listening AND doing
Free will. It is one of the most beautiful things that God has given us. It shows His utmost love for us, that He desires for us to choose Him as well, we are not forced into relationship with Him. How beautiful is that?
But it also leads to frustration sometimes. We want God to make our decisions easier and to speak audibly into our situations instead of subtly guiding us. We want Him to invade a loved one's life with His love and power, to encounter them in such a strong way that they are changed forever. Sometimes this happens and wow, it's amazing and we rejoice! But more often than not He works in our lives in subtle ways, changing our hearts and guiding our decisions.
At the end of the day, it is up to us to choose to act and live out our faith. There is a reason you read so often in the new testament about not being deceived, about walking out your faith and implementing what you now know as truth into your life. Because we can hear the word and read scripture everyday, but we can also choose to not let it change us, to not walk out our faith, to not live life the way God desires us to.
The more you read the new testament the more clear it becomes how drastic of a difference light and dark is. The more you see the corrupt ways of man and the brokenness of society in general. And the need for our Savior, Jesus! It becomes clear that to be a true disciple of Jesus, we must live our lives differently than the world. We must look to Jesus’ life as an example. We must do what we can to choose Him and His kingdom, not worrying about the choices and ways of the society in which we live. We must do everything we can to not be corrupted by the world!
So what does this look like practically? What can we, as busy mom’s running our homes, training up our children, and encouraging our husbands, do to ensure we personally and our families do not become corrupted by the world? Well, first and foremost we have to let go of worrying about what others think. We have to mature to get to the point that we do not worry about the way people perceive us, the judgment coming at us for our decisions and what people say behind our backs. Because let me tell you, if you are following Jesus, people are talking about you behind your back. Scripture tells us this! And especially these days, if you are following Jesus, you look weird. But don’t worry, you are not alone! Keep at it :)
Ok so back to it, what can we do? What should we be doing to protect our hearts and minds for us and our family? Well, let me just give you permission to protect your family. Ladies, working as a team with our husbands, or solely, we are the gatekeepers of our homes. We have the authority to decide what comes in and out of our homes. You think the news is too negative and don’t want your kids exposed to all that mess? Don’t let the news be turned on. You don’t like the way in which a show is now moving and are not comfortable with your kids watching it? Say no. You don’t want your kids having phones until older? Don’t let them have one. You sense a very bad influence in your kids life from a friend? Have discussions and be ok with moving on from that relationship if need be. We must ask God for discernment, wisdom and courage and have confidence in our authority within our families. God specifically designed you as your husband's wife, you as your kids mother, and your family to be right where you are, at this point in history! Let that encourage you. Let that give you the courage to stand firm and unmovable in your faith. Let that give you what you need to not allow yourself to become corrupted by the world.
Ladies, doing what we can to not allow ourselves to be corrupted by this world is not an option. It is an instruction found in scripture and if we want to follow Jesus, we must take these instructions seriously. So press into Jesus. Ask Him to speak truth to your heart about potential things in your life that may be corrupting you. And don’t be afraid to change your ways, be different and shine your light!
