Life is a roller coaster, isn’t it? We can have the best day ever and the very next day something crazy happens and we quickly forget about the great day we had the day before. Humans are like that…. you and I are like that.

In the same way, we can come to church each week, raise our hands in praise, take communion, and ask for forgiveness. Then, maybe even a short time later, we quickly forget the power of the One we praised and we go back to the same old ways. Maybe it is anger, lying, cheating, or turning to something to fill a void in our lives that is not what God wants for us. Do you know that the Holy Spirit lives in you and is thrilled when you worship and is saddened when you turn away from God? 

One might think, “Ya, but life is hard and sometimes I need something just to get through it…..”  Or “Ya, but that person did this, that, or the other thing to me so I have a right to act out in this way.” We can quickly forget the times we were the ones on the other side of the offense. If it wasn’t for God’s amazing grace for our lives, we would be in such bad shape. But God sees us and doesn’t want bad things for us. He wants us to remain faithful no matter what.

God wants a relationship with you. Relationships are best when there is trust and loyalty. They are best when there is not a continuance of deceit and rejection. We come to church because we want a deeper relationship with God. I will challenge you with this….YOU ARE the church. Wherever you go, whatever you do, YOU are the church. Faith in God happens when you apply it and remain faithful to godly ways even when there are crazy days, pain, suffering or offenses against you. The Holy Spirit lives within you and can give you the spirit of self-control. You never ever have to turn your back on the one who saves you. If you have ears to hear, eyes to see, a heart that beats or lungs that breath, listen to the Holy Spirit and remain faithful to God, no matter what this crazy world throws at you.

Questions for reflection:

  1. Have you ever had a time when you felt like God just couldn’t understand what you were going through?
  2. Have you ever turned your back on God in order to pursue something else to fill a void in your life? How did that make you feel?
  3. Has the Holy Spirit ever carried you through temptations and if so, how did it make you feel to overcome the temptation and remain loyal to God? 

Old Testament reading: Daniel 3-4