"We have been created to worship"
"Unbelief is the sin at the root of all sin"
This week I have been thinking a lot about the sins that I commit and the fact is that Elyse is right. I was created to worship and I look all the time for something to worship. When it's not God that I am turning to, when I do not believe that He is the answer to all my problems, that He is the one who can bring me happiness, that is when I begin to sin.
Elyse begins this chapter by reminding us that we can be confident as we move towards change and becoming more like Jesus. We can fight off the sin that still bombards us because we have a living God who dwells in us by his Spirit. Without Christ's resurrection and the Spirit within us we would not have the power to overcome sin.
Praise God for the resurrection.
Elyse talks about her own sin as if she were talking about mine. It all rang so true. Her explanation is simple and has helped me to redirect my thoughts on many an occasion since reading it.
We have been created to worship......If we neglect to direct that desire to worship towards God, idols will come rushing in to fill His place..... We will find something to worship.....God is the only thing that can sate our desire to worship.....Since no idol will be truly satisfying we will be constantly searching for more and in constant fear of losing them or pleasing them.
Praise God for fulfilling our desires.
We worship these idols because we thing that if we obtained them we would finally be happy. BUT the kind of happiness we long for isn't here on earth. We were created for Him and only when we are united with him will we be free from our discontent and restlessness.
Praise God for being our ultimate happiness.
This week I have been thinking a lot about my singleness. I am getting older and the fact that it looks like I won't be settling down with a family anytime soon becomes a little harder every day. Yet Elyse has helped me to look at this issue in many lights.
Do I think that marriage and children will give me constant and ultimate happiness?
Am I worshipping romance in the same way that secular societies do?
Am I undervaluing or disbelieving that God's plans and timing are the best?
Do I really think that God would plan something for me if it weren't the best for my and His glory?
Why do I place this idol of romance in my life?
I haven't stopped wanting this idea of marriage and children however I have certainly stopped to think about why I want it and perhaps why God may have chosen that this is not my path at the moment.
Overcoming sin is never easy but focusing of Christ helps. And as Elyse wrote:
"When we think on him, rejoice in him, and praise His glorious name, then, and only then will, we find the happiness we are seeking." (p.140)
Praise God for changing our hearts and minds to be more like Christ.
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