Rollercoaster Christianity

Every week here in Costa has brought a new understanding of freedom, and greater peace in my heart and mind. The more I grow closer to the Lord, the more I am blown away by the simplicity of the truth about the gospel, and the extravagance of God's love for me.

I was speaking with someone this past week, and our conversation regarded striving to earn favor with God, or having the mindset that one day God is pleased with me and another He is angry with me. As I sit and think about this conversation, I cannot help but wonder, "How many people are there in the world that live and operate this way in their lives?" I know that I have spent majority of my life thinking this way, until the past few years. My eyes have been opened to the reality of grace, and the understanding that God cannot be any more pleased with me then He already is. The times that I catch myself not walking in this understanding, I realize that I am not clinging to the truth and really believing that God is the greatest satisfaction of my heart, everything that I truly desire. He paid the full price for my sins, and is continually wooing me with the love and joy that He has for me. As I am in this process of growing in my understanding of grace, I see the chains and strongholds in my life naturally breakingoff. I cannot operate under guilt and condemnation, if I want to walk in the power of grace.

I love the truth that Paul speaks about walking in freedom. He says in Phil. 3:12, "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained." My friends, embrace the truth that God loves you. Repent of your sins, and remember them no more. God loves you and has fully forgiven you. Just like in the garden, after Adam and Eve directly disobeyed God, He still sought after them, and provided for them, and loved them. You are dearly loved by God, and His love for you is constant and without waver. All we are called to do in life is believe this truth. Believe that because Jesus died for your sins, he took away all of your guilt and shame. You are a new creation that God wants to have constant fellowship with.