More Than This: Living a Godly Life At Another Level

Hebrews 6:9b (NLT)

We are confident that you were meant for better things.

We’re satisfied with so little and seduced by so much.  When we’ve framed our thoughts around getting that white picket fence we may risk the opportunity to become more spiritually mature.

We’ve been told over and over again that things don’t bring real, lasting pleasure, but we seem to need our toys and symbols to help us feel accomplished.  Sometimes we say, “I worked hard… I deserve this,” and maybe we do deserve it.  The real question is are we enjoying what God has given or reveling in what we’ve acquired.

We were made for more than we’ve allowed ourselves to experience.  God’s Word is clear, we should “seek…ask…knock…” (Matthew 7:7-8).  He told us that He would not withhold any good thing from us (Psalm 84:11), but an honest assessment of our motives might reveal that we love the trinkets more than the treasure.  We settle for so little.

No matter where we are in our Christian walk we’re called to a deeper level of knowing and living.  Following Christ is not easy.  Being humble, obedient, and flexible means that we’re willing to put His desires ahead of our own.  It also means that we’ve begun to understand that God does things differently and often wants us to do that, too.  It’s what faith in God requires and active faith pays great wages to the willing and committed.

The struggle begins when our personal desires flare up.  When we want the “thing”- the job, the lifestyle, the person, or the reputation- more than we want God and what God wants, our focus shifts and we lose sight of what He’s doing and trying to teach us.  So, let’s dig a little deeper and:

1. Be honest.  Have an open conversation with God about what really motivates you, what you give up, and what you settle for.  You might be surprised with what you hear.
2. Gain clarity.  Ask God to talk to you about that “thing” that pulls at you and holds you back.  He wants you to live in the truth and to stop deceiving yourself.
3. Pray.  Pray for yourself and your desires.  Use God’s Word to help you express what’s in your heart.  Confess your sin and submit to His will.  Read Psalms.  It’s is full of David’s prayers.
4. Act it out.  Begin to do something that seems to be drawing your attention away from yourself.  Act like you know God and remember that He often does things you can’t predict.

Doing the same things in the same way makes us dull and ineffective.  Deciding to step outside of our comfort zones is the most obvious way to see God.  And, when we decide to look beyond what we want we begin to see and experience what we could not have imagined.  

There’s more to life than what we can see.  The pandemic of 2020 has taught us that God cannot be confined to a box.  Nothing will be as we’ve known it and we have no time to do things as we’ve done it.  Let’s explore what it looks like to live a Godly life at another level.

Bible verses to live a Godly life:

Romans 12:2, Galatians 1:10, Romans 8:28, Colossians 3:23, Philippians 4:8, 1 Peter 2:15, Acts 5:29, Jeremiah 29:11, 1 Chronicles 16:11, Psalm 119:105

Prayer

Lord, Thank you for challenging us to be more and do more.  When we look back on our lives and see all that you’ve done, we want be able to see that we followed where you led and did what you called us to do.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen

Live well,

Michele