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
kitchen deep cleaning Deerfield ..Not a Failure!Those of you who are unemployed, or desire... Read More
As we walk these halls of Life viewing the world... Read More
You have everything you need: a miraculous body, a phenomenal... Read More
I have a long-term goal--a life-long goal really--to develop the... Read More
There is so much going on in the world around... Read More
In his book, Stress Without Distress, Dr. Selye suggests that... Read More
We often forget that we are human beings first, and... Read More
We see it all the time in people's lives some... Read More
1. Gabriel means: "God is my strength" or "God is... Read More
Back in the days of the old law of Moses,... Read More
When we feel that something has gone wrong and are... Read More
What's the difference? How are we supposed to tell the... Read More
There's nothing wrong with wanting to improve ourselves either outwardly... Read More
What does the story of your life say about you?... Read More
We have all heard the phrase, "follow your nose". This... Read More
Can you imagine being sent out into the wilderness for... Read More
Not going to church has the advantage of having free... Read More
We know that David did much to stabilize the Kingdom... Read More
Have you ever thought about how your orientation to time... Read More
Animal spirit totems can be viewed in different ways according... Read More
Meeting someone so attractive, so beautiful. Your heart beats like... Read More
... Read More
What is it with angels and digital clocks? I fell... Read More
It would be nice if the planet - like so... Read More
Want more peace and joy in your life? Daily stress... Read More
interior house cleaning Highland Park ..One night, whilst watching TV, I understood a very useful... Read More
In the make-believe world, too, fiction and films are filled... Read More
If you spend a hundred bucks and buy the right... Read More
Every workday, five days a week, I take the light... Read More
Universal Law is an invisible influence in every individual's life,... Read More
When the Tsunami struck Asia and East Africa on December... Read More
Connor, a man in his late 40's, has achieved everything... Read More
For the last 35 years, I have been working with... Read More
We desire to understand the world by giving names to... Read More
'O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom... Read More
Sometimes showing up for life can seem like a major... Read More
Saturday I was hangin' ten on my Dell when I... Read More
Recently, I received a frantic midnight call from one of... Read More
Everyday I am challenged to find the good in things:... Read More
In our fast paced society we often want everything done... Read More
The Angelic realms have been very active throughout the human... Read More
What better example than Jesus' life to explain about having... Read More
I am deeply drawn to the above Irish Blessing.This blessing... Read More
Perhaps one of the most wonderful assertions that can be... Read More
Everything in the entire universe, big and small, visible and... Read More
The Question Really picture this in your mind.... Someone tells... Read More
In a recent article entitled "Our Virtual Reality Reality" I... Read More
The word means different things to different people. Is it... Read More
When the Bible makes reference to a "yoke" it is... Read More
Is it not true that only after gaining Enlightenment (Self-Realization)... Read More
Spirituality |