I never imagined I would have to adjust to Jesus. It wasn’t something mentioned very often in church, or at least anything I paid attention to. I figured it was seamless and never imagined the struggle that would ensue in and around me. I grew up in the church, a well known fact to those whom I have shared my life with; not always evident to those spectating. A stigma of being a preacher’s daughter is to be wild and rebellious and I believe that’s to keep us from sharing in the righteousness of God and from creating an even stronger family dynamic. After all, what’s stronger than one Christian? Two. 

I wasn’t prepared for the reality and all-consuming nature of my Lord. The intensity of Him whom I’ve heard about since birth but never truly experienced before this year. I always knew Jesus loved me thanks to nursery rhymes and reassurance but to be in relationship with Him is a journey I have just begun. 

Adjusting to Jesus is necessary because we live in this earthly realm. I watched a sermon recently (I can’t remember which since I binge them as often as I do upward mobility topics) which explained that no one has to teach us how to be greedy or self-serving. The nine fruits of the Holy Spirit seem harder to obtain especially after 21 years of practically doing the opposite. I sought the Spirit wholeheartedly in April and He became evident to me. I dived deeper by doing a week long music cleanse where I only listened to gospel and watched how He changed my appetite. The seemingly innocent consumption of modern-day media warps our minds and feeds our soul. I found myself repeating the gospel lyrics in my daily mantra of thinking and it has improved my life. The Holy Spirit has a role in everyone’s lives if they are open and willing to receive Him. Even when I considered myself to revert after my “Ah-ha!” moment He waited patiently for me to center Him and to obey. Free will is amazing and scary; as we have a God who genuinely wants our truest love as He reciprocates that. We can’t fake it or be ingenuine and I believe that’s why a majority of this world is lost.

Once I realized how my behaviors and environment continually put barriers, or limits, on how I could interact with God, I began the journey. Fighting to walk with God, in my eyes, is harder than acknowledging Him. Many people believe in the existence of the Holy Trinity but aren’t living in His will; unfortunately these people can’t spend eternity with Him. Matthew 7:13-14 (NLT) details of how we can enter in the heavenly gates.

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.”

This is sobering but a reality. The road is difficult because we have to unlearn everything this world puts an importance on. The Bible says satan is the king of this world which is the reason everything mainstream will more than likely try to pull us away from the glory and righteousness of God. God is the King of Kings and has put satan in this temporary authority, only until the great and terrible day of the Lord’s return. 

Our day-to-day decisions are helping to decide which gate we will eventually enter. I have made up my mind that I want to serve the Lord and spend eternity with Him, therefore I have to live in His will and glory now. 

Adjusting to Jesus means I have to let go of who I used to be and abandon all habits that will lead to destruction. Moving into this new reality has found me losing majority of those I considered friends, but my gifts and talents remain because they were bestowed by Him. This doesn’t mean I just woke up one day disgusted by everything sin encompasses but the change that happened on the inside awakened me and I am letting Jesus cleanse me. God’s strategy is submission and when I am letting Him take control and remaining in an environment where I can hear and allow my steps to be ordered everything else falls away. I am still in the process of purging and walking in my New Man full-time. Sarah Jakes Roberts latest message “Radical Expectations” said ‘I will keep on becoming until I become’ and I put my faith in that word. 

So if you know me personally and think I’m acting brand new, I am.