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My Spanish professor (shoutout to Profesor Spinks!) gave a speech on an awesome perspective about studying, learning, and respecting other cultures, but I think it also gives a beautiful picture on looking at our faith as well.
Here is a list Profesor Spinks told us to write down:
Remember:
-Spanish is hard.
-It sometimes wasn't fun.
-I had to think hard while trying to put a new concept into action
-Sometimes I made the same mistake over and over
-Sometimes listening to my teacher and concentrating was hard
-Speaking in Spanish with my level of knowledge was scary
-Realizing these difficulties I experienced should allow me to have compassion for others
-We have freedom in our own language
Okay from reading this list you may or may not see some patterns that align pretty closely with us as Christians. Here is my attempt at breaking down these points:
{Life} is hard.
Consider is pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (James 1:2-3)
I know I have written about this verse before, but it is a constant reminder that even as Christ followers, life WILL be hard. One of my favorite parts of this verse is that it says WHENever. There is no doubt that we are going to experience hardships, but Christ KNEW that. It is not because He is turning His back on us, Jesus came down to CARRY us through these times.
Pretty much the majority of my posts center around being broken and Christ standing by us, but isn't that the main point of life? We are imperfect, go through hard things, and struggle, but the One that loves us more than we can imagine is our comfort!
It sometimes isn't fun.
While this depends on perspective, it also is something that many of us have probably felt at some point in our walk with Christ.
If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. (John 15:18-19)
This verse can relate to all of us in whatever parts of life that may not seem as "fun". On a very serious level, God knows that some people of this world literally will hate us to the point of persecution. This can be from teasing at school to extreme cases of torture and death. We are not alone in this; Christ himself experienced death for not only His perfection, but because of our imperfection as well.
On a day to day level, this may be things in your life that you feel you are "missing out on". This could be gossiping, partying, sex outside of marriage, or a whole number of "rules". The thing is, these are worldly things that bring momentary satisfaction. Look at the world around us-is it a happy place? If we are "missing out" on these things of the world, why is the world not happy? Why is there depression, emptiness, abuse, and a whole plethora of problems if the people chose these "fun" things?
These are things experienced in the world, and THANK GOODNESS that we are not of the world! We have things SO MUCH better for us. We are the light that can help the darkness in the world. I promise you that living for Jesus is so much better than missing out on a moment of empty, fleeting indulgence.
I have to think hard while trying to put a new concept into action.
God is showing up every day and giving me guidance. We all talk about not knowing God's plan for our lives, but could it be that we are just too scared to follow through?
Maybe God is teaching you about grace. You can read verses on forgiveness all day long, but it takes thought and prayer to actually show that friend the grace you are reading about.
Maybe God is calling you to a healthier lifestyle. Sure, you can tell others that your body is a temple, but who are you devoting the temple to? You have to study His word, but you also must do something about it!
And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again. (2 Corinthians 5:15)
Sometimes I make the same mistake over and over.
This couldn't be more true. We each have things that tempt us, and it is no secret that we will all fall into this temptation. There are things that I struggle with continuously, but God's grace is forever.
I want to strive to defeat these temptations, and I know that comes through Christ's strength alone. I also know that God knew we wouldn't be perfect from day one. Day after day we are going to fail Him, and day after day He is going to show us grace.
I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. (Jeremiah 31:3)
God spoke this verse to Israel, which experienced season after season of turning away from the Lord. He promised them, just as He promises us, continuous grace and renewal.
Sometimes listening to my Teacher and concentrating is hard.
God IS our teacher and uses so many different styles of teaching. He uses His Word, those around us, and even a Spanish class to tell us something! Even if we don't want to put effort into an assignment He is giving us, don't we know even in the back of our minds that it is for our own good, or even eventually for the good of those we can reach? Let's remember WHAT our assignment is.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20)
Speaking {the Gospel} with our level of knowledge is scary.
The assignment above is to tell those around us about this amazing truth! That should be fun and exciting, but how many excuses do we make? One of the biggest is thinking we don't know enough about the Bible to tell others.
What would my professor say if I told him "Yeah I'm not good at Spanish, I think I'm gonna sit this speech out..."? Yeah, I don't think that would go well for my GPA.
Our assignment from God, however, is dealing with something much bigger than a letter grade. It's dealing with other people's SOULS and where they will spend eternity.
Also, if I would have gotten up to give my speech in Spanish and (somehow) used all of these big words and complicated sentences, would my fellow classmates have gotten anything out of my speech? Nope. In the same way, God can use exactly where we are to reach those around us at where they are. While God without a doubt uses some people through their intelligence and historical knowledge, He can use the rest of us with just the simple truth of who He is! Think about Moses: He even used the excuse of being a bad public speaker in order to attempt to get out of God's assignment for Him. Did that stop God? Of course not! God met Moses where he was. God knows our strengths and out weakness, He is the one that created them! With that being said, He is so much more powerful than even our deepest weakness.
Realizing these difficulties I experienced should allow me to have compassion for others.
We all have different levels of brokenness and stories. Because God meets us where we are, we can do the same for others. We can be a constant friend to someone going through a tough time, or we can even use our own imperfections to tell a non-believer that it's okay to not be perfect, and explain that Jesus is bigger than our imperfections. Let God use your story to impact someone else.
We have freedom in {Christ}.
I want to end this post on this simple truth. In English (or whatever the language you are most comfortable in), we are able to communicate the most fully what your beliefs and passions are.
In Christ, we can do this same. Christ can give us passion for life, for others, and most importantly for Him. He is our comfort, our freedom, and our strength. As hard and scary as whatever we are trying to accomplish may be, we always have Him to fall back on.
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:32)
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