Truly Devoted or Standing on the Sidelines?

Something that seems to be popping up in my life lately are people who seem to think that God is something we can bend and mold to fit our lives. A quote by Francis Chan comes to mind,

"He wants all or nothing. The thought of a person calling himself a 'Christian' without being a devoted follower of Christ is absurd."

The sacrifice that Jesus gave for our sins was death. The idea that we don't want to change our lives to glorify Him seems so narcissistic. We can't obtain salvation through our own acts, and personally I can't imagine anything that would bring more joy than living to exalt our personal Savior.

Jesus talks about the cost of being a disciple in Luke 14:25-35. One of the verses that spoke to me was Luke 14:27,

"And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple."

Christ doesn't call us to just stand on the sidelines and cheer Him on.  He asks us to pick up our own cross and follow.

Ephesians 3:17

Image Created by Emily Gibson

Kissing Frogs

Relationships are mind consuming.  Every girl has dreams of being swept off their feet by Prince Charming and being taken away to a magical castle.  Alright, maybe not every girl, but I definitely did. Then you get thrown into the real world and you suddenly realize that it's not so clear who "Prince Charming" really is.  Suddenly you are introduced to a world of frogs and told that you have to kiss them all and hope that one magically transforms before your eyes. Luckily, that's not how God works. Some of us have kissed frogs, blinded by our own eagerness to find the love we desire, and others have stood on the side lines out of fear.  Each girl a little different but all with the same dream built up in our heads.



We can continue to kiss frogs... but, unfortunately, it will only lead to ending up with a frog. Taking a dream that we have built up over time and handing it to God can be very difficult.  But remember the promises He has made.  He never fails us. So considering He is all-knowing, powerful, and holy, what makes you think He can't handle finding someone for you to marry?


Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7

Having Him by our side should be a weight lifted off your shoulders. He wants what is best for us and He will never leave you disappointed.  He can see the bigger picture of our lives and we can't see it.  So while you see frogs, He can see your Prince Charming and He is helping him grow and become the man that you need. He's also preparing you for that day. He's refining you and perfecting each detail, like a work of art, and wants to present you as the beautiful Princess that He has created you to be. As hard as it may be, surrender your dreams of Prince Charming to our wonderful Creator and you will never be disappointed.  The best news yet, I can guarantee He will never require you to kiss any frogs!


Photo: http://www.meloniesteffes.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Kissing_Frogs.jpg