Life with Jesus

In the second week of the group, we talked about some really, really amazing things.

I was always taught that life with Jesus is super hard and that it's this uphill battle that you will never be able to beat because we are not perfect but if you don't beat the hill you are a disappointment to Him.

This makes no sense and has no hope and so it cannot be Jesus. But still, so many people believe this and teach that this is life with Jesus. They teach: If you don't follow Him you are a disappointment but in following Him you will never be able to be enough.

Where is the disconnect?

The first thing we looked at was, in Genesis 2:16-17. These are the verses that talk about the trees in the garden.

It's funny because we have all heard or read this verse before but something that Jesus showed me is that most people read it and only focus on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil where in reality the focus of the verses are on all the other trees in the garden. Jesus made all the other trees in the garden for us to have, He didn't say "I made the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, just don't eat from that." But, so much of the time that is how we can think about it. Just don't eat from the bad tree and I'm good, but in reality, the vast, vast majority of the trees are all things we can do. It's not an uphill battle. He made all the other trees, not only one.

This honestly changed my view of Jesus a lot. He is not waiting for us to not eat the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He made all the other trees for us.

The second thing we looked at was John 14:26. This verse talks about how Holy Spirit will remind us of everything that Jesus did and calls us into. For me, this verse was a huge relief because I feel like there are way too many things to remember to do. This shows us that Jesus actually wants us to put that burden on Him. His yoke is easy. We don't need to remember how to do everything we can just be in communion with Holy Spirit and He will bring us to Jesus.

The last thing we looked at was something that most people honestly couldn't answer. Which is what do you think Jesus is thinking about you when you disobey or sin? Honestly what thoughts do you think are going through His mind? This is an incredibly difficult question and part of me wants to answer the question by saying He is disappointed in me and wants to look away, and another part of me wants to say he is sad, part of me wants to say that He is kind so after I repent everything is good again.

The way I learned about this is I felt like Jesus asked me to go pray for a random person in the street and I just walked by them and felt so ashamed that I did and I was thinking and asking Jesus, what are you thinking about me at this moment because it is honestly really important to know.

His response was: when we were baptized, we were given a new nature. We were reborn with the mind of Christ and His nature. So what happens when, like adam, we choose the other tree? what happens when we choose the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Well, I felt like Jesus said that because it is now not in our nature to do that, we are being used for something that we weren't designed to do, and it is painful to do something outside of our nature. His response to His children being hurt is that He wants to comfort them.

Which blew my mind and makes so much sense. Jesus is so unselfish that when I look Him in the eye and say I want something else He responds by saying "that must have hurt, let me comfort you." But I also thought it sounded a little too good to be true. So, I asked Him where I could see it in the Bible, so He brought me to luke 15:20-21 which is the story of the prodigal son. Where the son runs away from home and when the son comes home the Father runs to him and before the son has time to repent the father is kissing him on his neck and hugging him and comforting him.

The second place that Jesus brought me to was Romans 2:4.

This is the verse that says it is the kindness of the Lord that brings me to repentance. This means that when I am in a place of needing to repent He comes in kindness and tenderness, not in condemnation which is usually the reason we repent because we feel like He is mad or disappointed because we did something wrong.

Which is absolutely crazy and amazing. He is so kind and so selfless.

To summarize everything:

Life with Jesus is not an uphill battle, He made so many things for us. So much more than just don't sin. Genasis 2:16-17

He is not needing us to remember to do everything just be with Him and Holy Spirit will remind us of all things. We can let go of that burden. John 14:26

When/if we disobey or sin His reaction towards us is tenderness and kindness because He is so selfless that He just sees His children acting outside of their nature which is painful. He just wants to comfort us.

Luke 15:20-21 (Prodigal son)

Romans 2:4