5 Things I Learned About Christianity
I think it is safe to say that I have been a christian for the majority of my life. My father prayed over me many times, and I have been able to hear the voice of God since I was two years old. Over the years my views on my faith have changed from what they used to be. I have learned, grown, and come to terms with many hard truths. Here at least 5 things it took me a while to realized about Christianity.
It is not about you
Our spiritual walk is a little more complex than just asking God for vain things then only praising him if we do get those things. Our needs are important, but he will meet those needs in due season. Instead, we should focus more on what God needs from us. He isn't trying to make us happy, he is trying to make us wise, strong, and compassionate. He has a plan for us that involves helping and leading others. We will have to make sacrifices, and in those sacrifices are blessings for someone else. It may be hard to accept at times, but our lives are not our own. (Mathew 6: 33)
Bad Things Just Happen
The cause of trials and tribulations was something I used to struggle with often, but my testimony has made one thing quite clear to me. Yes, there are times when God is perfecting our character. Yes, there are times when we are being attacked by the enemy. Most of the time, in my opinion, we are simply dealing with the consequences that arise due to our mistakes. However, for the situations with no explanation, (at least one that actually makes sense), I can only say this: bad things happen because bad things happen.
Trials are a normal part of life, and pain is natural. We will not have every answer as to why things happen and, no, there will not always be a reason as to why. What we do have is a comforter to help us get through those difficult times. This is why God is with us- not to give us a life with no hardships, but to help us in overcoming them. Brighter days are indeed ahead, sometimes we just have to endure for now. (Galatians 6:9)
Salvation does not lead to an easy life
Piggy backing off of the last paragraph, sometimes we have to endure things. Difficulties will be thrown at us because of the life we live. We will be attacked from outside sources, some more than others. On top of that, we have our inner issues to deal with. Temptation comes in many forms such as lust, the desire to act out in anger, or wanting to backslide. Many factors make it difficult to do the right thing, and we also may get weary in well doing. However, our efforts are not in vain and God sees our journey. Every act of obedience sows a seed that will bloom in to a bountiful harvest. (1 Peter 4:12)
Christians Will Sin
This is probably one of the most obvious yet surprising truths about this religion: Christians -i.e. the people who have been freed from sin- are still going to sin. No matter how numerous our good deeds and no matter how righteous we feel we are, that sin nature that is always present. We will always deal with temptation, and we must daily subdue our flesh for the rest of our lives. However, there will be times when we become frustrated, angry, or complacent. We may not always guard ourselves as we should, (being careful what we watch on TV, not hanging around those people that you know will lead you to trouble, etc), or we may give in to our feelings. This can lead us to a course of action we could have avoided. This does not make someone a bad christian, but it does stress the importance of maintaining our closeness to God. The more we cling to the things of God, the less likely we are to cling to sin. (Romans 8:5)
Everyone is not a Christian
Many people claim to be a christian simply out of habit or convenience. They claim it because it makes them look good or it classifies their political views. Is christian just a political view? Is it simply a vague adjective used halfheartedly by those who couldn't think of another word? I would say it is much more than that. It is an action, it is a lifestyle. The truth is some do not actually live the christian lifestyle though they claim to be one. Their actions and way of life may not reflect that of a follower of Christ. Therefore, we have to be careful in differentiating between saints with serious flaws, and those who make false claims to the faith. Both can be damaging to an outsiders perception of us, but the latter often misrepresents what we really stand for. I urge that when judging who is and isn't a servant of God, we look at their fruit instead of outward claims. (Matthew 7:15)