Scars: A Glance to the Past

Scars. We all have them, whether they be physically or emotionally or mentally, we have them. I want you to start out this adventure by looking at all your scars. I want you to think about them. For most of us, we know exactly the time, place, and what exactly caused those scars. Those memories are etched into our minds and if you were asked about them you could recite every detail about what caused it. For example, I have this big scar on my left knee that I got at my daycare when I was around 11 years old. My friend and I were playing in the basement with the lights off, probably some video games or watching a movie, but I remember this next part vividly. They had a fan running down there, and it didn't have one of those safety cages on it. Because the room was pitch black I had no idea of the fan, and was doing a roll to exaggerate how disappointed I felt after dying in this game. This led me to roll into the fan leg first, which proceeded to slice a big gash into my left knee. That is just an example of a physical scar, but tonight I want to focus on that same idea. The scars our sins and Satan leave.

Let's first talk about the scars our sins leave. We sin. That is gonna happen. We are not perfect, but when we sin we inflict pain upon ourselves. We are not just going against God, but we are actually wounding ourselves. It brings pain, it brings hurt, and it takes time for those wounds to heal. An instance in my life where this shows is in my struggle with lust and my prior porn addiction. I watched porn repeatedly over and over again, and because of that I objectified women and let that twist the way I saw them instead of the sisterly love I am called to have for them I saw them as just ways to serve my own pleasure. I had a large wound on my life because of this. Honestly though, this is the core of my struggles in life and has been my largest wound that I have inflicted upon myself. When I first began the process of healing it definitely wasn't easy. The addiction had me and drew me back in over and over and over again like I needed it in order to survive, but every single time I looked at those women lustfully I just reopened that not fully healed wound again. I compare it to this. You are an athlete, and you just had a major injury which caused you to have a surgery. This surgery left a huge incision where they operated on you, but because you don't let the stitches fully heal before going back to work or back to your sport that incision/wound is reopened causing it to be stitched back up again.

God is that doctor. The one that stitches up that wound over and over again. We sin, but every time that we reopen that wound  God sews us back up lovingly and the healing process begins again. It says in Psalm 147:3 where David talks about the Lord when he says, "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." It's a vicious cycle if you let it continue over and over again. Scars are not there to be reopened as wounds over and over again, but to remind us of where we have been and where our lives would be without God in our lives. Look at those scars that sin and Satan have left on you. Think of where you have been, and where you used to be without God's grace. That is where you use to be in the PAST not in the present! HE HAS MADE YOU NEW! Those scars are healed my friends. I just encourage us all to look at those scars and be confident that you have overcome those things because by HIS grace you have been saved.

Papa, I pray tonight that we all can see our scars as not fresh wounds that still bring us pain and hurt but as marks of our past lives without you within it. Don't let us dwell on our pasts and those pains, but help us move forward toward the goals and plans you have ahead. Shape in us a new heart that doesn't run back to our previous ways of escape, but let us run to you. You are amazing Father, and we praise you for pulling us from the fire of our sins. We love you Papa, and let us not forget it. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

The Gift of Singleness

What is wrong with being single? Is there really anything wrong with it? Society these days makes it seem like singleness is frowned upon. Even in the church, the feeling around singleness is pretty much non-existent that as soon as you get married you will have a totally new chapter in your relationship with God. Like almost that you can't advance in your faith any farther until you get married. You almost are held back by your singleness. Think about that though. Girls all be up on social media talking about the future wedding and saving all the ideas they see for that special day. They are so excited for that wedding day and all of that they forget about the situation that they are in now, and using that situation for glorifying the Lord. Guys do it too. I catch myself sitting feeling lonely because I ain't got no girlfriend or if you don't understand my ghetto talk, "I don't have a girlfriend." I think about the future and like to think about having an awesome wife with kids, and how my life would be in that situation. I think about those days and almost idolize thinking of that not because I don't like where I am at now, but because we over-sensationalize the future making us long for it more. No, I am not saying that those thoughts are bad, but when it becomes an everyday thing. When you look to your future and focus so much on that, what happens to your present? It becomes non-existent. A passage I really like and heard a sermon on was 1 Corinthians 7 where Paul is writing to the church of Corinth about the institution of marriage. In verses 7-9 though are really where I want to focus today though. Let's dive into it.

"I wish that all men or women were as I am. But each person has his or her own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am." 

What? Paul doesn't want us to be married? GASP! No, not quite young grasshopper. Paul is not saying that at all. I added some things to it to make it apply to both genders by the way, but honestly he is not bashing marriage. Instead, Paul is breaking our perception of it. 

Let's look at verse 7 really here. Singleness is a gift people! It says here that each person has their own gift from God. Singleness is a gift from GOD! We think marriage is a solve all. That we won't have temptation anymore because we can have all the sex we want, but just because you are married doesn't mean temptation leaves. You are still gonna be tempted  as much or even more as a husband or a wife  as you are as a single man/woman. Our singleness is not a burden. Why do we search so hard to find a spouse or to find a date when God, the Creator of the universe mind you, has gifted us with the opportunity to be single? The only difference with singleness than any other gift given to you by God is that it is subject to and could be changed. You are free to choose whether singleness is your cup of tea or not, it isn't just a short little chapter of your life that is meant to fill space until you are married either. THERE IS PURPOSE.

What is that purpose? That would be my next question, and naturally I am sure you are asking this question as well. The purpose of singleness is to go all out for the kingdom of God! What we as a church need to look at is does taking on a spouse or even a relationship in the dating sense going to hinder or advance my relationship with Christ and will it affect God's call on my life? That is the question that is going to need to be asked to yourself. What is the real purpose that I want to be in this relationship? Is it because I feel like God is putting this person in my life for that reason, or is it me trying to control my circumstances?

Those questions are something Paul brings up in verses 29-31 when he is talking about how the time is short. He states here:

"What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have spouses should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away."

Here Paul talks about how marriage shouldn't keep us from pursuing God's kingdom in our lives, or as the man who preached the sermon about this subject said "Going in for the Kingdom." Does the idea of marriage or relationship hinder you from fully pursuing the kingdom? Are you on social media looking at all the wedding stuff constantly when you could be in God's word or serving God? That is where the heart-check has happened for me. Not really the social media stuff, but the aspect of wanting a girl-friend. I was searching for someone to fit that bill, instead of God bringing a person into my life.

The final thing that I really want to encourage you all reading this with is that if we live our lives no matter the circumstances, whether single, dating, or married, in pursuit of the kingdom. God will look upon us with favor because with a life with Christ as the foundation will never be shaken. Stop hunting, looking, and living anxiety-filled about relationships and marriage, but live for the kingdom. God will take care of the rest.

Father, we come to you this beautiful Monday morning and just praise you for who you are, and for who you have created us to be in your image. We ask that the old ideas and stigmas that we have about singleness be blown away, Lord, and replaced with this idea of being graced and gifted with the opportunity  we have as single, dating, or married people to glorify you in every circumstance. Papa, we pray for those of us who are single that we don't go out and hunt for potential spouses, but be aware of people you have brought into our lives and let your will be done in it. We pray that we can continue to have this eternal perspective not substituting our over-sensationalized future plans about marriage and what we expect it to be for your will, and accept Lord that we really are not in control at all. We surrender this aspect of our lives over to you Father, and ask that you do with it as you want. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.