A few years ago, our pastor did a sermon called Simple Faith. Nothing complicated but just simple. All of us try and add things to life that shouldn’t be there and we tend to complicate everything.
The 3 main points of the sermon were:
1) Simple Faith Leads to Obedience
2) Simple Faith Empowers us to Face Pain
3) Life-Changing Truth Leads to Simple Faith
How true is that? When we look at things in life are we adding things that are not there? Either you believe or you don’t? There is no gray area in Faith.
Either God is your God or he isn’t? I hear so many people say that that living a Christian life is so hard. REALLY? I have to disagree with that. I actually believe that living the truth is so much easier.
I have been there on the side of darkness. It is a HARD life! I look at so many people that are doing just crazy things that they know they shouldn’t and then blame everything on their circumstances in life when they themselves created those circumstances.
When I look back on my life, I have had many ups and downs but God has always been with me. When I have tried to live the simple life things have always worked out for the good but when I tried to live the corrupt life, WOW nothing could go right.
When I say corrupt, I don’t just mean things that you know 100% are corrupt but things that maybe you justify as little white lies or that well everyone is doing it so why not?
Do you know why not? It is because God has called us to stand out, not fit in! God has called us to be the light of the world and not justify the darkness in it. God has called us to follow his simple plan and not add to it.
When you read the bible and see whats right and whats wrong, it really is just a black and white issue or a God vs. satan issue. I can’t see it any other way because when you let a little gray in then you will justify more gray and the next thing you know you can’t tell the difference between whats right and whats wrong in God’s eyes.
Things of God are always simple whether you believe it or not. Go out and help create your life to be simple. This doesn’t mean you have to give all kinds of things up, it just means that you need to take a step back and ask yourself if this is worth putting your attention to or not?
They say that of all the things we worry about, 95% doesn’t happen, 4% happens but turns out good and only 1% turns out how people think. Imagine that? Only 1% of the things you worry about come true the way you see them?
When I first heard that statistic I was like yeah right but then I looked back on my life and thought of the things I have worried about over the last 10 years and sure enough those numbers pretty much worked out the same for me too.
Just like in our marriage, Sandy and I don’t look at the big things, we appreciate the small things. I think that is why we stay so excited about each other. In the almost 11 years we have been married, I have never felt bored with her. She has been so awesome. We both have the same quirky attitude. Thank God he sent her to me. I don’t know what I would have done if I married someone who didn’t get me.
I see that all the time, the husband or wife puts down their spouses personality? WHY do they do that? Does it really embarrass them? Maybe so but you married that person and their personality.
Do I embarrass Sandy from time to time? I am sure I do but you know she loves me enough to know this is my personality! Now I am not saying go out and say crude things and have your spouse accept it. That would be unacceptable!
I am saying just personality traits. Like one of mine is that when we are talking to people, if they say an opinion that I disagree with, I will state my opinion too. I have no problem letting others express their opinions to me but then they need to also give me the same patience and let me express my opinions.
What usually happens is that people push their opinion on me but get mad when I say mine. Sandy could tell you about all the times that people have gotten mad at me over that but I am going to stand up when I need to stand up.
Over the last few years though I have been learning when to stand and speak up and when not to. There are times when yes we have to speak up but then there are times when we just need to shut up because it isn’t going to make any difference anyways.
That has been the tough one for me and figuring out when to speak up and when not to but Sandy knows I have grown in that area. There are times now when she says that I was surprised that you didn’t say something.
So what does all of this mean? Just go through your life, have simple childlike faith, live happy and find what God has called you to do and do it. Don’t worry about what others say about you because they will always talk and just live all you can, love all you can and just do all you can with your life. Live the way God wants you to live and don’t let anyone tell you any different.
Be Inspired or Be Left Behind!
Chris Benton