Don't Let The World Get In Your Way

1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world or anything in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For everything in the world – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does – comes not from the Father but from the world.  The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”

Our love of the world shows through in our attitude when we face problems.  If we fret and stress and get sidetracked from God’s will for us, we are focusing on our life in the world.  We are loving the world – for better or for worse – by fixating even on our undesirable circumstances. 

For example: when we face financial difficulties, if we allow ourselves to be consumed by the issue, we are only showing our desire for worldly happiness.  We want our finances to be healthy so we can live a life with the best the world can offer us.  We love prosperity in the world.  We love the world.

If we are having marital problems, we tend to listen to the advice of the world in trying to fix it or in deciding to dissolve it.  Why else would there be a 50% divorce rate among church people?  We want marriage as it is portrayed on the television or movies – the way the world claims we should experience it.  We love what the world tells us.  We love the world.

We as Christians have gotten too engulfed in the way of the world.  We have forgotten to seek God first.  We have forgotten to keep our mind set on our eternal life, our spiritual being.

Matthew 16:24-27 “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.  What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?" 

Some people find it too hard to be a Christian.   I’m always amazed at how surprised many Christians are to find out how difficult life can get. 

Jesus tells his disciples in John 16:33 “In this world you will have trouble.”

This verse applies to all of us.  God didn’t promise us a life of rose gardens and happiness.  We would never seek His help if life was too easy.

How do we keep an eternal mindset and not get so caught up in the ways of the world?  We stay close to God.  We read His word every day.  We pray to Him every day.  We ask His guidance in all we do so that we can fulfill His will for our lives.  We remember that this world is a temporary stopping ground. 

We have eternity to spend in heaven where there will be no more tears.  Don’t let the world get in your way.