“The difference between an admirer and a follower still remains, no matter where you are. The admirer never makes any true sacrifices. He always plays it safe. Though in words, phrases, songs, he is inexhaustible about how highly he prizes Christ, he renounces nothing, gives up nothing, will not reconstruct his life, will not be what he admires, and will not let his life express what it is he supposedly admires.”
ACTS 20:17-38
32“Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
JOURNAL
Paul's whole objective has been simply to give his life in preaching the gospel. That's it...no other ulterior motives...he trusts in God and God alone. This is beyond what I have seen in my life. Life, as I have lived and seen others live, is full of motives that stray far beyond simple obedience. Does that mean that I am distracted and am not sold out to following God? Maybe...at least on the surface, it seems so.
Living in our culture the distractions are immense...I think this is partly true because our society has advanced to the point that leisure and comfort have become the norm. Real physical struggle is not a daily part of most people's life. In fact we often have to arrange for it just so our body stays healthy and doesn't atrophy (working out at the gym) . Therefore hard things and hard times have a way of feeling wrong.
So how can I truly follow God and surrender my life in the midst of so many distractions? First off I think it's important to come to God every morning with honesty. Confess what it is that I want, be honest about my frustrations, my anger, my hurt, and my deep wants. Then and only then...I must surrender all those, I must lay those at the alter of God. In doing so it allows me to clear my mind of my agenda so that I can then be open to God's. I must then consider and be grateful for the simple privilege of life, breath, a working mind and body. After doing so I then am ready to dig into his word and open my heart and mind to whatever he calls me into doing.
It is then and only then that I can begin to allow my family, my friends, my community into the sphere of my objectives and mission. Considering all this gives me my marching orders for the day...it is only after all of this that I can allow myself to consider the more tangible aspects of life and they must only be considered in context of those first things.
This is hard...this goes against the more carnal, physical immediate desire for good times, leisure, fun etc. It is not that any of those things are evil or wrong...however they can become evil and wrong if they supplant God, family, community and living out my mission and purpose.
Living in our culture the distractions are immense...I think this is partly true because our society has advanced to the point that leisure and comfort have become the norm. Real physical struggle is not a daily part of most people's life. In fact we often have to arrange for it just so our body stays healthy and doesn't atrophy (working out at the gym) . Therefore hard things and hard times have a way of feeling wrong.
So how can I truly follow God and surrender my life in the midst of so many distractions? First off I think it's important to come to God every morning with honesty. Confess what it is that I want, be honest about my frustrations, my anger, my hurt, and my deep wants. Then and only then...I must surrender all those, I must lay those at the alter of God. In doing so it allows me to clear my mind of my agenda so that I can then be open to God's. I must then consider and be grateful for the simple privilege of life, breath, a working mind and body. After doing so I then am ready to dig into his word and open my heart and mind to whatever he calls me into doing.
It is then and only then that I can begin to allow my family, my friends, my community into the sphere of my objectives and mission. Considering all this gives me my marching orders for the day...it is only after all of this that I can allow myself to consider the more tangible aspects of life and they must only be considered in context of those first things.
This is hard...this goes against the more carnal, physical immediate desire for good times, leisure, fun etc. It is not that any of those things are evil or wrong...however they can become evil and wrong if they supplant God, family, community and living out my mission and purpose.
22“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
ACTS 20:22-24
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