Being a follower of Christ presents challenges. Taking up the cross and following Jesus means a great deal. As I get deeper in my faith I become less and less concerned about the superficial and material things of our world. I no longer care about buying things and going places. I care about people. I care about God’s plans and purposes.

The bible teaches us that we are among the world but we are citizens of heaven. I don’t store up everything here rather my treasures are stored in heaven. Things that cant be counted by monetary worth, gifts that we give and recieve that can never be measured by this world’s standards.When I die, I hope people remember the way I made them feel. I hope they remember the good.

“All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing. ” This is a quote that I find myself thinking about often. I’m starting to think that just because someone isnt necessarily bad doesnt also make them good.That much of what we see in the world is because people sit back and do nothing.

I never wanted to see myself turn into a self righteous religious holy roller. I need only to examine my own behavior to know that I fall far past the mark of goodness. Yet as I get closer to my God, I find myself unable to be around people who are fully engaged in the world. I grow very bored listening to people go on about their possessions and how much fun it was getting drunk the night before. I know from Jesus’s example that it is not my place to judge. Yet now I am being faced with a question.

How deep do my beliefs go? I carry a fear that if I completely surrender myself to God I will have to give up the ways and things of this world. I know they are ultimately bad for me and I also know that God loves me and has a better plan than I could ever think of.Do I want to be a luke warm christain, where I am prayerful some days and wickid the next? Should I only open my bible when I’m in dire need of God’s help?Or should I read it daily to gain God’s wisdom and spiritual nourishment?

When I first became a christain a friend of mine made a comment to me. He said ” I’m glad you’ve stepped back from church I thought you had gone off the deep end.” Does walking out your faith and trying to live out your beliefs make you “off the deep end”? I imagine to the non believer or luke warm believer that it is.

It’s time to decide how far I want to go with my God. I could enjoy the benefits of having His insurance. I could enjoy being resigned to things of this world and seeking God when it suits me. The answer to much of my problems these days lies in how far I am willing to surrender. Surely adventuring with God and seeking His plan for my life has to be better than what I think I can muster up.I’ll never see the ocean if I’m afraid to leave the shore.

 ”…do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things that which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18