written September 9, 2008
So here I am on cloud nine just amazed at how wonderful my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is and how thankful I am that He is living and active in my life. (I know that's a dependent clause, but I didn't feel like writing a three line sentence so please forgive me) I made my best effort to not be disillusioned that life would always be peachy and I would never have struggles ever again. That's foolish, and it isn't what Christ says will happen to those who follow Him. Pain comes; sins are committed; struggles ensue. That is life and it is essential to every Christ follower to know what God's Word teaches us to do when discouraging things take place.
The past couple of weeks have been difficult for me and have tested the very Truth that I desire to know and live. Work has been very busy and even stressful at times. We've played some really hard shows on little rehearsal time and the tension has been tough to handle. I've been worn out by day's end and not in the mood to study the Word or spend time in prayer as much as I have been recently. I've let compromises sneak back in and lead to more failure in my walk. It's seemed as if I wasn't on track and was headed back the opposite way and perhaps in reality I was.
Questions arose. Do I really love Christ? Do I really hate this sin if I continue to do it? If I'm so on fire for Jesus, why do I not spend hours and hours reading the Word and praying every day? Why are my thoughts not constantly focused on Christ?
There are a couple of significant things to address due to these questions coming about:
1. Does Scripture tell me to question my faith when I sin? Does the Word of God tell me to dwell on what I'm doing wrong? No! Scripture tells me to turn back to Christ who has already paid the price for my past, present, and future sin. As a humble man struggling with this very thing, I urge you to focus on Christ, and when you lose that focus return it to Christ as fast as possible.
2. What is it that causes these questions to come about? To some extent, maybe it's my desire to love God and live in Truth. It could also be fear of growing apart from God or losing the momentum that has been building recently. While these are good things to keep in mind, I find that the longer I dwell on these questions, the less time I am focusing on Christ. Instead I begin to think about me and how I can do better. Pride overtakes Truth and I lose sight of my Master, Jesus. Don't let discouragement overshadow the Truth.
3. What specifically is the Truth that God's Word provides?
Philippians 1:6 says "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Don't be discouraged. Dwell in Christ because the good work started in you will be completed by the Author and Perfecter of our faith! How I long to know this Truth and have Christ transform my heart to live this way!
EH brought my attention to Romans starting in chapter 7: 7 and going through much of chapter 8. In 7:18, Paul writes "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out." It is only out of Christ living in me that goodness flows.
V. 21 "So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand." The evil one is real and he wants nothing more than to make me question my faith and question my worth. Sorry, Satan. The good work has already been started and Christ, my Lord, reigns in me...
V. 24-25 "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin."
Chapter 8 goes on to describe how we have been set free from sin through Jesus Christ. Paul shrugs off suffering and says that it is nothing compared to the glory that will be revealed through Christ. There is no greater hope than the one we have in Jesus!
I often struggle with the battle going on inside of me between my flesh and my spirit in Christ. This battle exists in every Christ follower. It's real and it's tangible. It cannot be denied. The thing that I do which is harmful is to shy away from the battle. I reason that since it is so real and so hard to deal with sometimes, it would be better to just not care as much. Christ has been destroying that lie in my life recently. Not only is it important to acknowledge this struggle, it is a huge part of how Jesus transforms me. I can't deny my flesh. I can't stop my body from craving sin and I'm too weak to avoid sin. This struggle brings me back to Christ. If I am honest with myself, it has to bring my focus back to Christ because there is no other way. Christ is the Way!
So how do I desire to deal with discouragement? I desire to focus on Jesus Christ: my Lord, my first love, my Savior, my King, the Truth, the living and active Word of God dwelling in me and continuing the good work on to completion.
So here I am on cloud nine just amazed at how wonderful my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is and how thankful I am that He is living and active in my life. (I know that's a dependent clause, but I didn't feel like writing a three line sentence so please forgive me) I made my best effort to not be disillusioned that life would always be peachy and I would never have struggles ever again. That's foolish, and it isn't what Christ says will happen to those who follow Him. Pain comes; sins are committed; struggles ensue. That is life and it is essential to every Christ follower to know what God's Word teaches us to do when discouraging things take place.
The past couple of weeks have been difficult for me and have tested the very Truth that I desire to know and live. Work has been very busy and even stressful at times. We've played some really hard shows on little rehearsal time and the tension has been tough to handle. I've been worn out by day's end and not in the mood to study the Word or spend time in prayer as much as I have been recently. I've let compromises sneak back in and lead to more failure in my walk. It's seemed as if I wasn't on track and was headed back the opposite way and perhaps in reality I was.
Questions arose. Do I really love Christ? Do I really hate this sin if I continue to do it? If I'm so on fire for Jesus, why do I not spend hours and hours reading the Word and praying every day? Why are my thoughts not constantly focused on Christ?
There are a couple of significant things to address due to these questions coming about:
1. Does Scripture tell me to question my faith when I sin? Does the Word of God tell me to dwell on what I'm doing wrong? No! Scripture tells me to turn back to Christ who has already paid the price for my past, present, and future sin. As a humble man struggling with this very thing, I urge you to focus on Christ, and when you lose that focus return it to Christ as fast as possible.
2. What is it that causes these questions to come about? To some extent, maybe it's my desire to love God and live in Truth. It could also be fear of growing apart from God or losing the momentum that has been building recently. While these are good things to keep in mind, I find that the longer I dwell on these questions, the less time I am focusing on Christ. Instead I begin to think about me and how I can do better. Pride overtakes Truth and I lose sight of my Master, Jesus. Don't let discouragement overshadow the Truth.
3. What specifically is the Truth that God's Word provides?
Philippians 1:6 says "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Don't be discouraged. Dwell in Christ because the good work started in you will be completed by the Author and Perfecter of our faith! How I long to know this Truth and have Christ transform my heart to live this way!
EH brought my attention to Romans starting in chapter 7: 7 and going through much of chapter 8. In 7:18, Paul writes "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out." It is only out of Christ living in me that goodness flows.
V. 21 "So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand." The evil one is real and he wants nothing more than to make me question my faith and question my worth. Sorry, Satan. The good work has already been started and Christ, my Lord, reigns in me...
V. 24-25 "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin."
Chapter 8 goes on to describe how we have been set free from sin through Jesus Christ. Paul shrugs off suffering and says that it is nothing compared to the glory that will be revealed through Christ. There is no greater hope than the one we have in Jesus!
I often struggle with the battle going on inside of me between my flesh and my spirit in Christ. This battle exists in every Christ follower. It's real and it's tangible. It cannot be denied. The thing that I do which is harmful is to shy away from the battle. I reason that since it is so real and so hard to deal with sometimes, it would be better to just not care as much. Christ has been destroying that lie in my life recently. Not only is it important to acknowledge this struggle, it is a huge part of how Jesus transforms me. I can't deny my flesh. I can't stop my body from craving sin and I'm too weak to avoid sin. This struggle brings me back to Christ. If I am honest with myself, it has to bring my focus back to Christ because there is no other way. Christ is the Way!
So how do I desire to deal with discouragement? I desire to focus on Jesus Christ: my Lord, my first love, my Savior, my King, the Truth, the living and active Word of God dwelling in me and continuing the good work on to completion.
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