Faith: As easy as 1, 2, 3?

{Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.} Romans 12:12

As someone who loves to bake, assemble things, organize, and make lists, it is very easy for me to fall into the trap of checking off things from my "spiritual to-do list." Read my Bible: check! Pray: check! Go to church: check! But God does not want me to go through the motions of being a Christian. He wants a relationship with me! 

Surely, there is no three-step plan that you can follow that will lead to a fulfilling life, but applying Romans 12:12 to my life, I look at this as a piece of advice that I can bury in my heart and let it fester and infect every part of me. I want this to radiate from my pores. I want to ooze a passion for God. Romans 12:12 gives me a good look in what that looks like. 

As a child of God, my perspective and lifestyle should coincide with this verse. 

1) Joyful in hope - Yes, I can be joyful because I know that no matter what happens in this world, I have a Living God, who is watching over me and preparing a place for me in heaven. I can be joyful, because I know that Jesus loved my sinful self so much that He took my place on the cross and intercedes for me with the Father. Because of Him, I will have life eternal. 

2) Patient in affliction- So often, I want to be bitter. Life has given me a rotten hand of cards, and here I am left to deal with the aftermath of the mess. I want to scream and cry and pout until someone feels bad for me. Oh no, missy! I try to surround myself with reminders so that when I feel those emotions, I can stop in my tracks and pray for patience (another fruit of the Spirit). My high school chemistry teacher once told me "You must have the patience of Job." HA! That's the opposite of what I feel. But with God, I CAN have the patience of Job, because I have the knowledge that Jesus has already conquered the world (John 16:33) and with that, I can weigh the menial obstacles of this world against the eternal glory of Christ Jesus. No brainer!

3) Faithful in prayer - God is my best friend. He is the best listener, provider, counselor, and savior. He can redeem me from my vices, but also redeem me through my iniquities. He knows everything about me, but yet, He still wants me to tell him about my day and be in constant communication with Him. I am at a point in my life, where I favor being in His presence. I delight in it. There are seasons of ebbing and seasons of flowing in which I "feel" close to God. That doesn't matter. Ultimately, my feelings don't matter. Belief > Feelings. My belief in Jesus Christ trumps all else. What a gift! 

A relationship with Jesus is NOT 1,2,3. It's accepting His grace. It's receiving His love. It's spending time with Him. Praising Him. Exalting His name above all else. Don't miss out! He's got great things in store for you and me :)