Who Are You Following?

Photo by Jehyun Sung on Unsplash

Facebook. Twitter. Instagram. YouTube. So many ways to follow…people. But, with all of our following, where are we really going? This thought hit me early this morning. With the birth of social media, we have learned well how to follow…man. Every time you turn around, someone wants you to follow them, but where are they going? Is it somewhere you want to go, somewhere worth going? I’ve always been pretty choosy in who I follow…online, at least. The problem I seem to have struggled with so much of my life, though, is following all of the other “voices”; some I can see, but some I only hear. Can you relate? Are there internal and/or external voices that are less than affirming that scream for your attention - messages of shame, criticism, fear, anxiety, etc.? Maybe a parent or cruel kids at school or a friend you thought you could trust or a spouse that left you, but you’ve probably given your ear to voices like that, too, huh? Over my lifetime, I have sought the affirmation, approval, and love I so desperately needed, that we all need, from so many fickle, temporary sources. However, most of those things left me emptier than when I began. People will always fail us, at some point, no matter how hard they try. We might find a little light here or there, but eventually that bulb burns out, the battery dies, or the switch flips. There is good news though! John 8:12 says: Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, “I am the Light of the world. He who followsMe will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life.” His light, alone, will never burn out, never end, never fail you. You can stop stumbling around alone in darkness like I did for so long! You can stop following everyone looking for validation or trying to find the answers you need. I heard a great quote the other day from Mark Mitchell, founder of Tri-Cities Recovery. He said “If self-help could’ve helped self then self wouldn’t have needed help to begin with!” I could totally relate because I tried unsuccessfully to fix myself for sooo many years! But there is only one answer, one way, and His name is Jesus. John 14:6 tells us that Jesus said to him, “I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” Trust me, I know…everything else just leaves us empty! I implore you to let the 2,000+ year old cross of Jesus speak louder to you than every other voice because it is still shouting to this day “Your life matters!” You matter to God. You matter to me. You matter today. And the most beautiful part is that it has nothing to do with anything we have or have not done but has everything to do with God’s choice to create us, love us, and save us! Nothing will ever change any of that, hallelujah! Our value is in the master Painter Who painted us, the Creator Who formed us. So, no matter what color your skin is, no matter what choices you’ve made, no matter how rich or poor you are, and no matter how far you might feel from the God of the universe, He is as close as your “yes” to Him! You might be familiar with John 3:16, but verse 17 declares that God did not send Jesus to condemn us, as our sin has already done that, but to save us. Even if you’re not yet convinced to surrender your life to Jesus, I pray that you’ll “follow” me as I follow Christ and learn more about why your life matters – to Him, to me, today. I am not extraordinary, but I have been carrying a message in my heart from the Father that I believe the whole world needs to hear! And, on this site, I will do my best to follow Him and release the heart of the Lord to you as best I can. He rescued me from the depths of despair, self-harm, and fear, and the only way I have survived and will continue to survive is by following Him. Jesus is still beckoning whoever will to follow Him today, saying “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life.” Now is the time to decide to unsubscribe, even block those negative voices, and ask God to show you how your life matters. I welcome you to join me on this journey of discovery about why you matter…today! I promise you He has good plans for your life (Jeremiah 29:11). And, if you’re a person who has already experienced how much you matter to God, please join me in this movement to share the message of Your Life Matters for all the world to hear! Let’s follow the Light of the world. Blessings! :) #yourlifematters2me