Faithful in the Fray

Over the past year my life has changed radically. I had major ups and downs, couldn’t decide what I wanted to do with my life and then did decide, then I packed my life into a 50lb bag and headed to Kenya for three months. But of course, those just scratched the surface of what was really going on.

My life is not what it used to be. I recently stumbled upon my old “Xanga” website circa 2003-2005. I would have been in 6th,7th, and 8th grade. Oh goodness. We all try to forget certain times in our lives, and although those were fun, I wouldn’t go back to where I was. You see, we all have a testimony weather we know it or not. God has brought us all  out of something, or He protected us and never left our side. I didn’t realize that. I thought only people who have gone through certain situations had testimonies worth sharing.

While in Kenya I began to read this book by David Platt “Radical” I wasn’t sure exactly what I was going to get myself into but my teammates told me that it was totally worth it. I never finished it while I was there, and I just recently picked it up again. I have only read the first thirty pages and my mind is totally blown. I have wanted to underline/highlight every single word on those pages. They spoke into my spirit that much. One of the things that has hit me straight between the eyes is the fact that as Christians, we have lost sight of what is important. I was skyping with my friend last night telling him about how I was having a hard time getting into worship that morning and my mind was a completely different place, and then it hit me. How dare I? I have been given the FREEDOM to worship anywhere and anytime I want. I can pray openly, I can read my Bible wherever I like. I can sing worship music at the top of my lungs in the car. And yet there I was, Sunday morning, a mute. I literally only sang about three words. How pathetic am I? I just became everything I stand ‘against’.

I took a hard look at why I might do this, of course I was tired, bored, sad because a good friend just moved away, excited about the weekend, just wanted to get through the day, and also I had sang those songs over and over and they just ‘didn’t do it’ for me anymore. I made excuse after excuse. That is not what we are supposed to do. We are supposed to bask in the freedom that God has given us. And honestly, at that moment, you could tell my relationship with God was at a standstill. It’s hard to get out of the valley, and back to the mountain top. But, I learn so much by being in the valley that it is almost worth it.

Another thing that stood out to me in the book Radical was how when David Platt went to China and ministered to an underground church how all the people wanted to do was hear the word. Just start from Genesis 1:1 or Matthew 1:1 and have him read book after book. No fancy lighting, seats, worship music, or a fluffy message. Just the Word. Plain and simple. When he returned back to his “Mega Church” he had asked his congregation if he started a service where they sat on the floor, didn’t have fancy lighting, or music and he just read from the Word who would actually come. 50 showed up. Where are we going wrong?! We should be hungry for God and His Word. That is the book of life. I know we all are going through things, and sometimes its harder than others to worship but we’ve got to get to a place that Jesus is the only thing we need. In the end, He is the ultimate prize. Why wouldn’t we be doing everything in our power to get close to Him now?

Our days are limited. Don’t waste your time now.