This is a guest post by Adam Durnham. If you are curious about publishing a guest post, please review the guest post guidelines. Then contact me if you can work within those guidelines and would like to submit a post.

As Christians, we are called to fish for men. This means going out of our comfort zones in order to save the lost. But many of us become confused about the boundaries of blending in and actually stick out and become stumbling blocks. If you are someone who is seeking clarity, read to know more.

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, one of His final instructions included “making disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Although modern-day Christian may not walk the Earth and proclaim the Gospel on the streets, we are still called to live our lives in holy ways and to share the Good News with our spheres of influence.

Fishing for men: Is there a gray area?

“Fishing for men” definitely requires balance. When Paul noted that he became a Jew for the Jews and acted under the law (1 Corinthians 9:20-22), it was clear that as Christians, we sometimes need to blend in to win people over.

Many of us become confused with the principle of blending in.

When I was a new Christian and a college student at a large university, I would often find myself in gray areas. I called them gray areas because there I was, professing my newfound faith, but also hanging out with my friends like nothing had changed. My alcoholism took over because I thought I had control and could keep drinking like I had before. I eventually went into a Christian rehab and decided to take things seriously.

As I became older, I realized that gray areas are not really gray. We cannot say that we are winning people over if we clearly know that we are becoming stumbling blocks.

Winning people or becoming a stumbling block

I could have used a guide about living my faith. So, I have created one. Here are some questions you may ask yourself. They may help you determine if your actions may win people for Christ or you are just acting as a stumbling block:

Is it against the law?

To ask if what you are doing is fit for winning people for God, ask if it is a lawful act. This does not mean the context of law in the Bible, but rather the everyday law that all citizens of a state or a country must follow. After all, God tells us to be responsible citizens by submitting to the governing authorities: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (Romans 13:1).

Is it moral?

Having morals is quite different from being lawful. There are things that are passable in terms of the law, but they may not be acceptable in the eyes of others. As Christians, we ought to know that people’s eyes are on us. We represent Christ, and our actions should be blameless before others: “That you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15).

Is it aligned with God?

The highest tier of assessing your actions is knowing that it aligns with God. God manifests Himself through His Word (the Bible), the Holy Spirit, and through the confirmation of godly men and women. It is wise to seek what God says on a specific topic, to listen to the nudging of the Holy Spirit, and to listen to the advice of Christian elders.

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26).

“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety” (Proverbs 11:14).

Do not stumble by winning people

Maybe the key takeaway is that it is good to “blend in” and reach out to others, but you must set holy boundaries that are acceptable in the law, in morality, but most important, in the eyes of God. Do not stumble by bending over backwards to please people and forgetting what is truly important. Instead, set yourself apart as holy yet approachable to those who are lost.

This is a guest post by Sharron Torres. If you would like to contribute an article for Attempts at Honest, please review our Guest Post Guidelines and contact us.

In today’s consumerism-driven society, we surround ourselves with things: material goods are unnecessary for survival, things that do not serve us in any truly beneficial manner. In 2011, it was reported that Americans spend 1.2 trillion annually on nonessential items. This is an astonishing figure and one that emphasizes how wasteful human nature can be. Besides hindering our financial well-being, this material excess undoubtedly hinders our relationship with Christ. As possessions pile up around us, our minds become clouded. The path to spirituality is diluted. We lose sight of our true purpose as children of God. But by stripping away these belongings, we can begin to focus on that which is truly important to living a spiritually focused life.

Simplicity as an Act of Worship

God does not measure you by what you own. No amount of shopping or material accumulation will earn your place in Heaven. Research shows that the amount spent on Black Friday, a single weekend, is more than half f what is donated to churches in America every year. The apparent need to fill your life with things is not an innate urge installed by your creator, but a compulsion implanted by advertising companies and media conglomerates. These forces are simply distractions from your greater purpose. This lesson is apparent in Matthew 19:21:

Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Unburden your physical existence and give to the less fortunate that which you do not require. When we minimize our earthly possessions and turn our attention to God, these material goods are converted into spiritual wealth. Cleanse the clutter in your life. Let this be a new spiritual practice to live by. If the Lord is what we truly seek, then the Lord is all we truly need.

Minimalism is not Poverty

A life rooted in minimalism and simplicity need not be confused with a life of impoverishment. Minimalism is not an encouragement to renounce life as you know it and live out your days as a pauper. It is a call to embrace that which you need to survive comfortably and to release yourself from the rest. This is not only a renouncement of superfluous possessions but also behaviors, addictions, and even relationships. This is not always an easy path to walk; it may be helpful to seek the assistance of friends, family, or luxury rehab centers to start your new journey. The minimalistic lifestyle may seem to affront at first, but when we surrender the comforts found in external things, we can truly begin to value our internal strengths and merits properly. When materialism is forfeited and simplicity is embraced, the path to God is illuminated.

This is a guest post by Patrick Bailey. If you would like to submit a guest post, please review the guest post guidelines. Contact me if you can work within those guidelines.

Awareness of mental health disorders has been growing for quite some time. We see more people—celebrities and politicians as well as friends and neighbors—coming out of the darkness to speak about their depression, anxiety, or other internal struggles that they have kept hidden for years.

Rather than rare, the latest statistics indicate that one in five Americans suffers from some form of mental illness in a given year. About half of them also have a substance abuse issue, a co-occurring disorder known as a dual diagnosis.

Mental health problems can be debilitating to a person’s life, to how they manage relationships with others, and it can even be a strong factor if a person thinks their life is worth living. There are many ways to get support for mental health, such as counseling, support groups, therapies, and dual diagnosis rehabilitation centers.

One powerful tool that should not be overlooked is prayer. Whether you are a Christian or not, prayer is an effective tool to find peace even in times of solitude. While it would be foolhardy to expect to cure mental illness or drug addiction purely through petitioning the Lord, it can be an important part of the overall treatment plan.

How can prayer help in my mental health?

1. Prayer works. The power of prayer, the Bible tells us, is that it is a direct communication to God: “And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.” (1 John 5:15, ESV). As long as our hearts are pure about our prayers, and we are sincere about what we are asking for, God is ready to listen and help us.

This does not mean that God will answer our prayers right away, or that his answer won’t be “No”. However, God can give us the peace we need in order to overcome any challenges that may come our way. “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7, ESV).

2. Prayer can communicate things we cannot express in words. Are you at a low point in your life where no words seem suffice to express your feelingsof grief, despair, or hopelessness? Prayer offers the opportunity to seek comfort in God. Prayer need not use words. Sometimes, even a cry or sitting in silence while asking God for help will do.

If you have surrendered your life to Jesus and consider him your Lord and Savior, he gives you his helper called the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit intervenes for us and helps us communicate to God what we cannot put in words. Romans 8:26 (ESV) says: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

3. Prayer helps relieve anxiety. Often, we are anxious about the things that go on in our lives. Whether there is a loss, a sudden change, or just the constant bombardment of difficulties, our hearts and minds can be overwhelmed and we long for peace.

God, however, does not want us to carry these burdens on our own. In fact, He invites us to surrender our anxieties to him—whether big or small. There is nothing too small or large that you can’t present to God, even mental illness or substance abuse. He invites us to cast all our burdens on him: “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7, ESV).

Connect with God and find peace through prayer

Prayer does wonders, not only for your mental health but also for the enrichment of your life. If you don’t know how to start, simply come to God as if you were talking to a friend. With an open and sincere heart, he is listening and he cares. Find peace through prayer and make it a habit to communicate with God daily.