Exodus 14:12 "Didn't we say to
you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been
better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" (NIV)
When I first became a Christian, I found it tough to
try to live up to Christ’s standards. I wanted to remain the same, and for
Christ to be different. I wanted Him to accept who I was, instead of me
accepting His terms of belief. I wanted Jesus to be my friend, my pal, my best
buddy, especially during those times when I wanted to go out and get drunk,
paint the town red, and do whatever I desired. In other words, I wanted Christ
to save me, but to still let me do what I had always done.
But being double-minded just didn’t work. I was always
fighting within myself to overcome temptation, and then when I failed, I fought
with my pride to overcome my need to confess. One moment I was happy with the
Lord; the very next I was angry with Him. I’m certain that there was some
psychological scarring going on, and old wounds that had never been healed were
beginning to fester, as well as pester me.
What was occurring was an ancient work of God. I was
being convicted and afflicted by the Holy Spirit, but I didn’t understand it at
the time. I had given my heart to Jesus, but not my whole life. I was still
keeping some things back, some things that I wanted to possess on my own. The
trouble was this: the more I held back from Christ, the less able I was to deal
with temptation. The more absorbed I became with my my desires, the less
faithful I was to God.
At some point, the struggle reached a point when I had
to either give up being a Christian, or go forward in faith. I had to let go of
the past and move on with Christ. I had to let go of Egypt, and let God lead me
through my spiritual wilderness to Christ’s Promised Land. After struggling for
months, I eventually surrendered my soul. It wasn’t easy, but it was the best
thing that I have ever done in my life.
Perhaps you’re struggling with an issue from the past,
or are deeply troubled about your present circumstances. Maybe you’re pining for
the good old days, or fearful of what lies ahead. Whatever you are experiencing,
it’s time to surrender it all to Christ and place it in His hands. Being
depressed about the past or anxious about the future just saps your energy,
well-being, and health. Put yourself in Christ’s arms; He’ll embrace you and all
of that baggage that you’re carrying. He’ll help you through the emotional
wilderness that you’re in, and lead you to a better life, a more hopeful time,
and a brighter day. Trust me; I know this to be true.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to surrender our lives to
You today. Give us the courage to let go of our fears and worries, so that we
can replace them with faith and assurance in You. In Your Holy Name, we
earnestly pray. Amen.
John Stuart traqair@aol.com
Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
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