This is the bigger picture. The elements of your life are only a small piece of a bigger puzzle.
When we gave our lives to Jesus Christ, we were no longer civilians. We enlisted in a war. Whoever tries to sell you the idea of Christians living "happy-go-lucky" carefree lives are sadly mistaken. Jesus gives us peace in the storm. Choosing to follow Jesus isn't about seeking an easier life here on Earth, but rather about seeking an easier eternity with Him. It's about giving up the comforts of this world, the comforts of sin and ignorance, and instead stepping out of the box by sowing in the spirit and believing in what you don't see.
Matthew 10:34:36 "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law--a man's enemies will be the members of his own household."
John 15:19 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.
We have to remain focused on the bigger picture.
Think of undercover cops. They take on an identity for months and even years until their job is done. That gets difficult. Many times these officers get lost in the identity they became and forget why they took on the identity in the first place. This very thing is happening to us. Satan has distracted us with the everyday battles--battles associated with the world and not the spirit. Many of us are tangled in the cares of this world and have forgotten our mission. Fortunately for us, Jesus came to this Earth to free us from the constraints of this world.
Love>Materials
Remember the bigger picture. We as believers of Jesus Christ are in a war. Are you fighting for the right reasons? Are you seeking God's face or His hand? In John 6, Jesus fed 5,000 people with just 5 small barley loaves and 2 small fish. After doing so, a crowd began looking for Him. When they finally found Him, Jesus says,
John 6:26-27 “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.
In other words, look at the bigger picture. God may have blessed you with a job, a car, a roof over your head and food on the table, but that shouldn't be the only reason why you became disciples of Jesus Christ. Following Him is bigger than material things. Follow Jesus because of the demons He freed you from, because of the relationship you have with Him, because of His mercy and everlasting love-not for material things.
Hebrews 13:5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
God recently pulled me out of a season where all I had was my spiritual growth. When I started this blog I was sleeping in my car with nothing. For close to two years God gradually snatched things out of my life until I was down to the bare minimums. I can't even front by saying that I was content. I went through weeks of depression. I felt sorry for myself, and even though I was too afraid to say it, I was mad at God. I was never the richest person in the world, but I was always highly favored. But during that season God took that away from me too. After weeks of complaining, grumbling, and depression, God checked me. He asked me, do I love Him for the things He had done or do I love Him for who He is? Of course that broke me. After that turning point, God began to shift my attention to the will He has for me. Through that time with Him I began to see my struggles from God's point of view. Every battle I fought during that season was to prepare me for my ministry.
That's how we have to view our problems! Only when I began to look at the bigger picture did things begin to shift.
Ditch the distractions
For the 90's kids and older, we look at children today shaking our heads. We drive by empty parks telling our friends how we used to fill those parks back in the day. We blame technology for the poor communication skills kids exhibit today. We may have racked up on valuable social skills during our playground days, but now we are in the same boat as kids are today. We can communicate with each other, but we don't know how to communicate with God. Every form of entertainment is at our fingertips--that's for a reason. Satan uses our computers and cell phones to pull us away from our purpose here. Life isn't about the day-to-day struggles. It isn't about finding a job, a husband/wife, getting a degree, etc. Those are minor things in a bigger picture. When we chose to follow Jesus, we became God's children. We became a part of His covenant, His reassurance that we will be ok. So why sweat the small things?
Matthew 6:28-33 Why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
We have to speak with God. We battle the enemy by carrying out the will He has assigned to us. However, there is no ministry without God. If we are not spending time with Him, we cannot be productive spiritually. God wants to spend time with us. He loves to hear from us. Tell God about your day and about your plans. He loves that time with you. He will in return give you the peace and revelations you need to get by, despite your situation.
Ask God for focus everyday. Remember this isn't our home. Heaven awaits us. We already know the outcome of this war, and you are on the winners side. So hold tight.
Revelation 21:4-5 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."
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