When Are Things Going To Get Better?

How many times do you know what God is asking and wanting you to do and yet...you choose to stay exactly where you are? You continue doing exactly the same things that have been making you unhappy for the past several years. You talk about making the tough, yet necessary changes but somehow you continue to rely on your own strength, will and might. It is never quite enough to get your life back on the right path to happiness.

I'm going to be very frank with you. There is one constant and continual problem. It is something that we all struggle with...pride. We think we can handle everything on our own. But the one question I have to ask you is, "How's that been working out for you?" Do you still feel, lost, sad, alone, afraid and unable to stand strong and change the areas of your life that are out of control? The very thing that got the devil kicked out of heaven was pride. Unfortunately he uses that weakness in your life to continue to lie to you. He isolate's you and then fills your head with thoughts of defeat, and hopelessness. He tries to make you feel weak if you need to ask God for help. He does not want you to go to the very source of love, truth, light, wisdom and hope.

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:7, 9-10

Jesus came to give you life through a relationship with Him. This relationship is built on getting to know Him and His Word through prayer and scripture study. As you spend time with Him daily, He begins to heal your wounds through His love and truth about who you really are. He slowly begins to take away the desires to do the things that are causing you heartache. He leads you beside still, calm waters; allowing you to take all of your pain, addictions, heartache, and loneliness and hand it over to Him. He will fill you with a peace that is incomprehensible. A peace that defy's all human logic. As you lean on Him, He builds you up and reminds you of how special you truly are. You are not your sin, you are not your addictions, you are not unworthy, you are not unloved. You begin to see who you truly are in and through HIS EYES. A person of great importance and value in advancing His Kingdom. A person worthy of giving His life for. 

"I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me." Proverbs 8:17

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7

Do not continue to struggle alone. Do not feel ashamed to go to the Lord and ask for forgiveness. Do not feel unworthy of being loved. Do not feel the need to control everything in your life and feel like a failure when you can't. You were not made to travel this journey alone. You've been made for a love relationship with Jesus Christ. That emptiness you constantly feel is the huge gaping hole that God created in you to be filled with HIS LOVE. Do not continue to weather your storm alone through the deception of pride. Look to your Savior, your Redeemer, and your Healer. He stands at the door waiting...will you let Him in to your heart and your life?

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16

At Least I'm Not Like Them!

Have you ever found yourself saying, "Wow, what's wrong with them?" Do you ever sit in judgement of others? We all fall short in this area, often times using this to lift ourselves up..."at least I'm not like them!" 

Sin is sin - you can try to justify it any way you want. The truth is none of us are perfect. We're all battling something...some sin may just be more outwardly apparent than others. Don't ever forget where you've come from and what you've been forgiven of. Your story will become your ministry. You have the ability to reach others who may be struggling with the same challenges you've overcome through the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. 

You have a story to share. You have a life to touch. Instead of wasting your time judging others, spend time loving them. Share your story of redemption, freedom, peace and love through your relationship with Jesus Christ. You have  been given a great purpose; to help set the captives free. Go out in unconditional love today, reaching out to a lost, hurt and broken people.

“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;" Luke 6:37

"Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?" James 4:11-12

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." John 3:17

"Therefore said he unto them, The harvest is great, but the laborers are few: Pray you therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest." Luke 10:2

WHEN YOU FEEL THE GRIME...

NOTICE THE HEART SHAPE AT THE TOP RIGHT?

I slowly pulled in between the tight panels, waiting to hear the loud beep signaling me to stop. I sat patiently waiting as the water poured over the top. Next came the multicolored layers of suds; a fresh, clean aroma filled the air. I sat in the darkness watching a particularly difficult spot a bird had left, wondering if the pressure would be strong enough to remove the main reason I was there. Water continued to rain down as the panels moved back and forth. The longer I sat, the stronger the pressure became, until finally the bird dropping disappeared from view. The flashing green arrows signaled I was done. I slowly pulled out of the car wash, my car once again shiny and new.

While sitting in the car, waiting for the cleaning process to finish, I thought about sin. When I've messed up and done something wrong, said something hurtful, talked about someone to others, negatively lashed out at my husband or family members, I feel the "dirt" of it on me. I feel the "old me" trying to rise up and cover me with shame, guilt and condemnation. For a while, I leave it on me, just like driving around in my dirty car with bird droppings on it. I allow my shame and guilt to be worn on my outward self. I don't feel worthy to go to my Heavenly Father and ask to be cleaned. The enemy takes this opportunity to fill my head with lies, "This is who you really are! You've messed up again. You're never going to overcome this. Look how far you were and you still couldn't stop doing it! Give up, what's the use...you'll never change!"

But through those dark moments, as I try to muffle the lies and make sense of it all; just like watching the multicolored suds in the dark car, the still small voice of the Holy Spirit calls to me, "You are forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ. You are a new creation in Him; and like the car wash, I begin to smell the clean refreshing aroma surrounding me. The past is gone, you have been made whole. I love you. I have a good plan for your life. Get up and let me clean you! The longer I sit with the Lord, the truth of His love begins to apply pressure to the dirt of sin.

I begin to pray asking to be cleaned, forgiven and made new again. I ask not only for forgiveness, but that the worldly desires of my human nature be removed in Jesus' name. Slowly the darkness begins to wash away, the light of Jesus' sacrifice beams brightly down upon me. I begin to fill the grime disappear. Then before I realize it, I've been cleaned, forgiven and I'm ready to be used by Christ for His purpose.

Don't continue to sit in the dark grime and dirt of your sin. That is not who you are! You have been given the gift of forgiveness and can start with a clean slate. Wash up...the Lord is waiting to use you for His amazing plan!

"Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!" Ezekiel 18:31-32

"Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." John 12:44-46