My friendship with Jesus has, unfortunately, taken the same path that so many of my relationships have taken. It’s been up and down, all around. We’ve had our highs and our lows, our good days and our not so good ones. I’ve offered more than a good friend’s share of apologies because I’ve made more than a good friend’s share of offenses.
But I’m in good company. And there’s hope for me yet.
- I’ve gone from being excited about a new calling to shaking in my heels in fear.
- I’ve gone from being thrilled over an answer to prayer to being worried over the next hurdle.
- I’ve gone from worshiping in spirit and in truth to complaining that the air in the worship center was too hot.
- I’ve gone from anticipating blessings to fearing cursings.
- I’ve gone from loving the ministry to wanting out.
- I’ve gone from being captivated with my Savior’s love to doubting that it’s enough.
- I’ve gone from being amazed to being afraid.
All in a matter of minutes.
Ah, what a fickle friend I’ve been. I’m working on that though. I’m trying to grow in my faith. I’m trying to anchor my hope in Christ Jesus. And I’m immersing myself in His Word every day so my temperamental mood swings will grow further and further apart.
And I know that as fickle a friend as I have been to Jesus, He has stuck closer than a brother to me. As with the disciples, those twelve imperfect men who walked side by side with Him for three years, He’s shown me patience and compassion and mercy.
I have experienced this in my own life. As a new Christian, I was in the honeymoon phase and after a few years it seemed that the excitement wasn’t as strong. I soon realized that the fellowship with other believers was a necessity as well as prayer in order to stir up the faith from within. You said it perfectly.
Thanks,
Angela
http://deeperunderstandingministry.blogspot.com/
I don't quite know why, but once I went through Mark's gospel and circled every time it said "amazed" or "immediately". I think because these seemed to be two action-packed words and I, being an action-oriented kind of person enjoy seeing these vibrant descriptions.
I love Mark's writing style! It is very energetic… a quality I embrace in my spiritual life. "Amazed" and "fearful" all in one sentence is exciting to me… sure beats "apathy".