Why I don't want to be happy...

Well, to be honest, I'm afraid to be happy.


Because when I'm happy, it comes with a great disobedience to God.



I never really realized it until a short while ago...but when we consider ourselves happy, we are only fooling ourselves by living in the desires of our sin nature.
For example, I am tempted everyday by pure laziness. All I really want to do is lounge around in my pajamas watching house hunters and mindlessly checking Facebook every five minutes.. Because that makes me happy. But those are the days that I ignore my relationship with God the most. I get so caught up in the pleasure of my desires that I feel, although only temporary, happy.



I started learning about the differences between being happy, and being joyful. And I'd like to share with you some of the ones that, to me, are most important to remember.




Happiness is something the world offers, however JOY can only come from the Lord.

Just think for a minute and come up with a few things that define being happy, and things that make people happy. Then compare that to what the Bible says about joy. One of my favorite verses is John 15:10-11, "If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.". Yeah, that's right, obeying God actually does fill your heart with JOY. Not just a little bit of joy, but that your joy may be full. I mean, c'mon, that's pretty cool. People travel the whole world in search for happiness - What a privilege it is to know where real joy comes from.  



Happiness is temporary, JOY lasts eternity.

While there are things that make you happy, and some may even last for a lifetime I suppose, there will come a day when it all passes away, and we realize then that none of these things that we saw as important even mattered. Revelation tells us, "...for the former things have passed away". All these things that we see as valuable and important here on Earth...quite frankly are worthless. Even Paul talked about how he considers all things worthless for Christ. What he once saw as valuable, now means nothing compared to what Christ has given him. The things that make us happy...there will come a day when we realize that it served no real purpose at all. But a true JOY that comes from the Lord..it's fulfilling. It lasts not only does it last a lifetime here on Earth, but it serves an eternal purpose. That joy that's hidden in your heart...it lasts an eternity there. 
 

Happiness pleases your desires, while JOY satisfies the soul.

None of us want to admit it, but it's true, we see in Genesis that each of us has a sin nature. A natural desire, as humans, that leads us to sin. Now, I don't know about you, but sometimes what I believe to be something that just makes me happy, is actually something that leads me right into sin and disobedience. But for the momentary time that I'm happy, my sin-nature desires are quite pleased. Not satisfied, but merely pleased. However JOY, that truly satisfies the soul. It lives within you. And eventually, although it's rather difficult at times, you no longer feel such a pull to those desires as you did before. 

 

Happiness comes from external things, JOY comes from within your heart.

This one is rather self-explanitory. Nothing that the world offers can bring the same joy to your heart as the Lord can. And when you have turned to Him, you no longer need happiness from the world. To sum it up, happiness comes from the world (world = bad), and joy comes from God (God = good). Pretty simple, right? 

 

Then why is it so hard to choose joy over happiness?

That sin nature. That's why.

You have to desire and choose good over evil in order to gain joy. The first step, at least to me, is to establish what in your life is pleasing your desires, and what is satisfying your heart and serving a kingdom purpose. And lastly, remind yourself constantly of the differences between happiness and joy. Personally, I have to ask myself what purpose I'm serving - the Lord, or am I putting my happiness above Him?

Thanks for reading along, folks. 

Faith

For Glory

     There are so many topics I could write about. And someday I hope that maybe I’ll get to them all. And maybe I’ll actually make a difference in someone’s life. That something I said could actually truly mean something to someone else. But that really isn’t the purpose of what I’m doing. I write because I want to share the things that God lays on my heart, I write because I can’t just keep all my thoughts to myself, even if no one actually ever read this...I guess I write because it’s just a part of me. God gave me this love for writing, so how could I not use that in anything but an attempt to glorify Him?

   This post is a little different. I’m inviting you into a time of personal reflection and growth.  Basically it’s just a weird conversation with myself that, as it's going on, is recorded on paper that I’m sharing with a public audience. It’s kind of a “writer” thing.

  My first post. I wrote about 1 Timothy 4:12. “Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young. But set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”

 Now, I still treasure this verse. If you asked for a sentence or verse that describes my life right now, that’s what I’d give you. For some reason I just strive to be an example. A role-model. Someone who is trustworthy, reliable, pure, accountable, and stands firm in their faith. 

And as I look at my life I see that I’m so far off from where I want to be. I’m so far off from that verse. But it’s still what I strive for. It’s still what I desire.

I look at this world and I see how broken it is. But what can one person do? What can I do? Nothing. That’s what the world tells me. But God tells me something different. Something bigger.

I suppose I have high expectations for my life. Yeah, there’s your typical stuff like a future college or career and that kind of stuff. Which don’t get me wrong, that’s important and all, but I expect something far greater. So many times I have called upon God surrendering my life to Him. Begging to be used to bring glory to His kingdom.

And it isn’t ridiculous, like many will say.

In fact, it’s quite reasonable. God wants each and every one of His children to prosper. And that kind of achievement can only come from God. He is the one who promises to prosper us, after all.

Every day I rejoice in the knowing that my Savior has plans for me. He doesn’t just say “Okay, well, now that I’ve given you salvation you’re on your own and where your life goes from here is completely up to you.” None of us could handle that. None of us should. God has plans for us. Not just the types of plans that society teaches us, like plans to “Be a doctor, or lawyer, or other fancy business things like that.” But plans to bring glory to His kingdom.

Isn’t that magnificent?

But it isn’t always what we could call “joyful”. Glorifying the Father can come through a great deal of pain and suffering. Things significant and insignificant alike.

Look at Christians who are experiencing persecution in the Middle East. They flee their homes in hopes that they might escape in time before they’re faced with torture, imprisonment, and death. Sounds....promising, right? But they’re fleeing because they will not worship another God – they will not confess to any other name than that of Jesus.

Even when there is nothing left. Everything they had was gone. Fear filled every part of their lives. They didn’t deny their Father.

I can’t think of a more dire and dreadful circumstance – yet even when it looks so dark and hopeless we see that in the midst of it all our God is honored. What an amazing testimony.

I want my life to glorify God in such ways. But it doesn’t always have to be like that. God is honored and glorified when I share the gospel with my neighbor, or welcome new kids at church. When I memorize scripture, when I read my Bible every morning, when I show Christ-like behaviors, when I’m slow to anger, when I’m humble, etc. etc. God is glorified in all of it!

And I can only hope that others may see that in me.

That when I walk in a room the light of Christ shines and would be seen by everyone.

Because this life is not my own. I have been saved and born again. I am no longer here to please my own desires but I am here for something greater. For I know that this life here is only temporary – and Heaven is the real destination. But while I’m here, where the Father has placed me, my life shall be to honor Him.

I just want to be an example. I want my life to mean more than our earthly standards. I want younger generations to look up to me. I want to be obedient to Christ in every aspect of my life. I want to be a reflection of His love. I don’t want to be easily overtaken by worldly desires. I want my life to be something greater. No so that I will be recognized for it or even applauded – but because there is nothing else that I desire. Nothing else that I long for.

Thanks for reading along.

Faith

The one on perseverance

   Last week I was with my church at our lake baptism. Although I wasn’t there to be baptized, I was just there to enjoy a time of fellowship and support those who were being baptized. And even though I chose not to swim in the lake, I did find myself enjoying messing with the sand. (I would say playing with the sand, which in all honesty is what I was doing, but I was looking for a more “mature” word.) Anyway, as the water would occasionally wash up upon the shore, I enjoyed sinking my feet into the soft, damp sand before watching my small footprints wash away. There was nothing quite like the joy from the feeling that there was nothing else going on, just me, the beautiful weather, and the peacefulness of my feet in the sand, with the tide that would nicely brush my ankles. I honestly wanted nothing else in that moment except what I had - which, c’mon, doesn’t happen much in the selfish, demanding world we sometimes surround ourselves in. But, even if only for a few moments, it was wonderful.

Eventually I found myself kneeling in the sand, pushing the sand into clumps that would form a cross. The tide managed to stay a few inches back, so it didn’t wash away. It wasn’t anything extravagant now, just a small cross. I smoothed the edges, I leveled the top, and there it was - my little cross in the sand. I was quite proud of it, even if it was short lived. Shortly, as if on cue, the water from the lake started pushing its way further. It brushed the edge of my cross, causing it to soften and crumble. I pushed some more sand back onto the cross, and all was well again. I’m sure you can manage to assume what happened next. The waters came further, harder, faster, and stronger. My little cross in the sand was nothing but a soupy glob that kept washing away, and getting smaller, and smaller. I tried desperately to fix it, but to no avail. Yeah, okay, so most people would look at it under the impression that it’s merely a little cross built in the sand. It was destined to wash away, anyway, and surely I must have known that.

Then it reminded me of something.

And all of a sudden I saw that little cross in the sand as a newly-placed faith in Jesus Christ. As if, when I sculpted that cross...that was like a new believer taking the first steps to committing their lives, and all the faith they have, to God. And when they step back and look at what has been done, what has been sculpted in their life...it’s...well, like that small moment of joy I experienced on the beach - Even if only for a moment...wonderful.

Then the waves come.

Then, the world comes.

As if the water sensed a symbol of surrender, a symbol of hope, in that little cross in the sand...and, of course, came rushing upon it. No matter what you do to try fix it, salvage it, or re-build it...the waters just keep coming. Determined to wash it away – like how the world seems to be determined to bring anyone who calls themselves a Christian to destruction.

So what’s best to do? Keep sitting there, pushing the sand back onto the cross in soupy globs, hoping it will keep its form? Or shield it completely from the waters that are coming. Perhaps let the waters destroy it and go build another one elsewhere?   Or...wait...maybe this is all a trick question. Like, “Hey, what’s my cross doing in the sand anyway? Wasn’t I supposed to go build it on a rock or somethin’?” And that’s the key. Don’t focus on the world. Focus on the cross. Build your relationship firm in Christ from the beginning, and let the waves come. No matter how hard they come at you...your faith is built on a rock, which cannot wash away. Let the world see that no matter what it can throw against us, we will persevere.

Perfectly Flawed

 I’d like to start by quickly apologizing for the fact that I haven’t posted much. As you can see - In All Faithfulness has new look! Also, if you scroll down a bit, you'll see on the sidebar a new little box where you can send me feedback, ideas, prayer requests, questions, and suggestions for what to write about. Thanks!

     It’s pretty hard to disagree with the fact that almost every single woman, of any age, struggles with the way they look. We look in the mirror every day and see nothing but imperfection and flaws. We see the opposite of what society says we should look like. We start to allow what people say about us slowly sink in and break us apart. And every day, the lies we tell ourselves start to become a part of us. And we allow it.

     People don’t realize how young girls are when we start to feed them these lies. And as they grow up they learn that the world sets standards for the way women should look. They teach us that we have to fit these standards in order to be accepted or even presentable to society. And the more they start to grow up the more they start to realize they can never achieve those standards. And I can’t even begin to explain how haywire it gets from there. And what’s it all for, anyway? For men? Some might say that. Because women need to have confidence? I hear that one a lot. But people don’t seem to realize that our confidence, and our beauty, comes from a very different source. And today I’m going to share what that is. Even though most of you already are very aware of it, I want to go in depth with it. I want you to leave this blog with a new frame of mind. Maybe that’s wishful thinking, or maybe it’s simply impossible, but we’ll see.

     I’m sure you’ve heard about or read this verse before – 1 Peter 3:3-4. {pictured}. But we’re going to go in depth of what this verse really means. Let’s start at, “Do not let your adorning be external – the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear - ...” Now this was written way back in AD 62-63...yet we can see that women adorned themselves in all the same ways. They would attempt to beautify themselves in order to be accepted, liked, and admired. Maybe even sometimes you, yes, I’m talking to you, don’t even feel comfortable leaving the house without makeup covering your face? You can’t let society see your blemishes, right? And I can’t be the only one who spends sometimes hours picking out what to wear because nothing is “just right”. I want people to think highly of me, and I’m sure you do too. But stop and think with me here – in what ways have our methods of beautification gotten in the way of who God created us to be? Let’s look further into the verse, “But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit,” What Peter is saying in the first part of this verse, is let your beauty come from “the hidden person of the heart.” Or, you. Too often girls get caught up in trying to be somebody else. God created you with a purpose in mind – don’t let your desire to be as perfect as those photo shopped women on magazine covers get in the way of living out God’s grand design for your life. The Godly woman hidden inside you...that is more beautiful than any makeup or clothing can give you. Which leads us to “...with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit,...” This is something we see in the characteristics and attributes of a Godly woman at heart. Close your eyes and think about a “gentle and quiet spirit.”... Seriously, close your eyes and picture it. Why do I get the feeling you still haven’t done it? Just take a couple seconds and think about it. Then picture those attributes in yourself. Does it match up with the way your spirit is now? Probably not. I know mine doesn’t. To be gentle and quiet is someone who focuses on God before anything else in the world can come between them. Their relationship with the Lord is intimate and highly cherished. They do not take delight in evil, instead the live out their lives peacefully in the Lord. This is the hidden person of the heart, don’t you see? With that, take a look at the very last part of the verse... “...Which is God’s sight is very precious.” Isn’t that beautiful? That God would look unto us, His children, and see us as precious. God. Like, creator of the universe, ya know? And He sees me as precious? That’s pretty incredible.

So, if there’s one thing I hope you leave here with. It’s this...

When you start hating on yourself, maybe it’s your body size, your complexion, or anything that you just dislike, or even hate, about yourself...remind yourself of 1 Peter 3:3-4. If you can, write it on your bedroom/bathroom mirror, or write it on a note card and stick it someplace where you will see it every day. Eventually you will memorize it and you will carry that peace of knowing that your beauty comes from a more magnificent source. Don’t let the influences of this world impact your idea of beauty. The maker of the universe created you to be just the way you are – everything about you reflects your Father, for He doesn’t make mistakes, and His creations are flawless and perfect. Rejoice in that, and share it with others.

~Faith

Bold is Beautiful

Hey there everyone! Okay, so I may not have posted in almost three weeks... #oops. Today's post is actually a very important topic to me, it's something I've personally struggled through and that I really want to share with others. I feel like most everybody has a hard time with being bold. Quite frankly, we don't know how to be "bold"...I feel like we're taught, somehow, that being bold is a bad thing. I look around and all I see, from people of all ages, is that we don't stray far from our own little circles (Some may call them cliques). We don't welcome new people, talk to the new kids, or do anything away from the friends we're comfortable with. And to be honest, sometimes it angers me a bit. Especially because I know that I'm one of them. You see, being bold isn't something to hide or be afraid of! Yes, sometimes it can create slightly awkward situations (Which everyone seems to spend their whole lives avoiding at all costs), but in the end, as I like to say, bold is beautiful.

 I'd like to bring up a piece of scripture that I've kind of based this post off of. Acts 28:31. (Pictured) We'll start by breaking down what the verse means, and then we will work on applying it to our lives.  Now, I'll talk more a little bit further down about what boldness looks like in all aspects of our lives, but more specifically in this verse it talks about boldness in proclaiming the kingdom of God. What does that mean? It's quite simple, telling everybody, everywhere, in all ways possible, who God is and what He's done. But not just that, no, because it goes on to tell us to teach about the Lord Jesus Christ. So, now we see that we aren't just talking about God, but we're teaching of Him too. See the difference? It's like going around all day proclaiming "Jesus is life!", or "God is love!". That's great and all...but people that don't know Jesus won't know what, or who, you're talking about. Unless you actually sit down and teach them about the life that Jesus gave us by bearing the weight of our sins on the cross. Or you actually tell them how unfathomable God's love for us is - that he would send His one and only Son to be crucified so that we could have a relationship with Him. You see the difference now?

But wait, we aren't at the end of the verse yet. It ends on "With all boldness and without hindrance."

Wow. Just take a moment with me and think about "With all boldness." Every ounce of boldness and courage that we have should be put to use. All that we have. So that we would, without a trace of doubt whatsoever, jump on every opportunity with the boldness of a lion (And lions are quite bold if I do say so myself). "And without hindrance" - without any obstacles in our way, and without any doubts or fears. There would be no stopping us, for we are God's children, His chosen people, proclaiming the good news of our Savior without worrying about the things we do now, like "what will people think about me.". We would all be solely concerned with God's commandments, God's purpose, and we'd be driven by the fear of the Lord. Wouldn't that be pretty cool if we were all like that? We're supposed to be. Instead it feels like we all take our faith, we take what Jesus has done, and we go like crawl under a rock or something. We don't show it to anyone, we don't rejoice over this amazing grace that we've been given, no. It's like we just don't care. When we should be living out the opposite! Chew on that for a while.

Okay, you may be wondering, how much "bold" is too bold? Well, your boldness must be driven by the right amount of kindness. Being bold doesn't mean shoving the Gospel down people's throats, no, no. What I mean by it is that, with love, patience, gentleness, and kindness we should share with people the love that God has shown us. Being bold just means that we aren't afraid or ashamed in any way of His word. True boldness in a person is a rare and beautiful find, but it's one that once you share it, it keeps on going like a chain reaction. People follow, you set an example, and that's pretty cool.

"what does boldness look like in an everyday life?"

   Boldness in an everyday life, especially that of a student, is when you aren't afraid to venture outside that little circle we talked about earlier and maybe talk to that kid that's sitting in the corner all alone. Invite them to sit with you and get to know them. That's boldness, and kindness, that you just exhibited right there. Being bold in your everyday life can even be speaking up when some kids are talking about, or doing, something that you know is wrong. It takes boldness to speak up and show them God's love. Or maybe you have a friend who's wavering in their faith...a lot of times we just remain quiet because...well, sometimes I don't even know why, but we do. And we shouldn't. Be the friend that helps point them back to the Lord, be the girl (or guy) who is constantly talking about God, be the one who isn't afraid of what people think of you, be courageous, be kind, be bold. Bold is beautiful, my friends.