What it looks like to have Jesus at the center of our lives

The first one-week sermon series of 2011 had a bit of an interesting title. It is called "Don't Put Jesus First This Year".  The title suprised me, but it was an incredible message. The overall point was that Jesus shouldn't just be put first in our daily lives, but He should be in everything of our daily lives. Every moment, every part of our lives, whether it be with our family, friends, work, health, finances, etc.

We had three of our campus pastors tag-teaming the message, and as I found out Saturday night was actually a little different than Sunday. God works in mysterious ways, though, and I believe I was there at the exact service I needed to be.

The first topic was what it looks like for Jesus to be at the center of our work. Larry Hubatka delivered this part, and he stated that we should focus on Jesus throughout the day to keep Him at the center. The second point (given by Wade Joye) was that Jesus should be at the center of our relationships. He said we should see God's vision for the relationship, and then serve like Christ and speak life into our relationships.

The third point was from John Bishop, and this is the one that had a huge effect on me. His topic was having Jesus at the center of our circumstances, and he gave us three questions to ask ourselves to find out if we have put Christ at the center of our circumstances:

1. Am I thinking mostly about myself in the midst of my circumstances?
2. Can I tell God the whole story right now? (Can I admit to God where I have failed in my situation)
3. Am I moving forward? (Am I still struggling with the same thing I have been struggling with for a while, or have I grown and am I facing different challenges?)

When I left church this weekend, I knew I had something in these notes that could potentially flip my world around, but I had no idea until I got home that night and sat down with my notes and started praying over them (which isn't really something I do all that much. God stepped in here).

Here's my situation: I've been going through a rough few years with my dad...he was diagnosed with diabetes when I was 11, and although he's had a lot of major things go wrong with his health, these past few years have really been bad. I've always been closer to my mom, but because of his constant health failing, I starting putting up a wall, not letting myself get too close, and quite frankly just taking on a terrible attitude towards my dad.  These past couple years have been full of ambulances and hospital visits, and especially the past few months he's been sick all the time. I've felt like a terrible daughter so many times recently, because of the thoughts I have and how I react to his problems...I've almost grown neutral to it. I've felt like I should change, but I never knew how. But Saturday night, I was sitting in my room, and I started reading over the verse again that John used in his message. Colossians 1:17 "He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." I started praying for God to help me deal with my dad's health, and as soon as I said "Jesus change my heart" it was like a dam broke. For the first time I was crying for the suffering that my dad is going through, and not for the unfairness that I have to be in this environment.

It's pretty amazing what God can do when we open up our hearts to Him.