Faithful

Hi. My name is Melanie Pieper, and I’m an idiot.

I know what you’re thinking. “No, Melanie, you’re not an idiot. You’re probably the smartest person in all the world and also so talented.” Yep. Definitely what you were thinking. You guys are too kind.

But I’m not referring to my brainpower, although sometimes I do stupid things. I’m talking about my relationship with God.

See, over and over and OVER, God has proven His faithfulness in my life. He is faithful in all things. For the past five summers, I have gone on five-week mission trips. These trips are expensive. Thankfully, my God is the God who provides. Never once has there been a year where I could not go because of money. There have been times in school where I am overwhelmed by a seemingly never-ending pile of homework and assignments due. I am filled with such anxiety and stress that I’m about to cry at any moment. Yet, God gives me the strength to persevere, and He provides.

I’m at the halfway point in my first semester at college, and it’s starting to get a bit overwhelming. It’s as if right after I complete an assignment, there are five more directly behind it. I think I put more pressure on myself to succeed than anyone else does. I have a selfish desire to be complimented on my success. I’m thirsty for attention and well-wishes. I want to be admired and loved.

But in reality, the cry of my heart is to bring God the glory. What if I can bring more glory to Him through a B than through an A? Confession: I had a hard time even typing that statement. I want to do well. But I want to do well in school to glorify Christ, not to glorify myself.

Okay, that was a sidebar. Back to the part about me being overwhelmed with school. I had a bit of a breakdown on Sunday as I thought about all the things I had to do and that it was JUST THE FIRST SEMESTER like holy poop, I’ve got a long way to go. But then the Lord reminded me of His faithfulness. In church earlier that day we sang a song that said, “I will look back and see that you are faithful. I’ll look ahead, believing you are able.” I, along with the rest of the congregation, sang this whole-heartedly, eyes closed and hands raised.

But do I really believe that? Do I live out my life with a heart at rest, knowing my God is faithful? He is constant. He is never-changing. Looking back at my life and all of the situations where God has been faithful (literally everything), how can I doubt that He will not continue to be faithful? Even when I am faithless and I doubt His character, He remains faithful (2 Timothy 2:13).

Sometimes the outcome is not what we hope for. Sometimes I get a B instead of an A. Sometimes I don’t get what I want. I do know that God will supply all of my needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). The goodness and faithfulness of God is not nullified because I don’t get what I want (Daniel 3:18).

So no matter what situation you are in, be confident that God is faithful and there is nothing that can change that. Ever. Like for real. I know that God is good ALL the time. I know that there is nothing I can do to make Him love me more, and there is nothing I can do to make Him love me less. I will continue to rest on that promise. Even when I’m an idiot and forget about the countless times He has shown His faithfulness.

Stay unashamed of the gospel.

 “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39 ESV).

Unconditional Love

Because I am human, I am prideful. My flesh and sinful nature desires all the glory. But because I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me (Galatians 2:20). All the glory in everything I do goes to Him. This is a truth that I need to be reminded of daily.

The other day I walked out of the library here on campus and noticed a loud, angry-sounding man. He shouted out a message about a god who was going to rain down punishment upon all the sinners of the world. According to him, we were all going to hell unless we repented. I observed the faces of the students around him and became very distraught. Their expressions were not those of people who were hearing the message of the gospel. No, these were faces filled with disgust. They were annoyed at “preachy Christians” who “shouldn't be allowed on campus.”

Since I was on my way to class, I cannot say whether the message preached was solely of wrath and eternal damnation, but it was the only thing I heard. There was not one word about the infinite grace and love of God. Yes, it is true that God hates sin and cannot be around it because he is holy and just. It is true that hell is a real place. But God is just as full of mercy and grace as he is full of justice and holiness. The miracle of the gospel is that while we were enemies of God, he loved us so much he sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to die for us (Romans 5:8). Jesus took our punishment. You and I don't have to pay our debt because Jesus Christ paid it in full. That blows my mind!

As I thought more about the gospel and what this man was preaching, I got angry. (Note: anger is not actually a fruit of the Spirit.) How dare this man come onto my campus? He’s ruining the gospel and Christianity for these students! How am I supposed to start a revival here when people like him are running around? Oh, he makes me mad!

Boom. CONVICTION. The Lord reminded me that it's not about me after all. I am not here at this school for myself. I am not here to save people, because I cannot save people. Only Christ can! The only reason I am here is to glorify Jesus. One of my favorite quotes is from a rapper named KB. It says, “If you forget my name, please remember my Jesus.” I pray every day that this is the cry of my heart. But that is much easier said than done. The world doesn't need more Melanie. It needs more Jesus.

The Bible says that the world will know we are His because of our love for one another (John 13:35). I earnestly pray that people know I am His because of the way I love. I pray that they will come to know who He is because of His love. I am reminded of a quote by Madeline L'Engle: “We draw people to Christ not by loudly discrediting what they believe, by telling them how wrong they are and how right we are, but by showing them a light that is so lovely that they want with all their hearts to know the source of it.”

That is the gospel. People shouldn't be scared into salvation. Francis Chan once said, “Lukewarm people don't want to be saved from their sin. They just want to be saved from the penalty of their sin.” I know I often have this mentality.

Jesus is infinitely better than anything this world has to offer. I don't claim to know all the answers. I don't claim to be wiser or smarter than anybody. These things God is showing me are convicting to my heart.

Thank you for reading the ramblings of a college student. Stay unashamed of the gospel. #116

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." -Ephesians 3:20-21