So what is your missing puzzle piece in life? What is the one thing that you want that you believe will make you entirely happy? Is it a career, a friendship, a relationship, etc? Well I'd have to say that mine would be marriage. I'm definitely a hopeless romantic and for as long as I can remember all I've ever dreamed about is my future and finding that one and only guy, that guy that will be my rock, my knight in shining armor. I always thought that marriage is the one thing that will make me happy because it's something that I've always wanted for so long. However, over the past week, I've realized that I don't have to have a relationship or a marriage to make me happy. All I have to have is my Lord, Jesus Christ. He's spoken to me a lot this past week and I've definitely been listening.
Because of that I've been able to completely give myself over to Him. I've been able to finally break my alabaster box at His feet. With that, I've even been able to give my past relationship completely over to Him. I've been able to accept the things that He has put not only me, but also the guy I was with, through. I've been able to wipe the slate clean from the things that I've experienced over the past year, and it's a great feeling! I don't know if he knows this or not, but just as God is able to forgive me for my mistakes and my past, I've been able to fully forgive the man in my past relationship ("Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:13). We have a very forgiving God and I need to learn to love as God loves us, whether it's something from my past, the present, or even the future.
I've come to realize that lately I've relied on others to feel good about myself and that I've always tried to find someone or something to fill that missing void. I no longer have to do that though because Jesus has been my missing puzzle piece. Although I've been a Christian for many years, I've never had the relationship with Christ that we are called to have as Christians. I now have that! I know that no matter what happens in my life, I'll be able to make it because I've decided to put God first in all that I do, and I know that he would never give me something that I couldn't handle. I've been able to realize how blessed I am, and I'm so thankful for the blessings that He has given me. With that, I know that I don't have to have a romantic relationship to feel complete. Having my relationship with Jesus Christ is the most important relationship that I could ever have. And I know that God has that man out there for me that believes the same... that he doesn't have to have a woman to make him complete, but that when we are given to each other, it is a gift from God.
"When two 'incomplete' singles get married, their union will not make them complete. Their marriage will be simply two 'incomplete' people trying to find completeness in one another. Only when they understand that their fullness is found in a relationship with Jesus will they ever begin to complement one another. They can never complete one another. You were not created to complete one another, but to complement. " - Lady in Waiting
Friday, June 18, 2010
Friday, June 4, 2010
Dividends From a High Price
From experiencing life and engaging in conversation with close friends, we have come to the conclusion that it is so easy to do the wrong thing, but when it comes to doing what we know is right, that can be one of the hardest things in the world. It's hard because you don't always know what the outcome may be, and what you know is right for yourself, may not always necessarily be what you want. But we have to realize, it's not all about us. We're not here to just live out our lives for ourselves. That would just be too easy. We are all faced with struggles everyday. But these struggles bring purpose to our lives because we are here to live our lives for God, and to spread His Word throughout His kingdom. Going through struggles allows us to be able to personally show the Glory of God in our lives.
We must not turn back to history and become like those during the age of the judges. This was a period throughout time that is best described as "do your own thing." (Judges 21:25b) We must not just "do our own thing." We need to stand up for what we believe is right and follow our Lord, Jesus Christ! Even if that choice causes us to lose friendships or loved ones. Which throughout the past few months, I have lost. However, I know that God will reward me for not conforming to the world, but rather following Him. Matthew 19:29 states, "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for My sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life."
We must not turn back to history and become like those during the age of the judges. This was a period throughout time that is best described as "do your own thing." (Judges 21:25b) We must not just "do our own thing." We need to stand up for what we believe is right and follow our Lord, Jesus Christ! Even if that choice causes us to lose friendships or loved ones. Which throughout the past few months, I have lost. However, I know that God will reward me for not conforming to the world, but rather following Him. Matthew 19:29 states, "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for My sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life."
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Ruth's Reckless Abandonment
I'm starting to find more similarities to Ruth than I thought I'd ever have. Today's reading was based on Ruth's reckless abandonment. After willingly breaking her alabaster box and following the Lord wherever He led her (Ruth 1:16), Ruth encountered new friends, new surroundings, and new faith.
After telling God "your people shall be my people" (Ruth 1:16), Ruth realized that she had to leave her own people, the Moabites. God describes the Moabites as a washbasin in Psalm 60:8, being one that you rinse dirt off of. Through each day it becomes more cleaer that there are still "Moabites" today. There are still those that will try to bring you down and hinder your spiritual growth. However, there are also still those that will be there to encourage your growth. You just have to realize that and decide what is more important to you. Do you stay with the people that you think are your friends but in reality are pulling you further away from Christ, or do you give yourself over to God completely knowing that he will provide the friendships that you need through your time of spiritual growth?
"He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." (Proverbs 13:20)
When you decide to walk with the wise, I think that it becomes clear who your true friends really are. I've lost a lot of friends over the past few months. I didn't know how to handle it at first. But I am now thankful to God for that because I now realize who my true friends really are, and I'm thankful for the new friends that God has placed in my life today.
Just as "Ruth had to relocate in order to be fed spiritually", I as well have had to take part in new surroundings. This is not necessarily by choice, but my schooling has moved me. It has given me some perspective on realizing that I had to take myself away from some of the past friendships that I did have in order to stay in a state of spiritual growth. I'm not saying that everyone in my past was hindering me, but there are some that just never understood what I was going through. That being because we were on different spiritual levels. It felt at times that as I would try to help their growth as well as mine, I would end up being pulled down more by them rather than me pulling them up.
I feel like with the world today, people try to do what they think is good, but not necessarily what is right. A. W. Tozer explains this, "A whole new generation of Christians has come up believing that it is possible to 'accept' Christ without forsaking the world." I feel that with a lot of young people today, they want that relationship with Christ, but they also want what the world has to offer. It's a tough place to be in, and it's one that you have to decide for yourself. I've realized that I can't make that decision for someone. No matter how hard I try.
Finally, Ruth experienced new faith. In today's world there is a wide variety of religions and churches to choose from. Is your religious experience one that offers a vital, growing relationship with Jesus Christ, or do you have one like that mentioned in Isaiah? "Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught." (Isaiah 29:13b) Sometimes we have to be honest with ourselves and ask ourselves the hard questions. Am I experiencing spiritual growth with the people that I surround myself with? Are these people providing me with spiritual growth or are they hindering me?
Sometimes it's hard to figure out the answers to these questions. Therefore, I ask you to pray. Pray that God would show you the relationships that He has provided you with to help you grow. Ask Him to show you who your true friends really are. Like I said before, I lost a lot of people over the past few months whom I thought were my true friends, but when I began to stick up for something that I believed in based on my morals and my spiritual growth, it became clear who my true friends really were.
After telling God "your people shall be my people" (Ruth 1:16), Ruth realized that she had to leave her own people, the Moabites. God describes the Moabites as a washbasin in Psalm 60:8, being one that you rinse dirt off of. Through each day it becomes more cleaer that there are still "Moabites" today. There are still those that will try to bring you down and hinder your spiritual growth. However, there are also still those that will be there to encourage your growth. You just have to realize that and decide what is more important to you. Do you stay with the people that you think are your friends but in reality are pulling you further away from Christ, or do you give yourself over to God completely knowing that he will provide the friendships that you need through your time of spiritual growth?
"He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." (Proverbs 13:20)
When you decide to walk with the wise, I think that it becomes clear who your true friends really are. I've lost a lot of friends over the past few months. I didn't know how to handle it at first. But I am now thankful to God for that because I now realize who my true friends really are, and I'm thankful for the new friends that God has placed in my life today.
Just as "Ruth had to relocate in order to be fed spiritually", I as well have had to take part in new surroundings. This is not necessarily by choice, but my schooling has moved me. It has given me some perspective on realizing that I had to take myself away from some of the past friendships that I did have in order to stay in a state of spiritual growth. I'm not saying that everyone in my past was hindering me, but there are some that just never understood what I was going through. That being because we were on different spiritual levels. It felt at times that as I would try to help their growth as well as mine, I would end up being pulled down more by them rather than me pulling them up.
I feel like with the world today, people try to do what they think is good, but not necessarily what is right. A. W. Tozer explains this, "A whole new generation of Christians has come up believing that it is possible to 'accept' Christ without forsaking the world." I feel that with a lot of young people today, they want that relationship with Christ, but they also want what the world has to offer. It's a tough place to be in, and it's one that you have to decide for yourself. I've realized that I can't make that decision for someone. No matter how hard I try.
Finally, Ruth experienced new faith. In today's world there is a wide variety of religions and churches to choose from. Is your religious experience one that offers a vital, growing relationship with Jesus Christ, or do you have one like that mentioned in Isaiah? "Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught." (Isaiah 29:13b) Sometimes we have to be honest with ourselves and ask ourselves the hard questions. Am I experiencing spiritual growth with the people that I surround myself with? Are these people providing me with spiritual growth or are they hindering me?
Sometimes it's hard to figure out the answers to these questions. Therefore, I ask you to pray. Pray that God would show you the relationships that He has provided you with to help you grow. Ask Him to show you who your true friends really are. Like I said before, I lost a lot of people over the past few months whom I thought were my true friends, but when I began to stick up for something that I believed in based on my morals and my spiritual growth, it became clear who my true friends really were.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
The Secret of the Alabaster Box
So this is my first time to have a blog, so bear with me, I'm new to this. But I've had a lot going on in my life this past year and I find it best that when I write it out, it helps to put me a little more at ease.
I'll start out by saying that I am no longer with the man of my dreams. We had an amazing love and a unique one. We've known each other since we were 2 and grew up together throughout the years to come. God put us together, took us apart, and then 6 years later put us back in each others lives. We were given the chance to start over together. Things were great until about a year ago. As we were experiencing the life changes of becoming adults, it became clear that we were growing in opposite directions. To get you up to date, we have been on again, off again for the past 6 months, and as of a week ago, we are no longer a part of each others lives. Hence me starting a new journey in my life.
Because of everything that I've experience over the past couple years with the one that I planned to spend the rest of my life with, I am now having to find myself again since he is no longer there. Therefore, I am starting the book "Lady in Waiting" by Jackie Kendall and Debby Jones. It is about becoming God's best while waiting for Mr. Right, and it focuses on the characteristic of a Godly woman based on the Book of Ruth. Seemed pretty fitting for me.
I am not at all over the man that I was with, which makes things that much harder. I think about him everyday. But I'm hoping that through reading this book, it will help me to understand why God has done the things He has, and why He put the two of us through this situation.
Today is day one of me starting this new journey. So, here we go!
The Secret of the Alabaster Box
Knowing that we are all sinners (Roman 3:23) and that God is the only way, why is it so hard for me to give Him my all? I'd have to say that it is hardest for me right now because of what my alabaster box is filled with. My box is filled the the hopes and dreams of having that one and only man that will always be there for me, protect me, guide, support me, and lead me. This being the man that I've been waiting for to come sweep me off my feet, provide me with the marriage I've always dreamed about, be the father of my children, and grow old together. When in reality, my Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, can provide me with all the things my box is filled with: being there for me, protecting me, guiding me, supporting me, and leading me.
So why is it still so hard? Why can't I break my alabaster box at the feet of Jesus like the sinful woman in the passage in Mark (Mark 14:3-9)? Why can't I entrust my alabaster box filled with my body, soul, and dreams to my Lord like Mary does in the passage of Luke (Luke 1:38)? The truth is, I'm afraid. I'm afraid that the things that I want won't ever happen, and that scares me. It scares me because I don't know if the things that I want are the same things that God wants or has planned for me. I know it's wrong because I know that Jesus has His plan for me and that I need to put my faith in Him and trust Him fully. But there is still that certain someone whom I know I want to fill the place of being the one to sweep me off my feet, but I honestly don't know if that will ever happen anymore.
I spend my days praying for myself. That God will give me strength, guidance, wisdom, and patience. I'm a planner, I plan everything, which makes it even harder for me to give everything to God right now. I know what I want and who I want, but I don't know if that is part of God's plan for me or not. I pray for the one that got away. That he as well will be given strength, guidance, wisdom, and patience as he is starting a new journey in his life as well. I sit here knowing that God will provide me with the man He has set out for me. But then I wonder,is it the same man that I want? The one that I've dreamed about, the one that I've grown up with and have experienced so much together in life with already? I don't know. But I know that I have to be able to let go of the past to be able to move forward. I have to know that God will never give me a situation that I can't handle. I have to be able to give myself completely over to God and break my alabaster box at the feet of Jesus!
I'll start out by saying that I am no longer with the man of my dreams. We had an amazing love and a unique one. We've known each other since we were 2 and grew up together throughout the years to come. God put us together, took us apart, and then 6 years later put us back in each others lives. We were given the chance to start over together. Things were great until about a year ago. As we were experiencing the life changes of becoming adults, it became clear that we were growing in opposite directions. To get you up to date, we have been on again, off again for the past 6 months, and as of a week ago, we are no longer a part of each others lives. Hence me starting a new journey in my life.
Because of everything that I've experience over the past couple years with the one that I planned to spend the rest of my life with, I am now having to find myself again since he is no longer there. Therefore, I am starting the book "Lady in Waiting" by Jackie Kendall and Debby Jones. It is about becoming God's best while waiting for Mr. Right, and it focuses on the characteristic of a Godly woman based on the Book of Ruth. Seemed pretty fitting for me.
I am not at all over the man that I was with, which makes things that much harder. I think about him everyday. But I'm hoping that through reading this book, it will help me to understand why God has done the things He has, and why He put the two of us through this situation.
Today is day one of me starting this new journey. So, here we go!
The Secret of the Alabaster Box
Knowing that we are all sinners (Roman 3:23) and that God is the only way, why is it so hard for me to give Him my all? I'd have to say that it is hardest for me right now because of what my alabaster box is filled with. My box is filled the the hopes and dreams of having that one and only man that will always be there for me, protect me, guide, support me, and lead me. This being the man that I've been waiting for to come sweep me off my feet, provide me with the marriage I've always dreamed about, be the father of my children, and grow old together. When in reality, my Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, can provide me with all the things my box is filled with: being there for me, protecting me, guiding me, supporting me, and leading me.
So why is it still so hard? Why can't I break my alabaster box at the feet of Jesus like the sinful woman in the passage in Mark (Mark 14:3-9)? Why can't I entrust my alabaster box filled with my body, soul, and dreams to my Lord like Mary does in the passage of Luke (Luke 1:38)? The truth is, I'm afraid. I'm afraid that the things that I want won't ever happen, and that scares me. It scares me because I don't know if the things that I want are the same things that God wants or has planned for me. I know it's wrong because I know that Jesus has His plan for me and that I need to put my faith in Him and trust Him fully. But there is still that certain someone whom I know I want to fill the place of being the one to sweep me off my feet, but I honestly don't know if that will ever happen anymore.
I spend my days praying for myself. That God will give me strength, guidance, wisdom, and patience. I'm a planner, I plan everything, which makes it even harder for me to give everything to God right now. I know what I want and who I want, but I don't know if that is part of God's plan for me or not. I pray for the one that got away. That he as well will be given strength, guidance, wisdom, and patience as he is starting a new journey in his life as well. I sit here knowing that God will provide me with the man He has set out for me. But then I wonder,is it the same man that I want? The one that I've dreamed about, the one that I've grown up with and have experienced so much together in life with already? I don't know. But I know that I have to be able to let go of the past to be able to move forward. I have to know that God will never give me a situation that I can't handle. I have to be able to give myself completely over to God and break my alabaster box at the feet of Jesus!
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