Standing Strong: How to Storm-Proof Your Life With God s Timeless Truths

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So if your life is built on the temporary—read, contemporary—sand of passing opinions or other people’s theology rather than a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you may find yourself crumbling under the pressures of life. That whoever believes in Him shall . . . have eternal life. Shall have a life that endures—that is counted in eternity.

After all, why would you go through the trouble of laying a magnificent foundation and then build it with methods and materials that are sure to fail? That would make no sense. I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ. (vv. 7–8 NLT; emphasis added)Why? Paul himself wrote, “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Cor. 1:25). In other words, the life the Lord builds in us is always tougher and longer lasting than anything any person can ever achieve—no matter how mighty, important, affluent, influential, or intelligent he or she may be.

So it is when we “renovate” our lives—we may try to get in shape, improve our health, dress nicer, embellish our résumé, and even become more outwardly religious. We try to impress others with our external qualities. We may also try to mask or diminish our pain, weaknesses, and fears with addictive substances or immoral behavior—hoping that, somehow, they’ll make us more courageous. But they don’t. They undermine our confidence even further. Perhaps you recall the story. “As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ And [Saul] said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting’?” (Acts 9:3–5). Psalm 90:2 reminds us that God existed before the dawn of time and will continue to remain when time itself is no more: “Before the mountains were born or You gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”

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So how do you do this? How do you make a relationship with Christ your foundation? It is as simple as talking to Him. You can tell Him in your own words or use this simple prayer:

Thankfully, once we accept Christ as our foundation, the right building materials and appropriate techniques will fall into place—if we will truly entrust our entire lives to Him. So what goes into the construction of a strong life? It’s not just having a healthy body—that’s useful, but there is much more to it than that. Likewise, it is more than having a good job, plenty of money, or prestigious social standing in your community. How can you experience a strong, fruitful life? What does it take?It could even be that you want to be prepared for the great plans God has for you. You’ve seen the difficulties and challenges great leaders face and want to make sure you have what it takes to endure and become all you were created to be. You desire to walk with a sense of purpose. You long to understand what speeds you along God’s path and what hinders you from moving forward. You yearn to have the courage and confidence to endure when obstacles and people arise to challenge you.

So, in Part 2 of this book, we will look at your convictions concerning obedience, the church, adversity, and the end of this life. Each one of these areas will show whether you are seeking to be desired for your own value or have made yourself small so God can be glorified. And how you look at each of these areas will make a tremendous difference in how sturdy your life is and whether it will bear fruit that lasts.What we choose to believe intrinsically determines whether or not we are able to stand strong in this life—during the easy times, and during the most difficult. Standing Strong explores the Bible to identify the central issues of life where conviction is imperative, John the Baptist echoed this understanding when he said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).