Category: welcome

In Pursuit of the “Good Life”

The “good life”…

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My “good life”

How would you define it? To have the “good life” do you need more money, power, and influence…or do need comfort and ease…peace and quiet?  I am definitely more of a “peace and comfort” type when it comes to pursuing my “good life”.

No matter where you find yourself between these two extremes, the reality is that we are all pursuing something in our desire to have a “good life”.

Would it surprise you to know that God wants us to pursue things… “with intense effort and with definite purpose or goal.”[1] Let’s look below at what God says about pursuing through the New Testament writers.

… pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. Romans 14:19

…pursue hospitality.   Romans 12:13 net

Pursue love…  1 Corinthians 14:1

…pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.  1 Timothy 6:11

Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.                                                                                                                                                           Hebrews 12:14

He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace and pursue it.  1 Peter 3:11

So if you were making a list. You would need to include:

love, peace, faith, righteousness, godliness, sanctification,

 building up one another, perseverance and gentleness

…hospitality.

Does anything on the list surprise you? You might have expected the commands to pursue love, peace, and faith. But what about hospitality? Does pursuing a godly “good life”mean I need to pursue hospitality?

If you have been reading my blog lately you will have read of my struggles with hospitality (Welcome Stranger) and lessons I am learning about hospitality and love (Learning to love like that…). I think we need to view hospitality as the open door for us to pursue the things of God.

Such as peace with our enemies…

But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Romans 12:20

to build up another in need of encouragement…

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.Ephesians 4:29

to show gentleness to one in need…

Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.Galatians 6:1-2

to have our own faith strengthened.

…that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine. Romans 1:12

Make today the day you to pursue hospitality as you pursue the things of God.

[1] Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 662). New York: United Bible Societies.

I will not be afraid…I will not be afraid

When asked about your faith–do you freeze, mouth go dry, or get the “deer in the headlight” look?  I have.  f3e0099805fa93c6a9e6943554010daeBy now you probably get the idea that I am not great at thinking on my feet when it comes to storytelling.  I am working on it. As Peter wrote we should always be ready to give an account for the hope we have within (1 Peter 3:15).  Scary stuff!

I have decided the way to be ready is to prepare in advance…starting with my heart.  I must honor Christ as Lord in my heart and leave no room for fear or intimation (1 Peter 3:14-15). Or as Paul puts it let the peace of Christ rule in my heart (Colossians 3:15)…The peace that Jesus promises in John 14:27…My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

Next I have realized I need to think about it in advance…engage my mind before I am asked. I need to spend some time remembering God’s work in my life…remembering the events of the past. This is something that I am not in the habit of doing.  I am more of a ‘press on’ kind of a girl.  Yet it is the past that can help prepare me to ‘press on’ and encourage others to do the same.  I have found some tips to help me remember my stories–

1. story prompts–some phrases to get my mind going*

2. life time line–marking out life events

3. daily reflection–stop and think back through the day

As well as, remembering, I have come to understand I need to become  the “author” of my stories and write them down.  They don’t need to be long…I am beginning to jot down a few sentences about the experience, God’s work in it and what I learned from it.

Once I have my heart right with God, my mind engaged-remembering—at least long enough to write it down…now I need to do one more thing to be ready to tell the story of God’s work in my life.  I need to perform an attitude check.

As Peter said…give an account for the hope within you yet with gentleness and reverence, and keep a good conscience…(1 Peter 3:15-16)

I must speak having a spirit of gentleness and out of reverence to God. I must keep a good conscience before God.  What I share must in no way be used to “trash” others, promote self, but always and only glorify God.  I must remember to keep God the main character not an after thought.

I hope you will join me in preparing to share the work of God in your life, so that we can our faith and bring glory to God.

 *I have included some prompts to help with your story telling in the resource section. Check them out and join me in remembering and writing today!