John 15:18-27
18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin,[c] but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled:‘They hated me without a cause.’
26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness,because you have been with me from the beginning."
This was the passage we went through today and this is my greatest struggle, my sin I commit over and over and over. I do not want the world to hate me. I want the world to accept me. I am afraid of even the smallest persecution. So I gossip, I agree, I try to not stand out. I get nervous when I have an opportunity to tell someone I am praying for them. I trip over my words when I'm asked what I did and the answer is small group, church, worship, bible study... Every night I ask for forgiveness and pray for courage to do better the next day. I pray that Blythe does not inherit my concern with what the world thinks. I think at the end of the day, could anyone even tell that I'm a christian?
People are imprisoned, beaten, killed, tortured for their faith all around the world, and yet I am afraid that someone might look at me different or not want to talk to me if they knew about my faith in Christ. Yes, I can write in my blog and share it on facebook, but that is not enough. I am not doing what I am called to do. I am not relying on His Spirit to uphold me in those times I need courage. I am failing miserably. So what do I do? The only thing I know how... I do not give up the fight. I continue to ask for forgiveness and pray to do better. I pay attention when Christ speaks to me through scripture and teachings. I confess. I pray. I pray. I pray.
He has chosen me to not be a part of this world and that is the greatest news of my life. I should glory in this, because the world God has given me is far greater.
26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness,because you have been with me from the beginning."
People are imprisoned, beaten, killed, tortured for their faith all around the world, and yet I am afraid that someone might look at me different or not want to talk to me if they knew about my faith in Christ. Yes, I can write in my blog and share it on facebook, but that is not enough. I am not doing what I am called to do. I am not relying on His Spirit to uphold me in those times I need courage. I am failing miserably. So what do I do? The only thing I know how... I do not give up the fight. I continue to ask for forgiveness and pray to do better. I pay attention when Christ speaks to me through scripture and teachings. I confess. I pray. I pray. I pray.
He has chosen me to not be a part of this world and that is the greatest news of my life. I should glory in this, because the world God has given me is far greater.
No comments:
Post a Comment