Whose life am I living?
Complete the sentence: "For me, to live is _____"
When reading through a play or movie for the first time you have to find out the characters super objective (something they want to get through the entire piece) then you choose the tactics (how to get the objective) and notice the obstacle/conflict (what is keeping you from your objective). But within each scene there are micro-objectives.
I truly believe and trust that God has a plan and purpose for my life. He created me and my little blip of a story for a reason. I believe the super objective of this life is to live for Him and His kingdom - that is why God created us. I think He gives us tactics to help our story along in a way that accomplishes the super objective - or makes us live by it. The obstacles/conflict are our own selfishness and sin. Everyone has different tactics and people will have different micro-objectives but we all live with the same super objective - live the life God so graciously gave you for His glory.
How you make decisions is a big tell as to what you are living for. I try to pray about it, talk to my mommy and daddy, sleep on it, talk to my roommates, listen for what God is saying,and listen to the gut feeling inside me. Listening....that is hard. The struggle of how do I know it is what God is saying and not what I want to hear. I have to evaluate the feelings in my heart (where Jesus lives). I think part of listening to God's response is trusting yourself, and trusting Him. I am listening for an answer not for my gain but for God's. I am living my life and making my own choices, but God gave me this life and this body and these choices to make and I need to acknowledge that on a regular basis. In each decision I make, the voice of God has to be in the forefront of my thoughts and the love of Christ has to be in my heart.
It is my life but I am called, and choose to live it for God. (not for myself)
Now what does that look like?
"They will know we are Christians by our love" I haven't sung this song in forever, it is an old praise hymn but it always rings in my head. We, as Christians, are supposed to be lights in this world that lead others towards Christ and God's kingdom. We don't need to walk around with a megaphone screaming our testimony and the power of Jesus to everyone we meet but rather the love and kindness we show other people, the way we make decisions in our own lives, and the way we act should all point back to Jesus. It is like we have a giant sticker on our forward that says "She is a child of God and loves Jesus too". In middle school and high school, I was told there was something different about me, I radiated this warmth and bubbly sparkle. Some of it was just my confidence and desire to be involved and liked, but I think that radiation people saw was Christ inside me. I want to find that again and make sure that my heart isn't getting crowded with unnecessary things - Jesus needs a place to live and shine.
"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:22)
"Live Christ"
(The below was adapted from Steven J. Cole's essay found at Bible.org)
1) Exalt Christ through everything we do
-We are to glorify God in everything we do. We are here because of Him, we have a world because of Him, we breathe another day because of Him, we have choices because of Him.
-When our prayers are answered we are to boast in Christ not in ourselves for our success "Give it to God" - the good and the bad
2) Die to selfish desires in order to live to serve others for Jesus' sake
-Biblical truth: we have to be saved to serve Christ
To "live Christ" is to live in union with Him.
How
1) Making it our constant aim
-I live a very blessed life, thanks to God. But sometimes I get caught up in the things that make my life great and I start living for them. I live for the proud, accomplished, and noticed feeling of performing in front of people. I live for friends who want my advice and help (I took a personality quizz recently and it described my type as someone who needs to be needed.) I live for physical and emotional comfort and pleasure. I live for love from family and boyfriend. What if these things were taken away - of course it would be hard but if instead of living for any of them I am living for Christ than he will help me through anything because he cannot be taken away from me. None of those things are bad and they can still be a part of my life but they cannot be the center of my life - they can't be why I live my life or what take the most attention.
-I think of a song we sang in chapel today:
"Now until forever, Jesus I surrender......Lead me to you Forever, Lord, I will pursue. You've won my heart Jesus you're all that I want."
~Pursue/All I need is you by: Hillsong Worship
2) Through prayer and the provision of the Holy Spirit
- We must walk by the spirit everyday; depending on him for strength
- We have to trust that God will answer us in a way, in his time that works in our individual relationship with Him.
- We have to depend on the Trinity - God the father, Jesus Christ the son, and the Holy Spirit
- Prayer can be a conversation it is a two way street of speaking and listening between me and God (or Jesus or both!)
Steven J. Cole sites a Lewis Carroll Alice in Wonderland quote in his essay saying, "Alice asks the Cheshire Cat, “Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” The Cat replies, “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.” “I don’t much care where--” says Alice. “Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” says the Cat. “You’re sure to get somewhere--if you only walk long enough.”
I know that I want to get to the kingdom of God - so the direction I go from here matters greatly. I want to live my life for His glory.
Complete the sentence: "For me, to live is Christ"
Be You,
~ Rachel
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