I’m a little down. There’s a lot going on right now, but instead of talking about the bad, I’m going to share with you what God is teaching me these days.
I have recently come to the realization that life is really not what you thought it was going to be. You can do all the dreaming, all the planning, and all the organizing you want. You can work hard to fulfill your goals, but if those goals aren’t in God’s plan, you can kiss them goodbye!
I have learned that I was a very materialistic person, and that I was full of pride. I thought I deserved all the best things, and that I should be treated like royalty.
God’s taking it all away. I’m quickly learning the meaning of being humble…
I had my priorities wrong. Even after I had become a Christian. Even after I had been filled with the Holy Spirit. Do you think it can not happen to you? Do you think that you are so high and mighty that God can not cause you to fall?
We all fall down. I’m quickly learning the meaning of depending ONLY on God…
There’s no job, no house, no person, and no amount of anything that will bring fulfillment. It is only Jesus that picks us up, dusts us off, and continues to love us. Yes, even now. Even after the things I have done, or haven’t done. When the world fails me, Jesus does not. Even now, when I feel abandoned, I know He is there.
Dying to flesh hurts. In fact, if someone would have told me that this was part of being a Christian, I might have been a little reluctant to join the club. However, I know there is someone bigger than me. I know that that someone was beaten and tortured, and nailed to a cross for me. Because of that, I owe my life to Him.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall
find it.” - Matthew 16:24-25 KJV
Even in the darkest times, there is peace in knowing that God is doing a work in me. I’m being transformed daily. No, it’s not easy. The bible never said it would be. The message that seems consistent in the bible, is that we are to give up everything to God. Everything is His, so we are to acknowledge that and be willing at anytime to sacrifice it to Him. When the rich man came to Jesus and asked what good thing he could do to receive eternal life (Matthew 19:16-23), Jesus tells him to sell everything, and to come follow Him. The bible says that the man left sad because he had such great possessions. He couldn’t do it!
Could you? Would you be ready at any time to give up everything? Look around your house right now at all of your possessions. Seriously, look around now! You see furniture, electronics, dishes, photos, pets, etc. Could you say goodbye to it all right now? In a split second?
If you easily said yes, then A) I admire you, or B) You’re not being honest with yourself. Until recently, giving up everything for God was a difficult concept for me to understand. Some might say, “Why would God do that? Doesn’t He want us to be blessed, and have nice things?” I think a lot of people are confusing what God wants with what they want. I have yet to find in the bible where it says that we are guaranteed to have money and nice things on earth. I see the word prosperity, and there is a lot of teaching on it in the church, but where does it say that God is going to prosper us financially?
I might be in the gutter right now, but I am prospering spiritually. God is taking it all away from me, but look at what I’m gaining? I’m being humbled, and I’m learning to trust in God. My mind is being renewed concerning the previous things that the world told me was important. I’m thankful for it all, because I know God is in control. I thank God for every suffering moment that He has let me experience. He’s got a better plan than me. It’s hard to understand because our ways are not His ways, but I do know that no matter how terrible my suffering might “feel”, it will never compare to what He did for me.
Well said! It’s not fun to take the road of brokenness and dying to self, but it’s required for continued Christian growth.
Take note of the Scripture that says Jesus “learned obedience from what He suffered”. (In Hebrews 5:7-9) If Jesus had to suffer (and was even led “by the Spirit” into the wilderness to be tempted), can we expect a different path?
Here in America, we’re definitely in a materialistic culture, and we’re all influenced more than we realize. Most of us expect luxuries such as cable, Internet, cell phones, etc., when we don’t need any of those things. We tend to value prosperity in how big a house we have and how much “bling” we have. But wouldn’t it be better to have joy unspeakable and peace beyond understanding and to walk in the power of God? Wouldn’t we rather bear much fruit for the Kingdom instead of accumulating much treasure in our house?
I know the Bible talks of prosperity, but I think it’s more for blessing others than for “living it up” by hoarding it and spending it all on ourselves.
Comment Submitted: November 25th, 2007 at 9:48 pm
Thanks for your comment! I think a lot of us have our priorities wrong, and I agree with you that we should be more concerned with bearing fruit for the Kingdom of God. We are very attached to our American way of living, but that could all be taken away at any moment. I believe if something doesn’t turn around in this country, that just might happen!
Comment Submitted: November 25th, 2007 at 10:57 pm
Yeah, I think most of us in America take our freedoms for granted, and many people never consider the idea that they could be lost in certain scenarios. And there are people in power (both in our country and outside of it) who are actively trying to destroy our freedoms. If we don’t stand up for our rights, our enemies will take them away. That’s why we must be informed of what’s going on, and we must vote for the right people (instead of just following the political party your parents followed).
Okay, I’ll stop now before I start ranting…
Comment Submitted: November 26th, 2007 at 9:59 pm