Happy Sunday! Today I’m excited to share my thirty-second installment in my “Scripture Sunday” series (read my previous posts in the series here)! Today’s verse has brought me so much encouragement lately and I hope it does the same for y’all! This post is definitely Christian, so if the Christian religion offends you for whatever reason please feel free to continue scrolling through my blog, I hope you find something else you like (this past week I shared an outfit post and my Isle of Palms travel diary from spring break)! Enjoy!
Today’s Verses:
2 Timothy 4:18; The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Life is hard. That’s a groundbreaking statement, right? Obviously not. Whether your current hardships have to do with low grades, having trouble with friends, your parents’ relationship, or just about anything else, you know the sad truth that life is full of struggles and moments in which you can’t see a trace of the light of good days.
An issue that has been really hard on me a lot lately is judgement. What’s ironic about the judgement that I’m specifically speaking of is that it’s based on the assumption that I would judge someone else. Being a faithful Christian in high school is hard for so many reasons I never thought it’d be. I always knew I’d be able to resist the temptation to drink and do drugs in high school, but what’s hard about the presence of these substances in high school social life is that other people’s knowledge of your decision not to get involved with these things often leads to their assumption that you think they’re “bad people” because they choose to use them. Quite the opposite is true, as I would still love to maintain relationships with these people. In all honesty, there are so many nights in which I lie awake hoping these friends make it home alright. I’m not going make the decision to exclude someone from my life simply because they make choices I won’t, but my peers often choose to distance themselves from me because they know I don’t approve of or participate in the things they’re doing.
Last week I read 2 Timothy, the second letter from Paul to Timothy. If you’re unfamiliar with Paul, he underwent a colossal conversion from persecuting Christians to putting his life on the line to spread the message constantly. Paul was thrown into prison several times and faced consequences left and right for sharing the gospel. Something I often overlook is the thought that Paul’s friend group, like mine, radically changed after he made such a dramatic shift in his life. Recognizing all of this certainly puts things in perspective and gives me hope and motivation to continue on no matter how hard it gets. In verse eighteen of chapter four, Paul says to Timothy, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom.” This verse was such a beautiful reminder to me over the past week that God will save me from the worst parts of this world and one day I’ll get to spend eternity in His perfect kingdom.
This week, try to see past your challenges to that eternal life God promises us. Even the greatest troubles here on earth pale in comparison to the glory awaiting us in heaven. If you share that issue of judgment I mentioned and also worry about your friends making potentially dangerous decisions, pray for them! One thing I’ve learned over the past year or so is that approaching people about their questionable actions rarely helps, so prayer is your greatest tool.
Thanks for reading! Have a blessed week!
