Not Disciplined In The Word.

The other day, I was lying in my hammock with the sides tucked in like a cocoon around me.  I took a lovely nap and then talked to God for a long time.  I told Him everything that was on my mind.  And I hadn't done that in awhile.  I love that He is not only our awesome King, but He is our friend.  I love that piece of the hymn What A Friend We Have In Jesus, "What a priviledge to carry everything to God in prayer."

So as I was talking to Him, I asked Him the question that I continually ask, because He answers it every time in different ways:  "How do I love like You do?"

{Honestly, I know that I'll ever understand the fullness of God's love.  Wow.  That concept always blows my mind.  I love that I can keep learning about Him and there's always something new to understand.}

 Anyway, I decided to tell you about this question, "How do I love like God?" because of the answer God gave me today.

Lately I've been trying to encourage my friends and be an Christ-like example to them.  I want to teach my Christian friends to teach others the Gospel, and I want to encourage those who are either struggling with their faith, or just need to know God (in general).  He's blessed me with opportunities to do that!  I've gotten to hang out one-on-one with some of the girls on my hall, pray with my team, call my friends who aren't here, and tell some Gospel stories to a family (that I've written about in previous posts).  

BUT (there's always a 'but') I realized today how worn down I was.  I felt like I really didn't have much to say to those people who I could've encouraged.  Why?  Because I haven't been disciplined in the Word.  I can't love people like God does on my own.  He is love.  When I'm not spending good solid time with Him, when I'm not asking Him to fill me with Himself, I have only my own love, and my own wisdom to give, which is very little... and never enough.  

So here I am, a believer in the Gospel training to share Jesus' love, telling you that I haven't been disciplined in the Word like I should have.  I've been lazy in seeking God's face.  And you have no idea how hard that is for me to say.  But I know from experience, that when I fall out of that good beautiful habit of personally seeking God, I simply (maybe not easily) have to get back into that habit.  He makes everyday that I pursue Him infinitely more wonderful, because His name is being glorified... not my own.

So, in conclusion, God showed me that in order to share His love, I have to consistently seek Him out.  It's like my car.  If I don't consistenly put gas in the tank, how will it take me anywhere?  If I don't consistently (daily) seek out God, then how is this relationship going to go anywhere?  He is faithful to provide His love, Himself, but this love He has for His children is clearly seen when we go to Him for it.

HOW YOU CAN BE PRAYING:

1. Please pray for the family (and others) that we share the Gospel with.  Ask God to prepare their hearts with peace and to keep their minds open to His truth.  

2.  Praise God for the obedience to God that people here have been showing.  It's truly so humbling and purely good.

3.  Ask God to teach me, and the other students here, how to remain disciplined in studying God and His love.  We need to be consitently filled with Him so that we can share Him.

Thank you for your prayers!  And Thank you for reading!  I'm still so excited for what God is doing now and will do in the future as we go overseas next semester!!

1 Peter 1:23 "For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God."

1 Thessalonians 5: 23-24  "May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it."