My Way or the Highway

Hey Everyone,
It's been a looooong time since I last created an entry on my blog and it's time to re-engage!  The reason I needed to start again was to help address real questions about God, faith and where people are at in their spiritual walks.  Some of the thoughts from people I will be speaking about in sermons, but I wanted to make sure that everyone was 'heard' so I will be writing about them for a while--at least until they are all given a response (there's a lot!).

So here is the first one:

"If you hear me, why do you let so many bad things happen in our world?"

 

There are quite a few ways to approach this deep and ubiquitous question.  One could say that bad things happening in our world is an expression of humanity's free will, and rebellion against God--and this would be true, but it isn't always very comforting.

 

But I want to suggest a different approach:  what if the essence of the question itself is wrong?  It implies three basic things:  1.  There are bad things in the world.  2.  I know these things are bad/wrong.  3.  If I am addressing God about these bad things, then because God is good, it is his responsibility to address them as  I understand them.

In essence, this question is putting me in charge and God in a position of obedient response to me.

 

Now, what about humility?  What if I am somehow unable to understand the manner in which God will address this issue of bad things in our world?  What if He has a different agenda?  If He has a different agenda that doesn't always fix what I see, does that mean that He is failing in overcoming it?

 

Now here's a kicker---what if I am ignorant to the depth of how God wants to change this world?  Ignorant in that He wants it to be so profoundly different that He wants to begin the revolution one heart at a time?  And what if He is saying to the person who is asking the question:  are you willing to humble yourself and submit to Me and My ways even if you are unable to grasp them?  Will you allow My revolution to take place in your own heart?

 

God always makes it personal!

 

Here is a quote: 

"The world's way of decision making is to weigh all the evidence, compare pros and cons, and then take the course of action that seems most sensible.  If spiritual leaders make their choices this way, they could easily lead their organizations in the opposite direction of God's will (Prov. 14:12).  God doesn't want people to do what they think is best: he wants them to do what he knows is best, and no amount of reasoning and intellectualizing will discover that.  God himself must reveal it. God's Holy Spirit reveals his will to those who are seeking his mind and his heart."  (Henry & Richard Blackaby Spiritual Leadership).

 

God most certainly does ask us to pray about things in our world that aren't as they should be.  But I believe that the way in which He wants to make the difference is to begin by residing in humble hearts.

 

So maybe this is something that you needed to hear today:  maybe you are filled with anxiety about the world you are living in.  Maybe you are filled with anxiety about God?  I would encourage you to give up.  Not in despair, but in trust--give yourself, your thoughts, questions and anxieties to God and ask that He would teach you His ways.

 

He will do it (but in His own way. . . . . .!)

 

BT