Live Second

To put it lightly, this past week was one of the hardest weeks I've had in a really long time. It wasn't anything to do with work, or anything to do with anyone else. It was just a battle within myself. A battle of control. A battle of not having any control over a situation. Because of my inward battle, it made it a hard week for not only myself, but everyone around me as well. I know that the Devil uses things to bring you down, and that he targets the ones that are easiest to bring down. People with a sensitive personality like myself. People who feel like they have fallen into water without being able to swim or have a way out. I saw a quote on Facebook the other day that describes it perfectly. "You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there."

There are so many things of this world that tend to take all of our attention. It doesn't matter how old we are, there is something that will get into our system and consume us. Last week, I became aware of a game called "Five Night's At Freddy's". It's rated for "Teens", however in my opinion, it shouldn't even be allowed for adults. A lot of kids are drawn to it as well which is what made me look into it. The backstory of it is: A man took some kids into a room and killed them, stuffing them into these animal robots, who now are trained to try and kill a security guard at night. As the "gamer", you are the security guard. That in itself should be enough for anyone to not let their kids play it. I stayed up until midnight for two nights straight just reading up on it. Listening to song lyrics, reading song lyrics, reading parental reviews, watching videos and even playing the demo of all 4 versions of the game. It is very dark and very scary. I became consumed with it. And not even because I wanted to play it. Because I was trying to become an expert at it. To know my facts in case anyone asked why I didn't want my kid or anyone else's playing it.

By becoming consumed by it, I lost sight of the fact that God is in control. It wasn't until I heard the same song about 6 different times that it finally sunk in. Jeremy Camp's "Christ In Me". Here are the lyrics: "In this obsession with the things this world says make us happy. Can't see the slaves we are in all the searching, all the grasping. Like we deserve much more than all these blessings we're holding. So now I'm running free into an ocean of mercy unending. So come and empty me, so that it's you I breathe. I want my life to be only Christ in me. So I will fix my eyes, 'cause you're my source of life. I need the world to see, that it's Christ in me. Done with what holds me down, the things I once was chasing after. Throw off these heavy chains that I have let become my master. So now I'm running free into an ocean of mercy unending."

Once those words were able to sink in, I was fine. I know that God is in control. However, it's always been hard for me to just let go and let God. There was an illustration I saw on Facebook this week as well. It seems that whatever you are going through, God allows every post you see or song you hear to be of some help to you. The illustration was this. "A psychologist taught stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected to be asked the 'half empty or half full' question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: 'How heavy is this glass of water?' Answers called out ranged from 8 oz to 20 oz. She replied: 'The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour I'll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.' She continued; 'The stresses and worries of life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer, and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day, you will feel paralyzed- incapable of doing anything.' So remember to put the glass down."

I know that God will always protect me and my family. I know that God will not allow evil to consume any of us. Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."  I know that God will take care of it for me. He always does. What do I have to do in exchange? Nothing. But if you are like me and you still feel like you have to do something, do this. Live second.

Dustin and I do a devotion every night. The book is called "Live Second" and it's from a series called "I am Second". There are videos and stories of athletes, actors and singers who tell their stories of how God saved them from something big and caused them to start putting God first in their lives. We both have bracelets that we wear almost every day. I know we both have had numerous people ask us what "I am second" means. Wearing that bracelet gives us a chance to tell our story. To witness to others about why they should put God first.

 My favorite line of "Christ in Me" is where he says "So come and empty me, so that it's You I breathe. I want my life to be only Christ in me." Allow yourself to be emptied out so that the only thing that you breathe is your Lord and Savior. Live Second. Always put Him first no matter what. Live your life in a way that everyone knows and sees your light shine. Ephesians 5:8 says "You were once in darkness, but now you are in the light. Walk as children of the light." Don't allow this world to consume you or your thoughts. Pray every day for evil to stay away from you. Let go and let God. Be emptied. Breathe Christ. Live Second.