The Wisdom of the Lord

God has been doing some amazing things already this school year. He is completely renewing me and changing my view of college. I want to savor this fun time I have before I have to grow up and be a real adult. This is the time to stay up late watching stupid youtube videos with your roommates, to make late night sonic runs, to dream about your future and realize you have so much in front of you. Life is short but it is so worth living.

I was praying for a friend today and God took me to an amazing verse.

James 3:17

" But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere."

First of All, Wisdom really doesn't matter at all unless it's from the Lord. You can get as many college degrees as you want but what is this really going to matter in eternity? I've had to be reminding myself of this fact this whole semester, if I try hard and don't get a good grade it really is all going to be ok. Getting a D on an Anatomy Test really won't matter much in heaven.

- PURE: I love this word and the heavy meaning that it brings with it. God calls us to be pure, in heart,mind, and body, but the only way we can achieve this is through Him.

-PEACE-LOVING: Peace is such a good and comfortable feeling. When God gives us the peace that surpasses all understanding we really can't explain it, it really is just the best feeling. Wouldn't it be amazing if everyone could all have this feeling? How different would our world be?

-CONSIDERATE: We tend to be so selfish and get so wrapped up in ourselves and our own problems. We forget that as believers and followers of Christ we have the truth, the truth that can set people free from their chains. What if God wants to use you to bring light into even the darkest places. We must be aware that we are not the only ones on this earth, even if sometimes we think we are, we must be considerate of those around us and what they are going through.

- SUBMISSIVE: This word peeved me for so long. I thought that being submissive meant being a doormat but it doesn't at all. Submission literally means "a letting down". Letting down all of the walls that we build up around us and laying at the Lord's feet saying "Not mine, but YOUR will be done." We can plan all we want but in the end God's plans are always the better ones.

- FULL OF MERCY: Mercy literally means " compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one's power" God constantly gives us mercy even though we don't deserve it. So it makes sense that wisdom from heaven would be full of mercy, full of his compassion and kindness. The only way we can give true mercy is through God.

- (and) GOOD FRUIT: We are, as believers, supposed to be producing good fruit through God to further His Kingdom. Sometimes we have to submit to God a certain area of our lives that Satan is using to produce bad fruit so that God can rip out that bad seed and plant a good seed to produce good fruit.

- IMPARTIAL: God is not biased. He loves everyone with such an immense love that we can't even fathom it. He yearns for everyone to be in the Kingdom, he created EVERYONE in His image. We tend to, in our human ways, be impartial to certain people but this is not what God wants us to do. ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and no one is better than another person.

- SINCERE: How far is being fake going to get you? Nowhere. We must be bold and sincere about our faith or else no one will believe us or care what we say. Realize that people watch what you are doing and as a believer we are called to be set apart. We are called to be witnesses and to be free of deceit. Live what you believe.

These are just a few tidbits that God has shown me. I'm FAR, the FARTHEST, from perfect and God is constantly working through me but it's occurred to me that if people starting truly living out their faiths and realize that:

a) God cannot be put in a box- and

b) He isn't just a Sunday morning service

our world would change and people who aren't believers might actually start thinking about who this Jesus guy is that we live our lives for and why we seem to be so different from other people.

Go Love with God's Love !!!!

Abigail