Lovely People-
***Be warned this is a long & heavy one but it's been on my heart for awhile. What I'm about to talk about is difficult for me and know it is coming from someone who strongly dislikes to ever feel as if I'm "calling" someone out. May you receive this with grace and know it comes from a place of love. Leh go…***
We are in a time that heaps stress and turmoil over college students, dead week aka pre-finals week. A week where multiple papers and exams are ALL DUE AT ONCE. Zero exceptions. Every burden is piled on, even things that have nothing to do with academics (aka you keep getting beat up when your already down).
Yesterday, my mother sent me an amazing video about God's love. Once I got over the cheesy background pictures I was able to embrace the video, I realized how I forget to focus on His crazy radical love and often make it about "rules." If you don't mind, I'd like to specifically address one thing in the video, and that is this, that God loves us 100% ALL the time, whether we choose to follow him or not (unfathomable right?).
Today I wasn't wanting to go to work because I was distracted by finals and the hours of precious study time I would be spending at work.
Here's the reality: whether studying, working, or serving we are called to glorify God while doing it. This sounds like a tricky thing to grasp especially in a society that says life is short so "get yours" and let others deal with their own problems.
Step back.
If life is not about us, but serving a God who loves us, then in order to glorify him we must question our motives.
My frustration from school comes from an inward desire to please myself ALL the time and time studying is time doing something I don't want to do. Same with work. Other things are selfish because it's saying to God, "I do what I want," blatantly rejecting his love. Partying. Certain relationships. Laziness. Even serving when we do it to make ourselves look good.
All these things are about us, not God. Sadly, not even about the other person sometimes.
By human nature, I am constantly thinking about my desires FIRST. I pray for God to readjust my attitude. If you feel like I'm calling you out then know this- if you are questioning something in your life, if you are feeling upset or defensive, it's probably because you are living selfishly and you've made it about you. I won't apologize for that because that's between you and the holy spirit. Know, I am only saying this out of love for my friends who are battling something that has them trapped and as a reminder to myself to stop "messin around" where I shouldn't.
Real talk: Be selfish. Make it about you but know a life without God is a life of slavery only leading to emptiness, regret, loneliness, and self-defeat. I know what this is like, thinking THERE HAS TO BE MORE.
Be woman/man enough to see your motives for what they are. Take the steps to pursue an unselfish lifestyle and forgive yourself when you make it about you because you will. Give 100% to everything good in this world because by doing so your returning his love.
Forgive me friends for the times I was selfish and disregarded your need. Forgive me God for rejecting your love. Only he can alter our human motives and give us freedom from the sin that was established in us since birth. Only he can give us eyes to see life for what it is and help us boldly face the imperfection in & around us. Only he can allow us to see the pain and bitterness while still seeing his beauty and love, filling us with hope. I'll holla for that.
"It is for freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yolk of slavery." -Galatians 5:1
Try it. Live for God and others, not yourself. You won't regret it. I dare you.
Your tough lovin friend,
Ellie
Here is the awesome video my lovely mother shared with me. Check it.
