Growth

Settling

As children we’re taught to “reach for the stars” and to “dream impossible dreams.” Yet, as adults, we often settle for things short of those illustrious ambitions. Perhaps it’s because the reality of our talents (or lack thereof) prompts us to reconsider, or perhaps it’s an unwillingness to do the work that’s required. Regardless of the reason, it isn’t uncommon to find a shift in our priorities as we make compromises and consolations.

In Scripture, we’re warned against settling in another way. As Galatians 4:9 states:

But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?

It’s a question not just for the Galatians, but one we should consider as well. Why we would settle for the “worthless” and lesser things of this world, when we know God and have His Word? We are so tempted to accept that which is weak, when we have the strength of God. Why do we settle for what is common, or worse, what is base, when we have the wonder and majesty of our King that we can behold? Why do we trade amazing for anything less? 

These are questions that have no good answer. The truth is that it’s a foolish choice. Yet it is one that we make time and time again. We let the desires of our flesh overwhelm the better, more lasting thirsts of our spirit. We trade the eternal for the temporal, and we forgo the riches that come from knowing our God and Savior.

May we not abdicate the beauty of being known by our King. May we not”settle” for that which the world offers, but may our pleasure and our confidence be in Him.

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Growth

Sharing God’s Story

Sharing what God has done in our lives is such a privilege. Although it seems that we get the opportunity to do this more often with believers (or perhaps we are just more willing to take those opportunities), sometimes we also get to share with unbelievers. Traditionally, this has been called our “testimony.” Just like witnesses in a court trial, His children get to attest to the work of God and how this has led to a radically-transformed life.

The challenge with sharing our testimony is that if we are not careful it can sound like “we” are expending a lot of the effort. For example, coming to repentance – a recognition that we have enacted wrong against a holy God, seeking forgiveness for that sin, and turning from it – is often talked about in terms of what “we” did. We realized that we had sinned. We acknowledged our need for a Savior. We sought His forgiveness.

And while I realize the ease of talking in such parlance, Scripture indicates that God is the One directing that experience. Romans 2:4 says that God’s kindness leads to repentance; 2 Corinthians 7:10 indicates that godly grief can accomplish the same thing. In either case – God is the proponent. It is His character that prompts us to seek Him and to recognize that we have committed wrong against Him. Not only is He the One extending forgiveness, He is leading us towards it.

It’s easy to think that our testimony is primarily about us – after all we think it’s “our” story. But in reality – our testimony should be primarily about God – Who He is and the work that He has accomplished. There is nothing better that we can attest to; there is no better story to share.

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