Guys I know my next blog post was supposed to be about life after training camp, but that keeps proving to be a never ending kaleidoscope of emotions that neither you, me, nor my therapist are fully prepared to deal with, so until then God put this specifically on my heart. I’ll keep it as short and sweet as possible
John 15:19 New International Version (NIV)
19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
When the world starts to agree with you and your motives, it may be time to reevaluate where you’re at. The world isn’t supposed to agree with you. It’s not supposed to like you, understand you, or support you. It’s supposed to hate you. And really, when you think about it that makes sense. Who is the king of the world? Satan. Does Satan love and support followers of Christ? No. So why would the world the he has dominion over support you? The bible says in 1 Peter 5:8, “8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Devour. I believe some translations say destroy. Neither is good, unless we’re talking about pizza. Satan is not seeking to have high tea with you. He’s seeking to devour you, destroy you. He wants to win. He knows he won’t, but he wants to and if you can’t beat them, why not take down half their army in the process. Why not cause as much devastation and hurt amongst their own as is possible. So he’ll sneak his way in whether it be through a wrong doing from another brother or sister in Christ, or abuse from a family member, or something as simple as giving someone a piece of your well-deserved mind in the grocery store because they weren’t looking where they were going. I’m telling you that if the world says well done, odds are Christ isn’t saying well done. If it appeases your sin nature, feels good to the flesh, feels like you really taught someone a lesson or you feel like the hander outer of punishments and judgments because you’re right and they’re wrong and you took it light on them, didn’t give them the full extent of your wrath, I can almost guarantee that you’re wrong. I only know this because I’ve been there, often, and let me tell you thank GOD ALMIGHTY he didn’t give me what I deserve. So holdfast to your judgments friends, and remember that you as believers didn’t get what you deserve either.
So be mindful, that when the world starts to agree with you, encourage you, clap you on the back and say well done or good game or that’s what I would have done, you as a Christian are probably not doing very well. It might feel good. Satan might be in your head going “Yeah, well done! Doesn’t it feel right?” But what side are you on? I’ll end it on one of my very favorite Paul-isms…
10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
-Galatians 1:10New International Version (NIV)
Until next time!
Mary
