Caffeinated Crunchy Christian Moms

Read: 1 Corinthians 9-10

1 Corinthians is a letter written by Paul to the church in Corinth. Corinth was a major city at the time, a diverse hub. In these chapters, Paul looks at life and faith like a race. The race is run over our lifetime and brings us face to face with various highs and lows. According to Paul, this race is not about winning or being perfect, but instead about intentionality (A Beautiful Year in the Bible). We are running on God’s path every day, chasing after Him. No, it will not always be easy, but it is worth it.

We are not the people of Israel, but we can still learn from them. Their stories show us what to do and what not to do, and they remind us how easy it is to drift when we take our eyes off of God. In chapter 10 verse 13, the word temptation can also mean testing. That stood out to me, because not everything we face is meant to make us fail. Sometimes it is meant to help us grow.

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear…” -1 Corinthians 10:13

In chapter 9, Paul talks about freedom. God gives us free will. We get to make our own choices. That does not mean that we should just do whatever we want. We are still called to live according to God’s will, not our own, and to be disciplined in the choices that we make.

“Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.” -1 Corinthians 9:19

As I am writing this, I just want to say that I am not a pastor or a preacher. I did not go to seminary. I am just doing this to keep myself accountable, to grow, and to learn. I share this because I have a platform to do it, and I pray that it reaches the right people. Not for my own gain, but so that I can better understand the Bible and share what I am learning. If I am being honest, that can be hard. I put a lot of time and effort into this, and it would be nice to get something more tangible back from it. But that’s not where we are right now and that’s perfectly okay.

At the end of chapter 10, it says:

“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” -1 Corinthians 11:1

That is the goal. To follow Christ. We are going to fall short, each of us, but that does not mean that we should not try.

Chapter 10 also talks again about the freedom that we have as believers; I think this is where conviction really comes in. When you have a relationship with God, you have the Holy Spirit in you. It is that voice, that feeling, that nudge guiding you as you make decisions.

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” -Galatians 5:16

When you go against that, it hits different, feels different, because you know.

“So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God… But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.” -Romans 14:22-23

One example for me is tattoos. The Bible talks about not marking your body, and I know people have different views on that.

“Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.” -Leviticus 19:28

When I was younger, I thought it would be fun to get a small tattoo. But over time, I felt convicted about it. For me personally, it does not feel right. So, if I chose to go get one now, I would feel like I am actively going against God because of that conviction.

Someone else might not feel that same conviction, and that is where this gets personal. The same goes for things like modesty or other choices that we make. It is not that the Bible just means whatever we want it to mean, but we do have to recognize that the Holy Spirit works in each of us differently, guiding us in our own walk and shaping our testimony.

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” -Galatians 5:13

It reminds me a lot of parenting. You give your kids choices. You teach them, guide them, and lay that foundation. You hope that they choose what is right, but you cannot make every decision for them.

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” -Proverbs 22:6

That is how God is with us. He guides us, He convicts us, but He also gives us the choice. And remember that when we mess up, He is still there.

I want my kids to have that foundation. I want them to know God for themselves, not just because I told them to. And I have to trust that what I am planting now will grow, even if I do not see it right away.

Discussion Questions

1. How can you trust, or have you trusted, God with your children as they grow and start making their own choices?
2. How are you using the freedom that God has given you in your daily choices?
3. What is one way that you have felt conviction from the Holy Spirit in your life?

Connect with the Author

LinkTree

A Note from the Author