Using discernment
Y'all I am struggling today. This post isn't going to be normal. Honestly, I am just mad. I hate that as a Christian, I have to make some of the decisions I must in order to live my life the way I believe the Bible (aka God) tells me to. I hate that the evil in this world is so blatant and in your face that even a simple Disney movie causes me to search for wisdom and discernment. It's not fair.
Life isn't fair. Never did God promise cushy rainbows and sunshine. We discussed that in my last post. Today in our Ecclesiastes Bible study we discussed how Solomon (who I believe wrote Ecclesiastes) came to the same conclusion. In Chapter 9 he states in verse 2 and 3a "It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath. This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to all." What he is speaking of here is that we all die. Every single one of us. The righteous will die just like the wicked, and so forth. Life doesn't always seem fair. Yes, it can feel that we are getting the short end of the stick when we don't partake in the same things that everyone else seems to enjoy in order to live a righteous life. Boo hoo....get over it. :) Sorry, fresh out of sympathy here since I am in the trenches with this too.
At the time of this book being written, the after-life was a best guess for the people of God. It wasn't until Isaiah that heaven was really foretold. So looking from that perspective it really did seem unfair that we live our life for God only to die just like everyone else who spent their lives living for themselves. However, that is not the case. We live on the other side of the cross and Jesus' redemptive sacrifice which allows us to know the full story. This world is not our home, we have a place in heaven with the Lord that He is preparing for us and we are just passing through here. Praise God! The "unfairness" we feel here at times is nothing compared to the eternal treasure that awaits us in heaven. Hold to that hope when you are faced with the difficult decisions on whether or not to participate in _______ (or any other decision that just seems unfair) :)
I am not trying to tell you to see or not see the movie I mentioned or really any other decision. I cannot make those choices for you. I can encourage us all to use wisdom and discernment in our choices and pray for the Holy Spirit to guide us. I warn you though, if you pray earnestly for that direction, you will get it. Don't fight and make excuses if the Lord's leading is not what you expected. I speak from experience here when I believed I knew what the Lord would say, and got a very different answer. It is hard. We have to make that choice to truly trust the Lord and His perfect plan even when it doesn't match up with what we want. I promise, it is well worth being uncomfortable or enduring questions/insults when we stick up for our beliefs.
Use caution. Just because the world says it is fine, doesn't mean it really is. Look back over history. It is proven that the more someone is faced with an idea or situation, the more common it becomes to them which then leads to being accepted and eventually expected. Look at what the TV programs and movies allow now compared to what they allowed 30-40 years ago. I urge each of us to not follow the crowd just because it is easy. Follow the Lord and let Him be your source of acceptance and approval. In all honesty, His opinion is the ONLY one that matters. Let us all remember that each and every day and decision. Love you all. Till next time.
Ella's sweet song: