As our relationship with God grows, we have to recognise that in order for the growth to happen we’ll probably need to push through some hard stuff! Take gold as an example, it has to go through fire to be purified and refined! This is just like us, so much of what is good and perfected needs to go through something painful or uncomfortable, in order for the best to be revealed.
In a world that is heavily focused on finding your identity in success, or beauty, or relationships, we can get consumed with searching for fulfilment in those areas. But I want to take a moment to look at some people in scripture who were so consumed with wanting to see Christ for themselves that they would do something radical to get there! I wonder, what would you do to get a glimpse of Jesus?
In Matthew 9:20-22, we see a woman pushing through a crowd to just touch the hem of His garment in the hope that she would be healed, and Christ told her that her faith has made her well.
In Luke 19:1-5, we see a Zacchaeus climb a tree to see Christ from a higher perspective in the midst of a crowd, and Jesus invited himself to his house because of his determination.
In the book of Job, Job looses everything but after all the hardship, he was rewarded 10 times over, the list could go on…
My main observation is that they had a personal desire to want more of God in their lives and they were unafraid to go against the grain to experience Him!
As we continue to journey through life, it’s crucial that we seek God for ourselves. It’s important that we know why we believe what we do, not just because we’ve been taught it in Sunday school. God has the bigger picture for our lives and his plans are always for our good, so let’s make decisions to develop personal relationships with Him. Maybe that means setting aside 10 minutes in the morning to read a scripture, or putting a reminder on your phone to help you remember to pray at some point in the day.
Let’s be inspired by those stories in the bible and live outside of our comfort zones more, be unafraid to do things alone, and stand firmly on the truth in all circumstances. God wants His people to win in life, and He sent Christ to show us how. Jesus was not passive, He was bold and He sets the example, so let’s follow!
