God is ... not soft

I was doing some research a few weeks ago for a different blog post, and ran across the following verses:

"You didn't think, did you, that just by pointing your finger at others you would distract God from seeing all your misdoings and from coming down on you hard? Or did you think that because he's such a nice God, he'd let you off the hook? Better think this one through from the beginning. God is kind, but he's not soft. In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change."

Romans 2:3-4 (The Message)

"Better think this one through from the beginning. God is kind, but he's not soft."

God's desire is for his children to experience radical life change. How else will we show the world who he truly is?

Eleven scared men, and the women and other close followers who were there in the upper room with them, didn't change the world. It wasn't until the disciples and followers of Jesus saw the risen Lord that radical things began to change.

But the first step in living into radical life-change is to stop comparing ourselves to others. It is easy, isn't it, to find someone "worse" than you? We then begin to compare ourselves to that person, justifying the sin in our life isn't so bad. At least we don't ... (fill in the blank).

Yet Paul tells us "pointing your finger at others" isn't the standard. Our standard should be Jesus. While he was God, he was also 100% human. He faced every trial we face today.

Are you having difficulty paying the bills? Jesus did too, and was only able to pay his Roman taxes because God provided the money.

Are you hungry? Jesus was too. Yet in the midst of the hunger, he was able to rebuff the temptations of the devil.

Are you tired, Jesus was often exhausted after dealing with the crowds. How did he recuperate? He went to his father in prayer.

The bible tells us:

"No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be ther to help you come through it."

I Corinthians 10:13 (The Message)

Do you want radical life-change? You have to first turn from your sinful habits. Then you need to learn to lean into God. He has a plan for you, a plan that is far better than what you are living right now.

Only after we repent of our sin and lean into God's love and goodness are we able to fully experience radical life-change.

And then, just hold on because God is going to do great things in and through you!