Being Faithful

"We are not called upon to be successful, but to be faithful." 

~ Mother Teresa

It has been quite some time since I have written a blog. Enough time for me to go on a few missions trips, move to a different state, and complete my BA. All of these are big and exciting events in life. However, what about the in between events? The mundane tasks that we stumble through, as we daydream of something bigger and better. I admit I am guilty of this "daydream living," as I go through the day to day, wishing for something else. But when we are absent in mind, are we being faithful where God has us? Are we serving Him with our whole being?

This is not to say that we should not set goals and look forward to the adventures that life has for us. However, we must realize that while we may long for changes and the completion of goals, nothing on earth will satisfy our deepest desires. And when we seek the things of this world as an end unto themselves, we find ourselves echoing the Qoheleth of Ecclesiastes:

"Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity" (Ecclesiastes 1:2, ESV).

Truly, unless everything we do is for the glory of God, then all is vanity. Our efforts keep us occupied, yet they offer no lasting satisfaction. But what if in every area of our lives, we sought to bring glory to God?

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31, ESV).

I present the challenge not to just daydream of the big, but to be faithful in the present. No matter our age, gender, location, occupation, relationship status, etc. God can use each of us where we are at for His glory. But He calls us to be faithful. It is not always easy, but we can trust Him. And He will lead us where we need to be, when we need to be there, and who we need to be with.

Pure: Mind, Body and Spirit

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things"

- Philippians 4:8

     As followers of Jesus Christ, we are told to dwell on good, honest, noble and pure things. Are we dwelling on pure things? In Rebecca St. James' book "Pure," we see that purity is not only physical, but something that we should also strive for spiritually and mentally.

"Striving to live a pure life physically is obviously a huge goal, but in addition, the way you turn over your fears and priorities to God, the way you forgive others, the way you think about every subject in your life --and your life to come-- are also part of living a pure life before your Father."

- Rebecca St. James, Pure

     Purity starts from the inside out. What we think about and what we let into our minds will be reflected in our words and actions. So what are we allowing our minds to dwell on? What are we allowing to seep into our souls? When we have the choice of exposing ourselves to something wrong (e.g. through movies, music, etc.), which choice are we making? Of course, somethings we cannot really help; we are constantly exposed to stuff, so something is bound to make an impression. But are we dwelling on it?

"We all face times in life when we find that we, in our humanness, are not sufficient for the task at hand. That’s when we also have the opportunity to discover firsthand that in our weakness, God is strong" (ibid.).

     God knows the intentions of our hearts, which we, being human, are not always the purest. But He is strong and He can make us clean; God can make us pure. How wonderful is that? When we accept Christ into our life, God begins to clear the cobwebs of sin from our spirit. And then when we begin to delve into His word and seek His will, we find our minds dwelling on pure things. And then it is reflected in the way we live.

"There are many reasons why I believe purity is so important. I am passionate about purity because it works. I am passionate about purity because it protects me --and my future husband and kids. I am passionate about purity because it is romantic and beautiful. And I am passionate about purity because it makes my Father smile. Many people think of being pure as an action --something they must do-- rather than approaching it as something they can be" (ibid.).