On one hand, Christianity is highly glamorized: we're all obsessed with idea of Christianity as cute Bible verses, Hillsong lyrics and Bible journaling, but that's just not an authentic peek into the real life of a real Christian. Of course, we can have all three of those things (I know I do!), but it's just so much more than that. It's beautiful, freeing, fulfilling...yes, but it's also hard sometimes. Living life for Jesus is not always a walk in the park. ... and I've definitely learned that lesson recently. I've experienced the typical teasing and behind-your-back-talking of high school (Read more here), but I never thought I would lose a friend over my faith. And it's not even that they were just a school friend, an acquaintance, or someone who I hung out with a few times, they were one of my very best friends... one of 10 years. They were someone I told all my secrets to, someone who I always trusted. As time went on and we grew older, I was met with some pretty hard circumstances, and that's when I turned to the Lord. (Read more about my story here) From then on, I just grew closer and closer to Him, and farther and farther away from my friend. It wasn't that I chose to stop contacting them, but we were just slowly drifting away, and I didn't know why. We tried to salvage it a few times...promises were always made, but none were kept. We drifted farther away, however I still maintained my relationship with Jesus, and it only got stronger. Much time went by, about a year, and I started sensing something seriously wasn't right in our friendship. I didn't really know what it was, but I knew it was something. We still weren't talking, but I ended up finding out that they were uncomfortable with how much I talked about and prioritized my relationship with God, and they felt that I was trying to change who they were as a person. Obviously, they don't have the same beliefs as me, and I certainly wasn't trying to change them, but I understand why they might've felt that way. Nonetheless, I was crushed... they didn't want to be my friend anymore. I was crying for days, but at one point, I heard the Lord tell me that it was his plan for me. I heard Him remind me that I shouldn't keep people in my life who want to pull me away from Him or that don't encourage me to pursue Him. It was a reminder that He is all I need. (John 14:8) The whole situation not only reminded me of that, but God also opened my eyes to the hard truth of what life would be like for me, and what it is like for all Christians. We're counter-cultural. We don't buy into the lies of the media that are instituted by the devil. We live life set apart, making our every decision by the Word of God... checking with Him to know if what we're hearing lines up with His will for us. We don't believe in the things the world believes... and the world doesn't like that. They put labels on us, saying we're hateful. A lot of the time, we're demonized, persecuted for being different and choosing to live "the old-fashioned" way. "Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name." |
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About the Author
Hi! I'm Angie! I'm a college student, worship leader, pro-life advocate, future teacher, youth ministry intern, and above all else, follower of Jesus Christ. I would love to get to know you!
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