Is my life good enough to imitate?

1 Corinthians 4: 14I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children. 15Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16Therefore I urge you to imitate me.

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Success in America seems to be defined by how many toys one can acquire over a life’s span. Bumper stickers boast “He who has the most toys wins!” Today, people feel the lowest they have ever felt because their wealth is threatened or gone. Guess what? I felt the same way.

There was a period in my life when things seemed dark and lonely. When the news came down that the department was going to downsize and I was one of them I cringed and hid in the corner. My life had changed and I didn’t want anyone to imitate it. Fear, doubt and worry ensued.

GOD says my life is far greater than a job or earthly riches.
GOD says by siding with HIM, NOTHING can be against me.
GOD says that while I am a sinner, CHRIST cleaned me up according to HIS standards.
GOD says I am great as long as I put my faith in HIM.

When I realized that “greatness” can only be defined by GOD then my pursuits became different. I now seek to read about HIM daily and here is what I found:

GOD loves when I “ask” HIM to forgive my sins.
GOD loves when I “love” my wife and children and neighbors and “enemies.”
GOD loves when I “give” sacrificially not just “in plenty.”
GOD loves when I “change” my motives and direction for my life to follow HIS ways.
GOD loves when I “realize” HE loves me!

My life is not perfect. I still fear, doubt, worry, lust, obsess, spit anger, throw tantrums, you name it. The reason my life can be imitated is because I fully trust that JESUS forgave and forgives me. HE is the one who sent HIS HOLY SPIRIT to me and now HE is working sin out of me a little at a time.

Can your life be imitated?
Is there an area of your life that HE is telling you to let go of?
Why are you trying to hold onto "that" sin so tightly?
Is there someone you can tell about what GOD has done for you?