It seems to be few and far in between that I update my blog these days. So much has been going on and I've gotten lost in the mix. I'm not quite sure what happened exactly or how things got so tossed up, I wish I could say it happened suddenly. But we all know things don't just happen, there is some sort of storyline that plays up to the climax, or in my case the breaking point.
I compromised this week on something that should be uncompromisable. I think I understand now where Paul is coming from in Philippians when he talks about being an enemy of the cross. No one would ever knowingly admit that they're an enemy of the cross of Jesus Christ, I sure wouldn't. But my actions this week proved otherwise.
How is it that we get so caught up? So lost in the mix? So far off from the truth? From the one thing that is of the most importance and significance? It doesn't just happen overnight. You don't just wake up changed and walking in the wrong direction.
God is competing with so much for our attention. The sad thing is in comparison to the ONE TRUE LIVING GOD the competition is garbage. But for whatever reason we dress it up and spray it with perfume so it doesn't smell and look so bad and suddenly our image of God is distant, small, and left behind like an old toy waiting for the next garage sale. When in reality it should be the other way. Look at God, look at all He is in His glory...shouldn't we be the ones fighting for His time and attention? The crazy thing is, He freely and graciously gives it away and we still act as though we don't want to be bothered. We don't say it but we sure act like it.
How dare we treat Him like that. How dare I treat Him like that. Who am to I lessen my view of God and enlarge my view of what this world has to offer. And then sit back and wonder what happened and why things are going the way they are going for me.
I must be hard headed. I'm thanking God for his patience, because we seem to be going around the mountain a whole bunch with this one. I can't tell you how many times I've had to learn and be brought back to Matthew 6:33 'Seek first the kingdom of God and all else will be added unto you' the hard way. I so easily let other peoples opinions and influences affect me, when I need to be letting HIS influence affect me.
It is an honor and a privilege to be in His presence. He wants to talk to me way more than I express my interest in Him. That is stunning to me, after all I've done He still pursues me full force with passion and undying unending love.
What is pulling you away? What will it take for you to turn back around? What are you letting 'get by' that is bringing you to that compromising position? What are you waiting for?
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Oprah
Lots running through my mind the last few weeks. When you make bold statments about how you want to live your life-Expect challenges. Expect opposition. Expect others to disagree. Expect confrontation. Expect lonliness. Expect weird looks and comments.
The real question is...what do you do with what is right in front of you? Do you fall under pressure? Do you crumble when things don't turn out how you thought they would? Do you stop pressing in when things get hard? Do you stop looking for 'home' when you feel as if you've lost your way?
Following Jesus isn't meant to be complicated. But we complicate it, I myself am guilty of this, especially within the last month. The verse I've been meditating on today is Proverbs 3:6, 'Seek His will in all you do and He will show you which path to take'. The only reason I'm feeling lost is because I somewhere along the way decided I was a big girl and could pick my own path. I demanded my own way and protested that my way was better. I am humbly admitting I was wrong.
I have had no peace the last few weeks. Everything has turned into drama. Forget about a sound night of sleep. Why, you ask? Because I've been attempting to do it alone. We were never meant to live life alone...God created within us a deep passion for Him. No wonder all the other things I've sought out have been less than satisfying. I'm so thankful that it only took me three weeks this time, rather than six years to see that my way was not the best way.
All this brings me to the title of this post...this week at work I was having a conversation with the ladies I work with about something completely random and someone said, 'Well, Oprah said that...'It was something so ridiculous but because Oprah said it, well it must be true. Immediately I felt the Holy Spirit say, 'Sarah, do you believe me like that? Do you take my word for what is says as absolute and complete truth?'
How come we will believe a woman we don't even know before we will believe our Creator? Not many Christians you come in contact with would tell you that they don't believe what God has to say. But when you take a minute to examine your life, are you living like you believe it? We have to believe Him enough that it changes how we live.
'Worrying implies that we don't quite trust God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what's happening in our lives. Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, lack of grace toward others, or our tight grip of control. These two behaviors communicate that it's okay to sin and not trust God because the stuff in my life is somehow exceptional.' Crazy Love.
Who are you believing today? Who are you trusting? Man or God? Him who changes daily or Him who never changes?
The real question is...what do you do with what is right in front of you? Do you fall under pressure? Do you crumble when things don't turn out how you thought they would? Do you stop pressing in when things get hard? Do you stop looking for 'home' when you feel as if you've lost your way?
Following Jesus isn't meant to be complicated. But we complicate it, I myself am guilty of this, especially within the last month. The verse I've been meditating on today is Proverbs 3:6, 'Seek His will in all you do and He will show you which path to take'. The only reason I'm feeling lost is because I somewhere along the way decided I was a big girl and could pick my own path. I demanded my own way and protested that my way was better. I am humbly admitting I was wrong.
I have had no peace the last few weeks. Everything has turned into drama. Forget about a sound night of sleep. Why, you ask? Because I've been attempting to do it alone. We were never meant to live life alone...God created within us a deep passion for Him. No wonder all the other things I've sought out have been less than satisfying. I'm so thankful that it only took me three weeks this time, rather than six years to see that my way was not the best way.
All this brings me to the title of this post...this week at work I was having a conversation with the ladies I work with about something completely random and someone said, 'Well, Oprah said that...'It was something so ridiculous but because Oprah said it, well it must be true. Immediately I felt the Holy Spirit say, 'Sarah, do you believe me like that? Do you take my word for what is says as absolute and complete truth?'
How come we will believe a woman we don't even know before we will believe our Creator? Not many Christians you come in contact with would tell you that they don't believe what God has to say. But when you take a minute to examine your life, are you living like you believe it? We have to believe Him enough that it changes how we live.
'Worrying implies that we don't quite trust God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what's happening in our lives. Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, lack of grace toward others, or our tight grip of control. These two behaviors communicate that it's okay to sin and not trust God because the stuff in my life is somehow exceptional.' Crazy Love.
Who are you believing today? Who are you trusting? Man or God? Him who changes daily or Him who never changes?
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