Standards
- Hailey Case
- Jan 22, 2018
- 3 min read
Inspired by Pastor Steven Furtick
Standards...are yours too high or too low?
Are you constantly pushing people away or do you find yourself in the wrong crowd.
Don't get me wrong, standards are a great thing but I think it's about time that everyone evaluates their's.
I am someone who has incredibly high standards for myself, but I believe I have them for a good reason. At least I hope I have them for a good reason.
I would rather have a super small group of friends, because of how the people around me act. The older I get the more I see them falling into sins that I do everything I can to stay away from.
I see them turning to alcohol, drugs, sex, partying, hurtful language, etc. Not only do they turn to those things, but they show pride about it. I try my best not to judge them, and it's hard. It's really hard. I need to think that everyone has their struggles. Everyone also has sins they struggle with. Everyone.
My high standards cause me to look down on people, I believe it's because I don't always put God behind them all the time.
When I think about my standards with God behind them, I think:
I want to be around people that are convicted to stay away from these types of things. I pray for someone that doesn't drag me down just because I won't drink or even go out. I choose those things because I want better for myself so that I may please God.
Now I am probably missing out on some relationships, but I do have better talks with people older than me. They understand that the partying isn't everything and they know Christ a lot better than I do and will push me to pursue Him further.
I believe my standards will allow me to have more meaningful relationships in the future.
But now lets talk about some a touchier topic.
Do not conform yourself to the standards of the world.
-Romans 12:2
Easier said than done.
Take a second and think about something. Imagine this.
You're late to (work, school, etc). How nervous/anxious are you?
Now imagine this.
You're running late to (church, youth group, etc). How nervous/anxious are you?
Now if you're anything like the normal person, one makes you more anxious than the other. The sad truth is, the world has put a lot of weight on running on time for anything but church.
If you think about it, you're not going to get set to the principal's office for being late to church and it won't be put on your record.
But why are people so willing to show up 30 minutes early for a movie that just came out to just beat the crowd. But those same people can't make it to service on time.
God should be your highest standard.
He should be the priority of
friendships
family
school
decisions
romantic relationships
The list can go on and on.
God does so much for you, he does so much for everyone. Open your eyes..He wants you to place Him first.
Now when you go through your standards, is God behind them.
If God is behind them and God is in them, pray about them. Ask God to show you where you should set your standards.
God is worth it.
Your standards can be set too high.
They can be keeping you from being happy.
Your standards could be too low.
They could be keeping you from your true potential.
This week I challenge you to write out what your standards are. Some might be hard to get into words, but just try.
After you write them down, sort through them and see if God is behind all of them. If you find an area that could use some adjusting, try to work on it. Pray that God could work in that area of your life.
Remember, you are constantly changing. Your body is continuously growing (your nails, hair, new cells, etc). If your body can change, so can you.
Don't wait any longer to live the life God wants you to live.
You are capable of so many great things. And you are worthy of so many great things.
All you need to do is turn to God.
With Love,
Hailey
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