Doing It God’s Way
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Hey Friends,
I had an awesome time with the Lord this morning. I’ve been wanting to blog, but I was feeling far from God because of the season I am in was looking different from any other season I ever have been in. So in return, I determined my relationship with God with what I saw around me and what “blessings” was coming my way. I started struggling with wondering if I was really in God’s will or not. I struggled with the idea of being comfortable of not spending devoted time with God and more time with social networks, Netflix, and life issues. It became too much when I finally told God that I am weak and I need Him to stir up that hunger back in me. Give me the desire to spend time with You and not with everything else. I tried to put God on my to-do list and task sheet, but I ran out of time. I started to feel that my time spent with God was based off my love for Him and when I didn’t spend time with Him, that meant I didn’t love Him that much. Well, once I cried out to God to forgive me and help, I realized that was a lie. I cannot determine my love for God based off of how much time I spend reading His word. Reading my bible didn’t prove to God how much I loved Him. He saw His daughter struggling trying to juggle life, but He saw a heart that was for Him. See God looks at the heart and we continuously look at the outside and go from there. We live under conditions and are motivated by conditions. So if God do this, that mean He is happy with me and if I don’t hear God’s voice that means God is mad with me which is a FULL BLOWN LIE from the enemy. God love is unconditional. I don’t care if I go out there and have sex; God love for me is still strong and perfect! He doesn’t love me more or less, but He will go after me with love and kindness to draw me back just like any loving parent.
Once I realized that trying to read that the word for long periods of time or quiet time with God from sun up and sun down was impossible for ME to do right now (lol), I gave up that marathon and embraced God’s love for me and His acceptance of taking me just as I am. I was trying, but I keep falling and failing to meet this mental standard that I see as righteous and holy. However, God stepped in and gave me strength in my weakness and swooped me up. It’s at the moment that you are weak that God can help you. He wanted me to admit that I am weak and I needed Him. Think about it, long as I am acting like I am strong and “I got this” then He can never show Himself strong in that area.
He’s not looking for independent children but children He can help that are dependent on Him at every second. When I came to a breaking moment for the 13th million time in life, He was there to help me and reassure His steadfast, stable, unshaken, and unfailing love for me. Now out of His love for me, that makes me want to read the bible and learn about what He wants me to do or learn about His life here on earth. Out of His love for me, it makes me want to pray to Him and talk to Him at every chance I get. Out of His love for me makes me want to make godly choices that are pleasing to Him. Out of His love for me makes me want to help others, show that same kindness to someone else. Out of His love makes me want the correction and change. Out of His love for me makes me feel loved. So I am thankful for the Holy Spirit that He is persistent, present, and alive in and knows for sure that He will never give up on me.
I was reading the word this morning after listening to a sermon which brought my own devotional time with our Father. The reading is from Galatians 5 and 6. The first scripture in Gal. 5:1 says, “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law”. I thought that was so refreshing to read because we live in a world that is ran by rules and regulations even in the body of Christ. We have put so many stipulations and rules on what we should and we shouldn’t do. We must have a method, rules, or a reason to what we do or to believe a certain way. It’s like, we can’t do this or can’t watch this, or you should behave this way which I am guilty of this too. I remembered when I was in 7th grade and I looked up to the sky and asked Jesus if He could come back after when I became perfect. It was an innocent and real question because of what the church folks made Christianity to be. I used to beg God to forgive me, “one more time” until I stop asking and went deeper into sin. As I got older I carried on this fear to move or take risks because if I move a certain way, I can possibly be out of the will of God according to people and their rules. I grew up thinking I had to follow Christ a certain way which led to works. Always feeling like I had to “earn” my way into the Kingdom and do good to stay on God good side. But Galatians 5:2 says “Listen! I Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you.” Then verse 12 says, “I just wish that those troublemakers who want to mutilate you by circumcision would mutilate themselves.” ahhh, I agree lol. I once had an older lady talk about me because of the tightness of my jeans. What confused me at the moment was that she was more concerned about how tight my jeans were than how tight I was with God. I just want to say this, if you think something is not God or a person should be doing a certain thing then maybe you should go and pray and stop trying to throw your convictions on someone else. Now if it’s something that the bible clearly states is a sin like fornication and homosexual than ok, we can say something if God lead you to verbally say something, and even with that, you must come from a humble and gentle heart. However to tell someone how they should dress because of how you dress is opposing YOUR life’s convictions on theirs. Maybe that’s all they can afford. We should do everything in love, even if it’s telling someone about sin, Gal. 6:1, “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should GENTLY and HUMBLY help that person back onto the right path.”
So I have recommitted myself to follow the Holy Spirit and to be led by the Holy Spirit. It’s His choice to speak through people to me which is totally ok and welcoming and I will submit, but if I am worried about what someone would say or what they will think then I am placing myself in people bondage and that’s not of God. I tried following what people thought was right and I fell straight into a ditch and God had to help me out! I follow the path of Jesus. I am committed to living a life pleasing to Him and NOT man. I renounced my stand with the world, “my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.” (Gal. 6:14) Here are a few things I took away from Galatians 6:
Help those that are struggling with sin back on the right path with a gentle and humble heart (v.1)
Anytime I have an opportunity to help someone, I should help especially for those in the family of faith (v.4)
Don’t compare myself to others (v.10)
Not to boast on anything except the cross of Jesus Christ.(v.14)
Don’t get caught up in the externals of things. The only thing that counts on this journey is whether I have been transformed into a new creation. God is we be completely changed from the inside out (v. 15)
Living a good life without an inward change leads to a shallow or empty spiritual walk. Don’t get caught up in the outward appearance. Don’t just listen to the word but study the word. Don’t just run with what everyone say about the Holy Spirit, go and spend time with Him and let Him show it to you so you can change from the inside out. That’s my .5 cents peeps. Please do share your thoughts and what God has put on your heart. Until next time, Peace!