Thankful for a God Who Lives
Tonight I had a great conversation with a friend who doesn't believe in God. We talked about hardships and some of the darker parts to our lives, and I proudly proceeded to tell Him that God is the only way I get out of hardships, period.
And for the record, I meant it.
But as I dropped him off and was driving away, I couldn't help but think about how STUPID I must have sounded to him. To someone who doesn't understand Who Jesus is or how He works in my life, I probably sounded like a mindless, thoughtless dreamer. "God gets me through hard times! He is the only Hope I have!"
It probably sounded like I was just blindly repeating back the Christian rhetoric that is taught- like a one of those parrot stuffed animals with the recording box inside. "God is all you need! God fixes everything! Jesus is the answer!"
And the Truth is, God is all I need. He can fix everything. Jesus IS the answer. I believe these things, not because they're lyrics from popular Christian songs but because I've seen firsthand the effect that following a LIVING God can have on someone's life. I know that a true, working relationship with your Creator can change you. It can cause you to value things the world doesn't, and to have your eyes set not on worldly things but an Eternal Hope that transcends understanding. It causes you to love the people society pushes away-- mocks, even. It causes you do some "crazy" things, by the world's standards, because when God is ALIVE inside of you and the Spirit is moving, God can move mountains.
The problem is, we are a people who boldly worship and proclaim the name of a God that seemingly does absolutely nothing in our lives. We look just like everyone else. We talk like everyone else. We curse the names of politicians and our neighbors and our own family members like the rest of the world does. We gossip and slander and cheat and steal and I'm not even for a minute saying that Christians should be "perfect," but shouldn't we at least live differently? Shouldn't we try to follow a living God instead of proclaim His name and then live as if He's just another admirable historical figure?
It's all too easy to fall into the trap of complacency. The hardest thing to master (if mastering this thing is even achievable on earth) is to deliberately choose to follow God's lead, and then make that decision over and over and over again. Forever. Every day. In every situation. I'm still trying to figure out how to do that, and even though sin gets in the way every step of the way, I must choose. I must choose to turn away and turn towards my Eternal Hope. Every single time.
And I get it-- It's easy to live and forget Who you're living for but it's SO SO GOOD to be living alongside Jesus Christ! Your life transforms into ways I can't even describe... you know you're working for a greater purpose and you get to see, each and every day, what it means to love the way Jesus loves. It's glorious.
I'm just so frustrated when we forget how great it is and forget that daily (hourly) choice we must make. I'm frustrated because without lives that are proof of a LIVING God, the world just sees a bunch of brainwashed cult members, repeating mantras that mean little to nothing to them. Faith is great but who do you believe in?
If it's the same God I follow, then I pray you would be filled with hope as you follow the Living God. May he direct your paths and change you to make you more like Him. May you be forced to flip things upside down like Jesus did- loving instead of hating, and giving instead of passing by. May you trust in Him when you make decisions and listen for His Spirit as you engage a broken world.
Peace be with you.
And for the record, I meant it.
But as I dropped him off and was driving away, I couldn't help but think about how STUPID I must have sounded to him. To someone who doesn't understand Who Jesus is or how He works in my life, I probably sounded like a mindless, thoughtless dreamer. "God gets me through hard times! He is the only Hope I have!"
It probably sounded like I was just blindly repeating back the Christian rhetoric that is taught- like a one of those parrot stuffed animals with the recording box inside. "God is all you need! God fixes everything! Jesus is the answer!"
And the Truth is, God is all I need. He can fix everything. Jesus IS the answer. I believe these things, not because they're lyrics from popular Christian songs but because I've seen firsthand the effect that following a LIVING God can have on someone's life. I know that a true, working relationship with your Creator can change you. It can cause you to value things the world doesn't, and to have your eyes set not on worldly things but an Eternal Hope that transcends understanding. It causes you to love the people society pushes away-- mocks, even. It causes you do some "crazy" things, by the world's standards, because when God is ALIVE inside of you and the Spirit is moving, God can move mountains.
The problem is, we are a people who boldly worship and proclaim the name of a God that seemingly does absolutely nothing in our lives. We look just like everyone else. We talk like everyone else. We curse the names of politicians and our neighbors and our own family members like the rest of the world does. We gossip and slander and cheat and steal and I'm not even for a minute saying that Christians should be "perfect," but shouldn't we at least live differently? Shouldn't we try to follow a living God instead of proclaim His name and then live as if He's just another admirable historical figure?
It's all too easy to fall into the trap of complacency. The hardest thing to master (if mastering this thing is even achievable on earth) is to deliberately choose to follow God's lead, and then make that decision over and over and over again. Forever. Every day. In every situation. I'm still trying to figure out how to do that, and even though sin gets in the way every step of the way, I must choose. I must choose to turn away and turn towards my Eternal Hope. Every single time.
And I get it-- It's easy to live and forget Who you're living for but it's SO SO GOOD to be living alongside Jesus Christ! Your life transforms into ways I can't even describe... you know you're working for a greater purpose and you get to see, each and every day, what it means to love the way Jesus loves. It's glorious.
I'm just so frustrated when we forget how great it is and forget that daily (hourly) choice we must make. I'm frustrated because without lives that are proof of a LIVING God, the world just sees a bunch of brainwashed cult members, repeating mantras that mean little to nothing to them. Faith is great but who do you believe in?
If it's the same God I follow, then I pray you would be filled with hope as you follow the Living God. May he direct your paths and change you to make you more like Him. May you be forced to flip things upside down like Jesus did- loving instead of hating, and giving instead of passing by. May you trust in Him when you make decisions and listen for His Spirit as you engage a broken world.
Peace be with you.
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