For The Sake Of The Vision

“When you are in the valley of the shadow of death, vision is the thing that will see you through”

I saw the video this quote is from a few months back and as I listened to each word of the video the whole time by heart was about to come out of my chest with the words, “That’s it! That’s it! That’s what it is! That’s what I want people to understand!”

It’s a fine balance. This story of mine!

One of things that has become frustrating, but I am learning to trust the Lord is teaching me how to better share the story he’s entrusted to me, is to help people understand that even though my hurts maybe different, they are stills hurts. I may not have the same regrets, but I do have regrets. 

Just this past week I had an opportunity to share my testimony w/ a young girl and I give God all the glory that she walked away encouraged! 

Elisabeth Elliott says is best, “if you chose to like a life of purity, be prepared to thought very odd.” Making the choice to wait was never really a question for me. Yes, I grew up in Church but honestly that had nothing to do with it. I know plenty of people who grew up in church, grew up with me in church and didn’t take the same path I did. It’s a choice I made, but it has always been a choice that with it came a vision.

Most people, when they here my story (especially guys) there eyes get about as big as golf balls. Most guys just think I’m looking for a husband…haha so not the case! I do want to get married, but just because I share that I am waiting doesn’t translate, “I’m waiting on you.” It means, “I’m waiting on God!” Don’t flatter yourself! Haha I'm not a hermit, and it's not because I can't get a date, or that I'm too busy (which I always think is a dumb excuse. When you're interested in someone it's ah-mazing how much free time your suddenly have. just saying...lol).Vision is ALWAYS attached to purity. 

But the hard part in sharing my story is this one wall I always come to that each time I have to take a deep breathe and climb by faith…trusting that God will use my story (all aspects) not just the relationship part, but all aspects to reach someone for Jesus!

I want to quote Lindsee from Living Proof Ministries, on something she said that I could relate to entirely!

“Every time the church doors were open, I was there. Quite simply, I really love the church. That’s a miracle.

However, I grew up believing a really big lie.

I grew up believing I didn’t have a worthwhile testimony to share. That even if I did share my testimony, it would fall on deaf ears. That it wouldn’t make a lick of difference to those I was sharing it with.

The fact is:

I did grow up in church.

I pretended (and looked) to have it all together.

I was the teacher’s pet.

I attempted to follow all the rules. (That only works for so long.)

I liked looking like I had it all together. That is safe. That is not vulnerable. Hurt doesn’t happen when you fake it.

I have deep desires of my heart that have yet to be met.

I do have trials, hardships and life experiences to share.

I have not been given everything I’ve ever wanted and my life is not peaches and cream. Blessed, yes.

I’ve lied. I’ve gravely sinned. I’ve lusted. I’ve been angry. I’ve gossiped. I’m insecure. I’m helpless. I’m needy. And the list goes on and on.

I do have a testimony. I know my sins. I know my shortcomings. I need Jesus.

My attempt at holiness was lame to say the least. My attempt at producing any good in me to cover up the dark was helpless. My good was simply not good enough, though I desperately wanted it to be.

I don’t want to point fingers or blame any one person or thing, but I think we as a church have done a less than stellar job at portraying what a worthwhile testimony is. A testimony, as we have so endearingly coined it, is simply a public confession regarding the ways Jesus has changed your life.

My sins, no matter how big or small they may seem, still sent Jesus to the cross. My attempt at living a charmed life was feeble and frail.

Our testimony is what makes us authentic. Real. Relatable.

The truth is, everyone has gone through something that has changed him or her. If you have confessed Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savor, you well know that the old has gone and the new has come. You are a new creation. You’ve changed. Whatever it was that brought you to repentance in the first place, is the very thing worth sharing. Whatever it was that was once holding you captive that no longer has a hold on you, that’s worth sharing.

Need I list the things that hold us captive?

Legalism. Sexual Sin. Drugs. Addictions. Alcohol. Perfectionism. Insecurity. Lust. Greed. Jealousy. Hate. Pride. We could go on and on as this is clearly not an exhaustive list.

Where we as a church have strayed is that we glorify the big testimonies. We glorify the folks on the platform that have sinned “big”. We glorify the stories that seemed absolutely hopeless, but ended in victory.

Can I say something? Salvation through Jesus Christ is a miracle, regardless of where you have or have not been. It’s still a faith walk for every individual.

We were all hopeless. We all have victory in the end when we choose Jesus over _____________. (You fill in the blank.)

You, if you are in Christ, have something to offer. You have hope to offer.

If you’ve grown up in the church, don’t believe the lie you have nothing to share. First, yes you do.  If you are a living, breathing human, you’re flawed and need Jesus. Own up to that! But for you, maybe what someone needs to hear is that your good, despite all your failed efforts, wasn’t good enough to make it into the kingdom of heaven. There is one way, and His name is Jesus. You may be a really good, nice, sweet, charming, never-hurt-a-fly kind of person, but good doesn’t get you into Heaven. Jesus does.

To my young friends, don’t go looking for way to mess up so you have a story to share.

Share your story of less-than-perfect faithfulness to a God that has been nothing but perfectly faithful and loving towards you, despite your efforts of trying so hard. Share that even your goodness wasn’t good enough. Therefore, the good kid who has the works thing down, if they can’t do it, who can? That, my friends, is the gospel.

We’re justified by faith alone in Christ.

It just goes to show that there is no one good, no, not one. Can we emphasize that? Though from the outside it may appear I have little to confess day in and day out, that’s far from the truth. I lay my head on my pillow each night knowing how dearly loved I am in Christ, yet painfully aware of my shortcomings. Painfully aware of the areas that only Christ can change in me. Painfully aware of my ugliness.

Do we need the stories of God’s dramatic salvation and redemption? Absolutely! Do we keep sharing those and telling of how God has transformed our lives? Yes and amen! Do we continue to put them on the platform? By all means! May we all come humbly. Those stories also tell us that no one has out-sinned God, not matter how much they think they have! We need not be shocked or judgmental of anything or anyone. We should extend grace and love.

It reminds me of the Prodigal Son. One son did everything right (false) while the other was out doing everything wrong and yet they still needed the same grace. And if we’re honest with ourselves, we’re all more like the elder brother than we care to admit.

But let us be aware of the girl or boy that feels worthless because they didn’t have a Saul-to-Paul conversion.

My goal isn’t to deny what Christ has done for you and where He alone has brought you and rescued you from. Nor is my goal to magnify how good you’ve been. My goal is to glorify Christ.

Conversion is conversion regardless of the pits we’ve been in.

Salvation is salvation regardless of how we’ve acted.

God’s redemption is for everyone.

And His story is good enough to be told throughout the ages.

We were all lost. For ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) But Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10) Translation = That’s US. That’s enough. That’s radical!"

Vision, really is what drives you on the tough days, the days when giving into the pull of the world would be much easier and way more popular. It’s that simple vision that I was created by God and for God to point others to Jesus that drives me on the tough days!

Vision: "To live for the glory God and believe him for immeasurable more than I could ask or imagine. Reach this generation with the Gospel! Teach the younger women how to live, and not just teach them, but live it myself, setting an example with my life for the believers. Love God. Love People!” That can flesh itself out in a lot of different ways, but thats the vision. What is yours?

Vision from Freedom Church on Vimeo.