Christian Living

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The title was "10 Things You Can Do to Finish Strong, and Focus Forward" by Brian Holmes. (http://www.brianholmes.com/065) Brian Holmes is one of my favorite bloggers and he always has something good to say. He gives practical information blended with his faith and I always come away with something good from his blogs and podcast.

What struck me most about the 10 things he listed, though all were good, was number 4. It states as follows. Be ruthless with unbelief and negativity. Personally I believe this should be number 1. It is the beginning of what it will take to achieve any of the other 9 things on the list.

It's usually the renewing of the mind that gets us to a point were we first have an understanding that we need to change and secondly believe we can change. From a young age we are bombarded with negativity. We are cheered on for performance and scoured at for causing trouble. Commercial telling us we are to fat or to bald. Or we need a certain medicine to get better even though the side effects could be worse than the sickness. We are told we aren't good enough for this or that. And some of us hear of this God that is angry at us and unless we meet His expectations, we will burn in hell. Society tell us we need to make a certain amount of money or have a certain amount of Facebook friends to be acceptable. We need to be working for major corporation or have a special degree to be accepted in premier circles.

It's a constant bludgeoning of darkness that fills our minds to the point that we don't and can't have a clear picture of who God created us to be. And to the masses of the followers of Christ this extravagant season of Christmas is an emotional burden. Its not just the gifts we must buy or the shopping we have to engage in but it's the pressure of following the worlds system of Christmas. As followers of Christ, we are not designed to adhere to the customs of this world. And when we do, it takes it toll on us, chipping away at the reality of the true Christmas.

Christ birth was the fulfillment of the hope that so many had been waiting for and never saw it come to pass. And yet we live in the fulfillment of it all and most of us let it pass without deeply celebrating the true story. Hope was born on this day.

A few weeks ago I was asked, "Why do still read the bible, blogs and self-development books?" This someone has seen my life's failures in the last 14 years and it seems to them that nothing has changed, for the good, in my life and in me. It was a valid question. As an outsider, I can see the view they have of me and my life. And quite honestly I couldn't answer the question. Until now.

It is because I now realize the strength in hope. Before following Christ, I had no hope. My life was a total train wreck in motion, in my emotions. I was raised in a completely un-Godly environment. Several alcoholics in the extended family, I had addictions, totally self-righteous, couldn't make friends, sexually assaulted, first son died, divorced, no real career and the strong belief God was against me. Suicidal thoughts often danced in my head and heart. A broken life and broken dreams persuaded me I had no real reason to live and had no real purpose in life. Unbeif and negativity were ruthless to me. I know I would not be alive if I didn't have the two wonderful kids I have today.

Though my life has been a series of failures, I still read because I have hope (Hebrew def of hope: a primary word (to anticipate, usually with pleasure); expectation (abstract or concrete) or confidence) in Christ. I have hope He isn't done with me. I have hope He will make me who I ought to be. I have hope in the plans He has for me and I decided a long time ago that I would give Him ten, fifteen, twenty years of my life to prepare me for the work He has called me to do. Yes, I have momentarily lost hope but the longer I follow Christ the shorter the span of lost hope.

I continue to read the bible, blogs and self-development books because of hope.

This is Christmas to me. The foretold promise of hope has come to pass and I am living in it therefor I will nurture and express it in my life.

Christ has slowly changed my unbelief to belief for the impossible and my negativity into a positive outlook for this life and the next. He is my hope. He is Hope to me.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a mighty dose of Hope.

Andy

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