My Growing Faith in God

I wanted to take some time to write about a hub on Christianity or at least what it means to me. Growing up, I would say that while at the very least my mom was very religious and my dad was somewhat religious, it never really came down through myself and my brother. My mom (And I would say that there is a lot of people that grew up in my situation) seemingly thought that just going to church was always what we and my brother needed. Well, there was never really any explanation. I was never, well, really taught anything about the church, or god, or quite frankly anything religious. But every time something either went wrong or we (we being me and my brother) did something wrong, God was seemingly thrown into the mix. Add also to this that after about 17 years of marriage between my parents and loads of arguing they finally got divorced. What I have shared with you is what I could call a disconnect with Christianity in America and this is not a new thing. I feel like my story is the story of many. That God and the Bible teachings are not transcending into modern times where people could relate more and more to the book of God. Instead, it is if the teachers and scholars are not making the effort to adapt to the surroundings with which man has create. So I am talking about TV, social media, cell phones, and the hustle and bustle of life, at least within this country. We have (and to a large degree) gotten away from the fundamental teachings of Christianity and it is something worth getting back to. Why? because having a solid foundation can propel you into a positive motion that keeps things moving in your favor. This is not to say that if you don’t have God first and foremost in your life that you want do things. But there are two plans I know that your modern day Christian will follow; you will follow God’s plan or you will follow your plan. The difference is that Gods plan is forever prosperous and God will never give you something that you can’t handle. Mans’ plan, well, let’s just say that you have a better chance of giving up, quitting, or not receiving the blessing that you so rightfully deserve.

One thing I have come to learn is that I wouldn’t be where I am today without God. And even when there were times when I resisted and didn’t even know it. I couldn’t fathom what awaited me around the corner until I turned that corner. Things become easier when you are ready to receive him and worship him for who he really is. Granted, even when you do receive him and become saved, it doesn’t mean that things in life overall will be easier. You will have to make certain choices in your life that while in the short-term may seem hard, difficult, and may make some people angry. Examples like changing your friends, getting real control of your finances, working on your credit score, paying down debt, letting go of bad relationships, etc. One thing I have learned is for me to stop carrying the burden on my own because “He” is already willing to carry that burden for me. Sometimes it is the “giving up” of yourself that is the hardest part because it is what all you know. But that might be the biggest problem. Because you spend so much time on yourself and by that I don’t mean selfishly though you can throw it in the same pot, this is probably why you have yet to get to know him.

If I had to say, looking back on my life of me getting to know God without knowing it at the time, I would say it was back in October of 2005 when I met my then girlfriend and now wife. We have one child together and like others we certainly have had our ups and downs. When we couldn’t understand why things weren’t working out. We couldn’t understand why when we planned things in advance, written it down, or thought it through why “our” plan never came to fold. What I have learned is that it’s not “my” plan but “Gods” plan that will get us to where we need to be. It is his will that will help us endure whatever trials that may come down the road. And it is his mercy that will forever forgive us because he know we are not perfect but he is always and forever loving.

I wanted to take some time to write about a hub on Christianity or at least what it means to me. Growing up, I would say that while at the very least my mom was very religious and my dad was somewhat religious, it never really came down through myself and my brother. My mom (And I would say that there is a lot of people that grew up in my situation) seemingly thought that just going to church was always what we and my brother needed. Well, there was never really any explanation. I was never, well, really taught anything about the church, or god, or quite frankly anything religious. But every time something either went wrong or we (we being me and my brother) did something wrong, God was seemingly thrown into the mix. Add also to this that after about 17 years of marriage between my parents and loads of arguing they finally got divorced. What I have shared with you is what I could call a disconnect with Christianity in America and this is not a new thing. I feel like my story is the story of many. That God and the Bible teachings are not transcending into modern times where people could relate more and more to the book of God. Instead, it is if the teachers and scholars are not making the effort to adapt to the surroundings with which man has create. So I am talking about TV, social media, cell phones, and the hustle and bustle of life, at least within this country. We have (and to a large degree) gotten away from the fundamental teachings of Christianity and it is something worth getting back to. Why? because having a solid foundation can propel you into a positive motion that keeps things moving in your favor. This is not to say that if you don’t have God first and foremost in your life that you want do things. But there are two plans I know that your modern day Christian will follow; you will follow God’s plan or you will follow your plan. The difference is that Gods plan is forever prosperous and God will never give you something that you can’t handle. Mans’ plan, well, let’s just say that you have a better chance of giving up, quitting, or not receiving the blessing that you so rightfully deserve.

One thing I have come to learn is that I wouldn’t be where I am today without God. And even when there were times when I resisted and didn’t even know it. I couldn’t fathom what awaited me around the corner until I turned that corner. Things become easier when you are ready to receive him and worship him for who he really is. Granted, even when you do receive him and become saved, it doesn’t mean that things in life overall will be easier. You will have to make certain choices in your life that while in the short-term may seem hard, difficult, and may make some people angry. Examples like changing your friends, getting real control of your finances, working on your credit score, paying down debt, letting go of bad relationships, etc. One thing I have learned is for me to stop carrying the burden on my own because “He” is already willing to carry that burden for me. Sometimes it is the “giving up” of yourself that is the hardest part because it is what all you know. But that might be the biggest problem. Because you spend so much time on yourself and by that I don’t mean selfishly though you can throw it in the same pot, this is probably why you have yet to get to know him.

If I had to say, looking back on my life of me getting to know God without knowing it at the time, I would say it was back in October of 2005 when I met my then girlfriend and now wife. We have one child together and like others we certainly have had our ups and downs. When we couldn’t understand why things weren’t working out. We couldn’t understand why when we planned things in advance, written it down, or thought it through why “our” plan never came to fold. What I have learned is that it’s not “my” plan but “Gods” plan that will get us to where we need to be. It is his will that will help us endure whatever trials that may come down the road. And it is his mercy that will forever forgive us because he know we are not perfect but he is always and forever loving.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPo462mWTDw

I think one of the coolest movies I have ever seen is “The Book of Eli“ starring Denzel Washington. Now when I first saw this movie, and forgive me, I didn’t think about tying it at all to the Bible of God. But it was a great movie. One of the things that have carried with me since the movie began was “Walk by faith, not by sight”. Faith is truly a wonderful and powerful thing. To me, when you have faith that means that nothing can or will deter you from receiving that from which God is willing to bestow upon you or it could mean that what you have been praying for will arrive no matter how bleak your situation has become. It also means not losing focus no matter how many of your friends or enemies do not believe in what you believe in.

My belief in God has grown because my faith has grown too. I have learned that there are better days ahead no matter how bleak the present might be. I have come to understand that just like a home cooked meal that good things take time. That when you pray to God things will not be rushed, however, they are on the way when you will receive them at the time it is meant to be received, not when you want it. For example, your credit score today is so bad that nobody will lend you anything. You are lucky if even one of those high interest rate credit cards will send you one in the mail. Want you want right now is a home to call your own instead of an apartment that you feel you are throwing your money away in. In order to receive the house you want, you must fix your credit score. Nobody is going to lend you money for a home if you have a horrible credit score. To get the house that you want, you need to have your “financial spirit” in order so you can get the home you want. Think about it, if you can’t handle getting your own finances in order than what makes you thinking that you are ready to buy a home? You must have faith that once you take that hard look at your credit score that you will know what to do in order to receive the blessing on your house. Even if it takes you a few years, you must have faith and put it in Gods hands to guide you to your new home.

In the time, we have seen a lot. The economy is trying to bounce back, it feels their is a terror attack on our country every week (probably more often than that). Senseless acts of violence in our communities, homeless and poverty are growing, but you must have faith that things are happening behind the scenes. that there is truly a light at the end of the tunnel. Faith is intangible, you just know it’s there even if you can’t feel it or touch it. So with everything I have said, I leave you with this…

“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”

-Isaiah 43:19