So, the thrill is gone, huh?
Are you confused, frustrated, or are you just angry? All of the above, or just one? If so, then GOOD! You're on your way to a broadened and deeper place in your faith. That's for whether you've been a believer for a while (1) or just getting started (2).
1. Just Getting Started
You might be at the very beginning stages of faith where you are believing God for your salvation, trusting Him to help you make the right decisions and believing Him for forgiveness when you give in to temptation. If that's you, I want to tell you to keep kicking!!! Keep going and please don't stop. Don't be discouraged because you made a mistake. The truth of the matter is, you will always make mistakes and God knew that before you even knew who He was. You may be tired of repenting for the same old things and feel that this life isn't for you. If that's you, I want to tell you this life does not come naturally to any of us! We all, everyday, sin and fall short of the glory of God. Some people may have you fooled but the truth is that God's standard is so perfect, that no man in flesh can measure up. 24 hours is plenty time to be lazy, self righteous, impatient, ungrateful, ignorant of God's presence, and a plethora of other things that are identified as sin in the Word of God. You beat yourself up behind cussing and having sex? By all means, invite The Lord to lift you out of those habits, but truth be told, all of these things are what Jesus died for. Don't think for one second that you are unfit to call yourself a believer. Commit to grow and you'll find yourself surprised at how far God has brought you. Sometimes we don't know how God feels about us, so we assume that He must be embarrassed or displeased. He may very well be displeased, but that's why He sent Jesus. It's been about His love for you despite His displeasure this whole time. Consecration in The Lord is a big step, but it's so necessary. It can be intimidating to think of going higher alone (with God). Do it anyway.
2. Been A Believer For A While
You say you've been saved for a while. You've been faithful and consistent and you finally feel like you have a personal relationship with The Lord. I mean, you feel like you really give it your best and you repent when you fall short. You accept forgiveness and you try harder next time, except it seems like the things you were promised of God are just not happening. The bible says that God wants you to prosper even as your soul prospers, but your bank account does not reflect that. You have hopes that have come directly from the Lord and sometimes you think "If it wasn't going to happen, why give it to me in the first place, God?" This faith thing has gotten HARD, huh? Good.. you're about to learn something new through this tough time. Real faith is more than just believing what God said. Real faith is preparing for what God said; and that's when the challenges get real. As long as you want to please God, you will have to go through and grow through your natural disposition, much like lifting weights. I won't tell you that serving God won't hurt, or that it'll be fun all the time. You will feel weary some seasons, but faith stands to say that God is worth it. Faith stands to say that God's promises are worth it and God is faithful to deliver. So, as you get the growing pains, you will get to know another dimension of God. You will understand His faithfulness. You will become more patient with Him. You will know His voice and be steadfast even when life is a blur.
The Good Fight of Faith
We all have to get to a point where we are sure of God's presence even without a fuzzy or itchy feeling. We all have to encounter God's joy even when we are not necessarily happy. We all have to know how to trust God whenever He shows us things that we'd never choose on our own. We all have to take advantage of the perfect peace that God promises. We have to expect the these things even with everything is all bad.
Hold on. Listen for God's voice every second of the day. Weather the storm. It will be worth it.
too much love,
youdontknowmebro
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