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Everyday Christians are facing different battles in different aspects of their lives--- in families, workplace, churches, and many other things. Life’s struggles of different kinds are normally encountered in their journey. None are exempted from all of these. These are all allowed by God in the lives of His children in order to test every believer’s faith on how he will continue to live a life that glorifies God despite the difficulties. And these too purposely teach us all that the only way to overcome all of these is through the help of our Lord Jesus. God has given us an affirmation in John 16:33 which says, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
When I was young, I remember my mother asking me about what my dreams are. I just simply answered her that it is to be a teacher and to be successful in life. Being young by that time, I just dreamed about financial and material blessings. I had same thoughts when I was in college. My focus back then was just on earthly treasures and not on heavenly things. Until one day, my classmate invited me to attend a Bible Study in school. And from then on, as I continued to observe, I have came to an understanding about the real essence of being a true worshipper of God and that has been a starting point for me to draw near to God and surrender my life to Him.
I am grateful to God for bringing me here in the Middle East not just to fulfill my dreams, to help my family but to find the real meaning of being successful and that is by being able to serve the true God, none other than our Lord Jesus Christ. Now that I am serving Him, was baptized in water in His Name, and baptized in the Holy Ghost, I learned that the ones who are living their lives glorifying our Lord Jesus Christ are the only ones to be considered successful in life. Words are not enough to describe how blessed we are if we totally commit and submit our lives to Him. Truly in Christ alone we’ll find the assurance of our salvation that lead us to eternal life.
The ultimate reason why we live is to glorify God. We should be identified as a true worshipper of the living God with a strong foundation of faith that can’t be shaken no matter how the enemy attack us. Who will be standing against us when we have a powerful God in our lives? Romans 8:31 says, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” This is the real definition of success--- definitely not a man that has accomplished a high education nor has tons of money but rather a man who has lived his life that glorifies God, someone who’s focused on heavenly things, and someone who’s looking forward to God’s Kingdom and His promises.
In the world we live today, all are busy enjoying worldly things which obviously poison their souls by the tactics of the enemy, and thus if they continue to live in sin, it will lead them to eternal damnation. Mark 8:36 says, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” It’s a call to separate ourselves from the system of this world as stated in Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
So, let us now make up our minds to live a life that exalts God. We should live a life of gratefulness for in Him we have found everything we need in life. And whatever battle we are facing right now, let us make sure that we’ll continue to be strong in the Lord. Let us put our full confidence in Him that this test will soon turn into a testimony that will ignite someone else faith. Let’s worship Him louder in Spirit and in truth in the midst of our trials and tribulations. This world may reject us but remember, God will be forever faithful to us. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He never changes and there’s none who can be compared to Him. It’s only Him who can give us the satisfaction, the only One who can fill the emptiness in our being.
Let us anchor our hearts in God, not to base our faith on emotions. Let us be like a tree that’s standing strong even after the sand beneath was washed out. Why? It’s because its roots are so deep. Let it be a reminder to us of what our relationship with Jesus should be like. As we go through storms in life, we will still stand because we are firmly planted in God’s mighty presence. Let us always glorify Him, strive to grow our roots deep into His word, in truth and love. Let God moves in our every day life and just let go and surrender everything to Him. 1 Chronicles 16:24 says, “Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvelous works among all nations.”
All glory, honor, and praises belong to our God alone! God bless us all!
