It has been a while since I have posted something, but recently something has been on my mind and I felt the need to write about it.
Recently I had someone tell me that I wasn't allowed to use bible verses because they didn't want to hear it and because its become something people always do. Throw verses around or talk about their life and use bible verses to talk about it. In a way I felt kind of offended. One, because I don't just throw around verses. And two, I felt hurt to be rejected of talking about something I am passionate about; my faith. I know I haven't been a Christian for long, but throughout the last few months, my life has had ups and downs and I have struggled to lean on God and seek him throughout it all. I struggled with the weight of my sin and was relying so much on wanting acceptance of others. But coming back to school for my third year my eyes have been opened to new perspectives.
Do I still struggle with wanting to be around people and to feel accepted... yeah, but realizing my worth in Christ and not others has been the most important thing for me. Having a conversation about grace and the Lord's love for us changed everything for me when I was struggling with my own sin. I have realized more and more within the last few weeks about my own faith and who Christ is. I have grasped a new understanding of His love for me and how He should be the only one I should seek. The feeling of how I am so small compared to everything else in the universe and how even when I run from Him, He is still there when I come running back to Him. Realizing that there is nothing I can do to scare Him away. Realizing that His love for me is infinite, with no limits... That is the best feeling ever.
No one else in the world can give me that. No one else can be there waiting for me when I wake up or when I feel alone and helpless. No one can be there to comfort me all the times I am upset or see all the times I am happy. No one can be there all the times I need to be disciplined for making mistakes... Only He can do that for me!
Realizing that He is only one who can do everything that I cannot, it makes me appreciate Him more and love Him more. I want to run to the rooftops and scream His name and tell everyone how good He is and how much I don't deserve Him... That is why it upset me to be told that basically I cannot share something that means something to me. I didn't become a Christian to stand back and say nothing. I didn't become a Christian to stay in my comfort zone. I became a Christian because I believe that we are all sinners and we are separated from Him. We have rejected Him and should have no hope, but He loves us enough that He sent His son to die for us so that we could have hope. Something unimaginable and unexplainable yet so amazing. He died so that we could know Him, and instead of having no hope and have death, He could cleanse our hearts and give us life. I understand that people will willingly reject the gospel and not want to listen. I respect peoples' beliefs, whether I agree or not, but I will not stand down to just comply with someone else so they don't have to listen to it. I am not forcing my religion on you. You can listen or walk away. I have freedom of speech and for me, it's my life. Living as a Christian is my life. Everyday, every moment.
1 Corinthians 16:13 says; "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous, be strong."
I found this verse the other day and it really helped my soul because so many people can stand down or fall into temptations when things get hard. They can go quiet when they are rejected or feel as if anything they say can have a negative impact. I have felt this way for so long but for the first time I felt so proud to say that Christ is my Savior and I will not stand down. I will stand for Christ! I felt so much joy and strength in standing strong for the one who died for me. It saddens me to see people knowingly reject Christ and to refuse to listen and it can make it easy to get discouraged. We want to share the gospel and open peoples eyes and hearts, but we can only plant the seed. We cannot force it to happen. That's why I stand strong for this. Who knows whether or not the next thing I say can be the one thing needed to help them? If we stand down, how are we being the light to shine and spread the gospel? How are we being followers... Don't we know that as Christians this is to be expected? Why are we surprised?
It definitely isn't easy in a world that is broken, but it's to be expected and is worth it. Do what God has called you to do. Be extraordinary followers and be the light in a dark world.
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