I can feel my heart being tugged at from all angles lately. And I know just how hard Satan is trying to break me and wear me down. I can tell he's getting frustrated and a bit desperate because he's using everything he's got right now to try to get me to crack. And for a second there, I almost did. But through all of this, I've realized one thing.. And that is how much more real God is. That Satan has to try this hard to break me. All week he's been telling me that I should feel this way and that towards him and her and all of them. He's been telling me that I don't deserve this and that. And maybe he's right to some extent. But I remember way back since junior high, of all the things that I prayed for.. I always and consistently asked God to surround me with good Christian friends. I look around myself and that is exactly what I have. Throughout the years, I've lost a lot of people whom I called my friends.. But one by one, God's been replacing them with some really great people who love God just as much as I do, and who struggle with the same struggles as I do.
With that in mind, struggling with my sins lately was what inspired me to read into Galatians. I really needed this spiritual rebuking, and no one did a better job at that than Apostle Paul.
"1You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 4Have you suffered so much for nothing—if it really was for nothing? 5Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?" (Galatians 3:1-5)
First thing that comes to mind upon reading these verses was Peter (not the fisherman) Griffin.. from Family Guy haha: "POW! Right in the kicker." Sometimes I feel like the Pharisees, getting caught up in so many rules and legalities, judging people's motives according to their observance of the Law or lack thereof.. But then I had to take a step back and think upon what Paul was asking me in verse 2. Am I trying to get to God by observing the laws or by faith? Hm. The answer here is clearly an obvious one. But when you're so caught up in planning and leading and trying to set a good example for others, you start to lose yourself within legalism because you're afraid of failing and disappointing yourself, others, but most of all God. What I keep failing to remind myself of is that God seeks my heart, not my gold stars and resume.
