So, what can Christianity do for YOU?!
Many people feel their lives should have a purpose, and that their actions in this life have consequences beyond it.
This purpose may be because of what some call God, or just feelings of a higher, spiritual realm. It may be based on a belief system, or simply a hope you have.
Sometimes we keep what we believe private. We may feel it is a difficult thing to talk openly about. Or, you may be comfortable expressing your views freely. On this page we look at the peace that Christianity can offer, what we at Life Bible call ‘LIGHT IN YOUR LIFE.’
What is Light in your Life?
Light in your life is about reassurance that God is a loving God.
God’s kingdom is coming, but not just in a heavenly way that you will be able to see with your eyes. But it also resides within you.
To all who believe the life of Jesus happened and that Jesus is the Son of God will be given heavenly, eternal life. Belief and trust in this is what faith is. And this is the Good News, a good thing that we can think of, like a light that shines even when everything else may seem dark.
Because this is what we believe, we want to live our lives right. We want to do good things, like sharing with those in need, not being selfish, not seeking praise, forgiving others, being honest, seeking peace rather than possessions, and being considerate and compassionate. This way, our good actions are like a light in darkness.
Try to keep an inner peace because of the Good News. Whether in times of hardship and difficulty, in disappointment, sickness and suffering. This prize at the end makes it all worth it.
But I Often Seem to Get Things Wrong!
None of us are perfect people. And that’s ok, as long as we really do try our best and ask for forgiveness when we do something wrong. Jesus said: “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” God’s Word is an encouraging parent, instilling in you the confidence to try things rather than sitting around and waiting for things to happen. And Jesus sets the example – he went to places, he walked, he met with people.
But, Jesus also rested. Follow his example here too – find the balance in also giving yourself some breathing space away from the bustle of life. Do this often and use it as time to listen and see if you can discern a purpose, a direction, a calling for your life. This may be in acts of supporting your family, brave career moves, through praying for others, or in thousands of other ways that may speak to you throughout your life.
There isn’t really a heavy burden around Christianity. The peacefulness it can bring doesn’t come from the pressure of holding on tight to what we have gained – our position on the career ladder; all those ‘things’ you keep buying; forcing people into agreeing with you and doing what you want. The Light in our Life from Christianity is exactly because we do not have to worry about those things that weigh others down. It doesn’t mean doing anything complicated (the Bible doesn’t ask us all to become rocket scientists or brain surgeons!). It’s not about jumping through ceremonial hoops. It’s about trusting in God, which means that we can be ok in the moment. Aligning with God brings us true contentment. Picture this: Jesus speaks of wanting to gather us around him like a hen gathers her young under her wings!
Sounds Tough to Go Against the Grain?
Jo was planting good vegetable seed in their allotment. That night, when everyone was asleep, a person who was against Jo came and planted weeds among the vegetable seeds, and then left. Later, the vegetables grew, but the weeds also grew. Jo’s friend came and said, “Do you want me to pull up the weeds?” But Oli answered, “No, because when you pull up the weeds, you might also pull up the vegetables. Let the weeds and the good plants grow together until the harvest time. At harvest time I will tell all those with me, “First gather the weeds and tie them together to be burnt. Then gather the good plants and produce and bring it to my barn.”….
From this we see that good and bad exist in this world together. We all have free will. Time will allow for your good actions to show through.
The Bible also speaks of life being an endurance race, rather than a sprint. This may sound daunting, but it is a touch of realism and it means that we don’t have just one shot to get life right!
We all experience inner struggles and desires. Earthly life is a tough place to try to overcome temptations. Whenever you stumble, ask forgiveness from God, and then persevere!
Why would God save us in this way?
In the time before Jesus, people were taught they would be saved if they made sacrifices of (innocent) animals, by giving harvest gifts in the temple and observing celebrations like the Passover. This was the way to get forgiveness from God for doing things that were wrong, as a way to please God, and as a remembrance of how God had saved their ancestors from slavery.
There were lots of rules to follow and most people kept getting distracted. By possessions., by other ‘Gods’ to worship, by wanting to get praise from people.
Jesus was a person who spoke about and did what God really wanted. This is not about big signs of religious ceremony. It is about actually being kind to each other, by doing to others what we would hope others would do for us.
And not just towards friends and family, but to strangers and to people who don’t like us too.
God’s new agreement is that rather than lots of formal rules to follow, to receive eternal life in heaven we only need to accept that Jesus dies to save us from our sins, and to live by the example that Jesus set.
Why did Jesus need to die?
God allowed Jesus to be wrongly accused (meaning he was actually innocent). He was then executed. By dying, God then made Jesus come back from the dead to live again. In doing so, God demonstrated power over death. This shows us we don’t have to make sacrifices of animals in a temple to be saved. The power and will to save us rests with God. This is what we are calling on when we ask for forgiveness and try not to do wrong.
Jesus is the son of God, and in living the example Jesus gave we can be part of this family too. If you can believe that we receive unconditional love from God, you can let go of pride and self-centred living. You won’t need them if you believe that God loves you, and your life will continue on to the next – and what more do we need than that?
It may surprise you that Christians believe that after death we live on: immune to physical suffering, free from weakness, led by our souls rather than our bodily needs, and outwardly radiant.
The Shepherd
Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, the person who enters the sheep pen by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. The one who guards the door opens it for him. And the sheep listen to the voice of the shepherd. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he brings all his sheep out, he goes ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger. They will run away from him because they don’t know his voice.”
Jesus spoke of himself as being the door for the sheep. That those who seek God through Jesus will be saved because he came to give life in all its fullness. Jesus spoke of giving his life for his sheep, as a good shepherd would (meaning his crucifixion). He contrasts this to a worker who is paid to keep the sheep and who doesn’t really care about them. When the worker sees a wolf coming, they will run away, leaving the sheep alone to be attacked and scattered.
Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, as your God knows me. And my sheep know me, as I know your God. I give my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not in this flock, and I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd. Your God loves me because I give my life so that I can take it back again. No one takes it away from me; I give my own life freely. I have the right to give my life, and I have the right to take it back. This is what your God commanded me to do.
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life”
The vine and branches
Jesus said, “I am the true vine; your God is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that does not produce good fruit. And he trims and cleans every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce even more fruit. Remain in me and I will remain in you. A branch cannot produce fruit alone but must remain in the vine. In the same way, you cannot produce fruit alone but must remain in me.
“I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you remain in me and follow my teachings, you can ask anything you want, and it will be given to you. You should produce much fruit and show that you are my followers, which brings glory to your God. I loved you as your God loved me. Now remain in my love. I have done what your God wanted, and I remain in his love. In the same way, if you do as I ask, you will remain in my love. I have told you these things so that you can have the same joy I have and so that your joy will be the fullest possible joy.
“This is what I ask: love each other.”
If God Loves Us, What About Illnesses and Bad Things?
People asked Jesus about a person who had been born blind. They wondered, “Whose sin caused this person to be born blind – their own sin or was it because of something their parents had done?” God’s view, as spoken through Jesus, is that it is not necessarily either. Instead, we can consider sickness and ill-health to be a way for God to show power, mercy, and purpose. Perseverance in tough times can build character!
Bear in mind that to God, as creator, every the bird of the sky is known to him. And we are all of much more value to God than these: it is said that to God, every hair on your head is numbered. This means God knows all about you and cares about things are going for you. Some things are beyond our comprehension – God causes the sun to rise on good people and on bad, and sends rain to those who do right and to those who do wrong. We all have free will, and we can’t control what everyone else does. They themselves may not truly understand what they are doing. What we can do, is focus on the Light in Your Life and bring kindness and consideration to others!
What might this look like in our lives?
This can be both through prayers for healing and as an opportunity for others to act, such as a friend caring for another. From all our experiences, whether good or bad, we can get something from them. We can learn strategies for coping, build supportive relationships, and develop skills and strength. When things are difficult, rather than judging from a viewpoint of whether you consider something is fair or not. We can try and seek a mindset of acceptance and derive purpose from it. It is, after all, only God who can turn people towards Him, but we can also set a good example and demonstrate a welcoming Way, that other people would want to be a part of!
Have a look at these thought starters and the Next Steps sections.
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