This week was not a great week in the pursuing God week. I just was busy with a lot of other stuff and didn't stop and take the time to really pray and seek God in my week... and as a result life felt a bit more rushed and I felt a bit more anxious.... not a good idea. After spending time with God your life shows a difference when you have spent no time doing it. I can feel it. I can see it in how I react to situations.. how I react to my wife and kids and friends. The world just looks different when you are plugged into God; when you tap into the God power supply... when you actually rely on God for every single day... rely on him for your "daily bread"... each and everyday. It is hard when you stop making your plans... rip them up and throw them away and just go where the wind (God) blows you. Let me tell you living in that.. living in that everyday.... is hard.... but so freeing. It is an unbelievable feeling to just let go and free fall.
I was talking to a friend the other day and he was telling me about how much his life has changed since he just let go. He works as a independent contractor and has a little house church that he leads... so income is not exactly as steady as it gets. He said that it took him a while to get into the groove of things... to really let go... he said it was really hard for his wife too, to not have that constant security. But now, now he says it is great and freeing (and his wife is more laid back about it than he is) and in a lot of ways a lot more biblical (not that you have to live that way). He just said that in the bible it talks about putting all of your faith in God... to let him lead you daily.. going where he wants you to, talking to who he wants you to, taking time to listen and seek. He said, "I just think in American culture 90% of people, including Christians, have no idea what it means to live with total faith in God.
Imagine living in total abandonment to God... total abandonment; meaning you through out everything. You threw out the norm of what culture thinks you need.. you threw out the norm of the what you think you need, you threw out the norm of the way you are "supposed" to act and just was lead by the Holy Spirit. That would be hard. I have seen some of the fruits of it though.... and they are tasty! So I went on to ask my friend, "Do you think that everyone could give up all they have and just let God lead? Is everyone called to that? Because in some ways I think it takes a certain personality to do that....". And I still do wonder if everyone is called to let go.
The funny thing for me is that I an using all of these phrases that Christians use "Let go and let God", "Giving everything to God", "Living by the Spirit".... yep... I heard it a thousand times before... but really 99% of Christians have no idea what that means. They might for a portion of their lives; in the hard times, a time when a loved one is sick or hurt, a time when things are financially tight.... but never a life style change. I don't even think a lot of pastors (that use these phrases) know what that means. It is a complete and total reversal of what our culture is (and most pastors live very similar lives to the rest of the culture). It is a complete and total reversal of what we as Americans think a normal life is... we live by "kind of" faith in God.... and in "kind of faith" we realize when it comes down too it, we lack real faith (I sure did/do). Now I am not saying people don't believe in God, or have faith that there is a God, or love God less, but they ultimately have never had to go into full reliance on God... a total change in mentality (because lets be honest the natural thing of us to do as humans is try to fix the situations that aren't working for them, in fact the idea of giving everything up to God is kind of counter intuitive.)
All of this has reminded me of two parts of scripture this week. The first on is Phil 4:12-13
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
I have been thinking about this verse a lot in our financially hard time, it just makes sense to me more now than ever before... an talks about just finding contentment (which I didn't have even when I had more money). The second passage is the one about the Rich Young man
21Jesus 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." 22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"26Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
I know it is hard not to put any of my faith in money... it is really hard... I still do it. But I am trying to let go of all of that. An be completely counter intuitive and just follow God each day... and focus on that day alone which bring to me tomy all time favorite passage25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his lifeb]">[b]?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Only now I am really learning what this means.... it is a challenge but good for me. Hopefully I can become a counter intuitive Christian
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