Being a believer 24/7

My husband and I got into a disagreement the other day and he said something to me that made me stop dead in my tracks. As my husband likes to put it - I had let Satan get ahold of my tongue. Not something that is new for me and is something I continue to struggle with every day...to keep my speech Godly.


But I digress. What my husband uttered to me during our time of debate was - If you are a follower of God you should act like your life is on video and being broadcast 24/7! Wow! I don't know if that hits you as hard as it hit me, but I was speechless. All of a sudden I felt like a 2 ton weight had hit me square in the chest and a video player on fastforward started playing in my mind of all the things I had done lately that I would be ashamed to have anyone know about let alone see me doing.


After I was sufficiently humbled by the replay of my life over the last few days I was brought to a new realization. That's just how we should all live! Is that not how the disciples and Christ Himself were expected to live? Yeah, sure...easy enough to live like that when you're Christ. Okay...I'm with ya there. Maybe that is dismissable. He was perfect after all and how could we attempt to live out a life like His or even why would we want to because it would be a lesson in frustration?


But you're forgetting...Christ wasn't alone. He had twelve men who dedicately followed Him and were known for their association with Him. Wait. Don't miss it. Did you? Let's reread it...."They were known by their association with the Christ." Every move they made, every word they uttered, every reaction they had to a situation was viewed in the light of the fact that they represented the One they followed. And for many people I'm sure that's the gauge they used to judge whether to even bother dealing with the crowds and the heat and the days and days of walking in order to simply hear the man these men were following preach.


If you were unconvinced of someone's qualifications, of their impact, of the benefit they might have on your life who will you seek to look at? Those that are already around them. If those that are already intimately familiar with the individual are stressed, angry, downhearted, impatient...then why would you seek out a relationship with that person let alone sacrifice to have it?


Now the disciples weren't perfect. They weren't even good some of the time. They got angry with people. They got impatient with the crowds. They doubted their Savior time and time again. However, they had something that these other people wanted. They had faith.


What if our life was the only advertisement for Christ someone had? Instead of a whole life, if someone took just today...just one day out of your life...would they come away from viewing your day with a thirst for what you have? Would they want to know your God? Would they see someone who was whole-heartedly dedicated to God or to the world? Would they see someone who made prayer a priority or someone who recited a memorized prayer from childhood and lef their relationship with God at that. Would they finish watching your day and your interactions with those you came into contact that day and know who you serve or would they think they are satisfied with the life they have and don't "need" God?


As we interact with those around us and those who are brought across our path today let us keep in the forefront of our mind what kind of legacy we will leave if this day is the only day someone sees of our life. If that one interaction you have with that coworker or neighbor or family member...if that's the only time you speak to them will the interaction you have with them be a witness for God or Satan?

Because that's the simple truth - you can't serve them both and you can't serve no one. You are either furthuring God's Kingdom or Satan's. Don't fool yourself into thinking if you say nothing out of fear or simple laziness that you aren't doing any harm. Silence is a tool Satan uses to paralyze believers. Use your words and use them to bring people to God for the first time, bring people back to God, and lift up those who are already walking His path for them!

God's Overflowing Cup

Many, many songs speak to God's power, his ability to take our loads from us. Have you ever really stopped to put this into perspective in your own life, though?

Every day I am surrounded by people who see the blessings God has surrounded me with (read children) and say, "I don't know how you do it" or something along those lines. To which I smile and tell them that I don't. God does.

I see countless women with one or two children who are barely making it through their days. My heart aches for them. For I know the peace and strength that comes from running to God with your problems. I am NOT the world's greatest wife, daughter, mom, friend, etc. I have no secret that guides my day. I simply readily admit that I can't do it all. I can't do any of it.
God gives me patience to answer 100 questions a day of why this, what happened to that, where are they going. He gives me the physical strength to be able to get 5-6 hours of sleep at night and yet wake up renewed and refreshed and tend my family...both in my home and outside of it.
I would ask this of you - are you stressed? Are you tired? Do you feel worn down by your daily life? These should be red flags to you that you are not walking with your Father.
Now, I'm not saying your life should be a fairytale and if not then you are doing something wrong. Far from it.

As God's children we were not promised less problems. We were promised more. But what we were also promised is someone to carry our load for us and all we have to do is walk beside Him! Let me give you a Biblical picture of this played out. Imagine you are sitting among a group of friends and someone comes up to tell you that your house has burned to the group and all your children have been killed. How would you react? Would you like a picture of how God aches for us to react when we face difficulty? He provided it! He did so by recording the story of His son, Job. When this happened to Job he ran outside and tore all his clothing. In those times it was an outward sign of the grief within. Do you know what he called out as he collapsed on the ground? That he LOVED God and he proceeded to worship Him!

God did not prevent Satan from taking Job's home and children. In fact, He gave Satan permission to do so! Because God knew Job's hope and faith and comfort did not lay in those places, but instead it was firmly planted in God and God alone. And in return for Job's faith and continued and consistent walk with God, he was provided with so much comfort and peace during his time of grief that the first thing he did after hearing such horrific news was to praise God! If God can comfort a man whose entire family has been taken Home in one moment how much more do you think He can comfort you in your daily struggles? A God who can give you your children can surely give you the patience to train them. The same God who provided for you to be exactly where you are right now is more than capable and anxiously awaiting you to seek His help!

So now my question to you would be do you want to weather the storms of your earthly life alone or are you willing to let your Father carry the load of your struggles for you while you walk peacefully beside Him?