A call to holy living

I am broken hearted today -- broken hearted for the unbelieving people around me. I know that I have mentioned them to you many times before, but it seems now more than ever, things are getting out of control. The enemy is definitely protecting his territory and turning his own against each other. There is so much bitterness, hatred, unforgiveness, slander and gossip plaguing this community, all masked under a facade of camaraderie. It shouldn't surprise me really, but it does break my heart that they live this way. I have been praying for them fervently that they would come to know Jesus Christ. I even bought books this summer on becoming a contagious Christian and how to better share my faith! But things just seem to keep going downhill. I'm not sure what to think or what to do about all this, but I know I have to keep bringing it all to God and let Him work things out in His way and in His time.

Recently God has been emphasizing to me just how important His Word is to a person's salvation (of course I know that it is the Holy Spirit that moves a person to repentance, but God has been showing me this new insight as well). I have wrestled with this because I know that these people I am around are not hearing or reading God's Word. And knowing that "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17), I wonder how will they ever hear? How will they come to faith? I've prayed and asked God these questions. His answer? Me. I am to be the Word of God lived out for them. At first I was confused by this because a few months ago I felt as if God was not going to use me to witness to them. There never seemed to be any opportunities to share the gospel with them and they certainly weren't beating down my door asking questions or longing to go to church with me! I felt as if my light was a faint spark in a very dark world. Just when I thought the spark was about to extinguish, God rekindled the flame and dawned a new light into my spirit. This is the Word that He gave to me, "Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord." (Hebrews 12:14). That's when I realized how God wanted me to be the living Word for them. He was calling me to a new level of living; to a life that was holy(and wholly) above and beyond what I was already living. That was not an easy thing to take in. I asked God "Don't I already do that? What more do you want from me? I'm doing the best that I can!!" After several quiet times, His answer came to me in more than one way.

"Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody." - Romans 12:17
"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity." - Colossians 4:5
"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders."- 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 and
"Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." - 1 Peter 2:12

Needless to say I was blown away! I could no longer deny what God was asking of me. I have to step it up a notch. If that is what God is asking of me, regardless of the difficulty, I am willing to do it. Of course, it took some time for me to absorb all this and what it all means. But this is the conclusion I've come to: I've wanted to be a light to the lost people around me for the last year but have not had much success. However, I'm learning that I have to be salt to them before I can be light. In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus tells his listeners to be salt first and then light. What does salt do? It makes people thirsty. I have to make people thirsty with my life so that they will want what I have. I have to live a holy life so that they can see God.

I'm still brokenhearted for these people, but not as discouraged now. I know that God is going to do an amazing thing for all of us and through it all He will be glorified! What more could you ask for?