You're Everything, You're Everything

I have been in a weird spot lately. I have been not been taking time to stop from the craziness of life to have  time to talk with God. I know that I need to, now I just have to remember everyday. As I strive to follow Him more and more this becomes more apparent to me. Christ is everything to me.  

This I know to be true: My relationship with Jesus Christ is the most important thing in my life. My faith and life in Christ is the best thing to ever happen to me. I know that Christ has given me knew life in Him because of His death and resurrection on the cross and the freedom from sin and death. I know I will live with Him in heaven forever after my life here on this earth. I He is all I need, and will give me everything I need in life. He is here for me, and for everyone in this same capacity. Spending time with Him will allow my relationship with Him to grow. I cannot wait for what else He has in store for me. 

Our Darkness is Never Darkness

The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
(Romans 13:12 ESV)

I read this verse the other day while doing some quiet time, and it really stood out to me. So many times I get lost in the darkness and think that I am all alone. I fall pray to my temptations and to the schemes of the devil. I try to solve my problems in my own way or on my own; completely forgetting God and all He has to offer me. This verse gives me hope.
God is always with me, and will always be with me, even in the darkness. He will never leave me. Not only is He the light, but He gives me the "armor of light". All this makes me think is that He gives me a way ti defend myself from the devil and sin, and a weapon to ward them off all at the same time. He gives me the Bible, a community of encouraging fellow believers in my friends and family, and His presence.
God will always be with me, I just have to remember that He is the light and will always overcome the darkness.

What & Why

Why did this happen? Why do I not follow You better? Why can't I just undoubtedly believe that Your plan is the best?

What am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to be learning? What is the next step? What are You doing?

These are some of a few questions that continually come in and out of mind as of late. I don't know why I had to experience this pain, why I do not follow God and get into the Bible more, why I don't dully trust the awesome plan that God has for me, what God is doing with me, what He wants me to be learning, or what He wants me to do. All I know how to do right now is ask questions (to God and trusted friends), read the Bible, and pray. Beyond this, nothing has brought me much relief. With this pain and confusion I cling to this:
          "In this world you will have trouble, but take heart for I have overcome the world."
                                                                                                         - Jesus @ John 16:33
God will get me through because He has been through it all and has defeated anything that could ever hold me back. Sometimes I forget this and think that satan has some kind of power that might actually be able to hinder God and his omnipotency, and I'm wrong. When Jesus died on the cross and rose again from the dead three days later, He destroyed my sin and Satan's power once and for all. All satan is now is just the biggest sore loser that the world has ever known and he goes around trying to get the other team (believers) sad and down on themselves making them think they will never be good enough. TOO BAD SATAN!!!! "We've already won and you don't stand a chance!" God defeated you through Christ's death and resurrection, and you don't have power over anything besides the sin we commit.

So while I am confused, I live knowing God has won and that He will make my best path for me.

-Matt

Confusion. Mystery. Peace.

God works in mysterious ways. What a phrase. We hear this typically in reference to some act that occurs in someone's life that isn't unbelievable, but is either extremely weird or is so trite an occurrence (getting a good parking spot, finding our wallet or keys when we've misplaced them, etc.). I think we all too often hear this, or say it and don't actually remember the true meaning of the word "mysterious".

"Mysterious" speaks of things we don't understand (hence the root word being 'mystery'...) and things that we cannot fathom. This is precisely the manner in which God works, or at least I know it is how He works in my life. Lately I have been so very confused about the things that I am supposed to be learning from God in my life. There are so many things that are happening in ways that other's would see as coincidence; yet, I know its God. Do I know what exactly He's doing or trying to show me? Heck no. If I did that would take away this whole "mysterious" aspect. Even though I know that He is working for my good, some days I wish there was no mystery. I wish I knew the way everything would happen, but I look at that and realize that if I did that, it would be the furthest thing from what I want and what I am supposed to do. That's ultimately a selfish act. To worry so much about the future and what God has in store for me that I give up today. The amazing quality time that He has given me. Right. Now. 

This leads me too another thought that hit me again the other day. I say again, because this is something that I have known for a while; however, I don't always do it. God is at work in my life all the time. This is something that I'm pretty sure I have been taught for like 20+ years now (for those of you who know how old I am, you can figure it out). God is showing up and showing me Himself and what He wants for me in ways that I can perceive, but I don't see it. Do I not see it because God operates in some dimension that is outside of our realm known as "the real world"? No! God operates in our world. On the same plane of existence as ourselves. The reason I don't see what He is doing in my life all the time or what He wants me to learn is because I don't take time to stop and listen enough. All I have to do is pay attention to things going on around me in more detail and explore (through prayer and the Word) if some of the things that are happening could be from God. If I just take the time to remember He is always working, and then just listen, I will hear and see what He is doing in my life. 

I did this the other night. I listened to God. I prayed and listened to Him in my car driving back to school. My prayers where not long, and where often full of questions. Most of this time I just spent keep my eyes, ears, and mind open to what God would have me learn. While I didn't get any specific answers at all, He did give me on thing; Peace. I cannot remember the last time I experienced peace as did during this time of prayer in my car. God let me let go of the worries and anxieties that I was clinging to and just be. Just be the Man of God he created me to be, focusing on Him, relaxing, and knowing that He will take care of my troubles. One of my friends shared a Bible verse with me about peace the other night:

"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you." - 2 Thessalonians 3:16

God gave me His peace, and it was amazing. I pray that I will learn how to experience His grace more and more fully. I was not understanding what God was going to do in that time of prayer (it was a mystery), but by paying attention to Him and listening He should me how amazing prayer and peace are. 

I pray that I will now continue to pray like this and that I will always be looking for how God is working in my life everyday.

-Matt