Elevation Point Church

When we think of pride, we generally view it as something we’d never fall prey to. As if it’s something that everyone else struggles with, but we never would (Coincidentally enough, that’s a prideful thought in and of itself) :) The reality is, it’s easy to look down on others while forgetting we need grace ourselves. It’s easy to get caught up in an act of pretending we get it right all the time. Most of the time, it isn’t done in a malicious way — we truly may think we’re doing all the right things, but the heart behind them is wrong. While we can fake everyone us out, and maybe even ourselves, Jesus always knows what’s taking place behind the scenes. This is exactly why He prefers we just be honest to begin with.

Life is full of voices. We have people telling us what to do, the enemy telling us what to do, and God offering guidance of what to do. It takes discernment to know what to listen to — what voice to follow. John 10 tells us that those who are God’s children, know His voice. Whether or not we listen is up to us. In a world full of mixed voices and conflicting directions, it’s imperative we learn how to follow the right one.

God has given us abilities, time, talents — but how we use them is up to us. Do we cultivate them and allow them to multiply? Or do we sit on them for fear that they’re not enough? We have all we need to do all God has called us to do, but we have to be the ones to do it. Growth doesn’t come from stagnation or fear, it comes from making the most of what we have.

It’s easy to fall into isolation. But isolation is rarely good when it comes to maintaining a steady, healthy heart. God gave us community for a reason. He gave us each other for a reason. He knew that there was strength in numbers, and that we’re better together. While the temptation may be to isolate ourselves when our hearts are troubled, healing most often comes when we engage in community. It’s in community that we learn we’re not alone, and that we’re not the only ones facing troubled hearts.

Jesus sacrificed His life for us to be able to spend eternity with Him, but He also gave His life for us to experience the fullness of Him on this earth. That fullness is something that at its core is incomprehensible when we try to understand it ourselves. This leads many of us to live below the level Christ intended for us to live. Instead of bringing our level of living down to the place we can comprehend it, He’s called us to raise our level of living to the place He truly intended. He’s called us to level up.

There’s many different reasons we can feel tired, discouraged, or weak. However, most stem from the same root — our inability to find the proper source of sustainable strength. We’re good at finding moments of strength, but consistent strength is more difficult to come by. It doesn’t come from people, accolades, or things. True strength comes when we rest in, and live out of, the love Jesus has for us. All other sources of strength eventually leave us running on empty.

As Jesus prepared to be arrested and crucified, He prepared His disciples for the moments ahead as much as possible. Part of the preparation was acknowledging that there would be reason to worry, to be afraid. However, he encouraged them not to allow their hearts to become troubled by what was ahead; but instead, to continue believing in Him and all He promised. The same is true for us whenever trouble arises. We don’t have to allow it to take root or grow — but we can choose to overcome it by understanding Who we believe in is greater than whatever situation we find ourselves in.

There are times we become so discouraged, it seems as if there’s no point in trying anymore. It can seem as if there’s nod point in believing anymore. After disappointment after disappointment, and delay after delay, it can feel as if there’s no use. This often leads us to stop trying, to stop showing up. But there’s power in showing up. There’s strength in showing up. And eventually, there’s a miracle waiting when we decide to keep showing up.

It’s easy to get caught up in the destination and forget the beauty of the journey. When we have a goal in mind, a dream in mind, we want to accomplish it immediately. This can cause us not to enjoy the minor victories. It can cause us to overlook the small, yet important, progress we make along the way. While the destination is worth celebrating — and those moments will come — we can’t forget that each step along the way is worth celebrating too.

We rarely just quit for no reason. We rarely give up on dreams, plans, and callings for no reason. But just because we have a reason to quit, doesn’t mean that we should quit. In life, we get tired and weary for legitimate reasons. There are times we don’t see any way that we could keep trusting the process and continuing to move forward. There are moments where everyone would understand if/why we quit. But we can find strength in those moments. As is the case for everything in our lives, Jesus gave us the perfect example of how to keep going.