God’s Unending Love
We have a choice whether or not to follow Christ. He does not promise us a life without trouble, but He does promise us His unending love. My Reflection The other day I was scrolling social media. You can imagine my feed because it’s probably not all that different from yours. There’s some good, some funny, and a whole bunch of negativity and divisiveness. I wish Jesus had a Facebook. Am I right? As I mindlessly scrolled, I was struck enough by a particular post that I stopped to read it. I was paused by the anger behind it. I quickly decided to abandon it and kept going. A few moments later, I stopped to read a second, entirely different post. This post felt equally as enraged as the first. But what interested me were the striking differences between the two writers. These two writers, and their messages and posts, could not have been any more different from each other. But their anger was the same. Our Troubles So I found myself reflecting on anger and all of its “cousins:” frustration, impatience, criticalness, irritation, and more. I thought about how these apply to me and how they’re a stronghold for me. I was flooded by one thought: it is unending. There is no depth or ending for anger. It can last decades, generations even, and grow to a point that all it does is destroy everything in its path. Other strongholds are like this too, right? Sin takes hold so strongly that if we don’t turn from it towards God, there’s no end to it. We will quickly find ourselves lost in it. And it will take many forms, sometimes causing us to be blind to it. His Truth And while I held this thought in reflection, God quickly revealed His truth: He is infinite, He has no end either. God has no limitations, no barriers. He can fill us without end and fulfill to no end! So we have a choice. We can choose to be fulfilled by our strongholds, our pain, and our emotions so dark and deep that they feel hopeless. But we can also choose to live our lives in relationship with God. He will be our strength and absorb our burdens. He will light our path and fill us with hopeful joy at His mercy and grace. In John 16:33, Jesus tells us, “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” He does not promise us a life without trouble. We will experience sin and strongholds. But He does promise He has already won. For those who choose the path of Christ, we can walk in the footprints of this unending love and victory. You can read more of His truth with the YouVersion Bible.
How To Build Your Spiritual Endurance
What exactly is spiritual endurance? The ability to continue on, especially during difficult times. Even those who consider themselves resilient sometimes waiver. It can be hard to overcome seasons of discouragement without feeling some sort of shift or discomfort. In these times, we may feel spiritually drained or out of sync with God. But He knows our heart and instructs us. You may be reading this as a person who struggles to feel brave or encouraged. Or, you may feel like me, a fighter that’s more tired than usual. You may be feeling something in between or completely different. Either way, our struggles are often similar. We all experience loss, sorrow, disappointment, fear, worry, stress and the list goes on. The Struggle is Real During times like these, we can end up feeling drained- financially, mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, etc… Whether you’re used to leaning into God or not, that’s a scary feeling for anyone. What do you do when you have prayers that feel unanswered? How do you respond when you feel you’re not on the same page as God? Do you struggle with feeling connected and motivated to maintain your relationship with Him? This happens to nearly all believers at some point. Don’t believe me? Just ask them! And He Knows It Fortunately, our God knows us well and designed us to be in community with others for support. He sent His Son to the cross so we could go before Him and have a relationship with Him. Jesus knows your pain because He struggled as a human. Last, but not least, God provided us with Scripture to better know Him. He has provided us with tools to build up our spiritual endurance. Our God may be mysterious but we also know He is an intentional provider with perfect timing. Pray So when you find your spiritual endurance being tested, know there is more ahead. God sees time as eternal, not as we do. So the best thing you can do is…pray and wait. I know, I know. This isn’t what you want to hear! Keep reading though because it’s what you NEED to hear. God has a plan for you! Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us, “For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” So while we are not guaranteed ease and happiness at every turn, that only strengthens our understanding of His greatness. The same Father that created you is the same Father that will carry and deliver you. Just pray. And wait. If you need some other ideas to dust yourself off and continue your journey with God, I’ve included some below. Ideas: Stay in the community: come to church, join a Lifegroup (if you haven’t), and/or volunteer. Switch up your spiritual routine: consider adding a prayer or Bible study, start a devotional, or spend more time in prayer. Seek wise and trusted spiritual counsel. 1 John 4:4-6 Get in the Word daily! Seek an accountability partner, if needed. The YouVersion Bible App is a great tool and you can download it onto your smart device and take it with you wherever you go.
God Created Us To Be In Community
When surrounded by both good times and bad, we find ourselves desiring to feel support from those around us. That’s because God created us to be in community with one another and it’s during times like these that we remember why. As I considered writing my next blog post, I knew that I wanted to write about the idea of community but had no idea what to say about it. Then God provided the perfect inspiration. TAKE THE RISK Recently, a friend invited me to her church for a women’s ministry event. I was excited but my mind was racing, wondering if there would be tables set up or rows of chairs, friendly and welcoming women or cool and standoffish ladies, values reflected that aligned to my own or a night of discomfort ahead, and so on. You see, most people think I’m outgoing but I’m more of an introvert at heart. And I overthink- a lot. Sometimes I even let these types of thoughts psych me out. Does that ever happen to you? Do you ruin something before even giving it a chance? Fortunately, the Holy Spirit was working hard and I attended the event. And it was great! On the way home I found myself reflecting on all of the ways I’ve benefited from the community throughout my life. SEE THE BENEFIT OF COMMUNITY Most recently, I’ve benefited from expanding my community to include other believers. This didn’t happen easily for my husband or me, especially me. But The Village made it so easy that once our hearts and minds adjusted, God began to clear paths for us to a new community, one with other believers. We now have a network of other believers that come alongside us regularly, without judgment and with total selflessness and compassion. They speak truth to us, pray for us, encourage us, send us scripture, and so much more. The best part is that we get to try our best to return this care to them. MAKE IT HAPPEN So, knowing this, I ask you: Are you surrounded by a strong community of believers? If not, I encourage you to pray on this and become involved in opportunities to build this system for yourself. It is unlike any other support you’ll receive from humanity. You can build up your community by participating in some of The Village’s activities such as Rooted, Lifegroup, serving on a team, and numerous ministry opportunities.
You’re It: The Next Witness
Do you find it uncomfortable to talk about your faith? Are you uncertain of how to approach people or tell them about Jesus? Or maybe you have the opposite problem and you’re able to share but it doesn’t always go well. It’s something many of us struggle with, but fortunately, God has a plan. “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. -1 Peter 3:15 THE PROCESS Life on Mission teaches the process of how to share our faith. It explores the concept of witnessing, as opposed to being the lawyer, police, judge, or jury. This provides valuable insight into a Christlike (and non-weird) process for sharing what God has done in our life. It’s important to balance being both the salt AND the light. And yet, many of us still struggle to feel prepared at times. We know what to do but not always how to do it. When I first returned to church, I remember thinking that I would not be the one to witness, that there was NO way God called ME to do that work. I was too this and that and not enough (fill in the blank). However, a recent experience has changed my mind and my heart. OPPORTUNITY Recently, some friends of mine and I went on a girls’ trip. Because we were in Life on Mission and I was being prayerful for opportunities, I mentioned to one of my friends (also a believer) that we should do a devotional with the group one morning. Not everyone was a churchgoer or believer on the trip so I felt it would be a great way to try and witness. We invited everyone without pressure. Fortunately, our friends chose to attend (AKA- God wanted this to happen!). Before the trip, we picked some scripture from Hebrews and my friend wrote the devotional. After completing the devotional, the group discussed how it applied to life today, particularly friendships. By the end, my friends who do not understand our faith, began to ask questions. They were hard questions; questions without easy answers. They expressed their frustrations and beliefs about organized religion. They were honest. In my past, I would have either agreed with them and joined in or felt defensive and challenged. But now, having the relationship with God that I do, I found myself excited- a sure sign the Holy Spirit was at work! WITNESS Going in, I had prayed not only for an opportunity but discernment. As recent as that morning and right before the devotional, I prayed for the Holy Spirit to give me words. So in the face of questions that should have been difficult, I saw their worldly understanding as a lack of knowing Christ. I found myself acknowledging with a genuine heart their concerns. I used it as an opportunity to explain things that the world does not tell us about what it is to be religious, to be a Christian, and most importantly, to have a relationship with God. While I’d love to say that all of my friends are now regularly attending church, we know that is not realistic. But it’s also not the goal. The goal was to witness and give God space to plant seeds. PRAY I encourage you to pray for opportunity and to pray for the Holy Spirit to guide your words and your heart in these difficult conversations that you’re praying come up. I encourage you to have those conversations when you can, even if you’re uncomfortable. Be vulnerable and OK with saying “I don’t know.” Remember that they won’t be your words, because if you’re prayerful, the Holy Spirit will most certainly speak through you. Pray for discernment and let God work.
Be Careful What You Wish For
“Be careful what you wish for” is a phrase we have all heard and felt before, I’m sure. Most of us consider this phrase following something difficult. But have you ever experienced it in a good way? I have and maybe you will find that you have too. The past few weeks, I’ve been thinking that phrase quite a bit. Usually, I’m smirking and shaking my head at God’s plan for me lately. Between Life on Mission, the 60-day prayer challenge, Discipleship Journey, daily devotionals, and Lifegroup, many of us are praying for a closer relationship with our Father. For God to show us opportunities to witness. Well, ask and you shall receive, right? In my own life, I’ve noticed every one of my “buttons” being pressed and my patience being tested. I feel like God is all but screaming at me to lean into Him and yield to His will. It’s been TOUGH, but worth it and I’m happy I’m not “careful” in what I prayed over. When we pray for life growth, life change, and opportunities, God will deliver! That’s not always easy because change is difficult, to say the least. But without it, we cannot grow closer to our Father and carry out His mission to expand the kingdom. The good news is that we can call upon the Holy Spirit, dive into scripture, lean on our church family, and pray to Our Savior to carry us through. Romans 5: 5 reminds us that, “hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” We can call to God at any time for help, seeking strength in the Spirit! And while we struggle in an abundance of opportunity, we can rest assured that God is working in our hearts and using us even in those times. Even if you feel like you can’t serve God where you’re at, He promises that He is using you. Throughout the Bible, we see examples of God using imperfect people to fulfill His mission. We can find comfort in knowing that He loves us, wants the very best for us, and is a perfect God capable of using our imperfect lives for His mission. So if you find yourself struggling, know you aren’t alone and the work you are doing is good: you are working to be closer to our Lord and share the good news! Yes, be careful what you “wish” for. Give care to your prayers and watch God work through them!
Is Spiritual Warfare Real?
Have you ever noticed that your challenges seem to grow the more you seek God? Have you ever wondered why things seem to get more difficult in your life even when you’re intentional about your time with God? Or perhaps you are new to having a relationship with God or working to renew it, but find yourself feeling defeated by seemingly worldly issues. It is during these times that it is important to remember God’s warning to us about spiritual warfare. When my husband and I began Rooted at The Village earlier this year, we were warned about spiritual warfare the first night. I remember doubting this warning entirely and thinking spiritual warfare wouldn’t happen to me even if it was real. Spoiler alert: my pride and arrogance proved wrong. As I continue to grow in my relationship with God, I realize how very real spiritual warfare is and its enormous impact on our lives. Why? 1 Peter 5: 8-9 warns us that “the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Hearing this, I guess that if you haven’t already started, you can easily recall moments in your own life when the enemy was seeking to destroy you. This is because Satan wants to keep us, including you, from God. He is the enemy, opposite to all of God’s love and plans for us, and he will try to ruin those working to advance God’s kingdom at all costs. As warriors for God, we can certainly expect his attacks. The closer we walk with God, the more Satan’s mission is at stake. You will feel him up the ante and begin to hit you harder, seeking to drive you away from God. This warfare may come packaged in many worldly forms, such as temptation. But we also know from 2 Thessalonians 3: 3, “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.” What Can We Do? Therefore, when we remain obedient and faithful to God, we have his strength and protection. God is more powerful than Satan; He can defeat him, He will defeat him! So during all times, including when we are under attack, we must not turn from our Father. We must seek to walk closer to our Father, keeping our eyes on Him for guidance. We must remain diligent and intentional in growing our relationship with Him through prayer and spending time with Him. Don’t ever forget we can call upon the Holy Spirit to guide us. God tells us to dawn the armor (Ephesians 6: 10-18) that He has provided us, which includes reading the Word. It is also important to surround ourselves with other believers, joining Lifegroups and attending church. Through these weapons, all rooted in the love and protection of Our God, we can overcome the enemy’s advances. And, as my church family warned me, remember that the enemy attacks in response to our work for God. How great your work for God must be for the enemy to attack you so viciously!
Why We Want To See You At Church
Have you been away from the church for a while? Are you resting in the idea that you don’t need to go to church to be a Christian? Or perhaps you have never been involved with a positive church before- or a church period. If these or similar ideas describe how you’ve been feeling lately, then I invite you to read on about why The Village wants to see you at church. Many of us have heard statements like the ones above time and time again. While this message is not about proving those wrong, this message is about showing you a clearer, more complete picture of the purpose of the church. You see, those statements above are more closely aligned to what the enemy wants us to believe about the church experience, rather than what God says about it. They are easy to believe and require less effort than going to church. They come with less accountability too. That’s why I believed them for most of my life and why I think it’s such an easy trap. But Scripture tells us that God wants us to join together in 1 Corinthians 3:9: “For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.” God wants us to work together and He has many reasons for this. When I heard the message during Student Takeover week, Carder Ferguson spoke about reaching out to someone and simply inviting them to church (without making it weird). His message was filled with care for others and helping them to know Christ. As I left church that Sunday, I was moved by a number of his statements. I found myself reaching out to others but I also found myself reflecting on why inviting someone to church is so remarkable. Purpose of Church Traditionally, people believe that the only thing happening at church on Sunday is hearing the Word of God, worshiping Him, and growing closer to Him. While this is important, it should not be the only factor. At a church like The Village, you’ll see more on Sunday: families connect, people feel included, you walk away feeling closer to God, you talk to people you might not otherwise, couples grow closer, kids have fun while learning about Jesus, and, somehow, everyone has a place and purpose. And yet, I still haven’t captured what God does every Sunday at The Village! This is because The Village is obedient to God’s intended purpose of the church. The Word tells us in Romans 12: 4-5: “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” We all have a collective purpose in furthering God’s kingdom. We know from verses like this that He intends for us to use our gifts in community with other believers. It is part of His mission and plan for us. Benefits of Church God wants this joining together because He knows how much it benefits us. At church, we find power in collective prayer. We find strength in numbers (it is easier to fight a battle with an army after all). “Iron sharpens iron,” as Proverbs 27:17 tells us and, of course, there are others too. Not only do they all further God’s work but the enemy hates them all for this very reason. Scripture tells us in Hebrews 10: 24-25: “let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.” The enemy hates this because, as the Word promises us, the church strengthens our relationship with Christ. So in the spirit of what God desires for us as believers, we invite you to attend one of our services this Sunday! The Village has three campuses now: Minooka, Seneca, and Online. We are a church that is centered on Christ and the Word of God. We care about finding life change, life growth, and life purpose through our relationship with Christ. If you have never been to our church before, come and get to know us! If you have attended church in the past but are looking for a sign to join again- look no further! This is your sign. We can’t wait to see you!
Am I Worthy Of The Call?
One thing that most everyone has in common is doubt. How many times have you thought to yourself, am I worthy of the call? Or another way to put it, am I qualified? It could be for many different things; a new job, marriage, parenthood, or being a leader. Regardless, there’s something you should know about the doubt. It is not what God wants for you. In fact, He has great plans for you! As people fairly new to The Village Christian Church, my husband and I have both found our minds swirling with questions recently. How should we serve? Should we serve at all? Are we the type of people God is calling at this moment for this task? Are we spiritually mature enough? Am I worthy of what God is calling me to do? When we ask these and other doubt-filled questions, we are typically reflecting through the lens of our mistakes, limitations, and the belief that we must be spotless before God will use us. But ultimately, when we ask ourselves if we are worthy of what God is calling us to do, we are questioning His plan for us. In voicing these questions to God, each other, friends, family, and new church family and mentors alike over the past few months, we have consistently been met with a similar answer. God wants to use (all of) us exactly where we are at right now. Yet, we find ourselves resisting God’s plan nonetheless. Understanding Our Resistance To understand the resistance we feel, we must start by recognizing two truths: God’s plan and the enemy’s. You see, those questions I listed above are rooted in our enemy’s mindset, not God’s. They are questions that doubt God’s plan and purpose. They cause us to hesitate instead of acting on faith that He has us exactly where we are supposed to be to further His mission. The enemy has two goals: to keep us from God and to sabotage His work. But God’s plan is greater than anything we could ever imagine. It is our job to respond to His love for us with obedience. We have to trust that it is He plans to use us in our imperfect state to carry out His perfect mission. God’s love wants to reach everyone so He uses all of us to fulfill that mission. You have been gifted a unique ability based on exactly where you are in your life to do God’s work. He already has the plan. You just have to answer the call. This can be scary. We are required to set aside our fears, doubts, and insecurities. It calls us to trust in Him by setting aside our plans and visions. It calls us to trust in something we cannot always see or understand. How Do We Overcome This? This naturally leads to questions about how we can overcome our doubts and resistance. But, fortunately, God has outlined this for us too. We can also use the armor of God, which includes the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, the sword of the spirit (the Word of God), and prayer (Ephesians 6: 10-18). During Nate’s message on the Bible, he reminded us that the enemy is not the flesh and blood, including ourselves; it is the devil. By adorning the armor that God created for us, we can equip ourselves in the way God knew we would need. The Word of God, scripture, is key to understanding our armor. It is the basis and foundation of our faith, revealing God’s plan. Specifically, by using prayer, we begin to strengthen our relationship with God. He wants a personal relationship with every one of us. Through faithful prayer, we further understand God’s purpose for us. We can also talk to fellow believers who are going to understand our doubts and remind us of God’s love for us and how to trust His plan. The Village offers opportunities to do this: Connect in a Lifegroup, experience Rooted, find a place to serve others, work through a discipleship study where you learn how to tell others about Jesus or get involved in other events the church offers. Take action because you are worthy of the call. If you need help taking that next step or have questions, email The Village.