Ringing is the new year is filled with so much excitement and hope as everyone sets their new goals and dreams. The first few days of January are crucial to how you set the pace for your upcoming weeks and even months. It can set the tone of what kind of things or people you want to surround yourself with in the year of 2017. And in these first few days of January, I found myself at Cru Winter Conference in Frisco, Texas alongside 1,000 other college students there to grow not only with each other but with their relationship with God.
With a variety of extremely wise speakers, outreach, and community time I'm sure anyone that went, can say that is was a valuable experience where we all had the opportunity to come together to praise the Lord. So here are a few things that I found were significant and influential at our time at Winter Conference, that I pray myself and many others will continue to hold close to our hearts throughout the new year.
There are different ways to honor God. First of all, it is important to recognize that God IS worthy of your honor. Case closed. Seriously, there is no fighting this fact that He is more than well deserving of our devotion. Secondly, to realize why He is worthy of honor from us. The truth is that Jesus gave up His honor as soon as he was taken to the cross, when he ultimately died for our sins. This detail can't be overlooked when thinking about why we honor him, because honor was never ours to begin with.
The exact definition of the word honor by dictionary.com is "honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions". God made an honorable sacrifice when he sent his son to die for me, and you, and your family, and your neighbors, and your co-workers and so forth. So it was interesting to hear how we must honor each other and how you go about this. First, we have to actively listen to stories of our brothers and sisters, then tell our own stories speaking the truth in love, and finally lamenting the dishonor that some of our brothers and sisters may experience. Applying this into 2017, let us be more willing to listen to understand and not listen to respond. Let us show grace and love in sharing our lives with people, and lastly let us sympathize with all our brothers and sisters in Christ no matter what their walk of life. Although, we are so undeserving of everything given to us in this life, we praise God for giving us a chance to live a life of honor to give him all the glory because He is worthy.
1 Peter 3:15: "But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect"
God PREFERS to use people. Often times, when terrible things happen globally or even across the street you may ask "where are you God?" or "why aren't you fixing this?". One of the greatest things about the Gospel is that the Holy Spirit is living IN us, and we don't need physical confirmation from any form to act. And that is what needs to be understood, God could do things himself but he's looking for people with your specific set of skills to be used as tools to expand the kingdom. Also, God created us with dreams and goals and he wants us to take those goals to glorify Him. Sitting in silence is not going to change the world, so we need to start asking ourselves "where are WE when all of these people need a helping hand?". No matter how useless you may think your skills or abilities are, God's promise is the exact opposite!! Good at math? He's gonna use you! Good at swimming? He's gonna use you! Good at reading? THE LORD IS GOING TO USE YOU! And the truth is that God is already there, and he's ready to get down to business as soon as you are. Imagine God patiently sitting in an old chair, possibly even drinking a cup of coffee, just waiting for you to accept his invitation of the calling He knows you are worthy of.
2 Timothy 2:20 " In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work."
Things we use as "self-medication" are not to be used as tools in growing in your relationship with God. Saving the best for last, because honestly this one is a tough pill to swallow. Generally, we look to academics, the clothes that we wear, alcohol, drug abuse, athletics, and so many other things to 'self-medicate' the pain we are feeling in our lives. These things are used to cover the shame and embarrassment we might feel at times, and then we expect God to heal us and give us what we want right away. When He doesn't give us what we want when we want it's because He knows we'll become self-destructive. He is simply withholding that desire from you at this point in time because it will hurt you and hurt those around you and certainly not help expand the kingdom.
For some, that desire is job security, or a relationship or academic recognition, while none of these are bad things to want it may not be God's best interest for you at the time. I hate the saying "God has a plan for you" because as a Christian you already know that and hopefully believe this to your core. But we have to stop saying that and just expect to stay patient, we are imperfect humans and want things immediately. So instead of just saying that He has a plan, look at your dreams and desires and ask yourself WHY you want it.
Do you really want that job because of its benefits or do you want it because God placed a seed in your heart and you truly want that job to GLORIFY and UPLIFT the name of Jesus Christ? We need to stop looking at our trials in this life with fear but with optimism and view them as opportunity. Seize these opportunities to do God's work with your entire self. The clothes, the power, the things of this world will never leave you fulfilled as long as we are under a God who is faithful and persistent, because both our Heavenly Father and you are worthy.
Deuteronomy 6:5 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength"
