For the Glory

There are moments in life that we carry with us forever. There are times when Christ speaks so clearly and so directly into our spirits and souls that his very light shines forth in brilliant glory. There are issues, we have struggled with perhaps for some time that, though we pray and we seek his will we can’t seem to find resolution in our souls. There comes a time when the earnest seeker will have their prayers answered and their issues relinquished for the Glory of Christ. I have been blessed by God. Throughout my life, I have struggled with discouragement. I believe the nature of this discouragement has been a direct attack on the heart that God has put inside of me. Still, to me the discouragement was real. Though I sought God, I wasn’t willing to give up my discouragement, and instead simply pushed harder to reach goals that I believed would lead to my fulfillment. I told myself, if I was only in better shape, perhaps if I could make more money, and then I could get a beautiful wife, and in that place I would find contentment. I told myself that if my checklist of items I perceived as being necessary for happiness were only completed, than of coarse I would find my fulfillment. Now I can see the nature of the lie. Now I can see that it is in this very moment, when the Spirit of God moves my soul that my satisfaction and fulfillment is found. I feel truly complete, here, now, for the first time ever. I see that I lack nothing, but have gained everything through Christ who strengthens me. I seek not to run from the world, or to hide, but to rise with him who gave me life. I am not claiming perfection, just completion in Christ. I am not claiming to be struggle free, only knowing that through trials and perseverance a greater Good lives and becomes complete both in me and and through Christ in others whom I have and will meet. I see that I am blessed by God, and that this moment with him, this very second is all I have. He is my satisfaction, he is my Love, and his Glory shines brilliantly before the eyes of my heart. I see now that my struggle was both vain and disobedient to Christ in me. It took a week of vacation, of prayer and patience and some fasting for God to work this out, but now through his perfect will he has made himself known to me again. God works through all situations. I have met people on this trip, who have, through their words and ultimately the Spirit of God moving in them, profoundly influenced the perception of my mind, and the nature of my heart. I guess you could say that God used people I met, to both encourage and uplift me, in a time when my struggles seemed so close to home. I believed I was living in lack, but I woke up in a moment to recognize that Christ shines on me, and on all of us, and that my lack was my own unwillingness to surrender to the will of God. Here is my declaration of surrender. To those friends I met and carry with me, who channeled Christ through their words and actions, I offer and sincere thanks. Though our time together was short lived, I know that we move in one direction, and whether or not we meet again on earth, I am assured that we will be together in the end. To my family and friends back home I offer my thanks, in that I realize now more than ever that the roots of a family in Christ are deep indeed, and that as I approach adulthood I am more willing than ever to proclaim that the love and encouragement of my God and my family has been a strong fortress that has carried me through some hard times. I love you all, not that I have love to give, but that God loves us so deeply and completely that it pours out in of his children in abundance. I no longer want to do things alone. I know it may seem hard to understand at first, as we have but our body, but I can see now that Christ is real, and that if I am willing he will walk with me in every moment of my life....and in some carry me. So, I see now that when I date a woman, he will be right there to give me advice. I can see now that when I go running in the park, he will run with me. I can understand now that when I write he writes with me, and in some cases gives me the words to say. I believe before I was attempting to do things on my own. When I would write, in some cases it was as an offering. Now I write not to offer God anything, as I am truly empty handed, but because he writes with me and offers his Glory unto himself. I can see now, that when I sleep, in him I slumber. I can see now, that when I build a new friendship, he befriends the person too. I understand now, that when I sit down and eat dinner, and say a prayer to the Lord in thanks, that Christ eats with me, and that Christ offers thanks to God also. I can see now, that Christ is with me, that he was always with me, and that he will always be with me in whatever situation I find myself in, in life. So, now that my vision has been restored, and I am eye to eye with him who loves my soul, I say to him, no longer will I walk alone. I thank Christ for his friendship, and for his Love. I thank him for his patience with me, and for walking with me and helping me even when I sought to go at life alone. So now, I move forward, but the difference is I am not alone, and I will never be alone again. I can see now him who lives inside of me is greater than I, and that his strength and power will accomplish what I never could have. So lets move, for the time is now. His grace is sufficient for my Soul. Shout to the Lord, for his Glory shines forth. Praise him who moves my soul. Praise God for he has upheld my spirit and made himself known. I will serve and honor God with my life. I will seek him in every moment, and may he in his power be the one to fulfill this proclamation in me. Because I know that he will see his Glory through. Amen