A Greater Measure of Him
Since I made the decision to follow Jesus as a teenager, I have faced many ups and downs, and had a lot of good days, and a lot of bad days.
If I had to put into words what my overall journey has looked like, when it comes to following Jesus, I would say it has been a battle.
I have battled with my behavior, often choosing poorly. I have battled in my mind, often allowing thoughts that hurt and tear down to rule, rather than words of life. I have battled with my attitude, often letting circumstances to determine the way I think, rather than seeing past my current reality or moment.
In the most recent season of my life, I have begun to see my walk with Jesus a bit differently.
John 15:4 says, "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me."
There is no doubt, that a life of following Christ takes effort. The journey is often referred to as a race, or a difficult walk along a narrow path.
Even still, I am finding that the key to this often rugged journey, is not found in effort or striving, but found in abiding in Christ.
When I spend time in my Word, I am reminded of the Saints who went before me, and how God was faithful to them, even when it seemed hope was lost. When I spend time in Worship, I am reminded of how good, how big, and how great my God is. When I spend time in prayer, I am reminded of how gentle and how loving His words are to me.
The power of these realities are, when I face a difficult situation, or when stress and pressure pile up, as I consider these truths, I become more aware of all God can do in the moment, instead of afraid of what could go wrong.
I'm not sure what you're facing in your current season, but one thing I know for sure, even if you're certain the answer you need is finances, a move to a different city, a new job, a person to change their actions toward you, or any other number of possibilities... I believe, what you need even more, is a greater measure of Him.
Seek Him today, and allow Him to be your focus.