verse to heart and decided not to worry about them...would God really protect me from all of those? Here's the thing: I don't think this passage is saying that death and disease and calamity will never come to me. It says that "these evils will not touch you." These evils may touch my body, but because I am God's child and by virtue of the fact that I "live in the shelter of the Most High", they will never touch my soul.
This passage made a lot more sense to me when I realized that my soul is protected by God, and though a lot of terrible things may happen to my body, "no evil will conquer" me. My soul can never be taken by these things, because it's written in the Book of Life and can never be erased. I may be racked and shaken, but I will not be moved. These things may kill me on the outside, but they can't kill me on the inside. They cannot get to my heart and my spirit, because God protects me.
Rest in the shadow of the Most High. It's very hard sometimes to trust God in the midst of storms, but He will reward you if you do. Remember that this world is temporary. Your troubles are temporary, but God has given you an eternal soul. If you are a child of God, nothing you go through can take your identity away, or crush your soul. Your soul is untouchable.
"The Lord says, 'I will rescue those who love me, I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.'" (Psalm 91: 14-16)
2.16.2013
Encouragement Shpeel Pt. 2
I started out writing this post with a long introduction and all my thoughts leading up to what I wanted to say, but I really wanted to get to the point. So, without an interesting, quirky introduction or preface, here it is:
If you're a human being like me, you are probably struggling with something in your life right now. It could be big, it could be small. It could be small to others but big to you. I just wanted to remind you that God is a restorative God. If Satan's throwing something at you that's really hurting you (e.g. recurring sin, fear that keeps coming back, etc.), and you feel just broken down and torn up from it, you need to know that God has the power to restore you. Read this passage from Jeremiah 33:
"Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.’
“This is what the Lord says: ‘You say about this place, “It is a desolate waste, without people or animals.” Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted, inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord, saying,
“Give thanks to the Lord Almighty,
for the Lord is good;
his love endures forever.”
For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,’ says the Lord.
“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In this place, desolate and without people or animals—in all its towns there will again be pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks. In the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev, in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, flocks will again pass under the hand of the one who counts them,’ says the Lord."
If you're struggling with something, but feel like you're "getting better" with it, it's not enough. God's will is not that you get partially healed from something and just deal with the rest. He has big promises. "I will bring health and healing to [insert your name here]; I will heal her/him and will let her/him enjoy abundant peace and security." That's you. That's God's promise to you. He restores. He promised.
For me personally, I'm praying that God completely restores me, because He promised to. I love that later in the chapter, he says, "I would no more reject my people than I would change my laws that govern night and day, earth and sky." He won't reject you if you ask him. Restoration, from whatever it is, is coming.
If you're a human being like me, you are probably struggling with something in your life right now. It could be big, it could be small. It could be small to others but big to you. I just wanted to remind you that God is a restorative God. If Satan's throwing something at you that's really hurting you (e.g. recurring sin, fear that keeps coming back, etc.), and you feel just broken down and torn up from it, you need to know that God has the power to restore you. Read this passage from Jeremiah 33:
"Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.’
“This is what the Lord says: ‘You say about this place, “It is a desolate waste, without people or animals.” Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted, inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord, saying,
“Give thanks to the Lord Almighty,
for the Lord is good;
his love endures forever.”
For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,’ says the Lord.
“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In this place, desolate and without people or animals—in all its towns there will again be pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks. In the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev, in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, flocks will again pass under the hand of the one who counts them,’ says the Lord."
If you're struggling with something, but feel like you're "getting better" with it, it's not enough. God's will is not that you get partially healed from something and just deal with the rest. He has big promises. "I will bring health and healing to [insert your name here]; I will heal her/him and will let her/him enjoy abundant peace and security." That's you. That's God's promise to you. He restores. He promised.
For me personally, I'm praying that God completely restores me, because He promised to. I love that later in the chapter, he says, "I would no more reject my people than I would change my laws that govern night and day, earth and sky." He won't reject you if you ask him. Restoration, from whatever it is, is coming.
12.31.2012
A New Year
I've never really done any sort of "new year's" post or journal entry before, but this year, I wanted to take a little time to thank God for all His gifts to me in the past year and to declare and pray for blessings in the new year! I would just make this a journal entry, but honestly, I knew this would be long and writing for that long makes my wrist hurt. So it gets to be a blog post instead. ;)
I know everyone says this every year, but 2012 really flew by, didn't it? I still remember things from last January that still seem very new and fresh in my mind! On the other hand, there were times in 2012 that I wanted to go by quicker. Overall, though, I've been finding myself really valuing time this year. In the first half of the year, I had lots of fun times and did lots of things, then looked back and realize I didn't savor those moments long enough. There were some times that I wasn't really in the moment, though I would look back later and realize how precious it was. I've been trying lately to fully live in the time that I have and appreciate time more. God, please help me to live in every moment and appreciate it. Thank you, Lord, for the time that You've given me.
I had lots of new experiences this year, and (not trying to be conceited) I've seen myself mature a lot. As I mature more, I see more areas that need maturing, as well, but in the past year, God has taught me to be courageous and to get out of my comfort zone. Though doing that is extremely uncomfortable sometimes, it leads us to places that are so much better than where we were. For me, trying new things and becoming more independent is scary, but I am so very thankful that my God is with me every step of the way. (Deut. 31:8) In fact, He's one step ahead of me. He walks in front of me, holding my hand, and leading me forward. God, please help me to be so much more aware of Your presence with me this year. Thank you, Lord, for being with me every step of the way.
To be honest, I think I've become rather pessimistic this year. On the surface, 2012 was an amazing year for me - I had major success in debate, and did extremely well in my fall semester. When I look at 2012, though, I'm tempted to only remember the inner struggles that I faced in the year, because those seemed much more prominent. This year, I dealt with a lot of insecurities and fears. I had lots of doubts, and I remember having a lot of "dry times". There is so much hope, though. I am encouraged that God is intentional, and that He uses everything for our advantage and His glory. There is nothing that is wasted and nothing that is meaningless. Lord, in 2013, please open my eyes to Your ways and Your purposes. Please teach me to be positive and live with the hope that You've given me. Thank you, Lord, that everything in my life works into Your plan.
Very lately, God has been reminding me of who I am in Him. I have a royal identity, and so do you. You and I literally cannot imagine exactly how loved, accepted, and forgiven we are. I can imagine a lot of love, and acceptance, and forgiveness. But God's is still bigger - like what I can imagine times a billion, and then some. God wants us to keep our identities in front of us at all times, because the knowledge of who we are makes us confident and strong. Satan wants us to forget who we are so we're weak. He wants us to think that we have no defenses against him, and no right to even resist him. That's the biggest lie I've ever heard. God has taught me and reminded me in 2012 that I am a child of God, daughter of the King, and princess in the Kingdom of Heaven - heck yes I have a right to resist the devil! Father, please remind me of my identity even more this year. Lord, thank you for the identity You've given me!
Lastly, in 2012, God has taught me to truly appreciate family. I can honestly say that God has given me a love for my family that's directly from Him this year. In the past twelve months, I've enjoyed being with my parents (and extended family) more than ever, and I have realized that they are the biggest blessings He has given me. He's used that to show me just a glimpse of what His family is like, and when I think about how much love is just in my little family, I get such a thrill thinking about what God's whole family will look like one day when we're all together. I don't have any biological brothers or sisters, but God has sure compensated for that by giving me friends who have become brothers and sisters. I think the ability to make friends is an amazing thing. The phenomenon of two strangers meeting, and clicking, and deciding to become "friends" just leaves me in awe. And then some of them become family. You don't have to be especially outgoing or attractive to make a friend. God's given us all the ability and it makes me really happy. I sincerely love my family and my friends. Is there really any difference between the two? If you're reading this and I know you personally, thank you for being my friend, or my family, or both. I'm praying that God will give me the strength to love even more fully and much more selflessly in 2013. Thank you, Lord, for the people You've given me to love.
There is so, so much more that I could say, but this is already a long post and I'm getting tired. 2012 was a blessed year, but I declare that 2013 will be even better. Lord, please draw me deeper in Your love in 2013! Make me more like You! I am excited for the new experiences, new friends, and new memories that I'll find in 2013. May ALL the glory be given to God this new year.
Happy new year! It'll be a happy one indeed!
I know everyone says this every year, but 2012 really flew by, didn't it? I still remember things from last January that still seem very new and fresh in my mind! On the other hand, there were times in 2012 that I wanted to go by quicker. Overall, though, I've been finding myself really valuing time this year. In the first half of the year, I had lots of fun times and did lots of things, then looked back and realize I didn't savor those moments long enough. There were some times that I wasn't really in the moment, though I would look back later and realize how precious it was. I've been trying lately to fully live in the time that I have and appreciate time more. God, please help me to live in every moment and appreciate it. Thank you, Lord, for the time that You've given me.
I had lots of new experiences this year, and (not trying to be conceited) I've seen myself mature a lot. As I mature more, I see more areas that need maturing, as well, but in the past year, God has taught me to be courageous and to get out of my comfort zone. Though doing that is extremely uncomfortable sometimes, it leads us to places that are so much better than where we were. For me, trying new things and becoming more independent is scary, but I am so very thankful that my God is with me every step of the way. (Deut. 31:8) In fact, He's one step ahead of me. He walks in front of me, holding my hand, and leading me forward. God, please help me to be so much more aware of Your presence with me this year. Thank you, Lord, for being with me every step of the way.
To be honest, I think I've become rather pessimistic this year. On the surface, 2012 was an amazing year for me - I had major success in debate, and did extremely well in my fall semester. When I look at 2012, though, I'm tempted to only remember the inner struggles that I faced in the year, because those seemed much more prominent. This year, I dealt with a lot of insecurities and fears. I had lots of doubts, and I remember having a lot of "dry times". There is so much hope, though. I am encouraged that God is intentional, and that He uses everything for our advantage and His glory. There is nothing that is wasted and nothing that is meaningless. Lord, in 2013, please open my eyes to Your ways and Your purposes. Please teach me to be positive and live with the hope that You've given me. Thank you, Lord, that everything in my life works into Your plan.
Very lately, God has been reminding me of who I am in Him. I have a royal identity, and so do you. You and I literally cannot imagine exactly how loved, accepted, and forgiven we are. I can imagine a lot of love, and acceptance, and forgiveness. But God's is still bigger - like what I can imagine times a billion, and then some. God wants us to keep our identities in front of us at all times, because the knowledge of who we are makes us confident and strong. Satan wants us to forget who we are so we're weak. He wants us to think that we have no defenses against him, and no right to even resist him. That's the biggest lie I've ever heard. God has taught me and reminded me in 2012 that I am a child of God, daughter of the King, and princess in the Kingdom of Heaven - heck yes I have a right to resist the devil! Father, please remind me of my identity even more this year. Lord, thank you for the identity You've given me!
Lastly, in 2012, God has taught me to truly appreciate family. I can honestly say that God has given me a love for my family that's directly from Him this year. In the past twelve months, I've enjoyed being with my parents (and extended family) more than ever, and I have realized that they are the biggest blessings He has given me. He's used that to show me just a glimpse of what His family is like, and when I think about how much love is just in my little family, I get such a thrill thinking about what God's whole family will look like one day when we're all together. I don't have any biological brothers or sisters, but God has sure compensated for that by giving me friends who have become brothers and sisters. I think the ability to make friends is an amazing thing. The phenomenon of two strangers meeting, and clicking, and deciding to become "friends" just leaves me in awe. And then some of them become family. You don't have to be especially outgoing or attractive to make a friend. God's given us all the ability and it makes me really happy. I sincerely love my family and my friends. Is there really any difference between the two? If you're reading this and I know you personally, thank you for being my friend, or my family, or both. I'm praying that God will give me the strength to love even more fully and much more selflessly in 2013. Thank you, Lord, for the people You've given me to love.
There is so, so much more that I could say, but this is already a long post and I'm getting tired. 2012 was a blessed year, but I declare that 2013 will be even better. Lord, please draw me deeper in Your love in 2013! Make me more like You! I am excited for the new experiences, new friends, and new memories that I'll find in 2013. May ALL the glory be given to God this new year.
Happy new year! It'll be a happy one indeed!
11.13.2012
Walking the Talk
A couple days ago, I stumbled upon this on the Internet:
Usually I would be angered or offended by this, but this time, I agreed with it, and thought what a sad truth it spoke of. Now, there are some sound arguments that could be made against the mindset of this comic, but I think what it's trying to communicate is, sadly, what the world sees in a lot of Christians.
As illustrated in the picture, very often, the first thing that comes to peoples' minds when they think of Christianity is judgment. Hypocrisy. Hate.
Uh, wait, you mean like Christians who are supposed to be ambassadors of Christ?
How did we get like this? Don't we affectionately call our Bible God's "love letter" to us? Isn't the God we serve not just the God of love, but love itself? Doesn't our favorite verse, John 3:16, talk about how God so LOVED the world? The very same world who we judge, and who sees us as judgmental and hateful?
How have Christians come so far from showing love and living out the love of Christ..to doing the very opposite? For being known for hate? And judgment?
Now, I know the world will always have arguments against Christians. When we're not being judgmental, we're using God as a crutch, or we're just ignorant and foolish for believing what we do. Etc. However, I think the judgmental-ness of Christians is not totally unwarranted. There IS a lot of bad stuff in the world, and a whole lot of sin, and quite frankly, it is disgusting. But isn't one of our mottos, "Hate the sin, not the sinner"?
Truthfully, most of the Christians I know are really nice people. And there are lots of other Christians I don't know who are also really nice people. But I think in general, as a church and the body of Christ, we need to do a bit less judging and a bit more loving. Actually, a LOT more loving.
I think 1 Corinthians 4:20-21 sums it up beautifully: "For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God's power. Which do you choose? Should I come with a rod to punish you, or should I come with love and a gentle spirit?" What if all the Christians chose this as their life verse, and really lived it, especially in their interactions with non-Christians? What would happen? There will always be cynics in the world who will always find some argument against us. But I think overall, there would be much less hypocrisy and much less judgment going on.
I don't want to be just the exception, but if that's how it has to begin, so be it. Lord, start with me. Let me be the Christian that loves, and doesn't judge. Spirit, work through me and in me to love and become more like Jesus!
As illustrated in the picture, very often, the first thing that comes to peoples' minds when they think of Christianity is judgment. Hypocrisy. Hate.
Uh, wait, you mean like Christians who are supposed to be ambassadors of Christ?
How did we get like this? Don't we affectionately call our Bible God's "love letter" to us? Isn't the God we serve not just the God of love, but love itself? Doesn't our favorite verse, John 3:16, talk about how God so LOVED the world? The very same world who we judge, and who sees us as judgmental and hateful?
How have Christians come so far from showing love and living out the love of Christ..to doing the very opposite? For being known for hate? And judgment?
Now, I know the world will always have arguments against Christians. When we're not being judgmental, we're using God as a crutch, or we're just ignorant and foolish for believing what we do. Etc. However, I think the judgmental-ness of Christians is not totally unwarranted. There IS a lot of bad stuff in the world, and a whole lot of sin, and quite frankly, it is disgusting. But isn't one of our mottos, "Hate the sin, not the sinner"?
Truthfully, most of the Christians I know are really nice people. And there are lots of other Christians I don't know who are also really nice people. But I think in general, as a church and the body of Christ, we need to do a bit less judging and a bit more loving. Actually, a LOT more loving.
I think 1 Corinthians 4:20-21 sums it up beautifully: "For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God's power. Which do you choose? Should I come with a rod to punish you, or should I come with love and a gentle spirit?" What if all the Christians chose this as their life verse, and really lived it, especially in their interactions with non-Christians? What would happen? There will always be cynics in the world who will always find some argument against us. But I think overall, there would be much less hypocrisy and much less judgment going on.
I don't want to be just the exception, but if that's how it has to begin, so be it. Lord, start with me. Let me be the Christian that loves, and doesn't judge. Spirit, work through me and in me to love and become more like Jesus!
10.30.2012
The Greatest Treasure Hunt
Treasure hunting has always fascinated us. The map, the figuring out how to get there, the actual treasure, and the focus on that one thing - the earnest search for the treasure.
I have personally realized that knowing God and feeling His presence is the greatest treasure in the world. There is a hunt that has to come before we find this treasure, though. If you're anything like me, you know that being a Christian and knowing God is not a continual mountaintop experience - sometimes it's difficult to connect and see beyond your normal everyday routine. There are dry seasons, and there are seasons when you feel far away.
But we want the treasure all the time! Why is it so hard sometimes?
Honestly, I don't have a definitive answer for that. I do know that God leads us through dry seasons and teaching us as much through them as He does through the mountaintop experiences.
Thankfully, though, our God is very loving, and very merciful. When you're in a dry season, if you want to get out, search for Him - and you will find Him. Lamentations 3:25 says, "The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him."
I once heard someone say that when we feel lost, if we just make a motion to turn to God, He runs to us and fills the gap. He's that good. He says in Jeremiah 29:13, "If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you." God isn't going to play hide and seek with us. He isn't a god who's only available from 9 to 5. He is always standing there with arms open, waiting for you to come.
Dry seasons are hard. Whether it's because of sin, or doubt, or busyness, it's never fun. But God promises that if you search for Him, you will find Him. The treasure does exist, and it's right in front of you.
(Israel & New Breed, I Will Search http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHC1w2WKfgU)
I have personally realized that knowing God and feeling His presence is the greatest treasure in the world. There is a hunt that has to come before we find this treasure, though. If you're anything like me, you know that being a Christian and knowing God is not a continual mountaintop experience - sometimes it's difficult to connect and see beyond your normal everyday routine. There are dry seasons, and there are seasons when you feel far away.
But we want the treasure all the time! Why is it so hard sometimes?
Honestly, I don't have a definitive answer for that. I do know that God leads us through dry seasons and teaching us as much through them as He does through the mountaintop experiences.
Thankfully, though, our God is very loving, and very merciful. When you're in a dry season, if you want to get out, search for Him - and you will find Him. Lamentations 3:25 says, "The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him."
I once heard someone say that when we feel lost, if we just make a motion to turn to God, He runs to us and fills the gap. He's that good. He says in Jeremiah 29:13, "If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you." God isn't going to play hide and seek with us. He isn't a god who's only available from 9 to 5. He is always standing there with arms open, waiting for you to come.
Dry seasons are hard. Whether it's because of sin, or doubt, or busyness, it's never fun. But God promises that if you search for Him, you will find Him. The treasure does exist, and it's right in front of you.
(Israel & New Breed, I Will Search http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHC1w2WKfgU)
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