It's strange how my life today looks wildly different from the way it was in the beginning of my Christian walk. My spiritual life cooled after being burned by a fellow Christian a few years back. Then, unthinkable challenges, such as adultery and divorce, came my way. I became someone far different from the bible believing, Jesus freak I thought I was.
Recently, I opened my bible and read verses I hadn't read in years. I hardly recognized myself. I felt so far off from God and it made me afraid, very afraid. Suddenly, I was in a crisis. A crisis that left me with only two options. The first, completely turn my life upside down and take drastic, tragic measures to make my life look more godly, or never, ever open that book again!
I decided, in a moment of panic, I couldn't live up to God's instruction. I decided I need to live in the world. I needed to be a casual believer-believing, but not searching God's word for more, or seeking God deeper. Because when I search for more, or I seek deeper, I only see my horrid state. Sadly, I was, for the moment, misled by a successful tactic used on much of the world.
When I read my bible that day, I used the verses I read to condemn myself. I let the verses tell me God is too strict, harshly expecting me to be perfect, to live perfectly. This is wrong. I should have allowed his words to convict me.
I took the map God gave me (my bible) and when the map showed I needed to be in one place (righteous), but because I was in another (unrighteous), I wanted to rip up the map (my bible), fall to my face, curse, and doom myself because I wasn't on target. Imagine I did this. I would have been doomed, but by my own making. What if, or when, I decide to pick myself up? How will I find the right road when all I have is a ripped up map?
I misread God's intentions for giving me this map. I thought for a moment it told me I am damned, worthless, useless. Yet God's map was for direction, for conviction, to convince me of my misdirection, so I could make my way to the place he wants me to be.
God hands us the map, points, and says lovingly, "Look at where you are compared to where you should be, where I want to get you to. Now ease your way there. And by the way, here, I'll walk with you and help you along your way. You know I have told you no matter where you go, how you get there, regardless of how far off the path you wander...I will never, ever leave you!" (see Hebrews 13:5)
This is what the LORD says- he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." - Isaiah 43:16, 18 and 19
Tiffany Twist is the author of two books, TIFFANY TWISTED: exposed, unraveled, rewritten (June 2004 by Expert Publishing Inc.) and SOME DANCE: Hey Bartender, I'll take a decade of marriage on the rocks, a therapist straight up, and a fantasy guy with a twist (April 2005 by et al Publishing)
Tiffany has filmed for E! Television and Style Network's top rated "Diary of an Affair" to air in April 2005 and has currently been contacted by producers from both Oprah and Dr. Phil.
For more info visit http://www.tiffanytwist.com
home cleaning services Deerfield ..Welcome to the GOD 1.0 Tech Support Page. GOD 1.0... Read More
There's nothing wrong with wanting to improve ourselves either outwardly... Read More
Ever notice how people dread discussing... Read More
One day Gilligan ventures off as usual into the jungle.... Read More
'O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom... Read More
In my life, I have tried... Read More
IS FAITH - NOT VITAMIN C WHAT'S MISSING FROM YOUR... Read More
Human beings originally have three forms of existence. The first... Read More
It will all be clear in a minute, but first... Read More
As a walked across the gym floor with perspiration coming... Read More
It would be nice if the planet - like so... Read More
I have studied many of the great Religions, Quantum Physics,... Read More
One of the first things you will find that God... Read More
There is an inherent generosity in the human spirit to... Read More
In the last 2 weeks or so, I have been... Read More
Inspirational author Vernon Howard wrote, "Would you be worried over... Read More
The 'As Above, So Below' law that is the combination... Read More
In a recent article entitled "Some Evidence of How We... Read More
In the interest of mankind the Angels are delivering messages... Read More
Continued from "Origin of Certain Thoughts, Part I"If you haven't... Read More
If we are honest with ourselves, we would have to... Read More
Christians all over the world will all be tempted in... Read More
The Key to True Love...Do you long for love?Most of... Read More
In Corrogue it is frosty.The ramp into our "acre of... Read More
One important factor in how we go through life is... Read More
recurring housekeeping Highland Park ..Do you know where your current path is taking you?Education,... Read More
Matthew 2:16-18Herod Kills the Children16 Then Herod, when he saw... Read More
What the Animals Tell Us"I am the Sun's son. I... Read More
In His graciousness, God has blessed us to enter a... Read More
In one forum, one participant posted this query:I think quite... Read More
Hopefully you're reading this article because you're intrigued by the... Read More
While I do hope to avoid arguing the merits or... Read More
Talked to an interesting person today at a coffee shop,... Read More
I finally went to the dentist today. I had been... Read More
The human race had their beginning, and I had mine... Read More
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken... Read More
When the storms in your life are raging, just believe,... Read More
Karen was the name of the reception person, who sat... Read More
Part Two ContinuedIn addition to numerous philosophical problems relating to... Read More
Prayer from a child's simple bedtime prayer, to the prayers... Read More
Most of us think of what a wonderful world this... Read More
Who is God? This question would sound awkward to 80%... Read More
Stress & Spirituality ? How Spirituality Affects Stress LevelsTake a... Read More
I had the intention of writing about Soul Mates but... Read More
Some of my greatest teachers have taught me that faith... Read More
It's late. But it's usually those words that you cannot... Read More
We are all here on this plane, thinking to ourselves... Read More
Want more peace and joy in your life? Daily stress... Read More
The famous prayer of Jabez, where Jabez prayed for prosperity,... Read More
One of the saddest times in any child's life is... Read More
Spirituality |