Striving

Hey Guys,


This was a blog I wrote for a different website, go check it out if you would like but I figured I would post it here at well. The website is http://www.jesusbigger.ca/


I was driving home, like I always do. Listening to music, like I always do when the song In Christ Alone came on. Maybe you know it, maybe you don't, but I know it well enough that I just tuned it out, I have heard it a thousand times. This time, however, the lyrics managed to hit me like a sack of bricks...

"When fears are stilled, when strivings cease..." These lyrics have been consuming my thoughts this last month. What would my life look like if striving ceased? When my fears are stilled?

I am a guy who thrives upon getting ahead, one up-ing people and constantly moving up in the eyes of the world. For anyone that knows me this is nothing new, it is evident in my life, sadly. Most of my life decisions are based around trying to get people to like me more or make myself seem more important.

The most extreme example of this came one summer when I was running a franchise for a company. I started of well, but as time progressed my sales lowered. To compensate I made up sales just in order to make my goal. I feared not being the best. All I wanted to do was impress people and to make a name for myself. Needless to say this did not end well for me.

I wish that would have been the end of my need to be better, but it is not. My life is marked by me constantly doing more and more to try and make a name for myself.

It is funny how those two lines are next to each other, "When fears are stilled; when strivings cease," maybe it is just me, but the biggest fear I have in life is will people like just me? Not some persona, or some act but plain old simple me. My fear constantly drives me.

Then the song reminded me that it is in Christ alone that strivings cease; that striving to have my name remembered, to be valued or to be liked can stop. It is in Jesus alone that, that is fulfilled.

We are reminded in the Bible to "Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation.  I will be honored throughout the world.” (Psalm 49:10) As I read that I am humbly remind that I do not need to make a name for myself, because Jesus has made a name for me; I do not need to be remembered because Jesus remembers me.

And that it is truly in Christ Alone that my striving ceases.


Much Love,
Christian