Impact of Discipleship: Rebecca Powers
“Little did I know that the Lord would use it to completely change the trajectory of my life”
Discipleship has been one of the biggest blessings in my life. I was paired at a time of grief and confusion, not understanding what my life was going to look like in the future. I signed up just to see what the impact these "lessons" would have on my life. Little did I know that the Lord would use it to completely change the trajectory of my life. Not only was I able to learn many biblical and valuable lessons throughout the discipleship book itself, but I was also able to truly understand the importance of accountability within biblical relationships.
Discipleship came at a very vulnerable time in my life. My mother passed away about three months before getting paired. I was confused and sad, and I started to experience many different emotions that I never had before. In my time of grief, I felt uncomfortable, and I believed that if I just forgot my struggles I could feel "happy" again. My life began to be a series of highs and lows that I was living off of, and I never hesitated to take any chance I got to suppress my emotions. Along the way, I made sure to continue along with the motions of attending church and still praying to the Lord when I felt I had nowhere else to go. In my flesh, I saw the Lord more as something I could access for my benefit instead of valuing my daily time with him and making an effort to glorify him. I concluded that I would never be freed from my fears and anxiety.
Throughout this season, discipleship was a foundational ground I could recognize and see the benefit of. I had the privilege of Hannah Hatton and Autumn Andrews taking me through these lessons and loving me through every high and low season. I saw their walks with God and began to ask myself, "How do their relationships with God change their decisions? How can they still love me when I feel like I don't deserve it?" I asked myself many questions along the way and doubted whether or not I had the same call on my life, as they did.
John 15:12-13 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
This verse was made very clear by the actions of these two women. They were consistent, loving, and very patient with me. They loved me just as Christ loves us and that was truly an eye-opening thing to see.
“But we are not bound by our sin or fear, and understanding that was so important for me to hear”
Within the first half of the discipleship process, I began to grow a love for the world. I was very blinded by my sin and began to abuse my liberty in Christ. I would make excuses for all the reasons that I was going against God's word and call for us. These actions resulted in feeling lonely, hopeless, and full of self-pity. My desire to know the word of God and even my desire to attend church slowly faded. I felt as if I didn't belong in Midtown and there was no escape from my emotions or grief. One day during a discipleship lesson I even told Hannah and Autumn, "I don't know how much longer I will be at Midtown." The enemy used any way to lead me away from his mission and call for my life. I technically knew the right answers due to growing up in church my whole life, but I refused to truly submit to the Lord's will in my life. I wanted to fight everything by my might and will.
Thankfully, by the grace of God, my life was changed at the C&YA fall retreat of 2021. My eyes were opened to his truth, and I was able to recognize that I had been warring against flesh and blood.
1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the father is not in him.
This verse is something that I needed to hear for a long time. I grew weary of going to church and being in fellowship because my fear would get the best of me every time. Little did I know that my love for the world and sin was what was separating me from having genuine fellowship and a relationship with God.
Because his timing is perfect, we were going through lesson 10 of discipleship (Dealing with Sin) over the fall retreat. I recognized my love for the world and knew that I couldn't keep it to myself. I confessed to my disciplers that I had been dwelling in my flesh for a long time. I wanted accountability and I knew that I wouldn't be freed from my sorrows if I didn't fully give my life to Christ.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
I was under the bondage of fear for a long time. But we are not bound by our sin or fear, and understanding that was so important for me to hear. I knew that my life wasn't glorifying the Lord, but I began to desire to glorify him in my speech, actions, and time spent with him.
“Before discipleship, I never knew that I could experience his grace and peace the same way I do now”
His grace is sufficient for me. By the love of Christ, I am set free. I decided to get plugged in and be a follower of Jesus Christ with no strings attached, not compromising just because I was "uncomfortable or sad." I truly needed him to be the foundation of my walk and the true vine. Remembering my mom, she always set an example of abiding in Christ. As a small child, in times of need, she would tell me time and time again to "Abide in Christ" and to "Call upon his name." I never truly understood it until discipleship. I want to use my grief to remember to abide in Christ just as my mom wished for me time and time again. I never want to make the excuse that I am bound by my sin or fear; by his love I am set free.
As time has gone on, the body of Christ has truly been a blessing in my life. The fellowship and love I've felt has been so sweet, and I'm forever thankful for it. Before discipleship, I never knew that I could experience his grace and peace the same way I do now. The Lord has blessed me so much and I have so many things to thank him for. The importance of being established in the body of Christ, spending daily time with the Lord, and making disciples of Christ was something that I never considered or saw the value of before discipleship. Growing up in church I always knew that he had a call for my life but it was something I could never pinpoint or ever truly understand. Being a follower of Christ is not a burden, but the time I get to spend with my father daily is a time of rest and peace.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
The Lord has used this verse time and time again to remind me of thankfulness. Even in the hard seasons of my life I can think about the things in this verse and be at rest. His grace is sufficient for us, and we are set free from the bondage of sin. The example of love from my disciplers and the body of Christ are key things in my life that the Lord has used to draw me closer to him. He is the true comforter in my life and without him, I can do nothing. Without the Lord as the guide in my life I wouldn't have been able to find rest and peace even in times of doubt. I'm truly so thankful for how the Lord has brought me out. He used discipleship as a way to grab my attention and make this possible.
Rebecca Powers is a member of Midtown Baptist Temple and a part of C&YA. She serves in Kidtown and the blog team, and is a part of a women’s south KC Bible study.
