How To Mature In Your Faith

Youth Worker's Convention, 2001. My husband and I are in a stadium with thousands of other people who have a heart for youth. But it seemed most of our fellow Christians had a heart for God too.

At the time this was something elusive. Something I could not attain for myself.

We went to church faithfully.
We participated in every function the church held.
We tried to hold family devotions once or twice a month.
We tried, tried, tried to have a daily time with God in study and prayer.
We hungered for digging in style Bible studies.
We tried to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit.
We served others.

But the Pastor's words reached our ears, but didn't reach our hearts. It was frustrating to think that there was nothing else we could do to grow closer to God. We just could not put our finger on what was missing.

We left that church a year ago. It was painful, it was sad and it was the key.

We knew God was God no matter where we attended. Where we settled as a family was where God wanted us to be.

It has taken a year, but now I know what we had been missing.

1. We were taught that the Bible doesn't always pertain to us today. Some of the more difficult passages were excused away as "cultural".
Now I know that God speaks to me through His Word. The examples, the commands are spoken to my heart and very much relevant to this age. God's word is His authority for my life. I can know his will for me through the Bible. This scripture has come alive for me. There is so much God wants to say!

2. We were taught that people do not give enough credit to themselves and instead give it to God. This was a dangerous one for me.

I am fiercely independent and strong willed. I try not to need anyone. How wrong I am!
I know now that not only does God care about all the small things of my life, He also wants to be a part of them. There is nothing that happens in my life that isn't allowed by God. Which brings me to:

3. Self Pity. I have always thought I had compassion issues but what I really have is self pity issues. I cannot have pity on people who are good at giving it to themselves. LOL. Previously, this attitude was nurtured while at the same time judged. Sure I'll help you (since you cannot obviously help yourself you pathetic thing)

Now I am taught that God allows things to happen in our lives to refine us to His Glory. No more poor me. If every bad thing is an opportunity to glorify God then to have self pity would be feeding the mouth of Satan. Which brings me to:

4. Sin is Sin. It is not excused away nor condemned. Our previous church, we see now, is sick. We pray for them. Sin is allowed, not brought out into the light, but hidden.

Now I know that sin must be repented and worked out through prayer and counselling.

Complete reliance on God. Authority of His Scripture. Refining fire, Exposing Sin

This is what was so elusive. Thank you, Lord for helping me step into Your Light.

Monday's Musing on Sunday's Sermon

God most certainly speaks through our pastor! It seems each week He speaks to my heart.

Yesterday the sermon was about raising above our past. 2 Chronicles talks about how King Josiah as king chose to move toward God and away from the evil worship his father and grandfather had compromised themselves to. He destroyed the idols at a great personal risk. The steps he took to overcome his past are a model for us today.

1. He focused on honoring God. The Bible says that if we are in Him the He will be in us. When we focus on what is holy we will get out and stay out with God's help the rut we have gotten ourselves into.

2. Commit to follow the right mentor. Follow a Godly example. Emulate who is holy......Jesus!

3. Seek to know heavenly father and no longer identify yourself as who you were in the past. Who you are now and who God is refining you to be is your idenity.....We are children of God!

4. Take a personal responsibility to move forward. Remove what is destructive and add what is life giving. Every thought is captive. Focus on what is good, pure, holy and do not dwell on past.

How freeing! How abling! Thank you God!