Inaction is something that I’ve struggled with for a long time. I know what to do, I just don’t want to do it. My mother always says that my favorite words are “I know.” Every time she tells me that I need to do something I respond with “I know, mom.” She always rolls her eyes and replies, “If you know what to do, why haven’t you done it?”
I guess in this season of my life I’ve realized how much I have struggled with ambivalence. I know what the right choice is but I overanalyze and allow my feelings to get in the way of a concrete decision.
I wrote a blog once on how to overcome confusion and indecision and it has blessed my life to go back to those words. Check it out here.
As I get older and a little wiser, I’m learning that you can’t go through life knowing what to do but never actually doing it. The core of our character as Christians is knowing how to apply the truth of scripture to our daily lives.
It’s one thing to know truth and another altogether to do what’s true.This is how you go from being a baby believer to a mature follower of Christ.
True faith requires action.
James himself says:
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
James 2:18-20 (MSG)
Ouch! If this does not convict you to your core I would advise you read it again. If we say we have faith in God but our lifestyle and choices reflect bondage to sin, confusion and self-reliance, we might need to reconsider the health of our faith.
Start walking out your faith.
James is suggesting that though our works do not save our souls or make us right with God, they are the key evidence that we truly are saved!
Even the demons believe in Jesus and tremble at the sound of his name! So believing is only the beginning of walking out our new faith. Because faith is just that, something you have to walk out.
We’ve all heard the saying: “You can talk the talk. But, can you walk the walk?”
I want to be a woman so full of integrity that I will not speak words that I cannot live out in secret. Something very powerful that I have learned from my pastor (which also happens to be my momma) is that you cannot preach what you are not living out. Our lives preach much louder than a Sunday sermon!
The instructions in scripture are meant to be followed, not just merely recited.
May I suggest that possibly the reason some people find scripture so boring to read is maybe because they don’t view it as instructions. Sometimes we only view scripture as inspirational quotes piled into a book we call the Bible.
I feel like we live in the midst of a generation that would much rather post about scripture and faith in their social media than live it out in their daily lives. That’s way too easy! I myself have fallen prey to this behavior.
Listen, my dear sister, we can highlight and annotate our bibles until we are blue in the face. I personally love taking down notes in my Bible! However it is not until we step out and actually put into action what the Bible is telling us that we will live victorious lives.
Our faith as Christians relies on a combination of knowledge and action. That’s what makes being a child of God so exciting and transformational.
God teaches us to live whole lives and then gives us the empowerment to live that kind of lifestyle. You are not alone when it comes to putting scripture into practice. Jesus’ teachings were relateable and practical because he wanted the people he taught to grasp the simplicity of a Godly lifestyle.
As much as we love sharing Bible verses on Instagram and Pinterest, I want to encourage you to also post them on your heart. One of my favorite Bible verses reads:
I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Psalm 19:11(ESV)
If there is no heart connection to scripture, to the point that what we read becomes conviction, we will never feel “inspired” enough to actually live it out.
Being disciplined is at the root of living out scripture.
Living in the middle of a society that encourages you to do what makes you feel good, I understand that me telling you to be fully obedient to the commands in the Bible is hard. Not everything the Bible instructs us to do feels good in the moment because they are spiritual disciplines.
You might not want to pray everyday, read the Bible or even fast, but these things are good for you. Overcoming the battle of the mind and the flesh starts by making little decisions throughout your day that are backed by truth.
I know, I know. You’ve heard this from your pastors and leaders countless times. But, I want to share with you how to practically start living out your faith.
Keep a lookout for my next post for practical tips to becoming more spiritually disciplined!
Make up your mind.
There are many things we as humans have no control over, but our mind is not one of them. If we want to live out the Bible, we have to make a solid decision that we will do so.
Sounds simple enough, right? Just make a choice and boom, you are on your way to transforming your life. Perfect!
But that’s not how it really works. Personally, I have struggled with being disciplined because though I say I have made a decision to do so, I still leave room for the things that were roadblocks.
Making a decision to not allow your emotions and flesh to dictate your lifestyle begins by taking immediate steps to set yourself up for success. Decisions have to be backed my action. Your own strength will fail you, but if you take the necessary steps to cut ties with unbiblical living, you, my dear friend, will surely win!
My prayer for you.
My desire is that you would grow in your walk with God. If you just started attending a local church or getting serious about your faith, know that I am always praying for you.
Walking with God is counter-cultural, challenging and at times it seems impossible. From every angle we are being fed ideas and values that go against the lifestyle we are trying to emulate. But you’ve got this, sister!
I pray that God may give you the strength and perseverance to live a lifestyle that honors Him, following the instructions given to you through God’s word. Keep at it.
I believe in you!
Our names are Carla and Paola. And yes…we are identical twins! We are pastors, ministers and young women who are absolutely in love with Christ. Our passion is to empower other young women through the message of Jesus Christ to fulfill their live’s purpose.
Although we are young (24 years old if you’re wondering) we have been preaching, teaching and serving in ministry for almost ten years. We hope that through our writing you may be encouraged and empowered to step into the calling that God has over YOUR life.
Thanks for reading!
Always praying for you,
EMPOWERED BEAUTY 