IS ALL THAT REALLY NECESSARY?

I was sitting on the couch when I started thinking and I remembered when I first met Jesus.

I remember that I was 14 years old, ever since I met Him the only thing I wanted to do was be in Church. I forgot everything and everyone. My mother would give me chores to do at home, but I didn’t do them, all I wanted was to be in Church all day.

The end of the school year was approaching and I had my final exams, I wasn’t worried at all I thought everything would work out by itself.

It’s amazing the lack of wisdom one can have and how blind someone can be.

I always liked to make people happy and would do whatever it took for that to happen.

Even though I wasn’t going to school frequently I thought that everything will work out great now that I was of God, had faith, and with Jesus anything was possible. I thought He would help me get good grades.

 

I thought that even if I didn’t study everything would be easy, after all I was very dedicated at Church. I was completely wrong!

I remember the day of the test I was frightened and I prayed for God to help me get a good grade, which obviously didn’t happen. Today, when I remember this I laugh, but at the same time it’s worrisome because that’s how many people think.

Today as a mother I pray to God daily to protect my daughters, but at the same time I’m aware that everything in life requires sacrifice. Nothing is for free if we want something we must work for it. If back then I would’ve dedicated myself to my studies I would’ve gotten excellent grades. But because of my negligence I ended up having to face the consequences.

Today many young people think: I believe in God, He can do everything for me, I will overcome no matter what! That’s wrong! We have to do our part, sacrifice daily, it can even be tiresome, but if we do our best with God’s direction we’ll have happy results in the future.

If you have a partnership with God, you will obtain wonderful results. For example, if you’re a student you will make your mother very proud if you get excellent grades and even more if you have God’s character. Everything in life requires sacrifice, in order to receive a miracle it’s not enough to pray and fast, you must give your all! It requires our dedication daily, to completely surrender ourselves to God.

 

All that is mine for all that belongs to God, how glorious! But, we have to leave our own will, our desires, our grievances on the altar. Everything means everything! It means no negotiation and no returns.

 

God doesn’t only want part of our life, He wants it all. Jesus didn’t give part of His life for us on the Cross, He gave himself entirely. The Word of God says: "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13).

Sometimes we need to go through difficulties in order to give ourselves entirely to God.

 

When you give yourself entirely it means that you will not only seek the blessings, but are willing to obey and sacrifice, to receive all of God, for all that is yours.

Meditate on this.

Claudia Brito

Auckland – New Zealand