Southland Students - Wednesday
Romans 8:12-13
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. (NIV)
I played soccer for fifteen years, so when it came time for my senior year, I was ecstatic. I had been playing with the same group of teammates for seven years. We weren’t all best friends, but we still spent a good amount of time together off the field since we were a strong group of players on the field. About a month into the season, I got some difficult news. All the seniors, except me, had planned a sleepover together before we kicked off the season. Why wasn’t I invited? Because they all knew I wouldn’t participate in what was supposed to happen that night. Whether or not they ended up having that sleepover, I don’t know, but it hurt to find out that I’d been excluded from the plan because of my values. As much as I wished I had been included, I wasn’t going to compromise what I believed. I stood firm in my faith and knew that God had bigger plans for me.
Sometimes in life, it’s hard to see past the temptations of the world. However, one of the most reassuring things is that pleasing God is far more worth it than pleasing the world. In fact, it’s impossible to please the world. You are constantly chasing an image that changes daily. God is consistent and unchanging. He accepts all of us for who we are, even in our lowest moments when the world would sit back in judgment. God doesn’t tell us to come to Him already “fixed,” but to bring ourselves to Him just as we are so that He can transform us.
In Romans 8:13, we are promised that if we put aside the desires of the body through the power we have from the Holy Spirit, we will experience real life and freedom here on earth and have eternal life with Christ. Remembering this truth and our identity in Christ gives us the confidence to stand strong in the face of temptation. So in moments when I feel the pressure to conform so I’ll be accepted by the world around me, I’ve found myself saying this: Jesus already loves and accepts me for who I am, and He celebrates when I choose Him over the world. Here rests my confidence.
Wednesday’s Reflection
Take time to write a phrase that you can say to yourself as a reminder of the strength God gives you and your identity in Him. Then pray and ask God for the confidence you need in order to stand strong in your faith in front of the world.