Emily Miller
This past week has been a particularly trying time for me.
As I have reflected on some of the events I have witnessed, it has left me feeling very confused and lonely.
Sometimes I feel like I am the only conservative Christian young woman standing by herself in an extremely liberal, worldly university.
This has saddened me, confused me, and left me downright angry at times, even more so in possibly just this week alone.
It has left me looking to God asking Him things like; Why has this world come to things like this? How could I have possibly slipped on things to the point where I don't think like 75% of the worldly millennial generation I am supposed to be a part of? Why can't people just step back and give others a chance before jumping on the criticism boat?
Then, three little things popped up at me during the time I was journaling in my bible on Monday. Today I am going to share these verses with you and what I gleaned out of them if you so happen, or ever happen to be in the future struggling with similar thoughts as I have as of late
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person.
-Romans 12:2
I have told you all this so you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.
-John 16:33
I Have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world.
-John 17:14-18
The first verse pretty much rings loud and clear. We as Christian woman, no matter what age we may be, are not supposed to copy the world, to begin with. We are supposed to think like followers of Christ with the renewed insight He gives us. With this Godly way of thinking instilled in us by Christ above, we are then able to be molded into the creations He had in mind for us to be.
The second verse from John is Jesus speaking to the disciples at the last supper. The same applied to them as it does for us women today. We are going to be faced with trials and tribulations here in this world. We are not set on this earth to have a tea party but to go on a wild and crazy adventure that God has in mind for us.
This brings to mind a quote from the movie adaption of The Hobbit. Before Mr. Bilbo Baggins ever sets foot on his adventure with the dwarves, this following conversation takes place between Bilbo and the wizard Gandalf.
"Can you promise that I will come back?
No. And if you do... you will not be the same".
-The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
We are not supposed to go through our journey with Christ thinking we will remain the same. Instead, we should get to the end of our adventure called life with Him and find out that we are not the same person, that He had indeed molded and changed us along the way.
The third and final set of verses come from the portion of John where Jesus is praying for his disciples in the garden shortly before he was arrested. What Jesus is saying is that the world hates us because of the fact we are in Christ. Despite this, Jesus still sends us out into the world so that we may live for Him and fulfill our calling in a way that furthers that Kingdon of God. In the process, He teaches His truths and makes His truths be known to us so that we might be drawn closer to Him while living in the world and be guarded against satan and his devils.
The next time you find yourself to be discouraged due to events happening in the world around you, or the next time you find yourself standing alone in your beliefs, remember that you are not alone. Jesus has already overcome this world and is with you to transform and guide you through every step of the way.
I hope you can take these verses and this post as a comfort and an encouragement to you.
Blessings-
Emily
You have no idea how much encouragement I got from these words. These week has been pretty tough for me, and I've spent a lot of time questioning & doubting myself amidst everything on social media & in current events. These verses were just the reminder I needed--thank you!
ReplyDeleteI am glad I could be an encouragement to you today Jessika. It is so hard to not doubt ourselves in the midst of the news and social media but we must remember to stand firm!
DeleteI'm 59 I am just completely baffled. People who profess Christ have gone the edge. All we can do is pray for them. I think they have forgotten that God is going to hold them accountable.
ReplyDeleteGod is going to hold them accountable but we can pray that they come back to the light :)
DeleteHow refreshing for me to read these words. So how they mirror the thoughts I've had this week, and truthfully, I fell down a bit and let the wrong me come out, but then I backtracked with the Holy Spirit speaking to me as a Christian that I am not to judge (I can have an opinion), and I was reminded of how a truly loving Christian should be albeit even if it is so hard with the goings on. I am 70, and I suppose my daughter who is in her early 30's must be a millennial, and it was refreshing to hear her and your post remind me that not all women have gone over the edge. Thank you for sharing, and I so wish that on Monday, I would have just journaled my feelings as I did my daily reading instead of letting the media and social media get the better of my head. Thankfully, God didn't let me go way overboard, and it was mostly inward thoughts. ~hugs~ and have a great week-end.
ReplyDeletePeabea@Peabea Scribbles
Sometimes we need to take a step back to journal our feelings and be in prayer instead of hopping on social media. It is hard to do in our screen addicted age, but it would help us stay centered if we remember to put God first!
DeleteYou are a remarkable young woman! God bless you and continue to help you to stand strong!
ReplyDelete