I’m a Christian. I want to
be totally, unapologetically obedient to God. But
if I give God my entire life, I’m afraid he’ll do something extreme to prove a
point. He might take away my boyfriend to see which one I love more—”him or
Him”? Worse yet, what if something happens to my family because I said God
could “have it all”? My mom will get cancer. Or my best friend will be killed
in a car wreck. (You know, those things you never say around the donut table
in Sunday school, but they’re legitimate fears.)
I love God. And sometimes I’m this close to giving him everything. But in
order to prove my love for God, I feel like I have to do something drastic.
And I’m not ready for that yet.
—Kate
Let’s be honest—most of us are afraid of God. And we should be. He’s the
all-powerful King of the universe. In comparison, we are helplessly powerless.
But because we fear him, we hold back from him a few things we feel we can’t
live without, afraid that he’ll strip them from us. A relationship. A job. A
standard of living. Health. Dreams. It’s scary to know that God wants what’s
best for us—because it may come at a price.
if I give God my entire life, I’m afraid he’ll do something extreme to prove a
point. He might take away my boyfriend to see which one I love more—”him or
Him”? Worse yet, what if something happens to my family because I said God
could “have it all”? My mom will get cancer. Or my best friend will be killed
in a car wreck. (You know, those things you never say around the donut table
in Sunday school, but they’re legitimate fears.)
I love God. And sometimes I’m this close to giving him everything. But in
order to prove my love for God, I feel like I have to do something drastic.
And I’m not ready for that yet.
—Kate
Let’s be honest—most of us are afraid of God. And we should be. He’s the
all-powerful King of the universe. In comparison, we are helplessly powerless.
But because we fear him, we hold back from him a few things we feel we can’t
live without, afraid that he’ll strip them from us. A relationship. A job. A
standard of living. Health. Dreams. It’s scary to know that God wants what’s
best for us—because it may come at a price.
God’s will is always tied to
who he is. (Read that again.) The rumor that God
is a sadist in the sky, waiting for some unsuspecting woman to give her life
to him just so he can toy with her, is a twisted myth. That’s not how the
Bible describes God. It’s not his nature.
Instead of fearing him, if we believe he is a loving God, we will be convinced
all his plans for us will be full of love and for our good. If we trust the
Father, we will trust his plans for us … even if they take us through
difficult times, down roads we wouldn’t otherwise choose or even to the
“Africas” we fear the most. Life with God may not always be “safe,” as we’d
define it; but he will always, always be good to us. Our lives are in good
hands.
“The real issue in life is not the search for God’s will; it is the search for
God. The issue in faith is not knowing what God is doing, rather it is knowing
that God knows what he is doing. The issue of faith is seeking God’s presence,
not God’s plan for my life, because there is no plan outside of my knowing
him.”
is a sadist in the sky, waiting for some unsuspecting woman to give her life
to him just so he can toy with her, is a twisted myth. That’s not how the
Bible describes God. It’s not his nature.
Instead of fearing him, if we believe he is a loving God, we will be convinced
all his plans for us will be full of love and for our good. If we trust the
Father, we will trust his plans for us … even if they take us through
difficult times, down roads we wouldn’t otherwise choose or even to the
“Africas” we fear the most. Life with God may not always be “safe,” as we’d
define it; but he will always, always be good to us. Our lives are in good
hands.
“The real issue in life is not the search for God’s will; it is the search for
God. The issue in faith is not knowing what God is doing, rather it is knowing
that God knows what he is doing. The issue of faith is seeking God’s presence,
not God’s plan for my life, because there is no plan outside of my knowing
him.”
“For I know the plans I have
for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper
you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah
29:11
you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah
29:11
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