recovery.

Some things are just really hard to get over. Who knows if we ever truly get over them or if they just transfer to the back of our minds when they're still alive in our hearts. Even in long times of prayer, the problems can still flare up and then you feel like there's absolutely nothing else you can do... I'd love to know how to fix that.

Anyway. This has been a pretty good weekend-- my lovely roommate Larissa and I went to Philly with our friend Bryan to see one of our favorite bands, Copeland. We visited with our friend Ben who Larissa and I haven't seen in years and we saw another friend after the show, so that was really fun. It was a classic Philly visit: dinner at a diner, sketchy streets at late hours, good music. We didn't get back until six a.m. but hey, who needs sleep?

You know from other posts that I've been reading through 1 Corinthians and it's left me thinking about things. This morning I read this:

"The Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel." - 9:14

As always, verses can be interpreted in different ways. I take this one to mean that if we're going to be throwing the gospel out there for the world to feed upon, our own lives should be honoring it. We all make mistakes, we all mess up, we're all forgiven as believers. But we should reecive life from the Words we believe in and live according to how God commands us. One of my favorite verses is in 1 John, and it says, "This is love for God: to obey His commands."

"I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some." - 9:22

This is where Paul is talking about doing what others do-- becoming weak to save the weak, becoming like a Jew to save the Jews, etc. While there are certain things we definitely shouldn't participate in to get others closer to Christ (i.e. drugs/sex/excessive drinking), I think we can certainly make an effort to hang out with nonbelievers and do things we wouldn't normally be used to. I experienced some of this last semester and over the summer and it's a strange place to be sometimes, but it's cool to get out of what you usually do and be around different people. Get yourself out of the Christian bubble, it's worth it.

"So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!" - 10:12

A good one. Lately I've been thinking about how well I've been following Christ, but let's be honest, we all makes mistakes on a daily basis because none of us are perfect. We need to be kept in check and this verse tells us to make sure of that. The second I thought I was standing firm I was also able to think of multiple things I've done that God wouldn't be too happy with, no matter how small they seem.

Have a nice Sunday, friends.