A Life of Submission

If you are like me you are thinking "Oh Great!" with a bit of sarcasm. But I want to share something with you. Maybe if you are single you may be thinking this doesn't apply to you, but it does. Mainly because Jesus laid down His life for the plan of the Father- which was the ultimate act of submission. As followers of Christ we are supposed to live as He did, to be submissive to the Father's will. This means laying aside what you want or your plans and taking up the cross, the plans of the Father and doing it with a willing and humble heart. Do you remember the story of Jesus at the temple when He was 12? How when His parents found Him how He acted toward them?

In Luke the story unfolds this way

"And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?” And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them.  And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man." Luke 2:48-52 ESV

Jesus was submissive to His earthly parents as well as His heavenly Father.

Since I have graduated from college, I had to move back in with my parents because I couldn't find a job. Now I have a part time job and have been helping a friend with her kids in the morning but I still can't afford to move out, no matter how much my parents(and myself) want me too. It has been challenging coming back home after being on my own, there are times when I get asked to do things I don't want to do or they ask when I'm in the middle of something. But one good thing that has come out of all this, is that God has showed me that I needed to work on being submissive to my parents because Jesus was submissive to His I must be to mine.

I must obey them "Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right" Ephesians 6:1 By being obedient to my parents I am being submissive to God. Sometimes we don't think of it that way, but we should. Every one of our choices is either in submission to the Lord Jesus Christ or in opposition to Him.

When we allow our selves to be submissive and open to the will of God there is no telling where He will take us or how much we can learn and grow ourselves. I recently came across this episode from Focus on the Family and though the title has to do with "Finding a Godly Spouse" where the speaker Alistair Begg encourages singles to look for specific godly characteristics in a future spouse he also encourages singles in their walk with God. It reminds me how much I need to learn and change and seek God's will and be submissive to it with a humble and serving heart.

I encourage you to listen to the link below Begg's message is very encouraging!

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?MediaId={061440CE-B6E9-4E3C-A0E1-FDDAA0B40093}

There are so many lessons I have learned in the last few months, but I leave you with this quote.

"What about us he says, us singles, we too must except the Bible's teaching however hard it may seem, both for us and society. We shall not become a bundle of frustrations and inhibitions if we embrace God's standard, but only if we rebel against it. Christ's yoke is easy provided if we submit to it. It is possible for human sexual energy to be redirected both into affectionate relationships with friends of both sexes and into the loving service of others, alongside a natural loneliness accompanied sometimes by an acute pain, we can find joyful self fulfillment in the self-giving service of God and other people." - John Stout

Choices

Choices are decisions we make everyday in regards to one thing or another but what is prompting those choices is the part that matters most.
If you’re like me there may be times when you wish you could go back and undo a choice you made and choose differently. However life doesn’t happen that way, sometimes we learn from our mistakes and have to live with them no matter the consequence.

Every choice we make not only affects us but those around us as well, sometimes we hurt others without meaning to by our choices. I keep thinking of Luke 6:31 “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” I would like to say I always do this, but I don’t always and because of that I live with  the consequences of those actions. Sometimes we get scared of the choices we make because they involve change, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad thing, sometimes we also think if we make one choice we are bogged down with that choice, however that is not true either, life is made up of many moments and it's how you choose to act in these moments that matters most. One choice always leads to another. Sometimes our choices benefit those around us sometimes they don't. As people we are able to choose a lot of things for ourselves, we choose our friends, whom we may or may not date, we choose our spouses, pets, degrees, careers, etc, we have a choice in everything we do, but what is our motivation behind the decision process? Do we seek God and ask Him what He thinks we should do? 

Wisdom's call  "Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold,  for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her" Proverbs 8:10-11 

"Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety." Proverbs 11:14

Choose wisely.

A Year of Trials and Blessings

It has been almost a year since I graduated from college and I haven't found a job yet not for lack of trying. I always thought this time in my life I’d be doing something different and that I'd have a job before now. I have battled with depression since moving back in with my parents and have learned a lot about spiritual warfare. If you ever have a chance I suggest reading a book titled "Walking with God" By John Eldredge this book helped me so much in my relationship with God.

Though this summer has been rather tough there have been blessings in the last year that have helped me remember that this is a season (Ecclesiastes 3) and there will be other seasons to follow. No matter how depressed I get I have been reminded of Paul’s words to the saints in Philippi

 ^“Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content”
Philippians 4:11

  I am going to end with the blessings that have happened in the last year to remind me of God faithfulness.

1. I have wonderful supportive parents who I know pray for me.
2. I have a roof over my head.
3. I have amazing parents who have let me keep my pets and haven’t kicked me out...yet.
4. I had a very part time job for 9 months working for a friend.
5. I have a car that runs.
6. I have been able to get my passport!
7. I became an aunt to the most adorable baby girl!
8. I got to reunite with old friends!
9. I’ve gotten to spend more time with my sister!
10. My Grandmother had a stroke and is improving everyday!

I am excited to see where God takes me this next year! Personally I’m hoping it involves taking a plane!