WHAT IN THE WORLD!
Sunday’s Monday
From an opened minded Christian view, it is not really that difficult to figure out why so many people today are confused about their belief in Jesus. They see seasoned Christians in a daily struggle to simply maintain a status quo with the savior of their soul. I have wrestled with this subject for years, trying to find a suitable answer for why I perceive it to be so hard. Where is the struggle coming from and/or what am I doing wrong? To answer these questions for “my life,” and satisfy my mind, I started looking into my belief system knowing that what I truly believe is controlling everything I do. For example: if you believe the pot is hot, you will not pick it up no matter what you read or are told, you will not grab that pot until you totally believe it will not hurt you.
I asked myself where is this struggle coming from and came up with a one-word answer; ME! I’m the one with free will and therein lies the problem. My lazy flesh knows my every weakness and uses them to entice my sinful nature to stray from the will of God. As is written in Romans 8:5 (ESV), For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. Ergo there is self-applied pressure to be right in every decision and action, for me to maintain a right relationship with God. God doesn’t want this, and I don’t need it! In speaking about this with Jesus, He gave me several areas of contempt to explore; 1- not operating in God’s will; 2- subconsciously thinking I’m smarter than God; 3- settling for religion over God’s will. These seem to be the main streets of struggle, sleeplessness, and anxiety in my life.
As par for my course, I wasn’t sure of where to start because of my limited understanding. However, when I went to Jesus with my quandary, He led me in meditation to clear my mind of the years of wrong thinking and get as much of ME out of the way as humanly possible. Then we talked, as I felt I needed His wisdom applied to my fallibilities to ever find clarity in the answers He supplied. I feel He gave me a one-word answer for all three situations: “SURRENDER!”. Look at Galatians 2:20 (ESV), I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I belong to Him!
Speaking for myself number 2 is my true thorn because I haven’t fully learned the art of patience. I know in my heart that God is working things out, but I was always the I want it now kid which makes it so easy to slip into the mindset that I should have it now. There are times I don’t wait and those usually bring less than desirable results, however, every time I turn to Jesus before doing something stupid, I enjoy the overall outcome. So, I’m still a work in process in that area but it doesn’t make my life of living for Him hard. The well-known secret to understanding this is found in Luke 9:23 (ESV), And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Daily, is the spiritual key to Christian success. When I take up His cross (will and way) daily, I lay down my agenda and become a blank page for Him to log His plans on, and at that point, my flesh is just along for the ride.
My biggest fear in being a Christian is most definitely number three, settling for religion over following Jesus. I spend more time in thought and meditation on this situation than any other. The body of Christ is filled with those I’m doing, or I’ve done enough type of Christians. They completely ignore Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV), 12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. The only mental and physical comfort found when running a race is at the finish line. We must guard against our flesh seeking that false sense of comfort. Enforce those daily meetings with Jesus, seeking His agenda.
Father God, I pray your word over all our readers, Philippians 2:12-13 (ESV), 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. May your will be ours while in this world, to be our door to you! Amen
HAVE A BLESSED WEEK BY BEING A BLESSING TO OTHERS!
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