Everyone inevitably fails. What matters is how you choose to deal with that failure. Do you wallow in it? Do you ignore it? Do you self-medicate, or try to convince others that you don’t have any problems?
I’ve tried it all, and none of it worked. The thing is, my problems are too big for me to handle. No matter what I try to do, I can’t save myself.
Momentary peace can come from friends, loved ones, entertainment, and even from things like service and showing kindness to others. But these things eventually fail to satisfy, and I’m back to square one.
That’s because the problem is in me. I have a fallen nature. If left to my own devices, my desires would naturally twist into perversions.
I need a change to happen within me. I need something miraculous to happen, something supernatural, that I can’t explain. I need to be transformed from the inside out by Jesus Christ.
A lot of people get turned off by that idea, because even people who claim to follow Jesus have some pretty messed up ideas about him. They tend to think that he is a hardcore rule enforcer, and if you don’t act just so, or if you mess up, you’ve blown your one chance at getting into heaven. Then there are people who think he’s a kind of wishy washy god who winks his eye at immoral behavior and who really doesn’t care what you do, so long as you treat other people right most of the time.
Jesus is neither a pushover or a killjoy. He is a balanced God. He is a good father, and good fathers don’t let their babies stay in diapers. They potty train them, and teach them how to walk. They teach them about life and death and truth and justice. And when the children are old enough, good fathers give them freedom and advice, and hope that they will use that freedom responsibly.
All he wants in return is for you to love him. And really, why wouldn’t you, when he’s already done more for you than you can ever repay? Why would you not want to show that same love to other people? (Matthew 22:37-39).
Trust and love go hand in hand. If you do love the Lord, you need to believe that the Bible is true, because God is not a liar. You should also do your best to follow the commandments in the Bible, because by doing that, you are expressing your love to Christ. (John 14:15) But following Christ isn’t about what you do or don’t do. It’s about who you are on the inside. If you follow Christ, your hope should be that he is changing who you are, so that you are able to influence the people and circumstances surrounding you in a positive way.
If you do something wrong or foolish, deliberately or not, you may have to face consequences. It’s just the way the universe works – if you drop an egg, it falls, and it usually breaks. But just because you mess up once doesn’t mean you’re doomed for eternity. God can take anything meant for evil and transform it so that something good can come out of it. (Genesis 50:20) He wouldn’t be God if he wasn’t bigger than your problems.
This post is titled after Psalm 18:28, which says, “For you light my lamp; The Lord my God makes my darkness shine.” It’s one of my favorite verses. As I get to know Jesus better, I am filled with hope that the darkness within me is receding, and that I am being transformed into a man whose soul shines with love and strength and righteousness.
“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)
I hope you enjoy this blog, and I hope it helps you in some way. If you’d like to know more about becoming a Christian, please visit this link.
