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The other day I was reading this article and I really just wanted to share some of the things the author had to say. The article was about tapping into God’s power and said that most of the time we don’t have enough faith in ourselves. The author points out that most of the times when Jesus got frustrated with his disciples were when the disciples were giving up on themselves. For example when Peter is out walking on water, he begins to sink, not because he didn’t believe in Jesus, but because he didn’t believe in himself. I think we do this a lot, sell ourselves short. I know I do.

At one point in the article the author quotes Abraham Lincoln:

If you want to test a man’s character, give him power.

Later in the article the writer points out that in our society we have really defined character by the things people don’t do. Usually if a person doesn’t drink, smoke, or sleep around we will deem them a “good person.” The problem with this, the author writes, is that it limits character to passivity. Someone could live their whole life sitting in front of the TV doing nothing and if they don’t do bad things, then they are still a good person…

Character is supposed to be something that we show not through passivity in the things that we don’t do, but instead it is something that is supposed to be evident through the things that we actually do. The author writes, “You know what character is from the impact that it leaves.”

All my life I have been basically a good kid. I never got into a lot of trouble or broke a lot of rules. For the most part I did what I told and tried not to mess up, and all my life people have held it against me. For some reason people that break the rules really resent those that try to follow them. But at that time I was so concerned with what people thought about me that I would actually lie to make them believe that I wasn’t as “good” as I really was. But even then I wasn’t really accepted. And I never really felt good about myself. I knew something was missing. Looking back I see that I may have been good in passivity by not getting into trouble, but I didn’t have any real character, and people could tell.

So one day in December several years ago I decided that I wasn’t going to live a passive life anymore, just trying to get by. I realized I didn’t need the approval of anyone else, because I had the love of the creator of the universe. I then began trying to live a life worthy of my calling as a servant of the Lord. But then I ran into another problem and it’s something that I still struggle with today at times. I, like the disciples, often lose faith in God’s ability to work through me. There are times when I just feel overwhelmed like I can’t make a difference at all in the world. There are times when I just want to give up and go back to a passive life, just getting by. But as I get older and grow a little wiser, I realize that in those times of darkness, God is still God.

Today a woman in my church came to me and said, “God is God on the mountain and God is God in the valley.” She was saying that no matter how high or how low you are at any given point in your life, God is still God. He is in charge, He is in control, and He love us. He loves me. He loves you. Someone asked me how I knew that Jesus really died on the cross and rose again for me. And at first I stumbled trying to find the words. But then I realized and I told them the fact that I am who I am despite the struggles I’ve faced and the situations that I’ve been through, is a testament to the power of God’s character in my life. If you know what character is by the impact that it leaves, then Jesus’ character is evident by the redemption of my life and soul, as well as yours.

So I leave you with this, God is in control and He loves you. The world is a broken place and we all have fallen away from our true relationship with the Most High God. Jesus came to restore that relationship. He came to show us how to live in tune with God. We must remember that though we may be unworthy servants, God is our strength and we can do all things through him. And when we strive after Him, God will develop a character in us like that of His own, and we will begin to spread the fire of God’s Character. For Jesus, who has the power of God, did not live a life of passivity that made him “good.” Instead Jesus led of life of love, passion, truth, justice, mercy, peace, hope, and faith. I pray that we will all live a life with that kind of character.

My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
he is mine forever. Psalm 73:26

Just Sayins all…

Rusty