Dear Judy,
I go to church and I think I am saved, but my life is sure not going the way I want it to go. As I look around at church, it looks like I’m not the only one who isn’t happy with how their life is going. Why?
Dear Confused,
Well let me start with just because you go to church does not mean you are a born-again believer. I noticed the word I THINK in your question. If you think you are saved, you probably are not. You will know deep down within you if you are a new creation in Christ. First thing is to make sure you KNOW you are saved. Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Once you are positive you are going to heaven, then we look deeper into the words of the I and Me attitude. When we become a follower of Christ, our life is not about our wants but His wants. We learn that by reading our manual for success (Bible) which has the only direction for success we will ever have or need. Our Lord wants us to succeed in this journey through life which is heading us towards heaven. If we wake up every morning being grateful, no matter what our day brings, then we shall have a day full of hope and joy. We have the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us.
Now we live our life in what the Apostle Paul tells us in
Galatians 2:20: I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Living by faith in Christ means we have confidence that He is our hope and joy! No matter what comes our way, we focus on the promises given to us in the Bible! We read and we obey knowing the only truth is found in those words; not my wants but HIS which always gives us a future and a hope. We live the words of the Apostle Paul in
Philippians 4:6: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
We must learn to be grateful for the very breath we breathe, and with every breath, be aware that without God giving it to us, we would NOT BE BREATHING! I encourage you to have your closest friends be on-fire born-again servants of the living God. Those we hang out with make a big difference in how we view life. And get yourself in a good Bible study group.
As followers of Jesus, we are the Church. We go to a building (church) to bless the Lord and learn about Him. We are NOT to be looking around at people. So, let us show those around us where our HOPE and JOY truly come from and that is Christ and Christ alone!
