Hi Carson, I hope you are doing well. I wanted to reach out because I am struggling to implement discipline in my life to follow Jesus and be more like him. It is a lot harder than I thought. Living your day to day getting tested in your weak spots as well as being emotional vulnerable makes it easy for you to slip up more than a few times. What is the best way and the guidance I can seek for me to have faith, discipline, and be more consistent with God to the point where I don’t have to worry about the external world. I know God takes care of all things if you let him but I feel like my heart just hardend and refuses to give up control. Ive been very use to trying to handle myself emotional and mental to the point I don’t know how to give it all up. I really want to take the next big step and let Jesus control my life but it just seems I don’t know how to do that. If you have any books whether its in the Bible or not that can give me a new respect on how to approach this problem it would help me out tremendously.
Hi @esraile,
It’s really kind of you to ask. At the outset, I’ll say that I don’t know if there is an answer to your question.
I take consolation from passages like Psalm 103:11-14,
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his faithful love
toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed
our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
For he knows what we are made of,
remembering that we are dust.
The Psalmist knows that we have many transgressions and weaknesses. Does that lead to despair? Maybe. But also it prompts gratitude for God’s faithful love, which is greater than our sin and weakness.
You might enjoy this interview I did with Kelly Kapic on this theme:
There are also some good resources in the Academy:
-
Together → living a life of surrendered friendship with God
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LookUP → establishing a daily time with God
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Paradoxes of the Christian Life → the course we’re doing now (started Monday!) that explores these kinds of tensions
I’d also say this…
Instead of continuing to keep pushing yourself to ‘be there’, take a step back. Talk with God about where you actually are. Like…
God, my heart is hardened toward you. I’m slipping up more than a few times - it’s a willful defiance of you at this point. I can’t give up control to you. I don’t trust you. I don’t even know how at this point. Help me, God. Show me that you love me.
One other point is to dig into the theme of wisdom.
What is it that you think God wants from you? Is he asking you to move to Siberia? (Nothing against Siberia).
Or is he asking you to become a more loving and good person?
I’m not saying discipleship isn’t costly - it is. But it’s cheaper than the alternative.
I’m curious to hear more from you - and the wisdom of anyone else in our community. I think we can all relate.
I only just found this and am following Parodox’s I am behind but I am catching up. I have had a couple of challenging weeks.
Hi Carson
I really appreciate what you have shared .
I find it so hard to be consistent in my relationship with God. One truth I’m learning is I can only respond to God as I am assured of His great love for me, and this comes by reading and thinking about what God says in His Word about His Love.
In recent days I have found myself re-reading verses such as John 3:16 1 John 4:10 & 4:19 to remind myself of God’s love.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
This is what real love is: It is not our love for God; it is God’s love for us. He sent his Son to die in our place to take away our sins. (1 John 4:9-10) and We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
Although I have read these verses many times it’s only been the last few months that I have begun to realise how much God loves me. It is also very helpful to read and meditate on verses such as Romans 8:31-39.
I have also found the following comment useful in the Study Bible, Biblehub on Jude 1:21 … The love of God is both a gift and a command, requiring believers to cultivate their relationship with Him through prayer, obedience, and community with other believers.
Hi @karen4,
Thank you for these honest reflections!
Spiritual growth IS complicated - and it ISN’T complicated, too!
Simply meditating on a few verses that reassure your heart of God’s love for you… what a beautiful idea. That will get you further along the road than anything I’ve written!
I also love that idea, that God’s love is both a gift and a command. And what a gentle command it is! “I require you to… experience how much I love you!” What a great God we serve.
I hope our community will be one more resource that encourages you to be consistent in your walk with God.
I love this community which helps me in my walk with God