"I got so tired of fighting the urges. I just got it one day; I had to have been born this way. I'm happy."
I hear or read comments similar to the ones above so frequently now I do believe there is a pandemic, but it's an attack on the soul.
Have we forgotten so completely that we were REborn into a fight?
Every human being longs to be happy. We spend hard earned money in the pursuit of it. Everything from a barista cup of coffee, to a delicious meal, to a snazzy new outfit, to a vacation, and on and on it goes. It seems the totality of mankind is on some constant endorphin hunt.
We, as Christians, were not reborn into God's family to do as the world. We are not supposed to continue the constant carnal endorphin hunt! While God intends us to enjoy aspects of pleasure along the way, we are not to forfeit His standard for "happy"! We were reborn into God's family primarily to FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH.
That means taking on words like endure, perseverance, discernment; looking past your happiness to see the tactics of the enemy AND deciding NOT to participate in his plan.
Happy is his bait. He knows we all long for it.
Time is our Achilles heel. We want whatever.... be it an object, a resolution, peace, change.... NOW. All he has to do, what he has been doing since the Garden, is be there when we so-call reach the proverbial end of our rope.
I truly am stunned and alarmed at the number of people so easily giving in to his ploys.
Your emotions nor frankly your weariness are to dictate your dedication to God.
Time and again, God tells us IF we walk with Him, seeking Him first.... (and let me just say here that is NOT code for Him joining your page, your petition, your ways....shame on us for attempting to stoop the Creator to a subsurvatant level)... He will grant to us whatever we lack to fulfill our part in the Fight.
Yesterday, a dear friend of mine said, "Yeah, people look at us with this air of 'lighten up'." My response to those people? Tighten up! Reign in your impulses and your carnality, and remind yourself Christ died NOT for your frivolity!
I'll leave you with this speech from Rocky and a passage from Philippians. When I read Rocky's speech recently, I could not help but hear chords of God's heart for His people. He says similar words to me regularly, and I imagine He says similar words to you. By evidence though, fewer and fewer are listening, and even fewer are heeding God's encouragement to stay in the Fight, being dedicated to uphold His standard.
"Let me tell you something you already know; the world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place. And I don't care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done! Now if you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers, saying you ain't where you wanna be because of him, or her, or nobody! Cowards do that! And that ain't you! You're better than that! I'm always gonna love you no matter what. No matter what happens, You're my son and you're my blood. You're the best thing in my life. But until you start believing in yourself (in Christ), ya ain't gonna have a life." ( The words "in Christ" I added for the purpose of Christian resonance.)
"Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved....Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. Yet I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me..... Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress."Phil 4
Don't fall for the bait of pursuing "happy" and foreit the eternal prize that comes from enduring and persevering.
As Ben Stuart said so aptly recently, "You were not set free from struggle. You were set free TO struggle."
Be found NOT with a cool drink on a beach lounger, but armored up, wisely assessing your enemy, willing to go all the way for the One who went all the way for you!
It's so easy to quit. Many, many "happy" quitters these days.
Be an endurer. Be a finisher. For Him.
Ever, only, always for Him. ❤️
