Monks and Mother Teresa: How to Live a Holy Life

Hello, Friends!

Ok. I have to admit that I giggled as I wrote the title of this post. I DO NOT KNOW how to live a HOLY LIFE, but I’m trying to figure it out and I desire to live a life that is honoring to Jesus. I bet you do, too. I wish we could sit down with a cup of coffee, heavy on the flavored creamer, and share what God is teaching us.

Living a HOLY LIFE isn’t something just for those in vocational ministry and a pipe-dream for the rest of us. In the second letter Paul wrote to his dear friend, Timothy, Paul instructed him…..

“He (the Lord) has saved us and called us to a holy life-not because of anything we have done but by HIS own purpose and grace.”

A Holy Life is possible because God can make it so through Holy Spirit living in us as believers.

If:Equip has a study about the history of the church, which I am loving. A few summers ago, I read a book about the topic and took copious notes trying to understand how we went from small groups of believers meeting in homes to multiple denominations, cathedrals, and mega churches. It was interesting and I learned a lot, but this small-bite-everyday- timeline, along with a little video of further discussion, is making it more clear to me. I’m loving it!

God is in charge of HIS CHURCH and has preserved the gospel since the day of Pentecost, when HE started it. Humans have messed it up-since we are not perfect-but we haven’t destroyed it. Neither has the enemy been able to stop it.

And we get to be a part of it. Are you excited?!!!!

This is our time to believe and share the good news with others. If we don’t, the loss will be ours because the GOSPEL will be preserved. The enemy wants you and me to cower in a corner, worrying about what others will think of us, or to keep us so busy we don’t have time to read scripture or prayer and feed our own soul, never mind worrying about anyone else’s.

RESIST the crazy, friends. Oh my goodness, it is soooo hard, isn’t it?

Throughout history, Christians have been trying to figure out how to live a holy life. Some people became monks, separating themselves from society and dedicating their lives to study and prayer. A life like this kind of sounds appealing, doesn’t it?

But, this kind of life never made any sense to me because the scriptures I read say we are supposed to get involved with people so that we can share God’s love with them.

And Jesus. He spent 40 days in the wilderness being tempted by the enemy, but he spent his ministry out and about among the people. How could that kind of life be possible if we separate ourselves from everyone, focusing only on our own spiritual development?

On the flip side of the coin is Mother Teresa, who spent her life in the slums of India with the sick and poor and less than.

Seems like there is more than one way to do the right thing. Hmmmm. Thank you God for being in charge and being patient with us as we try to figure it out.

Recently, the lesson I read on If:Equip discussed a monk named Benedict. He lived a monastic life, but his take on it was a little different than others of his time-he believed WORK was also a way to honor God.

Woohoo!

Everything can be HOLY. Every part of our day should be dedicated to the Lord. Each one of us is a missionary, and we carry the light of Jesus with us wherever we go. To work, to holy yoga class, to the grocery store, to Wal-mart.

A balanced life should be our goal. Time every day spent in the word, praying without ceasing, meeting the needs of others. Rest. Laughter. Tears. Joy. Godly Sorrow.

Head. Heart. Hands.

“Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.”  Col. 3:17 The Message

This is majorly convicting to me. Is it to you? I know I need to spend more time doing some things, which means less time spent doing others. I’m tempted to make myself a checklist because I like to make rules for myself.

And then break them. Please tell me I’m not the only one.

Doesn’t this fill you with gratitude for GRACE and JESUS, who makes a HOLY LIFE possible at all?

I’ve been blessed growing up in a family of people who love the Lord and I love hearing how Jesus is working in their lives. Just the other night, my Aunt June shared with Debbie and me a bit of her testimony. She told us that even though she had attended church her entire life, was “saved” as a girl, taught Sunday School for years, and took her family to church with her, she realized in her 40’s that she didn’t really have a relationship with Jesus. She believed, but the knowledge had never gotten from her head to her heart.

A friend and neighbor shared the plan of salvation with her again, she followed the steps, and now she has complete assurance and her relationship with Jesus is growing sweeter and sweeter.

If her story resonates with you or makes you squirmy and uncomfortable, please, talk to someone about it. It is too important to leave up to chance.

Wishing doesn’t make it happen. Being good doesn’t make it happen. Living a better life than other people doesn’t make it happen.

Jesus makes it happen. 

And then you can start your journey toward a HOLY LIFE.

Friends, please share with us what living a Holy life means to you. You will encourage all of us, yes you will.

Big Hugs and Many Blessings!

Susan

This is the last post in my series on Colossians. Catch up on the others God and Designer Clothes Part 1, God and Designer Clothes Part 2: How to Be a Friend, Why I Love the Church.

And here is a link to If: Equip.