INSPIRED OR INSPIRING?
INSPIRED BY OTHERS
Jesus promised those of us who believe in Him and follow Him an Abundant Life – a life that is full, amazing, and beyond what our human minds can ever imagine. One of the things we all have in common is that we would like to experience all of the blessings and the good things God has in store for each one of us. This kind of life is within reach of each one of us. It does, however, require some effort on our part.
Among the many instructions God gives us, one of the most underrated parts of living a fruitful and amazing life as a Follower of Jesus is to surround ourselves with others who are on this journey with us. We all need people in our lives who will encourage us, challenge us, and at times push us to go beyond what we think we can do and where we can go.
So if the people we hang out with are constantly criticizing, discouraging, and casting doubt on our life of faith, then maybe we need some new friends. The Bible tells us that we tend to become like the people with whom we closely associate (1 Cor. 15:33). Because we are all human beings with human temptations, it is easy to be distracted and pulled off course by those who may not appreciate our pursuit of following Jesus.
BE AN INSPIRATIONAL PERSON
Not only do we need inspiration in our faith journey, but so do those around us who are traveling with us. Your life and your words of faith just might be exactly what someone else needs to get through their situation. You might think that, because of your challenging situation, you have nothing to offer someone else, but the fact that you are struggling with your faith is often encouraging to other fellow strugglers. Remember, we’re all in this together. That’s what the Church Family does – we encourage each other, we challenge each other, and we inspire each other to stay in the race and to not give up.
This is a perfect example of what Jesus meant when He called us The Salt & Light of the World.
As we move forward into this Christmas Season, choose to be an inspiration and encouragement to someone who needs the light and hope of Jesus Christ.
-Pastor Vern
