Justin Jones / College & Young Adult Pastor and Prayer Ministry Pastor
So the past couple weeks we’ve been doing a series at IGNITE: called “In and Out” and studying 2 Corinthians. The point of the series has been that we constantly have messages coming at us that, if received, would change the outcome of our lives. But if we accept God’s message in our lives then our hearts start to transform to look more like His. One of the verses that I have quoted each week has been Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” It has gotten me thinking recently about my own life. With so many messages going around us all the time, it is so important that we watch our hearts and ask the Lord to keep us aware when we need to confess sin.
In some of my conversations with others and my observation of my own life, I have realized that it is so easy sometimes to focus on all the things that are going on in other peoples’ lives and all the ways you hope to help them or take responsibility for them, that you can lose sight of what God wants to do in you. The problem of course is that if God is not at work in us then how can we help others follow after Him?
So how do we do this? Well, I have become more convinced than ever that God simply desires that we turn our attention to Him and His Truth. If we truly see Him for who He is, it will bring humility into our lives that leads to brokenness. Confession and repentance of sin are so necessary in this process. Then we need to accept the love of Christ and live thankful and surrendered lives.
So I have had to stop myself from looking around at others recently and ask, what is going on in my life that might not be honoring to Christ? I encourage you to take some time this week to ask yourself a similar question and see what God wants to do in you today!
In some of my conversations with others and my observation of my own life, I have realized that it is so easy sometimes to focus on all the things that are going on in other peoples’ lives and all the ways you hope to help them or take responsibility for them, that you can lose sight of what God wants to do in you. The problem of course is that if God is not at work in us then how can we help others follow after Him?
So how do we do this? Well, I have become more convinced than ever that God simply desires that we turn our attention to Him and His Truth. If we truly see Him for who He is, it will bring humility into our lives that leads to brokenness. Confession and repentance of sin are so necessary in this process. Then we need to accept the love of Christ and live thankful and surrendered lives.
So I have had to stop myself from looking around at others recently and ask, what is going on in my life that might not be honoring to Christ? I encourage you to take some time this week to ask yourself a similar question and see what God wants to do in you today!