Dear Confused,

Well, let me start with the most important thing you bring up. I noticed the word I THINK in your question. Just because you go to church does not mean you are a born-again believer. If you think you are saved, you probably are not. You will know deep down within yourself if you are a new creation in Christ. First thing is to make sure you KNOW you are saved. Romans 10:9 says that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 

Once you are positive you are going to heaven, we look deeper into the words of the “I and Me” attitude. As followers of Christ, our life is not about our wants but His wants. We learn that by reading our manual for success (the Bible) which has the only direction for success we will never need. Our Lord wants us to succeed in this journey through life which is heading us towards heaven. If we wake up every morning being grateful no matter what our day brings, then we shall have a day full of hope and joy. We have the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us.

As believers, we live our life in what the Apostle Paul tells us in Galatians 2:20: I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Living by faith in Christ means we are confident that He is our hope and joy! No matter what comes our way, we focus on the promises given to us in the Bible! We read and we obey, knowing the only truth is found in those Spirit-inspired words — not my wants but HIS, which always gives us a future and a hope. We live the words of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:6: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

We must learn to be grateful for the very breath we breathe, and with every breath, be aware that without God giving it to us, we would NOT BE BREATHING! As followers of Jesus, we are the Church, His Body, and we go to a building to bless the Lord and learn more about Him. We are NOT to be looking around at people. So, I urge you to show those around you where your HOPE and JOY truly come from, and that is Christ and Christ alone!