Do you ever get to a place where you think you have got all your ducks in a row, and then you realise that what you thought you knew, or where you thought you were isn’t actually the truth. Well I guess that in the last couple of years and especially the last 12 months that’s the realisation I’ve had.
I have been a Christian for about 15 years and I finally realised that I have spent the majority of that time trusting others to tell me what God has said, what he is saying, how I should live as a Christian and so on.
I guess when I walked through the front door of that church, or into that meeting; whoever was stood at the front became my new authority on God and Christian living. Just to be clear, I am not blaming this on the leaders at the front. They often advised their listeners (me), to check what they were hearing alongside the bible, to pray about it and test it. To be fair, I didn’t really do that. So for many years what I believed about God, about who Jesus is, about the Holy Spirit and my faith were based on what I had heard from the front of Church, on YouTube, in books or other Christians had told me. In short I trusted my spiritual growth to other people.
If I’m honest, part of this was because I can be a bit lazy (especially if someone else is prepared to do the hard work). If I do it myself then I have to take the responsibility for it and I’m not great with that. So do you know what, if someone else is prepared to do the studying, to do the praying, to seek the Holy Spirits guidance and ask for wisdom, oh and if they have a title or training or experience why would I bother.
I’ve laughed in the past about the person who sued Wineebago (a campervan manufacturer). They read the instruction manual and because it didn’t say you couldn’t leave the drivers seat when the cruise control was on, they got up and went to make a sandwich. Long story short, the vehicle left the carriageway and crashed. That seemed so hilarious, but do you know what… For a very long time I have been doing exactly the same thing. I’ve been trusting other people with my Life (eternal destination). How stupid could/can I be that I would not make an effort. This is about my ETERNITY!
I also realised that wherever I was seeking my Christian teaching, guidance, worship etc it had to be packaged in a way that suited me. Worship music had to be upbeat, teaching needed to be from someone dynamic who said what I wanted to hear. Basically I wanted my God package to fit into my nice world shaped boxes. I didn’t want God to change my world but for him to fit into mine as easily and with as little inconvenience as possible.
In 2 Timothy 4:3 it says: For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. (NIV)
This is what I have been doing and I don’t think I’m the only one!
Fortunately I feel like I am coming to my sense’s and starting to really take control of what I am doing. I’ve made the decision to do the following things more.
Read the bible, Pray (tell God that I want more of him and ask him to open my eyes and give me revelation), Ask for wisdom and listen to the Holy Spirit and check what I believe.
As I’ve started to do these things God has started to reveal lots to me. I’ve become aware that many of my beliefs really are based biblical truths. Some things are cultural, some are religious and some others are just not biblical at all.
Now as I’m reading the bible and I don’t understand it I am reading the notes, checking other translations, reading commentaries (these usually confuse me, it can’t just be me can it?), praying about it, speaking to other Christians about it. I’m trying to to make sure I have the truth. Because I’m reading the bible more when I hear a sermon I am better able to test it and if I’m not familiar with the passage I will go and read it and seek out the truth as best I can.
I wouldn’t say I’m becoming a scholar, but as I seek the truth more my faith is getting stronger and deeper and my walk is getting more exciting.
I would say the following to you:
Find the truth
Don’t trust others with your eternity.