Christ's Way
Christ's Way
by Dustin Hawkins
Part 2 of 3
Christ's way is the slow life, or the simple way of life. His way can infect people to do good, and even change them from the inside out. Christ's way can infect an entire African village, weaving it's way in out, influencing people to do good, and to even be happy with very little. Christ's ways can infect entire communities, helping those communities to become prosperous, happy, and content. Christ's ways can make the poor in material wealth - rich in spiritual insight, which then leads them to being comfortable, and even thankful for all that they have, since they now know and understand that His way has nothing to do with material wealth, and has everything to do with obedience and the heart. The socioeconomic problems of today can be cured by Christ's way, where He will implant greatness in the hearts of many, helping them to see what this life is really all about; which is learning His ways, and striving to walk His light path, and then teaching others His ways. However, pride gets implanted in the hearts of many as they start to prosper on His path, then causing them to be quick to forget His ways.Christ's way can truly heal the penitent heart, since the penitent heart is open, and willing to accept His fruits. His fruits are His gifts to us as we strive to walk His light path. His fruits lay within the family, and are the more magical experiences within the family. The experiences of watching your family grow, where sisters and brothers start having families of their own, and are happy - leading a life of good and charity. The family unit is so important, which is why His ways should be taught within that family unit. So now when your twenty-one year old son struggles with addiction, he will have something to turn to, and even hold on to as he strives to overcome his addiction. Addiction can get its grips in to anyone, so it's comforting to know that if your son or daughter gets off the light path for a time, experiencing the substances of this world for a time; that they would have that foundation that they were taught in their youth concerning Christ's ways so that they now can turn to Him, and eventually get back on to His light path.For the person that struggles with addiction Christ's way can heal them; He can take the most hard core of all addicts, and miraculously turn them inside out, and even from a negative to a positive. I've seen this take place, and the transformation becomes a miracle because without Christ no such change would have taken place. In a world where people seem to be losing sight of His truths, the addict must not lose sight, but they must believe, and be willing to accept Him into their life. This pursuit cannot be a casual effort, nor can it be sporadic. You have to hop on board with all of your strength and might, and then look to be obedient to His ways. You've got to fight your addiction, utilizing prayer and scripture study on a daily basis; sometimes more than once a day- sometimes more than twice a day, for this is what it takes. You've got to go to spiritual places, and even quiet places, where you ponder and meditate about the powerful concepts you have since been studying. If you do not study His ways, how can you truly expect to walk his ways? You have to come to an understanding of what His ways are, and this only comes through studying his word. Read other books as well -books that were written about Him and his gospel. There are many great writers out there who have written powerful things concerning The Christ. Read these types of books, while at the same time studying the scriptures diligently, and He will change you through this. It will take time, but He will change you.You can't be afraid to be unique of to where you study. Wake up early, for there is power in the quiet morning time. Scripture study in the morning, coupled with prayer will put you on track to having a productive day. At lunchtime read some more; study some more; pray some more; and then carry the concepts that you've been studying, and the prayers that you've been having-around in your head during the day. If you've been studying about charity then think about charity, and even pray about receiving further understanding concerning charity, and also the gift of charity. Ask, in your prayers, to be a more charitable person. Do this with all of the concepts that you study, and then ask for these attributes to be added to your character. You cannot just go through the motions when reading, studying, and praying. That is not the way of Christ, for His way takes a diligent effort always. You constantly have to work at His way almost like it’s a hobby for you. Where your hobbies in the past were of television, cloudiness, and laziness, only now to be replaced by the study and relationship building with The Christ.Christ can be our teammate in this game of life. He can help us through thick and thin; He watches over us while we sleep, and when we awake he is back on our heals, whispering in our ear the entire way; however, at first, we may not here all of his whispers since we were often times clouded. It is only when we start to get clear that His whisper starts coming out, and even becomes noticeable. As we keep walking down His obedient path, which is a path that is away from our addictions, only then will we get greater glimpses as of to what His way truly has to offer.If you start following His way, you'll notice more of the world. We don't see anything when we are clouded. His way is the family way, where good conversation, hugs, and remembrances take place. His way is away from drug addiction, and on to a path that is full of life's most precious gifts; precious gifts that can only come through truly helping people to see another way if life, for that is the greatest high of all. The greatest high of all is receiving a portion of His goodness into your own soul, and then using His goodness; which is His goodness that is now being used through you–to now help someone to change their life. There is no pill, drink, or smoke that can supersede the high a person gets when they truly help someone to see a better way of life.Study about his wonderful ways, and then look to carry His spirit with you at all times. Since His spirit cannot dwell in unclean places, means that you have to be clean and clear; however, his work is a process. If you are battling with your addiction at the highest level where you just cant seem to stop, then is the time you need to be pleading in prayer, and consistent in your study about Christ. As previously mentioned, how would you expect to become more like Him if you don't study about Him? The time to study and pray about Christ isn't only when you are doing good with your addiction, but is also when you are doing poorly with your addiction; however, you must be diligent and do your part in suffering through the darkness, to then experience the lightness, which you will then come to realize is a lightness that Christ carried you too. The road to living a Christ centered life is winding, and is a process in which the progress is endless, and if you cant escape the ways of the world - His way should sound very interesting to you. Click to read part 1 of the three part series: Try Using Christ