Gospel Life

If you have been walking with Christ for some time, as I have and grown up in church, then you have heard more times then you can count the word "gospel."  But just what does this word mean and what does it mean to us today as the up and coming generation of followers of Jesus?

Last week I took an intensive class about how to communicate cross-culturally.  For those of you who don't know, an intensive is a three credit course done all in one week.  I was there from eight in the morning till five in the evening.  With these crazy hours, it was obviously physically tiring, but man, was it spiritually powerful or what?!  I thought we would be talking a lot about other cultures, which is something I love to learn about, and although that is not what most of the material was focused on, it was probably the best class I have taken in my college career thus far.

I've been continuing to wrack my brain for just what I want to share with you all from what I learned last week.  I've been journaling, praying, and talking to friends about the many things that we discussed.  I realized that I have been all of the pressure on myself in spreading the gospel.  I had this mentality that teaching and sharing the gospel had to all lead to the plan of salvation and the point where the individual had to make a decision one way or the other.  Now don't get me wrong, the plan of salvation is a HUGE part of the gospel, but that is not all of it.

The gospel is simply Jesus.  The completion of the story of Israel, his life, his death, his resurrection, his kingship, and the promise of his second coming.  If we share the story of Jesus we are sharing the gospel.  It's that simple.  I had this skewed view that if I didn't present the gospel in the proper way or left out a part that a person would never come to know Christ or would discount him because of an error in my memory or accuracy of Scripture.

This is completely wrong on so many levels.  First of all, how prideful of me to think that the outcome and response of the one I am sharing the gospel with rests on my shoulders.  Who am I to think that I can do the work that only the Holy Spirit can do.  And how silly of me to fear that something I say/don't say can nullify the Holy Spirit's power.  Jesus didn't have training sessions for the disciples before he sent them out to teach.  Some of them had just professed that they finally believed he was the Messiah for crying out loud!  Who are we to hold back with the knowledge of Jesus and His Word that we do have because we fear that won't live up to the level of intelligence that we want to portray that we possess.

This post is not meant to make you feel guilty or discourage your, but instead I pray that the Lord humbles you as He did me.  Also that you would be encouraged to share with others around the good news of Jesus Christ, no matter how long you have been walking with him, no matter what your profession is, and no matter what stage of life you're in.

Also, a HUGE shout out to Ashley of Overcome the Lie for asking me to be a part of her blog tour this month.  I am so thankful and it is such a privilege!  Definitely go check out Ashley and her team via their blog and social media.  You will be encouraged without a doubt!    

Website l Twitter l Facebook l Instagram l Pinterest

vulnerability

i was watching a video by Jefferson Bethke earlier this week (he is great, so go check his videos out!).  if you want a pre-cursor click here for the link.  he talked about how as a body of believers we need to be more vulnerable with each other.  none of us ever have it all together.  we are human and we are sinners, and it is so much healthier for our spiritual lives if we are open and honest about our struggles.  

i thought that this video was so on point and definitely something that a lot of Christians need to hear today.  it is so easy to pretend like everything is perfect in our lives when in all reality, we may be facing some really heavy trials or spiritual battles.

i got to thinking about it even more and realized that sometimes i have even seen others (and myself at times) try to make it appear as if their life is fine and dandy, but not just to other people, but to God.

my friends, we are completely free to lay every feeling we have down before our Maker.  i know i still deal with fear and anxiety pretty regularly.  these feelings themselves are not sinful, but they can be strong temptations to sin.  it is so easy to get caught up in unhealthy feelings, spiritual battles, or whatever else you may be going through.  at these times is when it is most important to affirm our trust in Him, regardless of how we may feel.

it is unhealthy to hide our fears and pretend like they aren't there.  if we hold anxiety and worry in our hearts, it just harbors and can grow even more.  if we are open and transparent about our fears, it allows the Lord to help us in our weakness.  fearfulness will have no hold on us if we are clinging to the promises of our trustworthy and faithful God.

God is good, all the time, and all the time, God is good

the Lord has really been teaching me what it means to rest in Him.  it is so peaceful to rest in His presence, even when there is chaos going on all around you in the world.  we don't know what the Lord has planned for our futures.  i've been learning not to focus on the past, and the things i wish i could change, as well as not focusing on the future, the job i will have, raising a family, the ministry i will be a part of.  God instead, has been teaching me to focus on him right now, in this moment.  i need to focus on where he has me RIGHT NOW.  if i am open and willing, he can use me right where i'm at.  i don't have to be married, live in another country, be a teacher, or in a titled ministry to be used by the Lord.  i am first and foremost a disciple before i am anything else.  as i go along and may obtain new titles in my life, i want this to always be my first and foremost title, a disciple of Christ.  He will equip me for the challenges that will come along the way.

lately, i have been so eager and anxious for things that my future may hold.  i know though that the Lord's timing is perfect and that his timing is a protection to me.  he meets me in the present moment, right where i'm at, so why am i so eager to know what my future will hold if He is here with my right now?  if i only ask, He will refresh me in the light of His presence.  i want to enjoy him every moment, not spend my life being anxious for the "next step."  He is with me and watches over me wherever i go.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."  Isaiah 55:8-9

i have tasted and seen that the Lord is good!  i get to experience his living presence every moment of everyday.  he has given me a inheritance and a promise.  the longer i walk with the Lord, the more i see his goodness.  it is so easy to doubt his goodness when we face trials and adversity.  his ways are mysterious to us, so why do we try to understand if it isn't even possible?  his ways and thoughts are higher than our ways.  why do we even try to fathom his ways?  let's learn to enjoy him and experience his goodness at all times. 

Try This Psalm on for Size

If I haven't already made it clear on here, I like writing.  But, I don't like writing as much as other things.  Things being, eating, reading, talking, etc.

A lot of times I write as a way to express what I feel I have been learning and feel led to share with somebody.  If I find that through writing then I write, but a lot of times I can find that outlet elsewhere.  Hence, my lack of posting as often as I would like.  It's not laziness, it's lack of motivation.

When I got to college I started this blog as a way to share and sort out the things that the Lord was teaching me and the experiences I was having.  It was a good way to adjust for me.

After two years at college, I now have godly, encouraging friends who I can talk to when I need perspective or to sort my thoughts out.  I have a job with my college in student leadership, my studies, friendships, and my church family to help me keep things in perspective, which is why I haven't really become "regular" in my blogging.

Of course there is a reason why I am writing this post then, when I have countless other things to be doing (just kidding, I am not busy in the least this weekend).

In a couple months I will be taking on a new adventure as an RA, and then a year from now I will be graduating.  I've been in prayer, read my assigned books, and emailed back and forth with my RD, and it's all becoming very real.  Not only will this be my last year at school, but I will be responsible for the safety of forty girls.  This is why I need to write.  This is when I need to sort my thoughts into order and watch paragraphs from.  And, thankfully end.

College girls say and do some crazy things.  They still cry about MANY things.  New challenges, obstacles, hardships, and trials arise on a daily basis.  As an SLD on my hall last year, these are things that I have come to understand are a part of life on a girl's hall.  I try to take them in stride.  I want to be more sensitive to them going into the new school year.  I want to build trust with the girls on my hall.  I want to know where they are spiritually.

Even more so, I'm excited/sad that next year will be my Senior year.  Sometimes I get a little overwhelmed by the bittersweet of it.  So many good things will be left behind, but even better things to anticipate.  But, I know that some of the things that were good during those four years, will continue to be good then.  But what will my life look like after graduation?

I don't know.

There is a great temptation to try and figure out what the future will look like, to analyze every possible outcome, to spend more time planning my life then living it.  Giving more energy towards avoid undesired outcomes then pursuing the only outcome that really matters.

Thankfully, I have another option...

"Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act."

There is so much about the future that I don't know, and sometimes the weight of that can seem too heavy.  But I don't have to carry that burden anymore.  As I follow Christ, he will direct me where I need to go in due time.  

If you feel like this sometimes, take a look at Psalm 37:3-7.  I think you'll like what you see.  

Seek My Face

 

Sitting on the docks at the park, I read this verse over and over.

"When you said, "Seek my face," My heart said to You, "Your face, LORD, I will seek."  Psalm 27:8

Tears started welling up in my eyes.  My hand shook as I wrote in my journal, pouring out my heart to the Lord.

"Seek my face."

This verse was in my devotional book that morning.  Every morning I read from this book, striving to start my day in His presence.

I remember reading this verse quite some time ago, back when I was a sophomore in high school.  Having for the first time realized what it meant to have a relationship with the Lord, I started searching through my new "adult" Bible.  I came across this verse and thought to myself, "Yeah, I do that.  I seek the Lord's face.  Not something I have to try for very much."  Boy, I thought I had it all together by myself.

A little over five years later and I see this verse in a much different light.  After six mission trips, leading students in my youth group for two years, discipling college girls at my school for two years, studying Religion and Inter-Cultural Studies, and having the opportunity to be taught by some of the wisest and godliest men and women on earth, I now know that I am not seeking the Lord's face everyday or in every area of my life.

Through all of the transitions of the past several years, the ups and downs, I have seen the Lord's faithfulness more then ever.  Not only is He the solid rock that I can stand on, but He is faithfully working in me.  For the past few months I've wondered, how can I REALLY seek his face?  And finally, I can say, I'm starting to understand what that means.

Seeking His face involves rest.  At the same time it involves action.  It means being with Jesus - not just doing.  Doing flows out of being.  If comes from fulling resting in Jesus - after we know who we are in Him and who He is.

In the past several months, God has showed me that I constantly put my value in the things that I do instead of who He says I am.  I struggled with "performance identity."  Raise my hands in worship, pray eloquently, always offer to pray in groups, volunteer in every area possible, etc.  I didn't realize it until I sat at home over Christmas break with no one to "impress" with my spirituality.  Quickly, the Lord revealed to me that I had put my identity in my "job" and ministry.  A part of me crumbled.  I didn't have any labeled ministry while I was at home for that whole month.  I wasn't plugged in to my church to serve or disciple either.

I started to realize that perfection or striving for identity in my performance is not God's plan for me.  That is not what He wants for his children.  Yes, He wants us to work hard.  Yes, we are to use the gifts He has given us.  However, our value and identity are not found in the things that we do.  Our identity is found in Jesus, who says we are loved, cherished, valued, redeemed, set apart, and His inheritance.  He doesn't love us because of what we do, He simply loves us because we are His.  Yes we are to serve him, but out of love, not out of fear.

I don't have an intense ministry job right now.  I can rest.  I can seek His face.  I can simply be with Him - in the present, with whatever I'm doing.  To give thanks.  To trust. To pray.  I'm learning to be content with not having a being surrounded with a bunch of girls pouring their hearts out to me, seeking for advice and encouragement.

There are different seasons for everything.  This one is a season of seeking for me.  This is a season to go back to the basics - to remember why I fell in love with Jesus in the first place.  To not think of him as my employer, but as my King and Savior.  To just seek Him and know that I can't do anything apart from Him.  I just get to be with Him and let his love and light shine forth.  For His name's sake alone.  He's been showing me this through the past months.  Whatever season you are in today, know that the Lord is calling you to seek Him.  To rest in Him.  To find your identity in Him and then go wherever He leads you, continually seeking him all the while.  You don't have to prove yourself.  He already loves you completely, forever.