A Letter to New Believers
“Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”
You don't have to be that old to remember when these LifeAlert commercials first came out and basically went viral.
LifeAlert was meant to be the elderly person’s savior in such situations. With just a click of a button embedded on a necklace, they were able to summon first responders very easily and efficiently.
I, along with many of my friends, thought it was hilarious and incorporated the saying into everyday life situations when someone would trip while walking down the street or during sports. Most likely because many of us at the time didn't have someone in our lives where this was a potential reality.
This month however, my Grandmother is set to turn 90 and the sentiment of her falling and not being able to get up is very real and very scary. So certainly, as Grandma grew older, the reality set in and was much less funny as my family began investigating LifeAlert for her.
Another reality is that any new believers are often discouraged when the life they signed up for in following Christ turns out to have problems, disappointments, hardships and or even flat-out failure. Far too often the worldly illustration of “the Church” does Christianity a disservice by portraying a life of bliss solely filled with peace and joy with an abundance of success and fruitful relationships.
I grew up in Church, going to youth groups and Bible studies pretty much all of my youth, adolescence and even as a young adult. Even as a seemingly mature Christian, I grew frustrated with God when things didn’t go as I expected or wanted. I found myself being disobedient because I thought God had let me fall and didn’t care about me.
Maybe you did not grow up around the church or reading the Bible, that’s ok. Perhaps you came to Christianity later in life, in search of Joy and Peace, a better life than you lived prior to knowing God’s grace. I want to encourage you today and yet also set clear that our goal as Christians is not to live a better life for ourselves, but for and in Him.
Jesus told his Disciples, “if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matthew 16:24-26
Jesus isn’t saying to starve yourself, don’t work out, or strive to be the best you can, but to put His will above yours and be prepared to face the consequences of the world who will rebuke you as they did Him. Also, if we strive for the things of this world, we will lose it because this world will pass away. But if we persevere, we can lead and live a life more abundantly here on earth as well as gain eternal life in heaven after we die.
Romans 12:2 tells us “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will”.
James 1:2-4 says to consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
This is likely where we get the phrase “struggle makes you stronger” originated. God wants us to turn to Him for all that we want or require. David understood this when he wrote in Psalms 23:1 “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want” and in some translations “The Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing”.
If you are a new believer or perhaps returning to the Father like the prodigal son, remember that a life filled with Christ is meant to be lived more abundantly and that He is here to assist with any hurdles along the journey.
He is our Life Alert, accessible with a simple prayer and will always be there to help you back up again.
Aaron D. Sims