It becomes a lot easier to give God the credit when I remember that God has been fighting for me from the beginning. It seems impossible that Satan could ever be victorious over me when God has weighted the dice in my favor. He stacked the deck. The only way I lose is by forfeit. I can't give up when God cares so much about my soul, and my eternity with him.
My best friend doesn't believe in God. And frequently he has condemned me by saying "If what you believe is actually true, if you really believed it, you wouldn't waste a minute of your time doing anything but trying to convince me, and everyone else about the amazing thing that you know." Yeah, you could say he gets it. And that is so frustrating, he gets it, but my life and what I've done hasn't been enough to convince him it is real. But that is where humility comes in. No matter how much I love my best friend, it is God that will win over his heart in the end, not me. So I try my best to live in a way that represents what it is I believe, and let God work on his heart. I may never see the fruits of this friendship, but I know that the point isn't for me to feel validated, it is for God's victory. It is for God to be greater, and thus, I become less. And When God is the victor, He is also the prize, and what a beautiful prize He is!
And if you guys could pray for my best friend (Mitchell) that would be amazing :)
I hear ya Kira! My best friend is in a similar position -- she says that she is a Christian but I don't know if she really believes it. I talk with her about my faith but I rarely get things in response from her... I get the "Yeah, that's true..." but never really what she believes. I just have to understand that it is all up to God. All I can do is continue to live my life for Christ and hope that she will smell my faith and let Christ into her own heart.
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I prayed for Mitchell. I think Jesus' name means Yahweh saves. If He saves and He is mighty to save then I guess we just let Him write us into His salvation plot and marvel at the opportunity to be part of Jesus' mighty work. Some theologian/anthroplogist once made the observation that in Western Culture we know something by cutting it open and analyzing its parts; however, in Africa they know something by dancing with it. Seems to me that Mitchell is dancing with the truth in you and is making some interesting discoveries along the way. Have fun being a part of Christ's story -- "If anyone speaks he should do it as one speaking the very words of God if anyone serves He should do it with the strength that God provides." - Somewhere in I Peter. Blessings.
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