lys&ladies

“Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather be known by God, how can you turn your back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? You observed days and months and seasons and years! I am afraid that I may have labored over you in vain.” Galatians 4:8-11

I feel like there is so much to write, and nothing at all in the same thought. This scripture is so heavy if you look at it with biblical eyes, and really take the time to sit and ponder the depth. I don’t know about you but I have seen so many friends, “church members” go in and out like a revolving door, not because God didn’t move in their life-but simply for the reason that they wanted to go back, to the worthless things of this world. God is holy, He is life changing, He is eternally faithful but no matter HOW HARD we labor with/for/over a person, it is ultimately their choice to turn their back on the King. [To the people who have never had a real encounter with God-this isn’t for you.] I am talking to the people who say that God changed their lives, but yet the still chose to go back to drinking, to living life as normal, with no regret that they turned their backs on the one who gives them life. “You observed days and months and seasons and years” BUT YET- it still meant nothing because your heart still faded.  You became complacent with God, busy with other lovers (idols in a sense) and took your eyes off of how GOOD HE IS. As followers of Christ we must stay in this “tunnel vision” so that we dont get consumed by cares of this world. When God is your only focus, everything else falls into place. I’m convinced when you have a real encounter with God, and you spend daily time with him (working on a strong relationship) nothing can throw you off course. Yes, things happen and life gets hard but still we must be faithful to serve him, faithful to follow him, and faithful to SPEND TIME with HIM. ‘I’m afraid that I may have labored over you in vain’ might be the most heartbreaking verse in the bible for every person, leader or pastor who has had to watch somebody they love & care about turn their backs on God. We work with people, spend time loving them, dealing with issues, sorting out problems, building friendships, praying together, so many years/seasons of life go by, and in one moment they can be gone (spiritually & sometimes physically). The moment you put ministry, going through the motions, family life, school/job over your relationship with God, is the same very moment that you give the enemy easy access to distract you. Distractions most of the time, aren’t even “bad” (yes, a lot of them are tho). Distractions can be a new “exciting” relationship, it can be “something” you’ve been wanting for a long time, it can be an addiction to a certain sport or “team”, it can be being “busy” or being “lazy”. Everybody has a different distraction, & the sneaky devil knows exactly what each individual person needs at just the right moment to come in and get a foot hold in our lives. Blessings from God are great, but when they come, do we lose sight of the one who gave them? Through every season God promises that He will be there with us; through the beautiful ones, the times we feel like we can’t see the other side of the mountain, during the hardships & the times where we feel like His presence is overflowing. He is looking for people who will be found faithful to stick with HIM no matter what life throws at them. When we pray “God make me more like you” we need to realize that –> intimacy, faithfulness, dedication, perseverance, honesty, compassion and being steadfast are ALL apart of WHO HE IS. 

{Pray for the ones who have left God, always make God the first priority in life, never forget where He brought you out of, let your heart fall in alignment with His Spirit, be thankful before you complain, REMAIN in Him, He is the glimmer of Hope}

-lys