2 Cor 6:11
"We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you. 12 There is no restriction in our affections, "
What does it truly mean to be vulnerable? For so many it is so hard to tell people what they really feel. I'm not talking about blurting out your grievances at any waking moment. I'm talking about being honest with people around you with what is going on in your life. There are people out there who truly care for you. It could be your parent's or your friends. Maybe a sister or brother, a youth leader or a teacher. Whoever it is when they ask 'How are you?" it's because they care. They want to know and even as Christians we find ourselves putting on a fake smile and saying great even when our world as we know is falling down around us. So why? You see, me being someone who is an open book, people who keep everything in drive me crazy. They drive me crazy on so many level because I care for them and want to help them, but also they make me feel like I'm crazy. Being a leader in the church I can't see how you can't be vulnerable, yet so many people aren't. So many members of the body hide painful struggles or mistakes because they feel like they have to be perfect in order to remain on God's good side. They don't want people looking at them like they are broken, like they're weak. However we are called to live like Jesus and that is exactly how Jesus was when he saved us. He was vulnerable and broken when he carried our sins. He was honest in his fear and because he loved us he found courage and strength to take our sins on the cross. So if Jesus was vulnerable in the worst way possible, to pay for all our sins and not only did he pay the price he had to venture into the pits of hell to truly set us free. If Jesus can do that why do we continue to put up fake walls to protect ourselves. Now I get it some of you are reading this and think that you don't trust people cause you don't want to get hurt. My response to you is two things. One I completely understand. When you have been hurt it is so hard to rust other's especially when you are sharing something like sin or a struggle, but instead of feeling overwhelmed by the stress of not knowing trust rest assure in God. my second point is that god will provide the right people in your life to be vulnerable with if you ask for them. You cannot live your life afraid of what people might think. I know that is way easier said then done, but If you can do it, if you can be vulnerable without worrying what others think you will be able to experience true freedom. For we all make mistake every one of us no matter what position we hold we are sinners it's our nature. So my challenge for you today is to be vulnerable. Put your testimony out there not for notice or for fame, but to be like Jesus and to reach others. For me it is inspiring to hear what other people have been through and see them where they are today. It let's me know that everything really is going to be ok. It reminds me of God's faithfulness and how he will see me through all my trials. I always try to be vulnerable with my small groups girls because I want them to know my heart. I want them to see me for who I am and not who I could pretend to be. I am a mess, I am a sinner who needs God in everything I do. I cannot do anything without Him and I'm not afraid to admit it. I love that we have a God so much bigger than anything the world throws at us and as I continue to live I will speak my story for his glory so that maybe one person's eternity is saved because of it. So show your heart to someone allow them to show you theirs and who knows maybe the world might be a better place when we all begin to see that we aren't all that different after all.
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Friday, March 21, 2014
Stress the Silent Killer
Philippians 4:6-7.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
If we truly have Faith why do we stress? Why do we doubt the word of God? You see I am not writing this from a place of judgement or condemnation I am writing this from a place of vulnerability and understanding, my life is filled with stress. To me stress is normal but I was taught that it shouldn't be. God didn't intend for us to be stressed instead, he wanted the complete opposite for us. He wanted us to experience a life filled with joy and peace. To be able to walk in his light and rest assure in his promises and his teachings. Yet sin entered the world and thus life is different. The enemy uses stress to create doubt and to draw us away from The Lord. So truly stress is the Silent Killer, not in the way of causing illness, which it does, but as a killer of faith. I think sometime people get caught up on the enemy trying to bring physical harm such as illness to them when they hear the verse "...kill,steal, and destroy," but I think that the death he is talking about isn't a physical thing but an emotional and spiritual one. The enemy doesn't want you physically dead. If he was to kill you while you still had faith in Jesus then what would be the point. He wants to kill your faith, to rip you from the comforting arms of God and drag you down to the pits of hell. Sorry for getting dark , but it's the truth. I wanted to write this to share a piece of me and my hope is that by being vulnerable I can help encourage you. You are not alone. Not only are you not alone because God is always with you. You are not alone in your struggles. You are in the best of company because every great man or women in the bible struggled. David broke a commandment and then lost a child because of it, yet God did not turn from him. Peter denied Jesus 3 times and still he is loved by the Lord. I mean if anyone struggled look at Paul. He was blinded just so he could truly see and then he gave his life to the Lord and found himself persecuted and put in prison, yet he is the main author of the New Testament and in my humble opinion a man, just like David, after God's own heart. If that's not enough, and I am not saying I am like those men I listed, but you can always think of me. I'm just like you, an ordinary person called to do extraordinary things because we all are. The things is we all struggle no matter who we are; we are sinner and thus struggles will come our way. Like it says in the song One Thing Remains "scars and struggles on the way..." It doesn't say in the past or they will happen once in our life it says on the way because we will experience them through out our lives. However there is one thing that keeps me going. The thing I remember even if I'm crying while I eat a pint of ice Cream is: God is always good! God is always good, he is never Bad. Bad things do not come from him, NO they come from the enemy and don't ever forget that. Rest in his goodness and know that the reason you struggle is because your under attack and rejoice in that. I know you're thinking Rejoice are you crazy, but I'm not I'm telling you to rejoice because the enemy is attacking, I mean rejoice because the enemy like to attack when something amazing is about to happen. He attacks when God is moving in you life. So rejoice because the Lord is doing a work in you. I challenge you today to find time to simply ask the Lord what plans he has for you. Ask him how you can serve him and glorify his kingdom. You see he will speak to you and once you know his plan you can hide in you heart his promises. Once you know his promises you can then rejoice even when you're stressed because God is alive and well moving in you life and that is something to be excited about.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
If we truly have Faith why do we stress? Why do we doubt the word of God? You see I am not writing this from a place of judgement or condemnation I am writing this from a place of vulnerability and understanding, my life is filled with stress. To me stress is normal but I was taught that it shouldn't be. God didn't intend for us to be stressed instead, he wanted the complete opposite for us. He wanted us to experience a life filled with joy and peace. To be able to walk in his light and rest assure in his promises and his teachings. Yet sin entered the world and thus life is different. The enemy uses stress to create doubt and to draw us away from The Lord. So truly stress is the Silent Killer, not in the way of causing illness, which it does, but as a killer of faith. I think sometime people get caught up on the enemy trying to bring physical harm such as illness to them when they hear the verse "...kill,steal, and destroy," but I think that the death he is talking about isn't a physical thing but an emotional and spiritual one. The enemy doesn't want you physically dead. If he was to kill you while you still had faith in Jesus then what would be the point. He wants to kill your faith, to rip you from the comforting arms of God and drag you down to the pits of hell. Sorry for getting dark , but it's the truth. I wanted to write this to share a piece of me and my hope is that by being vulnerable I can help encourage you. You are not alone. Not only are you not alone because God is always with you. You are not alone in your struggles. You are in the best of company because every great man or women in the bible struggled. David broke a commandment and then lost a child because of it, yet God did not turn from him. Peter denied Jesus 3 times and still he is loved by the Lord. I mean if anyone struggled look at Paul. He was blinded just so he could truly see and then he gave his life to the Lord and found himself persecuted and put in prison, yet he is the main author of the New Testament and in my humble opinion a man, just like David, after God's own heart. If that's not enough, and I am not saying I am like those men I listed, but you can always think of me. I'm just like you, an ordinary person called to do extraordinary things because we all are. The things is we all struggle no matter who we are; we are sinner and thus struggles will come our way. Like it says in the song One Thing Remains "scars and struggles on the way..." It doesn't say in the past or they will happen once in our life it says on the way because we will experience them through out our lives. However there is one thing that keeps me going. The thing I remember even if I'm crying while I eat a pint of ice Cream is: God is always good! God is always good, he is never Bad. Bad things do not come from him, NO they come from the enemy and don't ever forget that. Rest in his goodness and know that the reason you struggle is because your under attack and rejoice in that. I know you're thinking Rejoice are you crazy, but I'm not I'm telling you to rejoice because the enemy is attacking, I mean rejoice because the enemy like to attack when something amazing is about to happen. He attacks when God is moving in you life. So rejoice because the Lord is doing a work in you. I challenge you today to find time to simply ask the Lord what plans he has for you. Ask him how you can serve him and glorify his kingdom. You see he will speak to you and once you know his plan you can hide in you heart his promises. Once you know his promises you can then rejoice even when you're stressed because God is alive and well moving in you life and that is something to be excited about.
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