For a very long time I tried to do things on my own. I tried to get by on my own decisions and my own plan. I was a teenager! I had all of the answers, and I had life figured out! It turned out that I could not have been more wrong. It took me, literally falling on my face to cry out to God to take control of my life, and to use me to glorify him! From there I felt the call to attend Anderson University, and to become a youth pastor. There are a few things I wish I had known the first day that I walked onto that campus. Just like that, three years at AU would be three of the most memory filled years of my life. Through God, my faith would become my own, and that some of the best people that I would have the pleasure of knowing would have a very deep impact on the man God desired me to be. (To my AU brothers and sisters: Thank You for being an inspiration)
The most important thing that I wish I had known was how powerful, and destructive complacency can be. I had become complacent; I was fine with my routine. I was comfortable where I was and what I was doing. Too many Christians today, myself included, are fine with their lives the way they are. I think that is the enemy’s biggest weapon; complacency. Going to Church on Sunday and trying to be a good person each and every other day of the week is not enough. What does the Bible have to say about complacency? Look at what Zephaniah 1:12 says, “ At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think ‘The Lord will do nothing, either good or bad.” At the time, the people of Judah had become complacent and content with the moral chaos that swept over the kingdom, and Zephaniah was urging the people to return to the Lord.
In today’s society, people have become content with the moral chaos, and even endorse it. Our nation has turned away from God, and the complacency of Christians has not helped make matters better. I am not writing this to condemn anyone, because as I stated previously, I am just as guilty, but we are called to more! I am on the tail end of reading a book called Love Does by Bob Goff (Side Plug; if you haven’t read this book, do it! It’s incredible!). Something he wrote in this book hit me like a semi, and I want to share it with you.
“”We’re God’s plan, and we always have been. We aren’t just supposed to be observers, listeners, or have a bunch of opinions. We’re not here to let everyone know what we agree and don’t agree with, because, frankly, who cares? Tell me about the God you love; tell me about what He has inspired uniquely in you; tell me about what you’re going to do about it, and a plan for your life will be pretty easy to figure out from there. I guess what I’m saying is that most of us don’t get an audible plan for our lives. It’s way better than that. We get to be God’s plan for the whole world by pointing people toward Him.”
We are called to share God with the entire world! How cool is that? We are called to do more than sit in a large room and listen to someone speak for an hour every Sunday. We are called to do life with fellow Christians, and I personally cannot think of anything more exciting than growing in faith and in life with my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Every one of us are beautifully, and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). Every day I wake up, I desire to be a better man than I was the day before, and the only way that can be possible is by listening to what the Lord has called me to do while relying on the power of the Holy Spirit to aid me in the process of ending the complacency in my life. Throughout my life, my blessings have been abundant, and I want to be able to glorify my Heavenly Father with all that I have, after all, we are called to do this too (Col 3:17). I think that should be the goal of all Christians, and the best way to accomplish that is to rid ourselves of complacency.
I am praying for each and every one of you.
God bless.
Todays word comes to us from Kyle Cook. Kyle graduated from Anderson University in May of 2016 and is currently the Associate Pastor of First Church of God, Galesburg IL. Kyle has a great passion for God and serving in His church. To learn more about Kyle and his ministries you can follow Kyle at fcoggalesburg.com
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