In a world of swirling opinions, frightening uncertainties, and the "anything goes" attitude that is becoming so prominent, it's hard to know how to survive in this world- not just physically, but emotionally. If we don't have a solid foundation of who we are and what we believe is right, we will never make it through!
Living right and doing right can only be accomplished through the power of God. I only have the right mindset and truly have right intentions and actions when I remember that I serve an almighty King who died for me. When I start thinking about rules, what other's think, and not making anyone upset, I lose the whole point of the Christian walk. Christ is the only reason.
So how do we turn away from our works-motivated Christianity, and move towards living our lives for God, simply because we love him and appreciate him?
Recognize your desire for sin (and rebuke it)
Have you every found yourself thinking (or saying) things like "I can't do that..God would be mad at me", or "I wish I could join you, but I can't"? I know I am guilty of such words. At the root of this is an acknowledgement that some sins are still appealing to us. If you feel deprived or short-changed because God doesn't want you to participate in some particular sin, that is exactly what is going on. I think we all do this, to one degree or another, but once we recognize this in ourselves, we can rebuke those thoughts when they come to mind and get them out of our silly heads.
Memorize Scripture that reminds you of Christ's love
It's hard to have a bad attitude about what you "can't do when you are opening your eyes daily to Jesus' deep love for us- love so deep that he died a horrendous, gory death for us. Looking at bible verses that remind us exactly what Christ gave for us, and how deep his love runs for us, should cultivate a deep gratitude for Jesus those goes far beyond any momentary pleasure we may desire.
Surround yourself with godly influences
Spend all your time with people who love the things of the world and love the idea of being in control of their own lives, and you will surely value the same things. Their is a reason the Bible says "bad company corrupts good character" ( 1 Cor. 15:34) . However, if you chose to surround yourself with people who love the Lord and want his best for themselves and for others, you will be much more equipped to guard your mind, words, and actions- and for the right reasons.
No matter who you are, if you want to live a godly, positive life, these things are crucial. Without even one of these pieces, your continuous striving towards godliness will be much more difficult and frustrating. Putting these things into practice won't make life easy, but it will make your journey with the Lord much more fulfilling and authentic.
Which one of these do you struggle with most? Is there anything that you would add to this list? Comment below.
These are great points! I really like how you said we need to recognize our desire for sin and rebuke it. I think that most of the time Christians beat themselves up for even having the desire to sin, when it's part of being human.
ReplyDeleteJenna, that is the one I struggle with the most too! I beat myself up and wallow in the fact that I have a desire for sin, instead of just rebuking it and moving on with God's help.
DeleteI love your point about recognizing and rebuking our sin nature. I think the rebuke of sin in ourselves and telling Satan to be gone when we feel that there is a spiritual attack going on are two aspects of a strong, vibrant, growing Christian life that are overlooked a lot. Thank you for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteDevra, I agree! Those are two very important things! I know that I often forget to rebuke satan. I am prone to think that bad things only happen when I do something wrong, but that is not right thinking at all. Sometimes, things going on in our lives are spiritual attacks and we have to command satan to get out! Thanks for the reminder!
DeleteThanks for this - I especially like the reminder to memorize scripture, definately something I need to work into my routine more.
ReplyDeleteI found you on The Peony Project, would love for you to pop over and say hi @ http://www.songbirdandanerd.com/ :)
Thanks, Lindsey! I sure will!
DeleteBeautifully said. You are exactly right, we must recognize & turn from our sin & fill that space with Christ's redeeming love.
ReplyDeleteThank you! And yes! We have to fill that space with Christ!
DeleteLove these, Kristin! They are all so good and so true. I easily see my own sin, the problem I have is with rebuking it. So often, I want to act out of hurt or frustration. And then I remember a verse...and I have an inner dialogue about who I am now, and Whose I am.
ReplyDeleteYep! I understand that completely!
DeleteScripture-memorizing should never be under-estimated, that's for sure! The verses I've held to since childhood provide both comfort and wisdom in all sorts of situations!
ReplyDeleteFor sure! I haven't really taken the time to memorize scripture in a very long time.
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