So this past month has been a trying one for me, if you can't tell from my previous blog posts. You can read from those posts that I was told that I am not a Christian....well a fake Christian. Again, this was done through email...but not even directly to me. I have been banned from photography pages although I've never commented on them, I have been emailed about behind my back and have been seriously talked about behind my back. And the only thing I can keep on thinking is this... "this is NOT how the body of Christ acts. This is NOT how sisters in Christ act."
In some of these discussions it's brought up that I am a fake Christian...that I do not live what I proclaim. I literally trace throughout my days to find out where that statement is accurate. I am shocked, hurt...almost paralyzed.
This past week I focused on Holy Week with my kids. Focusing on Holy Week in my opinion is not something a fake Christian does. It is a week where you focus on your sins. You focus on your unworthiness to be a part of the Kingdom...focus on your foolishness as you look at the dying Christ on the cross. And at the end of the week you rejoice that there is nothing your hands can do to save your guilty soul. That because of His great love for us...we can earnestly seek Him, find Him and love Him. And here is what I am grateful for. That those friends who spend their time weekly with me...know me and lift me up in truth. Those friends who want to defend me? They calm themselves and pour scripture into my life. The deliver flowers and they pray for me. They are honest with me and ask me to consider certain "view points". That is how the body of Christ works. I think of these friends and I know this judging, this gossip, this slander would never happen with them because they do truly fear the Lord and they want to do what is right in the eyes of Him.
Matthew 18:15-17
"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen to even the church, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector."
That is how the body of Christ works. We are not here to tear each other down. To watch other's worlds crashing in around them. We are here to hold each other accountable. Help each other grow in their walk. Love and forgive each other. Encourage each other to grow deeper in love with Jesus. This month was so hard for me because the most important thing in my life, the reason I live and give thanks was being attacked. And although these women might think my world is crashing in around me....it's not. IT IS NOT! In fact...this month. I grew deeper in Christ and have opened my hands and said "yes" Lord. Meaning, if more people want to lash out against me...so be it. I will turn to you. If people want to pull me down...I will turn to you.
John 16:33
"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."
Right there...in Christ you MAY have peace and in the world you WILL have tribulation. No matter what there will be trials to face but you can CHOOSE to go through them without Christ and not have peace or you can choose to go through them with Christ and have peace. IF this situation is being brought to Christ on all sides...there would be peace?.?
This month has brought me straight down to my face. Humbling me and making me really look at my life. Do I mess up? ABSOLUTELY! Do I sin? DAILY! Do I handle everything perfectly every time? NOT AT ALL. But there is a man who died for ME. There is a man who wants ME. And ultimately there is nothing else that matters. YEs, not even my husband and kids. My focus needs to be resting in my identity in Christ. If the world hates me...all I need to remember is that God does not.
That right there helps me get up. Because of that I can get up and do the work of Christ in my life. I can get up and teach my boys about Holy Week and build their Character from the greatest man in history...Jesus. Because of that I can go visit with friends and pray with them, fellowship with them and encourage them. Because of this I can plan a visit with a woman whose world does seem to be crashing in around her...11 days in a hospital bed...yes her hope does not waver. I can continue to make meals for those I know need it. I can continue to love my husband according to the Bible and I continue to grow in that crazy hard commandment of loving your neighbor as yourself.
"His mercies are new every morning!"
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