Cake? Bam... chocolate preferred. Mind-reading ability? Done. Money? Sure. Sounds like a useful gift in the long run, but when it's looked at microscopically... not so much.
God has shown me countless times how miserable it is without Him. There is a lot of beauty in the world, most that i, as a human being, can not see... and that's great... but if i was given anything i wanted i still would not experience true joy and contentment.
Before I start talking about those who do not believe in God, do not take offense to when I say that non-believers do not understand. Here’s the truth, if a person understood God’s love… they would believe. That’s just all there is to it. For an example, if I never understood why someone likes to skydive, but soon I see all of the joys of sky-diving and how it relates to me… then I would start skydiving. This may seem hard to comprehend right now, but bear with me, please (:
Non-Christians would not quite understand this viewpoint... one may live a blessed life with wonderful people in it.. he or she may have money... heck.. one could be famous... but once they're given all of that... there's still a God-given longing for MORE. Non-Believers have such a difficult understanding of the true difference between happiness, which i define as worldly pleasures, and joy, which is from God. The world looks at Christ followers and thinks they're crazy... or just bluffing. Every human has experienced happiness... we all live in the world... we were all born in the world.. we have all been blessed in one form or another... but once you let Christ in your life... there's no comparison to how He loves us.
I long for other people to grasp that... truthfully, the reality is hard to explain with accurate words.
The point is... when i surrender my whole life to Christ.. Him first.. others second..me last.. When i pray continually and ask for my faith to grow... When i sacrifice my inner desires... and improve my self-discipline.. spending time in the Word even when it seems like there are so many others things that need done.. When i have all these possibilities swarming around in my head and i keep messing up and confusing everything... and then i remember that God knows everything.. and the best way to resolve my problems is to PRAY... then with all of that being said and done.. God gives me contentment in Him.... i am joyful.. i have no worries.. i'm excited.. i have more energy.. and i'm just nicer. Nothing in the world is comparable. I want more of God. I could never get enough.
You know, even when i'm not doing all of that and not being obedient to the Lord.... the world still is not comparable.. i feel sick... i feel upset.. i feel depressed... i miss out on something... God.
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2
When i was younger, maybe ages 7-10, i wanted to be an actress and singer.. i think because i was a big Hilary Duff fan... anyways, my parents would always tell me...
"Celebrities have a lot of money from their fame. They can buy anything they want... Pretty soon... there's nothing left to buy because they have everything the world has to offer... some start buying drugs because they're depressed and want to feel better... then their lives fall apart."
That is the best way to describe a person without God. They can have anything in the world but they still have nothing at all. They want more of something that they don't understand... they want love... and yeah, they may get it from other people... but people fail... i am a person. i mess up.. i can't satisfy everyone's needs.. i can't be in more than one place at one time.. i can't necessarily tolerate other people all of the time or at the times that work out for them... i can't be a savior... and i'm sure not perfect. But God is!!!
God is love (Psalm 36:5, 1 John 4:7-8). God doesn't fail (Psalms 33:22), God supplies what we need (Philippians 4:19), He is omnipresent (Psalm 139:7-12), He always wants us (John 15:12,16), He is the Savior (2 Samuel 22:3), and He is perfect (Matthew 5:48, 2 Samuel 22:31).
God is all of those things and more.. and yet even Christians.. get so distracted from what the world has laid at their feet. Of course, being human, sin is inevitable... but it's very depressing when we get distracted from God.
"Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." John 15:4
There are some people who have lived a tough life. I have yet to meet such a huge, challenging milestone where what i love most on earth thatis thrown away.. lost forever.. or destroyed. I feel like i am living the American dream. Great things happen and the bad things haven't ruined my life.
Just recently, my 3 year long dream came true. Finally, after many prayers and little struggles, i'm dating my best friend. He is everything i would want in a boyfriend and more! One of my biggest blessings in life is him!
Valentines Day was arranged so perfectly, etc. God has answered my prayers and provided more than i thought.... but my boyfriend, Nik, is only a human being. Nik may be a symbol of love to me because he showers me with love, but Nik is not all that i need. Nik could never fulfill the giant, God shaped space in my heart. Nik, as wonderful as he truly is, could never be enough. Isn't that... amazing? All of us want love... but those who love us on this earth... still can not satisfy our hearts. Why? Because God gave us a heart for Him. I can talk more about my story with Nik.. but that's a whole other testimony of how God works.
Believers or not, we all long for Jesus. I have heard so many stories of used-to-be-believers saying, "I tried God out.. he didn't answer my prayers" ... "I went to church... it's full of hypocrites" ... "Christianity didn't feel much different, so what's the point". NO, NO, NO!
"You will find me, says the Lord, when you seek me with all of your heart." Jeremiah 29:13
All of your heart! Not just the parts you want to give up, but all of it! The closer we are to God.. the more we let go of our self and our comforts because we see the bigger picture... we understand what matters. Surrender is key. It's hard.. it needs a lot of prayer and faith, but it's worth it.. and it's near impossible to do by ourselves.. with out love, prayer, and accountability from other believers.
When we give all of our hearts to God.. nothing is more vital and more complete. Surrender is not a clear picture when it has not been done. I will never understand why people see certain things differently than me until i try to see those things too... with all of my strength. Give me anything on this earth... and it can never compare to my Jesus.
