So today I was hanging out with my friend and we were talking about Christians and how many seem to be indifferent and don't live the way Christ intended. After a long talk, I realized that I was STARVING.... well I was at least really hungry. I told her that earlier I had eaten Chex Mix but that only filled me up for so long, and now I was ready for some yummy subway. I was trying to fill myself with something new because the Chex Mix only satisfied me for so long.
Right after I made my comment, a lightbulb went off in my head. Many people (Christians and non-believers) tend to try to fill their lives with "stuff" that will satisfy them. Many times they are successful, but their success is short lived. They then turn to something new and hope that it will have the same effect only a lasting one. But, it never "fills them up". They are never fully satisfied. I know that many of the "lukewarm" Christians today are like this. They say that they live for Christ, but then you see them trying to fill their lives with something else, and they constantly wonder why they aren't happy in life.
When we fill ourselves with the Living Water, though, we will be satisfied forever. LITERALLY! Once we truly decide to stop filling ourselves with junk that will never amount to any long term happiness and realize that the only way to find true joy in life is to follow Jesus and live the way that Christ has called us to live, we will be satisfied. I have always believe that you can tell if a person is a Christian from the way they present themselves and it is so true. Let me explain: a person who is a Christian has this joy within them that is very apparent. That doesn't mean they are happy-go-lucky all the time. But it is apparent that they have joy.
Oprah Winfrey looks like a successful person in life. She has many television shows and now her own network. But I understand that she isn't truly successful. She is not a follower of Christ. That is why she uses her work to fill up the hole where Christ should be. She believes in satisfying yourself in life. But Christians know good and well that to gain a satisfying life, you must lose your own life, and you must serve Christ by serving others.
I know I have gone off into many tangents in this blog, but it will be okay. I leave yall with this question: What is your life filled with?
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Complaining
So, I know I have been slack and haven't written a blog in a week or so. That is because I have been working on getting stuff ready for Upward Basketball/Cheerleading at my church. I am a cheerleading coach as well as a worker in the concession stands. But, the part that I am going to focus on in this blog entry is the concession stands. As a worker, I have to work for 2 hours with the help of a few other people, and we earn EASY money. The food is already prepared, we just have to deal with people and take their money. And their, money ends up becoming our money for missions (any youth going on missions or anyone older going on mission through the IMB...which is what I am hopefully doing). Anyway, one day, I was there and I witnessed one of the youth complaining. Literally, this person would not STOP complaining about how they had better stuff to do with their time and they didn't want to do this. I WAS COMPLETELY BAFFLED. I just wanted to shake the person while explaining to them that it was a BLESSING for them to work and earn money for the trip! Did they not realize that some people have to work TEN TIMES HARDER and do a much more difficult job for the amount of money that each person makes through the concession stands. Why was this person complaining so much? It was so irritating.
Later, I was thinking about it, and I realized that everyone complains so much over EVERY little thing. I know that I complain when my parents ask me to do stuff that I don't want to do, when I have too much schoolwork, and all sorts of other petty things in life. But everything in my life is a BLESSING. Man, what if my parents DIDN'T ask me to do things in life that I didn't want to do? I wouldn't have a good work ethic. What if I DIDN't have schoolwork? I wouldn't have the education that I do. All of the things I complain about have made me into the person that I am today. I wouldn't be where I am without everything that has occured in my life. Some things I have no right to brag about, of course, but I have grown to be a strong, independent, woman of God because of everything that has happened in my life. I am a blessed person.
Back to complaining: I was reminded of my favorite bible verse: Colossians 3:23. It pretty much says that whatever you do, do it for God and nobody else. When I complain, I am not doing anything that glorifies God. So, I need to stop doing it. I know for a fact that if God were standing before me or you (I feel that I can speak for y'all), we would not be complaining about our lives. No! We would worship Him and be grateful for everything we have. Guys, I had to realize that God is WITH ME RIGHT THIS MINUTE. He sees me and hears me every second of every day. That means that I need to have a grateful mindset rather than one where I am constantly thinking of how things could be better.
Job was a man who pretty much lost everything in an instant. He lost his family, his wealth, everything he had worked for all of his life. I can only imagine what he felt like. If anyone deserved to complain, it would be him. But did we find him complaining to God? No, he tore off his clothes, fell down, and worshipped God, knowing that he wasn't worthy of anything. I need to work on being more like Job in a sense. Instead of complaining, I need to have a reality check, realize who I am compared to God (and the answer is nothing in case anyone was wondering), and realize that everything in life is a blessing (the good and the bad).
Later, I was thinking about it, and I realized that everyone complains so much over EVERY little thing. I know that I complain when my parents ask me to do stuff that I don't want to do, when I have too much schoolwork, and all sorts of other petty things in life. But everything in my life is a BLESSING. Man, what if my parents DIDN'T ask me to do things in life that I didn't want to do? I wouldn't have a good work ethic. What if I DIDN't have schoolwork? I wouldn't have the education that I do. All of the things I complain about have made me into the person that I am today. I wouldn't be where I am without everything that has occured in my life. Some things I have no right to brag about, of course, but I have grown to be a strong, independent, woman of God because of everything that has happened in my life. I am a blessed person.
Back to complaining: I was reminded of my favorite bible verse: Colossians 3:23. It pretty much says that whatever you do, do it for God and nobody else. When I complain, I am not doing anything that glorifies God. So, I need to stop doing it. I know for a fact that if God were standing before me or you (I feel that I can speak for y'all), we would not be complaining about our lives. No! We would worship Him and be grateful for everything we have. Guys, I had to realize that God is WITH ME RIGHT THIS MINUTE. He sees me and hears me every second of every day. That means that I need to have a grateful mindset rather than one where I am constantly thinking of how things could be better.
Job was a man who pretty much lost everything in an instant. He lost his family, his wealth, everything he had worked for all of his life. I can only imagine what he felt like. If anyone deserved to complain, it would be him. But did we find him complaining to God? No, he tore off his clothes, fell down, and worshipped God, knowing that he wasn't worthy of anything. I need to work on being more like Job in a sense. Instead of complaining, I need to have a reality check, realize who I am compared to God (and the answer is nothing in case anyone was wondering), and realize that everything in life is a blessing (the good and the bad).
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