IT’S BEEN THREE MONTHS SINCE I’VE WRITTEN A POST ON THIS BLOG ABOUT MY CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCES,
SO I THOUGHT I WOULD DO SOME CATCHING UP…
If anyone asked me if I have grown in Christ since the last time I’ve written about such here,
I would say that while I feel I’ve grown some,
I’m still very far from where I should be in my walk with Jesus.
I continue to struggle with various sins, one in particular which I’ll probably always stuggle with that I won’t specify because quite frankly, I don’t see that particular sin that I’m struggling with as anyone’s business.
However,
There is another sin that I’m very guilty of and have been for the bulk of my life, which I realized the other day and which I don’t mind specifying here…
Pride.
It is pride that’s a very notable reason why I see myself as having failed in the mainstream workforce, never lasting more than three years as an employee in any job and often getting either fired or forced to quit from the jobs I’ve had within two years.
It is my failing to completely 100% submit to supervisors and employers too much of the time, as specified in Romans 13:1-2, which says,
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment, “
That was a significant factor in my failure in this area.
It’s also my failing to be humble in the workforce, commiting the sin of exhalting myself as in (according to Luke 14:11),
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted,”
That was a big factor in this failure.
When I realized how I sinned in pride and lack of humility thanks to God showing me such, I repented, asking in prayer for forgiveness and help in getting better at submitting and humility, which I know I’ll need help in;
And which I have faith that He did indeed forgive.
I also realized that despite this particular sin, God was looking out for and showing his love for me in that since he saw me as being better off working for myself, like those who own their own businesses, he nudged me to pursue writing by reminding me how I had a knack for it in the past, winning an essay contest in the fifth grade and writing for a newsletter in college.
Which after fifteen years of writing and blogging online and (self) publishing a book, I am very thankful to God for.
There is another thing that I gave my word to God that I would never, ever do;
Proclaim myself as being without sin as 1 John 1:8-10 says,
“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”
That is one of my favorite Bible verses.
Today I saw a post on a Twitter page I’m following called “Living Christian” that said, “I’m far from perfect but I’m still loved by God.”
Which hit home with me, because I’m probably as far from perfect as a person who has asked to be saved and accepted Jesus as his Savior and Lord can get;
If there’s anyone out there who feels that they are farther from even being good, let alone perfect, in their walk with God than me, I’d like to meet him or her.
Reading that God still loves me despite that has eased my mind, and will continue to.
As does this quote from Romans 10:9 whenever I doubt I’m saved,
“If you declare with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Which I have done and which also serves to help ease my mind.
As I have said,
I’m about as far from being a perfect, or even a good, Christian as one can get.
And I certainly have a long, long way to go in my walk with the Lord in needing to do better with producing better fruit, repenting, and sinning less.
I’m glad for the fact that no one will be a “finished product” and be completely sinless until we’ve passed on and are in Heaven.
I think for me, it’s a factor of pressing on, continuing doing my best in this walk, and not giving up.
I reckon God is reading this;
I pray that he continues to be patient with me and to help me in the areas I need help in.
I’m also very thankful for his grace, his many blessings upon me and everyone I know, and especially his mercy and forgiveness for me being such a sinner.
#AMEN
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