To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
Ecclesiastes 3: 1, 4, 11, & 13
Highly and Humbly is a product of my passion to teach, support and encourage the young Christian to live their Best Christ Life. It is my purpose in life to help to cultivate a community of believers that love God with all their heart and enjoy the life they live.
I want to emphasize that last phrase: I want to remind all believers that it's okay to enjoy the life we live.
I've been apart of, and sometimes the loudest voice in, conversations that are really just venting sessions about all the things Christians can't do because it's "unholy".
We can't do this, we shouldn't do that, such and such is a gateway sin, and so on and so forth. It can be so easy to get so caught up in the minutia of holy living that we begin to view our freedom as chains that keep us from all the things we feel like we want to do. This can makes us miserable because we are living in a constant state of yearning and lusting. We are unfulfilled and we blame our faith because if we weren't saved then we could do "fill in sin of choice here".
Yet living a holy and separated life is so much more than all of the things that we "can't" do.
I dare you to make a list of things that you enjoy doing. Not a wish list of things that you wish you could do, but a list of at least five things that you genuinely enjoy doing. Five things that while your doing them you are smiling the entire time and you are completely guilt free. When is the last time you did those things?
Now it's time for the wish list. Write down five things that you really wanted to try or do, things like going to that new restaurant, reading that book, visiting that relative you haven't seen in awhile, planning that vacation you always dreamed of taking. When you're done think about the last time you took steps to complete anything on the list.
Now, re-read your lists. How many of these things on your two lists actually overlap with all the things you think you're faith is keeping you from?
I'm pretty sure they don't at all, and it's because you are looking objectively about the things you desire.
The Bible is certainly chock full of instructions on how to love better, how to walk upright and holy before the Lord. It commands us to do things that God knows will brings us to a deeper relationship and love with Him.
Can I let you in on a secret?
The Bible also tells us how to relax, God's word instructs us to rest and be at peace. It encourages us to find contentment in this walk with God, and I promise you, you will never be content if you can only see all the things that you aren't doing right as a Christian or all the things you "can't" do because you are a Christian.
Yes, part of this journey is killing your flesh (Galatians 5:24) and allowing the Holy Spirit to manifest the fruit of the spirit within you (Galatians 5:22, 23), but this can be done while living your life to to best of your ability.
God has designed time for us to enjoy the fruits of our labor, and there are ways to do that while being everything He has called us to be. We don't have to choose between being saved and having fun.
Trust me, God wants you to do both.
We'll be talking more about this on Friday at 12pm Live during the Highly and Humbly Lunchtime Live Series. Make sure you like and follow us on Facebook so that you can tune in.