How to live a righteous life

08/08/2024 • View profile

It is hard to live a righteous life in a world that demands acceptance of sin. Our human emotions get in the way sometimes of doing what the Lord desires for us to do and hearing His voice. The Christian life is hard. Jesus never promised it would be easy.

The ups and downs life throws at us will get our emotions all over the place. We will get angry, defensive, arrogant, prideful, jealous, and frustrated. That is not the life Jesus intends for us. He never promised an easy life, but He shows us the way to live our life despite the difficulties. His way will always soften the thorns of the path.

“So, turn from youthful desires and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord with purity of heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22)

When we were young then it was easy to allow our emotions and passions of this world to get in the way of living a righteous life. We still struggle with these problems even into adulthood. We want to prove we are right in every situation. We get jealous when someone else gets the promotion we think we deserve. We are angry when a car cuts us off in traffic.

“A man who governs his passion is master of his world. We must either command them or be enslaved by them. It is better to be a hammer than an anvil.” “St. Dominic de Guzmnan.

We don’t like the word “slave”. The term is associated with pain and abuse. That is not the image the apostles give when they say we are “slaves” of Christ. However, St, Dominic warns that we are going to be slaves either way. We can choose to be slaves of Christ and be a voluntary servant of the one that endured suffering for our crimes so that we do not have to face the judgment. We can choose to be a slave to the One that loves us even before we loved ourselves. We can also allow our earthly desires to be our master and become slaves of sin.

If it is taking your focus off the Lord and pulling you away from serving Christ, then it is of the world. We are to take control of our emotions and our desires to ensure that serving Christ is our priority. We must place Jesus first in our life and then all the other things will fall into place.

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About the Author

Amelia Monroe Carlson

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Amelia Monroe Carlson graduated from the University of North Alabama with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism. Being raised as a Methodist during her early years, it was not until she entered college where she began to take her faith seriously. She was baptized as a Southern Baptist in Muscle Shoals, AL and began immediately serving in international missions and in the church.

During college, she became the Co-founder of an International Ministry, where she spent time traveling and speaking to church groups and in large conferences. She authored a Bible study and traveled abroad on mission work. She sat on the Mid-South Interfaith Conferences in Mississippi, where she defended the faith and discussed beliefs with leaders of various religions.

After a business trip to Washington D.C., where she was introduced to a former Baptist who converted to the Catholic Church, she was placed on a journey to enter into the Catholic Church.

Amelia is a military wife and currently residents with her husband and daughter in Tennessee. She is a nine time award winning journalist, receiving press awards for various categories including investigative journalism, best news coverage, and best single feature. It is her desire to help Catholics, particularly Cradle Catholics, see the beauty in their faith which converts see and appreciate the fullness of truth which the Church has held and guarded throughout history. It is her desire all Catholics fall as much in love with Jesus as she is, and love the Church to a greater capacity than they could imagine.

Amelia taught PRE for 4-6 grade at St. Mary Catholic Church in Bolivar, Tennessee from 2014-2016. She served as Youth Director at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church in Somerville, Tennessee in 2017-2018. She now teaches 7th grade (1st year Confirmation) PRE class at St. Philip. She's also a writer and frequent podcast guest on Our Warpath.

She has a strong devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Francis de Sales, St. Padre Pio and St. Maximilian Kolbe.

To contact Amelia for speaking inquiries at conferences, retreats, or parishes contact her via social media on Facebook (Amelia Monroe Carlson), Twitter (@2_catholic ) or send a text to: (731)518-6923.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ameliamcarlson
Twitter: @2_catholic (Catholic ministry account)

Twitter personal account: @ameliamcarlson

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