HOW MY FAITH HELPS ME
◗ It Gives Me Confidence.
I often get worried and confused when things are happening around me that I cannot control and I don’t know what to do. My first reaction is to run away or to hide but when I stop and pray then I am reassured that I have a loving Father in Heaven, who knows everything that I am going through. I know that He has given me His Holy Spirit to guide and protect me. I don’t have much confidence in my own abilities because I know that I will mess things up on my own. But with God beside me and guiding me then I know that anything is possible. Looking back at my life I can see that He has worked through me many times to accomplish things that I was not even aware of at the time. How amazing is that!
◗ It Helps Me To Do what Is Right.
When I was a teenager my faith was not very strong. Although I believed in the existence of God, I thought of Him as being a remote, stern fatherly figure who was not really interested in me and what I was doing. So I thought that I was on my own when it came to making difficult decisions and choosing the right lifestyle. I remember trying to do the right thing and trying to be good but it was very difficult when the culture was telling me otherwise. There were so many temptations luring me to follow the crowd and do something that I knew was not right. At that time I just wanted to ft in and be liked and without the power of the Holy Spirit to strengthen me and point me in the right direction I tended to do what everyone else was doing. I didn’t know that I was loved by God and that He could satisfy the deep longing in my heart and so I looked for love and affirmation in all the wrong places.
◗ It Helps My Relationships.
I have found that the deepest and strongest friendships that I have made over the years have been with fellow Christians. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we naturally want to support each other. Working together with other Christians can be a great joy. Since putting Jesus at the centre of our marriage our relationship has been strengthened as we have become more forgiving and loving. It has made it easier to speak and pray about any problems or disagreements. Being a Christian means encouraging others and helping them to reach their full potential, bringing joy and fulfillment to their lives. There is great joy when you help others to experience the transforming love of God in their lives.
◗ It Helps Me To Get A Better View Of The world.
It is easy to become depressed and worried when we watch the latest News but being a Christian helps me see the bigger picture and enables me to glimpse the world through God’s eyes. It helps me to see that although there is much evil at work today, mankind is made in the image and likeness of God and basically wants to be good. It also reminds me that death is not the end and that we can all have the hope of eternal life in our Heavenly home. So when an innocent child’s body is washed up on a beach, I know that he is not lost forever but is safe in his Father’s loving arms, waiting to be reunited with His earthly parents. The Bible tells us that there will be wars and natural disasters as the world waits for Jesus to come again but we have His promise that He will return in glory. Then the Kingdom of God will be fully realised, humanity will be transformed, there will be no more death and we will be able to live with God for ever in Paradise.
◗ It Gives Me A Reason To Live.
Walking with Jesus means that I have a mission in life and that is to love others and care for them as He would. I have discovered that even the smallest act of random kindness or loving word can transform someone’s life. I try to see everyone through His eyes, to look through the dirt and rags of the homeless to the poor soul that is within, crying out for help, and to respond with love and generosity. Without my faith it would be easy to give up hope. It gives me a reason to get out of bed in the morning even if I have no job to go to and nothing to do. We all go through difficult times but I know that Jesus is walking beside me through the dark times. He will strengthen me and I know that things can and will improve.
