Lately, life has been throwing some curve balls at me that were totally not expected and ones that are totally not wanted. It's one of those times in life that you wonder, "what did I do to deserve this?"
I just have to keep reminding myself about Job and how God allowed satan to test him, and in the end, he came out stronger. I can only hope that I'll be as strong in God as Job and be able to come out on top of this, a better person and wiser.
Finding peace can be hard when your life is being tossed around, and there is no security in your every day life. Humans value security more than I ever realized. I'm the type of person to dislike change, extremely dislike change. But lately my life has been full of change. In the past 4 years, I have left a church that I spent nearly 17 years at, (thus leaving all I knew and loved; friends, family and, yes, security). Then I went to Bible college, then I left Bible college, got married, moved up to Chicago where my husband was training for a career in the military, had a baby, moved to San Diego, CA, hubby got injured, left the military, moved to another place in CA, then moved back to Texas, and hubby has had 3 different jobs in the past 4 months, just trying to make ends meet.
In other words, my life has had no security, or "settling." Oh, and I've had another baby on top of all that. *please don't judge us having two children with all this insecurity. It was not intended, but we DO welcome our little ones and love them with all our hearts.
Life can be really stressful, but in the midst of all that, there can be peace..
Where you ask?
In Jesus. And trust me, it's not always easy to find it in Him. He makes it easy, but it's me, personally, that often forgets to run to His comforting arms. I am often looking for comfort and peace from my husband, or my kids, or my parents. But more often than not, that just causes more upheaval and discord in my heart.
I'm trying to learn to turn to Jesus and find comfort in Him. Listening for his still, small voice can be a challenge at times when the winds of life are whipping around us, but when I calm myself long enough to listen for it, His voice comes like a cool, soother to my heart. And it is then, that I find peace.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Learning To Love the Sinner
Lately there has been a lot of controversy in the Christian and secular world over gays and lesbians and "rights" etc. I've been thinking about it all, because I've seen a lot of judgmental comments and a lot of hate, even. It's amazed me, because the Bible says that Jesus came to save the sinners, not the people who are perfect in their own minds.
Yes, I've watched Ellen DeGeneres. I've listened to Adam Lambert. I've talked and associated with gays and lesbians. I don't agree with what they're doing, and I feel God has shown me a better way to live my life. I believe in a marriage between a man and woman. But as I've watched a lot of my fellow Christians post and talk about this subject, I've gotten the impression that a lot of them want to "preach" to these people that they're going to hell and that God hates their actions.
I don't know if that is the appropriate way to approach them.
Sometimes when a person is confronted in their sin, in a direct, "you better repent now, or you're gonna die and go to hell" way, their defenses go way up and they won't even hear a word you're saying.
I'll give an example; when woman/girl who has grown up in an abusive home, being yelled at, hit on and beaten, most likely later on in life, if she is in a room with loud voices, or a hand raises (even if it's not to hit her) she will cringe, move away and be defensive.
It's the same with when we're confronting someone in their sin, or talking to them about something that might should be changed in their lives. If we confront them with threats, or with "you're a sinner, you're going to hell", they're most likely going to clam up, shut your voice down and not hear a word you're saying. And they know that most Christians think of them as horrible sinners, so they tend to avoid them. And when they come face to face with one, they will automatically assume that they're going to be preached at and condemned to hell.
I wish I could see more Christians being accepting and loving of those who are gays and lesbians, because how are we going to reach them, if they don't feel love? Once I heard an interview Ellen DeGeneres had with a pastor. She was very defensive and said something to the effect that she knew Christians didn't like her and that she avoided them. That is so sad. SO sad. Why are we, as Christians, making ourselves distanced from the ones that we should be loving and ministering to?
Jesus didn't avoid the sinners...He went to them, on their level and met them there. He didn't shrink away from them. He didn't condemn them to hell or preach at them with a "harsh reality check." He ministered to them out of love. He spoke gently. Think about it for a moment; the woman who was caught in adultery was about to be stoned. Jesus said to the men about to stone her, "You who has no sin, cast the first stone." Not one of them could cast a stone. Then he called the woman to himself and said, "Go, sin no more."
That was the end of it. No words of "You're so horrible. You've slept with so many guys. You're dirty. You're going to hell."
I don't know, but those are just my thoughts on the matter. I want to be able to reach the world with love, not condemnation. I want to be able to minister to those who need Jesus. I want to go to their level and love them where they're at, not where I think they're supposed to be. I want my example to shine a light so bright that they can see where Jesus wants them. I want to love them with the Love of Jesus, so they can feel acceptance and feel the strength to change their ways and become what Jesus wants of them.
Blessings~
*PS. Please don't take this wrongly. I DO believe that God doesn't approve of marriages between two men or two women. I believe God wants them to see His way. But I do believe that we, as Christians, need to stop judging them and start loving them with Christ's love. If you feel something different, please share, but I DO NOT want this to start an argument. I am not saying my thoughts or ways are right. I am just doing what I feel God wants of ME. I am not saying this is for everyone. Thank you!
Yes, I've watched Ellen DeGeneres. I've listened to Adam Lambert. I've talked and associated with gays and lesbians. I don't agree with what they're doing, and I feel God has shown me a better way to live my life. I believe in a marriage between a man and woman. But as I've watched a lot of my fellow Christians post and talk about this subject, I've gotten the impression that a lot of them want to "preach" to these people that they're going to hell and that God hates their actions.
I don't know if that is the appropriate way to approach them.
Sometimes when a person is confronted in their sin, in a direct, "you better repent now, or you're gonna die and go to hell" way, their defenses go way up and they won't even hear a word you're saying.
I'll give an example; when woman/girl who has grown up in an abusive home, being yelled at, hit on and beaten, most likely later on in life, if she is in a room with loud voices, or a hand raises (even if it's not to hit her) she will cringe, move away and be defensive.
It's the same with when we're confronting someone in their sin, or talking to them about something that might should be changed in their lives. If we confront them with threats, or with "you're a sinner, you're going to hell", they're most likely going to clam up, shut your voice down and not hear a word you're saying. And they know that most Christians think of them as horrible sinners, so they tend to avoid them. And when they come face to face with one, they will automatically assume that they're going to be preached at and condemned to hell.
I wish I could see more Christians being accepting and loving of those who are gays and lesbians, because how are we going to reach them, if they don't feel love? Once I heard an interview Ellen DeGeneres had with a pastor. She was very defensive and said something to the effect that she knew Christians didn't like her and that she avoided them. That is so sad. SO sad. Why are we, as Christians, making ourselves distanced from the ones that we should be loving and ministering to?
Jesus didn't avoid the sinners...He went to them, on their level and met them there. He didn't shrink away from them. He didn't condemn them to hell or preach at them with a "harsh reality check." He ministered to them out of love. He spoke gently. Think about it for a moment; the woman who was caught in adultery was about to be stoned. Jesus said to the men about to stone her, "You who has no sin, cast the first stone." Not one of them could cast a stone. Then he called the woman to himself and said, "Go, sin no more."
That was the end of it. No words of "You're so horrible. You've slept with so many guys. You're dirty. You're going to hell."
I don't know, but those are just my thoughts on the matter. I want to be able to reach the world with love, not condemnation. I want to be able to minister to those who need Jesus. I want to go to their level and love them where they're at, not where I think they're supposed to be. I want my example to shine a light so bright that they can see where Jesus wants them. I want to love them with the Love of Jesus, so they can feel acceptance and feel the strength to change their ways and become what Jesus wants of them.
Blessings~
*PS. Please don't take this wrongly. I DO believe that God doesn't approve of marriages between two men or two women. I believe God wants them to see His way. But I do believe that we, as Christians, need to stop judging them and start loving them with Christ's love. If you feel something different, please share, but I DO NOT want this to start an argument. I am not saying my thoughts or ways are right. I am just doing what I feel God wants of ME. I am not saying this is for everyone. Thank you!
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