Steadfast part 3
If you want something different, do something different. Unless you're building something. In which case, stay the course. Because Rome wasn't built in a day. Sometimes you have to be steadfast in doing what you know to do, even when it's hard. Even when it seems like what you're doing isn't making a difference. Let me tell you: you make a difference. The things you say and do... matter. YOU matter. You have more of an effect on people than you think you do. Which is to say, you can BE the change you want to see in the world. It can start with you. Letting what's inside come out by knowing and believing that it's in you. And not... let me quote my memory verse for today. "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to a fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive" (Ephesians 4:13-14). When we know what's inside us (the love of God), when we know who we really are (which is who we are in Christ... which is who Christ is in us) we can be steadfast, and not tossed around by every wind of doctrine. When you know the truth you can just ignore the lie. You don't even have to listen to it. You don't even have to give it the time of day. You don't have to fight it. Or defeat it. You can just ignore it. Stand tall and firm and steadfast in the truth and don't even worry about whatever else. And that, by the way, in my opinion, is what it means to rest. We don't always have to be up in arms about everything. We don't always have to be on a hunt to get the sin out of the camp. Jesus dealt with it already. He took away the sin (unbelief) of the world, by giving us (the world) something (someONE, Himself) to believe in. We don't have to fight all these battles. Jesus fought--and won--the war to end all wars on the cross. The last enemy to be defeated was death. And Jesus defeated death by dying and then coming back to life. Done deal. Mission accomplished. It is finished. So if the last enemy has been defeated, and the only fight left is the good fight of faith--laying hold of eternal life--then all we need to do is receive the gift we've been given. All we need to do is let God love the hell out of us and then love Him back by loving the hell out of each other. It's about knowing the truth and letting the truth set you, and make you, free. It's about being steadfast. Standing in His love and not being shaken. Building those relationships and connections. Even when it takes time and effort. Almost anything worth having takes time and effort. Anything worth doing is worth doing right. Love is giving. So loving people means giving yourself--everything you have and everything you are--to people. Sacrifice. Laying your life down. Letting the love inside fill you up so much that you couldn't keep it in if you wanted to. And knowing that it's too big, and too good, to even want to keep to yourself. It's like when you have good news and you're just bursting at the seams to tell someone. To share it. To give what you've got, and in that way to experience what you've got!