Music Monday: “Look What You’ve Done ” by Tasha Layton
by Debbie Waltz
As a writer, I try and attend as many conferences as possible to strengthen my craft. Many of you may remember me mentioning the virtual conference I attended last week; as expected, I am experiencing what many call the “coming down from the mountain” feeling. After being filled with The Spirit and connecting with the community, returning home with a lot of energy and losing it over time is expected. This isn’t losing my purpose, just energy, and motivation.
Why We must Remember the Past
As I wrote this, I couldn’t help but realize how this paralleled our walk with God as Christians. Stay with me here. When we first believe, we are all in- dedicated to the cause of Christ. Over time, though, the newness of our faith wears off as it then becomes part of a routine. This is where the danger lies.
. “Why is that?” You may be asking.
The answer is quite simple. Our faith becomes less effective when we forget how far we’ve come because of God’s grace and mercy. Granted, this happens slowly with a gradual belief that we can do this life on our own. Must sign. We must never forget our past and what God has done for us.
Three Reasons Why We Don’t Have to Live in The Past
While we must remember where we’ve been, God doesn’t intend for us to stay there. Why? I will list the reasons below and explain them more in-depth in the paragraphs below. First and foremost, He loves us just the way we are. Second, He redeemed us because he has better plans than we could have for ourselves. Third, no matter what happens in this life, God will work it out for your good if you are a Christian.
Now let’s take a more in-depth look at these reasons, shall we?
1. God Loves Us Just The Way We Are
We’ve all heard the lyrics to “Jesus Loves Me” at some point in our life, but have we taken the time to think about it. God didn’t have to create us; he could have made anything to satisfy his need for a companion. He did it anyway. He also could have given us a mind that automatically believed; instead, he allowed us the choice of free will. Romans 5:8 states, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Paul expands on this idea even further in verse 10 as he continues,” For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”
2. God redeemed us; his plans are better than the ones we could have for ourselves. Not only did God love us, as illustrated above, but he acted on that love by sending his one and only son Jesus Christ to redeem us from our sinful state. In Latin, the word “Redeemer” literally means to “buy back.” The Greek translation also defines redemption more aptly as “to purchase something that has been lost.” Jesus paid the price for our sins past, present, and future. (Isaiah 53:5-6.) In this one sacrificial act, he ends the need for animal sacrifices. He, after all, is the only perfect and spotless lamb there is. Therefore, we should rely on God’s plans rather than our own. Even though we can’t always see what God is doing, we can trust Him. Remember what Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Unlike us, Jesus sees what the future holds and knows how our choices will impact those around us- both the good and the bad. Isaiah 55: 8-9 reiterates, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts..”
3. Everything will work out to fulfill God’s purposes. As Christians, we all have grown up memorizing Romans 8:28. But, contrary to popular belief, this doesn’t mean everything will turn out perfectly; instead, God will take our choices (both good and bad) to further His kingdom and our sphere of influence.
I chose Tasha Layton’s “Look What You’ve Done” precisely for this reason. The song begins by mimicking discouragement, voicing our thoughts as we try to live up to God’s standards and purposes for our life, but we fail. As humans, we aren’t perfect, and we will not be until we reach Heaven. We live in a fallen world; as such, we are prone to fall back into old habits
But there’s hope. God will always help us stand back up and keep moving. If we truly repent and turn our back on our old ways.
Jesus knows we will stumble; He wants us to get back up…
No matter how many times, just stand back up..
He is waiting for you…
To listen to Tasha Layton’s “Look What You’ve Done,” it can leave found here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyfUdwGBjtk