Living Beyond Your Years

I'm a worrier. Many of my family members are worriers. It's what we do.
Needless to say, for me, the thought of a whole new year can be a bit overwhelming.

"What's going to happen this year? When I look back on 2014, how will I see it? Will I even be around to look back on it???"

I think back to 2013. For me, it was challenging, but good! For others, maybe not so much? I know people who've had crummy years. Specifically, people who are entering this year with fewer friends or family members than they started with last year.

To me, that's the worst I can imagine: illness and death.

Death is a path my brain has the potential to take, leaving me heartbroken and in tears....over my worries! These are 'what ifs'! Not even true.

I read somewhere that 85% of the things we worry about will never happen. I'm wasting a lot of energy on that.

The only positive way I can think of to approach the new year and also, I guess, life in general, is to try and think about what actually matters.

Everybody dies. No exceptions. Unless Christ returns, we're all gonna rot. (I don't mean to be flippant about death. It hurts to have a loved one die. It's a huge part of sins curse on us.) I guess the question is what are you going to leave behind? What are you spending your time and energy on with the life you've got that's going to matter one bit when you kick the bucket?

The only things that are eternal are the things we do for the Kingdom of God.
My mom calls this "living beyond your years." She is a wonderful example of the concept as well.

I'm absolutely not talking salvation by works. I'm talking we were put on this earth to glorify God and let our light shine. Are we just a waste of space? The Bible basically says that lukewarm Christians aren't just worthless, they're offensive.

Revelation 3:15-16

"I know your works; you are neither hot nor cold. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth."

 

 

Some translations say "vomit" instead of "spit." Yep.

 

In our small group at church, we're reading an amazing book (I've mentioned it on this blog before) called "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. It's really hitting me right between the eyes. I don't know if it's possible to read that book and not be severely affected by it. Get it. Read it.

 

The book does an amazing job of opening your eyes to what actually matters. What do you spend your time on? Are you giving God your leftovers???? Ouch. That hits me close to home.

 

I get distracted easily. "My son is a hot mess!" or "I have so much laundry and cooking to do!" or "This level of candy crush is so addictive! I must beat it!!!" Yeah, I'm lame.

 

The last chapter I read in the book (ch. 6, I believe) talks about loving God. Really loving God. Francis Chan used an illustration of heaven to kick me in the face.

He posed the question (I'm not quoting verbatim, just paraphrasing) that if we could go to heaven for eternity and experience it's perfection; i.e. no war, no illness, no conflict, no famine, no death, no darkness. But God isn't there....would you be okay with that?

 

For me, that's a good 'check yo self' moment. If you think you love God and you answered yes to that question...I don't think you're being completely honest with yourself.

 

Here's my honest answer when I first read that question. Yes. My Grandma's would be there with no pain or sickness. My saved family members and friends would join us there too!

 

New Years, nay, LIFE resolution #1. Love God enough that the answer to that would change to an emphatic 'no.'

 

A relationship with God involves reverence and intimacy/love. Some people struggle with the reverence side of the relationship. Personally, I struggle with the intimacy.

 

Why is it so difficult to truly love God?

I think for me it involves fear. I'm afraid of what may happen if I jump all in and follow God and love Him with all of my being. I feel silly typing that, but it's true. I'm afraid of suffering. I think to a certain extent most people are.

I think it also stems from an inaccurate view of who God really is. My husband pointed this out to me and it made so much sense:

We've both been involved with a particular group of people that believe things like, "If you're not wearing a suit and tie to church, you don't love God very much." or "Listening to anything but old hymns is a sin and means your relationship with God clearly isn't as good as someone who only listens to old hymns." (There is nothing wrong with wearing a suit and tie to church and listening to hymns. However, those kind of statements or attitudes makes a relationship with God a dictatorship instead of what it truly is; a loving relationship between a perfect Father and His flawed son or daughter.)

 

God loved us enough to give us free will. This does not mean that we can do whatever we want and it's ok with Him. Loving God back is a choice. Our small group leader and his wife likened it to a marriage relationship: If you truly love someone, they are on your mind, they affect your decisions, and they affect your actions. Simply put, if you love Him, it will show.

 

I think so many times, we get caught up in Christian 'tradition' that is masquerading as Christian principles. Does the Bible actually say "Thou shalt not wear jeans"?  Why do we pick certain sins to get all upset about but chose to ignore the fact that God sees them all the same?

 

I tend to be opinionated on this because I'm a Christian who recovered from 'giving up' on being a Christian because other Christians said I wasn't 'Christian' enough. How many people are we turning away from Christ by 'forgetting' to spread His love in addition to their need of salvation from their sinful nature?

 

So what  now?

I want to love God the way I should. Not because of some 'order' I've been given. Because when it comes down to it, He loved me first. He gave His only son to die for my sins in my place. He rose again and prepared a place for all believers to spend eternity! He saved my life. He saved my marriage. He's blessed me beyond measure. He's sustained me when times were bad, and will continue to do so in the future. He wants only the best for me.

This one is so simple but so overwhelming to me: He wants me.

 

My husband was talking about certain people he has heard talking on a Christian radio station. He said, "They talk with such passion and respect for God. The way they talk, it's like God really is their best friend. They know Him that intimately!"

I want that for me. I want that for my husband and son. I want that for my family and friends.

 

I want that for you.

 

2014: Here's my resolutions-

 

• To store up treasures in Heaven instead of on earth.
• To put God first in everything that I do.
• To reach out to others with God's love.
• To love God with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.
• To think about and pursue what matters most (spoiler alert: it isn't material).
• To learn and grow in the knowledge of who God is and what He wants from me.
• To let go...(this is difficult)...and fully surrender my life to God. Even if that means losing someone, including myself.

I'd greatly appreciate prayer for my resolutions. Especially the last one.

 

Living life for myself is worthless....and offensive.

 

2014 will not be lukewarm.

 

Love,

Lauren