Love Worth Sharing

I want to caveat this blog by saying this – I am not a writer and I never thought a blog would be something I would even consider doing. I am a self-proclaimed math nerd and I love my job as a tax accountant at a Big 4 firm. I am much more creative with a canvas and a paintbrush than with words and a pencil. But this blog is not about my job, my hobbies, or the things that I like to think I am good at. This blog is about something much more important – my relationship with Jesus Christ. In recent weeks and months, I have felt a stronger desire than ever to share this relationship with those around me.

I decided to start a blog shortly after deciding to take a break from social media. When our enemy wants to get a hold of my heart, sometimes all he has to do is point my eyes in the direction of someone else’s life. I've been bitter, anxious, and upset with God over my circumstances; all the while failing to appreciate the tremendous blessings that He was so faithful to provide. Comparison doesn't have to have a catalyst, but I had noticed in the past year that there was a direct correlation to the time I spent on social media and the level of contentment I had with life. The grass always seemed greener on someone else’s news-feed, if you know what I mean. I had toyed around with the idea of getting off social media, but just like anything else I had plenty of excuses not to. I prayed and prayed for God to “give me contentment,” but I wanted it on my own terms and on my timing.

An opportunity and a challenge to give up social media came when I joined a Sunday school class at my new church in Houston. My class was going to go through the book, “A Call to Die” by David Nasser. This book is a 40 day prayer and devotional journey to grow closer to God while putting to death the selfish desires that we so often let consume our lives.  Part of the study including fasting from something that you felt was keeping you from making the most out of your relationship with God. Some of my friends gave up sweets or watching TV shows, but after some time spent in prayer, I felt convicted that I needed to spend time with God instead of my 800 Facebook friends. On about day 5 of the book, I had the following thought –

“Why do I spend so much time sharing the most insignificant details of my life on social media, but I hardly spend any time at all sharing the most important aspect of my life – my relationship with God?”

God provided me with a lot of opportunities to understand the answer to this question. Whether I was at church, at Passion, in Bible study, or doing my own quiet time, there was a common thread in what I was learning. Humans like to be selfish. I like to be selfish.  I was using social media to build up my own little kingdom, and then getting upset when it didn't look as pretty as someone else’s. I was seeking to glorify MYSELF. The problem with that is this – God created each of us with a very clear purpose – to glorify HIM.

Psalms 145:18 says this, “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who will call upon Him in truth.” As I have purposely sought out God, I have seen this verse come to life more than I ever had before. The Lord has been so faithful to answer the smallest prayers, building my trust in Him and demonstrating His love for me.  I have been able to look back on circumstances that were painful and hard, and appreciate that God has brought me through them. That contentment I mentioned earlier? God taught me that it was never a matter of Him giving it to me, but instead a matter of me choosing to accept that He is my contentment in every situation. Matt Chandler once said that “when you realize life isn't about you, you feel a lot more free.” I couldn't agree more.

It is my prayer that through this blog, other people are exposed to the love that Jesus Christ has for all of us through the different things He is teaching me. The same God that loved us enough to send His only son to die on the cross for our sins loves us enough to let our lives play a part in His greater story.

To me- that is love worth sharing.