Justin Bieber Encourages Fans to Find Rest in God's Presence
With the release of his latest album "Purpose," pop star Justin Bieber has been trying to turn his bad boy image around by talking more about his Christian faith.
In an Instagram post Tueday night, Bieber encouraged his fans with Psalm 46:10, which reads: "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
"Remember there's a God that loves you and is for you. Be still in his presence. He will give you true rest," the "What Do You Mean" singer wrote.
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Earlier this year, Bieber encouraged his followers to start reading the Christian devotional Jesus Calling, which has sold more than 15 million copies worldwide.
During an interview with Complex magazine last year, the 21-year-old stated: "I just wanna honestly live like Jesus. Not be Jesus. ... I don't want that to come across weird. He created a pretty awesome template of how to love people and how to be gracious and kind."
Bieber admitted in the same interview, however, that he has often rejected his faith and communion with other Christians.
"Christians leave such a bad taste in people's mouths. I was like, 'I'm not gonna go to church.' I had these church friends and I was like, 'You guys are cool, I like you guys, but I'm not going to church,'" he said.
Bieber rose to fame as a teen idol at 13, but by 2011 he was equally well known for his antics — smoking marijuana, vandalizing his neighbor's property, using racial slurs and drag racing. But since that time he's been work hard to transform his life.
Back in November, a Los Angeles Times reviewer described his experience at Bieber's world tour as part pop concert, movie premiere, skateboarding demonstration and a church service.
"He talked about the importance of maintaining a positive spirit and surrounding himself with encouraging people. He credited his connection with God for helping him to get back on his feet after a string of widely publicised tabloid troubles. And when a fan in the audience — one of a dozen or so selected by the singer's team for a question-and-answer session — asked if he had any advice on how to get through a romantic breakup, he demurred, flashing a bit of the humility that every religious leader knows is crucial in establishing a bond with one's flock," the Times reported.
