In This World, Not of It
Posted on September 26, 2011, by Kim, under Education | Homeschool, Family | Relationships.
It seems as though things are getting harder and harder as the days go by. I am not only talking about my own healing since my dad’s passing, but the world is just deteriorating day-by-day. I know that every generation has said the end is near, but for some reason I really believe it will be in my lifetime. Things are getting harder and harder every day. Just this week I have a friend experiencing her first round of chemotherapy after being diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcenoma breast cancer at the age of 35, a friend’s husband has been relocated to Tullahoma, Tennesse and their house hasn’t sold, so she will be staying here in Indiana with their six children, and a friend will lay to rest her baby sister that died from complications after being diagnosed in 2008 with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. She was only 34 and has left behind three small children and a husband.
My mind is filled with so many questions that leave me fully relying on a very blind faith. I have always hated the saying, “It’s not fair,” but to me there seems like there’s nothing to say, but that! In my quiet time with God a couple of weeks ago, I had a full out temper tantrum. I cried out to God, saying “God! How is this your plan? How is this even fair! How could you do this?” All the “how” questions you can think of, I asked. I told God that I just don’t understand why life has to be so hard, and the Holy Spirit fell on my spirit and calmed me and whispered ever so gently in my ear, “Kim, you are supposed to long for me, for heaven, for peace, for happiness and nothing of this Earth will ever fill your desires.” I was overcome with such peace. See, the thing I learned is, God is so much happier when we hate being here! We don’t reside on this Earth to fulfill any other purpose than to build God’s Kingdom, and I have been very challenged by this assigment.
Sure, we can enroll our children in the best schools, push them to be the best athletes or to the top of the class, but for what? If we aren’t teaching our children to build the Kingdom, are we even teaching them at all? People, we have a calling! It isn’t to live vicariously through our children, but rather raise bold young men who will be warriors for their family. Who will not fight with them, but rather for them! We are to raise young women who care for her family the way God instructs, to uplift her spouse and be his helpmate. Some young women today, don’t even know how to make toast. What is wrong with our world? We have simplified things so much, that it has dumbed down our society. We have people complaining about things not being fair for their children, thus building the mentality of entitlement. What happened to working hard to accomplish something?
I know I am on a soapbox. I know I am on a tangent, but we need to wake up! Our days are short! People are out in the world dying without a relationship with Christ and how many of us are just sitting by and watching it happen? Where is the passion that God so badly wants us all to have? I remember hearing a message by Tony Campolo, and he said something like this to a congregation of believers, “People are dying and going to hell and you don’t even give a damn! As a matter of fact, you are sitting there more concerned that I said ‘damn’, than the fact that people are dying and going to hell.” What is wrong with us?
Sure we want our children to be intelligent, and want to watch them succeed. We want them to have the best and why wouldn’t we? We are created in His image and he wants the same for us. Our problem is when we fail to let God receive all the glory for our accomplishments. I am not trying to bash us all over the head with a Jesus stick, but I just feel so burdened that we have dropped the ball! Instead of being weird, we have become just like the world. We are not called to blend in with the world, but rather to stand out and be a shining light.
There are simple solutions to these problems! We should always be seeking opportunities to shine God’s light and to start good relationships with non-believers, or those who’ve been away from God and the church for too long. It is our HIGHEST calling!
Listen, I am not trying to scare or even make predictions, but let me just put this out there. Since my dad’s been gone (5 months), our family either knows or knows of people who have lost their loved ones and it’s been in the double digits. Granted people die everyday, and our sensitivities are very heightened because we’ve lost a loved one, but I believe the people that God has called to be with him are about to serve a greater purpose. God is building his army for a great war, where he will swoop in and finally save us from this sinfilled world! Aren’t you longing for the day? I know I am! I wish I could join hands with everyone I love so deeply and just walk right into heaven, but I can’t. So, until then, I will do my very best to live in this world, but be not of it!
Michelle K Gossett on September 28, 2011
Thank God for your boldness!!! We will endure things in our lives that we just wouldn’t understand. But we are called to bring others to Christ and to live our lives in a Christian manner to where as in everything we do Glorifies God!! I lone for the day to meet with our Heavenly Father! To be among all of those that have gone before us! He has called us to disciple to others so that they may have hope held up in heaven as we have! God sure has blessed me even today! He will strengthen my every step as I go out to share his awesome mercy, grace, and love!