Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
In the trials of life it is so easy to forget that Jesus came
to give us abundant life. When I was younger I didn’t understand why the bible was restrictive about certain things. I didn’t understand that Lord wasn’t trying to keep me from pleasure, but to prevent me from experiencing the pain that sin causes. As a Christian, there is no joy in sin and though it feels good for a time, it always only leaves us feeling empty. Yet, sometimes we can get so overwhelmed from our own struggles that we lose hope and we start to think that what the Lord has for us isn’t enough. In my own struggle with chronic pain that comes from a rare arthritic disease, I often find myself being frustrated that every day I have to deal with pain that never fully goes away. I have learned that by exercising, eating right and stretching I can manage my pain but sometimes I get so tired of dealing with my condition that I just fail to deal with it as I should…. And that is when the pain comes intensely. This is how sin works in our lives. If we learn to pursue God daily through prayer, studying the word, sharing with others and seeking accountability, we can diminish sin’s hold on our life. But if we neglect to pursue the Lord, then sin will once again become dominant in our lives.
As a Christian, I to grow weary of fighting sin, and I sometimes don’t pursue the Lord as I should. But lately I have realized that seeking the Lord is the truest way to find rest in my life, for in him I find great peace, though in this world I have trouble. If I could encourage you to do one thing it would be to pursue the Lord with all your heart and realize that in him you will find joy and purpose. I have often pursued the Lord because I wanted him to give me the things of this world which I thought would make me happy, and though the things I wanted were good things (like health), I sinned because I wanted those things more than I wanted to know the Lord. It is good for us to go to the lord with our requests and cast our worries on him, but we have to remember that fellowship with the Lord is the greatest gift we could ever have. In this world of uncertainty and pain we can remember that in Christ we can be assured that he is good and he is in control. Don’t ever forget that you have a friend in Jesus and that though he won’t always take away your trials, he will always walk with you in them. I know what it is like to have pain, but so does the Lord, and he showed me that I can have a full and fulfilled life even if I have a disability. Whatever it is you are seeking to find comfort apart from the Lord will never meet the needs of your heart like he does. God is going to take care of all your needs so stop running from him and run to him. He will never leave you nor forsake you and he will comfort you and give you the power to overcome. Just remember to seek him every day because he is going to bring purpose and joy to your day and I know if you do then you will find your rest.
About the Author: I am a Birmingham attorney who has been in private practice for over six years. I have a general practice, so I get the opportunity to help serve people who find themselves in some very difficult circumstances. My e-mail is reidfirm@gmail.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope it encourages you. I always love getting thoughtful comments, so please email those to me. My website is www.reidlawalabama.com. If you know anyone who is going through a difficult situation whether it be legal or personal and they are in Birmingham area you can e-mail me at chris.reid@reidlawalabama.com. Our firm works with some excellent faith based counselors, many of whom are free or low cost. A lot of the times the legal issues people face are due to deeper underlying issues like substance abuse and other things. I have found the most effective form of treatment is getting a personally qualified counselor who helps get to the root of the issues someone is dealing with, and we will help people get connected for free (we never take a payment for referral fee for this). Again my website is www.reidlawalabama.com, which contains my contact information. God Bless.