What God has taught me lately...

I love going to church. I get such an emotional high each Sunday during the praise music; it's like getting a shot of spiritual adrenaline to get me back up ready to face a new week. Most often my sweet Eli sits on one side of me and pokes me or stares at me to get me smiling if the song is a real tear jerker. It's not that I'm sad at all but rather so relieved to have the peace that only truly comes from knowing my Savior and having faith in His promises. It is so freeing to know that I'm alive in Him and because of Him I am free from all wrongs that I fall under each day as a human being.

I have learned a lot this past week. I have been praying and asking advice from many confidants the past two months regarding something in my life that I had to make a decision with. I finally realized the answer this week, due probably to a lot of advice and to seeking God's truth in the manner.

I have learned that it is more important to 'show' God's love (or your own love) not just say it. Don't just say you are a Christian but then sit back in judgement of others. Don't expect others to know you love them but then not show that love in a real way that they can see. I have been sitting in judgement of someone for a choice that they made. I have realized that I can in deed show discernment and not condone certain behaviors but I also have to make a choice to love people through their mistakes. I have to love people even when they are hard to love. I have to love people sometimes when they don't show any love back in return. That is what makes me different...what makes any believer different than the 'world.'

I have realized that in my trying to decide if I still wanted to be friends with someone who has chosen something in their life that I very much disagree with and can not understand I still have no place at all to sit back and 'choose' not to love this person. Who am I to have that power? Are we not called to love everyone? It just hit me this morning and I was overtaken with emotion at the thought of all I have done to offend Christ and yet He forgives me simply for believing in who He is. He even loves me while I am in the pit of my sin.

I heard a radio host talking about what it looked like to really live out your faith. People were calling in with their thoughts and it just hit home to me. Do you talk a big talk? Do you say how we should help others in need but then never open your pocket book to do so. Do you say how we should forgive those who hurt us but then secretly hold onto anger you have towards someone who wronged you long ago? Do you say we should not judge but then choose to hang around people so much like yourself because then you aren't made to feel uncomfortable?

I love when God teaches me new things. I love when He stretches me and makes me grow even though it is so uncomfortable during the midst of it. I love that He has such bigger plans for using my life than I can fathom and so He is using everything to mold me into the person He wants me to be for His Kingdom.