That was the theme at the Harvest Bible Chapel’s Women’s
Retreat last weekend. Amy Baker,
counselor at Faith Biblical Counseling Center in Lafayette, IN,
challenged us to look objectively at our friendships and discern our motives.
View from the porch of our condo at Gull Lake |
Approval Oriented
Control Oriented
Control Oriented
Protection Oriented
Rightness Oriented
Rightness Oriented
Pleasure Oriented
Comfort Oriented
Comfort Oriented
Prestige Oriented
I began to ask myself…
Do these things categorize me and my relationships??
More importantly, what am I willing to sacrifice in order to
attain them?
Do I want to be accepted?
Do I want to be in control?
Do I want to protect myself?
Do I want to be the standard of
what is right?
Do I want to be entertained?
Do I want comfort and ease?
Do I want to be part of the
in-group?
I think, in part, I want all of those things… but how much
of those things are simply part of us as humans?
How many times do I sacrifice transparency and genuineness so
I can be accepted, in control, avoid hurt, be right, entertained, comfortable,
or be in the in-group?
Do I value approval, control, protection, being right,
entertainment, comfort, and being popular more than what God says about those
things?
Taking up my cross and doing radical hard things will take
away my control, will make me stand out, may cause me to be hurt, will
definitely make me uncomfortable, and I probably won’t have the in-group’s
approval.
Am I willing to go that far?
Is Jesus worth it?
If it costs my life and the life of my family, will
following Jesus be worth THAT?
Yes. Yes! YES!!
Yes. Yes! YES!!
If you are not a follower of Jesus
but you’re considering it, count the cost.
but you’re considering it, count the cost.
Because it WILL cost you.
Everything. Even friendships.
Your life will never be the same because He will radically
transform you.
Do not follow Christ blindly – know the cost.
His demands are high – and rightly so. He died. For you.
You owe Him every breath for all of eternity. Every moment
belongs to Him.
For those of you who follow Jesus, LIVE like you do.
Sunrise Saturday Morning! |
We are
to be different because we have been bought with a price.
This weekend, I was challenged by Luke 6:39-46.
What am I using my time for?
Who am I following?
Am I taking my own log out?
What kind of fruit do I have?
What kind of treasure is coming out of my mouth?
Bottom Line: Is your life, my life different? What needs to change?
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