My entire life I have looked at the world and seen black and white. Sinful nature vs. what is Christlike. The lines have always been drawn, clear and simple to me. I have surrounded myself with those that see very closely to the world that I see and it has allowed me to keep my mind clear and focused. My confidence in those I surround myself with is never wavering, as I know their intent is to always lead me to Christ.
Recently I have been challenged in my way of thinking and believing. So I decided to take a step back and question if the black and white I have seen my whole life is truly an accurate picture. Were the actions or choices that I believed un-Christ like really un-Christ like or just un-Christ like to me?
All of a sudden my life became grey! My head was spinning with confusion and I felt as though I had no boundaries. My security was gone and I felt alone. I was lost in a world that believes that if you do what feels right to you then it is ok, and that there is no absolute right or wrong.
So I went to the one source of truth that I knew God's Word. After much prayer I felt as though I was ready for what God was about to show me. Even if it meant that the black and white I saw was not God's black and white and that I have had it all wrong.
So there I was asking God "How do I know that when I make a choice if it is Christ like or a sin?" "How do I know that what I believe and stand up for is really something I should be standing up for as a Christian and it isn't just my opinion?"
I am no Bible Scholar, Pastor or even a great Christian example. Just a Christian Mom, Wife and Woman searching for God and the truth in a world that has no boundaries and turns everything grey. It wasn't long before God gave me the answers I needed... I was flooded with scripture and conviction.
The obvious was first shown to me and I was drawn to Galatians 5:19-21 19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Then it was reiterated in Romans 13: 13-14 and those sins were obvious, but I asked God, "what about the other 8 million things we say, do, and the choices we make each and everyday?"
1 Corinthians 10: 23-24 and 1 Corinthians 10:31-33 ...nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. Colossians 3:17... whatever you do or say, do it as a representative in the Lord Jesus... Romans 14:21...do not do anything that will cause your brother to fall...
God revealed to me that I have to ask myself and pray the following when looking at my actions or choices. "Are my actions or choices glorifying God and drawing me closer to him"? "Are my actions or choices causing a problem or issue with a family, friend, or even a stranger"? "Am I stumbling block for someone else?"
I realized that this also applies to what I believe and think about what God says about certain actions or choices, not just my actions or choices.
It is so easy to get swept up in the world and get confused on where the lines are if we constantly trust our own judgement instead of turning to God, and Proverbs 28:26 reminds us of that. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but only God can reveal true discernment Proverbs 21:2. We have to constantly pray that we will not fall into temptation Matthew 26:41 and not be drawn to what is evil Psalm 141:4 and 2 Timothy 2:22. Fellowship with believers who will bring you closer to Christ 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 not push you further away.
Through this journey, prayer and scripture I concluded that yes I must ask myself the questions above to ensure that I am setting the Christian example and following Christ. But also in prayer open up and allow God to convict me of that which I don't see.
Christ has set an amazing example and clearly demonstrates how we should behave. People should see Christ in you and in me, and in everything we say and do. It feels good to say that most of the grey is gone. I want to encourage anyone who is unsure of a choice they are about to make or wondering if their actions or choices are Christ like to ask yourself the questions above, open your bible, open your heart to God and he will show you the way(in black and white), with no grey!
Friday, May 28, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
When to Shut Up!
This is my first blog post and I am incredibly excited! I have recently felt led to start a blog. I have been praying for a place that I can reflect on my life as a mother, wife and career woman, and this is where I arrived. So wish me luck on my first posting "When to Shut Up"!
Have you ever found yourself passionately expressing your beliefs to someone over and over, and the person you are discussing them with still disagrees? You feel as though you are led by God to share your thoughts and beliefs with others, yet still they refuse to listen or see what God has shown you. I found myself doing this recently. I tried expressing my beliefs forwards, backwards, upside down while standing on my head and still nothing. It was mind boggling to me!
How can something seem so biblical and clear to me yet so different to someone else? After reflecting on this recent experience I determined that I was trying to take matters into my own hands instead of giving them to God. That's when I realized that God calls us to share that which he has laid on our hearts, but he does not call us to change their hearts. That is his job! There is a time to speak and a time to shut up and pray.
As Christians I believe we are obligated to share what God has shown us, and then I believe we are obligated to pray. Gods timing is not always our timing, and although something may see crystal clear to me, it might not be the time for the next person to see it. I am the first to say that I am far from perfect in this area, and it is an area that I struggle daily with. So the next time you find yourself repeating the same thing over and over realize that it might be time to shut up, pray, and let God do the rest.
Have you ever found yourself passionately expressing your beliefs to someone over and over, and the person you are discussing them with still disagrees? You feel as though you are led by God to share your thoughts and beliefs with others, yet still they refuse to listen or see what God has shown you. I found myself doing this recently. I tried expressing my beliefs forwards, backwards, upside down while standing on my head and still nothing. It was mind boggling to me!
How can something seem so biblical and clear to me yet so different to someone else? After reflecting on this recent experience I determined that I was trying to take matters into my own hands instead of giving them to God. That's when I realized that God calls us to share that which he has laid on our hearts, but he does not call us to change their hearts. That is his job! There is a time to speak and a time to shut up and pray.
As Christians I believe we are obligated to share what God has shown us, and then I believe we are obligated to pray. Gods timing is not always our timing, and although something may see crystal clear to me, it might not be the time for the next person to see it. I am the first to say that I am far from perfect in this area, and it is an area that I struggle daily with. So the next time you find yourself repeating the same thing over and over realize that it might be time to shut up, pray, and let God do the rest.
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