Saturday, November 20, 2010

Comfort

Things happen. A lot. People get sick. We fight with our parents. We lose friends, family members. It happens. And when it does, we feel like our world is crashing down around us.

You have a fight with your best friend and you guys stop talking. It rips you apart and you feel like your heart is broken. Or you and your boyfriend/girlfriend break up and you're crushed.

Most of the time, we look at those situations and it's miserable. Being Christians, we know we're supposed to be okay be assured that God is going to work all things out. But when you're in that situation, it's not so easy to do.

You feel hopeless and lost.

Romans 8:28 says
"And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." (NIV)

Most people look at this and say 'yeah, God is going to make something good out of this because I'm a Christian and I love Him.' But people ignore the last part of the verse.

"...who have been called according to His purpose."

Yes, something good will come out of whatever situation you find yourself in. But, more than that, it's all in God's plan. We have a purpose from Him. Specifically designed for each of us individually.

Everything that happens, it grows us. It defines our testimony, and it pushes us closer to the purpose He has for us. When someone walks out of your life, it's because someone else is going to walk in it and that will be a part of the purpose He has for you.

Yes, it'll all work out for your good. But, I think, more importantly, you can take comfort in knowing that, not only is God's hand in your situation, but it's guiding your situation. Drawing you nearer to Him and to the purpose He has for your life.

--Brittinni

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Reverse Pride

There are countless verses in the Bible about pride; about the dangers of it and how God hates it (Prov. 6:16-17). Now, we are always so quick to recognize pride and point it out in others and occasionally ourselves, but I think we often forget that the essence of pride is simple self-centeredness.

Pride is generally assumed to be thinking too highly of one's self, and there is a fine line that we have to walk between thinking too much of ourselves and thinking too little.

We have to find our identity in Christ and realize that we really aren't worth anything, but at the same time He sees us as invaluable.

But when we focus too much on how we aren't really worth anything, and we believe the lies of the enemy trying to tell us that we will never accomplish anything and God can't use us, we lose any confidence and self-esteem we may have had.

That seems a bit obvious, but what we don't always see is that low self-esteem and insecurity is the same thing as pride. It's still a form of self-centeredness. You still are thinking only about yourself, even if it is in thinking that you are worthless and God will never be able to use you, or the things you have done are to terrible for Him to save you.

Honestly, the only reason I even mention this is it's been a lesson that God has been teaching me. I am usually one that suffers from pride but God opened my eyes to it years ago while I was performing one Sunday morning. After that, I quit singing and tried to focus solely on God. Since then, I have not performed on a stage. That was over three years ago.

The whole situation caused me to be very cautious when it comes to pride, but I never realized that it opened me up to 'reverse pride'. In trying so hard to stay humble and awed at the thought and presence of the Lord, I lost my sense of worth in Him and started to believe the lies of the enemy, who pointed out my flaws and mistakes I made, telling me God could never forgive me.

But that is a lie. Pure and simple.

The Bible tells us that He sees us as priceless treasures. At the same time, it also says that there is none righteous, no not one.

If we look entirely to Him, keep our focus on Him alone and realize that there is nothing else in this world or beyond it that matters at all, then we won't have to worry about walking the fine line between thinking too much of ourselves or too little. It will all just fall in line.

-Brittinni

Friday, November 5, 2010

Focus Where It Should Be

Psalm 1:1-6 (GW)

(1)Blessed is the person who does not follow the advice of wicked people, take the path of sinners, or join the company of mockers. (2) Rather, he delights in the teachings of the LORD and reflects on his teachings day and night. (3) He is like a tree planted beside streams- a tree that produces fruit in season and whose leaves do not wither. He succeeds in everything he does. (4) Wicked people are not like that. Instead, they are like husks that the wind blows away. (5) That is why wicked people will not be able to stand in the judgment and sinners will not be able to stand where righteous people gather. (6) The LORD knows the way of righteous people, but the way of wicked people will end.

I noticed a little while ago that a few kids are saying that there is no way that God asks us to only think about Him and pray to Him and read our Bibles.

It's true that it's unrealistic for leaders/pastors/etc. to expect that of anyone, but ideally, that IS what God asks from us. He wants our total devotion. The Psalmist describes a man who "delights in the teaching of the LORD and reflects on his teachings day and night."

This is who we're supposed to desire to be. We are called to seek to be Christ-like in all that we do. Our thoughts, words, and actions need to be glorifying to God. Our focus should be on Him at all times.

The funny thing is, if we can manage to do this (which is a hard thing and is only accomplished when we fight past our flesh, and even then it's easy to slip up), you start to notice that the temptations that come into your life are suddenly easier to walk away from.

Being in a car or room with your girlfriend/boyfriend alone becomes a little uncomfortable. That music on the radio starts to seem a little obscene and dirty and, rather than just turning it down when curse words come on, you feel like turning it off.

God wants to be first in our lives. Yes, we fail and we make mistakes and we get distracted. But, more often than that, we deliberately put Him on the sidelines. We think 'oh I went to youth tonight, I don't have to read, worship, and pray tonight. I got my fill.' And the next night it's a little easier to just skip out on it, and soon it's a fight to get into the Word and to pray and worship on our own.

But that's not how it has to be. We can think only on Him, pray to Him without ceasing (1 Thes. 5:17), and reflect on His Word day and night.

It's hard but it's not impossible, so be encouraged!!

-Brittinni