two steps forward....[no steps back]
So today in church, we had this really dynamic and funny and basically entertaining guest speaker talk to us about the "Difference Faith Makes" in our lives. He is the pastor for a HUGE church in Sac, and I could see why so many people attend; I was laughing the whole time, yet he really drove home his message in a serious and convicting way. He told stories about his church, and the way he tried to fight against being the pastor of it, and how he came so close to missing out on the best time of his spiritual life w/Jesus. He just had so many encouraging things to say about how faith can really change a person's life; how it can bring confidence, direction, purpose, and hope in a world that just doesn't offer those things. I was thinking about what I pass up because of fear, and I decided that I don't want to live like that anymore. That made me feel really weird, because it made me wonder if there are things that I need to let go of in my life right now, and what they are, or what should I be doing to be better, etc.,etc.
But then I realized that that is not the right way of thinking. Paul says to forget what's in the past, and look to the future. How will I follow God's promptings tomorrow. How will I discipline myself to pray fervently for change and God's active hand in mine and the people around me's lives. How can I use the gifts he's given me to serve other people? These are the things I need to pray about and ponder throughout the days...
I have a midterm tomorrow, but that is really the last thing on my mind. I think I've been feeling kind of weird, because I've been way busy this quarter because I've started working, and I guess I get really frustrated because I don't have time to do anything. But then I have to remember that the reason I'm working is so I can to Oakland this summer, and come back to a job here in Davis. I don't know why it's so easy for me to forget that doing God's work means sacrifices (if you can even call business a sacrifice), and not always being fun. So, that's good to realize. And I was thinking about my friends in church today. I was thinking about how I like them, and how I want them to know Jesus; and how I want them to sing with me someday...
But then I realized that that is not the right way of thinking. Paul says to forget what's in the past, and look to the future. How will I follow God's promptings tomorrow. How will I discipline myself to pray fervently for change and God's active hand in mine and the people around me's lives. How can I use the gifts he's given me to serve other people? These are the things I need to pray about and ponder throughout the days...
I have a midterm tomorrow, but that is really the last thing on my mind. I think I've been feeling kind of weird, because I've been way busy this quarter because I've started working, and I guess I get really frustrated because I don't have time to do anything. But then I have to remember that the reason I'm working is so I can to Oakland this summer, and come back to a job here in Davis. I don't know why it's so easy for me to forget that doing God's work means sacrifices (if you can even call business a sacrifice), and not always being fun. So, that's good to realize. And I was thinking about my friends in church today. I was thinking about how I like them, and how I want them to know Jesus; and how I want them to sing with me someday...