This past Sunday the speaker at church spoke on living in unity with fellow Christians. I really enjoyed the message, and it made sense, seeing as how we are looking for a new pastor. What I didn’t expect was that I would be tested on this very teaching so soon in the week.
We were reminded that our Christian struggle in this life is not with people, but against the unseen forces of evil that are battling every day. Call me crazy, but I do believe in a spiritual realm that is every bit as real as the world you can smell and touch.
There are verses all throughout the Bible that deal with living in unity. They talk about God’s blessing to people who live in unity and the fact that our living in unity with one another (as Christian’s) is an example to those who don’t believe in God that He is indeed real and is living and dwelling in us. A crazy thought there to wrap your head around.
Anyway, there is this person that just rubs me the wrong way that plays at our Monday night basketball “league.” I think we all have people like that in our life at one point or another – most likely sent by God to smoothe out some rough patches in our lives. Said person was being particularly annoying last night and really trying (in my opinion) to get under my skin while we were playing.
His strategy worked really well at first. I am not typically an angry person, but when I do get upset it usually gets the best of me. After a while though, I was reminded of the message that I had heard not 24 hours before in the very same room. Needless to say that hit me like a ton of bricks, and although I am still not crazy about this person, I am trying to live at peace or in unity with them.
If you’re reading this and you are having an issue with someone in your life, resove that issue as soon as possible. Sometimes we get so bent out of shape over the smallest most petty things, and we take our eyes off what is truly important in life. I know I’ve done it countless times before.
Don’t let the small (or even bigger) things keep you from everything God has for you.