Here it goes…

We may not understand why things happen. We may think things aren’t fair. We compare our lives to others and think we deserve what the other has or even more than what they have. We like to think of ourselves as good and we like to think our way of thinking makes the most sense.

We get disappointed in others and play the ‘what if’ game.  What if I was raised in a nicer neighborhood?  What if my parents were nicer to me?  What if I had sisters instead of a brothers? What if my parents took me to church as a child? What if…?

What if we stopped? What if we actually began to realize God places us where we need to be?  I know there are many people out there that loathe the “everything happens for a reason” response to life.  I have felt this way as well.  Because, let’s face it, life can completely suck at times. Some people coast through life and others don’t.  The problem is––we begin to lose our trust in His perfect plan when we stop believing God has us where He needs us.

Maybe that is what Satan wants.  He wants us to believe we are greater than others and when bad things happen it isn’t fair.  (Let the arm crossing and stomping and slamming doors commence.)  I cannot recall anywhere in the bible where it says life is supposed to be fair.  There is sin in this world. Life will never be fair. I know I sound insensitive. But, think of it this way. How fair was it when Christ died on the cross for every bad thing you ever have or will do?  He was without sin.  Think of all the sins you commit in one day because you justify them.  You think it is okay because you are having a rough day or week or year.

Trust me, I am preaching to myself as well here.

We need to stop thinking we are so great.  We need to stop believing life owes us more than what it can give us.  We need to rise up and humble ourselves.  We need to fully trust God.  We somehow think we can be of this world when it suits us.  As a result, our fruit is withering.

How do we expect to bring others to Christ when we are living just like them? None of this has anything to do with earning salvation.  None of this has anything to do with being better than others. We can’t earn anything and we are no better than others.  But we can be more fruitful if we allow the Holy Spirit to work through us. Have Christians become lazy?  Do we think since we have salvation through the blood that we can do as we please? I am just so very frustrated.  I know there is more we can be doing.

God gave us all beautifully unique gifts.  We need to be thankful for these gifts and use them.  We need to open our bible no matter how busy and unfair life becomes.  Faith is more than a Sunday morning thing.  It is more than an hour of your time during bible study.  Those things are still important, of course, because they are there to prepare us to share the good news.  Sharing the good news is the point, right?

We all know that sharing the good news is more than the words we speak. Again this may not be fair…but…people are watching you because you are a christian.  When they see you living like everyone else they become desensitized to the importance of Christ’s blood. Let us show them the way by the fruit we bear.  Aaah, just imagine all we could do.

So I ask, what are you known by?

By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

~Matthew 7:16-20