Our Greatest Gift in Life

I know for me growing up, Christmas was my favorite time of the year. I loved getting presents, but my favorite part of it all was making presents or buying presents for my loved ones. I have always been the type that enjoys buying gifts for other people. There is just something about the smile on their face and the twinkle in their eyes when they open a gift that you got them. It makes you feel warm and cozy. It makes you feel loved. It makes you feel happy. It makes you feel honored. It makes you feel good knowing that they enjoy the gift you gave them. I am reading a book currently called "JESUS PURE & SIMPLE" by Wayne Cordeiro. He states this in his book, "Jesus is where we will find our greatest value, and sometimes the Lord will nudge us to get rid of unnecessary baggage: time-consuming behaviors, self-defeating perceptions, relationship-destroying attitudes, and greed-building habits". If you're reading this blog, I hope you have read my testimony, but if not that's okay too. You see, I had baggage. I had things in my life that were encouraging me to walk in the flesh instead of walking with God. There were people in my life that encouraged behaviors that were not Godly, and I allowed myself to act in a fleshly manner. There were boys who made me think that I owed them my body for their love. There were boys who said, "Sex before marriage isn't a big deal, I can't be with someone unless they have sex with me and fulfill my wants and needs". There were people who made me feel like I was unloveable and I acted upon those thoughts by believing them and living life agreeing with them. It wasn't until I fully committed my life to God that I understood this: The Devil places people, thoughts, and circumstances in our lives that make us run from God and run to him. The Devil placed people in my life that encouraged less church and more drinking. The Devil placed boys in my life that encouraged sinful behaviors and less obedience to God's commandments. It's not easy giving up the flesh to live in the Spirit. It's hard losing friends. Losing boyfriends. Losing the old habits you once had. But here is the good news. Once you start living in the Spirit and make the choice that you don't want to continue to disobey God and live in a world full of disappointment, sadness, and fear, and you want to walk with Jesus who gives you hope, peace, joy, and love, you don't even have to make the choice to eliminate those relationships, friendships, and bad behaviors. The closer you grow to God, the less you desire the things of the flesh. You see when I decided to commit to God, I didn't have to make the choice to lose those friendships, because those people made the choice to leave them on their own. When I no longer wanted to drink, go out, and have fun, I was no longer an interest to them. When I no longer wanted to give myself to someone outside of marriage, I was no longer an interest to them. You see God reveals your true friends to you without you having to even make a decision. He makes it easy for you. God does all that because he loves you and wants you to allow him into your life. Remember how I said I loved Christmas because I loved giving gifts and seeing people's reactions to opening them. Every time you decide to follow Jesus, he has that same reaction. He is excited to see his child open up and receive the FREE gift of Salvation. Salvation is a free gift God has given to all his children, all we have to do is accept it and open it up. You see a lot of people don't want to leave the flesh behind because there is this stigma that being a Christian is "boring", but when I tell you that it is truly the furthest thing from boring you will experience, I am telling the truth. Being a Christian was the best decision I ever decided to make. Salvation was the best gift I have ever decided to receive. God is good. He loves you. He wants to know you. He wants to give you a gift. All you have to do is accept it, believe in Him, trust in Him, and obey him. I guarantee your best day living in the flesh is nothing compared to your first day and every day thereafter living with God. I pray every person reading this who does not know God reads this and finds hope. I pray that every person reading this allows God to give you a gift. I pray for you to allow him to rejoice in the acceptance of the free gift he has given you, His child.