Everybody Aint Goin To Hell

We all make mistakes but there are so many young people I know (like my dear Rae Rae) who are actually trying to make positive changes.  I know of a young lady this weekend who was extremely embarrassed and apologetic when she found out my husband saw her twitter account.  I just want to say two things to all of you.  First, it is pointless to be embarrassed because someone finds out you were doing something wrong when you were not too embarrassed to do it (and probably to keep doing it).  If you are going to be embarrassed (and you should be over some of this stuff), be embarrassed because you did it and it was wrong.  Whether anyone finds out or not, God knows and you know and it is wrong.  Second thing I want to say is something a preacher told me a long time ago: Many people are harder on themselves than God is on us.  A lot of people who read this blog are young or young Christians and we are all human and therefore prone to messing up (repeatedly).  No one is perfect so give yourself some room to breathe.  If you set an impossible standard for yourself, like trying to never mess up, you will be disappointed and discouraged because it does not work that way.Listen, I had so many terrible habits, AFTER I got saved.  I had a serious potty mouth, like the F word, was my favorite word.  I used to put it in the middle of perfectly good words just for emphasis. I  also did far worse things than curse like a sailor and I did them habitually.  It didn't mean that I didn't love God in my heart.  It was a reflection on my lack of maturity and my distant relationship with the God that I really did love.  But I am going to let you in on a secret, every Christian has issues that we are dealing with.  No matter what it looks like on the outside, the inside is either a total wreck or a partial wreck.  The bible even says that all of our right actions when put on display look just like filthy rags (I'm taking this scripture out of context purposely to suit my point but since it does suit my point, just go with me).  So, there is nothing you see people doing that you may think is just so great that is actually anything more than a tattered mess, we all have problems. 

 

The thing that separates the people with the problems who make it to heaven and can live on earth in right relationship with God and the people that aint gonna make it is perseverance.  You must commit in your heart that no matter how many times you mess up, you are NEVER going to give up.  As long as God gives you breath to breathe, you have to make the choice to do right and if you mess up and do wrong, you have to choose to repent and try again.  In this life you will not win by being the fastest.  So if you look around and it seems like you are struggling while other people are just shooting past you in growth, don't believe the hype.  Some of those same people may burn out or wipe out before the last call and how fast they are going wont have made any difference.  You also don't win just because you have the strength to win.  So just because you have the ability to achieve victory does not mean you will.  You may look around and see some super gifted people.  And think wow, if I could just do what they do how they do it, I would be good.  Again that is hype, because all the gifts and the talents in the world will not ensure your destiny.  No matter how gifted you are or how fast you advance, if you give up it wont mean anything.  On the other hand no matter how ungifted or behind the curve you might feel, you can still beat the breaks off this life and make it to see the Lord.  You just need to take a long hard look at whatever mess you feel like you have made and say SO WHAT, I'm winning anyway because I refuse to stay in the mess.  Choose a different path, get on it and start walking.  It is absolutely not too late, if you are reading this, you are right on time!