From my heart

To become a born-again believer in Jesus Christ is very easy. We all want freedom, we all want for someone to break our chains of sin. But the life of a born-again believer is anything but easy. It can be simple in the fact that we live by the Word of God and the leading of His Spirit...and our hearts desire is to serve the Lord. But I wonder how many people think being a Christian means to be "perfect" with no problems or struggles?

My Life with God has been a beautiful masterpiece full of bright colors. But it has no straight lines, the shading could be fixed and you sometimes have to take a step back to really see how magnificent it is. I have some spots that have thicker paint...other spots that are barely covered. But all together...it's the start of something great. He is still holing the brush, and He continues to change the colors sometimes, but I know He has a vision...an end result that will tie it all together.

Some days I feel like I'm tired of the same color, I just want something different. Sometimes He's been doing so much that my canvas is soaked! Other days, He waits for the paint to dry before He adds another coat.

Right now, it seems He's waiting for some parts to dry before He covers them and adds more colors (you know when you add too many colors to already wet paint, it all ends up black! LOL). I don't know about other believers but drying can sometimes be painful (like being in the desert). I went through most of my life thinking that if I just made more rules for myself and kept telling myself I was "fine" then I would be flawless. Truth is...I can't save myself. Ha, I can't even heal myself. I've tried all the medicines in the cabinet. I can't do it. I can't fix me.

I know the only thing that works. Catch is...sometimes it might take longer to heal than other times. You just have to keep applying it. And that thing that works...that thing that heals...that thing that fixes...is prayer. Heart to heart communication with God, with no "I'm fine's".

Prayer is not just for saying "thanks" to God. It is so much more than just that. See, God isn't going to sit there and just heal us without us giving Him what is broken. He isn't pushy like that. He doesn't heal us just to heal us, He does it because He loves us. And since He loves us, don't you think He wants us...all of us?
Yet, we find so many people still lost out there because they think they have to get "perfect" before they pray.
Last time I checked Jesus came because we NEEDED Him...He came to cover our sin...not to cover our "perfectness"...that just wouldn't make sense.

And we always need Him...meaning we will always be having issues, problems, struggles etc.
So why do we pretend everything is "fine"? Like no one else has problems.
Yeah, name one person who doesn't. I sure have not met them.

I was praying today about some things that are heavy on my heart and some things that I need to change in my life (before God can put another coat on). I was on my knee's crying to the Lord and I said "I feel so alone"...but then God reminded me that I'm really not.
God didn't send Jesus because we were perfect, but because we were messed up, and we still are, and we STILL need Him. Everyday. All the time. We just can't do it without Him. None of us can.

But satan wants us to think that we are "alone" and that no one else has problems...because then we think we don't deserve God. Um...did we EVER deserve Jesus. NO!
And the truth is...you are not alone.

Peter wrote letters to the church (us) to encourage them on how to live for the Lord...
"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers (and sisters) throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings" 1 Peter 5:8-9

Then James wrote to the twelve tribes...
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed" James 5:16

Are we willing to do this? To admit that each other is not alone, and to pray for each other and to confess our struggles to our brothers and sisters so that the enemy won't have an opportunity to "devour" us when we are down?

I am so happy I talk to people I'm close to about things I am going through..."as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" Proverbs 27:17...sharpening doesn't always "feel good"...actually most of the time it hurts...but it makes me sharp...even if some little pieces need to be cut off.

I pray you would seek help (not because you are "crazy"...but because you are *gasp* human). Ask God to put people in your life that will give you good counsel, and that maybe you would help too...iron sharpens iron...vis versa too.

I'll leave you with some more encouragement from the Lord that I am also applying...

"My Princess...
I want you to be content

You were given My peace when you let Me into your life. It is possible, My princess, to enjoy your life with a peaceful mind and a contented heart. You have so much to look forward to when you're settled in your heavenly home with Me. But for now you must remember that nothing you buy or collect will calm your spirit or soothe your soul like I can. You came into this world with nothing, and that is how you will leave it. Let Me do more than give you the good gifts this life has to offer. I will give you a place of peace, decorated with delight and filled with memories that will be more cherished than anything this world has to offer. So let Me be your treasure, and I will give you a rich life that will become more beautiful than anything money can buy.
Love, Your King and your Contentment"
("His Princess" Sheri Rose Shepherd)

Peace be with you as you pray, talk and follow God with all your heart :)