Hey, what’s up? How are you? I hope you’re doing well.
I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve written my last blog but it’s really only been 3 weeks or so. Normally these are about a month apart but I’ve missed writing so here it goes. I also have had something on my mind the last couple of days and felt like it could be an encouragement to you guys.
” I was reading in my devos the other day and for the last 3 weeks or so really since the last blog I’ve been studying through the book of James.
I’ve posted on my Instagram story the last couple of days and that sorta kinda slightly encapsulates this blog but this is better (I promise) maybe not as profound but I’ll try.
There’s this song that I love and if you haven’t heard it you probably should give it a listen but before I tell you the name I want to elaborate a little on why I love this song.
But even before that, I want to open up a little and share what I’ve really been struggling with lately and even for a while but God’s been using to grow me. I would consider myself to be an ambitious person. I love getting after things that I love and doing an amazing job.
My goal is to bring this ambition and passion into my career and hopefully be extremely successful in my endeavors. However, to an extent that is great, but choosing worldly success over success as a Christian would be a waste and that is what the premise of the song is all about.
So lately, I’ve God’s been convicting me because I get “blinded” and I begin chasing all the things this world has to offer. (money, friends, success, wealth, fun, pleasure). The title is “Crazy” by MercyMe and the chorus goes like this:
“Why I would I spend my life longing for the day that it would end..
Why would I spend my time pointing to another man..
Isn’t that crazy
I have not been called to the wisdom of this world..
But to a God who’s calling out to me..
And even though the world may think
I’m losing touch with reality
It would be crazy
To choose this world over eternity”
This song hits me every time because I get so easily wrapped up in the world and not even in a sinful way, but in a way that is focused on success and doing well. Those two things are not inherently bad, but in the place of Jesus Christ, that’s a problem.
So lately I’ve been analyzing my actions and my behaviors and goals for my life – both short term and long term. and I keep asking myself “Am I choosing this world? Or am I choosing eternity?”
” People often refer to this in their salvation testimony as a way to illustrate that they felt like they were missing something in life and God filled that “hole” in their heart perfectly. Is it cliche? Yes. BUT, here’s my part, and don’t tune me out, I know it sounds cheesy but hear me out.
There is GOD sized hole in every single one of our hearts, It’s not a “gods” sized hole, we can’t fit two gods in our heart, we only have room for one.
So how does that tie in with my song? I think that a lot of Christians want BOTH. Yeah, I want God, but I also want what the world has to offer and we ride the fence of commitment.
We miss out the blessings of being committed to Jesus Christ because we simply cannot LET GO of the world.
Why can’t we simply let go? I’m not completely sure, spiritually speaking we have a piece of it within us, that’s our sin nature and it doesn’t want to let go of its source of power (the world).
The World? or Eternity?
It seems like such a simple choice but how? How we can choose? What kind of behaviors are associated with choosing eternity?
Honestly, I could name some, but I think that’s something for you to decide.
Joshua 24:15 – “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
I love this verse not only because it is challenging but also because of its personability. Joshua is encouraging or challenging the people of Israel to choose their god. Joshua says” if you really think serving God isn’t the best option, the choose someone or something else!
It could be these people or those people, whoever! BUT, my family, those who follow me will follow Jesus Christ. I like to envision myself standing there by Joshua listening and saying who am I choosing? Jesus Christ. Not the world, not myself, not my friends or even my family.
I am choosing to live my life following, obeying, being influenced most by Jesus Christ.
John 1:12 says, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”
If you don’t believe in Jesus Christ, or better worded, if you don’t choose Christ over the world, what gives you the right to enjoy heaven.
The popular yet powerful verse: Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Choosing the world leads to eternal death…in hell. But there is an alternative: Jesus Christ along with eternity in absolute paradise.
I think that’s good for today but if you take anything away from this blog, get this.
Suffer Now or Suffer Later…Either you can live it up here on earth and suffer eternity in hell. OR, you can suffer for a few years and have eternity to live it up with the one who created you and loves you more than anybody else ever could.
You CANNOT have both. Your heart has a God-sized hole. One God not multiple, you can choose one or the other. Satan actually wants us to believe we can have both because if we believe that we are more susceptible to choosing the world over Christ.
Lastly, if we’re comparing love, think about this. Why would you choose to serve and love someone who never loved you and wants you to suffer unimaginable pain for eternity over someone who loves you so much He died for you and suffered that unimaginable pain just so you DON’T have to.
You’d have to be crazy to choose this world over eternity.
Thanks for reading,
Here’s the link for the song if you’d like to give it a listen: (I’d highly recommend it)