John 6:20

John 6:20 but he called out to them "Don't be afraid. I am here!"

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Keeping it Simple

I remember the first time I became saved, I did a life makeover.  I just started changing everything, my taste in music, movies, home decor, clothes; I even changed my personality.  I had this image of what a "good christian woman" was to look like and I tried hard to mold myself to fit that image.  For example, dress pants not jeans, hymns not rock, long hair not short... and so on. I got so caught up in looking like a christian that I forgot to BE a christian.
You see, instead of trusting God to change me, I tried to change myself.  Needless to say, the changes didn't stick.  It was to hard being something I wasn't.  Being someone besides me was exhausting!  So,when the real me kept surfacing, I viewed it as me failing to be good enough for God's grace and eventually turned from Him all together.  I never stopped believing; I just stopped showing it.
Ten years go by and no matter how much I tried to ignore it; I always felt Him  tugging on my heart to return.  Of course, God's will is always going to prevail no matter how much we try to resist.  I did turn back to God; I recommitted my life to Christ and opened my heart so He could live there again.  But, this time I did something different; I let God do the talking and I listened.  He doesn't need my help.  He will change, transform and enlighten my life when He wants to, not when I want Him to.  The first time I was too busy implementing my will that I forgot to listen to His.  This time I was saying, "Lord, do with me what You will."
Now, I'm not saying I haven't undergone major changes; I have.  I just can't take the credit for it.  I didn't change me, God did.  He showed me the sounds of the music I like was never the problem, it was the message it delivered.  So, He introduced me to christian rock.  He never cared if I wore jeans but, He showed me it was okay to dress up sometimes.  He showed me long hair or short, He just wants me to take care of the body He gave me while I have it.  My personality is exactly what He made it to be, He just wants me to use it to glorify Him and not myself.  Looking like a christian is looking in the world's mirror; being a christian is looking through God's.  His mirror isn't made up of glass or any other reflective material.  It's made with words.  The Bible shows us exactly how we should be.
So, what does a "good christian woman" look like? As long as I'm reading, applying, sharing and loving what The Word teaches, she looks like me.





Ephesians 2: 8-10 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it was a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

2 comments:

  1. That is so true that God changes us and that we don't change ourselves. I love your testimony.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree with you that the changes in our lives are not of our own. It wasn't until I started diving into the WORD that I even noticed how damaging my choices were. I thought I had it right to begin with but I was the only one who saw it that way. I felt empty inside and alone outside. So, I opened my mind to God's word and my heart to Christ and with a little commitment on my part everything seems to fall in place. I believed before but now I also have faith. Its hard to know where to go when you walk infront of the one who leads you.
    Thank you Lord for your word, your wisdom, your guidance and your Love. I have you to thank for everything.

    ReplyDelete