The Other Side Of Jake
I went to sleep last night thinking about a lot of things…friendships, traveling, missions, my walk with Christ, love and sin are just a few…
I am beginning to see who I am as a person.
Like, who I REALLY am when no one is watching. The other side of Jake.
If I can be honest, the other side of Jake is not a very appealing guy. It’s a side of me that is sometimes insecure, it’s sometimes crude and it usually tends to doubt that God is REALLY choosing me to do something powerful for the Kingdom of God. The other side of Jake struggles with pride, fights irresponsibility daily and sometimes gives in to lustful thoughts. It’s a side of me that I don’t like to talk about. That side of Jake doesn’t always tell the truth and he often times finds himself spending more time checking the stats on his blog and twitter rather than reading the Word of God. He justifies his actions and wears his heart on his sleeve rather than guarding it.
In short, the other side of me tends to win many battles in my heart and mind.
Because of what my other half does, I often times find myself wishing I could just run away. Run away from all that I try to do, all the expectations I try to meet and away from the people who doubt I’ll ever make a difference. I often times resort to not reading my Bible or praying because I feel I’m not worthy of time with my Savior.
Then I am reminded of a few verses from Philipians 4:
11I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
If you read a little further in the passage, in verse 20, Paul says:
20To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
In case you didn’t know, Paul was in prison when writing this letter to the Church of Philipi…He had nothing.
Most of the time, the circumstances that I find myself in are ones where the other side of Jake have won some sort of battle within my heart. Furthermore, as I evaluate why the other side of me wins, I soon discover it’s because Satan tells me I am in need of something in that particular scenario.
You see, Satan lies to tell me I NEED the approval of everyone I know. He lies and tells me that I am not good enough to ever find someone who will love me. He lies and says that I have to keep up with how everyone else looks. Satan lies and tells me that I need better stats on my blog and twitter so people like me. He lies and says that I don’t have enough will power to fight sexual temptation. Satan lies to me and says that I need lots of stuff from lots of different people.
Satan is wrong.
I am to be content with where the Lord has me. I don’t have much, but what I do have is ETERNAL.
I have a choice every day to listen to the CREATOR or the CREATED.
Today, I’m going to choose to listen to my Creator…
25“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:25-34
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Very encouraging jake. Thank you for humble honesty. If we wanted anyone living in us, working in us, it would be Jesus – AND He paid with His Life, to be there. Therefore, it is not us, but Christ in us. So, in that sense i would remind you our sin, these temptations, are not a part of us, they are not our “other half” or even a smidgen! The old has gone and the new has come. We aren’t chained to these sins anymore, certainly tempted, but again – we have the Creator fighting in us and for us. “For if You are for us, who could be against us?” sin is scared out of it’s mind to dwell in us any longer.
I can honestly say Jake that you are a wonderful person. Your words are very encouraging and every time I introduce a friend to you,you make them feel comfortable. You are leading young adults towards Christ,and thats what I love about you. Thanks Jake,this post made my day.(: