It's been a couple months since I've written. Maybe because I've been figuring things out in my own life, or maybe because I'm conflicted on what I'm supposed to write, or maybe it's a little of both. I write because I'm a visual learner, and when I feel God speaking something to me it's easier for me to learn it when I can read it. Plus, it's made public for all of you to learn too.
What I've been feeling lately is that we all carry a lot of pressure. We live our lives with the intention to impress. We want to do the right thing, say the right thing, be the right thing that the right person is looking for. We do our best to live our lives inside the lines.
For those of us who were raised in Christian homes, we feel the pressure of setting the example. We are told from a very young age that the world is watching us, and we may be the only Jesus anyone ever sees.... so don't mess up. That's basically the message. "Don't mess up, people are watching." When you do mess up, you're a hypocrite...
For those of us who weren't raised in the church, we feel like there is no hope for us. That we've made all these mistakes, and there is no way "their" God would want to use someone like me to make any sort of difference. Or maybe we feel like we can eventually get in good standing with God, but we feel like we have to jump through fiery hoops before we are considered good enough. We have to be this, or be that, or do this, or do that. We have to go to this small group, and raise our hands during worship and give our Saturdays to cleaning up downtown. We have to laugh at the right jokes, and not laugh at the wrong ones. We have to date the right people and go here or there.
I feel like we're missing it.
You don't have to be a straight A student, or the team captain. You don't have to be the small group leader or marathon runner or the president. You don't have to be any certain thing.
We get all wrapped up in being an example and being perfect, that when we mess up we mask it. We don't want anyone to know our secrets, because we would disappoint them and we might ruin God's plan because he couldn't possible use us once we mess up.
We remove ourselves from people and set ourselves so high up that no one can reach us. We aren't relatable. Don't misunderstand me, I do not believe that we have to experience all the same things, and sin all the same ways for other people to relate to us. That would lead to chaos in my life. I'm called to women's ministry to love prostitutes, but I'm not going to become a prostitute just so they can relate to me, that's not my message. The message is, quit wearing a mask. Quit setting yourself so high up.
It's okay to have your heart broken, chances are hers is broken to. It's okay to admit that you struggle with that thing that you struggle with. It's okay so be sad about your mom.
In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul pleads to God to take away the thing that he struggles with and three times God says, "My grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in your weakness." He goes on to say that he can boast in his weaknesses and says, "for when I am weak, then I am strong."
He gets it. He understands that He has struggles and hardships for a reason. Its like when there's a crack in a surface, and the sun shines through those cracks. We don't set an example because of how great we are in our strength. We set an example by being real. By admitting that we struggle just as much as the next person. By embracing that we are human, and allowing God to shine through that. You don't have to be raised in the church. You don't have to be in any certain position. You don't have to fill any criteria. There's a reason God chose broken people all throughout the bible. He wants to be made famous through us. He doesn't shine through out masks. He shines through the cracks in our lives.
Release the load of pressure you're carrying simply because it's too heavy for you to carry. Live your life. God says that he directs our steps when we ask him to. Ask him to. Where ever your heart is, go there. Be alive. Allow yourself to grieve. When you mess up, ask for forgiveness. Be human. Let God lead you. He died on the cross so that you wouldn't have to. The price has already been paid.
Accept the grace you've been given, and just be. When you let God shine through your weakness, he is made famous. Drop your mask, and make Him famous.
What I've been feeling lately is that we all carry a lot of pressure. We live our lives with the intention to impress. We want to do the right thing, say the right thing, be the right thing that the right person is looking for. We do our best to live our lives inside the lines.
For those of us who were raised in Christian homes, we feel the pressure of setting the example. We are told from a very young age that the world is watching us, and we may be the only Jesus anyone ever sees.... so don't mess up. That's basically the message. "Don't mess up, people are watching." When you do mess up, you're a hypocrite...
For those of us who weren't raised in the church, we feel like there is no hope for us. That we've made all these mistakes, and there is no way "their" God would want to use someone like me to make any sort of difference. Or maybe we feel like we can eventually get in good standing with God, but we feel like we have to jump through fiery hoops before we are considered good enough. We have to be this, or be that, or do this, or do that. We have to go to this small group, and raise our hands during worship and give our Saturdays to cleaning up downtown. We have to laugh at the right jokes, and not laugh at the wrong ones. We have to date the right people and go here or there.
I feel like we're missing it.
You don't have to be a straight A student, or the team captain. You don't have to be the small group leader or marathon runner or the president. You don't have to be any certain thing.
We get all wrapped up in being an example and being perfect, that when we mess up we mask it. We don't want anyone to know our secrets, because we would disappoint them and we might ruin God's plan because he couldn't possible use us once we mess up.
We remove ourselves from people and set ourselves so high up that no one can reach us. We aren't relatable. Don't misunderstand me, I do not believe that we have to experience all the same things, and sin all the same ways for other people to relate to us. That would lead to chaos in my life. I'm called to women's ministry to love prostitutes, but I'm not going to become a prostitute just so they can relate to me, that's not my message. The message is, quit wearing a mask. Quit setting yourself so high up.
It's okay to have your heart broken, chances are hers is broken to. It's okay to admit that you struggle with that thing that you struggle with. It's okay so be sad about your mom.
In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul pleads to God to take away the thing that he struggles with and three times God says, "My grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in your weakness." He goes on to say that he can boast in his weaknesses and says, "for when I am weak, then I am strong."
He gets it. He understands that He has struggles and hardships for a reason. Its like when there's a crack in a surface, and the sun shines through those cracks. We don't set an example because of how great we are in our strength. We set an example by being real. By admitting that we struggle just as much as the next person. By embracing that we are human, and allowing God to shine through that. You don't have to be raised in the church. You don't have to be in any certain position. You don't have to fill any criteria. There's a reason God chose broken people all throughout the bible. He wants to be made famous through us. He doesn't shine through out masks. He shines through the cracks in our lives.
Release the load of pressure you're carrying simply because it's too heavy for you to carry. Live your life. God says that he directs our steps when we ask him to. Ask him to. Where ever your heart is, go there. Be alive. Allow yourself to grieve. When you mess up, ask for forgiveness. Be human. Let God lead you. He died on the cross so that you wouldn't have to. The price has already been paid.
Accept the grace you've been given, and just be. When you let God shine through your weakness, he is made famous. Drop your mask, and make Him famous.
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