I was young when I came to know Christ. I grew up in the church and when I made my decision to trust Christ as my personal Savior, it seemed like an obvious choice. I knew I was a sinner and in need of a rescue.
However, that obvious choice didn’t seem to follow me. When I was a teenager, I began making poor decisions. I didn’t really know how to have an authentic personal relationship with Christ. I knew all the rules and how I was supposed to play by them, which lead in part to my rebellion.
The older I got, the worse the decisions were that I made. It seemed as if there was no turning back. I had failed to the nth degree and I constantly felt the way I had ended up, tossed in the sea.
It seemed somehow in my upbringing, I missed the grace. I missed that the rules were supposed to point us to Christ but then were free to walk in His grace. We were no longer in rebellion to Him but were truly His children meant to be the inheritors of all that Christ was and has to give us.
I stayed infant in my thinking and as a result didn’t really experience the grace that was gifted to me through the shed blood on the cross.
Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Ephesians 4:14
One of my scariest encounters with the ocean was when I was living in Hawaii. The currents were especially strong one afternoon. As the waves came in they literally picked me up off the beach and drug me into the water.
As I was tossed around in a cycle, like in a washing machine, I wasn’t quite sure I was going to get out. The shore break was big and the water kept turning over and over. If I had not been pulled out, I am not sure I would have been able to fight the force of the wave.
My decisions in my life often left me feeling the same way. Living life as an infant Christian, I had never grown to a place where I saw the real rescue. The result was a life feeling tossed back and forth between the things of this world and the convictions I felt deep in my heart.
But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:6
Even though I knew in my heart that Jesus was the answer, I believed the lies of the world that I could conquer all things by myself. I guess you would have to say, I doubted God was really capable of fully rescuing me. I knew trusting Him as my personal Savior meant rescuing me from hell and eternal separation from Him, but I never relied on or trusted Him to rescue me from myself or from the situations I had gotten myself into.
The result was always feeling this compulsion to be pulled into the world and all it claims to offer. I felt like I was being tossed like the day at the beach. I felt unstable. As I look back on it, it feels so reckless.
Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. James 1:8
Here is the biggest problem with living this way.
That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. James 1:7
Ouch! That one seems to hurt the most.
Living, what James calls, a double-minded life leaves me tossed around in my life. It leaves me unstable.
I can’t say, I have put my faith and trust in God and then never live a day for Him. I was meant for worship. I was meant for fellowship with my King. That is why we were created to be in communion with Him.
Three of the biggest things that I missed out on by living a double-minded life.
Not receiving blessings from God. James 1:7 says I shouldn’t have expected to receive anything from the Lord.
Not giving glory and honor to God.
Not being a light that reflected or pointed people to His kingdom.
While so much time feels like it was lost on myself, I learned a valuable lesson in my dependence on Him. Not to miss another day.
If you feel like this double-minded person or the person that is struggling between choosing the things of this world and things that are eternal. Don’t lose heart.
Make today count. You can turn from those ways. Understand that you are no longer in rebellion to God. You no longer have to live in this world like the sinner you were before you put your trust in Christ. You are free to obey His Word.
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. John 14:23.
Christ has come not only to make His dwelling among us but in us. We are the home in which He resides and what we are to reflect is that He is welcome to live and love us there.
It would do us good to regularly remember and thank God for what He did for us at the cross. I think we can be so accustomed to saying it that it loses it awesome ability to transform or hearts and minds.
Feeling torn between two places. The choice may seem obvious from these verses but life doesn’t always appear that easy. It is a real conscience decision that you must make.
One way to learn the best ways to follow Christ is to earnestly seek Him through His Word. There is nothing that will be more life transformational.
In lieu of having a featured friend this week, I want to introduce to you Seeking God Daily. Because a couple friends and I are passionate about sharing God’s Word we have joined forces to bring together a Facebook Group called Seeking God Daily.
Seeking God Daily is a group that offers hope, encouragement, and support in learning God’s Word and applying the truths to our walk with Christ.
We want to encourage one another through authentic, honest, and respectful conversation as we earnestly seek Him daily.
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
While we are still getting final details underway, I hope you will join us in preparation for this group. You can find it by clicking HERE! Simply Hit the Join button and your requests will be sent.
Share Here
Let’s connect on Social Media, Find Me on one of the links Below!
Jaime Wiebel – Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Google+
WOW! Thank you all for coming and for the 73 Amazing posts from last week. This party has been wonderful thanks to you, friends, who link-up with us and those who stop by and read posts. Thank you!
You all are amazing writers who share Family and Faith, DIY’s, Recipes, Photos, Giveaways, Homeschooling and more. Many of you have amazing journeys of faith and I praise the Lord we are able to connect here!
There are easy share buttons to your left or at the bottom of each post (mobile) and after you link-up. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! From all of us at #SittingAmongFriends
*** Joining Us Here? You are welcome to join me on Pinterest and Pin to Our Sitting Among Friends Blog Party Board where I will be happy to re-pin posts to my other boards. ***
*** Joining Us Here? You are welcome to join me on Pinterest and Pin to Our Sitting Among Friends Blog Party Board where I will be happy to re-pin posts to my other boards. ***
Want Reminders and Updates for Sitting Among Friends Blog Party.
Yes, Sign Me Up!
* indicates required
Email Address *
First Name
Last Name
Email Format
- html
- text
cb Share Here bc
Thank you for hosting!
Thank you for joining us, Debbie. I appreciate you sharing with us here.
Thanks, Jaime, for this call to a single minded devotion.
Thanks for joining us, Michele. I tried living a different way and it is really hard to keep up with. The hardest part is knowing how I have grieved my Father in Heaven. I praise His for His forgiveness in our foolishness.
Jaime, it's sad that so many of us missed the grace when we first started out. Sadly, when we miss it as adults, we often fail to instill it in our children. It seems like we swing from one side of the pendulum to the other … too much grace or none at all. Thank God for His mercy and patience with us as He lovingly teaches us about the blessings of obedience and the incredible grace available to us in our weakness! Thanks for sharing and hosting each week.
That is such a tough one for me, Donna. Teaching our children the importance to obey not just because it is a rule, or their job but because it is really a way to show love and respect for another. I am with you, praise Him for continually teaching us and not just leaving us to the wayside while we learn. Thanks for joining us and sharing your heart with us. Thanks for joining us at Seeking God Daily. I look forward to you sharing this wonderful insight you always share here.
Yes. I agree with what Donna said too. Although my church taught about the grace of God somehow I grew up in church just wanting to do all the right things and please God and people. When hard times came I wondered if I had done something to warrant them. During those times though my faith grew as I learned that God was good and His love for me never wavered. Such a great post, Jaime. I enjoyed reading your testimony!
Valerie, I think this has been one of my hardest obstacles. I think we have a lot in common here. I thought the rules were all that mattered and honestly, I was a total failure at keeping up with it all. It took into my adulthood to understand that I can obey God because I love Him, want to honor Him, and it is really a way to worship who He is. Thanks for joining us here, I always love your honest input.
Thanks for hosting and thanks for the words.
Since, all I knew was about hard times growing up I was always told (and I believed) that I wasn't favored with God. I was told that some people are here to do for others. A very interesting thought process.
Awesome word, Jaime. Love this, "I missed the grace." Ironic how we often focus on the rules instead of Jesus who does want our obedience but also to worship Him as He rules in our hearts! Blessings!
Yes, I'm double-minded often. I think I'm distrustful even with God. I doubt He'll come through for me and I catch myself struggling for control. I'm like the waves of the ocean.
I'm so excited to be a part of your Facebook ministry!
Blessings friend!
James is such a challenging and convicting book, isn't it, Jaime! Great post! Have a blessed weekend!