DOES YOUR LIFE MAKE SENSE TO UNBELIEVERS?
- Key Verse
- "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God." (Acts 14:22b)
READ TODAY'S PASSAGE-
READ THE CHAPTER
Central Truth
Living out our faith in a fallen world is sometimes hard.
Reflections
As a child, my life was safe and easy. My parents did a great job of making it that way for me. I never felt deprived of opportunities or material possessions. I never had to work terribly hard at anything. School, sports and socializing came pretty easily for me. I accepted Christ as my Savior as a teenager and lived a pretty moral life as a teen. Sure I made mistakes, but the consequences were never too terribly harsh.
As I grew into adulthood, my safe and easy life continued. I was financially secure, accomplishing my career goals, doing pretty much whatever I wanted to do. I got married, had a baby and continued along my easy path. My life made sense. Then things began to change.
Then, my husband and I started having problems. I started struggling to balance my work life with my life as mother and wife. I was trying to follow God's plan for my life, but nothing made sense anymore. I began to question what my purpose really was in life. "Why can't I get a grip?" "Why am I struggling so much?" I continued to ask myself and God these questions, but didn't feel like I was getting any answers. Then I read a passage in a book written by Francis Chan that struck me. He said "Something is wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers." I finally realized that up until that point, my life had made sense to the world. It was safe and predictable and easy. Paul and Barnabas' lives were anything but safe and predictable and easy. They chose to follow God and with that, they found themselves risking their lives daily and encountering hardships all along the way.
I have learned that by choosing to follow God, I'm choosing a life that doesn't make sense to unbelievers. It won't be safe and predictable, and hardships will certainly come my way. But if I can see God's purpose in it, then it will all make perfect sense.Discussion Questions
- What areas of your life would make sense to unbelievers? Why?
- What areas of your life would not make sense to unbelievers? Why?
- How might have Paul and Barnabas have felt after encountering hardships during their first missionary journey? How do you think God encouraged them to continue?
- Is there a particular part of your life where you feel yourself struggling right now? How do you think God is working in that area of your life?
Sonia
February 12, 2010 10:12 AM
Melissa, Wonderful sharing. I can completely relate to your words. Thank you for letting me see that I dont want my life to make sense to unbelievers.
Rod MacIlvaine
February 15, 2010 08:12 AM
Melissa, Great words today! Thanks for your refreshing authenticity, and I think you're right. We we learn most during those times God allows challenges and struggles to humble us. Rod
Freeda
February 15, 2010 08:43 AM
Thank for your comments on hardships. I have been undergoing physical hardships and this helps put them in the proper context.
Karen
February 15, 2010 09:00 AM
Melissa, Thanks for sharing your struggles. Many can/could relate to what you have gone through as working women trying to balance it all. You picked the perfect verse out of the reading to reinforce - Christians are not immune to struggles, it's how they handle those struggles that sets them apart.
Denise Wall
February 15, 2010 11:54 AM
Thank you for your challenge to do the hard things...I know I, too, like predictability. Living a life of full abandonment to Christ is truly when I get to experience Him at work.
Susan Miner
February 17, 2010 09:18 PM
Melissa, thanks so much for sharing a part of your life with us. You wrote a very thought provoking devotional.
Marci
February 19, 2010 08:53 AM
This was an encouraging devotional for me right now Melissa. Though I've thought these same things many times, sometimes I still allow the fear of what man will think to deter me from following God's call. Many times these decisions do not make sense to the world, they only make sense in light of eternity. Thanks Melissa!