Last year we did a page titled "Without Christ". It was a page looking at what I would be had God never reached out to me and helped me to see that I desperately needed Him. At the same time I looked at the other side of that equation which is what I have "With Christ". My friend, Megan, will tell you that I always like to do two pages. I don't know why but it seems out of balance when I only do one and this time I felt even more strongly because of the subject matter. We need to see what we are because we are IN Christ not only what we would have been if we didn't have Him.
One of the first things that comes to mind if you ask me how my life has changed WITH CHRIST is that I have a purpose that transcends this earth. My purpose before I accepted Christ was to live my life, get married, have kids, have a fulfilling job, help others, get an education, blah, blah, blah. All good things but all things that are at risk of loss and failure. If my purpose is to be a good wife and I fail than what am I. If I put all my worth into being a good employee and I get laid off than where does that leave me. God has so much more planned for me! He desires for my purpose to be to serve Him, to glorify Him, to fulfill the kingdom work He has planned for me. I have to seek Him each day and desire to follow Him. He knows I am going to fail sometimes but He has a purpose in that too. He gives me my purpose not this world.
With Christ I have hope! He gives me hope that I often cannot understand. If I know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28) I can trust that things are going to work out. Maybe not the way that I want them to work out but definitely in a way that will glorify Him and be beneficial for His kingdom work. I trust Him and He gives me hope!
With Christ I have the opportunity to participate in His kingdom work. It is glorious to see Him working through you as you are obedient to His leading. I could never imagine before I began to follow the Lord how amazing it is to know that He is using you for the good of His kingdom and see people transformed, see people come to know Him, see Him working in your life and the lives of others. Glory be to God!!
I have the opportunity to gain wisdom and guidance from the Lord through the Holy Spirit. Consider this.. God created the world and everything in it. He is all powerful and all knowing. He knows what has happened, what will happen and what could happen. He knows everything and if we ask he will give us the wisdom we need to make decisions, to parent our children, to be the wife that our husbands need, to take care of our parents, to live our lives to the fullest.
James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
Consider the ways you are blessed because you have Christ. Do you have Christ? Do you believe in Him but have not spent any time getting to know Him, relying on Him, trusting Him and praising Him? He wants you to know Him not just believe He exist. "You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror". James 2:19. Just believing there is a God is not enough for salvation. You must follow Him.
I pray that you will desire to know the God of creation and that you will desire to follow Him and obey Him. I pray that you would know the joy that comes from truly seeking the Lord and His will for your life. So many blessing come from being WITH Him.
