This week's "Reflection" by Jeff Taylor, Pastor of Teaching/Youth
Nobody likes suffering, but there really can be joy found when suffering is due to choosing to follow what is right and living our lives by God's standards.
Have you ever suffered for your faith? Maybe it was someone giving you a hard time at work or school, or maybe it was someone making it very clear that you need to keep your beliefs to yourself and just go with the flow. How did you handle these experiences?
As we have gone through this series in 1 Peter, what are some ways that God has challenged your heart to be "a little different" in how you live for Him? What are some of the areas in your life that you have just gone with the flow, but now feel the tug from God on your heart that you need to make some different choices and live for Him? Your story can be so encouraging to others facing the same challenge to be different. I hope you'll share your story with us.
We are having major problems with some family members and hearing the messages about "being different" have helped us so much. The family members are not Christians, have made fun of our faith, and have, recently, harassed us, again, over the handling of Ray's parents estate, nearly 5 years ago! Nothing we do makes them happy. Many times, our flesh has wanted to react as they are doing to us but, we know that God has called us to be "different", follow Him, pray for them and trust him for the outcome. Thank you for the timely messages that we know God has wanted us to hear. It has helped us, tremendously, through this time.
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ReplyDeleteI want you to know I truly appreciate the way you deliver the message for everyone to relate to. My 9 year old attends service with me and I often wonder if he is truly listening or not, well this week I found out he is most definitely listening. You said something about "things you did in the past calling you back and you having to make the choice to be different and to tell people that you don't do those things any more." Well Mason repeated those words to me this week when he realized he was doing wrong things and being with this one boy ,who does not follow the Lord, was him down the wrong path. He told the boy he could not hang with him because he did not like the things he was doing and saying. Also, that night he asked God to forgive him for the things he did,also to keep him from returning to his old ways and prayed for the other boy also "to follow God so that he won't go to hell" Boy you want to talk about "a little different". Thank you, The Lords word is coming through loud and clear!
Ray and Betty, thanks so much for sharing your comments. It sounds as though 1 Peter has been a timely study for the two of you. Jeff and I wanted to do a book study that would have some important lessons for all of us believers living in the world of relationships with those who are not yet Christians. I pray that 1 Peter will continue to be a source of hope and direction for your life.
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