Just You Wait

"Oh you think you're busy and stressed now? Just wait till you get older and have a job, bills to pay, a house to look after..."?
Have you ever benefited from a conversation like this? Yeah, me neither. Let me ask you something else, have you ever been the one telling someone something like this? Unfortunately I have. I've been on the recieving and giving end of it. Maybe you have too. We think by letting this poor young soul know that they certainly don't have anything to complain about, we have improved their outllook on their situation. Or maybe it's not them we`re thinking about at all.

Please don't think I am condoning complaining because I'm not. Complaining is wrong and it's a sin. We all do it. What I am saying is we miss an opportunity when we choose to respond in this way. What if someone isn't complaining. What if they are letting down their walls just a little bit. What if they're looking for some encouragement or a sliver of hope. What if all they want to hear is, "It's worth it". And instead we tell them it's not worth it. It's not worth growing up. The change isn't worth it. What you're feeling right now is not true and it isn't legitament.

Do you want to know why younger people feel stressed, stretched thin, and overwhelmed at times? Because they are! They are. What they are feeling is real and it's not made up. Sure, they don't know what it's like to have bills to pay, a house to keep up, or a family to care for. But that's just it! They haven't experienced those things yet. They are the busiest they have ever been not the busiest they will ever be. They can look at the lives of their parents and other adults in their lives and realize there's a differnce. But they only know what they have done so far.
Hopefully one day they will have a family, a home, bigger responsibilities. Wouldn't you rather they looked forward to it instead of dreading it?

There is enough negativity in this world. There's more than enough actually. Be someone who encourages the younger people in your life to live a full life where they are right now. But to also look forward to what's coming. I love being married! I love being a mommy! I love having a life together with my family and friends! I love where I am right now! Is life always a piece of cake? Of course not. There are hard days. There are painful days. There are days when I have to make decisions I really wish I didn't have to make. But life is good. Every day is a new chance to see where God's taking me on this adventure. 

I doubt I have had my last conversation like this with someone. But my hope is that as time goes on I have fewer and fewer. I want to encourage those around me and build them up. I may not be able to stop all the negativity in this world, but I can stop adding to it. So can you. I leave you with this encouragement from Ephesians.

Eph. 4:29
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

And to you young people (Yes I know, I'm young too):
1 Timothy 4:12
Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

I Hope this has encouraged you! Thank you so much for stopping by my blog! Blessings.

Yes, But Is It Worth It?

Please tell me I am not the only one who has a coversation like this with the Lord, "Ok, what do you have for me today? Who do you want me to witness too? How can I be the Light today?! Oh right...I'm going to be around people who are probably already saved...ok then. Then who is it that you need me to minister to?" Then the thought that follows is, "It's probably something hard and really not fun isn't it? It's probably going to be unpleasent isn't it? Something super simple like helping someone I don't want to be around." I then I say, "Oh well. That's what God promised us this life will be. He never said it'd be easy..." yata, yata, yata. Do you think that sounds appealing to someone who does not have a relationship with Christ? I can answer that for you in one word. No. No! It doesn't.

Hey! You should be a christian! 

Why?

Um... well...Oh! I know! Because if you don't you'll burn in hell for ever and ever while I'm sipping lemonaid with Jesus. You want to go to heaven instead right?

Yeah that sounds great and all, but don't you have to like, do hard stuff?

Well...yes. Sometimes I do.

And don't you have to miss out on a lot of fun things because they're "Bad"?

Yeah sometimes. But I still do fun stuff!

Right. Just not the kind of stuff I think is fun. No thanks. I'll live my life and you just live yours. That Jesus stuff is not for me. For all you know you could be wrong. Once you die you could just go in the ground. End of story. If that's the case I'd rather just live while I can. Without having to worry about what I can and can't do. Besides, I'm a good person. Sure I may not be the best, but I'm certanly not the worst.

What?! No! Just...no.

So many times we as christians are missing the point! Does the conversation I just presented you with convence you that you need Jesus? Or that you made the right choice as a follower of Christ?

Why do we endure the uglyness of this world? Why do we choose to do what seems hard to the rest of the world when we could be doing other things? Why do we continue to push back when the world says, "I have what you really want"? Why do we choose to look different from this world when it would be much easier to just go with the flow? 

Philippians 3:7-12, 14

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

I press on. Press on towards the goal for the prize. The surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. He is worth it. He knows what's best. God has a plan! He knows best! He has my best interest and his glory in mind. Are you getting all this? Is it soaking into your heart and your mind? We serve a God that cares about every detail of our life and journey because it's right where he has placed us. He's so personal! Oh my goodness he loves you so much! Why on earth would we sacrifice knowing him, bringing him glory, and being loved by a perfect Father for the temporary gratification this world could give us? It's not worth it. Without God life is empty and hopeless. With him it's worth living, it's full, and it has purpose.

Now here's my challenge to those of us who are folowers of Christ and children of God; live like it. Live like the sacrifices are worth it because they are. Live so that others will say, "I want the peace and true joy you have". Live like this world is not your home and you are looking to what is coming next because it's worth the trials here. 

My hope is that you are encouraged from reading this post. I hope you are stirred up to live the amazing life that God our Father has set before you. Don't be ashamed of the life you have chosen. Walk out in faith! 

Blessings,

Cali Sims