Weekend Wrap-Up [Sorta]: Kindness Leads to Repentance

Oh my lanta, guys! Remember when I said I was going to get better at posting more often like FOREVER AGO!? I can't believe that we're already into mid April... 2014 is whizzing by! A lot has happened in the last month. So instead of doing my usual "Weekend Wrap-Up" I'm gonna call this one a "Lastcouplemonths Wrap-Up."

I celebrated my 24th year of life [can I get a "woop woop" for the mid-twenties!?].
I spent a week in sunny [and slightly rainy] Florida.
I got engaged [to "loverboy" as my mother has so affectionately called him since practically day one].
I got my first big girl graphic designer job.

Possibly our very first selfie? This was taken the day after our engagement and I think it accurately portrays our excitement. Please do not attempt selfies and driving at home. Stay safe kids.

It's been a pretty crazy season with lots of big and exciting things happening. God's been like "oh, here ya go!" and I've been like "Whaaaat?!" so it's been fun. :)

During my time with a lovely college lady this week I was shown Romans 2:4... "Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?" 

I feel like this verse totally blows the whole "prosperity gospel" idea out of the water. Maybe the whole reason God is being kind to you isn't because you're following Him and being a "good christian," maybe it's because He is a kind and loving and good God and wants to draw you back to Himself. 

The best way I can think of it is when you've been a big jerk to someone and they return it with a loving act or word. You don't think to yourself "wow, way to go me! I must have done something to really deserve that nice response!" but rather you think "oh man, I totally messed up! I was such a jerk to them but they were kind back to me!" and that often leads to repentance. To admitting that you were wrong and hopefully restoring right relationship with that person.

So as I'm enjoying this season of seeming blessings, I don't need to feel good about myself or anything that I have done to "earn" them. Maybe God has given them to me to draw me to Him. To show me how good and kind He is. To show me how utterly undeserving I am as a human being who sins, and how merciful and gracious He is to bless me nonetheless. To remind me of the gospel... that God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.