“I know if You wanted to You could wave Your hand, Spare me this heartache, and change Your plan;
And I know any second You could take my pain away, But even if You don’t, I pray… Help me want you Jesus, more than anything.” – Lyrics of ‘More than anything’ by Natalie Grant
I once heard a pastor say that the day you decided to become a Christian, is the day you signed up to live a life filled with troubles. That really bothered me but as I’ve grown in my Christian walk, I’ve come to realize that it is through hard times that God is able to test our faith and help us grow. But even if you aren’t a believer, as long as you’re breathing, there will be good days and there will be bad days. If everything always went well, how would you ever know how strong your faith in Christ is and how strong you are as a person? Just as you are tested at the end of a class, or at the end of every Candy Crush level you will continually be tested in life and each test will probably increase in difficulty to push you to the next level. And if Jesus himself was tested in the desert, throughout his ministry and on the road to Calvary, why would we not be?
This post is actually inspired by a comment I saw on Instagram a while back: a minister posted about the benefits of waiting until marriage to engage in sexual relations and this was someone’s reply:
I was married and became pregnant. My son died and as a result, my husband and I separated. He went on and had a baby out of wedlock and that baby is healthy, and their relationship is going strong. So stop telling people that being married is the right way. I did it God’s way and got nothing in return.
My heart truly broke for this woman for more than one reason. Not only did she suffer the loss of a child, but her relationship also crumbled as a result. Then to add insult to injury, she is witnessing her ex-husband moving on with his life happily ever after while she is left sulking in her misery all alone. It is obvious that she is still grieving and I pray that God restores her joy and happiness.
With that said, the message I want to share today is that following God’s commands does NOT guarantee that bad things won’t happen to you. Jesus himself followed his Father’s commands perfectly and still was unjustly hung to a cross. How we deal with less than favorable circumstances only reveals the depth of our trust in God. Surely the Lord was a good God when you got promoted, or got married and easily became pregnant, bought a house and a brand new car. But do you still see Him as an awesome God when your loved one dies, when you marriage fails, when you lose your job, or when you are betrayed by your best friend? God is never the cause of our misfortunes so we must get out of the habit of blaming him and His Word when bad things occur.
One thing’s for sure about the God I believe in is that He is unchanging, constant in all His ways, all powerful all loving and all knowing. His love for us does not depend on our good deeds for it is only by grace that we get to experience the joys of being an heir to His Divine Kingdom. Therefore our love for Him should not depend on whether or not life is good. We want God to change our circumstances, but He on the other hand uses our circumstances to change us into the best version of ourselves. Will you still trust Him when He allows pain in your life?
No matter what alternative facts society has coerced you into believing, His truth always remains just that: TRUTH. God’s commandments do not get updated to adjust to society’s new norms. If 2000 years ago He said thou shalt not commit adultery, or that fornication is a sin, guess what? That still stands today. Yes, our hearts can be broken even when we follow His will but we can rest assured that He will never leave or forsake us. He only asks that we believe that He will carry us through no matter how dark our current season may seem. So the choice is yours: Will you believe or will you doubt in the dark what God has shown you in the light?
This dress is a perfect option for Easter, and without the turtleneck underneath, it will be a nice strapless summer dress for a Sunday brunch. Considering how chilly it still is, layering with lightweight sweaters and turtlenecks in fun pastel colors will not only keep you warm but will still keep the spring vibes in the air.
OUTFIT DETAILS
ANN TAYLOR dress (Shop options here) // JCREW tissue turtleneck // ALDO booties (shop options here) // H&M bag (old) // HM x BALMAIN jacket (sold out)
Happy Easter to you all 🙂
