Gary Thomas in his book, "Sacred Marriage"
"Because we have hope for eternity, we do not become nearsighted demanding short-term ease that would short-circuit long-term gain. Our demands for comfort and ease show us what we truly value. It is the definitive demonstration of whether we are living for God's kingdom and service or for our own comfort and reputation."
Hmmm...I've been thinking. When it comes down to it, life is really hard. It makes me tired. It makes me sad. I have a number of friends that are going through divorces, are split up, and some who are dealing with the consequences of nasty divorces from their past. It is discouraging. Something that God set up for us as Christians to display in a right manner is being destroyed by 'Christians' every day. The picture of marriage is set up as an example to show us (and to display to unbelievers) how Christ loves His Church. How will the world ever look at Christians and see that we are different if we won't live our lives differently then they do?!?!
Marriage and divorce is just one example of the many ways that Christians have a chance to show the world that we can be different and are called to be different...but yet we are failing miserably at. How will I deal when I am faced with suffering? Will I react in anger and selfishness? Or will I turn to God and let Him provide me with His peace and perserverance?
This all started because of my thoughts on how things can be hard. Really, when I get to thinking about it. I can always find something that is hard, something that makes me sad, something that I could cry myself to sleep over. But that is because I am living on this earth, that is full of sin...this is the closest I will ever be to experiencing Hell. I guess what I am trying to say is just to follow up on my last post. I am SO SO SO blessed. I sat on the back porch of a dear friend this evening, listening to stories from her life, hearing her pray, watching her shed tears for pain that wasn't even her pain to bear; then hearing her say to me, "It doesn't matter what happens in your life Heidi, just stay focused on Jesus, just keep your focus on Him." She wasn't promising me that I am going to have an easy road for the rest of my life...she was telling me to keep my focus on Christ despite all the other stuff that will try to get in the way.
So I end with this. I am even more blessed today then I was yesterday. How privilaged I am to have a godly woman sit next to me and push me closer to Christ. For the rest of my life, when things get hard and the world's sadness presses in...I only hope that her words(as well as so many other's) will come back to me and encourage me enough to get through another hard day. To remind me of how gracious God has been in givng me so much in my life. So much good that I could have never dreamed up or imagined.
Heaps of blessing on you all...
"Because we have hope for eternity, we do not become nearsighted demanding short-term ease that would short-circuit long-term gain. Our demands for comfort and ease show us what we truly value. It is the definitive demonstration of whether we are living for God's kingdom and service or for our own comfort and reputation."
Hmmm...I've been thinking. When it comes down to it, life is really hard. It makes me tired. It makes me sad. I have a number of friends that are going through divorces, are split up, and some who are dealing with the consequences of nasty divorces from their past. It is discouraging. Something that God set up for us as Christians to display in a right manner is being destroyed by 'Christians' every day. The picture of marriage is set up as an example to show us (and to display to unbelievers) how Christ loves His Church. How will the world ever look at Christians and see that we are different if we won't live our lives differently then they do?!?!
Marriage and divorce is just one example of the many ways that Christians have a chance to show the world that we can be different and are called to be different...but yet we are failing miserably at. How will I deal when I am faced with suffering? Will I react in anger and selfishness? Or will I turn to God and let Him provide me with His peace and perserverance?
This all started because of my thoughts on how things can be hard. Really, when I get to thinking about it. I can always find something that is hard, something that makes me sad, something that I could cry myself to sleep over. But that is because I am living on this earth, that is full of sin...this is the closest I will ever be to experiencing Hell. I guess what I am trying to say is just to follow up on my last post. I am SO SO SO blessed. I sat on the back porch of a dear friend this evening, listening to stories from her life, hearing her pray, watching her shed tears for pain that wasn't even her pain to bear; then hearing her say to me, "It doesn't matter what happens in your life Heidi, just stay focused on Jesus, just keep your focus on Him." She wasn't promising me that I am going to have an easy road for the rest of my life...she was telling me to keep my focus on Christ despite all the other stuff that will try to get in the way.
So I end with this. I am even more blessed today then I was yesterday. How privilaged I am to have a godly woman sit next to me and push me closer to Christ. For the rest of my life, when things get hard and the world's sadness presses in...I only hope that her words(as well as so many other's) will come back to me and encourage me enough to get through another hard day. To remind me of how gracious God has been in givng me so much in my life. So much good that I could have never dreamed up or imagined.
Heaps of blessing on you all...
