Part of the beauty of being a believer in Christ is that he will make me grow in him. He is not depending on that we need to be a certain age, stage in life or anything like that. I've heard many times that you mature/change most until you turn 25 and then it slows down (a lot), so I started believing that lie a few years ago, especially as I turned 22,23,24 without seeing much change in me. I knew I would change, but expected it to go much slower from then on.
I turned 25 years last year and I don't think I have changed so much any of my years as I have this past year. Talk about the grace of God!!!
I started school last year, terrified that I wouldn't be smart enough to pass my courses. One of the reasons why I haven't wanted to go to University has been that I have never felt smart enough for it. I seriously believed that there were no chance ever that I would even qualify to get in to any courses on a University level.
I have learned this past year that I'm not smart enough - in myself. This year has only been going good because of the work God has done. Because I was so afraid of failing - I got myself totally depended on God. But I have also learned that my grades or my education doesn't mean anything. It is of no value in itself, or for my own sake.
I read in a book today, written by John Piper, where he explained it perfectly:
"God himself is the great supreme value. Everything else that has any value has it by connection to God."
He also wrote:
"Satan enslaves people in two ways. One way is with the misery and suffering that comes from making us think there is no good God worth trusting. The other way is with pleasure and prosperity, making us think we have all we need so that God is irrelevant."
It is good for us to "reach bottom" in certain areas because it reminds us that we are depended on God and it teaches us to have faith in God - because we don't have anything else that we can trust and hold on to. God doesn't create evil - there is nothing but good in him, but he allows it to happen but always for a purpose. If we go through suffering, then we need to run to God and praise him because he is in control, he is good and it will give us patience and bring us closer to God. If we prosper, then we need to praise God, and remember that it's all because of him.
1 Cor 1:27-31 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not —to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord."
2 Cor 12:9 (Jesus says to Paul) “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. ” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
It is in our weakness that God's power is made perfect!
Paul says in verse 10: That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
We need to make ourselves totally depended on God, but actually, we in ourselves can not even do that! Ask God for it, ask him to lead you right and give your life, your whole life to him. Do whatever it takes! And with that, I don't mean "try not to sin" but I mean, cry out to God, become desperate to find him! The one who seek will find! For the one who knocks - the door WILL open!
Mark 8:35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.
Jer 29:12-13 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Isaiah 57:15 For this is what the high and exalted One says—he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.
And the best part is that it is God who will do the work in you! And his Spirit can lead you in everything in life!
Isaiah 30:21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
1 Thess 5:24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
Actually I asked God for where that last bible verse were as I couldn't find it, and I flipped one page and there it was! Just one example of how God can lead you!
The best part about being a believer is that God actually really exist and that everything in the bible is actually true! For real!!!
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