No Pressure
- Locked due to inactivity on Feb 4, '22 3:54am
Thread Topic: No Pressure
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I ordered a CD a few days ago because my mom wanted me to buy something. (The whole thing gets confusing with how that went, but after ordering it, I was feeling guilty because she recanted and told me she wanted me to buy something for Christmas instead when I didn’t have the money to do that.) I forgot that I’d ordered the CD until it came yesterday, while I was having a really bad moment. The CD’s from Danny Gokey, and I only got it because I liked a single song on it, and not even for the lyrics, but just the music and the way his voice sounded; just amazing, tbh. But I heard a song that hit something deep in me, and I don’t really have an explanation as to what happened, but it made me consider myself again. It made me wonder if I am a Christian even after everything I’ve said or done against it. I ultimately ended my last argument that I wasn’t a Christian by saying that I had no motivation to change anything that was considered “un-Christianlike” and God wouldn’t want me with a halfhearted attempt at following him; I said that I didn’t know what to believe, despite believing that there is a God. I dismissed myself because I felt like I was too much of a mess to be a Christian and it made me uncomfortable to think about it… Well, a few songs I heard on the CD made me think about it, but nothing like the 6th track made me really think. I don’t know if I’m anything other than a mess-of-a-human trying to find their place in the world, but for whatever reason, I feel like maybe I should want to talk to God even though it seemed like He was ignoring everything I’ve ever asked or said to Him. I know that there is a God, and even if I don’t follow Him, I could never question if He’s real. I don’t understand why He never answers my prayers, and I don’t know what I really should be in order to meet His standards, but maybe I don’t have to be better than I am to try again. Maybe I don’t need to be hard on myself over everything that may be wrong about me. Maybe if I even just pray a sincere prayer—as broken as I am now— that would be enough. No, I don’t like reading the Bible; I don’t like celebrating Bible holidays; I don’t like going to church; but if I’m honest and I make an attempt to let God do whatever it is that He does, maybe that would change; whatever I need to be, He will make me if I let Him. If He really died so I could live, and if He really gives His love and grace without counting how many times I’ve screwed up in life, and if He has loved me and still loves me and always will love me no matter what I’ve done/doing/or will do…then there’s no pressure for me to try to earn anything He’s already given me. I just need to accept whatever He’s holding out for me to take, even if I can’t see it... I mean, that's what I think.
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Eph 2:8-9, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast."
I heard something interesting from a pastor a couple weeks ago. There's this verse, Matthew 7:7, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." And a lot of Christians quote it to say that they can pray whatever they want to God and they shall receive it. But it's not that simple. Yes, God does hear all our prayers, but no, we don't get everything we want. Why? Because often our prayers are selfish at heart and all we want is to benefit ourselves, not honor God or love others. God answers the prayers of the righteous - those who are his disciples. His disciples are those who deny themselves and what they want, and instead choose to desire what God wants for them. John 9:1, "We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him." And Matthew 16:24, "Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."
I promise God is listening to your prayers, and he will reward the righteous. But you know for everyone, you have to check your motivation for why you're praying, what you're praying for. Are you trying to get something you want? Trying to get out of something you don't want? Or are you trying to draw closer to God?
Sorry for the mini preaching but idk I hope it helps clarify -
Wow, isn't it amazing how you can hear the right song at the right time and it changes your whole perspective? <3 I love that song, as it is an excellent reminder that there really is no pressure on us to try to earn God's favor, and instead it's something he wants to give us freely through his unconditional love. That we don't have to be perfect, and He says we are already worth it.
I think you definitely have a very important decision to make: Do you want to keep going on without God in your life, knowing the price you would eventually have to pay, or do you want to surrender your life to him, broken and messy as it may be, knowing that he loves you and would accept you just as you are, restore the relationship between you and him, and give you the promise of everlasting life?
Like Stardust said, and you yourself came to realize, you don't have to earn salvation as it is the gift of God - all you have to do is accept it.
The Bible says "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." (Acts 16:31) You say you believe in God, you know that he is real, so now ask yourself if what he says is true: that Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment for your sins, and rose again on the third day because he loves you and wants you to go to heaven to be with him after you die.
It doesn't matter how many times we mess up, the Bible says that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1) If you are a Christian there is nothing that could ever separate you from the unfailing love of God. His mercy is new every morning, and he is willing to forgive us over and over again.
Now this doesn't mean that we get to live our lives however we want with no regard to right or wrong, but instead of striving out of fear and stress, we will want to do what is right because we love God and want to make him happy. That doesn't mean we will never mess up, and everything will suddenly be easier, but instead of relying on our own strength and willpower, it is the Holy Spirit that works in us, strengthens us, teaches us, and helps us to do what is right.
I think you really said it well when you wrote "if I’m honest and I make an attempt to let God do whatever it is that He does, maybe that would change; whatever I need to be, He will make me if I let Him" All He needs is a willing heart and he will take care of the rest. <3
I know this got really long, but I want to assure you that Jesus really does love you, completely and unconditionally. He is listening to you, and he is willing to work in your life if you will only let him.
This reminds me of another song I really like called Known by Tauren Wells :
This one has really good lyrics too:
(Look No Further by Evvie McKinney)
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