Grow up

These days, at least with the older generation, it is culturally imperative that one becomes self-sufficient. I think most of us would agree that a capable and able person should have the capacity to stand on their own two feet. One should be able to take care of herself vocationally and pay her bills. One should be able to hold a job, keep a home-life, feed and clean himself. While this is all good and beneficial for everyone involved, I wonder if any of that affects our great need for God.

That said, we have such odd dichotomies in our society. Young people remain under their parent’s roof and protection much longer than they used to. They rely on parental-bailouts much longer than before. They’re still found under their parent’s insurance and cell phone plans into their early 30’s. And yet, they are so quick to claim in adulthood over their sexual practices, vocations, and life choices. Something’s wrong here. Time to get real.

The Missing Factor

One missing aspect of my pre-adult years was a tangible understanding of God’s presence. Though I went to church as a kid, this was never shown me on paper or in practice. I did learn about responsibility, morality, stability, and consequences. However, when these qualities remain untethered to righteousness and the cross, they develop some pretty distasteful pride and self-assurance. When you grow into adulthood with a strong foundation of responsibility, but miss out on learning our need for God, you naturally doubt God. “What do I need him for? I’ve made it this far without him.” I have come to believe that children must be trained to know God and shown how to rely on God so that when they depart the oversight of their parents, they’re prepared to walk dependent on God. Sadly, this is not usually the case.

Feeding at the Trough of the Culture

One of the popular axioms of our day is, “You Got This!” It’s like giving candy to a little kid, isn’t it? When someone says, “you got this”, it makes us feel strong and capable, but whoever stops to ask whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing? We have different personalities in our culture: those who plow ahead thinking they can do anything and those who do little because they are incapacitated by fear. One is admired/ridiculed for their fearlessness/recklessness, and the other for their overt caution/lack of gusto/laziness. Whether you are an extreme risk-taker or the bastion of life-safety, you arrive at both of those places on your own. It requires no other influence but your own power. Given enough time however, we all discover none of us have ultimate control over either of these lifestyles. The risk-taker will someday go too far and the fearful one will atrophy. Which will we be? At this point, it really doesn’t matter because they are both flawed.

The Wake of Disaster Without God

How many disturbing life-events or habits will it take before we realize that Jesus meant what he said in John 15? Wrong turns. Terrifying crashes. Ruined marriages. Lost jobs. Premature declining health. Virtual bankruptcy. Heartbreak. Sexually transmitted diseases. Perversion. Unwanted pregnancy. Hellacious godless children leaving the house. Credit card boat anchors. Extravagance. Fashion trend pressures. The need to be liked by everyone. Drunkenness. Substance abuse. Tobacco addiction. Uncontrolled temper. Depression. Hopelessness. Untamed selfishness.

John 15:4 “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

The point Jesus makes here is that we’re to be “continually” dependent on God. He clearly explains that life apart from Him is no life at all; it’s worthless! It makes no difference whether you are the risk-taker or fearful. Apart from Him, we can do nothing! In fact, unattached branches are meant to be picked up and burned because they are withered and lifeless (risk-taker or fearful). Do you want life? –remain in Him… continually.

The Prize at the Bottom of the Box

Stop thinking about dependence on God as something that is situational and contingent upon the difficulty of an issue. It’s our tendency to only seek him for “big” things. We reach for God like he’s in the medicine cabinet next to the Advil. “When that pain sets in, reach for Christ-afed.” [insert cheesy radio voice]. Instead, think about it in terms of relationship. It’s eye-opening when we come to realize that Christianity is not about knowing what God can do for us so much as it is to know God; the real prize. When we know him well, we see the world for what it really is. Because of that, we take his hand and begin to step through this life with his guidance, experiencing what he wants for us. Without him, we may do many things that seem exciting, fun or safe but they have no meaning; no purpose. Sure, you’re independent… Good for you! But is it worth anything in the Kingdom?

Galatians 6:8 “For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”

What’s your method?

Sometimes we need a reminder that the Bible is wholly and completely a message about God; who He is. It’s when we read it to discover Him that we gain true wisdom and understanding in this life; not because we gain Biblical knowledge but because we get God. Sadly a lot of the time we don’t read it to discover Him but to aid ourselves. In other words, we look through the pages of the bible so that we might gain temporary hope, situational comfort, or a means to a better life. With this in mind, it’s not a stretch to think we just might be putting the Bible and the power of God on par with self-help books and rehab programs. By reading the bible with that intention we come up short. God is NOT a rehab program. Neither God or scripture is a means to “self-help” betterment.

Is it working?

When we think of church this way, we invariably disconnect the living God from His teaching thus treating the Bible as a source for helpful advice, and the church as though it were some sort of self-help seminar… which might be why you’re struggling. It’s as though we’re soul-searching our way through Christianity hoping to find ourselves. It’s a misunderstanding of God and it’s why things never seem to get better for you. It’s why you wrestle with backsliding. It’s why you feel like God is powerless in your life. It’s why you think the Christians around you favor some people over others.

What’s missing?

Ephesians 1 reveals a huge list of the blessings of God toward us. It says, “He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing…” If you continue reading Ephesians you’ll discover that God did all that He did for us because of His great love, and abounding mercy and grace. The only contingency given in Paul’s letter is that these blessings are only given to those who are “in Christ”. It’s “in Christ” that His blessings mean something to us; because we’ve come to know Him. To know Him is to discover that he is love and that he has mercy and grace toward those who are His children. Mind you, Ephesians does NOT indicate more blessings for a more favored group of believers over a less favored group of believers. Additionally, Peter says we’ve [all] been “given all things pertaining to life and Godliness” and it is understood “through the knowledge of Him.”

If you don’t know the living God of scripture, you cannot even begin to understand what He does or why He does it. When you seek to know Him, that’s when the lights come on and understanding begins. And knowing Him (His ways and purposes) leads to loving Him with a growing heart of gratitude.

How does it affect you?

Giving thanks is an aspect of the life of a Christian that is often ignored or neglected. Or if it appears, it only shows up at times when we receive those things which seem to be a blessing or a benefit in the positive. Do you know the Bible commands thankfulness? …in all things (bad or good)? Ridiculous, right? (1Thess 5:18)

Additionally, speaking of the last days, Paul says, “men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,…”  Sounds about right… Don’t we often find these qualities even within the church today? Why are we like this?

Luke 17 recounts a situation with Jesus and 10 lepers that speaks to this idea. Luke 17:12-19 says,  “Then as Jesus entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13  And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14  So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. 15  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16  and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. 17  So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18  “Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19  And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

Do you do it or wait for it?

What does it take for you to be thankful as the Bible commands? One way is by intentionally stirring up your affections for God by taking time to talk to him and reflect upon everything he’s done; where he has brought you from. Or you can just march through your life and wait until you “feel” thankful. I believe this is the reason that Christians seem to have little gratitude. If you are waiting around to feel it, the only time you will feel it is in the positive times. And even in those times, you’ll rarely connect it to the hand of God. Instead, you will attribute it to “good fortune”, “luck”, or because we’re finally receiving some well-deserved or long-overdue attention.

If you are sitting around waiting for good, you might be waiting… for good. On the other hand, if we intentionally stir our affections for God by reflecting and remembering, we can begin to exhibit some interesting levels of gratitude even in the worst of situations.

Take some time out of your week to read and reflect upon Psalm 107. Tell me God isn’t good.