These questions have been on my mind For a few months. And I have come to one simple conclusion::
Without a solid guiding force to lean on, life can be confusing.
We look to other humans for self worth, acceptance, love, understanding and comfort. And when that doesn't work, because humanity is flawed, we turn to activities and worldy things. Or. Ice versa, we try things first & then we try relationships. Buying stuff will fill the void in our lives. Doing what other people are doing will make us happy. Following the masses will bring us to a place of contentment. People can't see how wrong the world's ideas are because they are looking at life through a dirty lense. They see what they want to see. And they ignore the evil around them. We ignore the evil around us. I've done it.
It is easy to get caught up in the world. The world tells you, stuff will make you happy. It tells you, Spending your money on new shoes and fancy baby accessories will fill the mile wide gap in your heart. Our society pushes us to one up each othe & To go out and buy the latest and greatest THING.
Not happy?
Maybe a new car will solve that lack of happiness?
Still not happy?
Maybe if you change your hair color you will be happy?
Still not happy?
Perhaps, wearing the latest fashions will fill your heart's desires?
Still not happy?
Perhaps, you aren't doing fun things. Go out and party. That should help.
Didn't help!?
Try it again.
And again.
Oh heck, try it one more time.
Just keep doing everything others are doing. It may only be temporary but you will feel better in the moment. And as soon as you start to feel unhappy, buy a new outfit and go out with your friends. Or better yet, a relationship will make you happy. That ONE PERSON will solve all your problems. Put all of your love and faith in the hands of another human being. They will never let you down. They will never make mistakes or hurt you.
It is so apparent how NOT true ^ that is.
People will hurt you.
Things will not make you happy.
REALITY CHECK!
The only guarantee we have in this life doesn't have anything to do with what the world says. The world will lie to you.
We have to be sure we KNOW who we put our trust in.
Jesus said, he will never leave us not forsake us!
God knows the deepest darkest parts of us & He loves us anyways.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8
^ That is one of my favorite Bible verses.
It reminds me of how VAST God's love is and how deep his arms of Grace reach. They reach farther than we can imagine. They hold the world!
It isn't about how often we attend church or what service we perform at church. It is about our hearts. It is about MY HEART. When I wake up in the morning, am I thankful? Am I mindful of God's love and do I show that love to those around me? Or, am I so caught up in appearances and the latest fad or what celebrities are doing or what happened on Teen Mom (by the way I don't watch it I've just been seeing advertisements EVERYWHERE) that I miss out on what God has in store for my life and my family? We all have temptations. They aren't the same. But the attitude in our heart is the same. We want to leave God out and do things our own way. Or we say, well this one thing isn't that bad, it doesn't hurt anyone else. We justify our choices to others and to ourselves and even to God Himself.
I don't want to get so caught up in what others think that I lose sight of what is important. The car I drive, the house I have, the clothes I wear, the job I work, the toys Elijah has, etc. NONE of that is important.
What is important?
Staying healthy. And for me it doesn't just mean eating right. I have to stay healthy in mind, body and spirit. I have to dig into my Bible. Daily plugging in to God's word. Letting it permeate my soul and allowing it's truth to wash over my heart. I have to listen to some good Jesus music. It always sets my mind at ease and pulls me down to earth while keeping my eyes on Jesus.
I do this in many different ways. Today, I am focusing on Romans 5:8. Throughout the day, I contemplate what it means. I go look up what other theologians have to say about it. Most importantly, I meditate on it in my heart and mind.
Ghis morning my contemplating lead me to this::
God didn't send Jesus to die on the cross AFTER mankind had repented and apologized and finished their check list of good deeds. God made a plan to save us BEFORE we ever stopped our bad behaviors. God sent Jesus to earth while we were YET sinners. While we were still actively sinning. (When I say we, I mean humankind as a collective.) The fact that it isn't up to us to make ourselves righteous and holy, lifts a big weight off of our shoulders. There is no magic set of steps to holiness. We can't ever be good enough apart from Christ Jesus. And when we mess up, simply repent to God and instantly you are made white as snow! There isn't a process or a long list of duties. You don't have to go telling everyone of your sins. It is good to have someone to hold you accountable. But it should be someone who loves Jesus and loves you. But repentance itself is a very simple process.
Believe in Jesus and what He did on the cross.
Repent
Forgiven
Walk in the light as He is in the light
Any sins can all be washed away in an instant.
Then we are free to continue::
to fight the good fight.
To mend broken relationships.
To share Jesus with the world.
To forgive.
To give grace to the undeserving.
God is Holy. He alone is Holy.
We strive to be like Jesus and HIS holiness rubs off on us.
That is my ultimate heart's desire.
I want to be like Jesus.
Like Jesus
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.” Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ “Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.” Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered: “Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, The houses are without a man, The land is utterly desolate, The Lord has removed men far away, And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. But yet a tenth will be in it, And will return and be for consuming, As a terebinth tree or as an oak, Whose stump remains when it is cut down. So the holy seed shall be its stump.” (Isaiah 6:1-13 NKJV)
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