Blog #7: Christianity has Stopped with Me

Christianity has stopped with me. Don’t misunderstand me when I say that because Christianity is still alive with in me, but my willingness to be open and share my faith with those around me has stopped. This past week has been full of stress and business and what stands out the most to me is how shocked I was upon starting school last week. Since I got saved during the end of the spring semester I’ve spent a lot of time during the summer around believers and barely any time “living in the world” if that makes sense. Outside of my job, I didn’t come into contact with many people who have very different beliefs than my own. Upon starting school this week, I was surprised. Not only does it seem that my eyes have been open to the sinful nature of those around me, but also my own. Along with this, I’ve been reading Genesis and for a while I thought that I was Joseph in the story. I thought that I was the victim. Turns out, in my life I’ve been doing nothing but silencing Jesus and selling Him out to the world. That’s what I mean by Christianity stopping with me. I’m not sharing my faith as much as I should with other people and I’m not outwardly living a life that makes it clear to the people around me that I’m living for Him. That’s a sobering reality. It’s especially sobering because I’m pretty passionate about male culture and the lack of boldness and strength that is within. Men in our current society are too afraid to speak up for what they believe in, they’re too soft. Turns out, I’ve been projecting my own issues this entire time. Maybe you’re not someone who struggles with boldness and openness as much as I have but we all have our struggles. I’ve learned I have to dedicate myself to do to what the Bible calls me to do and depend on God for the rest.

So when it comes to reading Genesis, I am the brothers of Joseph. My sin put Him on the cross and I sold Him out of my life, I let others mock His name and His word around me and meanwhile I sit in silence. For those who don’t know the story, Joseph ends up becoming very powerful in the land of Egypt and he gains great favor with Pharaoh. Joseph then begins to test his brothers when they show up in Egypt to see if they have changed before.

I’m just now realizing that I walked myself into a trap. I was focusing too much on the negative aspects of Joseph’s brothers that I forgot about the fact that they passed Joseph’s tests. Joseph specifically tested them to see if they would betray him again but they passed. I’ve focused so much on the negative comparisons that I’ve forgotten about the mercy Joseph showed his brothers in Genesis and how it greatly benefited them. As Joseph says in Genesis 50:20-

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

I have no idea what the blessing and goodness looks like in my life but I’m here for the ride and I’m excited to see what comes in this next season of life that I’m entering. That’s all the time I have for a life update for you. Until next time. Always remember Jesus’s sacrifice, and be sure to honor God in everything you enter, can, say, wish, will, want, remember do, pray, tell, think, or believe and choose the narrow gate.

Biblical Foundations:

The book of Genesis

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16)

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

“And the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14)