Earlier this week I was reflecting upon my life and why things around me were going downhill. I started questioning why God would make things fall apart around me when I was faithfully serving Him. Just like I normally do when things are getting difficult, I prayed. But this wasn’t any regular type of prayer, this was a prayer of surrender. I told God that He has my whole life in His hands and He shall do as He pleases. I wanted to basically tell Him to destroy everything around me, if that means that later on the good would come along. The very well known verse in the book of Jeremiah 29:11 was something I always reminded myself of.
For I know the plans I have for you, “declares the Lord, “ plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
After these prayers were out for Him to hear, a regular conversation started happening constantly with my peers and friends, a conversation that I would sum up into three words: The Common Denominator.
Now to the readers, you might be a bit confused but hear me out. This conversation is not an easy pill to swallow. This might be a bit harsh and maybe even controversial. The idea of me writing this came in the middle of the night. It took a lot to think it through completely but I hope at the end it will make you think differently.
We know the famous saying “everything happens for a reason” and we just wait around to see what exactly was the reason it happened. Now have you ever thought that maybe you’re the reason it happened. Have you ever wondered why the people around you keep leaving? Or perhaps why you aren’t able to hold a job for so long? If we know that God has great and beautiful plans for us and our lives, then why is it so difficult to obtain? Let’s look at the equations, it’s you versus the world. Most importantly, it’s you versus your situation. Who is the common factor to your situations and solutions?
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12
Part 1: Character
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved”
This part of the verse is talking about character. God’s chosen people are not something to take so lightly. We know God has many called but only a few chosen, which means that those people that are considered leaders and pillars of the church; should take their position seriously. Being chosen should be a part of your character in your everyday lifestyle. You should remember that everything you do and have done is all part of God’s way of molding you for your purpose. Perhaps reading this makes you want to be a leader but that’s when you sit down with God himself, with a prayer of surrender asking Him to choose you. Now with that being said, let’s get into the most important part, the one where the main attributes of your character are boldly explained. Holy and dearly loved. Four words that can change the way you view yourself. You should be walking around knowing that you should be holy and you are dearly loved. This type of character will open up doors that maybe you yourself have closed by accident. Those situations where the common denominator was yourself, were you being holy and remembering you were loved? Were you in this with God or hoping He’ll help you when you fail? Having that mindset of making decisions under the Holy Spirit should become implanted into our lives by now. We have to seek His spirit to guide us to make the right decisions and when all goes well, remember that it was He who loved you so much that made it happen.
Part 2: Attitude
“Clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience”
The second part of the verse is where attitudes come in. Let’s start with the word ‘clothe’. We know that we must clothe ourselves according to the weather for the day, you’re obviously not going to wear shorts in the winter or a jacket in the summer. The way we clothe ourselves aligned to the forecast, we must ‘clothe’ ourselves with these attitudes depending on the situation we are in. There will be moments where we’ll need to be more compassionate than kind, or more gentle than patient. There will be moments where we need our attitude to help the opposite person instead of yourself which means you’ll have to be humble enough to understand. This part of the verse brings out the best parts of the attitudes God can bring you to. The attitudes we should all strive for in order to be on the right path of God. The clothing we need to get over our problems and make our right decisions. The part where the common denominator (you) can make the right choice in life and avoid disappointment.
But in order to get this great character and attitudes, we must ask God to change us from the inside out. We must ask God to reveal the bad in us and repent before Him. We need a surrendered cry out to The Lord to change our lives completely. Right now, God can be putting you in all sorts of tests and trials but the outcome is all up to you. The common factor is you. I pray that the next generation realizes that all life’s successes come from God through you. Be the chosen, holy and dearly loved person that made decisions through compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
As a regular human, I have gone through constant obstacles that had led me astray from my purpose. I know it wasn’t God and I know it wasn’t anyone to blame, but myself. Usually, we would play victim in a situation that we put ourselves in. Constantly, blame the enemy without remembering that God has allowed us free will to make our own decisions. I know setting yourself straight isn’t easy but I’d rather have God make my decisions than have the world do it for me. I hope we all find peace in our hearts and minds knowing that we have a God willing to take control.
