From Comfort to Commitment

The comfort of what we know provides us with an overall sense of stability, security, and contentment. We become enveloped in a familiar routine that shapes our self-perception and how we view life from a  general standpoint.

The interesting part about life is that there are situations that God can use to force us out of our self-developed comfort zone. The past few weeks have proven to be a huge challenge for Mom and me. Suddenly going from a three-member family down to just us two has led to quite the period of adjustment. I've had such a hard time figuring out how to enjoy a kind of freedom that I've never had as an adult. It is the first time I've only ever had to worry about myself during the day. While I'm slowly learning to enjoy it, I can't help but feel like a totally different person.

My thoughts regarding a lot of my personal history have suddenly matured. I'm discovering new things I enjoy. My new daily routines are for someone who still feels like a stranger I've just met. 

In this new season, I am faced with the question of: Who am I and what all can Christ do for me?

I think all of us come to visit this area at some point in our lives. This thought not only pertains to Christians but also to those who are lost and without Christ. Our day-to-day lives can become so busy and mundane in nature, that we become too comfortable in the surroundings we are familiar with. We become too attached to the inner burdens we carry. We wrongfully identify with them, and we settle for less than what God wants for our lives.

We give just enough to fulfill our requirements so that we don't have to step out and do something that we've never done before. 

What if the "just enough" attitude is what's keeping you from truly living your life to its fullest for Jesus Christ? 

I want to spend some time looking at both the definitions of the words comfortable and commitment: 

The word comfortable is described as providing physical ease or relaxation.

Commitment is described as the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause or activity.

Life in itself requires continual dedication and is never easy. The same could be said about the walk with Christ. What is God calling you to do? If you have never been saved, what's holding you back from Him? 

Are you afraid of what a new life might mean? I can assure you that deciding to accept Him as your Savior is the best decision you could make. Don't settle for a life without Christ. He can give you so much more joy and purpose than what you could ever find on Earth. The world offers you nothing of value. Don't wait until it's too late. 

As a Christian, what's holding you back in your walk with Christ? Have you become so busy that you've become too relaxed when it comes to serving God or in other areas of your life? Maybe this is an opportunity for you to try to develop healthier habits and go on even the smallest adventure. God has something great in store for you. You just have to step away from your own place of comfort and commit to finding out what that is. 

Who are you and what would you like Christ to do in your life? What's keeping you from stepping from comfort to commitment in this moment?  

"Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually." (Psalm 119:117 King James Version) 

"The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower". (Psalm 18:2 King James Version) 

Keep Your Faith

 How many times do we plan, outline, stress, and strive to do everything on our to-do list, yet we still don't get anything accomplished when or how we want?

But when we decide to stop in our tracks, take our time to meditate on whatever is laid on our hearts, & wait on the Lord to guide us in doing the things we need to do...we seem to be able to complete each task with ease.

Sometimes we try to count on ourselves for too much; we often find ourselves mapping out our lives to represent the path that we want to take; striving to do what we feel is good for us. A lot of the time we base what's truly good on our own definition, and end up feeling as if next to everyone else, what we do isn't enough.

Friend, in this life, we will always fall short if we choose to look around to one another.

God can take the smallest bit of what you are able to do & turn it into something useful for His glory. We have no power within ourselves. With His help, our light for Jesus shines bright for all to see.

The best thing to do is to stand still, wait for the Lord to lay something on your heart, take your time doing what you can & allow Him to take care of the rest. That's the true meaning of keeping the faith.

The mark you leave on this world will have nothing to do with how much you did with your life; it's all about trusting God's plan for your life in place of your own. That also means trusting in His timing through it all.

Don't lose heart and always remember to keep your faith.

"A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps." (Proverbs 16:9 King James Version)

Good Is Not Enough

 As I have taken more frequent blog posting breaks as the years have passed and now have stretches of time without a formal blog available for what seems like forever, discouragement often tries to find an unwelcome seat in my mind. I am able to quickly sense my thoughts delving into the territory of "I'm not doing enough for the Lord" or "I'm not a good enough Christian"

This stirred up the message that I have today.

What does "good enough" even mean? What does that entail? The definition could be different depending upon whom you ask.

I want to focus on the two separate avenues the devil attempts to reach the human mind with the "good enough" trap of deceit.

The truth of the matter is that having the reputation of being the kindest person in the world alone will not and cannot get you into Heaven.

The lie that Satan loves to spread amongst unsaved folks is the misconception that if you're "good enough" all will turn out fine in the end. In today's society, solely living as a good human is a popular and definitive standard.

A similarly deceptive and dangerous tactic is used among those who are true born again Christians. Satan loves to tell those who have trusted Christ as their Savior that "you're not doing a good job" or he'll try to get you to stop serving the Lord because "no one really cares" what you have to say.

I wrote this message tonight, because I've dealt with these thoughts more than once as a Christian; on the other hand, I know a lot of unsaved people and hope this may plant a seed within them to not trust in their own good merit to be enough.

Whatever way the devil may be deceiving you tonight: don't allow him to do so. I'll end with this final thought:

Salvation and eternal life aren't dependent upon good works; it is a precious gift that Christ so freely offers to whosoever may call upon Him. You don't serve to be saved, you serve because you are saved.

It's not about you. Choosing to be good is simply not enough.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9 King James Version)

The Fullness of His Word

Don't allow someone's rejection or approval to become your foundation or the meaningless thing that you place your faith & trust into.

Someone may only come into your life for a season, & it's important to remember that God has a perfect reason for allowing that to be so.

Oftentimes, we are able to glance behind us and see how a person we no longer speak to, whether it be from a dissolved friendship or a relationship, played a role in who we are in this very moment.

Think about it: God may place people in your life to increase your awareness of everything around you & about you.

You learn a great deal about the world through the company you keep. They may introduce you to new experiences: food, travel, fun adventure. You'll have those memories forever. You also discover what your own personal standards are. It's important to know who you wish to let into your inner circle. There has to be a boundary set in place because those seasons can lead us into a world of trouble if we are not careful.

It's also a positive that you do learn about yourself and grow in the process. The seasonal friendships and relationships I've had helped me grow so much from an interactive standpoint. We experience. We change. We grow.

But most of all, it's important to cling to this thought:

Christ loves us more than we can truly comprehend. Those seasons are meant for us, only because He cares so much, knowing how we need to grow. He desires for us to seek love from Him first & foremost, & for our minds to be filled with the fullness of His Word.

So many of us get that wrong. I have more than once. The end of seasons can hurt us deeply, but it's crucial to hold onto the faith in our hearts.

"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that he being rooted and grounded in love."

"Maybe able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height."

"And to know the love of Christ, which passeth all knowledge, that he might be filled with all the fullness of God".

(Ephesians 3:17-19 King James Version)