I had an interesting conversation with one of my closest friends tonight...She knows where I currently stand as far as dating goes. I'm not looking to play around. Playing with hearts is more than dangerous. She told me that she fears that I'm setting my sights too high and in aiming for the future, I'm only going to get disappointed.
I get where she is coming from as an unbeliever. But I have to look to scripture. If my entire life is supposed to be a living sacrifice to God, then that definitely includes who I will eventually date. I want a man after God's heart. I've seen what this looks like. I know that it is real. And I know what a life looks like that is thoroughly pursuing God.
Lately, my church has been going through a series on relationships, and I could not agree more with what has been said. If you don't marry someone who is sold out for God, then you are probably going to miss a lot of what God is calling you to. And yes, I refuse to settle for someone who isn't sold out for God. Because I should be just as much in love with Christ. He must be both of our first priority. So when I get told that I'm setting my sights too high or that aiming for the future is going to let me down, I have to remember to go back to what God has said and what He has called me to. We are put on this earth for His purpose, glory, and praise. I don't want any aspect of my life to be do anything less than do those three things.
Oh God, teach me Your ways...
Psalm 25:4-5
Monday, February 27, 2012
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Just Livin Life
Busyness, hectic, chaotic, stressful...Have you ever noticed how much these words describe our lives? Or rather how much we use these words to describe our own lives? But when I look back at the way Jesus lived when he walked the earth, I don't see those words describing his life. We are called to be like Jesus, to walk the way that he walked. But so often, we get caught up in the "every day" or the "hustle and bustle" of just going through our time on this earth. Here's what Pastor Chad from Red Rocks had to say this past Sunday:
"We are most ALIVE when we are fulfilling his purpose and will in our lives."
So, you're thinking, what's the difference between just living and actually being alive? (Some people will describe this the other way around...but it's the same concept as the difference between listening and hearing.) Pastor Chad described this as the fruits of the Spirit being perfected in us, in our very core when we are living exactly in God's will. You will never experience such joy, peace, patience, kindness, love, gentleness, or self-control as when you are right in the center of God's design for your life. I had an interesting conversation with my brother and his wife last summer about this concept. The reason for this is that we were made so that our lives would be pleasing and glorifying for God. That's why God made us. So when we live doing exactly that, we truly are alive.
But then there's also the flip-side of that too. When we are not living in this way, when we are distracted, we will not see this pattern in our lives. And let's face it, we all get distracted. That's called sin.
"For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins." Romans 3:22-25
Since I changed the focus of my life to living in a manner fully devoted to God and bringing him glory, I've definitely noticed some things. (And please hear my heart on this matter. This is not to boast in myself-for I am very much a sinner-but rather to give glory to God for his work in my life.) It seems that when I ask how someone is doing (and especially up here how school is), I will typically get a melancholy or depressed answer...even from fellow believers. This has disturbed me greatly. Then I noticed something about my life. Of course I still have my days where I'm distracted or torn down by things around me or even myself. But my answer when people ask about my life is honestly that life is good. And I don't mean that in the passing sense of "Oh good good." But I mean that my life is truly good. And it is due to the grace of God. It has nothing to do with me. You see, it goes back to what I said before; when we are living our lives as a living sacrifice for our God, then there is this overwhelming joy that flows from us into those around us.
It makes me continue to want to live my life for God. Not for my own sake, but because it glorifies our Father, and because something like joy in such a dark place is a huge testimony for his kingdom.
"We are most ALIVE when we are fulfilling his purpose and will in our lives."
So, you're thinking, what's the difference between just living and actually being alive? (Some people will describe this the other way around...but it's the same concept as the difference between listening and hearing.) Pastor Chad described this as the fruits of the Spirit being perfected in us, in our very core when we are living exactly in God's will. You will never experience such joy, peace, patience, kindness, love, gentleness, or self-control as when you are right in the center of God's design for your life. I had an interesting conversation with my brother and his wife last summer about this concept. The reason for this is that we were made so that our lives would be pleasing and glorifying for God. That's why God made us. So when we live doing exactly that, we truly are alive.
But then there's also the flip-side of that too. When we are not living in this way, when we are distracted, we will not see this pattern in our lives. And let's face it, we all get distracted. That's called sin.
"For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins." Romans 3:22-25
Since I changed the focus of my life to living in a manner fully devoted to God and bringing him glory, I've definitely noticed some things. (And please hear my heart on this matter. This is not to boast in myself-for I am very much a sinner-but rather to give glory to God for his work in my life.) It seems that when I ask how someone is doing (and especially up here how school is), I will typically get a melancholy or depressed answer...even from fellow believers. This has disturbed me greatly. Then I noticed something about my life. Of course I still have my days where I'm distracted or torn down by things around me or even myself. But my answer when people ask about my life is honestly that life is good. And I don't mean that in the passing sense of "Oh good good." But I mean that my life is truly good. And it is due to the grace of God. It has nothing to do with me. You see, it goes back to what I said before; when we are living our lives as a living sacrifice for our God, then there is this overwhelming joy that flows from us into those around us.
It makes me continue to want to live my life for God. Not for my own sake, but because it glorifies our Father, and because something like joy in such a dark place is a huge testimony for his kingdom.
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