March 27, 2013

Apathy


I hate to start out with this statement, considering I may offend some people, but if you are struggling with apathy, stop playing the pity party. That's all apathy is. A pity party. So stop it. Get over yourself and concentrate on your faith. Don't worry, I'm convicted in this as well as some of you. I struggled with this in high school my junior and senior year which may suprise some of you reading this. Mainly, I was apathetic about my health and that translated into some of my relationships. Instead of just going deeper and deeper into your apathy, start thinking, what is this teaching me? What purpose would be behind God allowing me to go through this? Should I be changing something about my attitude?






"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom."
-Ecclesiastes 9:10

Well, this verse could not be clearer, or more blunt. Basically, it's saying once you're dead, you're out of luck. There is no going back, there is no re-do. You have this life to make a difference. You have this life only to proclaim your faith. How can you do that when you're apathetic? Exactly. You can't. This makes me think about the title of my blog. This journey of faith that we are on is only going to last a lifetime. That's like the snap of a finger. I know it doesn't feel like that, but one day, you aren't going to have a tomorrow. So, don't wait! Do it now! Apathy is hard to get out of, I know, but start by reading Scripture and being intentional in your life. Right now, in your life, you have knowledge and wisdom to plan and work towards God's purpose for you, whatever that may be! Don't waste your opportunity. So, whatever you're struggling with to make you apathetic, go to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to take that from you. The relationship with Christ is not a one-sided relationship. Do your part.




 

"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth."
-Revelation 3:16-17

Yikes. Well, to put it mildly, this verse is a wake-up call. In Revelation, God is talking to a church, but this verse is applicable to everyone who is embedded in apathy. If this verse doesn't strike some fear in you, it should. I mean, it's very harsh and scary to think that God would rather you be cold than be lukewarm. The way I see it, is that if you are apathetic, you have lost your faith in God's promises. You have lost your zeal for life. You have lost the influence of the Holy Spirit. But, God knows you're struggling with it. Pray. I can't stress that enough. Pray and ask Him to actively change your heart. Reconsider your circumstances and look at what you're learning, think about what God may be trying to teach you. When I dealt with apathy about my diabetes, I couldn't get rid of it for the longest time. I was miserable. But when I thought about it, God could've been developing my empathy for the patients I'll work with in the future with nursing. God could've been teaching me the importance of taking care of myself and setting an example. God could've been developing my character and making me into a stronger daughter of Christ. He simply may have been telling me to turn to Him for everything. I'm not self-sufficient, I wouldn't be where I am today without Him. Look for the lessons He may be teaching you and become warm again!







 

"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other."
-John 15:15-17

I love this verse. God is telling you to be intentional here. Be intentional in your relationships. Be intentional in your faith. First of all, He calls us friends. Christ came down to teach us how to live intentionally through God. He taught us and gave us guidance. How can we take that and be apathetic with it? I also like that the verse says we did not choose Him. You hear people say all the time "I chose Christ to be the leader of my life." Yeah, okay, well you may have entered into a relationship with Him, but God works everywhere. He chose you to be a follower. We make the choice to accept the offer, but if you're a believer, He already called you to go live out your faith. Don't be apathetic about that. That's nothing to just brush off your shoulder. Use what God gave you or what experiences He allowed you to go through to help minister to others. You don't know what kind of encouragement somebody may need that day. Maybe they just need a smile. If you're apathetic, you won't be providing that smile for somebody. So, live intentionally. Don't deprive yourself of the joy of Christ.

March 23, 2013

Neglect


For me, neglect is something I've dealt with and [I think] healed from. At least I'm in a much better place than I have been before. There are still residual effects at times, but for the most part, God has worked in my heart to free me from this chain link. Many of you, I know, come from broken homes. Nowadays, I feel like that's a common theme among American households. Maybe you feel it from your parents, a parent, a sibling, a friend, a significant other...the list goes on. I read something from Beth Moore the other day that said "God takes your hurts personally". Think about that. Usually neglect stems from being hurt by something or someone. Not to say that God will vindictively go after the person that hurt you, but He personally feels what you feel. He wants his believers to be happy and to be loved, and to follow Him. When we are hurt, we sometimes turn away from God. For me, I've never felt neglected in being adopted. Some do, but I'm thankful I don't. But my parents are divorced, and I know I'm not alone in that. I just felt a lot of hurt during that time, and that came out in anger towards my dad. I've done much better with all of that, but it has been a long process. Time to look at some Scripture.



"All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you."
-Psalm 38:9
 
I wanted to start with this verse because it just gets the basic principle out there that you can't hide anything from God. He knows when you're feeling a certain way, and He knows why. Well that takes some pressure off. We don't have to explain ourselves. Our heartbreak and neglect is not hidden from God. And, if you're like me, I tend to hide my hurt and feelings of neglect inside. I fool people into thinking I'm actually alright. I've gotten better at that, but I still do that sometimes. But if you're like me, you can't hide that from God. He already knows and is waiting for you to ask Him for peace.
 
 
 

"A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones."
-Proverbs 15:30
 
Have you ever just been walking to class one day and somebody smiles at you along your way? Either it's somebody you know or somebody random, either way, it makes your day better, does it not? It makes mine better. I also find that if I smile at people, my day improves significantly. If you're feeling neglected, there are so many opportunities around you to love people and for people to love you. Somebody is probably feeling the exact same way, you aren't alone in this world. Neglect has a way of making us think that. This verse hit a bull's-eye. Seeing happiness brings happiness to me. It's contagious. For those of us struggling with feelings of neglect, I'm sure we've been experiencing a lot of bad news lately. There is good news in this world, believe it or not. You just need to know how to find it. I struggle with this sometimes when there seems to be a string of negativity going on. Pray, and ask God to enable you to see the happiness and hear some good news to bring yourself to a healthier standing with your environment. I know this from personal experience, but that bitterness I had held me down for the longest time. God brought me out of that little by little, and I didn't notice the gradual progression, but once I did, I realized I don't get angry anymore when somebody mentions my dad. I had such a hard struggle with forgiveness, and God gradually worked on my heart to allow me to be able to forgive him. There are still some things that irk me, but I can now say that I'm okay. That's a huge sigh of relief.
 
 
 

"The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you."
-Psalm 9:9-10
 
 Now, when I think about feeling neglected, not to get all crazy on my vocabulary here, but it's almost like I think of feeling forsaken by that specific person. That's only to tie into the bible verse there, but it is still very true! You feel deserted by that person. This verse is awesome in the way it provides comfort and also gives you a promise, right there. The Lord is your refuge for times of trouble. Times of feeling inadequate, times of feeling unloved, times of feeling hurt...God is your stronghold. He will never falter. That promise at the end of the verse...He will never forsake those who seek Him is awfully comforting. We just need to know to seek Him. If we seek Him with all of our heart, and back to my post on doubt a couple of days ago, if we seek him with the full belief that He will help us, we will find relief in Him. We will find the strength to carry on. I know that sounds cheesy, but it's so true. I needed God's help in forgiving my dad, there is no way I would've done that on my own. I needed God's help in mending my hurt. It took awhile, but I knew God had a purpose for all of it and that He would make me into a stronger person. But I had to humble myself and ask God for help in finding the strength to forgive my dad, but He pulled through, and pulled me through as well. That said, please keep in mind it's always good to talk to a friend, or talk to me even, if you are feeling this way and can't seem to get a hold on your emotions. It's a good stepping stone.

March 21, 2013

Doubt


I've struggled more in college with this than I ever have. Maybe some of you are in the same boat as I am, or maybe you've struggled with it a bit more. Whichever one you are, we can all use the same encouragement. If you haven't doubted a single thing in your life, I would love to get to know you. Maybe you'll rub off on me. Anyway, doubt can seriously cripple intentions in your life. If you doubt something you're much less likely to actually carry it out. To me, it either stems from thinking you aren't good enough, or not having a clear idea of what your purpose is in life. Then you can get into things such as apathy, which I'll talk about later. Before high school, I doubted my swimming ability, and still did when I went back to club. It came from swimming with top-notch athletes and I didn't feel like I was good enough. I went through many ups and downs with that during my swimming career as I'm sure many others do. I've also doubted my future plans. I don't know anybody who doesn't. But let's get into some Scripture.




"But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord."
-James 1:6-7
 
Wow, alright, well this verse could not be stronger in saying that our doubt throws us every which way. It is true, isn't it? Don't you feel that? You're considering all of your options and trying to make a decision that you're not sure is right and you just feel like you're always going back and forth about something. So, going back to my worry post from yesterday, what do we usually do? We ask God for assistance in making the decision. However, I don't know about you guys, but sometimes when I ask for things, I only ask half-heartedly because I'm not sure if it will truly be answered. That is a lack of faith on my part. The verse says that attitude will not get me anything from God. When you or I ask God for something or for guidance for something, we better believe He is going to give it to us. If we truly believe, then He will answer our request. I mean, this verse can't get much clearer. I love this verse, because it's one that I have looked at for a bible study that I'm doing right now and it really opened my eyes to the lack of trust involved when doubting anything. For instance, I could doubt my ability to get through nursing school, let alone graduate school. I could doubt my ability to show my faith to those around me. I could doubt that me having diabetes can help bring good to some people. I can doubt all of that, ask God's help, but if I ask with no firm belief that He will help me, I will get nothing. So, ask with a purpose, and ask with a belief that God will resolve your doubt.
 
 
 

"But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin."
-Romans 14:23
 
Okay, so this verse is awesome too. It's a real eye-opener. Doubt is a horrible feeling, I know. But think about it, doubt is also a temptation. Have you ever felt completely confident in a decision and then told somebody about it and walked away from that conversation with a seedling of doubt in your heart? I have. Have you ever walked into a test feeling very prepared, but you hear people talking beforehand, answering each other's questions, and suddenly you just feel incredibly doubtful about your own preparedness? That is a minor example, but still applicable! This verse is saying, if we fall into that doubting spirit, if we let it take over our confident spirit in the Lord, it is sinful. If we doubt the effectiveness of the Gospel, or we doubt our ability to minister to people, as a faith example, we are not following God's command to be His living, breathing message of love to those around us. That doubt does not come from faith.
 
 
 
 

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."
-Proverbs 16:3
 
This verse is a short one, but a very convincing promise. I mean, it says it right there, that the Lord will enable your plans to succeed if you commit them to the Lord. God reigns over everything. If He already has all evil defeated, well, I think He can handle some of your doubts. Remember, this life is so incredibly short compared to what believers have ahead of them. That puts it in perspective, right? Some of the doubts you have right now, some of the doubts I have right now seem so small compared to what God is capable of. I mean, we can't even fathom what God is capable of. If we think we can fix our problems and the issues we doubt in our lives, we can't. That's what God is here for. He doesn't want his believers to doubt. He has everything in the palm of His hand and He knows where He wants your life to be heading. Do not doubt his promises to you, my friends. Thanks for reading!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
"Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen."
-Hebrews 11:1

March 20, 2013

Worry

Worry.
Doubt.
Neglect.
Apathy.  

I've struggled with every single one of the things listed above. I have with every single one at some point in my life. Some I still struggle with. I notice again and again that each one brings me away from Christ. I will venture to say that every person reading this has struggled with all of these things as well. The thing about these feelings is that they are so incredibly hard to get rid of. I worry on a consistent basis. I worry about my health, my future, my relationships. It really is dehabilitating to my spirit. Every one of those things are. They like to chip away at you piece by piece until you just don't know what to do with yourself. Over the next four days, I'm going to address all of these, one at a time, and send you a little encouragement and Scripture to keep with you along your way.

We all worry about something, but some of us are better at worrying than others. Sometimes I feel like I'm an expert at it. This has always been an ongoing struggle in my life with my health and future. So, technically, I'm writing to myself as well as those of you who avidly struggle with combating worry. I can't just tell you to "let it go" because even I can hardly do that, so I think a few reminders are in order. I don't know about you guys, but I like to mask my worry, and it just simmers for awhile before it finally starts boiling.







"And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well."
-Luke 12:29-31

What do we do with this verse? Most of you are saying, "Well, I never worry about what/when I'm going to eat next, at least not to the point of stressing about it." Well, try to broaden your mind and apply other topics to it. Do you worry about grades? I do. Do you worry about your boyfriend/girlfriend and your relationship? I do. Do you worry about your parents at home? I do. Do you worry about siblings? I do. Do you worry about your future? I do. I could go on and on and on about what I worry about. But look back at the verse. The earthly things we worry about in this life are pagan things, according to the verse. That's not saying that God ignores them and considers them ridiculous, but it is saying those things are of the sinful world and not of spiritual gain. The next segment says that He knows we need those things. Does that make you feel better? That certainly makes me feel better. Knowing that God realizes we need things on earth brings a certain amount of relief. The petty worries don't apply to this, obviously. God is not worried about your next shopping spree or if you will be able to attend your favorite team's baseball game. But those big things - your future, your destiny, and the sins you struggle with on a daily basis - God knows you need guidance and peace about it. So, what do we do with that? The last part of the verse gives us our answer. Seek Christ in everything, in every worry, and the solution will be given to you. All we have to do is seek Christ, and He will answer us in His own way. The Bible doesn't lie. It may not be the answer we want, but those worries will be resolved through Christ. Whew. Okay, moving on.















 
"Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful."
-Mark 4:18-19

This verse brings me to my second point. Worry brings you away from God. Boy, don't I know it. Don't you feel it when you worry about something all the time? Lo and behold, your mind is not focused on Christ any longer. Your mind is focused on the issue at hand. So, getting to the verse. Even if you know the word, if you hear God's word, the worries that you have in your life "choke the word". I love this phrase because it puts a visual on what worry does to a person. It makes you lose sight of what is important, it makes you lose sight of God's promises. The word all of a sudden is unproductive in your spirit and, as a result, in your relationships. When I get super worried about something, I don't know about you guys, but I get quiet and stop interacting with friends as much. I smile and laugh less. Those worries have your spirit and mind in chains, so much so that you cannot concentrate on Christ any longer. Worry brings you away from God, it brings you away from joy, it takes away the reality of God's promises. Well, gee, I don't want that, do you? I didn't think so. Next time, when you have incessant worries about something, remember this verse and convict yourself. Back to the first verse, seek Christ. And I certainly have to take my own advice! I'm by no means exempt from any of this. Now, onto the next verse!


 
 
"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
-1 Peter 5:7

Yeah, okay, so mostly everybody knows this verse. You could probably recite it in your sleep. But, I wanted to end with this one just because of the concept of God caring for us. The god of the universe cares for us mere mortals. If you care about someone, don't you want them to tell you what they're worried about if they're acting different around you? I find myself asking that to people I really care about - "Are you okay? Do you want to talk about anything with me? I'm here for you if you ever need it, you know that, right?" God says the exact same thing to us. If we have worries, if we have issues that we need to talk to somebody about, who better to talk to than the God of the universe? The funny thing is, is that He already knows what you're worried about. So, if you're embarrassed about worrying over something that seems trivial, God already knows you're worried about it. Sometimes I don't tell people what I'm worried about because it seem so stupid to me. But you can't hide from God. You can't hide your thoughts from the Lord. So, the logical solution is to cast that anxiety on God because He is the one that can ultimately take it away. If you worry about sins you can't seem to break free from, tell God. If you worry about what's going on at home, tell God. If you worry about getting into graduate school, tell God. If you worry about finding your place somewhere, tell God. He listens, He cares, and if you only seek Him, He will give you peace that transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:7) and you will draw closer to Him. I hope this helped some of you, I know I certainly need to keep all this in mind. Thanks for reading.



 

March 13, 2013

A Dandelion Seed

Things in this world classified as powerful usually have a huge effect on people. The cosmetic industry has power over girls. Pressure to hit the gym has power over guys. Finding a girlfriend has power over guys. Being loved has power over girls. Just think of one thing that has ruled your life at some point. For me, swimming ruled my life at one point. College has ruled my life at some points. What has held power over you? Maybe it's fear. Maybe it's worry. Maybe it's success.








Have you ever thought about the Gospel being powerful? Well, it is. The Gospel gets diminished by those who just think it's a set of rules or who think that it's just something to follow. Have you even fallen into that trap? I know I have. Oh, the Gospel, it's just something we follow, it's our doctrine. Well, so what? It is powerful. People are brought to know Christ every day. Christianity is huge in this world today. The Gospel should be powerful. Jesus dying on the cross for all of mankind? The Gospel of Jesus Christ should have power over our lives. Christianity has survived for centuries. How do you think that's happened?





The Gospel has the power to transform. When the seed is planted, God slowly waters it until it has noticeably grown above ground. Did you ever think that your actions explain the Gospel? People see those actions and see God work through it. God takes those opportunities to grow in our hearts. The Gospel is the most powerful form of transformation. It transforms the heart, that's why. When I'm faced with a big decision or when I'm faced with a moral decision, the tug of my heart in one direction is the Gospel pulling me in the right direction. The unease I feel when something happens is often the Holy Spirit awakening the Gospel inside of me. The Gospel is our doctrine, it is what we need to be sharing with people. That doesn't necessarily mean proclaiming your beliefs from a rooftop. The Gospel is powerful in so many ways - through verbalization, through actions, and through visible transformation. I feel like my heart has visibly transformed since my freshman year in high school. I've grown in my faith. The Gospel has to power to do that. Speaking the words that God loves a sinner as wretched as me, or you, with an unconditional love should have an unspeakable power about it. The words that God wants a relationship with you and is jealous (not in a petty way) for your attention should have an unspeakable power about it.




Where have you seen the Gospel transform lives? When has the Gospel transformed your life? It's just food for thought. Christ is powerful. His Gospel is powerful.It should be thought of as powerful. The Gospel has the power to free you from the chains of this world. What else can claim that and mean it?










"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed - a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'"
-Romans 1:16-17
 
"I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ."
-Galatians 1:11-12


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