Category: Waiting

Made To Love

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Our lives are kind of like books. You don’t ever know what the endings going to look like, until you get to the last page. The story can be full of lots of good guys and bad ones. The main difference between our lives and books is that you can’t just jump to the end of the story before you get to chapter 2. You can’t read the last page to see how it all ends. You have to keep on reading the whole way through and no skipping.

When I became interested in social work, I was so amazed at how diverse all of creation is. Everyone is uniquely made. We have various jobs, different lifestyles, and a wide range of purposes to do on this earth. I think when you’re trying to figure out what you want your career life to look like in the future during your high school or college years, you can get weighed down by certain expectations that you put on yourself. You can feel lost in the process of it all, especially when you can’t see the full picture, yet.

But at the end of the day, I think love is the center of all of our purposes and stories. We were created in the image of God, and loving God and others is what we were created to do. God created Adam and Eve to have a relationship each with God and relationships with each other. We were created to be loved by our Creator, to love our Creator, and to love the rest of His creation.

Loving others, realistically, might look different in everyday life, for every single person. Teachers can love their students by educating them and supporting them. Doctors can show love by helping people get better and stay healthy. Musicians create songs about love and entertain in order for others to feel connected to the music and lyrics. Love is at the center, even if it isn’t completely noticeable at first.

While I have been in Ghana, I’ve learned that many people here want to go live in another place, like the United Kingdom or the United States. And while I will never understand the types of lives these people have grown up to live in full depth, I do know that in my life, it is better to focus on the things you have instead of the things you don’t.

While some things might be better in other places as far as materialistic things, no one place is perfect. Brokenness is everywhere. All of your problems won’t go away by moving to another place on the earth or having specific things.

Ever since sin came into the world, broken relationships have existed, causing corruption, violence, and disappointment all over the world. Temptation leads people to sin, and no one is perfect. We all have flaws, except for the One who fully knows us and deeply loves us. But despite the flaws that we have and the brokenness that we walk through, every single person should have the opportunity to live a life of understanding how they were made.

The mission really is to help people learn more about who God created them to be. That they are not only created in the image of God, but they have been given certain talents and abilities to make decisions and positively influence the world around them.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of age.” – Matthew 28:18-20

I know that I can’t fix everything that’s wrong with the world. I know after I die, there will still be sin and brokenness on this earth because that’s the world we live in. But our lives on this earth are temporary. In Christ, we have been given a better country that is coming after this earth passes away. Our eternal home.

But according to His promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by Him without spot or blemish, and at peace. – 2 Peter 3:13-14

During my lifetime, I do not know what all the future holds, but I do know who holds that future. I do not know what each day will look like, but I do know how to live those days. I know that I can help people learn about the One who created them and learn how to have a relationship with Him. I can also learn and grow with those who already know Him. I can walk through this lifetime with them, so that we can live pleasing and glorifying lives for Our Creator. I know that I always have the opportunity to love, and that is the greatest thing I really can do in my life.

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. – 1 Corinthians 13:13

Love never ends. Everything will eventually pass away from this world, but love will remain. I can also continue to seek Heaven and help others do the same. I can help others focus on what they do have and not get dragged down by the brokenness in this world.

For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. – Hebrews 13:14

As long as we love others, in whatever way that looks like, we are doing what we were created to do. You can love others anywhere and anytime.

There will always be some unknowns in the world. How long do you have to live? When will Christ return? We don’t have all the answers. But we are able to live the kind of life that when you see Christ, you know that you devoted this life to Him and to loving others around you, no matter how different those other people are from you.

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. – Colossians 3:2-4

I’m trying to get better at living with the intention of loving those around me as best as I can. I’m hoping to start being more of a sister to everyone around me, not just the people that I get along with or the people that are similar to me. I’m not perfect and I won’t always do the right thing. I’m sure life will continue to throw some more twists and turns at me, but I know that no matter what this lifetime holds, there is a far greater life to come.

With love,

Claire

Fruit of the Spirit: FAITHFULNESS

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WHAT IS FAITHFULNESS:

Faithfulness means to be full of faith. It is a way in which we can show God our trust, loyalty, and obedience to Him. In Hebrews chapter 11, the author talks much about what faith is and reminds us of many people in the Bible who walked with faith.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. – Hebrews 11:1-3

We cannot always see how God’s plans are going to come to us or how they will play out. We cannot always see that God is working for us, even when it feels like everything is going wrong. However, by having faith, we can trust and have confidence that God is working all things out for our good. He is trying to teach us, guide us, and fulfill His plans through us.

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. – Hebrews 11:6-7

When God told Noah to build an ark because the Lord was going to flood the earth, he did. Even though Noah could not see the future that God had in store, he still trusted and obeyed God. He did exactly what was told of him.

HOW IS GOD FAITHFUL:

I think God is faithful in an abundance of ways to us. A lot of the time, God is faithful to you and others around you in different ways and circumstances. Maybe, you prayed for your purpose to be shown to you, and God fulfilled it and rewarded you with a job. Maybe you dealt with some difficult circumstances in life or got your heartbroken. God might have shown His faithfulness to you by offering you time to heal and giving you friends and family members to help you get through those times.

His faithfulness might be shown to us in different ways, but overall, God is faithful. We all are unified by many faithful actions God has already done as well. A major example is that God was faithful by sending His Son to sacrifice Himself and die so that we may have eternal life with Him.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” – John 3:16-17

The Lord promised that a Messiah would eventually come to save God’s people long ago. Eventually, Jesus was born and shed His blood for our sins, so that we may live and walk with Him. God wanted you to be apart of His kingdom, so He fulfilled that promise He made long ago and made a way for that to happen.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20

WALK BY FAITH:

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. – James 1:5-8

I can’t give you one simple and easy answer to the question of how to live by faith. But I can tell you that a life with faith means walking, trusting, obeying, and approaching God with confidence in who He says He is and what He says He will do.

Walking by faith is not just about believing in God though. It says in the book of James that even the demons believed. A life full of faith calls for us to not only believe in God but to live out our lives faithfully, by our actions and our words.

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. – James 2:18-26

Set your heart and mind on God’s word, His character, and His love. Remind yourself of the moments in your life where God showed His faithfulness to you. Reflect on how Jesus obeyed and walked by faith in His Father. Learn from those in the Bible, like Noah, Abraham, and Rahab, who have each shown us their faith. Allow this to not only let you see God’s promises become fulfilled but also let your mind and heart be reminded that we can walk by faith as well.

With love,

Claire

Fruit of the Spirit: PATIENCE

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I think we can all say we have had issues with patience before. Whether that is with wanting to get out of traffic faster or wanting a specific thing to happen right now. We think we know what is best for us, and we want to have control over the situation.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:8-9

However, God’s ways are always so much better than our own. He always has a better plan in store, even when we can’t see how everything is going to work out at the moment.

But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. – Romans 8:25

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT PATIENCE:

I think the concept of patience correlates with the concept of faith. To have faith and to be faithful, patience plays a role in that too. Having faith in God means trusting Him and being patient with Him. However, being patient is not as easy as it seems.

And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. – Hebrews 6:11-12

Especially during recent times, patience is something that we have all probably been working on right now. We don’t know when the pandemic will get better nor do we know how things are going to play out afterward.

But as Christ-followers, we are told to be imitators of faith and patience. There are a lot of people who are struggling with faith and patience in the world right now. Maybe you are too. But we have to remember that our God is always in control, and we are representing Him. We are called to be a representation of Christ and bear patience during this season.

REAL-LIFE PATIENCE:

We get told to have patience in our life, but how do we really live with patience?

First, ask for it. When we seek patience in our lives, the first step is to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to work in us. The Holy Spirit has so much power within us. When we present our requests to the Lord, He can work within us and provide us the things we need.

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. – Mark 11:24

Second, know your triggers. What are the things that trigger you to become impatient? I think this part of the process might be the one that takes some time figuring out. However, noticing the things in your life that cause you to struggle with patience is very helpful in your walk with Christ.

For me, comparison causes me to become impatient. I want what those other people have, but I’m not at that point in my life. I have to reflect on knowing that God created me and has a unique purpose for my life. I am right where I need to be.

Third, learn how to respond to those triggers. We can’t always control our exposure to the things that trigger us or tempt us to become impatient. However, we can control our response to them. Maybe that is to start saying something in your head to bring some patience to yourself. Or close your eyes and just pray.

And finally, practice practice practice. There will be some days where patience will be hard to hold onto. We’re human. We are not perfect. However, we can still strive to be better. We can always try to be better than we were yesterday. But you have to offer yourself grace on those difficult days too.

Hope you are able to be comforted with patience this week and enjoy the season God has you in right now.

With love,

Claire

Purposefully Equipped

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In our culture, I think we have a lot of ways to compare ourselves to one another. We have magazines, tv shows, social media, books, etc. to where comparison can come in and steal our joy. This comparison can cause us to question our physical appearance, our unique personalities, our strengths, and our skills.

I think it can be easy as Christians to fall into this thinking of “God’s going to pick someone else to do this task because they will be more obedient and more skillful than me”. Comparison can come in and not only steal our confidence, but it can also slowly destroy our perspective of God’s character and power.

I was reading about Abraham and Sarah in the book of Genesis. Normally, when I think of Abraham, I think of how God used him in amazing ways. Abraham was obedient towards God when asked to sacrifice his son, Isaac. God also used him to be a father of many nations and be a leader to the people.

But, I want to focus on Abraham’s life before all of these things happened. Specifically, I want to focus on Abram and Sarai’s story.

Before the Lord changed their names to Abraham and Sarah, they were called Abram and Sarai.

The Lord promised Abram that he would have a son. However, Sarai, Abram’s wife had not borne any children so far after God spoke with Abram. Sarai wanted Abram to be able to have a son and decided on a plan of doing so. She asked Abram to take her servant, Hagar so that she could give Abram a son and fulfill God’s covenant. Abram did exactly what Sarai had asked of him.

After Hagar bore a son, the Lord spoke to Abram again. The Lord explained that Sarai would bear a child. (The Lord also gave Abram and Sarai new names at this point.) This time, Abraham doubted God because he did not believe Sarah would be able to bear a child at her age. However, the Lord confirmed to him again that she would bear a child and they were to name him Isaac.

Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” – Genesis 15:4

After Sarah overheard the Lord speaking to Abraham, she laughed and doubted God’s power. God then reminded both of them of His power and His promise that He would make. After this reminder, Abraham and Sarah decided to have full faith in God and as always, God kept His promise.

Sarah and Abraham doubted the Lord at first. Because of how old Sarah was at the time, it scientifically would be very difficult, if not impossible, for Sarah to be able to have a child. However, the Lord promised He would make a way.

By not trusting in the Lord’s plan, Abraham decided to take control of the situation to have a son with Hagar. However, even though Abraham and Sarah doubted the Lord, God still appointed this family to make nations of the world. They both went on to fully trusting and having faith in God because they knew how great and mighty He truly is.

God chooses people for a purpose. He equips the called. If God wants to use you in some way, He is going to do just so. He will forgive you when you doubt Him and still work in you to fulfill His great plan.

You are on this earth for a reason. God has called you and chose you to fulfill a unique purpose.

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. – John 15:16

With love,

Claire